CHAPTER 14
"Seriously, why are you here?"
"Eh? Ah... didn't I mention, I am here to work?"
"Em... your name is Tohru right? I can see it. It's not for money that you are here."
:"Kaoru-san... I..."
"You know master right?"
"Em... I knew his relatives first. Was it obvious?"
"You can say so. Master never hires anyone that's not from Sohma, except for Haseda-mama. All the maids that work here are Sohma but we are more to long-distance relatives. You can say that we not directly blood related." Kaoru whispered softly.
"I see..."
"Then? Why are you here? You know master Yuki?"
"Ah... previously I stayed at Shigure-san's house before... together with Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun."
"No wonder... but thank god master did not find out that you went to master Yuki's room and bandaged his leg! Otherwise it would be trouble! Master only let me in to bring him his meals but master Yuki hardly touch his food!"
"I'm sorry for giving you so much trouble..." and Tohru apologizes.
The 38 years-old maid then looks at Tohru with a concerned expression.
"Tohru-chan, I know that there must be due to some private matters that you agree to stay here and work. But I am afraid master will give you a hard time. To be honest, I can see that he dislikes you."
"Maa... It doesn't matter, I'll work hard!" she answered with a smile.
"Oh by the way, I need to thank you for helping Yuki-kun. You helped him make his way to the front door."
"That's all I can do. Luckily that time you are attending master or he will see me and I'll get into trouble. Seriously, its not that I refuse to help master Yuki but we will be in worse trouble if master knows about it."
"I'm sorry. I was the one who asked you to help him. I..."
"It's alright. It finally ended."
"Sigh. But I wonder how Yuki-kun is doing. I hope he's fine."
**********************************
".................."
"Akito, it's great that you finally released Yuki but we just want to make sure that no one who is unconnected to this matter is being held."
"What do you mean? Say it clear." His voice was stern.
"Akito, is Tohru here?" Hatori finally blurt it out. There's no point trying to give out hints. Akito will not buy it. Rather than going into circles, its better to say it once and for all.
The clan head was silent. He did not look at either of them. He just stares at the chirping bird in his cage...
"So she's missing?"
"Yes."
"And you suspect I keep her prisoner here?"
"..............." this time it was Shigure and Hatori's turn to be silent. They didn't know how to answer that question.
"What proof do you have that she's here?"
"We just thought that she might be here." Hatori answered.
"And WHY would she be here?" Akito's eyes stares at Hatori sharply.
"Maa... Akito, don't be angry. We have been searching for her and this is the last place. Perhaps it's just a coincidence that Yuki was released this morning and then we heard the news that Tohru is missing. So somehow we thought there's a connection between these two incidents."
"I believe Yuki had learnt his lesson so I let him go. Or do you rather have him here?"
"No, don't worry. Yuki definitely had learnt his lesson. I'll watch him more closely in future."
Then it was silent once again. No one spoke.
"If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I need to take a rest. I'm tired."
"Then, Akito... you mean that Tohru really hasn't been here...?"
Akito's eyes wandered to the bird again.
"No." and then proceed to move away from his seat.
Sensing that it's the end of their conversation and that they are no longer welcome, both Shigure and Hatori left Akito's room.
Once they are out...
"Shigure, Akito is not good at lying."
"Well, it's rather obvious that he had seen Tohru. But what happened and where is she? By the way, it's not right for you to say "Is Tohru here?" it sounds as if he locked her up or something. Lucky he didn't get into one of his temper. "
"I just think it's a waste of time to twist here and there. Anyway, this seems like a missing case. Shall we report to the police? What if she really is being kidnapped?"
"It's really hard to decide. If we do report and Akito has her, he'll be automatically rated as a criminal. You do know how big the problem will turn don't you?"
"Well then is there anything else we can..."
"Wait..."
Shigure suddenly turned his direction. Instead of walking to Hatori's car, he walked towards a maid who is sweeping the back yard.
"Excuse me..."
"Ah, konnichiwa master Shigure, master Hatori! You are here to see young master today?" the old maid looked at both Shigure and Hatori warmly.
"Konnichiwa Haseda-mama. Yes, we just met Akito."
"Ano... mama, we need to ask you something very urgent. Please tell us the truth because this is the matter of life and death."
Haseda-mama was very surprised and a little scared at the same time. She had seen Yuki's poor condition but was restricted to help as told by Akito. Was it... did master Yuki...
"I... I will try my best to help you." Was all she's able to answer.
