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

XV: Sense of Urgency

As per the request of George Steinfeld, Yui was traveling this late afternoon to Devonshire through the train with a half-empty suitcase. She had a residence in Bath, but she had a mission in mind that made her left her little home for a while—which the landlords didn't mind as it was very distant from the city proper. Once the train stopped in Exeter, she was the first one to step out and left the station. As she had her eyes on the less populated place, Yui was delighted to see major changes around the city that made her dozed to wonder.

"Ms. Tanaka, I'm here!" Loud old feminine voice stunned the middle-aged woman, looking at various directions to see whose voice was that until she saw the old lady just in front of her. She smiled at her.

"Mrs. Steinfeld," Yui ran to embrace her former companion. When she analyzed Cesira's features, she had more wrinkles but remained a good posture despite age. She let the old lady move freely and spoke.

"I am glad to see you around, Yuria. I received a telegram from my husband that you will come here to Exeter."

Hearing her old nickname again smitten her, taking her back to her youthful years. "Yes. He told me that I can stay in your mansion until Christmas."

"Exactly," Cesira grinned and led her to the family carriage.

They had a short ride to the mansion afterward. Yui took the side of the seat where she could see the improved architecture of a place she used to consider as her home. Once they arrived and entered the mansion, Heather, the mistress of the residence, greeted them with her eyes glued to the Japanese woman.

"Yuria, it's nice to see you around Britain," Heather talked to Yui with jovial as she clung to her, "when I heard that you would arrive here, I was astounded. I thought you will live in Japan for the rest of your life!"

"I am here for something important, Heather," Yui replied. She looked around the halls while they walked through and indeed, she felt the Western comfort again, "where is your son, anyway?"

"Hiroto is residing in Bucks, studying politics. I made him take international relations too, which he feels delighted, especially the Japanese ones that he learned from his father's books—translated in English for him," Heather opened the door to an old tidy guest bedroom, which was a room where Yui rested more than two decades ago, "I wish he learn Japanese, despite him in danger under the hands of a treacherous woman."

Yui frowned, but she didn't show it to Heather as her eyes were busy staring at the interior of the room. "This is why I am here—to send her home."

Heather smirked. They went inside the bedroom to continue the conversation, with Yui sitting beside her after she placed her suitcase on the floor, "now your intentions here are clear. Her father told me of her crimes through a letter."

Her father... Yui snickered but wasn't surprised to hear this as Heather and Tsuki were friends—making her mind wander if Heather knew a certain situation between her and Tsuki more than twenty years ago.

"What's wrong?" Heather's eyes widened to see her old friend's blank expression, "did I make you contemplate deeper?"

Yui shook her head. "Nothing, but I want to tell you something about—"

"Madam," a housemaid knocked on the door, "Mr. Amir and his wife just arrived."

Heather eventually stood up on her chair and ran to the door to get out of the room.

"I'm coming!"