Home by the Ocean
09: Start
"I was only around eight when my father died. He was away for a long time because of his work. I didn't mind because he always keeps his promise that he'll come back on time and that he will play with me when he comes back.
He was supposed to come home that night. But the news forecast got it wrong and he was caught in a sudden storm. Out in the drive, he already drove too far ahead to go back. Then it happened.
There was a landslide and his car fell off a cliff. He never made it. Then I remembered seeing him again, smiling inside a picture frame surrounded by flowers and incense.
Who would've known? That the last time I'm ever going to see my father alive, was when we both said goodbye"
Megumi and Mizuki Tadokoro sat quietly in a private room. The mother was still astounded at the fact that her daughter stubbornly said 'no' to her when she told her to go to her room. She didn't have to see that, she didn't need to hear that.
While her mother was thinking on whether or not everything that had happened a few moments ago was real or not, the daughter did her best to sit up straight and build her confidence, especially towards the person in front of them. She has faith that she can pull through. It may look a little too much considering she just made her resolve but given the circumstances, there's no other choice. Besides, if she can do this, then everything else will be a piece of cake.
Megumi takes a peek to the person sitting by the wall to her right. Her dark savior (is that term even appropriate?) sat there with his arms crossed over his chest. When things were heating up, he made a move to leave- knowing that it's not his place and respected their family's privacy. Yet she stopped him, even asked him to stay. She didn't know why but strangely, it felt right. When she took hold of the corner of his shirt, plus the fact that he's just right there next to her; yes she felt it, as odd as it sounds,
She felt strength.
The midnight-haired looked at the person before her- albeit a child no older than twelve clad in a business attire with black hair and blue eyes- and no matter how cute the person is, she needs to remind herself that he's causing all this trouble to her family's inn.
When the child felt her gaze, he suddenly straightened himself up, muttering the words "Oh right, manners, manners" before clearing his throat, chin held high "My name is Eiji Minokawa*, 7th generation of the Aoyami Clan. I am here to take this land back to my family. Pleased to meet you!" he bowed his head.
He may have said so boldly but he sported a streak of pink over his cheeks that Megumi thought it more adorable than threatening.
Megumi snaps, then flushes "Pleased to meet you as well!"
Ryo made an audible sigh at the sight. She may have found her resolve but in this case, I guess old habits die hard.
The boy hears him and that's when he acknowledges his presence. His blue eyes- stained with the early exposure to the business world, stared at him for a while.
"You look familiar" he starts "Are you part of any family, perhaps?"
Ryo lowers his arms "I'm the aide of one of the daughters in the Nakiri house"
"The family that revolutionized the food industry? I thought so. Our family is always invited to your luncheons" Eiji scans his eyes around the room "So where's your master?"
Ryo momentarily stiffened at the term, "Milady Alice is not here at the moment"
"Going astray then?" he became as still as a statue as his brain ceased to function. This child… it could be just any child's innocent blunder but he can't help but feel so distraught by it. It made him wonder, is this what people see him all the time? He's an aide. His purpose is to assist Alice. It's an agreement sealed by a promise, not by a written contract, auctioned and sold. He's an aide, not a servant… not a dog.
He was about to correct him but the boy raised his hand and shook "Well whatever, I've got nothing to do with it and it's not why I came here anyway" he said so, completely dismissing the topic before turning to Megumi's mother "Mrs. Tadokoro" he begun and suddenly, his forehead was touching the tatami floor, making all the occupants in the room widen their eyes.
"Y-Young master!" exclaimed the two men who accompanied the young heir
"I have heard of what my men has done to your inn's garden. What they have done was cruel. So in their behalf, I apologize" he said so sincerely. For a child only a few years younger than them, he's pretty mature and
'Well-trained' Ryo deduces. It makes sense anyway. A child coming from an old, rich, and powerful family would be expected to be exposed in the world of politics, business, and social etiquette- no matter how young the age may be. It ensures the family to have a formidable and worthy heir in the future or in case anything unfortunate happens to the current clan head. He's seen these children upon entering Alice's world and he almost feels sorry for them. Since Eiji said directly that he's the 7th generation, and not as acting clan head, his case can most likely be a latter.
"However," Eiji continues, sitting straight "I will not apologize that I gave them permission to give you a little… incentive, for you to cooperate more easily" he says so with no remorse, as if they weren't looking at a young boy "I'm sure you are aware since the news of my grandfather's death. With father no longer bearing the Aoyami name, I am left as grandfather's, chosen, sole heir. And it is written on his will that every possession is to be returned to the family before it will be evenly distributed amongst the remaining family branches. Including this piece of land of yours which, may I include, extends to the Shrine of Bakunawa."
