Subaru

Chapter XXII.

It was ten o'clock in the morning when I headed for Master Kagami's place.

As Kōmori-san didn't seem to want to wake up this morning, still feeling very heavy from all the things we had eaten on the previous day, I ended up walking alone.

The master's house was found in Kuribayashi, at the very extremity of the said neighborhood in fact, where the houses got bigger and the area even more secluded than it could get.

The house- which was rectangular, graceful and stood two-storied tall in the middle of a lawn- was found on a street corner, surrounded by four high walls painted in white, with a large iron gate.

As I approached the latter, it opened and two persons came out onto the street.

I recognized Gakkuri instantly.

'Ane-ue!' she called when her eyes fell onto me. The child appeared to be joyous and it brought a smile of relief on my lips.

'Hello, Gakkuri,' I said, softly, before turning towards the woman who accompanied her.

The latter was of fair complexion, having mid-back length black hair, which matched the color of her eyes.

'You must be Shun Shutsuki!' she said, smilingly, her voice as gentle as her features. 'Kagami has told me a lot about you. I'm his spouse. My name is Yama Gushiken. Nice to meet you.'

Blushing, I bowed down, greeting her, 'Good morning.'

When I straightened up, she was still smiling and I glanced at Gakkuri.

'Thank you for having taken her in.'

'Don't mention it! She's so cute.' She petted the girl's head affectionately. 'Her cousin is supposed to come to visit her at any minutes now and she holds a lot to wait for him at the door.'

'I see.'

Gazing up at the bright sky then, she said, 'It's very sunny today, Gakkuri! I'll go fetch you a hat of my daughter from when she had your age!'

I was a bit astonished. Master Kagami has a daughter?

'Do you want to come inside, Shun?' she asked, turning to me.

'No,' I refused, politely. 'I'll wait here with Gakkuri.'

The woman hurried up inside to fetch the hat.

'Yama-san is so nice with me,' murmured Gakkuri, smiling to herself. But the smile faded almost instantly, her expression becoming tormented.

Getting down onto my knees to be at eye level with her, I took hold of her shoulders and I began telling her what I hadn't had the occasion to say earlier. 'Gakkuri, listen to me, carefully. There's something that I wanted to tell you, something you absolutely need to know. Man's infidelity has got nothing to do with their wives being pregnant! Your mum and dad know it well. They need some times to solve their problems. And when this will be done, no matter what will come out of it, I hope that, one day, you'll be able to patch things up with them.'

Her eyes moistured as she gazed at me, every thoughts that had been torturing her seeming to abandon her, leaving place to serenity.

'Shun!' roared a booming voice, abruptly, and my head snapped around to see Shirane.

The latter seemed enraged, and if looks could kill, I would have been dead right now.

I jumped to my feet as the red-haired boy spurted at me. Unexpectedly, he shoved me brutally backward by my shoulder and I stumbled backward, almost falling to the ground.

I stared at him, staggered by his action.

'Stay away from her!' he snarled. 'I forbid you to talk to her! I don't want a bloody murderer like you to approach my little sister!'