Chapter Text

Coda

The thought of starting the day did not appeal to Mei in the least. Sleep had not come easily to her that night and the scraps that she had managed to steal had been too fitful to grant her any solace. The ceaseless rustling of Yuzu’s covers had provided her with a loud background as well; she tossed and turned about all night in what Mei had deemed to be restless excitement and she had often filled the silence with wishful sighs and muffled bouts of laughter, although Mei had not minded the sound of Yuzu’s joy in the slightest.

She had missed her laugh as much as she had the rest of her.

Her eyelids becoming heavy, she felt herself drift toward what little remained of the night, closing her eyes and snuggling further into her bedding. It was a tad too warm under the blankets but the sensation reminded her of sharing a bed with Yuzu, making the discomfort more than worth it.

Their shared past had never felt more distant though and on top of everything, Mother's announcement was to bring great changes, the extent of which she had yet to determine. She feared it would make her life all the more complex, as finding a place for herself had proved difficult in a static environment; a shifting one was beyond anything she could manage.

She heard a rather unladylike yawn come from the bed next to her, followed right after by the flat sound of bare feet hitting the laminate floor. Mei blinked in the semi darkness before being forced to throw her arm over her eyes against the explosion of light caused by Yuzu throwing the curtains open.

Through stilted eyes all she glimpsed was Yuzu as she stood in the stream of sunlight, a dark silhouette with a blazing contour. She welcomed the day by taking a deep breath and stretching her limbs, arms rising toward the ceiling as she stood on the tips of her toes.

Accustomed to accepting the inevitable, Mei pulled herself in a seiza position with a fluid motion and started to collect her bedding, rolling up and packing her futon with militaristic expertise. Once her task had been completed, she leaned back on her calves and tipping her head back appealed to her stubbornness.

“Good morning, Yuzu.” Her greeting had Yuzu pivot on one foot with a little jump, almost as if performing an under-practised dance move.

“Good morning, Mei.” Yuzu smiled then and Mei felt a thump in her chest, heart quickening and beats chasing each other.

It was unearned and it confused Mei a great deal but if Yuzu wished to move forward, she would gladly follow her lead as she had proved to be inept at wording her feelings. Yuzu’s eyes were not focused on her though, her emerald gaze leaping above her and reaching beyond.

She felt foolish to say the least when Yuzu’s gaze moved past her. Embarrassment flared her cheeks and her throat was stitched shut by shame. Yuzu walked by her without a second glance, intent on retrieving her favourite hoodie as it lay over a pillow. She put it on with a flourish, swaying on her feet and humming to herself.

“I’ll go make breakfast.” She said while smoothing down the slightly creased front of her garment before making for the door on light feet.

“Don’t take too long, Mei.” She threw the suggestion from over her shoulder without making so much as a glance back.

Now wearing her uniform and just about ready to start her day, Mei made her way to the kitchen. Mother and Yuzu’s voices spilled into the hallway, a firework of words and laughter. She felt her legs grow heavy, dragging her feet for a step or two before willing herself into a straight walk once more.

The living area was flooded with light as the curtains of the huge balcony windows had been fully opened. Mei’s first reaction was to blink, but the sun proved to be too tenacious, its light could still be felt behind closed eyes. She sought refuge within the polished surface of the laminate floor next, the plain and still sight making for a far less aggressive visual landscape.

The subtle trembling that she had experienced the day before while talking to Yuzu, or rather failing to talk, rose to bother her knees once again but her predicament was put aside when she took in the sight of Mother and Yuzu. They appeared to have made a game of trying to keep each other away from the stove, neither willing to back down and let the other handle the breakfast duties.

The game came to an end when Mother pulled Yuzu into a tight hug; laughing and swaying on her feet, she held her head tightly against her shoulder. Yuzu melted into the embrace with a laugh of her own.

“Good morning,” The wishful thinning of her voice did not surprise Mei, it would have been silly to not hide her desire to be included in such a tender moment.

As hoped, Mother greeted her with a bright smile, releasing Yuzu with a loud kiss on her brow and walking up to her with a healthy blush on her cheeks.

“Good morning, darling.” As soft caress brushed her hair away from her eyes. “And perfect timing as well, Mei-chan!”

