THE sound of giggling and somewhat erotic moans wafted through the area.
“No, oh... Mmh...not there…” a woman’s voice teased childishly.
“You know you want it...” a man laughed as he chided her.
The couple’s voices could be heard from the bushes surrounding the fountain in the front courtyard of Tsujikawa mansion.
“I need to get back to work...” the man reluctantly reminded.
“Aw, can’t it wait a bit longer?”
Based on the contents of their conversation, they were in the midst of a tryst. Tsujikawa mansion employed a massive staff, from those who commuted to those who lived in the mansion. With a mixture of young men and women, it was hardly a surprise some were in intimate relationships. But when something randomly fell into the nearby bushes while magic was in the air, it had a way of spoiling the mood for their secret date.
“Eek!”
The young woman in her early-twenties pressed her maid uniform against her half-bared bosom, her body trembling in fear. The man in a gray suit who failed to fully bare her chest looked up in surprise.
Without a doubt, something just fell in the nearby shrubbery. Going by the loud thrashing and wild jostling of the bushes, this was no small planter that fell from a window. Those shrubs were directly beneath Satsuki’s room.
Did something happen to the Miss?! The moment the thought struck him, he hastily leapt from the shadows of the trees. This man had served Satsuki as long as Shindo. He was the attendant who replied, “Feel free to at any time,” when Satsuki claimed, “I’ll go tell everyone “‘Shindo’s being a bully’” earlier that afternoon.
He was the son born between the butler, Mizuno, and the head housekeeper, Shizuko. Along with his duties as Satsuki’s attendant, he also assisted his butler father in day-to-day activities. There would eventually come a day he inherited the role of head butler for the Tsujikawa household.
At the moment, he was still only thirty-five. It was no exaggeration to say he underwent training to become an attendant alongside Shindo. As a result of his father teaching them so much at the same time, the two knew one another inside and out. Perhaps that was why Shotaro Mizuno referred to Shindo with such casual familiarity.
“Akira?!” Shotaro cried in surprise upon seeing Shindo stumble out of the shrubbery. “Wh-What are you doing?! Did you just jump from the Miss’s room? What the heck happened?!”
Shindo was the highest ranking attendant. Consequentially, that made the slightly older man technically Shindo’s subordinate. Yet their childhood upraising allowed Shotaro to act rather casual around Shindo.
“Don’t tell me she pulled another vanishing act...?” Shotaro asked apprehensively.
Shindo gave a dry chuckle. “No, I have everything under control. Please don’t let it trouble you...” Shindo replied, drawing out the last word as he caught sight of the maid hiding behind the tree.
“...Feel free to resume where you left off,” he said considerately as he yanked Shotaro’s halfway untied necktie. “But weren’t you still on duty?”
“My apologies, sir!”
Shotaro couldn’t balk at Shindo acting as his supervisor. Sliding the knot of his loosened tie to his neck, he tightened it before confirming, “Are you certain you don’t need my assistance?”
He knew all too well that Shindo didn’t require outside assistance where Satsuki was concerned. On the other hand, it was hardly normal for Shindo to jump out of Satsuki’s window. It was only natural for Shotaro to show concern.
“I can handle it. Sorry for interrupting you,” Shindo said and waved casually before darting away.
Shotaro heaved a heavy sigh. “Is that your way of saying the Miss is none of my business...? Is that it? Well, Akira?”
A somewhat pained expression crossed Shotaro’s face as he furrowed his brow. They received the same training for years. And while their status differed, they both served as attendants at Satsuki’s side. At the very least, he knew how Shindo felt for Satsuki.
He watched as Shindo raced into the distance for a while before realizing that the maid he abandoned behind the tree was doing much the same. He made a sarcastic snipe as he returned to her. “What? Did his good looks steal your heart?”
Without skipping a beat, she replied bluntly, “Huh? I’ll pass on Mr. Shindo.”
“That’s unusual. A bunch of the young ladies here and at the office have their sights set on him.”
“But doesn’t he only have eyes for the Miss?” she asked, hitting the bull’s eye. It left Shotaro completely speechless. “I wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like her. Not only is he completely devoted to her, the guy never drops his guard,” she continued. It was hard to say whether she was empowered by the boldness of youth or naturally candid. Comfortable in Shotaro’s presence, the thoughts normally on her mind casually slipped out of her mouth. “So are Mr. Shindo and the Miss lovers?”
This made Shotaro hastily cover his hand over her mouth. He figured it was probably okay, but nevertheless looked around to make sure no one overheard.
This maid was Noe, some business owner’s third daughter. She started her maid apprenticeship at Tsujikawa mansion this spring. Having just graduated from junior college, she was only twenty. Shotaro couldn’t help but knit his brows at the thought that Shindo and Satsuki were so close their relationship was obvious to such a young, new member of the staff.
“You’ve got to hide it better than this...Akira,” he whispered.