A/N:
Sincere apologies for late upload. I injured my wrist a couple of weeks ago, so my typing is rather slow. And I hated it when I'm on the verge of something, because I tend to type fast and it hurts my wrist like hell..
For any grammar mistakes and inconsistencies, do post a review or pm me. I will try to amend them as best as I could.
Chapter 52- Red-Crowned Crane
Six more days. She glanced down at her mobile phone, staring at the calendar. Ayumi sent her a quick email, reminding her on a magazine photo shoot and interview on Monday next week. That plus, half a dozen reminders listed down in precise, bullet sentences with links on her calendar dates, emails and notices.
She thought she was counting the days before the interview. It was such a coup when the prestigious fashion magazine first contacted her and asked whether she would be interested in being the cover girl for next month's issue.
Her agent and manager were both ecstatic. Being interviewed is one thing; it guarantees a full photo spread on her and half a dozen pages dedicated for the interview. But to be chosen as a cover girl is much better: her face will be on display for a full month in the streets and it even includes a spot in the LCD displayed running advertisements at Tokyo's financial center.
Six days.
No, she was actually, absent-mindedly, counting the days before the wedding.
Clicking the buttons to lock her phone, she dropped the gadget into her open purse and stared out into the window of the sleek, black Cadillac XTS cruising along the highway. Masato Hijirikawa almost always hated travelling in a rectangular car, preferring to get August to drive him in a silver Bentley whenever he goes out for official business trips. However, this trip requires more room, hence, August automatically arranges this one. Though it is a bit puzzling that Masato opted to travel by car when they could have taken his private helicopter to save time, unless his real intention was just to distract her with the scenery.
They were travelling north for a couple of hours now, and although she did enjoyed the view of the glorious autumn foliage in the forest at the side of the mountain, she's getting mightily sick of the brilliant colors being displayed. She was expecting to see snow, somber grey and dark clouds, not bright sunshine and blue skies. She felt it would best suit her mood. However, winter is still a good four months away. And in two months, it's time for them to go back to Paris again to fulfill her obligation for the Mid-Winter ball.
Her hand fished for her old notebook and pen, flipped into a blank page to start scribbling something-anything to occupy her restless mind. She thought she might have succeeded with her mission when she started writing furiously, but realized it was her mind's way of releasing her pent-up frustrations when she saw she was beginning to write a song about a handsome man with ice blue eyes that broke her heart. She stopped halfway, as soon as she read the stanzas, biting her lower lip. She slammed her notebook shut and jammed it back to her purse savagely.
The rustling of the papers startled her out of reverie and she looked up, meeting Masato's amethyst eyes.
"Where exactly are we going?" she snapped, irritated, remembering that he haven't informed her yet where they are headed. She felt restless, like a caged animal, wanting to be free from the confines of the steel bars, and yet afraid to step out for fear of being alone in the wilderness. She hated this feeling; it reminded her of those cold winter nights in Paris, as she lay huddled in her pajamas on top of her bed, wishing she was somewhere else.
The car was ready and waiting outside of the building they emerged from earlier, with August softly murmuring that he had her assistants pack a week's worth of clothes for her and are now on their way as they speak.
Not really enthusiastic about going home and waiting for the ax to finally jolt her from a numbing bad dream, she just let herself be hustled into the car and was left alone to her thoughts for most of the journey. That is, until she realized the two of them barely spoke a word with each other.
"Maybe I should have arranged for a faster means of transportation." Masato lowered the report he was holding, noting her foul mood. "I thought you would enjoy the scenery." He added soothingly.
Biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying something she might regret later, Haruka tried to schooled her features in a nonchalant expression, turning her face, cheeks turning slightly red with embarrassment. She's not a good companion today, though however beastly she feels, it's rude to lash out to a person who is kind enough to be thoughtful on her behalf.
"Perhaps, it would be nice if we stop for tea or something. A good stretching of my limbs would improve my mood." She said in a neutral voice.
He smiled at her in an indulgent manner, "We will be arriving on our pit stop in roughly twenty minutes. You will love the view there, though I'm afraid you might be too preoccupied with reading the report." He turned to rummage another pile of paper works he brought along with him, thumbing through it casually before handing it to her. "Though I supposed I can no longer delay in giving you this."
