Interlude: A Souvenir from Mashiro (Sou’s POV)
IT was snowing that day. I heard my chauffeur’s flustered voice when I grabbed my bag and hopped out of the car.
“Master Sou, your umbrella!”
“The house is right there. Thanks though.”
Snow would fall on him during the time it’d take to hand me the umbrella. The me of the past would’ve thought of that as just another part of a servant’s job. But ever since I had realized Mashiro hated that kind of arrogance, I made every effort not to create extra work for them. I also started consciously saying thanks.
“It’s not natural for someone to do something for you.”
I think it happened right after the summer school camp in elementary school. Mashiro felt bad about making Mr. Mizusawa drive us everywhere. To which Kou pointedly declared, “I’m compensating him for it.”
Mashiro’s expression turned cold and she retorted, “That compensation isn’t paid by you. It’s your parents’ money.”
I had never thought about it that way before. But she was right. Both Kou and I were children, and our household staff didn’t obey us simply because they valued us as people worth serving.
I ran to the front door and shook my head several times to shake the snow off my hair under the awning. I removed my coat in the heated entryway and greeted the butler awaiting my return.
“Welcome home. The snow fell quite suddenly.”
“Yeah. Just a sign it’s already December.”
He waited a few steps away from me as I removed my scarf and gloves. Our eyes suddenly met. Something was off about the look in his eyes—it seemed like he had something more to say.
“...Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just that…” It must have been something hard for him to say, because his face crumpled apologetically. “A package for you arrived from Japan just past noon, but the snow had soaked the paper, and the exterior ripped slightly when I accepted it.”
That’s it? I cocked my head, relieved it wasn’t something more. “I don’t mind if the contents are safe.”
“I am greatly relieved to hear you say that, Master Sou. I left it in your room.”
“Thanks. I’ll check it out.”
I was freezing to the bone, so I requested a cup of hot coffee and marched upstairs.
On the table in my room was a cute brown letter package wrapped in white lace. A piece of me got my hopes up when my butler said it came from Japan. I carefully picked it up and felt my hopes transform into joy when I saw the sender.
It’s from Mashiro.
What appeared to be white lace was actually a complex cutout of glossy white paper. While I admired Mashiro’s signature elaborate wrapping job, it was ripped here and there because of the snow.
Everyone who worked in this house knew how much I looked forward to her letters. So that must’ve been why my butler acted like he was walking on thin ice. True, I was disappointed to find my package from Mashiro ripped, but it’s not like I was going to throw a hissy fit over it.
Smiling sadly, I carefully unwrapped the frayed package.
Is this a strap wrapped in Bubble Wrap? I saved opening the smaller packet secured firmly by tape for later and unfolded the letter first.
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
DEAR Shiroyama,
Hello.
I was happy we got to talk on the phone after my competition. I successfully made it through the commemorative winners’ concert. You might have already watched the video uploaded online, but I played Rachmaninoff, and Kakeru played Schumann as a part of this special program called “Finalist Song Shuffle!”
Kakeru and I complained that it was a lousy program. Mr. Yamabuki came up with the whole thing. Do you remember him? He’s Miss Ayumi’s friend—the one she invited to the Christmas party that one year. He is currently serving as Seio’s director.
It was popular with the audience members who were all of the opinion that, “it’s entertaining to hear the performers’ individuality.” My Piano Sonata failed to sound anything like Rachmaninoff. I want the strength to play more dynamically and expressive! Kakeru’s Schumann was really great. Especially when it came to the second movement. His rendition was so heartrending it gave me the baseless suspicion that he has a coldhearted girlfriend.
After the concert, I introduced Kakeru to Miss Ayumi at his request, but he got an earful from her, with the added bonus of a scary smile. “Your performances are almost guaranteed to be full of mistakes. It bothers me to no end,” she chided him. It was pretty entertaining seeing how easily it depressed him.
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
I read up to there and stopped—I was bothered by the constant mention of Kakeru Tominaga in Mashiro’s letter. He was the boy who won alongside her at the competition.
I kind of remember someone like him in the year ahead of me… I think he was famous on campus for being crazy good at the piano.
Frankly, his unrefined, emotional play style wasn’t my type, but I understood why Mashiro admired a skill she didn’t have. That guy’s masculine sound had a completely different flavor from Mashiro’s delicate and graceful music.
For as smart as Mashiro was, she tended to have her head in the clouds when it came to other people—she wasn’t on guard around them. She easily trusted others, became attached, and cared for them. I should’ve more than known that she would become friends with all sorts of people because of her personality, but my chest still hurt.
How does it feel for you, Kou? Do you feel nothing having to watch her with other people when you’re right there with her?
I always thought that if she was going to pick someone, it’d be Kou. This letter forced me to realize that was a selfish wish on my half.
I had this stupid idea that if she picked Kou, I could watch over her for the rest of our lives as the best friend. No one had to tell me I was expecting too much—I knew it.
Who Mashiro chooses to become friends with or date is up to her and her alone. All I could do was smile and wish her the best. I didn’t want to put Mashiro in a bad spot again because of my selfishness.
I repeated that to myself to calm down and took several sips of the hot coffee the maid brought me. I finally returned to reading the rest of the letter.
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
INCLUDED in this package is a slightly belated souvenir from my school trip. It’s a strap that I bought as part of a matching set for me, Kon, Kou, and you. I hope you don’t mind that we match.
I fell in love with the lovely design and just had to send you one too. To tell you the truth, I wanted to have a matching set with you. Sorry that it’s such a self-centered present.
I would be ecstatic if you like it, but if not, please give it to someone else. It’s from Japan, so maybe someone in Germany will enjoy it!
All right, that about wraps it up. I’ll write you again.
It’s getting colder by the day. Please be careful not to catch a cold.
Sincerely,
Mashiro Shimao
December
P.S. I searched high and low for a glass bead strap that’s the same color as your hair!
✦ ✦ ✦
♪♪♪
I reread the last half of the letter over and over and over again.
I’d never mind having something that matches with you, Mashiro! I can’t believe she said she wants to have a matching set with me! Ah, gosh darn it, she’s cute!
I felt like I was going to go out of my mind with happiness.
Spurred on by my high spirits, I pried the packing materials off the packet. She must’ve been super worried about it breaking, because the tiny strap was wrapped in layers of Bubble Wrap. Colorful orange and ultramarine polka dots decorated the transparent light-blue glass beads.
I wonder where she bought it. I instantly imagined her carefully choosing it in some gift shop.
I dangled the beautifully crafted strap in front of my face and stared at it for some time. The miserable feelings brewing deep inside had vanished without a trace.