-present time-
The next morning.
All the villagers, including grandma and Craitis, came out and waited for us at the entrance of the Village.
I came here without any belongings so I don't have to pack much. Grandma mostly packed it for me. She gave me some clothes and fabrics from the village to me, and some food to eat during the way back. And for the stones I kept them in the trunk that was made from wood. Craitis has made the perfect size for them.
I hug grandma, and she pats me instead.
"Thank you...for everything."
"..."
"How about your bag right now?"
She asked and let go of her hand.
"...Can I leave it here?"
"Sure...always."
"Grandma... I try."
I tell her.
"..."
"Even though I want to revenge them, and how much I have a lot of hatred, I have something bigger than that…"
She tells me and glances at the village that is full of villagers.
"When you feel lost... remember, don't do it because of someone else, Zephyr. Do it for yourself... Don't do it for me or your mother...As I told you. No matter what you do or the choice you make. If you think it's right for you, then forget what people think…Karma will take its own way…including yours."
"..."
"When you feel hesitant, just run through it.. sometimes you think too much."
"..."
"I will never be ashamed of you, child. You always come back."
"Thank you."
And then I bow to her.
"Your hair...is very long."
She says it out after seeing my hair fall down almost to the ground while I'm bowing.
I haven't cut them since my mother passed away.
And I am about to leave the village.
"Zephyra..."
Craitis calls me and runs to me.
"Can you give this to my brother?"
He asks me. And he pulls out something that is covered by a thick fabric.
"..."
"It's from our mother..."
I shift my eyes to her, and she smiles softly at me.
"Yes.."
I answer.
"And just hit him for me just like I taught you last night."
"Hehe, sure..."
The Hwaland Train Station
"You're not coming with me?"
Kento asks.
"I have to go to some place first."
"..I see."
Kento doesn't ask much, which I am glad about.
"And here.."
I turn to pick up the medium-sized chest for him.
"What is it?"
"The stones."
"!!"
"It's a smaller size than mine, but I gathered a lot of good ones for you."
"What...really, Zephyra? that..."
"You were the one who found them and led me to them. Thank you so much Kento senior."
"...Thank you so much, Zephyra. I will take good care of them."
"But promise me something... don't give them to anyone. These are just for you."
"Yes, I promise... Will I see you again?"
"If destiny brings us together."
"..."
He stepped closer and hugged me.
"I wait until that day."
"Hehe. Take good care. Okay, senior?"
"You too."
"..."
He's still holding me.
"Train is here."
Jodai interrupts.
"..."
"Train is here..."
Jodai drags me out of his arms.
"See you later."
Kento tells me with a smile and glares at Jodai a bit before leaving.
"Umm."
I nod.
Then the train runs off.
"Where are we going then?"
Jodai asks me.
"..Your house."
"Ha?...."
He's shocked.
"Keithland? My house?"
He asks me again.
"Yes...Keithland, your house."
"..."
He's freezing.
"Can I?"
I step closer and ask him again.
"...Yes, Zephyra."
He answers.
Keithland
After we arrived at the Keithland train station, Jodai took me to his house by taxi. He didn't act anything weird, but he bought two caps for us to wear, and I had to tie my hair up as well. First, the taxi driver refused to take us there, but Jodai gave him extra money, and besides that, it was just normal. We didn't say anything or have a conversation. He looked serious, but I couldn't tell much about his expression.
I look around at the tall trees, which are hard to see because it's dark out and there are no street lights, and I notice something like a lantern far away, peeking out from the dark background.
"We're almost there."
Jodai tells me.
"Um."
To be honest, I am nervous, just like him, even though he seems fine from the outside.
"Are you alright?"
He asks me instead of me asking him.
"I'm just a little bit nervous."
I answer.
"..."
And he puts his hands on my hands, which can't stop moving on my lap, and calms me.
"If you feel uncomfortable, you tell me we can leave."
He tells me the way Mr. Kaiza used to say to me every time I felt nervous or overwhelmed by something.
"Um."
I make the sound, and I nod.
The House of Yamazaki
Right after we step out of the car and our stuff, the taxi is driven off immediately. Suddenly, people in dark outfits run toward and circle us, pointing their swords at us.
"..."
Jodai holds my hand so tight and pulls me back to stand behind him.
"Announce your name."
"..."
Jodai says nothing, but he takes his cap off.
"!!"
"The young Master!?"
"She's with me and my father?"
"He's having tea. Should we inform the Master?"
"..."