"What is it?" she asked, puzzled, her previous question now forgotten. A copy of the contract? For a souvenir? She cringed, automatically reaching out to receive it. She'd probably burn it the first chance she gets, but she doubts Masato would be that cruel.
"No," Masato said, still looking at her squarely, though his expression is a bit solemn. "It's not the contract."
Haruka frowned.
"Those files are the full details of what August and I managed to discover about your father's family."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
It was late afternoon by the time their car slowed down to a snail's pace. Three hours ago, they made a pit stop at Ichinoseki where a good four-star hotel served them hot lunch. They did not linger long, at most, they stayed for an hour and a half. And true to his word, Masato was not lying about the view. The dining area of the hotel has an excellent view of the side of the mountain, where a clever landscape architect did some extra ordinary sculptures to compliment the brilliant background of colorful trees.
She should have committed the scene to her memory, and made a quick mental note that she will back to take it all in. For the moment, her mind is preoccupied on a more important task of reading about her father's family.
She hardly bolted down her food; poring over the reports, trying her best not to smudge on the pages like a kid, as she dawdled on her soup. She still feels reluctant to eat; any food she puts in her mouth seemed tasteless; at most, she would eat a few spoonful. But today, Masato threatened to take away the notes if she did not eat a decent amount. He shamelessly used the report to blackmail her into eating. So she tried to finish her small portion just to satisfy him, as he hovered about her like a mother hen, clucking his displeasure.
The report doesn't tell all of what happened. Her father really has done his best to cover up his background; even going as far as changing his name and paying what money he has to make it look as legal as possible. Haruka felt a bittersweet emotion take hold of her heart as she smoothed one tattered piece of paper her father wrote, giving instructions to someone about keeping his records in a secure location and promising to pay the agreed sum for his discretion.
Irritated at Masato for keeping such important information from her, she was nevertheless, grateful at least. Saving the news about her family seemed like a wise decision on his part. It gave her something to think about other than her current circumstances. Still, she was a bit annoyed for suddenly springing her into such a situation: she's not confident that she is in the right frame of mind to meet her father's relatives at a time like this!
Straining her neck, she tried to take in the views flitting outside the car's window: narrow streets, grey and dark blue tiled roofs, immaculately cut low trees whose tops peek above the high stone walls or thick shrubbery to deter outsiders from looking in, massive wooden gate doors, elegantly painted names of the family living inside on flat blocks of wood. They were in an unfamiliar section of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, where the neighborhood seems to have been preserved with its original buildings and houses. Haruka felt like the whole place is frozen in time. From a distance, she can see a tall, white structure perched on top of a hill, her perspective framed by yellow-green maple trees. Morioka Castle, which Masato pointed out to her when it first came to view.
She still cannot believe that she still has a few relatives living in this area! Trying to imagine her dad growing up into such beautiful and serene surroundings, she could not comprehend why he chose to run away as soon as he graduated in high school. He probably have some pretty tight reasons, but whatever they are, she can finally put together relevant information and complete the missing puzzles to fill some of the void her parents left behind when they passed away.
The car finally slowed to a full stop in front of a large enclosure of a house with grey-blue tiles and weathered wooden doors with heavy iron hinges.
Placing a hand on the car door handle, she was about to open it when she felt warm hands encase her left hand.
"Masato?" she drew back, when she found him on his knees inches away from her. She could see up close, his amethyst eyes, enigmatic amidst the thick fringe of eyelashes.
He seemed to be fiddling something with her hand, and as she tried to pull it away, she felt something cold slide through her ring finger.
A large, square-cut white diamond blinked at her. The white gold is molded in square patterns in cascading size, each one holding a small diamond in place.
Her mouth dropped open in shock. "What are you doing, Masato?!"
His slender fingers smoothed the sparkling stones, expression unreadable, though she can feel the intensity of his eyes as it roamed on her face.
"Haruka," he said with his deep, resonating voice, "when you go in, you will not be just Haruka Nanami or the rising artist HaruNa. You will introduce yourself as the future wife of Masato Hijirikawa."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
She stared at the ring, speechless. It winked back at her, almost blinding her with its splendor. Clear-cut, polished to perfection, the facets throwing a rainbow of colors: yellow, blue, red and green. Her gold-colored eyes met his, she opened her mouth automatically, but he interrupted her coolly.
