They found Susumu and Yuuko on the balcony staring wistfully at the pedestrians and carriages shuffling down the street. Their brother was massaging his temples. He looked haggard as if he hadn't slept in a while, which he hadn't. Susumu gave her a contemplative look as she reached out to her brother and took over the massage from him. Because her attention was solely on her brother, she didn't know when he turned that look on Kohana, who stood forlornly by the door.
"You want Kana to do that for you?" Susumu asked Yuuko, his eyes still on their younger sister.
He started looking a lot more awake at the sound of that name. Was she missing something? "No!" was his rushed answer, "I mean... I would love that! But no! "
She chuckled. She now understood. He had a crush on Kana, but that love was doomed to die before it got the chance to grow. She was a temple maiden, after all.
"I'm sorry," Yuuko suddenly said. He sighed softly when she applied a little more pressure to his temples.
"Why?" she asked softly, though she guessed what his reason was.
"I tried to stop the engagement. I mean, he's a total scumbag. sleazy, stupid and—" he rambled on and on"—fortunately, Susumu here revealed his interest in seeking your hand in marriage."
Her hands stilled and her eyes involuntarily strayed to Susumu's face to find him smiling.
Then she smiled. What took him so long?
Kohana stood watching them interact and felt aggrieved at all she lost the moment Kaoru was recognised as the legitimate first young lady of the household. Her brothers, her suitors, even her! That was why she was pleasantly surprised when her mother told her she was looking for a suitor for her.
Everyone except Yuuko supported Kaoru's mother's decision to marry Kaoru to Lord Constantine's son, Karl—who was a vagabond and a degenerate, as they all knew. Nevertheless, his rejection was hardly considered; his mother already deemed him lost since he always took their half sister's side.
Kaoru's light acceptance of the engagement almost sent her anxiety through the roof; she should have raved and whined about how their decision was so unfair. She got the right when her slave status was removed.
"Trouble in paradise?" Kjartan asked, as he fiddled with something in his hands, why was he always at the dining table? She saw a small square object that she had seen but couldn't remember where. She considered but did not express herself. "My offer still stands," he added after a while had passed, but she maintained the silence. She couldn't remember his offer, nor did she care.
None of her brothers disapproved when Kjartan came with the marriage proposal, though they knew nothing about him, but her first brother was quick to refuse when a suitor was found for Kaoru. The gnashing of teeth has now become a way to pass time for all her misery.
They sat in silence till Susumu and the others came, and the dining room was immediately lively. She did her utmost to present a happy face and he immediately peppered her with questions, completely disregarding her fiance, who didn't even seem to care.