Golden Era (Book 2)

11. Remnants of the Summer

It was night when Ayuri returned to Kyoto after three days of silence. A single light was on in the estate. Unlocking the front door to the estate, she tiptoed through the entryway. Once in the foyer, she realized that lone light came from the kitchen.

Poking her head in, she saw Sachi next to the sink, his elbows deep in soapy water.

"Sachi?" she called out in astonishment. 

Switching off the tap, Sachi looked up. "Welcome back. You took quite the trip. So much for coming back within a day."

"Unexpected issues came up," replied Ayuri with a wry smile.

"What kind of issues?"

"Family affairs."

Sachi nodded without pursuing the topic further. He knew that was code for internal Masa business, and he was always cautious to maintain boundaries. For Ayuri, however, it was another tragic reminder of her and Sachi's drifting apart. 

Leaning against the kitchen counter, she asked, "Now tell me, why in the world are you doing chores?"

"I was cooking and had to clean up after myself."

Ayuri gaped at him. Growing up, the Sachi she knew never lifted a finger for anything.

"Don't give me that look," warned Sachi jokingly. "My cooking's decent."

"What happened to our staff? We have them for a reason."

"I dismissed them for the rest of the summer."

Ayuri scrutinized him. "For Ayuna's sake?"

He nodded.

"Is she asleep?"

"Noa took her to a mountain hot spring nearby. They should be back soon."

Ayuri pursed her lips. She didn't understand why Sachi kept bending over backwards when Ayuna continued to favour an outsider.

As if reading her thoughts, Sachi shook his head. "It's not what you think. I encouraged them to go. I figured Ayuna could use a few hours outside of this place—with protection, of course."

"So I see things have been going well. Has she regained her memories?"

"From the looks of it, I'd say she's recovered most of it. But she's still not completely herself." Wiping his hands on a towel, Sachi led Ayuri out of the kitchen, "It's good timing for you to come back. I needed to talk to you."

Ayuri followed Sachi into the library den. He sat down in an armchair and motioned for Ayuri to do the same. A gentle night breeze danced through the window, carrying with it the remnant heat from the day and chirps from cicadas.

"I gave Ayuna the engagement ring," Sachi started slowly. "She accepted."

Ayuri's eyes widened.

Misreading her reaction as disapproval, Sachi explained, "I know it's a little hasty, perhaps even improper to not request permissions from you or the Masas first—"

"Don't worry about permission," interjected Ayuri. "I'm happy for you and Ayuna. I've secretly hoped for this to happen for a while."

Her congratulations took Sachi off guard. "Oh. Thank you. I thought you'd be against it because of your family..."

"The Masas won't interfere. You know Ayuna doesn't belong with my family even if she carries part of the bloodline—she's a Saga. You're fine."

These words came out harsher than they should, yet Sachi refrained from commenting on this controversial topic. "Well, I'm grateful that this works in my favor."