"You will understand soon enough. I put the ring on you for several reasons, first and foremost.." he paused, eyeing her intently still.
"First and foremost.." she parroted him slowly, her eyes unblinking.
He gave half-smile, "Haruka, I cannot promise that this meeting will be pleasant. You might be thinking life will be a bed of roses once you cross the threshold of your father's house and meet them. But I can guarantee that the ring will help deflect some hostility." He squeezed her hand in a reassuring manner. "Besides," he added slowly, "you should start getting used to the idea of binding yourself to me. It's only a matter of time before we can make it official." He stressed the last two sentences, and she caught what he is implying easily.
Haruka felt her cheeks blushed slightly. Only a matter of time. The way he said is so casual, and yet the tone of his voice held untold depths of his feelings for her, seeking out for attention, his tongue stroking each syllable of her name so intimately. It send a strange jolt of sensation down her spine, making her slightly uncomfortable, yet not all together unpleasant.
Lifting a finger to caress the stone, she felt Masato leaned closer to her, cupping the right side of her jaw, his minty breath warming her face as he said huskily, "The ring will give you a sense of self-preservation and dignity. Your father was right to run away from his wretched family. He knew nothing but disappointment and heartache before he left. And the joy you will feel with the knowledge of belonging to such a prestigious clan, will be short-lived."
A prestigious clan? Was she wrong to assume that the family she is about to meet is just a middle-class family with a little bit more money than most? The reports implied nothing of that sort. But then again, her father spent most of his school life enrolled in Japan's most exclusive private schoolaccording to the reports. And studying in such a school requires money and connections. She raised her eyebrows in suspicion, curiosity gnawing at her, understanding some of the gist of his words. "There is more to the report, Masato. You deliberately omitted some items before giving me the report." She can barely suppress the growing anger in the tone of her voice.
Ignoring her last sentence, Masato continued as if he was not interrupted in the first place. "This family will bring you more pain if you associate yourself with them."
She tightened her jaw after hearing his can see in his eyes how Masato becomes fierce when it comes to someone like her that he wants to protect. It somehow gave her a painful reminder of Ren, who she thought was trying to protect her the same way Masato is doing right now.
He should be the one with me here, instead of Masato. He should be the one I want to share this moment that defines who I am.
Swallowing an unexpected lump in her throat, she averted her eyes away, wondering what she has gotten herself into after exchanging a difficult situation for another. "That is not something you have the right to decide, Masato. They are my blood relatives. Only I have the right to consider whether they are worth my time." She said coldly.
"If I have my way, I would never reveal to you what I found. But it is important that you know something of your roots. So here we are. I am open for compromise if that is your wish, but for the moment, I will be watching your step, for one wrong move and they will eat you alive." Masato said.
She bit her lower lip as she considered his words to her. And here she is back again, Masato monopolizing her attentions, continuing where they dropped off. Before she was diverted with Ren Jinguuji's presence. Suddenly springing his intention to marry her when she is about to meet her long-lost relatives. Was he afraid for her? Does he truly love her? Or was she somehow a trophy he needed to claim for display? Why is he being so cautious?
Masato is a cunning man. Satsuki Shinomiya's words echoed again, making her pause, before brushing aside her doubts. The twins are reading too much into Masato's actions. Instead, she should concentrate on what he is telling her now: whatever she is expecting in this reunion, she should not get her hopes up, rather, she must accept what fate has in store for her and let it be.
I can guarantee that the ring will help deflect some hostility. She did not miss his hidden meaning of letting her know that he will protect her as he see fit. But he does not need to put a stamp on it by placing a ring on her finger. Unless he has more reasons other than what he had uttered just now. Masato must have known more than what was in the report he passed to her. Sneaky little bastard, she thought. She doesn't like the way he is taking control of her life and pushing her into a corner. She resisted the urge to fume and bit her inside of her cheek to prevent from saying something unpleasant. Masato will do whatever he pleases for he has all the knowledge.
Wait and observe. She told herself. All the facts are not revealed to her yet. She will reserve judgment when everything is clear to her.