Mei tilted her eyes in question, stealing a giggle and another caress from Mother.

“Perhaps you could aid your sister with breakfast.” She pouted playfully and winked at Mei before glaring at Yuzu. “This daughter of mine thinks I will be of no use for the next nine months!”

“Mama!” A blush flushed Yuzu’s cheeks, the shade of it made Mei think of Spring and apples, the sweet sadness of days gone by sizing her heart.

“I don’t mind helping, Mother.” She offered, somehow managing to keep her voice from faltering, suddenly feeling daring enough to edge her gamble even further by taking a step toward the stove, hand reaching for a spare towel that lay bundled on the counter.

Her blood turned to ice when Yuzu raised her gaze to look directly at her, the eye contact drained her face of all playfulness, all softness, all trust; her expression becoming one made of sharp angles and tightly pursed lips.

“I’ve got...” A soft catch in Yuzu’s voice led her to clear her throat. “....breakfast covered.”

“I’ll set the table then.” Rescuing Yuzu was the least she could do but her heart folded onto itself and a chill set on her back. Mei turned to her now with downcast eyes, only stealing quick looks when reaching for the plates.

“Well then, since my girls have everything sorted...” Mother put an arm around her shoulder and drew her into her side but Yuzu’s coldness had made her so stiff that she could not lean into the embrace.

“...Mama will relax with the TV.” A smile still on her lips, Mother did not force the hug further but Mei felt her hand move to draw firm patterns on her back as she leant forward to gather the utensils.

The sting of old tears filled her eyes, ghosts from a time when she did not know how to cry and she found herself under a cloudy sky, the bite of an early winter upon her cheeks, her head tipped back to look at her parents.

Sensei appeared to be tired and wary, his slicked back hair highlighting a gaunt face and a still pair of eyes, by his side stood a petite woman, her dark hair gathered in a tight bun, her face tight and expressionless.

If they could not love her, then who could? She wondered, not for the first time, and how unexpected for the answer to such a complex question to be a hand upon her back.

It did not take long for breakfast to be served once Yuzu took charge of it, Mei had spent those minutes trying to keep her mind blank while pacing her own task to Yuzu’s.

There were far too many variables at play and even the smallest thought might have grown into a maze if she did not keep it on a leash.

However, once they sat down to have breakfast, she permitted herself a moment of reprieve as her head was now busy following Mother and Yuzu's voices.

Tea helped with relieving her throat from the dry spell that had settled within it. The solace was short lived though as finishing her slice of toasted bread was proving to be a struggle for Mei.

The feeling of disquiet that she had awakened into had yet to release her and the longer it tightened her chest, the more restless she became. At that moment, her agitation had her perched on the edge of her seat, the weight of her body resting upon her forefeet, ready to bolt at the shortest notice.

Her less than perfect posture went by unnoticed. Mother and Yuzu had not built their lives around such values and their eyes failed to take notice of such things, or so Mei believed at least. Regardless, the pair was engaged in too lively a conversation to take notice of her malaise.

Yuzu’s sunlit mood had returned speedily the moment she and Mother resumed their excited conversation. The chatter, as incessant as a bird flapping its wings in a storm, had banned silence from the table. For her part, Mei had relegated herself to merely joining the conversation when strictly necessary.

“Ah, honestly, your Papa better come home soon!” Fingers drumming over the table impatiently, Mother turned towards the television to look at the weather report.

“It doesn't look too good...” Her eyebrows came together in a pinched look of concern as she beheld a forecast of strong winds. Her worried frown was readily traded for a smile as she leaned back to caress her belly with a soft look on her face “I want to tell him in person, It will make for such a good memory.”

“Ah!” Yuzu uttered loudly, fist punching her open palm with a snappy sound, her antics almost succeeding in stealing a yelp from Mei.

“You and Papa should have a romantic dinner and then…” Her sentence faded into a long sigh that left a dreamy expression on Yuzu’s face, one made of slightly curled lips and fluttering eyelids. Even now, the idealised version of romance had not departed Yuzu’s imagination.

“That’s just not me, darling.” Mother waved the suggestion away with a giggle. “And it would be too much for your Papa.”

