Interlude:
Hahari Gives Mei Paid Time Off
“MEI, I AM GIVING YOU FREE TIME.”
Mei’s eyelids, which were normally shut tight, opened wide at Hahari’s words, revealing rainbow-colored eyes. She trembled ever so silently, keeping raging emotions at bay. When she closed her eyes once more, Mei bowed reverentially toward Hahari.
“Hahari-sama, I thank you for everything you have done for me. I sincerely wish for your health and happiness.”
Hahari cocked her head in confusion at Mei’s grim reaction. “What?”
A moment later, however, her expression changed to one of understanding.
“No, no! I’m not firing you! I’m telling you to take paid time off!” She corrected herself hurriedly.
“I understand, my lady.” Mei closed her eyes again, this time in relief.
“You were cleaning in the middle of the night again, weren’t you?”
“I exist at your beck and call twenty-four hours per day.”
“Then I ask that you use the time to take care of yourself so that you can work at top efficiency when needed.”
Hahari’s words prompted Mei’s eyes to open again in surprise. “You have a point” was written on her face.
“Anyway, you have today off, so spend it however you like.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Mei bowed to Hahari, indicating that she accepted the proposition.
Mere minutes later, however, Mei presented Hahari with a cup of tea.
“What is this?”
Hahari’s eyebrows knit, and she put a hand to her cheek.
“Darjeeling tea, grown at the foot of the Himalayan mountains,” Mei explained brightly.
“I was not asking about the specifics of the tea.” Hahari sighed. “Today is your paid day off. Why are you working?”
For a moment, Mei tilted her head as if she could not fathom what Hahari was saying for the life of her. “Oh my!” she exclaimed, after a very lengthy pause indeed. “I was working just now?!”
For the third time that day, her eyes sprang open, revealing her utter shock and dismay. It appeared that she wasn’t at all aware of what did and did not constitute work.
“I apologize for being unable to comply with your order!”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t an order anyway. But I did tell you to do what you like, didn’t I?”
“You did…but…” Mei hesitated, before finally mustering the will to continue. “I poured you tea because it was my sincere wish to do so.”
Very Mei-like words indeed.
“I appreciate your feelings, but… Oh, I know.” Hahari whipped out her diary and checked her schedule. “I’ve done all my pressing tasks for today. Let’s kick back on a luxury cruise together!”
They secured a flight that very day. Several hours later, Hahari and Mei were aboard a boat, lying on beach chairs in their bathing suits.
“Isn’t lazing the day away and not doing much of anything nice?” asked Hahari.
“I suppose so.” Although Mei agreed, she couldn’t hide her restlessness. “The most important thing is doing what you want to do, yes?”
Seeing Mei so conflicted, Hahari let out another small sigh. “Fine, then. Do as you like.”
Mei jolted in surprise. “Yes, my lady! Please have this tropical juice. I can see that your shoulders are stiff, so would you allow me to massage you? Also, please allow me to wipe off that smudge.”
At the prospect of serving Hahari, the maid spontaneously came to life. Her employer could only smile exasperatedly at her now-jubilant servant. Nevertheless, Hahari could not deny that Mei was doing exactly as she wanted, bustling about like a busy bee. But still, there was one thing she refused to budge on.
“Listen to me, though! You absolutely must get some proper sleep! This is important to your health!”
“Understood, my lady. I will rest for an hour per day.”
“Eight hours!”
“Yes, my lady. I will sleep for eight hours per day.”
From that day forth, the servants of the Hanazono family stopped talking quite so often about a certain “workaholic” maid who never, ever let up for a single moment.