A few days later, it's a day that will come to an end. I couldn't wait for this day to come. I'm wearing a white strapless dress, letting my hair down, and wearing a dark red headband. I walk down the stairs, and Eric and Elena stand and talk in the hall.
"They're waiting for you."
Eric says to me.
I don't ask who it is, but if someone comes to see me, they should probably inform me first.
"They're talking about you."
Elena speaks up.
"So which is it? Are they waiting for me or talking about me?"
"Both."
Both of them answer at the same time.
I don't want to assume anything; it's better just to get on with it. I get inside the living room. I see two big guys facing each other, and their auras aren't the most pleasant thing I want to come in between.
"Mr. Kaiza?"
I call his name.
"Miss Zephyra."
He turns to me and bows. He walks toward me before I get to him.
"What are you doing here?"
I look up and ask him, then tilt my head a little to see Achlys.
"My grandfather comes to discuss our engagement to your father."
"Ah...I see. Why are you here?"
"I'm waiting for you."
He answers me and completely ignores the guy behind him.
"Do you feel better?.. that night, you drank a lot of alcohol."
"!!"
"Ah, yes...it's been 3 days already. I have to feel better, right? hehe."
I explain to him with an embarrassed face.
"You shouldn't drink with someone you don't know, Zephyra."
Achlys steps in with a frustrated face.
"Hmph."
I make the sound.
"And she isn't 18 yet. It's illegal."
"!?"
Mr. Kaiza turns to look at me.
"Yeah, I'm not 18 yet."
"Forgive me, I don't know."
"Don't worry, Mr. Kaiza, and you guys are above the law anyway. I don't think they will put me in jail for that."
I say carelessly and walk past them.
"Are we going to the office?"
I turn my face to ask Mr. Kaiza.
"Yes."
Then he follows me that instant.
And suddenly, the old man, Mr. Saya Takaki, and my father walked out of the office.
"Oh, Here you are."
The old man smiles at me and his grandson.
"Good morning, Mr. Takaki."
I greet him.
"Good morning. I'm glad to see you together like this."
"..."
"Well, if everything is done here, I'll get going."
There's a question in the affirmative sentence.
The five seconds of silence during the wait made the old man turn half his face to glance at my father.
"Yes."
"Good. I'll leave you the rest?"
The old man answers my father and softly tells his grandson.
"Yes, grandfather."
Mr. Kaiza answers him.
"Then I'll see you guys at home."
You guys? Home?
"Shall we?"
Mr. Kaiza asks my father.
After the old man left the living room, Mr. Kaiza started his business. We are sitting on the sofas in the living room. My father is sitting by himself. I am sitting across from him, and Mr. Kaiza sits next to me on the same sofa. The uninvited guest, Achlys, is sitting by himself on the left couch.
"What else are we going to talk about?"
My father.
"My grandfather only discussed your debts and other agreements…"
Other agreements?
"And this is my agreement."
"Why do I have to make any other agreements? We discussed that you want a marriage. I gave you it's a deal."
"Just read, sir."
Mr. Kaiza looks at him fearlessly. He picks up the paper and reads.
"....!! What!? Are you joking!?"
He's reading, and his eyes are wide open, wider and wider. He yells at him, but he looks at me.
"Absolutely not!"
He shouts at us.
What is it in that paper?
"What is it, father?"
Achlys asks.
"I'm not going to give the house to you!"
"What?"
Achlys is shocked by his own father's phrase.
I look up at Mr. Kaiza.
"And she will keep her last name. Why do you bother!? When you're married, she's going to use your last name anyway!"
Ah...Mr. Kaiza keeps his promise. I smile a little and I think everybody's in the room noticing
my reaction.
"You ask him to do this!?"
My father yells at me.
"No, she only asked me for a lawyer."
Mr. Kaiza answers for me.
"What?"
My father.
And then another man walks into the room carrying his suitcase.
"Zephyra, why you!?"
"The house, the Flower House, is under Lady Catalina's name. And Miss Zephyra has the rightful claim to the property."