"But you said that I have one month" said Mizuki
"And you were informed that I will be coming here to know whether or not you can provide what we've been asking for, for the last few days" he crosses his lithe arms. "I doubt anybody here likes the idea of waiting around for one month and end up with nothing what was agreed upon"
Megumi watches her mother frown at the table, making her brows furrow in concern.
'So that's what's going on' she thinks 'But what are they exactly asking from mom anyway?'
"Look, ma'am" Eiji pressed his palms together, closing his eyes before taking a deep breath and crossing his legs in a more casual manner "You're not making my job any easier" when he looked up, his eyes brightened back to the innocence of a child, even just a little "I have ten family branches, each with at least five or six old geezers breathing down my neck for their share in grandfather's will. You'd be surprised on how much people would do for a scrap of fortune. Ma'am, I'm barely even fourteen and I have this much weight on me already. My father hated the clan life but I can live in it. I chose this" he jabs his thumb over his chest "I wanted to be clan head. I'm just thankful that my parents respected my choice. And I'm not regretting it" he rests his elbow on top of the wooden table before placing his cheek on his palm, postured lazily yet staring at the older woman with serious eyes "So please, just be honest. Can you or can you not show us the deed?"
If anything, Ryo would've applauded at Eiji's performance. He agrees with himself that this kid will be a great clan head one day.
"The deed?" Megumi wondered aloud.
Eiji sighs, rocking back and forth "The deed of this land, what else? For a daughter, you don't know much about anything going on in your family, huh?"
This kid's got a blunt mouth
Instead of shying away and avoiding the jab, Megumi takes a deep breath and responds, "I am well aware of that"
Her answer makes her mother blink and turns her head sharply at her daughter. Guilt marring her entire feature.
"Anyway, I don't know the full detailed story, but what I know was that my grandfather gave the land to your family through your husband. He said he was 'Astounded by the man's passion and audacity. The lengths he would go through for the people he loves'. His exact words by the way. The process was long since this land has been in the family from the first generation, so grandfather can't just give it away easily. Plus the fact that you didn't buy it. In the eyes of many, this place looks like they belong to you but in the eyes of the law, if the evidence that shows my grandfather gave this to your family is not produced, I'm afraid I have every right to take it away regardless on how many years your family has lived here"
Megumi's brows furrowed, visibly troubled with the entire predicament. 'So if we don't find this deed, they're going to take our home? No, t-that can't be! W-we can't let this happen. Papa loves this inn! I-it's the only place I remind him of' she looks nervously at her mother, her eyes pleading and Mizuki reciprocates the feeling.
She sighs "Megumi, sweetie, I have searched everywhere. From the things he left behind to the nooks and corners of the inn, even in the attic- twice or even thrice but I just can't find it"
"So I'm taking your answer is a no then?" Eiji looked at them carefully.
Megumi bit her lip, unsure and scared. Then she glances at Ryo and the words he uttered echoed back in her head.
'What do you want to do?'
"No" Megumi says and she repeats with conviction "No" this catches the young clan head's attention. "We will not let you take our home that easily" something sparked a fire in her eyes and for some odd reason, it made the raven-haired's heart from across the room swell with pride.
"So what's your answer then?"
"Give us time and I promise, we will find the deed by the end of the month- no, even before the festival starts"
"A promise, eh?"
"I have never broken a promise"
"Is that so? Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I stay in your inn until then now would you? I'd like to see how you would uphold to this promise of yours, onee-san"
The next time he sees her, she's sitting alone in the family kitchen- not the one used for the inn. After their agreement with Eiji, he heard her ask her mother for a 'talk' and with a nod of his head, he didn't need to hear nor witness what have happened between the mother and daughter. Her puffy cheeks and tear-stained eyes says it all as she stared at her hands on the kitchen table.
"How do you feel?" his question cuts through the silence of the night. He didn't sleep at all and something told him that he would find her here.
Megumi snaps her head towards him and hastily rubbed her eyes, sniffing, she gave a soft smile and said, "M-Much better"
"Good" he nods and makes his way to boil water on the kettle.
There was silence between them once more but instead, it was a comfortable silence of two opposite people who, by some twisted fate, somehow realized that they can understand each other more than the people they've spent more time in. Though the other didn't voice out what they have discovered more than the other, she could very well see what's underneath that bored façade- her fear just keeps on getting in the way of her courage.
