It was almost eleven when I came home. Azumi greeted me at the door. "How was your day with the Host Club?" she asked.
I nodded. "Good, and tiring." I was already half way up the staircase when I realized that I was wearing Kimiko's jacket, when I'd left wearing a black shawl. Well, maybe Azumi hadn't noticed. Crap. She probably did. I shouldn't have any hoodie jackets like these.
"Rika-sama," Azumi called from below. I stopped, glancing down. "Your mother is here." Oh, good... I think.
"Where is she?" I asked.
"In her office," Azumi replied.
"Alright, thank you," I continued up the staircase to my room, where I threw Kimiko's jacket into the laundry bin and pulled on my black shawl. These past days had been surprisingly cool. The true summer heat had yet to attack. Shawls weren't very practical, but I was sure Mom would rather see me in this than the jacket.
Then I walked towards Mom's office. It was further down the hall, away from our bedrooms and in front of a separate, smaller staircase. I stopped just at the dark wooden door, hesitating.
"-lmost eighteen!"
Hm? That was Kimiko's voice, and she was yelling.
"I know." And that was Mom. "I just don't think there's much purpose in telling her. It's not going to help her."
"She should know. It doesn't have to help her for her to know."
Who were they talking about? I had a creeping suspicion, though, that it was me. Mom was hiding something from me? And Kimiko knew about it?
"I can't believe that she's gone all her life-" Kimiko was saying.
"I already said it was fine, Kimiko." Mom was starting to get annoyed. "I'm sure Rika wouldn't mind either."
"Yeah, right! You of all people know that Rika hates not knowing stuff!"
"I suppose, but this really isn't important enough-"
"Important enough?! It's about her family! How is that not important enough?"
"Rika-sama," a voice said from behind me, causing me to jump. Azumi was standing behind me, her hands clasped in front of her. "Knock."
I swallowed and then knocked on the office door. "Mom? Can I come in?" "Perfect timing, come on in," Mom said from within.
I glanced at Azumi one more time. She just smiled. Ugh, she was as confusing as Mom was. I stepped in to the office and shut the door behind me.
"Actually, Kimiko was just about to leave," Mom said shooting a stare at Kimiko. "Isn't that right, dear?"
Kimiko's face was flushed, and I could tell she had been seriously angry. She stared at me with a slight frown and then nodded. She left the office quietly.
Mom's office was spacious, with a large, dark walnut table in the very center, facing the door. Behind her seat were ceiling to floor windows. Wasn't that dangerous? I'd always imagined that Mom could be shot dead through those windows. Lining the walls on the left were bookshelves. To the right were some filing cabinets and a TV hanging in the corner where Mom could see it. Her desk itself was cluttered with papers, folders, pens, a phone, and a desktop computer.
Mom cleared a few papers away and then folded her hands on the table. She was wearing a dark red and black kimono today. "I have good news for you, Rika."
Good news from Mom wasn't always good news for me. I nodded nervously. "What is it?" She smiled at me. "I have scheduled a date for you with Minoru-kun."
Oh God. Let's take a moment to throw up, wither, and die. I forced a smile though, and said, "What day is it?"
"Well it's not finalized yet, since Minoru-kun has been busy this summer with cram school. He's such a hard working boy, isn't he?" Mom smiled at me, waiting for my agreement. I nodded. "But I was hoping that it be after we visit your aunt. I'll be leaving tomorrow, anyway, and I'd like to be around when you go on your first date."
Thank goodness. "Mom, I'll go on the date and be civil and polite-"
"Of course you will," she said.
I paused. Maybe this was a good time to ask her about me being the heir. Akane had told me to ask my family, and if anyone would know about it, it'd be Mom. "Mom, am I the heir to the family businesses?" I asked.
She looked at me and then nodded. "Yes, you are." Then she gestured at the chair across her. "Go on and sit down, Rika. No need to stand."
