JUST BREATHE
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 9.
~*~*~*~
"I don't care what mother says. I won't like her." Deluce stated in a snotty tone. Chang glared at her. They were presently in the Li home school room, waiting for their new teacher.
"She'll be just like the others. Mean, uppity and she'll make us stay in this stuffy schoolroom all day." He hissed. Beside him, a younger boy winced slightly. This was seven year-old, Xiao-long, Feimei's son. He was shyer than the rest, and much more reserved.
"Maybe she won't be so bad." He murmured. Little Akito stuck out his tongue and his sister copied him.
"She's gonna be yucky and smelly, like the last one." He stated stoutly. Just as the little boy said this, there were voices heard from outside the door.
"Now, the children are in here. This is were you will teach them, and where they will take their lunches. Have you any questions?"
"No. Thank you." Came a soft, sweet voice. There was a slight 'humph' from the first voice and then the door swung open to reveal a grouchy housekeeper.
"Here are the brats. Good luck." She mumbled, quickly leaving the scene. The disgusted children watched sharply as their new teacher stepped into the room; suffice to say, she was nothing like they had suspected.
This new teacher had long, pretty black hair that was pulled back into a single braid. She was wearing a lavender suit that matched her sparkling amethyst eyes, and she carried no briefcase, unlike the other teachers. Slowly, she entered the room, looking over each and every one of them. Then, a lovely smile played around her lips.
"Hello." She murmured in her soft voice. The children stood, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Konichiwa, Hiiragizawa-sensei." They chorused, slipping into Japanese to confuse her. But at this, the teacher simply smiled again.
"Ohayo. Are you fluent in Japanese?" She asked. No one spoke, until Xiao- long let out an exasperated sigh.
"Yes, sensei, we all are." He admitted, as his cousins glared at him. The woman smiled and then walked over to the desk at the front of the room. The children watched her closely as she pulled out the chair of the desk, made to sit down on it, then suddenly stood up straight again and clasped her hands in front of her.
"Now, I would like to get to know each one of you, one at a time. Therefore, I will ask the oldest…..Chang, I believe, to come up here and tell me about himself. Then the rest of you will follow. And I insist that you sit at my desk as you do so, because I believe it would make us feel more equal in rank." She murmured, motioning to the chair.
The five in question immediately went pale and Chang rose shakily to his feet. The teacher took a seat in the front row, and watched intently as the nervous boy pulled out the chair and looked at it disgustedly. Then, taking a big gulp of air, Chang began to sit.
Suddenly, a sweet, bell-like laugh filled the room.
"Don't! Please, don't sit there, Chang. I don't want you to ruin your clothes!" The teacher laughed, her amethyst eyes sparkling. The five children looked at her in shock.
"YOU KNEW?!?!" Deluce shrieked, getting to her feet in a rage. The teacher stood, and placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Knew what? That you had painted the seat of the chair and it was still wet? Yes, I knew." She murmured, not seeming in the least angry. The children looked at her in confusion.
"But…..how did you know?" Akito stammered. The woman smiled.
"Three ways. 1) I smelled the paint. 2) You were all watching me a little too closely. 3) With a sister and a brother like mine, I've seen plenty of these sorts of tricks pulled every day." The teacher laughed. Deluce looked at her, still a bit suspicious.
"You have a brother and a sister?"
"Yes. A *twin* sister, actually. Her name is Heidi." The teacher informed them. Chang looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What's your name? How old are you? Do you smell bad? Do you like bugs?" He shot at her as quickly as he could. She grinned.
"My name is Hilde. I am twenty one. I don't know, and some types." She answered. Xiao-long smirked.
"So there, smarty-pants." He muttered to his older cousin. The teacher laughed again.
"Please. I know that you hate me, and I don't blame you. I know from experience that teachers are never fun…..unless they know how to have fun themselves." She murmured. The children looked at her in confusion and she sighed.
"All right. We'll start over. Hello. My name is Hilde Hiiragizawa and I'll be your teacher for the time being." She announced. Ying-fa, who had been silent up until now, cocked her head to the side and gazed at the teacher.
"Ms. Higarzawa….." She tried to pronounce. The teacher bit her lip to keep from smiling.
"Just call me Miss Hilde. I hate formalities."
"What's a formality? Mama always uses that word." Xiao-long commented. Hilde smiled.
