Chapter Seven
On Saturday morning, Tsukimi struggled to find the necessary motivation to get out of bed. She felt like she had tossed and turned all night. As a result she was feeling extra groggy, but she didn't want to be the last of the Amars to get up. She could hear footsteps and some quiet chatter coming from the rest of the house. Finally, her fear of being perceived as lazy beat her desire to stay curled up in her blanket. As she left her room, she was hit with the delicious smell of bacon that had travelled from downstairs. Breakfast, Tsukimi thought, as her stomach reacted to the smell with a low grumble, that's just what I need!
"Good morning,Tsukimi," Chieko greeted her as she entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the table working on something on her laptop, and Banba was at the stove. As she flipped the bacon in the pan, it sizzled and there was a loud pop.
"Good morning Chieko, Banba," Tsukimi replied as she made her way to the fridge.
"I'm making plenty of bacon and eggs for everyone," Banba said. So, instead of foraging for breakfast,Tsukimi pulled out the milk and went to grab a glass from the cupboard.
"I'll make some toast," Chieko added, closing her laptop and standing up. "I need a break from that anyway... the nerve of some people, you girls would not even believe the kind of requests I have been receiving."
"What are you working on?" Tsukimi moved to the side so Chieko could reach the cupboard that held the toaster.
"I've been looking through the applications again... you would think the prospect of Amamizukan being redeveloped into a shopping mall would be a deterrent, but there are still so many people applying to live here."
"Are you declining all of them?" Tsukimi asked, holding her glass steady as she filled it with the deliciously cold milk.
Chieko slid open the lid of the bread box and pulled out a loaf of sliced bread. "So far. Even if it is just a temporary arrangement, they still have to comply with the rules of Amamizukan... And it's hard to find girls with the right personality these days...There are so many loud, unruly characters who think we would let them in just because they are women and are obsessed with something..."
"So, you do want to rent out the spare room?"
"There was this one applicant I liked, but she has a cat... and I don't think she could be convinced to part with him." Chieko sighed. "Out of the dozens I've looked through so far, she's the only applicant with the right personality. But I have a few more to look over after breakfast, if you'd like to help."
"Of course!" Tsukimi placed her glass on the counter and straightened her posture. She lifted her arm up in salute. "Tsukimi-chan reporting for duty; anything to serve Amamizukan!" Chieko nodded in delight at her enthusiasm and Tsukimi relaxed and put the gallon of milk away. Then she went back to the cupboards and got out plates and cups to set the table.
Mayaya and Jiji came downstairs right as Banba declared the bacon ready to eat-according to her, it was perfectly cooked. Crisp without being brittle. She had also scrambled some eggs and chieko had set out toast and jam.
"Thank you," Jiji said, taking her seat.
Mayaya sniffed the air loudly and looked over the breakfast. "A feast to fuel any battles we may face today! Thank you!"
After eating and clearing away the dishes, the Amars gathered around Chieko and her laptop at one side of the table. Chieko scrolled through her inbox, found an applicant, and downloaded her application for review. Before they opened the downloaded attachment though, there was a quiet knock at the door.
"Are we expecting a visitor?" Chieko looked around at the Amars, but they all seemed confused.
"Careful, Chieko-sama!" Mayaya called out as Chieko rose from her seat and headed toward the entrance hall. "Our enemies could have set up a trap!"
"It's okay, Mayaya," Chieko assured her calmly. "I'll see who it is and get rid of them." She left the room. The girls listened silently as the door opened. Then they heard Chieko's voice. "Ohhh, Kurako dear," they heard, and Tsukimi saw that they all visibly relaxed. "What are you doing knocking at our door?" Chieko asked. "Don't you normally just barge in?"
Tsukimi hurried into the entrance hall. Kuranosuke hadn't been around for days-he must have still been angry about last time.
"Tsukimi, uh... good morning!" He was still standing outside. "May I come in?" he asked, glancing down at Chieko, who was still holding the door open.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked, rolling her eyes. She released the door and headed back into the kitchen. Kuranosuke stepped inside.
Tsukimi noticed Kuranosuke's odd behavior. He is still mad at me, she thought. "I'm sorry," she said, stepping forward. She bowed her head and could feel tears fighting against the corners of her eyes. Her chest felt tight and she knew if she didn't apologize quickly, she would soon be unable to speak. "I understand if you're mad at me, I must do so many annoying things without even realizing. All I ever do is bore you with talk about jellyfish and force you to work on designs for hours and keep you from ever going home and seeing your family. I'm sorry. If... if you can find it in your heart to look past my flaws and forgive me, please, I really want to make jellyfish dresses with you and save Amamizukan!" Now she was actually crying. She lowered her head more and hoped Kuranosuke couldn't see.
"Tsukimi..." Her eyes were shut tight in her effort to hold back her tears, but she could hear the click of his heels against the tile as he stepped forward. "Tsukimi, what's going on? What makes you think I'm mad at you?"
"Because..." Tsukimi's voice faltered. "You left, and you didn't come back,and now you're here, but you're acting all strange..." Tsukimi began sobbing. "I'm sorry," she said, through bursts of tears and loud, heaving sobs.
"Whoa, whoa, Tsukimi!" Kuranosuke stepped forward again,and she could feel his lean arms wrapping around her shoulders. He pulled her tear-soaked, snotty face against his padded chest and she felt herself freeze up. She could feel the warmth of his chest and hear his heart beating, and she could smell the perfume he was wearing-it was light and floral with undernotes of something sweet. "Tsukimi, I'm not mad at you. I'm sorry..."
She continued to cry, but her breathing evened out and the sobs were subsiding.
