Fingers Crossed [Hiatus]

Ash

Ayato hissed at the stinging pain from his healing salve-coated finger grazed on his wound. He returned to Kamisato Estate in the afternoon, with Ayaka and Hisashi. They also took the retainer's son as their convicted thief.

As soon as they arrived, Ayato retreated to Thoma's room where he would stay there as his temporary chamber, then after he finish changing, he continued with tending his wounds. The frostbite has reduced to normal scrape wound and Ayato is relieved that he could avoid calling the family doctor. But there is something else that he could not avoid.

He has not reported the matter to Tenryou Commission. In fact, he hasn't made any decision regarding the captured convict. His mind is wandering in the past, where 10 years ago, young Ayato witnessed a strange behaviour from his mother.

Now he knows that it is was not so strange after all.

❀

10 years ago.

Rain is noisy. The rainfall and thunderclaps impeding everyone from being able to hear anything clearly. For most people, escape missions are best executed when it's raining, so the guards won't hear it when they flee.

But Ayato doesn't have that such disadvantages. He has not received his vision, yet he could hear every irregular water splash caused by footsteps intruding the rain rhythms.

And he is hearing one intrusion now.

Driven by his curiosity, he wore his sandals on and took an umbrella with him. It's raining heavily at night, yet someone is going out from Kamisato Estate. Surely, this has to be someone who wants to do something bad to get out from the mansion undetected.

Ayato followed the noise further away, until they reached Chinju Forest. The rain stopped there, and he couldn't hear the water splashes anymore. Alas, his chasing adventure is already over when it barely begun.

Then he saw his mother sleeves, just passing around the woods. He remembered his own mother said that Chinju Forest is not a place for a noble like him to wander around, thus he is not allowed to spend most of his time there. It couldn't be her.

However, his legs continued to stride further in the forest because he wonders of who would that be. His limbs froze when he heard his mother having a debate with someone. Ayato closed his umbrella and rush to rescue her. He jumped in right where they stand, with his umbrella as his only weapon, he bravely stood against the offender.

He was ready to have a fight, only to see his mother talking with a shrine maiden dressed in white and red, with a large cowl covering almost all her face except her lips. Then he was confused. Very confused.

"Ayato? What are you doing here?"

His mother took his thrusted umbrella directed to the shrine maiden's face and slapped his back hand "Where are your manners? Show some respect to the shrine maiden."

Ayato scratched his nape and bowed his blue head "I'm sorry for my rudeness, my Lady."

The shrine maiden nods but she closed her mouth. See who is being rude now.

"Now go back home or I will throw out all of your TCG collections." His mother returned his umbrella to him "Don't wait for me."

"What about you, okaa-san?"

"I still have something to discuss with the shrine maiden." Her rough voice is very usual for Ayato to hear, but her way to dismiss him is very unlikely of her. Besides, if they want to talk, why here and not in the estate, where they could have proper seating and tea?