"How did you know?"
"It's not that hard to find out."
"She will own that house when it's due time, and you're going to claim it as your own, not hers. I know you."
"No, you don't know me. I am Takaki. I have my honour for my grandfather. And I don't have to do little tricks to have what I want. And yes, I will do whatever I want to have whatever I want..."
"..."
"But this is for Miss Zephyra. I would like to do it properly and legally."
"..."
I look at him, but I don't know how to respond to that.
"She's not 18 yet."
My father.
"But my mother's gone."
I interrupt.
"The house is not yours. You cannot take her from me."
"..."
"Her?.. My mother's not yours as well."
I got snapped.
"!!"
"I don't want that fucking house! But her body's lying under the dirt in that house because you put her in there! Honestly, I really want to dig her grave and take her to our own home, not this fucking terrible Stygian hell."
"Shut up!"
My father gets up and raises his hand to slap me.
"!"
But Mr. Kaiza grabs his wrist first.
"Even if I still keep the last name before marriage… I still don't want to have yours."
"!!!"
"I don't care if you don't sign...but she's not yours to keep even in her death."
I get up and walk away.
"Zephyra!"
Achlys calls my name.
I don't even look back. I was angry. I am angry. I tried my best not to let my eyes burst into tears because of anger. I promised myself I would not cry because of that man ever again.
"!!"
And suddenly, someone grabbed my right arm.
"Zephyra."
It's Achlys.
"Let go of my arm."
"Don't do this."
"Do what?"
"All of this that you're trying to do."
"Aren't you guys the ones who put me into this position?"
"I'm taking care of this."
"You always say that, but I always end up...you didn't do anything, Achlys. You are Stygian. You are like him, all of you. I don't even belong here."
"Please, you still have time. I still have time. I can fix this."
"Please, don't fix anything, Achlys. Thank you for everything you have done for me. I appreciated that. But I'm no longer your sister, so you don't have to do anything for me. I chose him."
"He's a madman, Zephyra. You have no idea what you got yourself into."
"You guys got myself into it. I just embraced it. Let me go."
"!!"
Mr. Kaiza comes in and pushes Achlys's hand out aggressively.
"She said let her go."
Mr. Kaiza tells him.
I look at his scary eyes without a blink while those eyes land on Achlys. But his hand is on my waist, holding me closer to him.
"Are you alright, Miss Zephyra?"
He asks.
"Yes."
"Are you ready to leave?"
He asks.
"Leave?"
I repeat.
"Where are you taking her?"
Achlys.
"Our house."
Mr. Kaiza answers him, but his eyes are still looking at me.
"Ha!?"
Achlys and I make the same sound.
"Are you out of your mind?"
Achlys steps closer to us.
"Right now?"
I ask him.
"Yes, if you want to get your stuff, I can wait."
"Hey, you're not married yet."
Achlys pulls Mr. Kaiza's collar. I've never seen Achlys this mad.
"I don't want my stuff."
I say.
Achlys slowly turns to look at me.
"Shall we leave now?"
I ask Mr. Kaiza.
"Yes, Miss Zephyra..."
Mr. Kaiza answers me but his collar is still grabbed tightly by Achlys's hand. So he pulls Achlys's wrist out easily with his strength. I am watching their intensity silently, and then Mr. Kaiza follows me.
"Forgive me. I'll let you wait."
"No, I am the one to apologize for leaving you there alone with him.. but is everything okay?"
"Mr. Lee took care of it...and Miss Zephyra..."
"Hm?"
"You don't need to apologize to me...I'm willing to do anything for you."
"...That's a bit..."
"..."
He looks at me with piercing red eyes like I don't trust him. Well, yes.
"You don't trust me."
He says.
"I trust you, but I don't believe you."
"..."
"That word is hard to believe from someone I just met."
Don't even speak about someone I have known for a long time.
"I'll make you believe me."
"Wh...what?"
"Willingly not by force, of course."
He answers my thoughts again.