The statement oddly comforted Mei, as she did not know much of romance either and was glad to know that she was not alone on finding the concept to be a largely alien one. Yuzu had taught her so much yet simultaneously confused her even more.

“But most important, I want my girls to be there with us.” She reached out to hold Yuzu’s hand before turning toward Mei with the blessing of a loving smile on her face. “This is about all of us. This entire family.”

Yuzu nodded in delight. Whenever the discussion turned to Mother’s pregnancy, she was unable to keep a smile off of her face; the notion of being part of that conversation had her ecstatic and proud, while Mei could not help but to be disquieted by the situation, it was like stalking in the dark for her. If Father were to embrace the news with the same joyful abandon as Yuzu and Mother, Mei would be left all the more alone in the maze of her uncertainty.

In truth, she could not even begin to guess how her father would react. He was largely a stranger to her, as imperceptible as a person she knew only in passing.

Mei’s imagination was anything but vivid but even she had little trouble with conjuring the pictures that Mother’s voice was painting. At some point, while enjoying Yuzu’s delicious omelette, Mother had fallen silent, eyes becoming vacant as she withdrew into her mind.

Mei had kept her eyes trained on her, unsurprisingly sharing a look of concern with Yuzu over the sudden change in Mother's mood. The woman occupied a space where the grievances and challenges they might have with each other were not allowed, a silent agreement reached spontaneously over the last few days.

A sudden smirk at the corner of Mother's lips and the return of a sparkle in her eyes soothed Mei's concern away. The next moment saw Mother giggle to herself and finally relax into a full smile. When Yuzu called for her, with a smile on her own lips, Mother reached to tenderly brush her knuckles over her face, breaking her silence to share a tale from Yuzu's childhood:

Little Yuzu worrying about a stuffed bunny missing his home, and valiantly promising to return him to it was perfectly in tune with her generous heart. She could not help but wish to make the world better, even to her own detriment. The same could be said about Mother lovingly helping her in such endeavors, offering advice along with her sewing skills to restore the ragged bunny to health.

Mother's eyes teared up as she reached a particularly tender moment in her narration, and for once, Yuzu did not protest Mother’s praises with a sheepish grin and a dismissive wave of her hand. She had settled into listening with her cheek resting in her hand and a fond expression on her face.

In an attempt to keep her eyes from lingering on Yuzu longer than necessary, Mei found herself wondering what she would have done had she been the one to walk upon Bunny-san.

The possibility that he might have been lost rather than left behind on purpose likely would have never crossed her mind. She might have just left him where he was, under the bench of a park, a kindred spirit she did not know how to help.

The grim train of thought was abandoned when Mother asked Yuzu to remind her the name of their stuffed friend. The request held little surprise because, for as formidable as Mother was, she had a hard time recalling names.

Regardless, Mei’s curiosity was not meant to be satisfied as the drilling ring of the landline phone cut through the room, severing Yuzu’s sentence and stilling Mei's chest with a most unwelcome memory.

That sound brought back the feeling of a fancy dress that felt too tight and exposing, the smell of sea as she begged for secrecy and the lacerating urgency to return home to Yuzu. She knew now that trading security for freedom was not a bargain she could afford to make.

Mei wasted no time in excusing herself from the table, a slight bow of her head and she left Mother and Yuzu to enjoy their breakfasts as unlike her, they had been far too busy talking to see to their plates. She made her way to the phone and raised the receiver to her ear just as Mother and Yuzu, once again forgetting about food, resumed their lively morning chat.

"Mei."

Mei felt a tug at her heart, she had not spared a single thought to her Grandfather in the last few weeks and the realisation filled her with remorse. Yet another pearl to add to the string of her failures.

"Grandfather?" Her voice was small, far too small and far too tentative. She did not need to have her eyes on the man to know that disappointment had just pinched his eyebrows slightly closer.

"We'll have to dispense with the niceties because I'm short on time" His curt manner reflected the high value he placed upon the ticking of the clock, the one currency that should never be wasted.

"Of course, I understand." Mei replied customarily, still wincing inwardly at the thought that, as far as Grandfather was concerned, cancelling the marriage had cost the family a small fortune - Not enough to trouble them a great deal, but enough to cause a sting.

