Perhaps, She Does

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"Is there any problem?" The Young Master of the Higa Household asked her. She shook her head and then, she poured tea in his cup. He gently reached for her hand right after she placed down the tea pot. She smiled faintly and let the older one hold her hand.

"If I ask your hand for marriage, will you accept it?" He suddenly asked and she was taken aback. She didn't expect that someone would offer her marriage since they just started to see each other a month ago. If she was a different woman, she would jump at the opportunity to leave Shinmachi.

"Why would you want to marry me, Higa-dono? Do you like me?" She asked and he nodded. She knows that he is seven years older than her. Though if she would accept his proposal, no one would disagree since she is already eighteen.

"Let me think about it but I will not assure you that I will fully accept your offer. I'm only eighteen and I will still meet new people in the future." She answered and he nodded while smiling faintly. He knows that she would say those.

"I hope we will remain friends even if you will not accept my proposal, Fuyu." He said and she nodded while smiling softly. The night went well and she forgot the young samurai for a while. She asked him if he still needed anything for her to do and he just asked her to sleep with him. She gladly accepted his invitation but then, they heard someone knocking from outside. It was the young samurai.

"Please excuse us, Higa-dono." She whispered softly and the older one let them talk for a while. They went to the garden and it wasn't too dark there since it was a full moon. She asked him if he would like to take a seat at the bench but he shook his head.

"I will no longer be your master starting tomorrow." He broke the news and she felt like she lost half of the life she started in Shinmachi. She looked down after nodding. She knew that she couldn't do anything about his decision.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Yamasho-dono. I'm also thankful that you saved me that night." She kept her head down since she didn't want him to see that she was already on the verge of tears. She clenched her fists to prevent her tears from spilling but she failed.

"That would be all." He mumbled and she quickly excused herself. He stared at her retreating back. She went back to Higa's room and when the older one saw her crying, she just threw herself in his arms. He didn't question her and just comforted her.

"I have a request as your friend, Suu-kun." She said after calming herself from crying. He nodded as he would accept any of her requests. She asked him if he could erase all the traces that her former master left on her body.

She cried in her sleep after doing the deed. She doesn't know why she is feeling hurt that she would no longer see him. Perhaps, she does need him. Perhaps, she does want him. Perhaps, she does really love him. She slowly got up and then, she wore her yukata before leaving the room. She found him in the hallways, seeming to be a little spacing out. He got a tobacco in his hand. He saw her, so she turned away from him before he could see her puffy and swollen eyes.

Even though she would not, he noticed it. He noticed that she cried and he knew that it was all because of him. He already hurt her yet that was the last thing he would like to do as he confessed to Gia about it. She went to Makoto's office and she confessed that she is the only daughter of the Hasegawa Household. He asked her why she was telling that information to him and she said that she would like to go back home already. Gia arrived at the office to tell Makoto something and she learned about her departure.

"Are you sure you want to leave Shinmachi now?" The older one asked softly and she nodded. She smiled faintly at them and then, Makoto granted her request to go home that night. Gia helped her to fix her things and then, the young samurai saw that they were going somewhere.

"Why is she leaving?" He asked Makoto and then, the younger one just glared at him. He already had the hunch why Fuyu wanted to go back home so soon. Even though she would not say anything, he could tell it.

Fuyu surrendered all the gifts and money she received as a courtesan of Shinmachi in exchange for her freedom. Makoto requested for a helper to carry her things. Gia accompanied her when she went back home. The young samurai just watched her leave Shinmachi. After that, he doesn't know what happened anymore. Makoto patted his shoulder before going back to his office.

"Father.." She called her father the moment she arrived back home. She started trembling but she didn't let anyone see it. Gia bowed her head and introduced herself as someone who took care of her when Fuyu ran away from home.

A few weeks had passed and Fuyu continued her education. She was wearing a kimono with gold and silver thread embroideries that eventually made her look like a real princess. Her father gave it to her as one of the gifts he bought when he traveled to another country as a merchant. She placed her hand on her belly. When she arrived back from her classes, she asked her father if she could be home-schooled instead. He agreed since he also noticed her growing belly. She confessed to him that she stayed in a brothel and since then, he didn't dare to touch her. And if he would do it for the second time, he knows that she will run away from home again. Her father couldn't blame her for ending up pregnant. He was the main reason why she ran away from home and ended up in a brothel.

She just finished having her breakfast when she heard someone knocking. Her father hired a nanny for her and the old woman was the one who saw who just arrived since her father is currently busy with his work as a merchant. Her nanny said that it was a young man. She described her guest for that day and when she realized that it was the young samurai, she asked her nanny to tell him that no one would welcome him. She stood up from her seat and went to her room, hiding her protruding belly from anyone else.

"Nanny, did he leave already?" She asked without looking back when someone opened the door. She placed her hand on her belly and gently caressed it. She froze on her spot when she heard a different voice.

"Fuyu, it's me." He said and she clenched her fist tightly. She couldn't face him. She knows that he will ask who is the father of her child. She also knows that only two men touched her when she was still in Shinmachi. She took a deep breath and decided to face him. She forced a smile and bowed her head.

"Good morning, Yamasho-sama." She greeted him and it seemed like he was too surprised when he saw her growing belly. She wanted to ask him how he found out where she lives. Her nanny arrived and said that she had another guest.

"It is the Young Master of the Higa Household, Young Mistress." Her nanny said and she felt like she was saved from any of the pain the conversation she would have with Sho. She told the old woman to welcome him.

"I apologize, Yamasho-sama. My fiancé just arrived." She said to the young samurai and he slowly nodded his head. She smiled at the man who just arrived. Higa walked closer to her and placed his hand on her belly.

It was his second time to visit the Hasegawa Household and he was the first one to know that the young lady got pregnant when she stayed in Shinmachi for months. He was also the one who helped her to find a good nanny. Even though she was not telling him anything, he knew that she needed his help. The young samurai clenched his fists tight and excused himself, telling them that he would need to go already.