Jacek gobbled down his breakfast and left the table immediately after he finished eating. Yuki and Mrs. Adlerian exchanged looks before each went back to concentrating on their individual dishes.
"You two have still not talked things out I see," Mrs. Adlerian broke the silence. Yuki looked up at her mother with pursed lips.
"He doesn't give me any opportunity to talk to him," Yuki stated with a gloomy expression. It had been three days since the mascherata festival. Three days since she confessed to Jacek about the whole duke incident. Three days since he wouldn't speak to her because she had broken his trust. Three days of consecutive failed attempts to have Jacek forgive her.
Mrs. Adlerian chuckled, "Is this the first time he's been angry at you for this long?"
"It is." Yuki pouted.
"Should I help you two make up?" asked Mrs. Adlerian with confidence. She watched Yuki's eyes lit up as a joyful expression characterized her face. Mrs. Adlerian's heart softened. "Eat quickly and come to my room."
…
Yuki sat before her mother's dressing mirror with her eyes shut as Mrs. Adlerian applied makeup to her face.
"You are not going to ask what we fought about?" Yuki thought out loud. She felt her mother's hand pause momentarily before carrying on with painting her eyelids.
"It is either trivial or very serious, either one is something that has to do with both your feelings. You two know each other better than I do and you two know how best to deal with the things you face. My curiosity does not change the fact that you would have asked for my advice if you believed I could be of help. Since you did not tell me anything, it means you two are being considerate of me and also attempting to keep me from knowing what happened. I would have pried if you were the angry one though; we both know Jacek can feel things too strongly even if they were trivial."
Yuki smiled, "Thank you. Someday, when everything is in the past, I have a lot to tell you, mother."
Mrs. Adlerian's face softened while tears welled up in her eyes, she planted a kiss on Yuki's head, "I will be waiting, Yuki."
After the makeover, Mrs. Adlerian brought out a pretty yellow dress from her wardrobe. "Try this on."
Yuki did not question anything; she only did as she was told and wore the dress. She witnessed the joy on her mother's face when she put on the outfit. Yuki looked in the mirror and understood why her mother was so excited. The dress exhibited her most delicate features in an innocent but fashionable way. She did not like the dress's vibrant color, nor did she like how innocent she looked in it.
Mrs. Adlerian clapped her hands in excitement. She put on an outing attire as well and asked Yuki to go with her. Yuki hesitated, "are we going outside, Mother?" she looked bothered.
"Worry not. Just trust me," Mrs. Adlerian took Yuki's hand and rushed out of her room.
"Jacek!?" Mrs. Adlerian shouted. There was no response. "Jacek!" she shouted again. "Mother," he finally answered but did not come out of his room.
"Watch over the house. I am taking Yuki to meet one of my friend's sons. He tells me he would like to court her. We will be back soon."
Less than a minute after Mrs. Adlerian ended her announcement, there was a loud bang, followed by rushed footsteps out of Jacek's room. He emerged not too long after and when he saw the two, his face shifted to horror.
Jacek rushed to his mother side and took Yuki's hand from hers, "What are you thinking, mother. What would make you do something like this?" he yelled. His chest rose and fell at a rapid pace.
Yuki looked at her brother's broad back and smiled. The sight of him standing before her so protectively was a sight she had seen time and time again, yet, it was a sight that evoked contented feelings in her heart each time. Overwhelmed by gratitude and contentment, Yuki leaned into Jacek and hugged him from behind.
Fearing that Yuki must have hugged him because she was upset by their mother's action, Jacek turned, took Yuki's hand and walked away into his room with her.
"Hey, it's okay now, I am here. You are not going anywhere," Jacek was panicked as he realized that Yuki was not meeting his gaze. He embraced her and rubbed her back gently. His heart sank when he felt Yuki's loud heartbeat against himself.
"Mother was not taking me anywhere. She did this so you and I could make up…" Yuki confessed when she realized how panicked Jacek was.
She finally lifted her face and gazed up at her brother. He stared back at her with a blank expression.
"It was a lie?" Jacek asked without any major change in his expression.
"Yes. Do not be mad at mother, she was only trying to help me," Yuki pleaded on their mother's behalf. She did not want Jacek to be upset at her kind and sweet mother.
Jacek studied Yuki for a while and when he confirmed from her sincere eyes that her words were actually the truth, he frowned and turned his back to Yuki. Then he walked towards the pile of books that were scattered on the floor.
Jacek picked up the large books he had unintentionally scattered when he ran out of the room not too long ago. He placed them atop each other as they should have been. He could sense Yuki looking at him, but he refused to acknowledge her. He was vexed, and he hoped she could comprehend the depth of that vexation.
Yuki approached Jacek, squatted and started picking up the books with him. Occasionally, she stole sheepish glances at him while gathering her thoughts on how to win him over again.
The silence between the two was oppressive, a thick fog that choked out any attempt at conversation. Jacek's jaw was clenched, his mind racing with thoughts he didn't want to share. He could feel Yuki's frustration, her anxiety, but he couldn't bring himself to meet her nervous eyes.
Yuki fairly understood why Jacek was angry at her. He did not like her association with the Beichans after all. They were people who barely regarded commoners.
The day any of them found out of her origin would be the day she met her demise. Since all of her clients believed her to be a noble woman herself, they respected her and treated her like a fellow human being; contradicting how they treated courtesans who were commoners.
Yuki may have been exceptionally beautiful, but her mother was just as beautiful. Yet, for as long as she could recall, her birthmother was always covered in inhumane bruises and marks no human should bear on their bodies.
The Beichans were merciless to commoners. They were unkind and apathetic to the wellbeing of anyone who did not belong to Beicheden. So, Yuki knew, she knew all too well that her beauty could not save her from the horrid consequence she was to face if her origin was ever exposed.
And although Yuki had been extremely careful over the years with her guise, she knew her cautiousness was not enough to keep her identity from being exposed. Afterall, the men she dealt with were Beichans. However, by good luck or some divine protection, she was able to keep up the disguise for two whole years.
She had never been caught, or followed, or even suspected by any of her clients for being a commoner. And although that issue had always made her doubtful of just how good her luck was. It also made her believe that she was not out of luck yet, until then, her doom was far from near.