"I have a matter that I need to discuss with you. Come home after school."

"Yes, certainly." Agreement was unavoidable. She had followed his guidance for most of her life, trusting him to trace her path as the sole constant in a life without her parents. In the short silence that followed, Mei heard the faint echo of a dry cough and the sound of a speeding car.

"We can talk more then." His voice was a tad rough and the call ended while Mei debated whether or not she should inquire about the state of Grandfather's health. The hesitation was born from the knowledge that he did not welcome the discussion of such topics. To live forever, albeit through his children and grandchildren, had been his goal for as long as she could remember.

As she made her way back to the table, a restless thought made its way into her mind, leading her to wonder why Grandfather had elected to call her at home rather than at school as he had always done in the past. It had to have been a deliberate choice, as all of his actions had a purpose.

She had no idea about what her Grandfather might wish to discuss with her - another marriage proposal perhaps? The thought made her nauseous as her answer would be the same and regardless of the strained situation, hurting her Grandfather wounded her deeply.

Tabula Rasa

Matsuri swished the mop about the tiled floor carelessly, in a pattern of movement not even discernable to herself. She had been going for twenty minutes and was still not even halfway done with her punitive task, such was the size of the locker room of the Aihara Academy.

Other than the mopping, the only sound that could be heard was the rhythmic tapping of acrylic nails against the screen of a phone; If that was supposed to form part of her punishment, Matsuri had fast found it to be more of an ordeal than the tedious cleaning exercise that had been assigned to her.

“Are you going to help me or are you just gonna keep lounging around?” Matsuri finally spat out in the general direction of her friend.

“I’m not the one who got detention, you know. Take it up with Sayaka-san.” Taniguchi-senpai replied without taking her eyes away from her phone.

It was true then, this was to be part of her punishment. Matsuri began to mop more vigorously, spreading pools of water side to side and splashing her uwebaki shoes with soapy droplets in an impromptu gestural abstraction.

This is pointless. Matsuri thought to herself, though she did not make the reflection on any matter in particular. She then turned once again to face Taniguchi-senpai, still engrossed in tapping away.

“Of all the classes they could put me in and I’m sat next to her…” Matsuri lamented. Being at the front of the classroom was bad enough but being seated next to an overzealous would-be Student Council President with a chip on her shoulder had made her school time almost insufferable. At least, that was how Matsuri viewed it.

“You could just try to hide your phone better. That’s what I do.” The bored voice suggested unhelpfully.

“Yeah, well that’s easier for you than it is for me.”

Matsuri seized on the opportunity to steal a glance at Taniguchi-senpai; She was lying on her back on a nearby bench, hands resting on her chest like a makeshift cushion, her phone propped up to eye height. A feeling began to manifest itself inside her and she did not care to ponder whether it was jealousy or something else entirely.

Suddenly, Taniguchi-senpai’s head whipped backwards, her plum bangs spilling away from her forehead making for an almost comical sight. Matsuri quickly looked away as her friend sought to meet her gaze, as though locking eyes with her would somehow be an admission that she had been staring at something she shouldn’t have been. She had to at least try to preserve whatever personal pride she had remaining.

“Anyway, what was important enough to make you look at it?”

“Huh?” Matsuri pivoted her whole body away as she felt a blush beginning to form.

“I mean your phone.” She said pointedly, now sitting properly - or rather in a less scandalous position - her phone concealed from view once more. She had her full attention, a small victory at last. Matsuri knew that angling for a confrontation was pointless, provoking Taniguchi-senpai never yielded the desired results, quite the opposite.

For once, their usual back and forth held no appeal and the source of her worry was not a gambling matter. While she loved to think that nothing was sacred, the price of making a game of Yuzu’s life was one she could no longer afford to pay. Matsuri sighed, the mop in her hand making a soggy sound as she beat the floor in a vaguely rhythmic fashion.

“It’s Yuzu-chan. Don’t you think she’s changed since Mei-san started coming to school again?”