"It means, being prim and overly polite." She informed him. The boy nodded in understanding.
"Ms. Hilde, I wanna play." Ying-fa tried again. Hilde looked down at her.
"What would you like to play?" She asked. The five stared at her in shock and disbelief.
"We're in school. We can't play, Ying." Chang hissed. Hilde held up a hand.
"Don't be so sure about that. What would you like to play, Ying-fa?" She asked. The little girl looked thoughtful.
"Outside. Hide and seek." She stated. Hilde nodded thoughtfully.
"That could be arranged. But you'd have to do something for me first."
"What?" Deluce asked sharply, still suspicious. Hilde smiled.
"I *do* still have to give you lessons, but I would like to make them more enjoyable for you. I hated being stuck in stuffy rooms when I was in school, and I don't believe that you should be. Is there anywhere, perhaps outside, where we could have lessons?"
"Well, there is the pavilion by the fishing pond….." Xiaolong commented. Hilde beamed.
"Perfect. Now, gather your things. Yes, your text-books as well, and we'll have to follow Xiaolong out to the pavilion, since I don't know where it is!" Hilde laughed. The young boy led them out proudly, and little Ying-fa fell into step beside her new teacher.
"I like you. You're nice." She whispered. Hilde smiled.
"Well, I like you too." With this from the teacher, the little girl put her hand into Hilde's, and held it tight.
~*~*~*~
"Mother, she was great!"
"…..and we went to the pond….."
"…..I fell in! And she laughed and told me it was all right!"
"…..She asked me what I was reading….."
"…..the ducks ate my bread!"
This was the chatter at the Li table that night, well after Hilde had left. The children were talking so eagerly, they had forgotten to eat what was on their plates. Even the quiet Xiaolong was talking away, informing his mother about everything the teacher had taught him, and what she had said. The mothers listened in shock, Yelan was openly astonished, and Kojii simply sat, his face stony.
"She's pretty. She's nice, too, mama." Ying-fa exclaimed.
"And she doesn't smell." Akito added.
"Yes she does! She smells like…..like….." Deluce trailed off, unable to come up with the words.
"Like…..something…..like….." Chang trailed off as well, his eyes confused.
"Vanilla and lavender." Came the sudden mumble from Kojii. His family looked at him, shocked.
"Yeah! That's just what she smells like! How did you know, Uncle Kojii?" Deluce asked, frowning. Kojii slammed down his fork, a look of rage filling his face.
"I just do." He snapped, storming out of the room. His aunts were shocked at this display, but Yelan was looking thoughtful.
"She has a twin, too, mama." Ying-fa said in a hesitant voice.
"Yeah. She told me that her twin went to school with Uncle Kojii, when they were younger. Her name's Heidi." Xiaolong filled in. Yelan let out a gasp and her eyes widened.
"Could it be?" She mussed, frowning slightly. Her daughters watched her, alarmed.
"What is it, mother?"
"Nothing, girls. I just have to make a phone-call. What is your teacher's last name, Chang?" Yelan asked. Chang frowned, trying to remember.
"Hiiragizawa…..I think. She asked us to call her Ms. Hilde, though."
"Good enough. Now finish your meal, children. I have some telephoning to do." Yelan stated, gliding out of the room.
~*~*~*~
"So…..how was it?" Meilei asked later that night, when Hilde returned to their dorm. Meilei and Akane were seated around a game-board, playing checkers.
"It was wonderful. Your cousins are perfect angels, Meilei." Hilde exclaimed, hanging up her coat. Meilei looked astonished.
"WHAT? How can you say that?! Didn't they prank you?"
"They tried, once. But I happened to smell the paint before I sat down, luckily." Hilde giggled. Meilei groaned.
"You lucky thing. I suppose they loved you after that?"
"I don't know. I took them outside and we did their lessons there. And Akito fell into the pond." Hilde laughed. Meilei grinned.
"I suppose he was watching the fish swimming." She stated, as Akane moved a game-piece and won the game. Hilde nodded and bit into the sandwich she had made for herself.
"So today went well?" Akane asked.
"Yes. I promised them that I would bring some candy as prizes, tomorrow. We're going to play 'hide-the-candy' and whoever finds that piece gets to keep it." Hilde murmured.
"What about their lessons?"
"They have to answer a math equation before they are allowed to search for it."
"That's smart. I'm sure they will love it."
*RING!*
"Hello?" Meilei asked, picking up the phone.