Jodai looks at me. I nod at him.
"Yes."
He tells the man who asked. And another man runs inside first.
"Then this way."
And they give us a way to follow the man who leads us inside.
Jodai doesn't let my hand go and holds me even tighter than before. I take off my cap, and my hair falls freely. I turn to see some of my stuff that the Yamazaki men take and keep in the hallway, except the big one.
"..."
The massive door is opened before we arrive. Jodai stops himself, so I squeeze his hand, and he looks at me. I smile at him and nod to send the signal.
He takes me inside the room.
I noticed someone immediately at the head of the room sitting on the big mat seat with his table beside him, which had a teapot on it. In front of him, two mat seats layout for guests to sit, which were us two.
Before we decide to sit, I bow to the man facing us first.
"Good evening, Mr. Yamazaki. I apologize for the late and unannounced visit."
I greet him.
"..."
"Good evening, Father."
Jodai greets him as well.
"Almost a year...that you haven't visited your home...son."
"I apologized, Father."
"Are you Mr. Kaiza's fiancé?"
"...Yes."
I answer him while I'm still holding my body at 90 degrees.
"I have heard a lot about you. Please take a seat."
"Thank you, Mr. Yamazaki."
I answer him and sit on the mat properly.
"..."
I look at Jodai, who is still doing the greeting posture to his own father.
"Why don't you sit?"
His father asks.
"..."
What an intense feeling between them two
His father's glance shifts to me.
Fuck.
"Do you want to sit next to him?...I know you miss him."
I ask Jodai out of the blue with a little tease.
"Hm?"
His father makes a sound in his throat.
"Forgive me, Mr. Yamazaki. This is just my opinion. He might still feel sorry about him not visiting you before. And for this visit, I was the one who asked him to come here. Please forgive me."
"Hmm…"
"..."
Jodai glances at me.
"Then... let's continue the punishment later, just sit. I acknowledge your intention."
"..."
Jodai gives an eye to me, and I smirk at him.
"Forgive me, and thank you, Father."
Then Jodai sits on the mat next to me.
"..."
His father is watching us over and over again.
"Did you elope?"
"What!?"
I'm quite shocked by his question.
"No, sir."
I answer together with Jodai.
"I thought you guys came here to ask my permission."
"Ha...ha."
I laugh softly and shockingly.
"Hahahah, I thought you wanted it, son?"
His father.
"Ha?"
I'm shocked again and turn my face to Jodai.
"..."
He hides his face from me.
"Zephyra's engaged, Father."
Jodai tells his father.
"I know...eh, did you just call her by her first name?"
"Yes."
Jodai answers.
"I asked him to do so. I don't need the title for it."
I explain.
"I see...you seem pretty closed."
"That's why I came here, one of the reasons I wanted to see you, Mr. Yamazaki."
I tell the grown, big man, and Jodai and his father look at me.
While I am sitting on my knees, I move my hands politely on the floor and let my fingertips touch together slightly in front of my knees. Then, I bend my body and head until my forehead touches my hands.
"I am very grateful for your son. He is a very honorable and loyal man. He has helped me so much, so much that I couldn't know how to repay him. It must be hard for you to let him go and serve other families, to serve someone. I come here to say to you to let my word be the promise that I will spend my life saving and supporting him as he does to me."
"Zephyra...What are you trying to do?"
Jodai.
"So please, feel at ease to let him be by my side even if something awfully inconvenient happens."
I continue.
"..."
"Until he would like to leave me himself."
And I finish my words.
"!!"
"Zephyra..."
Jodai holds my face up from the floor, and he looks at me with teary eyes.
I haven't seen this expression before.
"You don't have to do this... No matter what, I choose to be by your side, so don't... "
He tells me.
"..."
Then, his father gets up and walks toward me. I turn to look at him, and he kneels on the floor and hugs me.
"!!"
"Yes...my son is an honorable and stubborn man. I questioned him about his choice at first because he was the oldest. Leaving his throne to serve someone else didn't feel great at all, but time after time, I saw how hard he trained and how much he would like to serve someone else. He was so determined to serve you, and I am glad that I let him..."
"..."
Then he pulls me out to look me in the eyes.
"I'm glad that it's you...The honorable thing to the man is that he knows what he wants and goes after it, and not just that, but he maintains and cherishes what he gets."
He tells me and turns to Jodai.
"Thank you for asking me and telling me this. And thank you for dragging him home as well."
He continues.
"Thank you, Mr. Yamazaki."