She allowed the words to fall from her lips with a level of candidness that she did not often share willingly. As she gazed into her own murky reflection in the gleaming beige floor tiles, Matsuri once again found herself questioning just what kind of a game she was playing, and with whom she was playing it with.

“Perhaps.” The reply was hummed lazily, noncommittal as always, a seemingly harmless sound but to Matsuri it felt like nails on a chalkboard. Talking with Taniguchi-senpai about serious issues was akin to monologuing to a rock and Matsuri had to wonder why she kept repeating the same action while expecting different results.

She let out a puff of air, it was all the irritation she was willing to display and after wedging the mop back in the bucket, she went to reach for the earbuds case that was safely nestled in her tracksuit pocket - At least they could be hidden more easily. She could enjoy the silence with Taniguchi-senpai while listening to music just fine and -

“She’s always been kind of weird when the Prez is around.” She turned around to find Taniguchi-senpai relaxed as ever, her unassuming eyes shifted upwards to focus on nothing in particular, her nails tapping a slow rhythm over the bench’s surface as she held onto the edge with both hands.

Matsuri found the coyness to be increasingly intolerable. She could handle people being frank and people paying lip service without substance, yet the barely existent responses of Yuzu-chan’s best friend were getting under her skin.

“Are you playing games with me, Taniguchi-senpai?” Her voice sounded uncharacteristically soft, her lips cut an humourless smirk to compensate but she could not help but feel at a disadvantage.

When Taniguchi-senpai’s eyes returned to her face, narrowed in contemplation, her meticulously plucked eyebrows shifting downwards. Matsuri found herself anticipating another indifferent riposte, followed by however many more it would take to change the topic back to something more palatable.

It seemed that no Aihara Academy student would willingly give a straight answer about anything; it made uncovering secrets all the more exciting but as far as Taniguchi-senpai was concerned, Matsuri was running out of patience. Accepting a stalemate and withdrawing was no easier than losing but if there were no layers to peel back, she was merely wasting her time.

If what met the eye was all there was too Taniguchi-senpai- she shut down the thought and racked her hands through her hair in irritation. There was no reason for Taniguchi-senpai to be here, not really, since today the frustration she brought with her had no enjoyable counterpart. It would have been better for her to go elsewhere.

"Hey, since you're not helping-" Matsuri began.

“I’m not dense, it’s just not my place to pry. Isn’t that more your thing?” A flicker of a flame surfaced in her hazel eyes as the third-year struck an almost accusatory tone.

Now, it was Matsuri’s turn to be silent as she tightened her grip on the mop handle. She had never thought her friend to be slow like Nene, but rather wilfully ignorant of the things that happened around her; Matsuri knew that Yuzu-chan had never told Taniguchi-senpai about her true relationship with the President, yet she had figured it out all the same and mentioned it with all the apathy of someone remarking about the weather.

Taniguchi-senpai then let out a small sigh and spoke once more. “Look, it’s not that I don’t care. Yuzucchi is a smart girl and she’ll figure things out with her sister, or whoever the Prez is to her. My big sis always says that relationships are bad news…”

“Oh come on, it’s not like your sister is exactly keeping her personal life hidden.” Matsuri blurted out the response almost instinctively, regretting that she had done so as soon as the words had left her lips.

Taniguchi-senpai appeared saddened, as though the heuristics she had followed for her entire life had been wrenched away from her. Matsuri almost pitied her; For all of Taniguchi-senpai’s carefree attitude, it seemed that she had lived her life by a strict code and was only now discovering that such an aversion to becoming invested in the world and the people around her had robbed her of something more profound.

She sighed again, and Matsuri found herself holding her breath, driven by the very distinctive sensation that a revelation was about to take place; it did not need to be something of importance either, all she wished for was a spark.

“Hmm, maybe you’re right. It seems like everyone else is doing something or other with their lives and I’m just stuck here.”

Matsuri had always prided herself on her abilities to adapt, for an only child with absent parents it was quite the important skill, all the more so for her, since she liked to navigate through the lives of all sorts of people.

Being at a loss for words was almost unthinkable for her, though discovering Mei-san's plans had drained her will to speak for a few days. Yet there she was, unable to say anything in response to Taniguchi-senpai's words.

