Hayasaka and a Butler Need to go on a Date

Ai and Shinzo Face the Facts 3.4

The trip back home after the meeting was a blur to the both of them: Shinzo and Hayasaka. Family members were the only ones who would stay at the castle, that meant their two masters being absent at their side.

They took the same car back home, now less of a convoy as one car alone returned to the Mansion. Hayasaka's mom also had other business to attend to. And so, the two were but alone on the back seat of that ride.

It was quick, only the noise of the car driving past along road and the humming of the AC could be heard. The driver was not much of a conversationalist and didn't bother to make some small talk, only focused on the road and his job. That helped the two somewhat.

What they needed was some peace and quiet.

None of them talked for the journey. They had enough mental baggage to unpack and deal with. This kind of mood in the car continued on until they left the mountains and came to the more familiar concrete sidewalks and asphalt highways of the city.

It was nearly past eight when they had returned home. And as they got out of the car, they looked at each other for a bit. Then quickly looked away as they went to their own rooms.

The two closed their doors behind them, each in their own respective rooms. Shinzo saw his own safe space once more: white walls, soft grey carpet, a neatly kept bed, some games and gaming articles on a shelf with books to scan on, and his pride—the gaming rig he had set up for himelf on his table. Hayasaka on the other hand was back in her room once more. Same white walls but cream carpet. A clean and organized table of her study work for school with a nice PC. And a shelf filled with various memorabilia and photos to finish the look.

The two sat on their own beds still stuck at what had happened back at the meeting.

"Well then," Shinzo said, "looks like Hayasaka will get to achieve her dream of seeing the world with her mom. Can't forget the many times she told me about it. As the friend I was, I encouraged her. But now that it's here... why does it feel like this?"

Then he ruffled roughly his hair and collapsed on his bed. "Darn it! I knew well that this would happen. I knew that she would go off and have this dream of hers... but still, even if I knew..." he looked at his hand. He clenched it.

"Why do I still feel like this?"

At the other room. The maid was also having a conversation with herself. She grabbed her own teddy bear, a polar one with its white fur and beady black eyes.

"Throughout his stay," she said to it, "I knew that there would come a day when he'll need to go, when he will be pulled out from the life here in the Mansion. Well, the days were fun when I was with him: chucked with activities, filled with banters and jokes in between, and most of all a friend I never knew I would miss."

Then she clung tight to the bear. "Friend... oh who am I kidding? I would be happy despite my friend being out of my sight. Wherever he would be, despite the difference, we could still be friends. But still...why?"

"Out of all the girls I met, it had to be her," he fessed up.

"There were many boys who tried to grab my attention, and it was him who succeeded," she admitted.

"The one whom I had fallen for," they confessed.

And finally! There it was! The confirmation that we all needed!

"But what will happen next?" Hayasaka thought. "What would happen even if I pursued this?"

A sudden knock interrupted her. This was a surprise as she got up from her bed to answer. And the person was the one she expected to see.