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

XI: Diplomacy

The next day came. Ayako's absence from the class was reasonable as she was one of the diplomats who would go to Westminster today. She was in her bedroom this afternoon with Jeanne who was trying her best to help her wear kimono—a traditional Japanese outfit. She wore a lipstick that hid her amebic lips, a blush on her face, and had her pair of glasses prepared in case a reading happened.

"Ayako, I didn't know how to wear your formal wear," Jeanne complained, "it seems a bit complicated."

Aya chuckled at the French woman, "I will tell you how just follow my words."

Jeanne nodded and attempted to go along with Aya's instructions. "Did I do it right?" Jeanne began to tie the obi stash behind, ended up as the amazing bow that Aya ever saw.

"You truly did a great job, Jeanne," Aya charmed her with a warming smile on her face. Jeanne couldn't help but slightly laugh at the young woman and they began to chatter.

Outside Aya's bedroom, Hiroto was lucky that the door remained open. Slowly entering the room, he placed a red package of cherry candies on the small table beside the door and got a glimpse of the Japanese woman before he walked away.

When Aya finally checked at the mirror after a few retouches from Jeanne, her eyes widened when she saw a red small bag through the reflection, which wasn't around before.

"What's the problem, Aya?" Jeanne asked her as the young lady looked back.

"That red bag isn't around when you came in," Aya pointed at the small bag on the console table.

"Someone is being sneaky. I think someone wants to cheer you up," Jeanne smirked. She added final details to Aya's simple makeup and organized the young lady's makeup set. "It's hard to apply makeover to your delicate face. It seems that Japanese women are exceptional when it comes to make-over."

Aya chuckled. "I might teach you some after the meeting later this evening if you want."

Jeanne replied, "sure! I want to learn a lot from you."

Jeanne carefully assisted Aya downstairs until they finally went outside, where there was a carriage waiting for them. Aya managed to go up by herself, although she almost fell down because of the tightness around her. When Jeanne finally sat down, the carriage door was closed and they moved.

The trip to the Palace of Westminster was longer than they expected as it was salarymen's dismissal time, which took them a while before they crossed the Thames Bridge and got a glimpse of the palace. The traffic to the entrance to the palace was expected as the international diplomats took turns riding and leaving their carriages.

"It seems the Parliament and Royal Family are busy today," Jeanne commented. She used her small eyepiece to look at various people around the palace, "not surprisingly, there are a lot of people like you. Most of them seem to be youthful but their beards showed age."

"Really? There are a lot of them?" Aya gulped. "Can I see them?"

"Sure." Jeanne gave her the eyepiece. Aya peeked through the glass and saw a lot of unfamiliar and familiar faces at the entrance of the Palace. She saw Count Kinoe and other three diplomats, Astor Binosty, and various people that she didn't know—assumed that they were either diplomats or assistants.

As the carriage began to move again, Aya saw a familiar female figure that she didn't expect to be around that made her trembled. That lady seemed to chat Astor warmly that Aya had a lot of questions in mind. Why is Yui-sensei around? Remembering Astor's conversation, Aya concluded that Yui was the one Astor referred to, making her eyes narrowed in doubt.