Chapter 153 - Jae (2/2)

She couldn't help but laugh. ”Was it really that bad?”

”Worse. It was worse. At least now we're too busy most of the time for Al to even think of asking me to play. Since I got one of my cousins-in-law to help me invent markers I've been able to make a few rudimentary board games to replace them. I drew it on paper that was then glued to a literal wood board because they don't have cardboard here.”

She opened a wicker chest that housed a meager collection of homemade versions of games such as Sorry, checkers, and Monopoly. There were also sets of wooden dice meant to be used to play games like Yahtzee.

They even had Scrabble though the proportions of how many of each letter there was supposed to be and the point values were slightly off from the original. It must have been difficult trying to remember exactly how all of these things looked.

”You never cease to amaze me,” Abby said in awe. ”I could never pull this off.”

Katie sighed dramatically. ”You'd be surprised what boredom can bring a person to do. I spent months doing nothing but play cards, Abby. MONTHS. I had a lot of time to think these sorts of things up even if I couldn't implement them until later.”

They were in the middle of a game of Sorry when Al and Blaise got back. Both of them looked tired from the long ride but pleased. Abby didn't want to get her hopes up but it seemed like they had found who they were looking for.

She was about to ask when a third person came into the room with them. He was a young, sturdily-built Kanta man with a short ponytail who was probably in his late teens and introduced himself as Jae.

”Is that Sorry?” he asked eagerly as he approached. ”Can I play in the next game?”

Abby blinked at him in surprise. She had been under the impression Katie was the only one with copies of these games. She mouthed ”I made extras and gave them away as gifts” before smiling at the young man and telling him he could.

As they played, they found out that Jae had come here with his family from Shibatsu nearly two years ago and had been rather put out to leave the girl he wanted to marry behind. They hadn't wanted to send her off to what they considered a barren region.

However, he had gotten a letter from her that barely came in despite being sent months ago that said her parents had changed their minds after hearing how prosperous the Kanta had become. He had wanted to go back for her immediately but hadn't known how he would make it until Al and Blaise approached him.

”I'm happy to serve my country but I can't deny that I mostly consider this a free ride to bring Kirienne back,” Jae confessed in a low whisper so Al wouldn't overhear. ”I know nothing about politics but I won't let them cheat us!”

His earnestness was kind of cute. Abby smiled at the thought of young love working out. This solution would kill two birds with one stone.