Hearing a click on the door's handle, he went out of the car and was already extending out his hand to help her.
"Come, Haruka Nanami. We shall pay respects to the family your father abhors. It will be interesting to know what you think of them after our interview."
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The gravel crunched gently underfoot. The whole compound was completely silent when they entered and crossed the gates. As soon as the gatekeeper closed the door behind them with a dull thud, Haruka Nanami gave a faint gasp of wonder, suddenly hit with the feeling of being transported back in time, eyes going wide over the magnificent garden sprawling in front of her.
The huge koi ponds were filled with colorful fishes of red, silver and yellow, orange, midnight black and red. The fishes' scales gleamed against the green and grey stones at the bottom of the shallow water like precious jewels. The trickling sounds of water are soothing to the ears, and there was an occasional thudding of a bamboo clacker tucked somewhere in the hidden corners. It beckoned one to walk about and explore more and discover their locations.
Faint pink lotus flowers floated and clumped at the edges of the pond, the petals glistening with wetness; stone made lamps dotted a path neatly making its way to the main house, but not before it takes the visitor through the garden via an old wooden bridge crossing the span of the pond.
Moss in varying shades of green, pale blue and silvery-grey, abundant sage, pink-flowering azaleas, and sweet-smelling pine dotted areas of interest, creating small pockets around wooden benches that invite one to site and enjoy their tranquility. Everything was arrestingly simple and beautiful that Haruka could only stare and admire.
As soon as they reached the other side of the pond, a stately looking middle-aged man in crisp coat and tie met them. His thick black hair is turning silver at the sides of his head. Bowing low, he greeted them in a polite voice.
"A pleasure, at last, to receive you Hijirikawa-sama, Nanami-sama. I am Tatsuo Yoshiro. You may address me as Yoshiro."
Haruka watched Masato bend down to acknowledge the greeting, and she followed suit as dictated by their training. As soon as they stood up straight, Yoshiro turned and gestured for them to follow him.
Even the house they are about to enter screams much about the wealth and status of the owners. There is nothing middle-class with their environment. Haruka found themselves being ushered into the shinden that could rival the charming French castles she read about in history books. Hanging at the center of the hall, a tapestry with red-crowned, snow-white crane is shown in detail; its wings are unfolded as if ready to take flight. A circle of gold rimmed with black framed the crane. No doubt this is the family's mon.
As customary, they both removed their shoes, and a servant bore silk slippers for them to use. Murmuring their thanks, they proceeded to follow Yoshiro, taking a right turn to the corridor, conquering a few paces before stopping to one of the shoji screens decorated with swallows and the same red-crowned cranes. The thin exquisite brush strokes are impeccable in their design, the paper pure white and stiff to touch, the wooden frames gleaming with lemon-scented polish.
Yoshiro opened the screen to one side and made a motion for them to enter first. Masato nodded and he strode in, while Haruka followed closely, leaving their slippers outside and stepping on the tatami mats.
The moya, being the core of the shinden, was vast. It can easily accommodate more than a dozen or so guests, though its sheer wide space is made more intimidating by the single man sitting on a mat at the center, calmy drinking his tea. A little over behind him, a middle-aged woman in traditional kimono dress of deep blue sat still, head slightly bowed.
Stepping onto the stiff tatami mats, she felt her heart pound fast, her hands cold and clammy with sweat. The feeling reminds her of being summoned by a member of the imperial family or even a prominent government official.
Yoshiro gave them another look, which Haruka understood; bending her knees, and tucking her calves under her thighs, she sank down onto the mat like how she practiced countless times before even back in Vienna. Masato's etiquette requirements are strict; her tutors drilled her in both western and Japanese proper manners.
Even without looking at the man waiting for them, she can feel the heavy weight of his gaze on them. His face is lined with old age, facial hair trimmed neatly and cleanly. His hair is pure white, eyebrows on the bushy side. But it was his eyes that arrested her: they were the same gold color as hers. And they blink back at her with keen sharpness. Her knees trembled slightly, but she steeled herself.
Carefully clearing his throat, Yoshiro announced in a clear voice, "May I present, Masato Hijirikawa-sama and Haruka Nanami-sama."
