KISSES || a violet evergarden fanfic #2

V

After an hour's ride from Leidenchaftlich Hospital, we arrived at Koharu's address. I had never been here before ; but during my stay, she'd always give me brief description of what it would look like - sometimes she would even show me the paintings she had made of her family home.

Just like the painting I had put to memory, the house was a two-storey brownstone-like building. It had overgrown vines lacing lazily from its flat roof, somehow decorating the structure itself - covering its ugliness. The front window was half shut by its curtains, I could see a faint light coming from behind it.

"Are you sure this is it?" He asked as the both of us shut the doors of the vehicle in sync.

I approached the oak-carved door and hit the rusty door knocker against the wood exactly three times before I stepped back. "Coming!" A muffled voice from the other side of the door exclaimed, and I could have sworn I heard colourful swearing under her breath as she shuffled here and there, as if looking for something.

Then, after a moment's wait and a jingle of keys, the door was pulled open, and a petite old woman was standing in the doorway. Her hair that was similar to Koharu's shade had white streaks, and she had her glasses hanging from around her neck. Her apron was dusted with flour ; and I offered a smile.

"Mama! Who is it?" Another voice from her back asked.

When the woman gave no answer, the second figure emerged. This one, looking in her late forties, came to the woman's side. "Mama, why don't you head inside? I'll deal with our guest," She told the woman, then turned to me, her eyes brightening. "Oh! You must be the Violet Evergarden Koharu has spoken a lot about! Come in! I see you've brought a visitor with you, too."

"The name's Dietfried Bougainvillea, ma'am," He introduced himself curtly, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught him dip his head respectfully towards the woman's direction.

Her cheeks flushed red as she looked down, but recollected herself quickly. "Call me Amanda, dear ; Koharu is my daughter, as you may have known. Don't mind my mother, she always has the habit of staying quiet in front of guests. Once you get to know her, though, she's not that bad." She chattered away, gesturing towards the ash velvet, three-seater couch, "sit, sit! Let me get you some tea."

Amanda disappeared inside the kitchens as Dietfried and I took our respective seats on the couch. I shifted uncomfortably on my seat as he settled down beside me. We had not talked for years ; until now, it seems. "Are you sure she's going to be cooperative?" He asked in a low voice.

Amanda was singing, and her voice could be heard from the living room. I would be foolish enough to doubt that she would not try to listen in to our conversation. My iron fingers clenched at my lap. "She won't be a problem," I reassured him, though I was not so sure myself.

He was about to ask something else, but was interrupted by Amanda's approaching footsteps and her sing-song voice, "Tea's ready!" She chirped.