Beep, beep, beep...
Fuyuka groaned in protest at the alarm clock’s rude awakening. It wasn’t as though she wasn’t a morning person, but her drowsy body demanded more sleep all the same. She briefly considered giving into the impulse and falling back into the warm embrace of her futon.
Such were the nonchalant thoughts Fuyuka indulged in as she welcomed the start of a new day.
“I’ve got to get up,” she said, forcing herself up.
The curtains produced a satisfying whoosh as she parted them, and brilliant rays of morning sunshine spilled in through the window. Fuyuka greeted them with a yawn. She then stretched her body to its full height, basking in the sun.
“Nice weather today,” she remarked as she gazed at the blue sky, which was dotted sparsely with a few white clouds.
Fuyuka moved to the living room and put the morning weather forecast on the TV. An attractive anchorwoman declared that it would be sunny for the rest of the day. Leaving the TV running in the background, Fuyuka headed for the bathroom to quickly wash her face and perform her skincare routine. Then, she entered the kitchen and made herself a slice of toast with jam.
The clock on her wall indicated that it was almost 7:00AM—about the time she’d normally set out for school on weekdays. On free days, she might’ve started reading around this time, or—if she’d made plans for the day—she would prepare.
As it happened, she had a very important appointment, one that only came once per year. She was going to meet her mother who lived incredibly far away.
Fuyuka changed into proper clothes and combed her hair meticulously.
She lifted her cherished ribbon up in her hands and stared at it for a long moment. To some, it might’ve looked like a run-of-the-mill accessory, but it meant the world to her. It was the first present she’d ever received from her mother. Years of use had worn the ribbon down, its color a shadow of its former vibrancy, but—through some finesse and care—Fuyuka managed to keep it in usable condition.
For as long as she could remember, fixing her ribbon on a lock of her hair had been the finishing touch during her morning routine. Things had changed recently, however, and quite contrary to Fuyuka’s expectations for her life.
She had another valued accessory to wear now—the snowflake earrings. She put them on, looked at herself in the mirror, and failed to stifle a small laugh. Though she thought that it was a bit creepy to be smiling at herself in the mirror, she really couldn’t help herself.
She regained her composure and checked her phone. Any minute now, she thought. Not a moment later, her intercom rang.
Realizing she had spent too much time in front of the mirror, Fuyuka scrambled to get her bag ready for the day. She slipped into her favorite shoes and opened her front door.
“Apologies to have kept you waiting, Lady Fuyuka,” a sonorous voice greeted her.
“Tachibana. How many times have I asked you to please not call me ‘Lady’?” Fuyuka, although disgruntled, greeted the suited woman waiting outside in a matter-of-fact tone.
Kaori Tachibana—the maid serving the Himuro household—bowed in response. “I’m certain you’re aware, my lady, that I cannot accommodate such a request.”
Fuyuka didn’t necessarily want her maid to act overly casual, but the term sounded stuffy to her. She didn’t consider herself to possess such towering status that being called a “Lady” would be warranted. Being lauded as such caused her discomfort—it reminded her of how it felt to be called “The Ice Queen.”
“Right this way, please,” Kaori urged.
Fuyuka followed her to a car that was waiting for her outside the entrance of the apartment complex.
While Fuyuka gave off an air of wealth, a dedicated chauffeur would be a little excessive. As such, Kaori played the role of driver as well. Her duties stretched the typical definition of what a maid was, but—in Kaori’s own words—she was entrusted with assisting Fuyuka however the girl might’ve needed it, including being her driver.
The car pulled out slowly and the cityscape soon began to surge by the windows rapidly. The initially familiar streets would promptly be replaced by scenery that was more vague in Fuyuka’s mind. It awakened a sudden fit of aching nostalgia in her that grew as they traveled.
Fuyuka’s heart was seized by sadness as they drew closer to their destination, and a restless sigh escaped her. Although she by no means disliked visiting her mother, she wasn’t precisely looking forward to it, either. Whenever this day rolled around, she was unable to puzzle out how she should feel.
“Do you need fresh air, my lady?” Kaori, ever attentive to Fuyuka’s mood and needs, asked before rolling down the window.
The crisp early morning breeze blew in, cool and refreshing.
Now that I think about it, winter wasn’t too bad this year.
The fragrance of flowers wafted into the car, suggesting the arrival of spring. That meant that the school’s closing ceremony was fast approaching and would be immediately followed by spring break.
I’m going to have a lot of free time on my hands. I’d like to work on my cooking skills with Asahi, but I wonder if it would be selfish of me to ask during his holiday. Hmm... We could also make progress on our homework together like we did during winter break.
A certain part of her also harbored a desire to go out somewhere with Asahi again. She wanted to have another wonderful day like she’d had at the amusement park.
“You seem happy, my lady. Did something good happen recently?” Kaori asked when she noticed Fuyuka smiling to herself in the rearview mirror.
“No, nothing in particular,” she replied with a small shake of her head. “I was just thinking I have a lot of things I want to tell Mother.”
“About Mr. Kagami, I presume?”
“H-How did you know...?”
“I’m afraid you’re easy to read, my lady.”
“Asahi says the same thing...”
“You brought him up again,” Kaori teased with a smile. Fuyuka’s eyes widened in shock, and her face began to blush. “But, in all seriousness, you’ve been mentioning him quite often as of late. I simply put two and two together.”
I might’ve spoken too much about Asahi without noticing it. I’m not usually all that talkative, but—thinking back on it—I do feel like I’ve mentioned our time together recently.
“Do I really talk that much about him?”
“You most certainly do.”
“In what way, specifically?”
“You mentioned those earrings, for instance, and how—” Kaori was interrupted by Fuyuka, who was visibly panicking in the back seat. The woman paused, deep in thought, then continued, “You truly have changed, my lady.”
It’s true, though there’s one thing I’d correct in that statement.
“It’d be more true to say that I was allowed to change,” Fuyuka clarified. She didn’t need to say who was to thank for that—the wheels had been set into motion the day she’d met him. “Thank you for always putting up with me, Tachibana.”
“My apologies, Lady Fuyuka. I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to assist you.”
“Please don’t apologize. I was the one who fell into a dark place and shut you out.”
Memories of when she’d adopted a frosty attitude toward Kaori, who supported the independent lifestyle she led, were still fresh in her mind.
“Please don’t burden yourself, my lady. Seeing you with a smile on your face is all I could ever ask for.”
She stopped the car, turned to Fuyuka, and smiled with gentle eyes. Fuyuka nodded in response, stepped out of the car, and retrieved her belongings from the trunk.
She was on her own as she traced the elaborately twisting walkway.
Where should I even start?
A new story sprung to mind with each step she took. When she finally arrived in front of her mother, Fuyuka broke out into a poignant, blissful smile.
“Hi Mother, it’s been a while.”