Moonlight Desire

Chapter 19

Lia wondered around the Komatsuzaki mansion. She hasn't been shown around the mansion quite yet despite having lived there for almost a month so, she decided to look around each of the rooms. She made her way downstairs and went deep into the west wing. She came across a big room with a bar. She looked around the older texture of this bar which took her back to the 1920s in Chicago. Being in this room made Lia want to party like the Bootleggers in the 1920s. But she moved on from this room and headed down to the east wing. So far, it amazed her how the mansion could take her back in time. Then she went out a door that took her to a traditional Japanese Engawa style hallway with big sliding windows where she could almost walk with nature in this hallway. She walked down to the east wing where she found a bunch of tatami rooms.

Then Lia felt a gentle touch on her shoulder but she spun around quickly and gasped at the touch of this hand. 

"Himeko," Lia said as she sighed in relief. 

Himeko just blankly looked at Lia. "What are you doing?"

Lia could feel her palms get a little sticky with her nerves acting up. Himeko just caught her snooping around the mansion. "Well, I thought no one was around so I was just walking around. Not really doing anything." 

Himeko raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can't say I blame you if you thought no one was around. I used to get quite lonely whenever Kazuki wasn't here. The house is quite big." Himeko smiled and began walking towards the west wing. "Come, follow me."

"Okay!" Lia followed behind her. "Where are we going?" 

Himeko opened up one of the shoji screen doors into a room that looked like it was used for a Japanese tea ceremony. 

"Here we have the tea room and you're going to make tea for Kazuki." 

"Me!"

Himeko just nodded and showed Lia how to make traditional Japanese tea for Kazuki. She placed it on a tray so Lia could carry it to him.

"There, one for you and one for Kazuki. He should just be in the room in front of the koi fish pond. That's where his office is." She walked over to one of the pillars. "Oh and one more thing." She pushed a button and all the windows went down to make it look like a traditional style Japanese house. "It's always better to let the sun in."

Lia walked into the hallway that was now outside. Her eyes filled with amazement as she felt the sun rays soak into her skin and listened to the birds' chirp. 

"I have to go out," Himeko said. "Good luck." 

Then Himeko went out and Lia was on her own again. She picked up the tea tray and walked along the hallway down to the room in front of the koi pond. 

"Kazuki."

"Yes, Lia. What is it?

"I've made some tea. Would you like to have some?"

"Ah yes, that sounds nice." 

Lia bent down and placed the tea tray beside her and slide open the shoji door to reveal Kazuki focused on writing. He had his hair tied back in a ponytail and was wearing glasses. 

"Nothing like nice hot tea before bed," Kazuki said. "Thank you, Lia." He turned around and looked softly at her. 

Lia placed the tray down. Kazuki stopped writing, took his glasses off and got up and slide the windows out of the way so they could sit in front of the pond and drink some tea together. Lia grabbed the tea tray and offered some tea to Kazuki. She then sat beside him as they gazed up at the night sky.

"It's a beautiful night," Lia said. 

"It sure is." Kazuki took a sip of his tea and gazed up at the stars.