His eyes showed a tinge of loneliness but most of all, yearning.
For what though?
The kettle whistling broke her reverie and Ryo made a move to produce two mugs. One he offered to her and she watched the perfect swirl of whipped cream sprinkled with cocoa butter and the tempting, hot pool of chocolate laying underneath.
She mumbles a quick thank you before blowing air to cool down the drink a bit. When she took a sip, it made her spine tingle and her mouth water but most of all, she was stricken by the surprised sweetness of the drink. It emphasized the chocolate-y sweetness of the cocoa with a pinch of odd spiciness that made her tongue want to have more but at the same time cease itself from touching the liquid- typical Ryo. She smiles at that, making her wonder if he added more than just cocoa powder and whipped cream on the hot water. This drink will surely bring you to your knees.
And Megumi frowned at that. Though it was pleasant, the intention behind it doesn't sink very well to her system. He may have told her that she needs to be more aggressive but if she has any say in it, she wants him to be gentler in return.
"So what's the plan?" he asks and she blinks
"I don't really know" she shook her head "Mama said that she skimmed through all of Papa's belongings. Aside from his clothes, there's not much to throw away since Papa died."
"Any idea where it could be?"
"It could be anywhere. Papa and I always play hide and seek in the garden and at Lord Bakunawa's shrine. He's always been good at hiding"
"Well there's a start"
"Huh?"
"The garden and the shrine"
"D-Do you really think that he could've hid it there?"
"Honestly, no. but its better than nothing. Who knows, maybe he did hid it somewhere there" he shrugs "Why didn't he give it to your mother anyway?"
Megumi took a deep breath "Like Minokawa said, the agreement for the land was a long process. Mama said that the next time Papa returns, they would officially claim the land as their own. But then papa died…" a moment of silence "Mama said that papa told her that he hid it somewhere safe but if she needs to see the document, she has to find it. He was probably teasing her about it" she gave a sad smile.
"Any clues?"
"He said that its hidden under his treasure. It-it doesn't really makes any sense though. But papa loves this inn very much s-so it could very well be hidden around here somewhere"
"Could be"
"Ryo?"
"hmm?"
"Why are you helping me, really?"
"…I don't know" she lowers her head "But if there's something I'm sure of," she raises it again and their eyes met once more "Is that I want to"
Under his heated stare, she felt her cheeks warm "O-Oh"
Ryo breaks his stare and finishes his drink down. When he lowers the cup, he hears the girl giggle and he raises a brow at her.
She tries to stifle her laughter but all she could do is point at the white cream at the corner of his lips. Ryo tries to wipe it but it was on the opposite side so she points at it again. his hand skimmed over his cheek but he misses this time. He tries again but continues to miss it until Megumi, still smiling and giggling, leans over with her handkerchief in hand and gently wipe off the white substance.
When she touched his face, he stilled. When he looked into her eyes, everything around him faded and he felt as if wings unfurled in his chest. His heart beating so nicely and loudly that he could practically hear it aside from her soft giggles.
He watched her eyes shine and her upturned smile and marveled at how genuine it looked. It looked so much better than the ones she gave in public.
She stops and went completely still when she was done wiping his face and has seen him completely. Above those dark lines under his eyes, she noticed that his eyes weren't as red- as deadly as she thought they were. No, this time, his eyes were soft, relaxed even and the color looks more like the beautiful shade of a fresh apple, or was it camine or scarlet?
Then she sees his smile. He's always looked bored, unmoving and uninterested all the time that it really surprised her- albeit small, the corners of his lips were undoubtly turned upwards. For reasons she couldn't understand (yet) she felt that she wanted to see more of that smile. It suited him better but in a weird sense, she doesn't want to because that would mean she would be feeling something flutter in her stomach and her heart will beat faster just like the time he cleaned the blood off her finger the other day.
Reality crashed down on Megumi first and she immediately yanked her hand away. Blushing furiously like she's always done but this time, not because of embarrassment and if she only looked, she would've seen the twinge of pink grazing over Ryo's cheeks as well.
"S-still" she says "Thank you. T-There must be something that I c-can do for you-"
"You don't have to"
"B-But I want to! I-it's only appropriate a-and… oh!" her eyes shot up in realization.
"What?" he regarded her and she gave him a full smile.
"Ryo, would you like to learn how to cut the monk fish?"
I have an illustration on what Eiji looks like and if you guys want to see the cover art fully, just PM me or leave the message in the reviews and we'll see how I'll show it to you.
Ciao~!
