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

XVII: Behind the Cracks

After the events in the dinner, Yui couldn't help but run through the halls following her beloved student. As she looked back, she felt that Hiroto might follow her, but Aya was her priority. Yui stopped in her tracks when Aya went inside the bedroom and slammed the thick brown door. She walked over and tapped on it with her knuckles. Aya didn't respond—she expected it, but Yui listened to her sobs through its thickness.

I guessed she hadn't read my letter yet, Yui assumed. She knocked it again and called her in their native language, "Ayako, let me in, please."

There was no response. This made Yui tell something, "I will be honest with you—I am not very affiliated with Takahito. I delivered the package through Jeanne for you to inform. I don't have any ill intentions."

Another silent reply cried the middle-aged woman, believing that she didn't convince her student. "I am with you, Aya. I used what the Emperor gave me to rescue you, albeit against his command. This residence is no longer safe to roam around," Yui explained. Later she sighed, "please let me go inside the room. We can discuss this."

Yui found out the door unlocked at last, and she opened it. As she entered the room, she saw the young lady sitting on the bed, facing the opened balcony. She pitied her as the damage made by the Steinfeld family was too wide for her to control. As she sat beside her, she placed her hand onto the other's shoulder and caressed it.

"This is not the dead-end to what you want, Aya," Yui told her, "I am here to help you."

Aya glanced at her mentor, who had pleading dark brown eyes and a reassuring smile that caused her mood lightened. She shifted in her position to embrace the woman and let the tears flow from her eyes. She missed this warmth—starving for her calm voice and gentle touch.

"Don't worry about the time. Let them out," Yui spoke low, "they will not come here. They trusted me."

"Auntie..." Aya mumbled, "I don't know what to do."

"We will prepare your things, so we will go somewhere." Yui scanned the room, and she frowned at hesitation because of size—too big to be a guest room. "If you can't handle everything today, I can arrange other things for you. Your bedroom is too large for you to fix by yourself."

Yui let her young student go and watched Aya stood up and went to the wooden desk near the entrance door. When she looked at where Aya was, she saw the large contents on the table and one of them was the jar she sent to Aya. "Have you read my letter? It seems you haven't read it yet, so your eventual exit is a surprise."

Aya stopped on her tracks and eyed on the unopened envelope located on her desk. She picked it up and opened the envelope that covered the letter. As she unfolded the piece of paper, written in Japanese, she rotated the paper and began to read.

While the younger was reading, Yui went to the large cabinet of the room to gather the clothes and folded some that was unfolded on the bedroom. As she attempted to place them into the suitcase, she rushed outside to the living room a few doors away to get her half-empty suitcase. Once she returned, she noticed Aya—her eyes widened but not because she was frightened but found the plan unexpected.

"So, you are talking to Mr. Binosty about this all this time?" Aya asked as the older closed the door, "when I first saw you around with the comical man, I thought you'll spread the news per the Emperor."

Yui chuckled while she placed her suitcase on the bed and opened it, "I can't believe you'll deduce that thought. Astor is a very good friend of mine—or maybe more of that."

Aya froze. "I can't believe you hide about your relationship all this time!"

"Of course, my relationship has to be private from my students, but that doesn't mean that I will go away with my purpose in life."