Chapter 4 - The Rich Princes and Princesses
1
Wednesday.
As usual, Sachiko-sama began the morning with reading. The complete works of Souseki placed on her lap, Yumi joined in as well, silently flipping through the pages, but halfway through she couldn't bring herself to go on, and let out a huge sigh.
"Something the matter?"
Inquired Sachiko-sama.
"No, it's not anything important."
Yumi replied.
In reality, Souseki's Heart is a story where the protagonist betrays his close friend, and when reading it, you come to feel depressed. Plus, the continuous sitting in the chair and the tedious work of following the printed text felt like they were spurring on the feelings toward melancholy.
It was at such a time, that an unexpected guest came to visit the summer house.
"Hey, Yumi."
A familiar denim shirt wearing tanuki face was in the summer house's foyer, with his left hand raised and big grin.
"Yuuki. How come...?"
Wherever he came from and however you looked at it, this boy sanding in the foyer was unmistakably Yumi's younger brother.
"I said it, didn't I? That we'll see each other over there."
"Well, that was said, but―"
It's not that I didn't think that there's no way he would visit, Yumi thought.
Though, if accidentally meeting in town is what you call this situation, then it's anyone's guess how many times he'd come over.
"Oh, Yuuki-san. It's been a long time. Please, come on in."
Probably having heard from Kiyo-san that Yuuki had come, Sachiko-sama came out from the interior of the house and beckoned him inside.
"No. Please excuse me for coming here. But, I only came to deliver something that my sister forgot."
As Yuuki brought forth the right hand that he was hiding behind him, what appeared was the white parasol.
"It was left all by itself in the back seat of father's car. Look, without this, your enjoyable vacation's probably on hold, right?"
"Stu-, don't say unnecessary things, Yuuki."
Received rudely, Sachiko-sama said like a door slamming shut,
"Yumi. You must not receive a delivery with this attitude. It's not ok, even if it's a sibling relationship."
"...Yes."
Though she was accustomed to scoldings, frankly speaking, she wasn't amused at having Onee-sama stick up for her younger brother.
"Honestly, Yuuki-san, is doing you a favor. Since it'll be noon shortly, why don't we go eat together?"
"As much as I'd really like to do something like that, I have to meet with some friends."
Yuuki looked at his wristwatch. "Where at?" Sachiko-sama asked and said that, if he's looking for a sight-seeing area, there is a famous historic shopping street.
"I wonder why when I've just arrived that immediately everyone turns me around and sends me back downtown. Since I slipped out from there for a bit to come here, if I'm out of sight for too long my friends are sure to worry."
"Oh, you're headed to main street?"
Being overly jealous of Yuuki, she had mistakenly neglected her facial muscles. It's probably because of that, Yuumi thought, that her "must be nice..." feeling had appeared on her face.
"Huh? You haven't gone yet? Well then, shall we go together?"
"Ah-"
Yumi was flustered by this unforeseen development.
But, there was no way she could say "no" here.
And not with Sachiko-sama looking on.
However.
"How nice!"
Sachiko-sama said.
"That you can go together with Yuuki-san is a relief, isn't it?
Yumi, you should go."
"Ah..."
"Sachiko-san, you should come as well."
Yuuki invited.
However.
"I've already gone. Besides, I'm not very good with busy places."
See, just as expected.
Sachiko-sama didn't feel like going.
Not good with busy places, she said.
She said at K-station where they did the valentine's date, that it wasn't as crowded as expected for a Sunday.
Though Yumi worried whether it was just peevishness, Sachiko-sama's situation was different from Yumi's in that her feelings don't often come out in her expression.
"Don't feel constrained by consideration for me."
And to say it like that, feel constrained.
Even with having accepted the invitation by Sachiko-sama and staying at this holiday house, there wasn't any reason that would get Sachiko-sama to go out.
Yet even so, I want to go.
That said, it's not like the likelihood that Sachiko-sama would take her along to there has already become zero.
On one side, Sachiko-sama, and yet on the other, Yuuki.
-- Ads -- (Chapter continues below)
While Yumi was hesitating about which side to choose, Yuuki took Yumi's arm and said to Sachiko-sama,
"Well then, I'll be borrowing my sister for a bit. I'll escort her home properly."
"Ah, Yuuki."
There was a quick nod exchanged as Yuuki was walking away steadily pulling Yumi along.
"What's wrong with you?"
"It's because Yumi was dilly-dallying."
After exiting the low stone wall that surrounded the property, Yuuki looked back over his shoulder.And as he let go of Yumi's arm, Yuuki said in an unusually strict tone,
"The face..., as expected, hasn't it come out?"
Yumi was at her brother's back, like a stake, absentmindedly following with her eyes the white letters of the name-plate casually inserted into the ground. There, a house number and something like a surname were written. It had become worn and she could just barely read, 'SAWA', but whether this was 'SAWA' from 'OGASAWARA' or 'SAWA' from 'SAWAMURA', she couldn't tell.
"Yup, it's definitely come out. Then I don't understand what it is, but you're feeling depressed, right? So, I'm taking Yumi along and it's my judgement that you should let it out -- I'm making you to come along, you know. That way, I think is also good for Sachiko-san."
Yuuki slowly began to walk.
"Also for Sachiko-sama?"
Though their hands were no longer connected, Yumi followed behind her brother.
"That's right. With Yumi seeming depressed, isn't it troublesome for everyone around?"
"That's mean."
"When it comes to Yumi, lively is better, you know."
I see, lively is better, is it?
However, always being happy is difficult.
After walking for a while, the road left the woods without her noticing.
Yumi shaded her eyes from the brilliant sunlight.
2
[Part 2 is in progress]
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