"Oh! Hello, Aunt Tomoyo. Yes, Hilde's here." Meilei answered, handing the phone over. Hilde smiled and took it.
"Mama?"
"Hilde, darling! How are you doing?"
"Wonderful. And you?"
"Just fine. But you will never guess who just called me." Tomoyo said in an excited voice. Hilde shrugged.
"Who?"
"Yelan Li!"
"Li-sama? What did she want?" Hilde asked, her heart pounding. Tomoyo laughed.
"She was telling me about how her grandchildren were raving about you, and how happy she was with your work. Then she asked me the strangest question. She wanted to know if you had ever been to Japan."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I told her you had, and she asked me when. Then I told her about you girls switching places….."
"Oh, mother! You didn't!" Hilde gasped, putting a hand to her forehead. Tomoyo laughed.
"It isn't all that bad, darling! She thought it was funny."
"I'm sure she did. But now she knows how we tricked everyone…..and she'll obviously link that to her grandson….."
"Which one?" Tomoyo asked mischievously. Hilde groaned and glanced at the smirking Meilei.
"Kojii Li, mama." She finally muttered. Tomoyo let out a delighted laugh.
"And so she did! She thought it was ingenious of you."
"Then what did you talk about?" Hilde asked in a tired voice.
"We just got to talking about the old days. You know. Back when Sakura and I were inseparable, and Meiling was my co-worker, and that Roderick man was my admirer….."
"Wait! What Roderick man?" Hilde asked, remembering the name that Meilei had mentioned, that belonged to…..Kojii's fiancee.
"Oh, I've told you about him, you just don't remember. But darling, I have to go. Your sister just came in with Bailey, and we're going to eat dinner." Tomoyo informed her.
"All right, mama. Talk to you soon." Hilde murmured, hanging up the phone. Meilei looked at her in curiosity.
"Your mother knows Shayla's father?"
"Apparently, he was one of her admirers. But lets not talk about this, please." Hilde sighed. The other two girls looked at each other and grinned.
"Hilde, you look a little…..upset. You need something to raise your mood." Akane stated. Hilde was about to say something, but a pillow was thrown into her face.
"AHH! MEILEI!" Hilde shrieked, grabbing her own pillow and batting her friend with it. Soon, all three girls were involved in the WWIII of pillow fights.
~*~*~*~
"Miss Hilde!" Ying-fa exclaimed, as their teacher entered the school-room the next day. Hilde smiled and went over to look at the picture the little girl had drawn.
"We figured out what you smell like, Ms. Hilde!" Akito announced as soon as she was done 'oh-ing' over the picture.
"Really?" Hilde asked with a slight laugh. The boy nodded.
"Lav…..lave….."
"Vanilla and lavender." Chang finished. Hilde looked surprised and laughed delightedly.
"Oh?"
"Yes. Uncle Kojii told us." At Deluce's words, Hilde's laughter stopped and she turned pale. Luckily, none of the children noticed this.
"Anyway, can we go outside again, today?" Chang asked. Hilde forced a smile.
"Of course. And I have a new game for us to play. I brought some candy….."
"CANDY!" Ying-fa and Akito exclaimed, their eyes shinning.
"Yes, candy. We are going to play a type of 'Hide-and-seek' with it, except you each have to answer a math question right, before you can try to find it. Those who don't answer a question right, can't try to find the candy on that turn." Hilde explained. The children agreed and the six quickly made their way outside.
Hilde had Chang distract the others, while she found a good hiding place around the pavilion for the candy. When she was through, she came back and had them all sit on benches that rested near the pond.
"All right. Chang, what is twenty divided by five?"
The game progressed, Chang, Xiaolong, and Deluce getting the most candy, and the younger children finding the least. The older two offered some of their winnings, however, and that made Ying-fa and Akito content.
"What now?" Xiaolong asked as he bit into a chocolate square. Hilde smiled.
"History." This was met by a resounding groan, but the older children obediently opened their text-books while the younger ones watched with interest.
~*~*~*~
"Kojii, this is my father, Robert Roderick." Shayla introduced. Kojii looked at the older man coldly, but politely shook his hand.
"I am very pleased that my daughter has found such a man as you to marry." Robert stated. Kojii nearly rolled his eyes in disgust.
