Messages, and a Maid
| Hi, I hope I’m not bothering you with this or anything. I talked to Kaede about us, and she understood. Well, thank you for everything.|
Mary read over the message several times, even after having sent it.
/I don’t know why I did this. She’s going to think it sounds weird./
Mary sent the phone on the low table. She massaged her temples attempting to escape the negative thoughts building in her mind.
“Miss Sakura?”
Mary looked up to see Miss Hirano standing in the doorway.
“Do you have a headache? Allow me to offer you tea if so.”
Mary smiled self consciously setting her hands in her lap.
“I’m okay, thank you.”
Miss Hirano turned to leave the room, but suddenly stopped.
“Miss Sakura?”
Mary was mildly startled having thought she left.
“Y-yes?”
“Please watch over Miss Akinomiya.”
Mary hesitated to respond, she had never expected to have such a frank conversation with the maid.
“I- I will.”
Still, Miss Hirano bowed.
“This is very irregular for me to be forward in this way. But, Miss A... Kaede; she is often alone in this house.”
Mary frowned at the thought.
“I didn’t know that. What about the rest of the family?”
“Her brothers and sister have since moved out, she is trusted to keep the property.”
“I see.”
Miss Hirano stepped forward.
“Kaede is the kindest soul I have ever known, and I have served her and the Akinomiya family for many years. When she loves you as she has said, she truly means it.”
Mary silently nodded in response.
“So Miss Sakura, I entrust her heart to you.”
A dangerous aura began swirling around the maid; her hair flowed from a sudden ominous breeze.
“Do not make her sad, Miss Sakura.”
Mary gulped, scared by her sudden intensity.
“I- I will not Miss Hirano. I love her as well.”
The dangerous aura receded and her hair settled. The usual pleasant smile Miss Hirano wore returned.
“I’m glad.”
Mary stared in silence as Miss Hirano floated away, and disappeared around a corner.
/She’s so scary!/
Mary looked out to the finely kept courtyard.
/She’s all alone here./
Birds chirped in the trees, and a butterfly landed on a potted flower.
“Why didn’t I notice?”
Mary tapped her fingers on the table, thinking about how her fate had changed so suddenly.
Mary opened her and Kaede’s message chat and began typing.
| It’s sort of soon, but I’d like to stay over more regularly if it’s okay.|
A sense of dread overcame her as she sent the message.
/This sounds so weird./
Mary stared expectantly at the screen, as if Kaede would be waiting for her message.
/She’s at work, what am I doing?/
Suddenly, her phone sounded and Kaede’s response appeared.
| I would like that very much.|