"Seriously, why are you here?"
"Eh? Ah... didn't I mention, I am here to work?"
"Em... your name is Tohru right? I can see it. It's not for money that you are here."
:"Kaoru-san... I..."
"You know master right?"
"Em... I knew his relatives first. Was it obvious?"
"You can say so. Master never hires anyone that's not from Sohma, except for Haseda-mama. All the maids that work here are Sohma but we are more to long-distance relatives. You can say that we not directly blood related." Kaoru whispered softly.
"I see..."
"Then? Why are you here? You know master Yuki?"
"Ah... previously I stayed at Shigure-san's house before... together with Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun."
"No wonder... but thank god master did not find out that you went to master Yuki's room and bandaged his leg! Otherwise it would be trouble! Master only let me in to bring him his meals but master Yuki hardly touch his food!"
"I'm sorry for giving you so much trouble..." and Tohru apologizes.
The 38 years-old maid then looks at Tohru with a concerned expression.
"Tohru-chan, I know that there must be due to some private matters that you agree to stay here and work. But I am afraid master will give you a hard time. To be honest, I can see that he dislikes you."
"Maa... It doesn't matter, I'll work hard!" she answered with a smile.
"Oh by the way, I need to thank you for helping Yuki-kun. You helped him make his way to the front door."
"That's all I can do. Luckily that time you are attending master or he will see me and I'll get into trouble. Seriously, its not that I refuse to help master Yuki but we will be in worse trouble if master knows about it."
"I'm sorry. I was the one who asked you to help him. I..."
"It's alright. It finally ended."
"Sigh. But I wonder how Yuki-kun is doing. I hope he's fine."
**********************************
".................."
"Akito, it's great that you finally released Yuki but we just want to make sure that no one who is unconnected to this matter is being held."
"What do you mean? Say it clear." His voice was stern.
"Akito, is Tohru here?" Hatori finally blurt it out. There's no point trying to give out hints. Akito will not buy it. Rather than going into circles, its better to say it once and for all.
The clan head was silent. He did not look at either of them. He just stares at the chirping bird in his cage...
"So she's missing?"
"Yes."
"And you suspect I keep her prisoner here?"
"..............." this time it was Shigure and Hatori's turn to be silent. They didn't know how to answer that question.
"What proof do you have that she's here?"
"We just thought that she might be here." Hatori answered.
"And WHY would she be here?" Akito's eyes stares at Hatori sharply.
"Maa... Akito, don't be angry. We have been searching for her and this is the last place. Perhaps it's just a coincidence that Yuki was released this morning and then we heard the news that Tohru is missing. So somehow we thought there's a connection between these two incidents."
"I believe Yuki had learnt his lesson so I let him go. Or do you rather have him here?"
"No, don't worry. Yuki definitely had learnt his lesson. I'll watch him more closely in future."
Then it was silent once again. No one spoke.
"If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I need to take a rest. I'm tired."
"Then, Akito... you mean that Tohru really hasn't been here...?"
Akito's eyes wandered to the bird again.
"No." and then proceed to move away from his seat.
Sensing that it's the end of their conversation and that they are no longer welcome, both Shigure and Hatori left Akito's room.
Once they are out...
"Shigure, Akito is not good at lying."
"Well, it's rather obvious that he had seen Tohru. But what happened and where is she? By the way, it's not right for you to say "Is Tohru here?" it sounds as if he locked her up or something. Lucky he didn't get into one of his temper. "
"I just think it's a waste of time to twist here and there. Anyway, this seems like a missing case. Shall we report to the police? What if she really is being kidnapped?"
"It's really hard to decide. If we do report and Akito has her, he'll be automatically rated as a criminal. You do know how big the problem will turn don't you?"
"Well then is there anything else we can..."
"Wait..."
Shigure suddenly turned his direction. Instead of walking to Hatori's car, he walked towards a maid who is sweeping the back yard.
"Excuse me..."
"Ah, konnichiwa master Shigure, master Hatori! You are here to see young master today?" the old maid looked at both Shigure and Hatori warmly.
"Konnichiwa Haseda-mama. Yes, we just met Akito."
"Ano... mama, we need to ask you something very urgent. Please tell us the truth because this is the matter of life and death."
Haseda-mama was very surprised and a little scared at the same time. She had seen Yuki's poor condition but was restricted to help as told by Akito. Was it... did master Yuki...
"I... I will try my best to help you." Was all she's able to answer.