Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 38: Rumors

     Shu, Suzuki, and Touya are now racing towards their parents' room right after hearing that Kazumi sent a letter. Touya slide open the doors with so much force it made such a loud noise surprising the couple.

"Father, is it true?! Kazumi sent a letter?!" Touya asked.

"Is she finally back to her place?! Did she say she'll come here to visit?!" Shu asked right after Touya.

"When can we see her? Are we going to her place now?" Suzuki asked grabbing his mother's sleeves.

"CHILDREN! CALM DOWN AND ASK PROPERLY!" Toshino yelled at them.

The three all looked down and apologized as Tetsuya just sighed holding the letter.

"Yes she did. But she didn't say anything about coming here for a visit or for us to go to her place. According from her letter, the Pillars still don't know about her coming back. She also said that she's fine and wants to apologize for being gone for a long time missing the chance to spend some time with us when we were there at her place. But she would like us to know that she's happy and thankful that we came to visit." Tetsuya informed them.

"She also put in her letter that Ringo-san got badly injured from her fight with a demon and that she has to take care of her for a while before she get the chance to visit us here." Toshino added.

"So, she can visit us anytime here. Then we should get ready. I feel sad for Ringo-san though." Touya said.

"Can you hear yourself? She didn't say any specific day of her visit so how are we suppose to get ready?" Shu replied looking at his younger brother.

".... Right." Touya sighed.

Ever since after the family's first visit at the Frost Estate, the news of Tetsuya having a daughter from his second wife he kicked out years ago, spread like wild fire. The servants and the guards talked about it for such a long time that even half of the village people became aware of it. This made Touya lock himself in his room for days as he's guilty for his loud mouth that caused the news to spread. He sulked for so long. The people became so curious at how the child looked like and what she's doing now, they would often ask the brothers but none of them would give an answer.

Some of them imagined his daughter looking like him, green eyes and a black hair. Some imagined her having her mother's ash-gray hair color and violet eyes, they imagined a lot of how she would look like. But most of them even imagined her as someone who looks dirty and with ugly clothes thinking that she's a servant because of how her mother was kicked out back then. Lots of people believed as Tetsuya and his family would come back without the so called daughter of his and thinks that he still resents her for her mother's actions. The family feels irritated and angered to these people thinking of how bad she looks but they don't want to make the issue so big that they asked Kazumi, and her answer is just what they've expected, to just let the people be.

Although disappointed, they respected her answer and decision. Now, Tomoe's walking back to his own estate with his pregnant wife from a short stroll. As they thought they're about to have a good day, a villager came to ask him.

"Tomoe-sama!" He called.

"Yes?" Tomoe replied.

"Rumors about your younger sister have spread here in the village for quite a while now. Is she really a servant of some wealthy family your family visits?" He asked in a whisper.

His words made Tomoe's blood boil inside as his eye brow twitch trying his best to be calm. His wife frowned at the man as she open her mouth.

"How rude! Who gave you the guts to call my sister-in-law a servant?! Come here and I'll cut your tongue!" His wife exclaimed.

'Are pregnant women always short tempered like this?'
Tomoe thought as he gently lead his wife out from the crowd as she fume in anger nearly grabbing the man's hair.

"And you! Have some guts to talk too! Don't just stay silent! At least talk a bit!" His wife nagged at him as she pull his left ear.

"Ouch! Yes, yes, I will next time." Tomoe sweatdropped as he cupped his red ears.

'This is why I love her in the first place, despite being a woman born from a noble family, she's different.'
Tomoe thought as he smile while walking alongside his wife.

This is also why they're worried if ever Kazumi comes to visit as they think about the rumors about her that has spread throughout the village. Although they know Kazumi won't mind, they're worried she might come with an acquaintance like Ringo. They're afraid Ringo might kill almost half of the village's people because of the inappropriate rumors that has spread about Kazumi.
                                                                                                                

     Kazumi's now sitting on a chair inside Ringo's room as she talk to her despite Ringo still unconscious.

"I wonder how would you react once you wake up and see me with injuries, I'm sure you would be crying out of worry." Kazumi spoke.
"The flowers are all beautiful outside today too. I also managed to clean outside like how you used to. Isn't that wonderful?" She continued as she chuckle.

Shortly, she stood up as she kissed Ringo's forehead.

"You used to kiss mine when I sleep even if you know I'll still wake up once you left. I do hope you do it again." Kazumi mumbled out as she walk away and out of the room.

The children still don't know that she's back. But today seems to be different. Right after she walked out of the room, Ame's there who's looking up to her with his mouth agape. Kazumi gulped down.

"EVERYONE! MAMA'S BACK! SHE'S HERE! SHE'S HERE!" Ame shouted at the top of his lungs.

The children nearby ran towards the direction of where Ame's voice came from. They called each other as they ran. Kazumi then carried Ame as she ran into hiding.

"Ame, mama's back but you shouldn't have done that." Kazumi smiled at him as she hide inside a room with him.

"But everyone's waiting for mama. They'll be very happy once they see you." Ame replied.

Tears then slowly appeard in the corner of his eyes as he hug Kazumi while they're hiding inside an empty room with an empty bed. He hugged her tightly as he cry tears of joy.

"You don't have to cry if you missed me that badly." She said as she comfort him.

"But mama was gone for so long.... we're all so sad." Ame cried.

Shortly, they heard knocking on the other side of the door.

"Open up! We know you're in there nii-sama!" Otaru called.

Ame then ran towards the door as he opened it. The children entered as they all ran towards Kazumi who's sitting on the bed. They all jumped at her and hugged her while crying. She has to pat everyone's heads in such speed in order to comfort them and stop them from crying.