The Japanese Tutor (PART I-II) [ONGOING]

II: From East to West

After the conversation with the Englishman's wife, Aya went back to her room after dinner to take a look at her father's writings, especially about Saichi's child. She scanned through the pages to find out what happened during their trip to Britain.

Who is Heather Steinfeld? Why is she the one Saichi Kujo married?

And who is their son?

Aya wanted those questions to be answered badly as she flipped the pages. She saw a few information about the Steinfeld family in the middle part of the journal, but what enticed her was the letter tucked into the journal. She picked the letter and looked at the back to see who made the letter: it was for her from her beloved father. Aya opened the letter, and she read it.

Dear my daughter Ayako,

Are you done reading the first half of my journal? It seems not.

The first line of her father's letter hit her. Her father really knew her.

If not, it seems that you are curious about the Steinfeld family. They will be your companion throughout your stay in Britain. Mr. George Steinfeld helped Saichi and me in finding the important information needed. That family is an aristocratic family who becomes counts and countess throughout the centuries. Since the Industrial Revolution, they lead to steam power machine productions.

If you wonder who Ms. Heather Steinfeld is, she is Saichi's British wife - the Countess of Steinfeld. She didn't visit Japan for a long time because their son, Hiroto, was motion sick. She sent Saichi letters every month about her, her family, and her son's status. The most recent letter was Heather in need of a Japanese tutor as he received a letter from the Palace that he would be an ambassador in Britain to Japan in the next four years. Since you are the only Japanese at the same age as Hiroto and you are going to Britain, I believe you can be his tutor. I don't know about Hiroto's personality, but we hope to share the kind nature as my best friend.

I know that studying and researching more about western culture is your main business in Britain, but please adhere to Saichi's request.

Aya folded the letter and looked at the window. It was still afternoon, sailing across the Indian Ocean. She thought about that boy's personality. If he is into his mother's culture, she thought of him as a man dancing with women. She believed that he is smart, but it doesn't mean that she will be light to him.

She felt uninterested in tutoring him, despite Saichi's request, but let's see when she met that boy. His name itself slightly lingered her mind.

The ship just reached Bombay, India, in the afternoon of July. The vastness of the ocean took the ship days before it reached its destination. Aya, along with Lady Mary and her husband, used the entire afternoon to tour the city. The city had the touch of Western architecture, but they also had colorful shrines that symbolized their religion. The signs and texts are what they couldn't understand unless it has an English translation below it. They went to the restaurant to check in for dinner before they return to the docks.