Shindo picked up one of the teacups he had set down and offered it to Miharu with a bow. “There is a hint of lavender in the sugar cubes. I believe they may offer some comfort. If you like, I will strive to keep you entertained, so please don’t look so upset. That having been said, don’t expect too much of me, for none could possibly comfort you as well as Master Manabu,” Shindo said oozing charm that made Miharu giggle.
In better spirits, Miharu picked up the teacup and dropped one of the light purple sugar cubes on the saucer into the black tea. She spun her spoon around the reddish liquid before slightly raising the whole set—teacup and saucer—to enjoy the fragrance. A light scent that was soothing to the heart combined with the mellow fragrance of the tea tickled the tip of her nose.
“You’re right! It does have a hint of lavender. What a wonderful idea! Thank you, Mr. Shindo.”
“The pleasure is mine. I’m honored if you take any comfort in this.”
“Plenty! But isn’t there one other lady here you should be ‘comforting,’ Mr. Shindo?”
“Huh?”
With a wave of her hands, Miharu gestured to Satsuki, who was sitting right before them. When his attention turned to Satsuki, he saw dark clouds hanging over her face.
“Miss, are you not feeling—” he started to ask. As he drew to her side, Satsuki swung her head away. Whenever he was overly attentive to anyone else, she would act up. While Shindo found this quirk of hers troublesome, it didn’t truly annoy him.
Satsuki recognized the emotion in herself as jealousy, but when it came to Shindo, her emotions were beyond her control. Part of her felt that since Shindo was her retainer, he belonged to her. Seeing him display acts of kind consideration toward others drove her crazy.
But that’s no excuse to get upset just because he was nice to Miharu... I’m awful...she reprimanded herself, fully aware that she had a tendency to overreact. But her over-possessive desires only grew stronger with each passing year.
I only want him to look at me. I don’t want him to be nice to anyone else. Although these were normal emotions to experience when in love, they were emotions she was never supposed to harbor for her retainer. That was why she kept them tucked away. She had to replace them with feelings as his “mistress.”
“You’re my retainer, remember? What made you think it was wise to tend to her first?” Satsuki pouted.
“I’m terribly sorry,” Shindo apologized with a chuckle as he gazed down upon the glowering young lady.
As it dawned on her that Miharu was enjoying the spectacle, Satsuki changed the topic, “Still, I’m surprised you heard—about how I was involved in that incident at school, I mean. Shindo was immaculate about covering the whole affair...”
This issued a proud chuckle from Miharu. She boasted, “As Manabu would say, ‘My information network is perfect.’ But in all honesty, the star employee of our managing director’s pet IT division found the tidbits of information and pieced it all together this time.”
“He’s among the group of people Manabu chose for that ‘Managing Director’s Inner Court’ of his, isn’t he? It’s actually rather frightening how he’s surrounded himself with such brilliant minds. I’m amazed someone other than Manabu saw through Shindo’s handiwork,” Satsuki remarked.
With a chuckle, Miharu smiled proudly as she took another sip of tea. In reality, she didn’t know what truly happened in the Student Council Room. Satsuki and Shindo were the only ones who knew the truth in its entirety. With the assistance of the lawyers and other attendants, they twisted that truth, turning the incident into a bombing. But not even the lawyers and attendants knew all of the facts. While he didn’t uncover the actual facts, Manabu managed to discover the “artificial truth” that Shindo strove to bury.
Satsuki spent these past few days following the incident at home. It was necessary for her image since the members of the school board knew she was involved in the “bombing.”
Without thinking about it, Satsuki pressed her hand against the left side of her neck, hidden under her delicate soft hair. From her neck down to her collarbone, she was bound with gauze. The red-purple hickeys were too great of a contrast against her porcelain-white skin. She couldn’t bear to leave those horrible marks out for all to see. Shindo was the only one she ever allowed to change the gauze.
Even though it had been a few days, these hickeys always reminded her of the sensation of Shindo’s lips against her skin. When he sucked hard—yet gently—against her flesh, the inner depths of her body grew tingly. And the weight of his body filled her core with a pleasant warmth that utterly scoured the filth of her would be rapist.
“Does it hurt?” Shindo bent down and asked in a hushed voice upon noticing Satsuki’s silent reverie with her hand over the gauze.
Directing her attention to him, her cheeks instantly grew hot. Held in his gaze, she was struck by the desire to keep his eyes forever locked on her. Overwhelmed by such desires, she missed her chance to look away.
“No...” Satsuki answered with her cheeks flushed. She narrowed her eyes sadly, answering in a tremulous whisper, “I’m fine...”
The sight of Satsuki so fragile made Shindo miss his chance to look away this time. Seeing her make this expression painted vivid memories of an experience in the shower he had to forget. The feeling of her soft body under him was all too vivid. Her skin felt warm and moist under his touch. Latched to his lips, her neck beckoned to him as a man to claim all of her for himself. It took every ounce of self-control to suppress such carnal desires, leaving him utterly exhausted in mind and body.
“It’s just a bit hot...” Satsuki whispered and pulled her hand away from her neck.
“Let me know if it gets too hot. I’ll bring something to cool you down,” he offered.
“Okay.”
Enjoying the faint fragrance of lavender, Miharu faked dozing off as she spied on the two through slit eyes. As she watched them, she knitted her brows in a pained frown.
Even if my body cools down on the outside, there is no cooling this inner warmth... Satsuki couldn’t help but think as she looked up at Shindo
For a brief moment, the meaning—the emotion—behind Shindo and Satsuki’s locked gazes was different from usual. But as if trying to avoid that emotion, the two averted their eyes at the same time. Satsuki was the heiress. Shindo was her retainer. Neither was ever supposed to realize they harbored feelings for the other. And even if they did...they must pretend otherwise...
The incident in the shower room must never replay in the minds of either. They must forget the warmth of the other’s body... The hot passion of the other’s heart... They must forget the emotions filling them...