"Thank you, sir." He said, as Shayla led them back into the gardens. Robert and Shayla were doing most of the talking, and Kojii was wishing that he could be anywhere but there. Suddenly, a bright, happy shriek interrupted the father-daughter talk.
"I'LL GET YOU, CHANG!"
"No you won't! He's too fast!"
"Go Deluce!"
"Go, Lucy, go!"
"I win!"
After this happy cry, there was a barrage of laughter as Chang raced into view, sticking his tongue out at Deluce, who was bent over, panting behind him. Ying-fa and Akito were rolling on the ground, laughing at their cousins antics, and Xiaolong was hiding his grin behind his large text- book.
"All right. Chang, you get the next question, then." A young woman stepped into view, her long black hair pulled back into a braid and her amethyst eyes sparkling. She asked something and Chang grinned, giving a quick answer.
"Right. Now, you choose who has to race you." The woman informed him. The boy gave a crow of delight.
"You! You have to race me!"
"Oh no! I can't run!" The woman laughed, getting into place, nonetheless. Deluce gave the signal and the two running figures disappeared. The younger children were cheering now, and Xiaolong had actually dropped his book, and was jumping up and down, cheering.
"She won! Miss Hilde won!" Deluce shrieked in joy. The woman, Miss Hilde, stopped for air and then breathlessly asked another question. Akito was about to answer, when his eyes caught Kojii's.
"UNCLE KOJII!"
"What are you doing here?" Chang asked sharply, visibly angry that their game had been interrupted.
"Who is he?" Deluce added rudely, eyeing the older man.
"Deluce, that was rude." The woman murmured, pulling the small girl back and looking into her eyes. Deluce looked ashamed.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. The woman smiled and placed an arm around her shoulders, while her other hand found Ying-fa's.
"We are here to see the gardens. And you?" Snapped the lady by Kojii's side. Chang wrinkled his nose.
"This is our school-time. Miss Hilde let us take our lessons outside today." He informed her.
"That's the mean old lady that came to dinner." Akito informed Hilde in a stage-whisper. Hilde shifted uncomfortably as the older man beside Kojii let his gaze sweep over her form.
"You look so much like….." The man said in an almost breathless voice, but he stopped.
"Like who? And *who* are you?" Chang hissed again.
"This is Shayla's father." Kojii informed them coldly, his eyes never leaving Hilde's lovely face.
"Robert Roderick, at your service, mam." The older man greeted. Hilde jumped as she heard this name.
"Oh! You knew my mother!" She gasped. The man visibly flinched and eyed her carefully.
"Did I? She wouldn't happen to be named Tomoyo Daidouji, would she?" He asked sharply. Hilde tightened her grip on Deluce's shoulders, and the young girl snuggled closer.
"That was her maiden name, sir."
"Oh? What does she go by, now?" He asked snootily. A slight, indignant blush rose to Hilde's cheeks.
"Tomoyo Hiiragizawa." She said shortly, now uncomfortably aware of Kojii's look. He was simply staring at her, his eyes shielded and cold. But there was something in the way his body moved that suggested he recognized her.
"So…..she did marry him." Robert said, half to himself. Hilde frowned.
"Yes…..well, if you will excuse us. We have lessons to do." She murmured. Robert nodded and led his daughter away, leaving Kojii standing there alone.
"It did not look as if you were having lessons." He snapped. Hilde turned and hurt flashed across her eyes.
"I prefer to make my lessons fun, sir." She stated. He stiffened.
"Fun? Since when was school fun?" He hissed. Hilde worked to keep her tears at bay.
"You will not question my ways of teaching, Kojii Li." She snapped, turning her heal and going down a path, out of sight. The younger children followed her without looking back, while Xiaolong gave his cousin a long, hard look and then quickly followed. Deluce gave him a glare, stuck her tongue out, and then ran to catch up. But Chang simply stood and looked at his cousin threateningly.
"If you do anything to hurt or anger Miss Hilde, I swear I will hurt *you*, Kojii." He hissed, turning and stalking away. Kojii stood, shocked. This was the first time that Chang had used his name without a title in front of it. His aunts had insisted that the children call him 'uncle', because of their age differences, so it was no surprise that Kojii was shocked.
"Kojii, love? Are you coming?" Shayla asked, appearing from behind a bend in the path. Kojii growled and turned to follow Shayla, his eyes still glued to the place that he had last saw *her*.
The only woman he had ever loved had slipped out of his grasp once again.
