Love Contract

Just A Boy, Just A Contract

The Last room which Ani hadn't yet explored turned out to be the source of the cart of books that Alfred had delivered in the first few days to pass the time. It looked more like an old parlor sitting room than a proper library. It was as large as the dining room so that it fit not only armoires and shelves but also some love seats and chairs. After looking through the bookshelves and titles she saw, many about economics, she began to pay attention to the trinkets scattering the spaces. Fancy bookends, old trophies, and nic-nacs. A comfortable time had passed before Ani grew curious about the glass fronted standing chest in the corner of the room. From the glint of the light it seemed to hold albums and framed photographs.

With pleasure, she opened the glass front panels to peer into its contents. Most of the photos were old, reflecting turn of the century. On the bottom, however next to the stacked albums were more modern pictures probably from just before the manor was expanded. In front on the left-hand corner however was a curious photo. It looked exactly like the little boy she had found tucked away in her family photobook. With no one around to find out she lifted the frame out to expose the rest of the image.

Suddenly Ani was quite confused, standing next to the boy in a strange room was a girl who looked just like her. What the hell is this? Perhaps the connection to her father was stronger than she knew but if this was her the age was off. If the photo is in this house than that means it was a Tsubaki boy, maybe even Jiro. With that footsteps began to come down the hallway, and Alfred entered the room from the second door.

Seeing Ani holding a photograph did not immediately bother him until he came close enough to see Master Jiro's face peek out from under her grasp.

"Oh, Dear Miss, I had forgotten about that photo. That was the first time our family met you." He said from across the carpeted floor.

"I've seen this boy before, is this Jiro?" she questioned in a quiet voice. "...Alfred, why am I really here?"

Alfred closed his eyes for a moment before deciding that he had done enough damage with half-truths. Despite the young masters wishes the situation was now unravelling and it was cruel to keep the young Miss in the dark. Ani's eyes were wide and deep brown when she turned toward Alfred, her expression solemn but not anxious. He bolstered his nerve for a difficult explanation.

"Your mother Bridget had misused your father's funds. As you may know we were the executives in charge of his holdings." He parsed for a deep breathe. "...your Mother offered to sell you to us for her debt."

Ani gripped the frame tightly with a sweaty palm. Her mother had always undervalued her life and the clear image of it was rather difficult to accept.

"We accepted the offer on condition that you become Jiro's fiancée, that photo is commemoration of that day we signed the contract." Alfred said without waver.

"Buying someone of course has such a dirty context to it. I can assure you though that both masters of this house, the former and current chairman and myself never intended you to be property. Rather you'll have to forgive us old men and our romantic notions." He said, standing straight under the woodwork arch separating the two joined rooms.

I ran my fingers over the photograph with some doubtful nagging in the back of my mind as too what I was hearing and the actions Jiro had displayed the past few days. Alfred must have sensed my thoughts oozing out from the tips of my hair because he continued.

"Young Master Jiro, was quite troubled by this for many years. Indeed, I would say since you two met as children and the arrangement was put to paper he had rebelled against it in disgust." He came closer and took the photo back from my hand to place on the shelf. I meanwhile had resigned to the loveseat in the corner of the room in front of the curtained window.

"...it wasn't until last year I believe when suddenly he began to ask about you. I believe he even had your living arrangements investigated. Perhaps you two had met by accident, I thought" He stated coming back to a serious standing position near the shelves. I knew of course what he was referring to, but I was still accepting his words and had yet to form my own.

"Young master, began to come home late and our security reported that his interest in you seemed to have become far more than a casual. It seems he frequented your street corner quite often, nearly every night. He also had your pictures taken in secret..." Alfred trailed off into a strange look of regret at his candid words, like throwing a grenade blindly. So, he was watching me the entire time? It was very shocking and I had hit my limit on secrets finally.

With Alfred words Ani had finally come to tears. So, she turned away from him on the sofa.

"I'm sorry this is just too much for me right now, please don't look" Ani said with sniffles. Though he may have taken them as righteous tears of shock and disgust it was grief and happiness which filled Ani's sobbing chest.

She liked living at the villa and she had been enamored with Jiro since she saw him as the gorgeous stranger on the street. The thread she had felt binding them together was no longer imaginary but a silk rope. Ten times as thick and sturdy. Having something she wanted for herself had never been so moving before, it was passion.

The idea of a man so enamored with her did not disgust her at all. She was starving for connection all her life after her father had died and here she would also have safety. What perhaps gave her some doubt was the fact that Jiro had not initially chosen her. It must have been his father or grandfather who had arranged it. Wiping away her eyes with a light laugh, she turned back towards Alfred. When he saw her hushed smile, he looked relieved.

"Alfred, can I meet him? Can I meet with Director Tsubaki?" Ani asked.

He nodded. "He is at the main house until this evening. If you give me some time I can arrange an afternoon tea before Jiro returns this evening" he replied.

"That would be excellent" I thought and I readied myself for a fateful conversation.