"Tsukimi..." Kuranosuke was patting her shoulder rhythmically. "I didn't think you wanted me barging in and hanging around all the time... I thought I was making you and the other girls uncomfortable... I'm sorry, this is my fault... I guess I misunderstood your feelings."
Tsukimi pulled away from him enough that she could raise a hand to her face and rub the remaining tears out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, I overreacted and I messed up your dress and..."
Kuranosuke interrupted her with a low laugh and pulled her back into a tight hug before he released her completely. "It's okay, Tsukimi. I can have the dress cleaned. It's no big deal."
"B-but..."
"Tsukimi, I'm sorry I left in a bad mood last time... I'm the one who overreacted, and I hurt your feelings. I want to make jellyfish dresses too, and I like hearing about them and being here and everything..."
Tsukimi rubbed at her eyes again. Kuranosuke was blushing and staring at something behind her. She turned her head and saw that the Amars were watching them. They looked worried. Tsukimi adjusted her glasses and straightened her posture. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she called to the other Amars. "Don't worry about me. I don't know what came over me, but I'm fine now!"
The Amars were still for a moment and then they turned and went back into the kitchen.
"Sorry..." Tsukimi said, turning back to Kuranosuke.
"No, no... it's fine..." Kuranosuke smiled, but Tsukimi didn't find it very reassuring.
How embarrassing, she thought, cringing. How could I let myself get so emotional in front of everyone... in front of Kuranosuke, even... She felt like pulling her hair at or hitting herself for being so dumb, but she didn't want to look even more crazy.
"So, what's everyone up to? Smells like breakfast..."
"We finished eating awhile ago, we just haven't washed the dishes... why, are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"
"N-no... I'm good..." It occurred to Tsukimi that her behavior had unsettled Kuranosuke. He adjusted his wig and straightened out the sleeves of his dress. "Do you... Uh... Do you still want to take some designs to Nisha today?"
"Oh, right!" Tsukimi nodded. Then she glanced toward the kitchen. "I offered to help out with some Amamizukan stuff, but let me check, they might not need me!" She turned and hurried back into the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the laptop again, but they didn't seem to be doing anything. I must have shocked them too...
Kuranosuke followed her into the kitchen. "Hi everyone..." He lifted his hand in a halfhearted wave, but the girls didn't respond.
"They'll be okay," Chieko said, shrugging. "But I don't think they are going to be very helpful with the applications in this state..." She closed her laptop again.
"Applications?" Kuranosuke asked, glancing between Tsukimi and Chieko. "Are you guys looking for jobs or something?"
"NO."
"Oh, uh... okay..." Kuranosuke was blushing again. "Sorry, Chieko, I didn't mean to... offend anyone..."
"We're screening applicants for the open room here at Amamizukan," Tsukimi explained.
"Open room?"
"Yes," Chieko answered. "I stopped looking at the applications back when we thought mother was going to sell Amamizukan, but now that everything has settled down, I think we could use the extra income of another renter..."
"Let me rent the room," Kuranosuke blurted out, and Tsukimi could feel herself freezing up.
"You? Live here? At Amamizukan?" Chieko laughed. "I don't..."
"Think of all the meat!" Banba cried out, suddenly returning to life. "Kurako could bring us steaks for dinner all the time!"
"Err..." Kuranosuke bit his lip. "I guess, yeah, I could help out with the groceries and everything, yeah... and the rent. I'm sure I could afford it, whatever it is, I could even pay extra..."
Tsukimi looked around. The Amars were suddenly looking at each other and quietly discussing this turn of events. I have to stop him, she thought. But how? I can't let them know why he can't really live here, so I have to think of something else...
"I need to talk to you. Upstairs." She straightened her back and walked out of the kitchen, heading towards her room. The click of his heels as he walked assured her that he was following her.
As soon as they were both in her room, she slammed her door. "You idiot!"
"What?" Kuranosuke's eyes were wide and his cheeks were visibly red. "Tsukimi, is everything okay?"
"You can't live here! Are you insane? Do you want us to be killed?"
"Killed..." Kuranosuke laughed. "What are you talking about?"
"The rule," she whispered, leaning in. "No men. Punishable by death. You can't live here, you will get caught and they'll murder me! Or at the very least, they'll kick me out!"
"Tsukimi, come on..." Kuranosuke spoke, his voice loud compared to her whisper. "They aren't going to find out..."
"Shhh, they could hear us!"
Kuranosuke laughed. "You really take this stuff seriously, don't you?"
"This is my home... I'm not like you, I don't have some mansion to go back to if living here doesn't work out, okay? Please don't mess this up for me."
"Tsukimi..." Kuranosuke sighed. "I won't mess this up for you. I promise..."
"How do you know that? How do you plan to live here without being found out?"
"I'm here a lot already and they haven't figured it out yet... and besides, if they do catch me, none of them have ever noticed before, so is it really so hard to believe that you wouldn't have noticed either? Come on, Tsukimi... I know how it is with the Amars, if you aren't on board, they aren't going to have me here..."
"What makes you want to live here anyway?" Tsukimi shook her head. "You've seen my room. It's way too small to fit all of your stuff" She glanced around and then gestured to her sparse furniture, which filled her tiny living space in a way that was comfortable for her but completely different from the living spaces she had seen at Kuranosuke's house. "This is the kind of room you will have. You won't have your own bathroom, or any fancy furniture..." Tsukimi shook her head. "You can't live here, it just doesn't make any sense..."
"Tsukimi, please..." Kuranosuke's confident smile fell away and his voice was rough. "I don't ever want to leave Amamizukan again."
"Oh..."Tsukimi was left speechless. She tried to formulate some rebuttal, some other reason to refuse that she had not used yet, but looking into his eyes she could tell that he was serious. For whatever reason, she could tell that he was determined to stay at Amamizukan. "Okay..."