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THE sky was thick with clouds. In any other season, such weather would have depressed most people.
But this was at the height of summer and just about everyone was grateful for a break from the sun’s blazing rays. Ernest and Yuuri were among those who welcomed the clouds.
Yuuri was different from most humans. But Ernest hoped that Yuuri, like her ancestors, could acknowledge her commonalities with humans in order to live among them.
Ernest grabbed his cane. Yuuri pulled on her hat, grabbed a parasol, and headed outside.
They made their way out of the narrow alley that led to Yuuri’s shop and followed the street to the main thoroughfare, lined with bustling storefronts and restaurants. As they were just shopping for a gift for Simon, it seemed unnecessary to use a carriage.
“A gift for Simon, eh?”
Ernest knew the truth that if the gift was from Yuuri, Simon would love it no matter what it was.
Still, Ernest tried to give some thought to who Simon was. He was a collector of all things Hinomoto and the son and heir of a prominent trader. They could try to find something different from his usual inclinations, but it seemed better to stick with his interests.
When Yuuri went out, she never wore clothes from Hinomoto. On the other hand, Simon almost always wore his hakama. Since his features were more Hylantian, it seemed his clothes were a way of affirming his Eastern heritage and relationship with his younger sister.
“What about something that goes well with his hakama? Like a pocket watch or a bag...hmmm.”
Ernest was deep in thought as Yuuri walked alongside him, smiling. Anytime he pointed out her smile, she stopped. So this time, he pretended not to notice, merely glancing over at her out of the corner of his eye.
“How about a hat? What sort of hats do people in Hinomoto wear?” Ernest asked, really just suggesting it because he had never seen Simon wearing one.
“A Hinomoto hat? I’ve heard Western-style hats are popular in Hinomoto right now.” Eastern items were popular in the West, so it made sense that Western wear was also popular in the Far Eastern country of Hinomoto.
Ernest wasn’t sure where to look for a hat that would go with Eastern clothes, but Yuuri seemed so taken with the suggestion that he felt it was the right way to go.
“So you’re saying it wouldn’t be weird to wear a hat with hakama?”
“Right.”
“Perfect, I know just the shop! It’s not far from here, so let’s go!” He offered her his hand and, though she hesitated for a moment, she eventually accepted.
He was hoping the feeling that she was being more open around him wasn’t just his imagination. Maybe it was because it had been over half a month since they had last seen each other.
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IT was August according to the calendar, but the hat shop was already putting out its fall line of hats. The most popular women’s hats were all subdued colors like olive or grape. The men’s hats, however, didn’t appear much different from season to season, though the fabric did shift from cotton to wool.
After just one lap around the shop, Yuuri picked up a hat with a tiny checked pattern.
“For daily use, would a hunting cap work?” she asked.
As these sorts of hats were traditionally worn when hunting, they weren’t suitable for formalwear. But they were perfect for wearing about town, which seemed to be the same for Simon’s hakama.
They didn’t know Simon’s hat size either, and since the hunting cap wasn’t a tight fit, it was a safe choice. Ernest nodded and Yuuri gave him a shy smile. She hadn’t been this genuine since they met. Ernest thought that perhaps he was finally earning her trust. Though it was a bit awkward that they were bonding over her buying a gift for another man.
“Were you this gung-ho when you picked out those camellia teacups?”
No sooner had the words left Ernest’s lips than Yuuri narrowed her eyes on him. He knew his comment was unnecessary, but didn’t realize how it had hurt her.
She might have seemed sour, but he took her silence to mean affirmation. She turned her back to Ernest, comparing several patterns of hats. In the end, she bought the first hat she had picked up and the two exited the shop.
“Looks like it might rain.”
The clouds had thickened considerably since they left Yuuri’s shop, and it looked like rain was soon to follow.
And indeed, soon after they started walking, rain began to fall, landing with a plop-plop on the pavement and leaving grey splashes in its wake.
Ernest took the hatbox from Yuuri and covered it with his jacket in the hopes of shielding it from the rain.
“We better hurry!”
He quickened his pace while still keeping an eye on her. The pair darted into a café that appeared to be transitioning into its lunch rush.
“Cold, isn’t it? It’d be a shame for the gift to get soaked, so let’s wait out the rain and have some lunch.”
As they watched the sky from the café’s large window, the clouds seemed to be sweeping through at a fast clip. After some time, the rain started to let up.
They leisurely enjoyed their sandwiches and washed them down with a coffee. By then, the rain had let up.
Afterward, Ernest escorted Yuuri back to her shop. As they were about to part, she grabbed his sleeve, as if she had something she was trying to figure out how to say.
“What is it?”
“Thank you for everything today...and, well, you will come see me again, won’t you?”
This was the first time she had actually asked him to commit to another visit.
“Of course. But sorry, I’ll probably be busy for the next month or so.”
Yuuri nodded in understanding, but she seemed a little anxious to Ernest.
“If something happens, just come by my manor...all right?”
Yuuri had told him she needed blood at least once every three months. Up to now, he had been giving her his blood every month or two. And he knew there were times she would need it in between, such as when she caught a cold. But what would Yuuri do in such a situation without Ernest around?
“But—”
“You’re a single woman living alone, so I can’t exactly visit you in the middle of the night. But if you come to my manor, I can at least see you there after dark.”
Ernest thought it best he not come over during the day. Now, if Yuuri weren’t so skittish around him, if she really were ready, he would take their relationship to the next level in a heartbeat.
He thought meeting at night at his manor was the best compromise. His servants would be at the manor and able to vouch that he had conducted himself appropriately. But Yuuri couldn’t read his thoughts, so she merely stood there silently bewildered.
“Miss Yuuri, remember, you promised me, all right?” Ernest said, leaving her with those words as he exited her shop.
But it was only a week before they saw each other again. And rather than Yuuri coming to the manor for his help, it was Ernest coming to seek the witch’s expertise.