Saikō no Chitsujo

Chapter 20 Part 2

The gentle breeze swayed the grass along the stony path, a set of clops and the subtle crunching of stones beneath the carriage’s wheels were the only notable sounds within the vicinity. The coach tugged on the lead line, the horses neighing softly before halting. Arata stepped out of the carriage, inhaling deeply and sighing in satisfaction, his appreciation for the change in scenery evident in the small smile he wore.

A set of clops and a neigh alerted Arata of the presence of another party who halted before his carriage, her appearance and his lack of surprise notified his guards that she was an expected visitor. She hopped down from her horse, her light blue mantle fluttering as a result of her swift movements. The lady donned silver armour, her mantle and the azure lines that ran along the edge in an intricate design complimenting her long navy blue hair tied up in a ponytail. Asides from her cerulean irises, which was another feature the Arashi shared, her beauty and femininity didn’t let the facial similarities she and Arata had go unnoticed.

Walking briskly to him, she pinched his cheeks, an action that didn’t surprise the onlookers, after all, Arashi Kiyoko was known to be the doting sibling. Pulling his face angrily, Arata’s impassiveness further annoyed Kiyoko, her troubled gaze focusing on the bandages that wrapped around his eyes.

“What stupid shit did you get yourself involved in this time, Arata?!”

With a small smile, he gently took her hands in his, saying, “Where did the prim and proper Lady Kiyoko go?”

“Don’t give me that shit, you brat.” She yanked her hands away, sighing angrily, “No wonder Father asked me to meet you here. If the Order of Storms was seen in such a state, I can only imagine the uproar.”

“It is good to see you again, nee-sama,” Arata stated with a slight bow, Kiyoko’s face contorting in disgust at the greeting.

She sighed exasperatedly, and Arata chuckled, observing his older sister with a smile.

“Let’s go home. From the looks of it, you have a lot to inform us about, right?”

“Yes.”

She clapped twice, announcing to the onlookers, “Let’s be on our way then.” A smile graced her lips as she watched Arata nod and board the carriage.

While Kiyoko might’ve seemed angry -and she was-  she was also relieved that her little brother was safe and sound, although it was a bit worrisome that someone like him was in such a state. Kiyoko sighed inwardly, she was finding it difficult to acknowledge that Arata was no longer the little boy who scampered around the mansion, causing trouble everywhere he went. He had become a quiet, firm, and strong man who was willing to push past his limits just to affirm his beliefs.

Exhaling audibly, she looked up to note Arata facing her inquisitively, it seemed like she had been far too quiet. After some contemplation, she decided to make small talk but to her surprise, Arata beat her to it.

“How’s Hiro-san?”

Easing into the coach’s chair, she replied, “He’s doing great, being a doting father and all.”

Arata’s lips parted slightly, the corners of his mouth tilting upwards while he asked, “And my nephew? Is he as troublesome as I was?”

Kiyoko’s brows furrowed while she gave her brother a sidelong glance, “Unfortunately he takes after his dad, so yes. Though he’s not as tiring as you were, he’s far more troublesome than I was as a child.” Her brows shot up at the sound of his snort, her surprise morphing into a glare when Arata broke down into a laughing fit.

“Sorry, sorry, it seems that ever since Father and Mother let us know about how you were as a toddler, it has been the perfect topic to tease you with.”