I crossed the distance between us, my feet tapping quietly against the wooden floors, to the chair. I settled down, trying to make myself comfortable. "But why? Onee-san is older than me. Why wouldn't she get it?"
"It's been decided a long time ago that you'd be the heir," Mom replied calmly. "Even before you were born. Oh yes, it was when I found out that I was pregnant with a healthy child."
"Why not onee-san? She came out before me. She's older. She-"
"It's been decided, Rika," she snapped. "But why?"
"You don't need to know why," Mom said, crossing her arms. "I suppose one big reason is because you're more suited to be the heir. You have the brains and the talent. You have natural leadership skills, Rika."
"And Kimiko doesn't?" "Not as much."
I nodded, staring at my hands in my lap. I still didn't get it. Why was I the heir? Kimiko would be out of college in just a few years. She'd be available to start learning about the business, whereas I still had years of education waiting for me. I sighed.
"Is that all, Rika?" Mom asked with a tilt of her head, waiting.
I looked up and tried not to sigh again. "Can I go on a trip?"
"What trip?" she replied.
"I'm going with Mitsukuni, Mom. We'll be going to this small village at W mountain. It's summer, so I'd like to go somewhere."
Mom picked up a cup of tea and sipped daintly. Then she said, "Just Haninozuka?"
"His younger brother, Yasuchika, and the two Morinozuka sons are going too," I replied. Please just say yes. Please!
"Oh right. You see, Rika, I recently saw your mid-term exam results."
Oh dear.
"I must say I was a bit disappointed that you weren't in the top five," Mom said. I doubt it was just a bit. It was probably a lot more than a bit, like very disappointed.
I nodded solemnly. "I'll work harder next time."
"Yes, lucky for you you have a next time," she said, staring at me with a hard gaze. Great, she wasn't in the best of moods thanks to her argument with Kimiko. "But in real life, usually you won't get a next time. Do you understand, Rika?"
"I'll be in the top five... next semester," I replied, staring at her desk but not her.
"Look at me Rika."
I did.
"You won't be in the top five," she said, brown eyes boring into mine. "You will be at least number three." I nodded, forcing myself to maintain eye contact.
"Good," said Mom, looking down. "How long is this trip?"
"Five days," I replied. I tried not to let out a sigh of relief, though. Mom was in a foul mood.
"Go ahead then."
"What?"
She stared at me. "Are you deaf all of the sudden?"
"I can go?"
Her annoyed stare told me that yes, I could. I smiled, genuinely. "Thank you, Mom." I stood up to leave.
"One condition."
Crap. I should have expected this.
"You must finish all your summer homework before you leave. When will you be back?"
"The twenty-second, I believe."
"Good. Your dad is coming back that day, too. You may leave now." Mom had now begun writing on some sheet of people.
"Thanks, Mom." I left her office, closing the door quietly. Then I let out a sigh. Thank goodness it was just summer homework. If it'd been anything more, I'd be screwed.
"Goodies for you, Rika, getting all that you want," a small, annoyed voice said. Kimiko was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and a frown on her face. She glanced at me and then went back to staring out at the railing.
"Kimiko... nee-san," I said. "What is it?"
"Being in the top ten for your grade apparently isn't enough," Kimiko replied. "No, you must be in the top five. Oh, I take that back! Top three. Geez." She scowled, getting off the wall and tromping back towards the bedrooms.
"Onee-san," I called after her. She wasn't making any sense at all, but she refused to say anything else, dragging me into her room then to the bathroom. "Onee-san, what is it?"
She closed the bathroom door staring straight at me. "Lucky you, Rika. She actually cares."
"What do you mean? Lucky you, more like it. She doesn't bother you about your grades, does she?"
"Exactly! It's like she doesn't expect anything from me! I was ranked in the forties this time-"
"That's good," I said eagerly.
She silenced me with a glare. "Forties, Rika! Would Mom ever let your exam scores fall to the forties?"
"Uh, no."