~*~*~*~
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 9.
~*~*~*~
"I don't care what mother says. I won't like her." Deluce stated in a snotty tone. Chang glared at her. They were presently in the Li home school room, waiting for their new teacher.
"She'll be just like the others. Mean, uppity and she'll make us stay in this stuffy schoolroom all day." He hissed. Beside him, a younger boy winced slightly. This was seven year-old, Xiao-long, Feimei's son. He was shyer than the rest, and much more reserved.
"Maybe she won't be so bad." He murmured. Little Akito stuck out his tongue and his sister copied him.
"She's gonna be yucky and smelly, like the last one." He stated stoutly. Just as the little boy said this, there were voices heard from outside the door.
"Now, the children are in here. This is were you will teach them, and where they will take their lunches. Have you any questions?"
"No. Thank you." Came a soft, sweet voice. There was a slight 'humph' from the first voice and then the door swung open to reveal a grouchy housekeeper.
"Here are the brats. Good luck." She mumbled, quickly leaving the scene. The disgusted children watched sharply as their new teacher stepped into the room; suffice to say, she was nothing like they had suspected.
This new teacher had long, pretty black hair that was pulled back into a single braid. She was wearing a lavender suit that matched her sparkling amethyst eyes, and she carried no briefcase, unlike the other teachers. Slowly, she entered the room, looking over each and every one of them. Then, a lovely smile played around her lips.
"Hello." She murmured in her soft voice. The children stood, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Konichiwa, Hiiragizawa-sensei." They chorused, slipping into Japanese to confuse her. But at this, the teacher simply smiled again.
"Ohayo. Are you fluent in Japanese?" She asked. No one spoke, until Xiao- long let out an exasperated sigh.
"Yes, sensei, we all are." He admitted, as his cousins glared at him. The woman smiled and then walked over to the desk at the front of the room. The children watched her closely as she pulled out the chair of the desk, made to sit down on it, then suddenly stood up straight again and clasped her hands in front of her.
"Now, I would like to get to know each one of you, one at a time. Therefore, I will ask the oldest…..Chang, I believe, to come up here and tell me about himself. Then the rest of you will follow. And I insist that you sit at my desk as you do so, because I believe it would make us feel more equal in rank." She murmured, motioning to the chair.
The five in question immediately went pale and Chang rose shakily to his feet. The teacher took a seat in the front row, and watched intently as the nervous boy pulled out the chair and looked at it disgustedly. Then, taking a big gulp of air, Chang began to sit.
Suddenly, a sweet, bell-like laugh filled the room.
"Don't! Please, don't sit there, Chang. I don't want you to ruin your clothes!" The teacher laughed, her amethyst eyes sparkling. The five children looked at her in shock.
"YOU KNEW?!?!" Deluce shrieked, getting to her feet in a rage. The teacher stood, and placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Knew what? That you had painted the seat of the chair and it was still wet? Yes, I knew." She murmured, not seeming in the least angry. The children looked at her in confusion.
"But…..how did you know?" Akito stammered. The woman smiled.
"Three ways. 1) I smelled the paint. 2) You were all watching me a little too closely. 3) With a sister and a brother like mine, I've seen plenty of these sorts of tricks pulled every day." The teacher laughed. Deluce looked at her, still a bit suspicious.
"You have a brother and a sister?"
"Yes. A *twin* sister, actually. Her name is Heidi." The teacher informed them. Chang looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What's your name? How old are you? Do you smell bad? Do you like bugs?" He shot at her as quickly as he could. She grinned.
"My name is Hilde. I am twenty one. I don't know, and some types." She answered. Xiao-long smirked.
"So there, smarty-pants." He muttered to his older cousin. The teacher laughed again.
"Please. I know that you hate me, and I don't blame you. I know from experience that teachers are never fun…..unless they know how to have fun themselves." She murmured. The children looked at her in confusion and she sighed.
"All right. We'll start over. Hello. My name is Hilde Hiiragizawa and I'll be your teacher for the time being." She announced. Ying-fa, who had been silent up until now, cocked her head to the side and gazed at the teacher.
"Ms. Higarzawa….." She tried to pronounce. The teacher bit her lip to keep from smiling.
"Just call me Miss Hilde. I hate formalities."
"What's a formality? Mama always uses that word." Xiao-long commented. Hilde smiled.
"It means, being prim and overly polite." She informed him. The boy nodded in understanding.