Haruka swallowed her nervousness.
The old man before them eyed them in silence and continued to sip his tea.
Undeterred with the older man's cold demeanor, Yoshiro continued as if his display of attitude is merely a regular occurrence when introducing visitors and outsiders. "Hijirikawa-sama, Nanami-sama, you are in the presence of Japan's living treasure, the revered biwa-maker of the imperial family, Takeda Yoshikiyo."
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Shutting the engine of his car, Ren Jinguuji leaned back into the driver's seat and closed his eyes. His mind is buzzing about with lots of things, from his last minute schedules and meetings, to worrying about his impending nuptials, down to the emotional roller coaster ride he took when he confronted his father, ending up with his mother confessing her part in some of the craziness happening in his life.
He left his childhood home with a slightly lighter heart, promising his mother that he will come back soon. He intends to keep his promise. He can no longer tolerate staying in his old place with Anri; can no longer tolerate her presence as she continue to gush about her plans for her pregnancy and their honeymoon. He watched with pain in his eyes, her soft belly, growing a little each time he looked at her.
Strange really, her pregnancy agrees with her. She glowed with much happiness, her face bright with expectation. He supposed he should be content that the mother of his unborn child is healthy and looking satisfied with the way things are going for her. He knows how essential it is for the baby to grow in a positive and healthy environment.
He should be happy for his child. But his feelings are mixed. He felt like his heart is being torn slowly apart.
Pulling his mobile phone out, he scrolled through Aki's messages. The last message was the reason why he rushed back to meet with his manager: the collaboration contract he signed with Haruka Nanami has been dissolved. Masato Hijirikawa has finally made his move to reclaim her. Re-reading the message again, he found himself gritting his teeth in helpless anger. Hijirikawa is making full use of every available means he has to keep them apart. Thanks to him and his private secretary, he got himself caught up in their web. Somewhere down the line, he knew in his gut feelings that Hijirikawa has something to do with their cruel separation.
Folding his arms over his chest, he took in the temporary quiet of his car and just try to savor the silence. Today is the last day of his work commitments. After that, the count down begins towards his wedding and the birth of his child.
I'm going to be a father soon. He thought. The lump forming on his throat made it painful to breathe. He feels wretched, lost and confused. He is thankful that his relationship with his family has begun to mend. But there is still the problem of Anri. Is there really nothing for him to do but just accept defeat?
His eyes stared blankly toward Bright Televisions building, where he is supposed to meet up with Aki. It's his last chance to make a protest on the breach of contract. After that, he will be taking several months off to concentrate on fulfilling his duties as a husband and a father to his soon to be born child. The prospect of such a future frightens him, unsure of what to do next. He is ashamed to admit that he is afraid. Afraid of what the future holds for him once he commits himself fully to Anri. There is no hope for him. None at all.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sudden sound on his driver's side of the window jerked him to be aware of his surroundings. Frowning, he looked up and saw a pair of familiar faces; the faces of the persons he least expected to see.
Fumbling about on the control buttons, he pressed the right one, and the glass window of his car slid noiselessly down.
Two pairs of green eyes peered down at him, sharp and intense.
"Satsuki, Natsuki." He nodded his head a little wearily, not bothering to conceal the irritation from his expression. "I was just about to meet Aki-."
"We know." Natsuki interrupted him impatiently. "It's your last day before your temporary hiatus starts. But I think, you can afford to drop your little meeting from your calendar, you'd appreciate it more if you attend a little session with us."
Ren raised his eyebrows. He has no time to play games with these two! Gripping the driver's wheel, he shook his head. "I've got an important meeting with Aki in fifteen minutes, and I seriously have no idea what you two are planning. Can't you leave a guy in peace?"
"Yeah. We could do that," Natsuki said sarcastically, "Leave you in peace while you pathetically think about your selfish way of life! I honestly think you're not worth it, Haruka might be better of with Hijirikawa. You, being a first-class jerk and all. I don't even know why we even bother to help you out."
At the mere mention of Haruka's name, Ren's ears perked up and eyed the twins suspiciously. His ice blue eyes hardened with annoyance and casted each twin a piercing glare.
