Vol 1 Chapter 24 (1/2)
Chapter 24 - Sealed Memories 5
Holding me onto his arms, Mokuzai went back using the same path, running all the way till he reached my room; and as I glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall, I realized that it's already ten plus nearing midnight. Feeling rather apologetic, I said: ”I'm sorry Mokuzai, not only did i use up your resting time, but if you're discovered by otou-san that you helped me onto this you'll be punished severely. If it's too hard for Mokuzai, I'll go by myself tomorrow.
Mokuzai squatted down, stroked my head and laughed while looking at me: ”Although you're the Takane's waka-sama, but I've seen you grown up, so you're just like my little ototou...... there's nothing too hard about it for me, Master's orders is that I listen to waka-sama's arrangements, and as long as it's an order made by waka-sama, I'll do my very best to fulfill it. Tomorrow at around eight plus I'll still bring waka-sama to look for Asaka ojou-sama, for now I'm feeling a little tired, so goodnight, waka-sama.”
(TL: ototou = lil brother, i didnt use ”oyasuminasai” for gnite coz i want to tone down more on jp words now)
”Mm, good night Mokuzai.”
Seeing Mokuzai walk out of the room, I then laid onto the bed. As I looked at the ceiling, I dozed off quickly due to exhaustion from the entire day.
The second morning, Mokuzai was standing beside my bed and anxiously shouting for me who was still sleeping: ”Waka-sama, wake up.”
With my eyelids still closed, I murmured: ”Mokuzai......what are you doing.....let me sleep for a little while longer all right.....it's-only-what-time-i'm-so-tired.”
”Waka-sama, wake up quickly, Master is looking for you, he's now waiting in the meeting room.”
Hearing that otou-san would be actually looking for me inside the meeting room, I felt that things might be a little serious. My sleepiness instantly dissipated, I quickly sat onto my bed, and followed Mokuzai out of my room; after walking for a while, I finally saw a room which had ”MEETING ROOM” these two words plated onto it, as Mokuzai stopped his feet and turned around to say to me.
”We have reached the meeting room, waka-sama go on in, I'll be waiting outside for you.”
”Mm.”
Pus.h.i.+ng open the doors I noticed that otou-san was sitting on the sofa as he drank tea leisurely. As he placed the tea onto the table, his stern-ish hardened face formed a slight trace of a smile: ”Hiroto, where have you been last night?”
”Aah? I...I...I didn't go anywhere last night, I was sleeping in my room.”
I felt my face turn rather reddish from my first time saying a lie, so I lowered my head, while my left hand clutched onto my right sleeve nervously as attempted to stay modest.
(TL: the author phrased it rather badly at this part ^, this was the best I could arranged it)
”Sigh..... ever since your kaa-san have pa.s.sed on, I've been busy handling matters about our household; I didn't had time to take care of you and Asaka....I feel rather ashamed of myself towards your kaa-san........Hiroto, do you and Asaka......blame tou-san for this?”
(TL: note the household here was referring to the entire Takane family tree, possibly having many relatives and their kids and all)
”Because tou-san was busy handling stuff about our household, not purposely leaving me and Asaka nee-chan behind........me and Asaka didn't blame tou-san, but we want to follow tou-san as a role model, and next time
when we grow up, we want to do big things like what tou-san does.”
(TL: did it sound childish enough? tried to phrase it on how a child would speak when he tried to speak mature-ish)
Tou-san's originally sharp look turned into a gentle gaze; his eyes even had some sparkle in them, as he stretched his hands to stroke Hiroto's head, saying: ”Hiroto had really grown up, he has now become sensible already. Tou-san won't be so busy today, so I called you here because I wanted to teach you a few things.”
I lifted my head up to look confusedly at tou-san: ”What kind of things?”
”Number one, family is the greatest gift that heaven could have ever provided us with, so we must treasure our family members.”
”Number two, being a man, you must always respect the ladies.”
”As about what number three is, when the time comes I'll tell you more about it. Hiroto have you memorized the above two rules?”
”I.......I memorized them.”
”Also, Hiroto......”
Suddenly, the telephone which was in front of the tea rang inconspicuously.
”At such a important moment, someone actually dared to cut my conversation.... let me see who it is.......”
To see tou-san noticing the caller ident.i.ty, and his eyes slightly glinted sharply.