Together, Jeshan and I walk back to town. Thankfully it isn't too late in the day, and school hasn't even ended yet, so I take the time to buy a belt from an adventurer gear shop so I can strap the knife Jeshan gave me on my backside, hidden behind my hair. "I wouldn't suggest using it like that." Jeshan says. "You might cut your hair."
"It's fine, this is just to hide it from my parents for now." I smile at him.
"Won't they question the belt though?" He tilts his head.
"I'll just tell them I stole it from you." I snicker. "They don't track my purchases, so it'll be fine."
"Alright then, I'll put my faith in your words." Jeshan says with his usual blank expression.
I think to myself, "Hearing him say that with that usual blank expression makes it hard to believe, but that's just how Jeshan is. I'll just have to have faith in his words too." I smile at the thought as he walks to my home with me, stopping once the mansion comes into view, and I walk the rest of the way myself. I do wish he could walk with me all the way, but I don't want to even think about what my parents might do if they saw Jeshan walk in with me. I expect they'd probably interrogate him at the very least. I just hope they wouldn't treat him like everyone else does.
When I enter my home, none of the maids and butlers are there to greet me, unsurprisingly. It proves that my parents really don't know where I am, and it's a nice breath of fresh air. One maid rushes by from one of the halls however, stopping as she sees me and rushing over. "Mistress Sara!" She embraces me.
"W-Woah! Whatever is the matter..?" I hug her back.
"We got a call from the school saying you were almost assaulted by that young man your mother and father got expelled, and that you had run off with some boy..!" She explains with tears in her eyes, crying only a little bit.
"So the school did call you..." I mutter. "A student must've seen everything that happened...yet once again did nothing to help until it was too late..." I think to myself, narrowing my eyes.
"Your parents are worried young mistress..! Please, go see them!" The maid says through her light sobs, wiping her tears away repeatedly.
"Alright alright, compose yourself Airi." I ruffle her hair before going to see my parents.
They turn to face me the second the door opens, my mother springing up from her chair, running over to me, and pulling me into a tight, warm hug. "Oh Sara! We were so worried!"
"Sara!" My father rushes over as well, getting onto his knees as well so he's right beside me.
"I'm sorry for worrying you both..." I smile nervously. "I just...I don't think I would've been alright if I stayed at school after what happened..."
"We understand that, but why didn't you at least tell us where you were going?!" My father shouts, angry at the panic I caused no doubt.
"Because I wanted to be alone with Jeshan... He's the one who saved me today you know... I feel safe with him... I know you would've sent the butlers and maids out to watch me if I had told you, if not called a couple adventurers..." I mutter.
"Well of course we would have! Who wouldn't want their child to be as safe as possible if they had almost been assaulted..?!" My mother asks, hugging a bit tighter.
"I-I just...I don't like the feeling of being watched..." I grasp my skirt tightly in my hands. "I know you were worried but...if I knew I was being watched after all that...I don't think I could've beared it..."
"Then you could've told us that as well Suki." My father huffs, crossing his arms and speaking with a light grumble. "Instead you chose to not say anything to anyone and worried us half to death."
I frown, unable to meet my father's angry gaze. "I...I'm sorry..."
My father sighs and moves closer, embracing my mother and I. "Your apology is accepted...but please say something next time. For god's sake we were worried..."
I feel unexplainably warm in this moment, thinking to myself, "They were worried about me... About me, Sara, and not the daughter that's supposed to take over their company... Maybe...I've been viewing them in the wrong light this whole ti-"
My thoughts are quickly cut off by my father's next words. "We're going to be hiring guards to watch over you during class from now on."
"W-What..?" I pull away to meet my father's gaze.
"The fact that someone tried to hurt you in such a way, and more than once no less...it infuriates me. Any suspicious figure at your school must be dealt with before they can act ." My father says with a dark glare in his eyes.
"I agree... My poor baby girl had to go through such a horrible thing again... We should have that family exiled from this city." My mother scowls, hugging me still.
I'm still stuck on my father's words however. "If there are guards that'll report any suspicious individuals...then..!" The thought of Jeshan makes me yell out without thinking. "N-No..! I-I don't want that..!"
"I know it'll be hard on you Sara, but it's only until you've graduated. You're going to have to put up with it so we don't die early of a heart attack." My father pulls away and stands up. "We've already made the preparations." I feel something inside me shatter and everything hurts on the inside. If there are guards, they're most definitely going to report Jeshan to my mother and father. Sure they both know about him already, but if they learn about his behavior towards me and how everyone at school reacts to him, and my parents learn of those things, he's sure to be forced to change schools yet again. If I want to avoid that, then I have to act like I don't know Jeshan, and stop talking to the only friend I've ever had.
"H-How often will these guards be around me..?" I mutter.
"They'll watch over you at school, go with you to and from place to place if you're alone and they'll only be nearby if you're with a friend, and they'll stand outside your room door as an extra precaution whenever you're alone in there." My mother states.
I try to make light of the situation by sighing with relief. "At least I still get my privacy..." I giggle. "...May I go to my room now..?"
"Yes, your mother and I have a lot of work to do still. We will be seeing you at dinner however, promise." My father smiles at me. I smile back and nod, standing as my mother finally releases me and sauntering off to my room. I know that I have no choice but to accept this. I have no one to blame but myself for the actions my parents are taking now. If I had just told them everything, then maybe this wouldn't have to happen, but now I have no choice. If I want Jeshan to stay in my life, and have a chance at a happy life, then I have to say goodbye to him.