On her part, Taniguchi-senpai did not seem to expect anything from her, as a matter of fact her mobile phone had appeared out of thin air once again and once again the rhythmic sound of her nails tapping against the screen became the only sound.

A flare in her temper had Matsuri grit her teeth. Of course, she would not know what to say. She knew so little of Taniguchi-senpai, who she truly was and what she truly wanted. For all the time they spent together, the only thing they shared, apart from the verbal sparring, was their affection for Yuzu-chan.

If it was loneliness that urged her to step toward Taniguchi-senpai, Matsuri could not say. It felt similar to the emptiness she had experienced when left alone by her parents but the emotion guiding her hand to rest on Taniguchi-senpai's shoulder was far more dynamic, and upon contact it became electric.

"Huh?!" Matsuri found herself at the end of a pair of chocolate brown eyes that betrayed nothing. She did not know what she had expected, she had not even known why Taniguchi-senpai's words had touched her the way they did, maybe it had been the candidness of her tone as she spoke them, maybe a moment of honesty was the spark she had been waiting to glimpse all along.

"Come on." Taniguchi-senpai got on her feet, performed another risque vanishing act with her mobile phone and moved to procure herself another mop. "... this place is getting to me and by yourself you'll be here till dawn."

Their combined effort produced excellent results as less than one hour later they had finished. Matsuri was not certain that she knew Taniguchi Harumi any better than she did at the start of the day, but she was certain that she wanted to know more.

The Only Son

Mei stood by the gates to the Aihara household, head slightly tipped back to catch what little warmth the day had still to offer. Sadly, no heat would be able to sooth the cold that has gathered into her heart at the thought of setting foot into the manor again. The last time she had walked past that gate, she had all but lost what little sense of self she held and she feared becoming trapped again, like a moth drawn to a flame.

The building loomed over her, a massive structure, wider and taller than any other building in the street to a degree that bordered on gaudiness. Behind the walls, even the garden had a somber tone: lacking flowers entirely, the patch of grass and the trees provided the only colours, all shades of green. In Autumn, the foliage offered quite the scenic view, though Mei laboured to recall looking upon it fondly when she was confined within those walls.

She studied the building in silence, her gaze stopping upon the room that she had occupied a month or so ago. It was the second biggest bedroom in the house but even so, living there had felt suffocating. The curtains were no longer drawn, the room destined to fall into disuse along with many others that served little purpose to the sole permanent resident.

Mei realised for the first time that it was never intended to be the refuge of a single person. The taste of melancholy blossomed in her chest as she conjured the solitary image of her Grandfather standing by himself in front of the Academy gate, watching students file past as they deigned not to look at him.

As expected, she was welcomed by Tamura, the maid appointed to such duties. She welcomed her with a bow and nothing else, just as she would welcome one of the many guests drifting by. A moment of hesitation became one of embarrassment when she was called to hand her schoolbag to Tamura; her ring was still in the front pocket and Mei felt a measure of anxiety in separating from it, another fragment of her being chipped away as she passed through the threshold again.

Mei hurried herself upon realising that the maid stood in wait as she traded her leather loafers for a pair of pristine slippers. She was not accustomed to being waited on, not in a place that she would consider as her own, it felt oddly alienating. The manor had always been an extension of the Academy to her, perhaps it would be wiser to reconsider her position entirely.

“Please follow me.” She was as economical with her words as she possibly could be, as though she had no more to spare for the former young lady of the house.

The maid turned swiftly and started at a brisk pace. Mei fixed her eyes on the back of her head, studying the everpresent tight bun, she picked strands of silver among the dark locks. Somehow, she had failed to notice such a fine detail during her last stay, as thought the woman herself had become yet another forgotten aspect of the house.

Tamura’s steps were short yet quick as they walked through the seemingly endless corridor without a word. The motion had Mei overcome with memories from her childhood as she found herself left behind, her father and grandfather stalking through the house with long and purposeful strikes that she could not hope to match. She felt as though she would always have trouble keeping up with them, no matter how long her legs would become, yet she could not expect them to slow down for her. Nor would they.

