SIDE STORY (BECAUSE SOMEONE COULDN’T WRITE A LONG ENOUGH AFTERWORD.)
When she was but a childhood friend.
“Lady Yuki, do you have a minute?”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Is Ayano with you?”
“Yes, she is right here.”
“May I come inside?”
After knocking and receiving permission, Natsu Kimishima, a maid of the Suou household, opened the door. But upon entering, she spotted a woman seated across from Yuki’s bed and graciously bowed in her direction.
“My apologies. I had no idea Madam Yumi was with you.”
“Is it time for dance lessons?”
“Yes, the instructor should be here any minute now,” announced Natsu, prompting Ayano, who had been playing cards with Yumi and Yuki, to slide off her chair at the bedside.
“See you later, Yuki.”
“Yeah, have fun dancing, Ayano.”
Ayano shared a small wave good-bye with Yuki, who was lying in bed, then faced Yumi and quickly bowed.
“Thank you, Madam Yumi.”
“Good luck.”
“Um… I am very grapeful?—ah!—grateful for those kind words.” Natsu smiled as Ayano essentially waddled over after the rather awkward exchange. Lately, this granddaughter of hers seemed to have been imitating her and her husband, practicing polite manners toward Yumi, Kyoutarou, and Gensei, and on one hand, Natsu found it absolutely adorable. However, on the other hand…
“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Grandmother.”
Ayano had started using overpolite language, even with Natsu and her husband, as if she was imitating Masachika and Yuki, and that made her kind of sad.
I hear children her age are easily influenced by their surroundings, so I suppose I shouldn’t worry too much…?
Natsu had said several times that she could still call her Grandma just like she used to, but their granddaughter seemed to be surprisingly stubborn for someone who was usually so obedient and reserved. It was like once she started acting overly polite, she couldn’t stop herself, so Natsu had given up trying to correct her.
I guess I should be proud of how polite she is at such a young age! She’s using big words, too! She’s going to grow up to be a wonderful maid one day! But…do kids nowadays even want to grow up to be maids?
Natsu was a doting grandmother who was unwittingly planting a seed…with no idea that seed would one day soon bear fruit.
“And end with a bang! Good! Let’s try the dance again from the top!”
The dance instructor’s crisp instructions filled the air of the Suou residence hall as Masachika and Ayano joined hands.
Originally, these dance lessons were intended for Masachika, the heir to the Suou family, but Ayano had also started joining as his partner, receiving instruction alongside him. Natsu let out a breath of admiration while she watched the two of them dance in perfect harmony.
In fact, the only thing stopping her from clapping and cheering for them was the fact that she didn’t want to bother them.
Ah, what beauty. Master Masachika is the very definition of a prodigy…
Despite having started only recently, Masachika could already waltz with a certain level of ease. Even the dance instructor, known for her rigorous teaching even within the industry, nodded in evident satisfaction as she watched him.
“Very good, Masachika! When you turn, your lower body seems to move slightly ahead of your upper body, so be careful, okay?”
Masachika responded instantly to the instructor’s direction. He was like a sponge with how quickly he managed to grasp new things, and because he was a genius, being his partner was no easy feat.
“Ayano, don’t look down! You’re hunching! Always face forward, even if you make a mistake!”
Ayano carelessly stepped on Masachika’s foot, prompting her to swiftly look down to check. Following the instructor’s direction, she lifted her head back up, but now knew that her footwork was all wrong. One mistake led to another, leading her into a vicious cycle of foot stomping.
“Okay, good! Take ten!”
In the end, Ayano accidentally stepped on Masachika’s foot six times before their first session was over, and it made her so upset that she slumped down in her chair.
“I’m really sorry, Chika… I’m such a bad dancer… I stepped on your feet a lot.”
“It’s okay. Besides, I stepped on your foot, too… Sorry about that. Did it hurt?”
“You only stepped on my foot because I messed up… I’m sorry.”
Just as Natsu was about to say something comforting to her dejected granddaughter, Ayano murmured softly:
“Yuki wouldn’t have messed up like this… I’m so bad…”
It was an expression born from the inferiority complex Ayano had been harboring toward the siblings who she had known since childhood. Natsu was left speechless by the unexpectedly serious tone of those muttered words…when all of a sudden Masachika, looking puzzled, argued, “You’re not bad. Because you’re really nice.”
“…I’m nice?”
“Yeah. You help me practice dancing, and you play with Yuki, who can’t even leave her bed. I’m always really thankful for you.”
Ayano looked up with her eyes opened wide to discover Masachika smiling at her.
“I like your dancing. We make a good team, and it feels good…and it’s fun. That’s why…”
Masachika hopped off his chair and held out his hand to Ayano.
“Will you continue to be my partner from now on, too?”
Ayano blinked in wonder at his innocent smile until her lips curled mirthfully as well. She then got up from her chair and took Masachika’s hand.
“Okay!”
“Thanks.”
Natsu held a handkerchief to her eyes while she watched her granddaughter and Masachika holding hands, full of smiles.
Master Masachika… How noble of you! You possess such great talent without arrogance, and you never fail to consider others’ feelings… The Suou family will be in good hands with you at its head.
She was overwhelmed with emotion.
But Master Masachika, that was a proposal!
Natsu couldn’t help but jest, despite knowing that Masachika absolutely didn’t mean it that way.
Of course, I would be thrilled to have you as Ayano’s husband…but the difference in status and wealth is just… Then again, that would make for a beautiful love story! I’m sure Madam Yumi and Master Kyoutarou wouldn’t mind, either, and the current master and madam of the household—
Natsu, despite her age, couldn’t help but fantasize about her granddaughter’s future, like an innocent little girl. Meanwhile, her granddaughter…
Chika’s the best! I’m going to have to work twice as hard now!
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise, because she was still so young, but Ayano didn’t notice any proposal-like undertones in Masachika’s words. She simply felt a deep admiration for him. Nevertheless, being a girl in her tender years, there was no denying that certain feelings had begun to stir within her.
When Chika stepped on me earlier…I felt weird… I felt something inside me…
…It simply happened to be something far different from what her grandmother was imagining.
It would still be some time before the girl would make a decision that would change her life and give her purpose, but that was a story for another day…
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