Chapter 16 (2/2)

“Yuriko, I was really happy when I heard that you are going to marry with Kaoru-niisan because you will become my sister-in-law after all. You know what, that brother of mine has been always, always, asking me everything about you. It’s really a relief to know he still thinking about you even until now.” (Emily)

“Is he really ask that much?” (Yuriko)

“You bet! From the food you like, movie, color, and even the flower you like. Though it should have been much better if he hearing all of those directly from you… Sigh, he’s really pathetic.” (Emily)

“Is, is that so—” (Yuriko)

Yuriko’s face suddenly goes red as she was smiling in delight.

Yes yes, thanks for the treat. Thought Tsubaki while looking at her mother.

Seeing that everything she said just going to make Yuriko happy, Emily then began to change her focus on Tsubaki.

“But still, her eyes really resemble Aunty. Tsubaki-chan, it’s great that the Mizushima’s blood is really thick in you, right? There’s no doubt you will become a beauty in the future, I guarantee you.” (Emily)

Emily then gave a wink and thumbs up at Tsubaki.

Tsubaki could only let out a dry laugh.

“Ah right, Tsubaki-chan I heard you punched that Leon at the Christmas party. Way to go girl!” (Emily)

“Emily-san! Please don’t praise her for that.” (Yuriko)

“His parents didn’t mind, you know? Of course, it would be a different matter if she raised her hand without a reason, but at that time it was obviously Leon was at fault.” (Emily)

“But still–” (Yuriko)

Seems like for a girl to raise their hands toward someone, it was an intolerable act for Yuriko.

Seeing Yuriko who still disagreed with what she thinks, Emily gave up in convincing her and tell what she had heard after that commotion at the Christmas party.

“But, it looks like his parents were grateful for what Tsubaki-chan did though.” (Emily)

“Eh?” (Yuriko)

“You see, his mother rarely returns home because of her job. The people who have been taking care of him are his grandparents from his father and mother’s families, and it seems like they had spoiled him a lot. Before they know it he’s started to grow arrogant and have a tendency to looking down on people, until Tsubaki-chan gave him a nice hook on his face, that is. Thanks to that it looks like that has become an eye-opener for him. Anyway, his parents are relieved to see he had started to put a lot more consideration into other people.” (Emily)

So there’s a circumstance like that around him, I suppose it was wrong of me to suddenly hit him like that. Thought Tsubaki in regret.

Sensing Tsubaki and Yuriko’s mood turned gloomy, Emily then changes the topic to lift up their mood.

“By the way, how is the house? Are there any inconveniences? You know, with how vintage all of the furniture here, there must be one or two.” (Emily)

“No, not at all. Every furniture here have a good sense, I like them a lot in fact.” (Yuriko)

“My mother would be really happy if she hears that. What about the servants here? I mean, the servant of the Asahina house was fundamentally small in number so I’m worried if there’s something they can’t help you with.” (Emily)

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. They do a really great job, or rather every one of them can do tasks that outside their field of expertise. I have heard the rumor about how versatile the servants of the Asahina house are but, it was way above my expectation.” (Yuriko)

Yuriko praised the work efficiency of the servants.

In this house, there is no steward. Besides driving and cooking, everything was done by the two maids.

However, at the time they would have to welcome a visitor where they would need more hands, the main house of the Asahina household would send in more helper, but fundamentally it was only these two.

“But, since the servants of the Mizushima house are only excelling in one field, the servants of the Asahina house have a strong impression of their versatility.” (Yuriko)

“Originally, the Asahina house was just a pot maker since Edo period you see. The servants who have work for our family until now was the family member of the pupils who had been following us since that time. I don’t really know the number but from what I hear there are a lot of pupils from young to old one who was close with the head of Asahina house at that time, and it was thanks to them that our Asahina house has become one of the biggest company in the ceramic industry now. But there’s a time when my grandpa had to discharge some of them because of that great war, we took a serious blow from the war and the company assets where go downhill fast, he couldn’t even pay the servants wages at that time. I heard that my grandpa was crying when he fired them. You have heard the rumor about the family member of the Asahina house is filled with a lot of people who were uselessly naïve, right? Well, that’s true in fact. Anyway, since then the remaining servants wanted to become the strength of my grandpa with increasing their working scope, and here we are.” (Emily) (TN: Edo period is around 1603 – 1868 AD)

“I see, they have a deep mutual trust huh.”(Yuriko)

“Maa, you could also say that my grandpa was more or less a man of character himself. He had re-employed the family of the pupils he had fired and established a private security company and merging them with our main company you see.” (Emily)

Far from begrudging the Asahina house for discharged them, they even wanted to become a strength for the Asahina house by their own will, the predecessor of the head of the Asahina house must be a man of character.

I wish I can meet him at least once. Thought Tsubaki with sadness.

“About that grandpa, just the other day he sent me a picture of his holiday in Dubai, it’s really a relief to know he’s still energic as usual.” (Emily)

Hearing what Emily said, Tsubaki was magnificently slipped down on the floor.

Tsubaki thought the person was already passed away because of the tone Emily used when reciting the story about her grandfather was sounded so serious and solemn.

“Tsubaki, there are only two kinds of people in the Asahina house, either you are a loser or an oddball.” (Anna)

“Why are those two options sounded like the only choices!?” (Tsubaki)

There’s no other option in between those two!? Like “Normal” or something!? That was what Tsubaki asked, but the Yakumo duo just shaking their heads at the same time.

At that time, there’s someone who knocking the door of the living room moderately, the maid opens the door and there was the representative of the losers in the Asahina house, Kaoru, comes in into to room.

“Are you girls done with your girl-meeting?” (Kaoru)

“Oh my Kaoru-niisan, you there?” (Emily)

“I am! I was in the atelier painting the whole time you know!” (Kaoru)

At the time Emily and Anna have arrived, Kaoru was too immersed in his painting that he didn’t realize they already here.

After reaching a point where he can take a break, he finally realized this when he looked at the clock and came to the living room to welcome their arrival.

“Yuriko. As you can see Kaoru-niisan is an unreliable person, but just for one woman, he has been persistently— did his best to hold his feeling toward her for these fifteen years. I can assure you he is a very faithful person.” (Emily)

“Could you please rephrase your words before finishing them!?” (Kaoru)

“Mou, Nii-san you’re annoying.” (Emily)

Hearing that, Tsubaki could make a guess about the Asahina house’s siblings hierarchy from the sibling’s banter.

Author note: The servants who work in the Asahina family are one big family in fact. The cook and the maid #1 are husband and wife and the maid #2 is the eldest daughter (Older sister), the chauffeur-slash-guard is the eldest son (Younger brother), this is the setting I made. The Fuwa family and one of the other servant family’s members were working in the main house of the Asahina house.