Lost in her thoughts, Mei almost bumped into Tamura as the maid stopped in front of the door to Grandfather’s office. An exchange of words, loud enough to escape the thick walls and heavy door reached Mei’s ears.

“...and the answer is still no, Father.”

She heard and stepped closer to the wall but Tamura had already opened the door and announced her arrival with a deep bow, her upper body disappearing into the room as Mei waited by the side. Her duty performed, Tamura was quick to disappear, leaving Mei with little to do but step into the room.

She had already heard their voices before she even entered the room, yet it was not until she entered that Mei realised it truly was her father speaking with so much conviction. He was seated in one of the chairs in front of her grandfather's desk, sporting a slight tan, one arm on the armrest while he made animated gestures with the other to illustrate whatever point he was making. Grandfather said nothing, though his furrowed brow made his displeasure unambiguous.

“Excuse me.” She bowed slightly, feeling a blush travel up her neck as the attention shifted on her.

"Mei..." Her Father welcomed her, his features softened into an expression that felt terribly out of place in the strict atmosphere of Grandfather’s office. Mei would not dare to think him happy to see her, but if she were to use her own person as a map to decipher her Father, she could not dismiss the possibility entirely.

"Mei, take a seat." She complied swiftly as soon as the words had left her Grandfather’s mouth; his impatience had quickly morphed into frustration and she had no desire to further aggravate him.

"Good evening, Grandfather, Sen- Father." Her blush spread to her cheeks as she fumbled the words. She lowered her gaze to stare at the tips of her slippers, sparkly white against the office’s dark parquet flooring.

"Perhaps you can talk some sense into your father, Mei. He still refuses to accept his responsibilities as an Aihara." Her Grandfather's request had Mei lift her gaze at once, she regretted her impulsiveness immediately as she was met with her Grandfather's intense stare.

Anxiety rose from her chest, quickly tying her throat in a knot. Even if she had words to offer, she doubted that she would be able to speak them, at least not the words she truly would have wanted to speak.

"Father, please. You know I'm eternally grateful for all that you've done for this family but I have my own life to lead now." Father dismissed her need to speak with a confidence she had scarcely witnessed before.

She was filled with awe at the ease her Father displayed while facing the Aihara patriarch. Grandfather commanded respect by presence alone and Mei had witnessed more than a few adults sniveling under the fierceness of his presence, occasionally even in prostration. At the moment, she found her eyes shifting from one man to the other as they held each other’s gaze unflinchingly, Purple on purple, tension stretching the moment to feel endless until Grandfather had to concede with a tired nod. He used the tips of his fingers to push his glasses back to the bridge of his nose.

“...to think that I have been blessed with such a talented son and granddaughter who want nothing to do with their family's legacy.” The disappointment in his voice was at odds with the softening of his features but the mystery was easily solved once Mei realised that Grandfather’s focus was no longer fixed on his guests. His gaze was slightly lowered to the left, toward the single photo frame occupying his huge desk.

A picture of Grandfather and his late wife, standing by the Academy’s main entrance on the first opening day. Mei did not have any memory of her Grandmother but she did not need any to know that she had been an exceptional woman. Mei found herself drawn not to the great reverence afforded to her memory but the question of whether she too had entered an arranged marriage without enthusiasm - she had never dared to ask.

"Grandfather, running the Academy would be the greatest of honours.” Her heart jolted in her chest, Mei was surprised by the sound of her own voice, such was the honesty of her statement that her thoughts had left her lips without requiring her permission.

“You've made your position perfectly clear, Mei. I cannot blame you, but nor can I accept your terms." Grandfather replied after studying her for a long moment, though his gaze did not feel like an evaluating one. Mei did not wish to wonder whether it held any affection.

“Have you made alternative plans concerning your future, Mei?" Grandfather’s sudden question left Mei at a momentary loss of words as she came to the realisation that in spite of everything, she still saw her future as being bound to the Academy.

"I am focusing on my exams at the moment, Grandfather." She spoke honestly, still feeling the need to slightly lower her gaze as the words left her mouth, believing her lack of planning to put her at fault.

"I think this to be a good thing, Mei.” Her Father eased her tension with a gentleness that felt oddly familiar, she turned toward him to find the man slightly embarrassed, an expression that would often grace her own face.