"Ms. Hilde, I wanna play." Ying-fa tried again. Hilde looked down at her.
"What would you like to play?" She asked. The five stared at her in shock and disbelief.
"We're in school. We can't play, Ying." Chang hissed. Hilde held up a hand.
"Don't be so sure about that. What would you like to play, Ying-fa?" She asked. The little girl looked thoughtful.
"Outside. Hide and seek." She stated. Hilde nodded thoughtfully.
"That could be arranged. But you'd have to do something for me first."
"What?" Deluce asked sharply, still suspicious. Hilde smiled.
"I *do* still have to give you lessons, but I would like to make them more enjoyable for you. I hated being stuck in stuffy rooms when I was in school, and I don't believe that you should be. Is there anywhere, perhaps outside, where we could have lessons?"
"Well, there is the pavilion by the fishing pond….." Xiaolong commented. Hilde beamed.
"Perfect. Now, gather your things. Yes, your text-books as well, and we'll have to follow Xiaolong out to the pavilion, since I don't know where it is!" Hilde laughed. The young boy led them out proudly, and little Ying-fa fell into step beside her new teacher.
"I like you. You're nice." She whispered. Hilde smiled.
"Well, I like you too." With this from the teacher, the little girl put her hand into Hilde's, and held it tight.
~*~*~*~
"Mother, she was great!"
"…..and we went to the pond….."
"…..I fell in! And she laughed and told me it was all right!"
"…..She asked me what I was reading….."
"…..the ducks ate my bread!"
This was the chatter at the Li table that night, well after Hilde had left. The children were talking so eagerly, they had forgotten to eat what was on their plates. Even the quiet Xiaolong was talking away, informing his mother about everything the teacher had taught him, and what she had said. The mothers listened in shock, Yelan was openly astonished, and Kojii simply sat, his face stony.
"She's pretty. She's nice, too, mama." Ying-fa exclaimed.
"And she doesn't smell." Akito added.
"Yes she does! She smells like…..like….." Deluce trailed off, unable to come up with the words.
"Like…..something…..like….." Chang trailed off as well, his eyes confused.
"Vanilla and lavender." Came the sudden mumble from Kojii. His family looked at him, shocked.
"Yeah! That's just what she smells like! How did you know, Uncle Kojii?" Deluce asked, frowning. Kojii slammed down his fork, a look of rage filling his face.
"I just do." He snapped, storming out of the room. His aunts were shocked at this display, but Yelan was looking thoughtful.
"She has a twin, too, mama." Ying-fa said in a hesitant voice.
"Yeah. She told me that her twin went to school with Uncle Kojii, when they were younger. Her name's Heidi." Xiaolong filled in. Yelan let out a gasp and her eyes widened.
"Could it be?" She mussed, frowning slightly. Her daughters watched her, alarmed.
"What is it, mother?"
"Nothing, girls. I just have to make a phone-call. What is your teacher's last name, Chang?" Yelan asked. Chang frowned, trying to remember.
"Hiiragizawa…..I think. She asked us to call her Ms. Hilde, though."
"Good enough. Now finish your meal, children. I have some telephoning to do." Yelan stated, gliding out of the room.
~*~*~*~
"So…..how was it?" Meilei asked later that night, when Hilde returned to their dorm. Meilei and Akane were seated around a game-board, playing checkers.
"It was wonderful. Your cousins are perfect angels, Meilei." Hilde exclaimed, hanging up her coat. Meilei looked astonished.
"WHAT? How can you say that?! Didn't they prank you?"
"They tried, once. But I happened to smell the paint before I sat down, luckily." Hilde giggled. Meilei groaned.
"You lucky thing. I suppose they loved you after that?"
"I don't know. I took them outside and we did their lessons there. And Akito fell into the pond." Hilde laughed. Meilei grinned.
"I suppose he was watching the fish swimming." She stated, as Akane moved a game-piece and won the game. Hilde nodded and bit into the sandwich she had made for herself.
"So today went well?" Akane asked.
"Yes. I promised them that I would bring some candy as prizes, tomorrow. We're going to play 'hide-the-candy' and whoever finds that piece gets to keep it." Hilde murmured.
"What about their lessons?"
"They have to answer a math equation before they are allowed to search for it."
"That's smart. I'm sure they will love it."
*RING!*
"Hello?" Meilei asked, picking up the phone.
