“WHY did you come unaccompanied today, anyway?” Satsuki asked Manabu, looking puzzled. She was sitting face to face with him on the sofa in the living room. It would have come across as cold and uninviting if she showed him to the drawing room at this point.
“Where is Miharu? Has the love-light finally faded from her eyes?”
Manabu softly snorted and looked up at Shindo, who was placing a cup of coffee in front of him. He said, “Did you hear that, Mr. Shindo? This young lady you’ve raised has the nastiest little mouth!”
Shindo simply chuckled, not saying a word in response.
Manabu heaved a heavy sigh as if to say, “Good grief!” before returning to the topic at hand. “Apparently Uncle Tsukasa needs me for something. I wanted to see my darling cousin’s face first, but then I’ll have to go see what he wants after this. That’s why I came by myself... But, hey, I have every intention of spending the rest of the day with Miharu in body and mind when I get back. It’s not like one morning apart will kill us.”
“I’m glad to hear you get along so well,” Satsuki replied dryly. She’d known for ages that Manabu and his fiancée, Miharu, were on extremely good terms. Part of her found it silly how he continued to brag about their relationship after all this time. But there were also times she couldn’t help but feel jealous when listening to him. Jealous of how they could follow their hearts and simply share their love unencumbered...
“But I wish I could have seen Miharu. You must bring her with you next time!” Satsuki insisted.
“Sure. Miharu wanted to see you, too. We’ll drop by in the near future,” Manabu promised.
“I can’t wait,” Satsuki replied. She was so genuinely happy, a smile naturally spread across her lips.
Manabu’s fiancée, Miharu Kono, and Satsuki were good friends. Miharu was twenty-three. Not only did she know Manabu since they were little, she was even in the same grade as him due to being born right before the academic cut-off date. A smart and beautiful lady, Satsuki looked up to her like an older sister ever since they first met. Miharu was currently working for Manabu as his secretary.
“I’m surprised Father wanted to speak with you... What do you think it’s about?” Satsuki inquired. Shindo placed a teacup in front of her. She stared intently at the pretty, translucent red liquid.
“He said he wanted my advice... This is all in regards to your birthday party, Satsuki,” Manabu explained.
“My birthday party? Oh...” Satsuki offered a somewhat indifferent response before picking up the teacup.
Satsuki’s eighteenth birthday was next month on May Second. Her birthday parties were less about spending time with her friends, and more about inviting Tsujikawa business associates. It was an annual event thrown in the banquet hall of the Tsujikawa mansion. There was a hodgepodge of attendees, from those who came regarding work to those wanting to sneak a peek at Satsuki. Various forms of entertainment were also provided throughout the course of these parties to keep Satsuki and the other youthful guests from growing bored.
Father never even tells me what he’s going to do; he just does it. It’s strange he’s asking Manabu for advice beforehand, even if it’s about the entertainment... This isn’t like him... Does this mean he’s planning something big? Satsuki thought, somewhat worried, as she took a sip of tea.
With its mellow fragrance, the tea held a light sweetness that lingered in her mouth. The sweetness enhanced the natural flavor of the tealeaves, serving the brew justice. Naturally, only Shindo could’ve brewed it so perfectly to her taste. Satsuki would only drink his tea except for when they were visiting someone or there was an emergency at home or school.
Satsuki shifted her eyes to Shindo, who was standing in front of the wagon next to the sofa. He was busily straightening up the tea saucers and such. He must’ve sensed her eyes on him for he looked up. The moment their eyes locked, Satsuki offered him a happy smile.
“This is delicious. You truly do brew the best tea,” she complimented.
“Thank you. Nothing could make me happier than to hear your words of praise,” Shindo replied, giving Satsuki a happy, gentle smile in return.
Faintly blushing, Satsuki briefly lost herself in that smile before finally returning her gaze to the tea. Shindo lovingly watched her adorable reaction before looking away in turn.
On the one hand, the two were the image of happiness. On the other, it was an image that was never meant to exist. Manabu silently observed the sight of forbidden emotions drifting between the two. All the while, he had to bite his tongue...
✦ ✦ ✦
TSUKASA Tsujikawa was the current president of Tsujikawa Corporation. Due to an accident unexpectedly taking the life of the previous president, he attained this mighty position at the early age of twenty. An only child, his father had taken him to work since he was a wee boy to show him the ropes. By the time Tsukasa reached his teenage years, he grasped the internal affairs well enough to run the business alongside his father.
“Tsukasa could kill with a look at the office,” those around him said in fear of his sharp eyes. At the age of twenty-two, he met his wife, Tsubaki. She was Manabu’s aunt on his father’s side. At the time, she was still only seventeen.
Tsukasa fell in love with her at first sight. The infamously willful beauty, the “Hayama’s Princess Camellia” rejected his proposals one after the next. Although the battle of wills ended with their marriage, they were not blessed with a child for quite some time... After several years passed, they finally conceived Satsuki.
Clear from the time she was first formed inside her mother, Satsuki reached out to speak telepathically with her parents. Most would probably find such creepy interactions unbearable, but this was the life they finally conceived after years of trying. She was their miracle baby. Neither could possibly harbor any form of animosity toward their precious gift.
Satsuki displayed outstanding talent worthy of her title as the “Tsujikawa Sacred Blade,” which she received as the president of the Tsujikawa Corporation’s only daughter. At the moment, she was not only considered a trustworthy business woman, but also had connections. Her business skills had already achieved a level that allowed her to talk on par with her father.
Nevertheless, Tsukasa would invite his nephew over to talk in private every once in a while. Known as the “Hayama Prodigy,” the swift wits Manabu boasted of since his early years made Tsukasa take a shine to the lad. If not for the fact Manabu insisted on deciding his own fiancée, Tsukasa would have seen to it that he married Satsuki. Then he could pick up the Tsujikawa mantle someday... That was just how much he liked the young man. Why, he even asked Manabu here for “advice” on a certain matter today.
“Are you seriously considering that?” Manabu asked. He served as Satsuki’s guest for roughly an hour before Tsukasa summoned him to the drawing room. And he couldn’t help but frown at what his uncle disclosed.
“Yes, I’m quite serious. This was something I meant to do years ago, actually,” Tsukasa said with a heavy sigh as he reached for one of the tightly wrapped cigars neatly lined in a case on his desk. After taking one for himself, he offered one to Manabu. The younger man smiled as he waved it away. “You’re uptight about the darnedest things,” Tsukasa pointed out with a bemused chuckle and put the cigar case back down.
Manabu jokingly explained himself as he said, “If I smell like cigars when I get home, my darling fiancée will insist I ‘smoked to hide the smell of another woman.’”
“Well, now! Aren’t you two the cutest little lovebirds!” Tsukasa barked, laughing loudly.
No matter how intelligent of a daughter Satsuki was, he could never share man-to-man conversations such as this with her. He truly enjoyed the time he spent talking with his nephew.
In reality, Manabu’s fiancée might make such quips in jest, but she was not the sort of woman to make such accusatory claims in earnest. As Manabu watched Tsukasa enjoy himself, the younger man folded his arms. He reclined against the deep-set couch with his chin resting in his right hand as he fell into contemplation.
“Uncle,” he eventually said with knitted brows, only shifting his eyes to look at Tsukasa. “About what we were discussing. If you are truly serious about going through with it, there is something you need to take into account.”
“What is it?”
Manabu rose from the couch before declaring gravely, “You’ll need to separate Satsuki from her retainer, Mr. Shindo.”