The meeting was cut short once Grandfather inquired about the state of Father’s work. Mei had taken part in enough business talks to easily recognise when a question was meant to wrap a conversation. Father limited her replies to technicalities, a completely different flavour from when he talked to Mother about his progress. She did not know how long they had been talking before she joined them but it seemed that little had been accomplished during that time.

For her part, Mei confined herself to silence although she almost joined in when Grandfather dismissed a question about his health with a wave of his hand. He looked weaker than ever, although Mei feared his exhaustion to be caused by how fruitless their meeting had proved for him.

Before she could realise, she found herself standing in the foyer with her Father, Tamura still waiting on them as they retrieved their shoes. Mei wasted little time in getting ready, her desire to leave had been growing steadily since her arrival, not even pausing to speculate on how she had failed to notice Father’s unmistakable worn leather shoes when she first entered.

"Father?" She asked once Shou stood up and looked at her. Her question put an awkward grin on his lips, the confidence he had displayed while talking to his Father disappearing to make space for sweet shyness.

"I managed to swing an earlier flight. I thought I'd surprise your mother - I probably shouldn't keep her waiting any longer, you know what she’s like." He paused to make a humming sound, a slight blush creeping up his neck.

“I was thinking...would your Mother like flowers, Mei? Or a cake? I wish to bring her something but I’m not sure.” Father chuckled in a self-deprecating manner, the sound immediately reminding Mei of Yuzu. Mei did not need to ponder the question for too long, she was certain that Mother would prefer something she could enjoy with her family. However...

“Both, Father.” The certainty of her reply had Father grin nervously, silently questioning whether he had forgotten some important milestone or anniversary.

“Would you help me pick them, Mei?” Even the reply to this question came surprisingly easily.

Mei did not know where her relationship with her Father currently stood and thinking of it made her heart heavy, however she could not shake the feeling that today had been an important day for the two of them.

Overture

Mei felt oddly nervous as she stood outside the flat she shared with Mother and Yuzu. By her side, Father was not faring any better, however she had to admit that the sight of such a tall man shuffling uneasily on his feet was oddly charming. He held a rather large bunch of long-stemmed roses in one arm, a package containing a strawberry cheesecake in the other.

The blush that had spread about his cheeks when the florist had asked him what he wished to write on the note was still there, only barely lighter. More than once he has asked Mei to check his grip of the cake, fearing it to be slanted, Mei had reassured him each and every time after a scrupulous examination.

"We should ring." Father suggested, straightening his shoulders and tossing his head back to get his hair in place.

"I have the key." Embarrassment heated the tips of her ears as she fumbled to open her schoolbag, finding her key with anxious fingers.

"We're home." Father announced after Mei opened the door for him to enter. He had barely finished speaking when Mother bounced from behind the corner. She stopped once she saw them, hands reaching for her face. She yelped Father's name, the sound interrupted by a sob of happiness as she dashed toward him, crashing into bigger frame with open arms and wrapping herself around him tightly.

"...Ume...wait..." Father protested weakly.

The way he stood reminded Mei of a starfish as he tried to keep the flowers and the cake out of harm’s way. It was only when Yuzu joined them, looking adorable in her red framed glasses -- a detail Mei could not help but notice -- and made to retrieve the flowers from Father, that Mei was released from her paralysis and finally moved to take hold of the cake, allowing Father to fold his arms around Mother at last.

Mei’s attention was completely stolen by Yuzu then as she checked the roses in her arms, turning the bunch around and brushing the petals with her nose, all along smiling the brightest smile that Mei had ever seen; it spread light all about her, the happiness of it all gathering tears in her eyes, her green irises becoming twinkling stars.

It was only when she saw Yuzu bouncing on her feet while nodding, looking much like Pucchi did whenever he was happy, that Mei returned her attention to her parents: Father was blushing furiously, the tips of his ears as red at the roses he had gotten Mother, his incredulous expression continuously broken by smiles, each bigger than the last, while Mother stood on the tips of her toes, unable to stop caressing her husband’s face.

“A… a baby…” Father could not stop wondering as each and every one of Mother’s tears ended their journey on her smiling lips.