"Oh! Hello, Aunt Tomoyo. Yes, Hilde's here." Meilei answered, handing the phone over. Hilde smiled and took it.
"Mama?"
"Hilde, darling! How are you doing?"
"Wonderful. And you?"
"Just fine. But you will never guess who just called me." Tomoyo said in an excited voice. Hilde shrugged.
"Who?"
"Yelan Li!"
"Li-sama? What did she want?" Hilde asked, her heart pounding. Tomoyo laughed.
"She was telling me about how her grandchildren were raving about you, and how happy she was with your work. Then she asked me the strangest question. She wanted to know if you had ever been to Japan."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I told her you had, and she asked me when. Then I told her about you girls switching places….."
"Oh, mother! You didn't!" Hilde gasped, putting a hand to her forehead. Tomoyo laughed.
"It isn't all that bad, darling! She thought it was funny."
"I'm sure she did. But now she knows how we tricked everyone…..and she'll obviously link that to her grandson….."
"Which one?" Tomoyo asked mischievously. Hilde groaned and glanced at the smirking Meilei.
"Kojii Li, mama." She finally muttered. Tomoyo let out a delighted laugh.
"And so she did! She thought it was ingenious of you."
"Then what did you talk about?" Hilde asked in a tired voice.
"We just got to talking about the old days. You know. Back when Sakura and I were inseparable, and Meiling was my co-worker, and that Roderick man was my admirer….."
"Wait! What Roderick man?" Hilde asked, remembering the name that Meilei had mentioned, that belonged to…..Kojii's fiancee.
"Oh, I've told you about him, you just don't remember. But darling, I have to go. Your sister just came in with Bailey, and we're going to eat dinner." Tomoyo informed her.
"All right, mama. Talk to you soon." Hilde murmured, hanging up the phone. Meilei looked at her in curiosity.
"Your mother knows Shayla's father?"
"Apparently, he was one of her admirers. But lets not talk about this, please." Hilde sighed. The other two girls looked at each other and grinned.
"Hilde, you look a little…..upset. You need something to raise your mood." Akane stated. Hilde was about to say something, but a pillow was thrown into her face.
"AHH! MEILEI!" Hilde shrieked, grabbing her own pillow and batting her friend with it. Soon, all three girls were involved in the WWIII of pillow fights.
~*~*~*~
"Miss Hilde!" Ying-fa exclaimed, as their teacher entered the school-room the next day. Hilde smiled and went over to look at the picture the little girl had drawn.
"We figured out what you smell like, Ms. Hilde!" Akito announced as soon as she was done 'oh-ing' over the picture.
"Really?" Hilde asked with a slight laugh. The boy nodded.
"Lav…..lave….."
"Vanilla and lavender." Chang finished. Hilde looked surprised and laughed delightedly.
"Oh?"
"Yes. Uncle Kojii told us." At Deluce's words, Hilde's laughter stopped and she turned pale. Luckily, none of the children noticed this.
"Anyway, can we go outside again, today?" Chang asked. Hilde forced a smile.
"Of course. And I have a new game for us to play. I brought some candy….."
"CANDY!" Ying-fa and Akito exclaimed, their eyes shinning.
"Yes, candy. We are going to play a type of 'Hide-and-seek' with it, except you each have to answer a math question right, before you can try to find it. Those who don't answer a question right, can't try to find the candy on that turn." Hilde explained. The children agreed and the six quickly made their way outside.
Hilde had Chang distract the others, while she found a good hiding place around the pavilion for the candy. When she was through, she came back and had them all sit on benches that rested near the pond.
"All right. Chang, what is twenty divided by five?"
The game progressed, Chang, Xiaolong, and Deluce getting the most candy, and the younger children finding the least. The older two offered some of their winnings, however, and that made Ying-fa and Akito content.
"What now?" Xiaolong asked as he bit into a chocolate square. Hilde smiled.
"History." This was met by a resounding groan, but the older children obediently opened their text-books while the younger ones watched with interest.
~*~*~*~
"Kojii, this is my father, Robert Roderick." Shayla introduced. Kojii looked at the older man coldly, but politely shook his hand.
"I am very pleased that my daughter has found such a man as you to marry." Robert stated. Kojii nearly rolled his eyes in disgust.