"Exactly! She doesn't care about me! She doesn't care what grades I get! You get nineties on all your tests, right? She doesn't bother you about that. But when you get an eighty or seventy, she goes and yells at you."
"Isn't that bad?"
"Oh shut up and let me rant!" Kimiko screeched at me. "When I get eighties, she doesn't say anything. Seventies, nothing. Sixties, nothing. I've even gotten in the single digits, and she has never said a word to me about it! She doesn't ask me about school, about my job, about my life. She. Doesn't. Care. But she frets all over you. I could get kidnapped and she could care less. In fact, if I did get kidnapped, I wouldn't be surprised if she refused to pay the ransom!"
"That's not true, Onee-san!" I grabbed her sleeve. "Mom does care about you! You're her daughter!"
"Sure, sure," Kimiko rolled her eyes. "Daughter, daughter. Ha! What a joke. You don't know a thing about how screwy our family actually is."
"What? Kimiko-"
"You know what happened to Aunt? She got pregnant while still in college," Kimiko said with narrow eyes. "College! Ridiculous, right?"
"What? But if that were true, wouldn't we have a cousin?" She stared at me and then sighed. "She's an idiot."
"Who is?"
"Mom," she replied. "She should tell you."
"Can't you just tell me?" I asked.
Kimiko shook her head. "She'd know if I did. God, she's so annoying. I should move out of here. Maybe I will. I don't even need half the crap that's in my room. Ugh." She pushed me to the side and reached for the doorknob. Then she stopped and turned to me. Grabbing my shoulder, she pulled me close, whispering into my ear, "It has something to do with Aunt, Kurosawa Raiden, and me."
Then she left.
Kurosawa Raiden. It was that name again. Who was that? I dashed back to my room and grabbed my phone and red notebook. Okay, first I should email Mitsukuni that I can go on the trip. And second, let's do some research. Maybe I can find out what this Raiden guy has to do with my family.
I spent the next day working desperately on my homework. I hadn't started at all, so there was quite the amount to do. And, for some reason, Otsu and Hirase had strangely disappeared without a word. I asked Azumi about it, but she just shook her head and stayed silent. I packed that night. The day after, I finished up the rest of my homework with tremendous relief.
We left in the afternoon, taking the Haninozuka private jet to the nearest airport, then riding a car for an hour to reach the small town. When we arrived, it was already evening. The car drove slowly through the streets, giving us a good look of the place.
"Wow!" I pressed up against the window. The town was made of quaint, little houses and stores. There were several people and bicyclists on the streets. Up ahead, I could see the mountain, and the dojo, which was just a small square on top. It wasn't very impressive, but it still towered above the town. It was so different from the city.
"Like it?" Mitsukuni asked. I glanced at him and nodded. "It looks so nice and cute," I replied. "And... refreshing."
The sleek, black car we were in pulled up towards a house at the very base of the mountain. I could see the staircase that led up to the mountaintop just to the left.
"We're here!" Mitsukuni declared excitedly. He leaned over and shook Satoshi's shoulder, who was asleep against Yasuchika. It was an adorable sight. The two of them were so cute together!
We piled out of the car, as two butlers exited the house.
"Welcome, young master Haninozuka," the butlers said, bowing. "The younger Haninozuka, the two Morinozukas." They bowed at each one, then went and unloaded our luggage.
"Inao-san," Mitsukuni said, pulling me up to the butlers. "This is Hayashi Rika. She'll be staying with us for the next five days."
The two bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, Hayashi-sama." "Ah, please take care of me," I said, bowing back politely.
We entered the house, taking off our shoes. It wasn't very big, with just one floor, two bathrooms, and several bedrooms. The floor was covered by tatami mats, as we walked through the living room containing a kotatsu, seat cushions, a TV, and a filled bookshelf.
"Your room, Hayashi-sama," the butler, Inao, said, gesturing to a sliding door.
I nodded, smiling. "Thanks." Then I stepped into the room. The floor was bare, with a closet at the side.
