A pleasing smile spread across Yuki's face as she stirred from her sleep. She stretched her arms, tossed to one end and then another before her eyes finally flared open. When she gained full awareness, the first thing that she noticed was her mother sitting before her dressing mirror.
"Good morning, mother," Yuki greeted politely.
Mrs. Adlerian turned to look at her daughter and smiled. "Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
Yuki returned her mother's smile and sat up in the bed. She rubbed the remnants of sleep from her eyes, "I slept incredibly well. I wonder if it is because I slept beside you," responded Yuki, contently.
After studying her mother's outfit, Yuki tilted her head and asked, "Are going somewhere, mother?"
Mrs. Adlerian rose and stepped away from the dressing table. She neared Yuki, then slowly placed her hand on the girl's head, rubbing it tenderly. The rich and refine texture of Yuki's hair in her hand felt nothing but heavenly. Mrs. Adlerian wondered how it could look and feel so good even when she just woke up; her daughter really had such godly features!
"I am attending a family meeting. If it does not take too long, I will return before midday," Mrs. Adlerian told her daughter. She left Yuki's side to pick up her handbag that sat on the dressing table, suddenly, her brows raised, as if she just then remembered something important.
Mrs. Adlerian turned around to look at Yuki, her expression stern and. "Say, Yuki, are you seeing someone?"
Yuki who was at the time stepping out of bed lost her balance and almost slipped upon hearing her mother's words. She promptly lifted and set her gaze on her mother's serious face; she was not joking.
"Mother?" Yuki demanded an explanation to back the unusual question.
"I am asking if you have been seeing a man, Yuki? Are you being courted by someone? Or are you in love with someone?" Mrs. Adlerian tried to be explicit as possible .
An expression that projected her confusion appeared on Yuki's face. "There is no such person, mother. Is there a reason you ask such a question?"
Mrs. Adlerian was pensive for a while but broke the silence after she seemingly organized her thought. "I only ask because you kept mentioning a man's name in your sleep last night. Your expression and tone as you called the name, to me, appeared…affectionate. I have never heard you call anyone, even your brother in such a manner."
Yuki frowned at her mother's utterance. There was something strange about the words her mother spoke, but then again, it did not sound wrong. "What name did I mention, mother?"
"I do not remember, which is so strange, because you repeated it time and time again. It is almost as if the name is there in my memory, but I am not allowed to speak it," Mrs. Adlerian replied.
"Anyway, since you say there is no such person, I believe you. I will try and recall the name you mentioned and tell you later," Mrs. Adlerian added, walked up to Yuki and planted a warm kiss on her forehead. "See you later, dear."
After her mother left the room, Yuki briefly thought of their peculiar conversation before brushing it aside to go about her chores for the day.
It was a few minutes pass six when Yuki made her way to the kitchen to fix breakfast for Treyton, as well as Jacek who was getting ready to leave the house.
…
"I will do the laundry this morning, did you leave your clothes where I can find them?" Yuki asked Jacek after breakfast.
"I put them in the laundry basket yesterday. Should I bring them outside for you?"
"You need not do that since you are already late, I will get them myself. Hurry up and leave before the sun rises completely," Yuki responded as she cleared their used dishes from the dining table.
When she entered the kitchen and laid eyes on Treyton who was helping her clean the place up, her neutral face instantly turned serious.
"You shouldn't stress yourself with these things, you are still injured after all," Yuki stated in a reprimanding tone.
After they returned home the previous night, Treyton insisted on treating his own wounds and prevented Yuki from inspecting or tending to them. Initially, Yuki insisted on treating him despite his resistance, however, since Treyton persisted on his own treatment, Yuki gave in. Moreover, she believed he had a good reason for rejecting her help which made giving up on him easier.
"I am much better. Besides tasks as small as these does not cause me any harm," Treyton brushed off Yuki's concern. After a moment of silence, he turned from the stove to look at Yuki, a hint of worry carved on his face.
"Ms. Adlerian…" Treyton called Yuki softly. When she gave him her full attention, Treyton went on to ask, "are you alright?"
Yuki's eyes widened subtly. Her heart skipped a beat as soon as she beheld Treyton's gaze.
The question which was to gear towards a position direction ended up opening closing wounds inside Yuki's mind. She was speechless for a while when she recalled the entirety of the previous day's ordeal. Yuki clenched her fists, took a deep breath and brought her turbulent emotions under control.
A persuasive smile formed on Yuki's face, then she turned towards the sink, in which she put the dishes in her hand.
"I am fine, honestly," Yuki said as she started washing the dishes.
Treyton's lips parted in his attempt to make an utterance; however, he was interrupted by Jacek's voice from outside the kitchen when he announced that he was departing.
Yuki sighed and thanked Jacek inwardly for his timely rescue. "Alright. Try not to stress yourself out! I will send someone to bring your lunch later in the day."
"Alright," Jacek replied loudly and left the house.
By the time Treyton could consider raising the topic once more, he realized Yuki was already done cleaning the dishes and was making her way out of the kitchen.
"Oh right! Sir Athaulfe, do you have any laundry I could wash for you?" Yuki halted at the kitchen's entrance and asked abruptly.
Treyton thought for a moment before agreeing that he did. He left soon after to bring the laundry to Yuki.
In the laundry room, Yuki was enthusiastic about doing as many laundry as she could. She believed it would help her clear her thought. Wearing a long, faded dress and apron, Yuki stood bent over a large wooden tub, her hands submerged in the soapy water.
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, it highlighed the few strands of Yuki's hair that escaped from the cap she wore. At her feet, sat a large basket of dirty laundry which awaited its turn in the tub in which her fair hands were buried.
As she scrubbed and rinsed each garment, Yuki's hands moved with a practiced efficiency. The sound of water splashing and the creak of the old washboard accompanied Yuki's labors as she immersed herself in the chore.
After washing for a long time, Yuki cleared all of hers and her mother's clothes as well as Jacek and Treyton's shirts, leaving only their trousers. When she dug into the remaining clothes, her hand closed around a pair of trousers and lifted them out. Since it was much larger than her brother's, Yuki deduced that it certainly belonged to Treyton. Yuki instinctively explored the pockets, searching for anything of value that could be ruined if washed.
When she finished searching the side pockets, Yuki reached into the back pockets to search there as well. Her fingers closed around a small, crumpled piece of paper as soon as they reached the bottom of the pocket. Yuki drew it out and smoothened out the creases with a curious gaze.
As she unfolded the paper, Yuki's eyes scanned its content, a look of wonder and curiosity spread across her face.
'Do not leave this room until tomorrow. I will send a package in the evening.'
At the sight of the handwriting and the words on the paper, Yuki felt a strange tag in her heart. She wiped her hand against her apron and brought it to stroke the individual letters that made up the message. The mere sight of the words made Yuki strangely calm. All her thought's cleared in an instant.
"Ms. Adlerian?"
Yuki heard Treyton call for her outside. Thoughtlessly, she immediately hid the paper in her apron and shoved the trousers in the water. When she became aware of her action, Yuki stared blankly into the washing tub, confused at her irrational reaction. Still, deep down, she desired to keep the piece of paper; and so she did.