A day after the political party when Yuuma finally felt he could rest and have time to think for himself an unexpected fork blocked his path. Maybe he could have read the 'mysterious' book, but his mother dropped a bombshell atop his head without warning that afternoon...
"Young master your mother has requested you for tea," Kenji informed him.
Yuuma looked glumly at Kenji a grey cloud puffing into existence above his head completing the look of 'I don't wanna' but in his case, it was 'I don't wanna get up.' Yuuma had slept through breakfast today and ate in bed happy no one made a fuss about his absence at breakfast. But it was like his mother had to see him at least once a day or she thinks the world would end.
"Carry me," Yuuma grumbled and like a sack of potatoes was picked up. The deadweight of Yuuma didn't bother Kenji.
"I want to see a movie and eat popcorn," Yuuma kept mumbling weird things that butler Kenji had never heard of and the young master seemed to he was stuck in his weird fantasies.
"We've arrived, young master."
Yuuma plopped down from his arms with no interest in knocking on the door directly opened it. His mother dressed in another puffy dress that looked uncomfortable no matter how you look at it looked at him in shock before smiling kindly.
Yuuma walked to the table she was at right next to the window and sat directly in front of her. All kinds of soft breads and sweets were on the table along with fresh tea that steamed at the top warmly.
"Good afternoon mother," Yuuma didn't make eye contacted, took a cookie, and munched on it.
"Yes, I have something important to talk about with you I feel it's time to hear it." His mother had a happy gleam in her eye as she took a sip of tea feeling satisfied with whatever decision she made. Yuuma looked up uninterestedly, what could be so important to talk with a seven year old about? Is his birthday coming up? Yuuma thoughtfully didn't think more than that.
"What is it?" Yuuma asked.
"Your engagement," her brief words after she took another sip of tea shook his world.
Yuuma choked.
He had frozen, crumbs still hanging from his lips with no will to remove them. His brain had started to move and think and complicated emotions racked his heart. With a slight tremble, he locked onto his mother's gaze and felt there must be a reason to mention this now.
Yuuma's abrupt behavior change made her worried, distressed, psychologically out of control of her son, she felt she had no grasp on him anymore, her nails that stabbed him slipped through. Could it be his mother wanted something from Yuuma? That's right, she wanted him to succeed as heir but at the same time have no control, she craved to chain him just like she did with his father. Yuuma's fingers that held the cookie to his mouth came down below the table and crunched the cookie between his fist tightly into a fine powder.
His head that lazily lulled down stood up and his back became straighter a fierce stare clashing with her sickly sweet one.
Yuuma smiled, "what engagement mother?"
"The one we had set up even before your birth of course! The fourth daughter of the Firebrick family, she's a good girl I hope you get along." His mother chuckled faintly her eyes curved and carnivorous. It's a pity she doesn't have her guard up around Yuuma. Right from the start at the mention of those words he had already decided to ruin this woman's schemes.
With a solid clink that resounded in the quiet room, Yuuma picked up the teacup taking a sip just like the female in front of him. A mocking gesture that said no words.
"I mean no disrespect mother but she's only two years old."
His mother squinted her eyes at her son and shook her head, "it normal to have arranged marriages with age gaps there's no need to worry."
Yuuma hummed and got up from the table ready to leave without saying his farewells and steadily closed the door behind him.
Yuuma was in no rush, in fact, his movements were slow and sluggish yet when his mother tried to say her farewells before he left her throat clogged up, and the uninvited sharp eyes pierced her with an intensity she couldn't breathe until he left. Her brows furrowed and somewhere deep inside she felt she shouldn't have poked the sleeping tiger.
His butler followed two steps behind when Yuuma suddenly halted as did Kenji waiting for any orders.
"How do you feel about my engagement?" Just like the time in the carriage when he asked about the pills he had to take before bed he sought butler Kenji again.
His window also became a trash bin for throwing out the pills. His butler never doubted his decision on behalf of the pellets.
"If that's what madam set up for you then I support it."
"But Kenji you're my butler, what about me, do you support my decision in the matter?" The butler looked at his little back and raised a brow, "what is your decision little matter?"
Yuuma turned around his eyes tranquil just like he had when reading books viewed upon the butler. "I want you to stop informing my mother about me, what I mean is don't tell her what I'm actually doing. That's an order."
Butler Kenji composed and was silent for a while and said, "yes young master."
Yuuma smiled content he followed him and walked all the way back to his room with no complaint. His usual grumbly lazy self was deep in his thoughts not even sparing the maids that walked by a single glance.
When Yuuma jumped on his bed ready to close his eyes for a nap the butler interrupted. Out of curiosity, he asked, "what's your decision on the marriage matter?"
The little master turned his head and with a yawn answered with watery eyes, "I won't do it." And with that Yuuma fell asleep and the butler silently turned around and left the room.
He felt young master Yuuma was truly a different person the more he spent time with him.