"Are you alright with sleeping on a futon, Rika?" Mitsukuni asked, popping his head into the room. I was still trying to take in the bareness of the room. There was light filtering in through the paper wall across from the door, and my suitcase on the floor, but that was it.
"Yeah," I said, nodding. Then I smiled. "This will be fun! I've never slept on a futon before!" I followed Mitsukuni out of the room. "So what are we going to do?"
"Well, we came here to train," Mitsukuni replied. "Do you want to train with us?"
"Martial arts? Of course!" I grinned, starting to feel more and more grinned back. We began walking through the hallway back to the living room.
"Okay! We'll be starting tomorrow, so be prepared to wake up early. Oh, and we'll have to go up those steps." "Yeah, I saw." I nodded eagerly.
"Are you sure you..."
"It's fine, Mitsukuni! I've trained in martial arts before! Besides, the mountain isn't that big, right?"
Mitsukuni paused and then shrugged. "It's okay! We'll see tomorrow," I said.
"Let's eat dinner then," Mitsukuni said with a smile. We settled down at the kotatsu, which already had platters of food spread out. Mori, Satoshi, and Chika joined us quickly. It was a simple, hearty meal. Yes. Finally, a chance to sharpen my martial arts skills!
I had to wake up at seven-thirty in the morning. It wasn't that bad since I wake up earlier for school, but I was still sleepy as I ate breakfast.
"Rika, you don't have a gi right?" Mitsukuni asked me. I shook my head. I'd still be able to learn, right? He grinned. "Here you go then!" He handed me a neatly folded, white gi.
Ohh! Being Mitsukuni-sized comes with benefits after all!
We each grabbed a backpack, filled up our water bottles, changed into training clothes, and then headed to the staircase.
I stared up at the steps that just went up and up and up.
"Let's go!" Mitsukuni said cheerfully. He began walking up the steps, slowly. What? He wasn't going to jog? The other three followed at a similar pace. Okay, then.
"Mori, are you going to practice your kendo?" I asked him. He nodded. "Satoshi-kun too?" I turned to the younger one.
He smiled and nodded. "Yup!"
"Are you guys learning from anyone?"
"I am!" Satoshi said, waving an arm in the air. "But Takashi-nii is going to be teaching! So is Mitsukuni-nii!"
"Wh-What?!" I gaped at the two older ones. "Mitsukuni, is that true?"
Mitsukuni glanced back and then nodded. "Yup! I'm teaching!"
"Wow! You're teaching a class?" I hopped up the few steps to reach him. He nodded again. "Let me learn from you!"
"Huh?" He blinked.
"I want to learn Haninozuka-style martial arts! And if it's taught by you, then even more!" I said. I'd always dreamt of sparring with Mitsukuni, or learning from him, or maybe teaching him. If I could get a chance to learn from Mitsukuni, that'd be great. There's no way I'd let the opportunity pass.
"Okay then," Mitsukuni said.
"Yay!" Then I turned to the younger Haninozuka. "What are you going to do then, Chika-chan?"
He frowned. "Practice by myself. I don't need to be taught by nii-san."
"That's cause Chika-chan is already really good, right?" I asked with a grin. His frown only seemed to deepen, and he looked away with slightly pink ears. Hehe, Chika's such a cute tsundere.
We arrived at the top of the mountain after about twenty minutes. I was out of air and was already sweating. Ahh, what a wimp I am. The others aren't even fazed!
The top of the mountain was grassy, dotted with the occasional tree, bush, and mountain flowers, with several buildings around. One was evidently the dojo. To its side was a smaller building, with a sink beside it, so it was probably the bathroom. However, there was another large building behind the dojo.
"There are two dojos here," Mitsukuni explained. "We'll be in the first one though." The other three headed towards the dojo in the back.
"What's in the other one?" I asked, as we entered.
The wooden floors were sparkling. And there were already plenty of people there, sitting and chatting.
"Same as this one, but a bit smaller," Mitsukuni replied, as he stepped forward. One person caught sight of Mitsukuni and leapt to his feet immediately.