"Look, Jinguuji, we really have no time to dawdle here. The breach of contract should be the least of your worries. What we have to tell you is sensitive in nature, and I do not want to discuss it in the open. However, you are free to say no. I agree with Natsuki, we shouldn't even be trying to save your sorry ass with all kinds of mess you made, but we figured, we'd just be doing Haruka a huge favor, so it's plus points for us if we managed to get into her good graces again at least. I'd be a fool to let go of such a talent like that."
Ren hesitated. What do these two know? And why would they include Haruka in the conversation? Are they here to reprimand him again for acting like a first-rate jerk towards their precious Haruka? Though, something about their hints piqued his curiosity. And it wouldn't hurt if he managed to glean some information. After all, its been weeks since he ever heard anything about her. He has no way of contacting her; Hijirikawa made sure of it. And he has to thread carefully about abusing Jinguuji connections if he intends to keep hold of Haruka.
Tempted, his hand hovered over the inside handle of the car door. It could probably be a waste of his time. He needed to concentrate on his future plans and how best he can cope without loosing his mind.
Natsuki continued to glare at him waiting for his decision, while Satsuki still emitted a hostile aura. Honestly, if these two are not so eager to help him, why would they even really bother to inform him so? Their expressions are enough to peel the paint off the building.
"Ten minutes." He finally said in a resigned voice. This had better be worth it.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
A/N:
Some cultural notes:
1. Ichinoseki and Morioka are real areas in Iwate prefecture.
2. Morioka castle is located in Morioka, Iwate prefecture and still exists as one of the castles, which can still be found in Japan. Morioka was the seat of the Nanbu clan, of which I took the name of Takeda Yoshikiyo, as the clan claims descent from him and Seiwa Genji [a powerful line from the Japanese Minamoto who claims descended from Emperor Seiwa]
3. I am not sure whether Japanese are familiar with tapestries; I used them as material to represent a clan's mon or roughly, their clan emblem. The crane symbol I used is some random image I plucked out from Google; although when I started to delve into Japanese culture symbolism, as luck would have it, I accidentally choose the Red-crowned Crane, which is commonly known as the Japanese Crane and is a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity.
Likewise, swallows are yearly migrants arriving in Japan in early spring. As a symbol of that season they can be easily identified in textile representations by their v-shaped tail. The swallow is also a symbol of good luck, fidelity in marriage, and fertility. So I decided to play the mansions decorations around these two birds that they often used as decoration subjects.
4. As graduate of Architecture, naturally part of my curriculum is studying history of architecture. Although I hate to admit that I am not too knowledgeable when it comes to Japanese architecture given the lack of information and limited resources available to me at that time, I strived my best to research more when I write something.
The mansion I mentioned above is a "good" example of architecture during the Heian period [according to my resources]. It is a type of mansion usually reserved for demoted members of the imperial family or esteemed nobilities of higher rank or whose profession is essential to the imperial court. The main building, the shinden (寝殿 sleeping palace), is on the central north-south axis and faces south on an open courtyard. Two subsidiary buildings, the tai-no-ya (對屋・対屋 lit. opposing rooms), are built to the right and left of the shinden, both running east-west. The tai-no-ya and the shinden are connected by two corridors called respectively sukiwatadono (透渡殿) and watadono (渡殿). A chūmon-rō (中門廊, central gate corridor) at the half-way points of the two corridors lead to a south courtyard, where many ceremonies were celebrated. From the watadono, narrow corridors extend south and end in tsuridono, small pavilions that travel in a U-shape around the courtyard. Wealthier aristocrats built more buildings behind the shinden and tai-no-ya.
The room at the core of the shinden (moya) is surrounded by a one ken wide roofed aisle called hisashi. The moya is one big space partitioned by portable screens. Guests and residents of the house are seated on mats. Since the shinden-zukuri-style house flourished during the Heian period, houses tended to be furnished and adorned with characteristic art of the era.
In front of the moya across the courtyard is a garden with a pond. Water runs from a stream (yarimizu遣水) into a large pond to the south of the courtyard. The pond had islets and bridges combined with mountain shapes, trees, and rocks aimed at creating the feeling of being in the land of the Amida Buddha. [source: Wikipedia entry for shinden-zukuri]
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