"Thank you, sir." He said, as Shayla led them back into the gardens. Robert and Shayla were doing most of the talking, and Kojii was wishing that he could be anywhere but there. Suddenly, a bright, happy shriek interrupted the father-daughter talk.
"I'LL GET YOU, CHANG!"
"No you won't! He's too fast!"
"Go Deluce!"
"Go, Lucy, go!"
"I win!"
After this happy cry, there was a barrage of laughter as Chang raced into view, sticking his tongue out at Deluce, who was bent over, panting behind him. Ying-fa and Akito were rolling on the ground, laughing at their cousins antics, and Xiaolong was hiding his grin behind his large text- book.
"All right. Chang, you get the next question, then." A young woman stepped into view, her long black hair pulled back into a braid and her amethyst eyes sparkling. She asked something and Chang grinned, giving a quick answer.
"Right. Now, you choose who has to race you." The woman informed him. The boy gave a crow of delight.
"You! You have to race me!"
"Oh no! I can't run!" The woman laughed, getting into place, nonetheless. Deluce gave the signal and the two running figures disappeared. The younger children were cheering now, and Xiaolong had actually dropped his book, and was jumping up and down, cheering.
"She won! Miss Hilde won!" Deluce shrieked in joy. The woman, Miss Hilde, stopped for air and then breathlessly asked another question. Akito was about to answer, when his eyes caught Kojii's.
"UNCLE KOJII!"
"What are you doing here?" Chang asked sharply, visibly angry that their game had been interrupted.
"Who is he?" Deluce added rudely, eyeing the older man.
"Deluce, that was rude." The woman murmured, pulling the small girl back and looking into her eyes. Deluce looked ashamed.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. The woman smiled and placed an arm around her shoulders, while her other hand found Ying-fa's.
"We are here to see the gardens. And you?" Snapped the lady by Kojii's side. Chang wrinkled his nose.
"This is our school-time. Miss Hilde let us take our lessons outside today." He informed her.
"That's the mean old lady that came to dinner." Akito informed Hilde in a stage-whisper. Hilde shifted uncomfortably as the older man beside Kojii let his gaze sweep over her form.
"You look so much like….." The man said in an almost breathless voice, but he stopped.
"Like who? And *who* are you?" Chang hissed again.
"This is Shayla's father." Kojii informed them coldly, his eyes never leaving Hilde's lovely face.
"Robert Roderick, at your service, mam." The older man greeted. Hilde jumped as she heard this name.
"Oh! You knew my mother!" She gasped. The man visibly flinched and eyed her carefully.
"Did I? She wouldn't happen to be named Tomoyo Daidouji, would she?" He asked sharply. Hilde tightened her grip on Deluce's shoulders, and the young girl snuggled closer.
"That was her maiden name, sir."
"Oh? What does she go by, now?" He asked snootily. A slight, indignant blush rose to Hilde's cheeks.
"Tomoyo Hiiragizawa." She said shortly, now uncomfortably aware of Kojii's look. He was simply staring at her, his eyes shielded and cold. But there was something in the way his body moved that suggested he recognized her.
"So…..she did marry him." Robert said, half to himself. Hilde frowned.
"Yes…..well, if you will excuse us. We have lessons to do." She murmured. Robert nodded and led his daughter away, leaving Kojii standing there alone.
"It did not look as if you were having lessons." He snapped. Hilde turned and hurt flashed across her eyes.
"I prefer to make my lessons fun, sir." She stated. He stiffened.
"Fun? Since when was school fun?" He hissed. Hilde worked to keep her tears at bay.
"You will not question my ways of teaching, Kojii Li." She snapped, turning her heal and going down a path, out of sight. The younger children followed her without looking back, while Xiaolong gave his cousin a long, hard look and then quickly followed. Deluce gave him a glare, stuck her tongue out, and then ran to catch up. But Chang simply stood and looked at his cousin threateningly.
"If you do anything to hurt or anger Miss Hilde, I swear I will hurt *you*, Kojii." He hissed, turning and stalking away. Kojii stood, shocked. This was the first time that Chang had used his name without a title in front of it. His aunts had insisted that the children call him 'uncle', because of their age differences, so it was no surprise that Kojii was shocked.
"Kojii, love? Are you coming?" Shayla asked, appearing from behind a bend in the path. Kojii growled and turned to follow Shayla, his eyes still glued to the place that he had last saw *her*.
The only woman he had ever loved had slipped out of his grasp once again.
~*~*~*~