"Everyone, Haninozuka-sensei is here!" the guy yelled. Everyone froze and was on their feet and straight, neat lines in an instance. Wow. That was incredible.
"Relax everyone," Mitsukuni said with a slightly strained grin. He glanced at the clock hanging on the far wall. "It's not eight yet, so everyone can relax until then." There seemed to be a quiet sigh from the group and people began to drift apart from the lines.
Mitsukuni turned to me. I hadn't moved from the entranceway.
"Come on, Ri-chan," he called in a teasing way. I made a face but waded over to him carefully. Everyone here was a guy, and they were all much taller than me. Most of them were muscular. It was... kinda scary.
"You know, Mitsukuni," I said quietly. "I learned martial arts from only one person. Like, it was one-on-one tutoring kind of thing. Never a dojo thing like this."
Mitsukuni chuckled. "Then this will be new to you."
"Mm-hm!" I nodded, feeling the excitement return. "This is going to be great! Treat me well, sensei." I grinned.
"Okay, you can go stand over there," Mitsukuni said. He pointed at the front, a bit to the right. "Stay in the first row, where you can see. Oh, and put your backpack over there, against the wall." I ran off to do as he told then went to my spot, looking down awkwardly.
"Who's this, Sensei?" one guy asked, pointing at me.
"I'm Hayashi Rika," I said with a quick bow. "Please take care of me."
"She's my friend, and she's a good martial artist too!" Mitsukuni said with a smile.
"Ohh," a few people said.
"Sure she's just a friend?" one guy asked with a snicker. I blushed, staring at my feet with determination.
"Let's start then!" Mitsukuni clapped his hands together, and everyone was back in their lines. I had to take a step back to get in formation. "Stretch!"
Three hours later, I collapsed onto the dojo floor, leaning against the wall. "Alright, Rika?" Mitsukuni asked, sitting down beside me.
I nodded, chugging some more water down. "Yup! It feels nice, moving around like this. Besides, I learned stuff."
"Then, after we get lunch, wanna go see the town?" Mitsukuni said. "Yeah! I'd love that!"
"Sensei!" one guy waved at Mitsukuni.
"Hm, you might want to go down first," said Mitsukuni, standing up. "Takashi should be done by now. Go find him and eat lunch. I'll be down soon!"
"Okay," I smiled as he went to the student. I grabbed my things and left the dojo, heading towards the second one.
"Ah, Rika-nee!" Satoshi waved at me from the bathroom, a towel around his neck. I dashed over.
Oh, my muscles are all wobbly. I'm going to be sore tomorrow, yippee. Man, I'm so wimpy, it's sad.
"Are you going to go down the mountain?" I asked.
"Yeah, we're all going down to eat lunch," Satoshi said. "We usually practice in the mornings, and then the rest of the day is ours."
"Oh, it's a good idea!" I smiled.
"Satoshi!" Chika came jogging over. "Ah, Rika-san. Taka-nii is coming."
"What about Mitsukuni-nii?" Satoshi asked.
"He'll be coming later," I said. "So he said to just go down and eat lunch first."
Satoshi smirked. "I see."
What? What is that smirk for? What?! I'm so confused! "Ah, nii-san!" Satoshi waved. Mori strolled easily to our sides. "Let's go down then!"
And down the mountain we go. I can't wait to see the town though! Ah, from here... I stopped at the very top step, taking in the gorgeous view.
The town was quite small compared to the vast green and yellow fields beyond it. There was one main road that stretched out past the horizon, and the occasional farm house that dotted the landscape. The wind was cool so high up, and fluffy white clouds were drifting lazily through the clear blue sky. Yes, this was definitely a refreshing trip!
"Rika-nee!" Satoshi shouted, already several steps down. "Come on!"
"Coming!" There was some delightful happiness inside of me, as I ran down the steps to join the three of them. It was sweet and light and filled me up with content. Yes. It felt like good things were going to happen.