Chapter 9

While Tsubaki was taking a stroll around the house on a certain day, she just happened to pass by the garden and found a place where white clovers were blooming there.

Thinking it was rare about what she found, she unintentionally got closer to the garden and started to crouch down in search for a four-leaf clover.

On the other hand on the other side of the garden, the young Kyousuke just happened to find Tsubaki crouching down as if she was searching for something. He began to wonder what Tsubaki was trying to find, and curiosity got the better of him so he approached Tsubaki.

Although Tsubaki should have heard Kyousuke coming over, she pretended to not take notice of it and just kept on probing around the flower beds. When Tsubaki was right in front of him, Kyousuke started to speak with her.

“What are you doing?”

“Tsubaki is looking for a four-leaf clover.”

“Four-leaf clover?”

“You don’t know, Kyou-chan? People say that whoever finds a four-leaf clover will have a good fortune.”

“So it’s just a superstition, huh.”

Tsubaki felt a bit irritated with Kyousuke’s attitude who didn’t believe what she said and was even straightforward with it. She had a plan in mind and what she was doing was part of it. Now, she just has to think of a way to make Kyousuke join her.

“… And here Tsubaki though that if Kyou-chan gave this as a present for uncle, he will be very happy though~”

“No way, Father would never believe in such superstitions.”

“Well, maybe Tsubaki should give this as a present for uncle~”

“Wha–!?”

Although Kyousuke thought that his father would never believe in something superstitious. But for his cousin Tsubaki, who was also a niece of his father, to receive a present from her, he can imagine it very clearly how his father would react.

Unlike Kyousuke who only had an exchange with his father through letter, Tsubaki and his father would sometime spend their time talking together with only the two and Kyousuke already knew about this.

As if I would let you take another score with this!

With that in mind, Kyousuke decided to give a four-leaf clover as a present to his father and began to looking for it in desperation.

Looking at Kyousuke who was full with enthusiasm with a sidelong glance, Tsubaki thought– I knew it, this guy is too simple.

Meanwhile on the second floor of the mansion, by the window of her room, Yuriko watched as Kyousuke and Tsubaki looked for something around the corner of the garden with a smile.

In there was also Asahina Kaoru in the same room, happily watching Yuriko who was having fun looking at her daughter and her nephew.

“She surprisingly gets along with Kyousuke-kun really well.”

“The first time I met with Kyousuke-san, I thought that he was very mature for his age. But, ever since he began playing around with Tsubaki, I always get a glimpse of his childish behavior. As his aunt, it is really relieving you know.”

“Well, it’s because he always got lead around by Tsubaki though. In a good meaning.”

“Tsubaki is a bit tomboyish, while at the outside of the home she is very obedient. As her mother, it has helped me very much, but seeing how rarely she acts spoiled like a child is making me worried though”

Indeed, Tsubaki would sometimes do something absurd, but fundamentally she was a reasonable child, along with a very good memory and good at reading people’s atmosphere around her.

But that, at the same time, was also the source of Yuriko’s anxiety.

Was it because her upbringing environment that surrounded her for four years that made her lose her childishness? Then… isn’t it my fault that brought so much influence for her personality growth?

She can’t help but worry about this.

“Isn’t it because there are only adults around her? If a child comes in contact with a children around their age, surely their childishness will come out too. See Yuriko-san, didn’t you say that you began to get a glimpse of Kyousuke-kun’s childish behavior? It is exactly like that. And about Tsubaki-chan being a tomboy, Yuriko-san, did you personally see it?”

“Hmm, when we were living back at the Kurahashi residence, she was an obedient girl. She always spent her days at the garden while watching the pond, also doing some painting… In spite of being her mother, this is very shameful of me to not really understand her. We rarely spend times together after all so that is all I know about her.”

Although Yuriko had tried getting closer with Tsubaki as much as she can, their relationship as parent and child were not so deep like a parent and children would from a common family.

Yuriko can’t throw her chest up and proudly say ‘Tsubaki is a child like this’ because from deep down at the bottom of her heart, she is still knows nothing about Tsubaki.

“It’s okay Yuriko-san. You only need to know more about Tsubaki-chan from now on. Your experience as a mother is not more than 4 years after all, there is no one who can become a ‘perfect’ mother from the start. Anybody could make mistakes, but slowly they will take a step forward and grow together with their children.”

“That is… right. But–“

Yuriko hang her head down while she muttered in hesitation.

Looking at Yuriko who was hesitating on speaking, Asahina seems to have noticed something and began to ask her.

“Is there anything else that’s bothering you?”

“No, it is nothing big. Also it is not related to Tsubaki after all.”

“If you have something that’s bothering or worrying you, it would make you feel more at ease if you talk about it with someone, also the answer might come flying by it’s own you know. Don’t worry. I can be tight-lipped and won’t say a thing. To prove that, I didn’t even tell anyone about; long time ago Haruki’s front tooth was chipped when he ate Risa’s handmade chocolate that was too hard.”

A chuckle couldn’t help but escape from Yuriko. “Just now, you are telling that to me.”

“Ah, keep this a secret from Haruki okay? If he knows that Yuriko-san knew about this, I will have a hard time later.”

“Okay, I will keep this a secret.”

To Asahina who has lightly exposed her brother’s secret, Yuriko raised a laugh instinctively.

Yuriko then decided that if it was Asahina, who was a friend of his brother for a good long 20 years, it would be okay to tell him so she began to speak honestly about the matter that kept on bothering her.

“Um… This is might be too sudden but, do you have someone you yearn for, Asahina-sama?”

“UEEE!?”

Not expecting such a direct question, Asahina raised a hysteric-like scream to Yuriko’s question.

Surprised by Asahina’s scream, Yuriko unintentionally stared at him.

“Ah, sorry. It was too sudden that I was surprised… Someone I love, someone I love. Erm, yes I have someone I love. What about it?”

With a blushing face, Asahina talked in rather quick manner.

Yuriko found it was strange that Asahina’s expressions to take a sudden turn, but thinking that it would be rude to dig in too deeply, she just let it off.

“If that’s so, do you ever think that there is a possibility for that feeling to suddenly disappear?”

“Hmm, let’s see. I think not. I have fallen in love for her for around 15 years after all, I think I will keep loving her until I die.”

“That… is right, isn’t it? That is how it suppose to be, right?”

“Meaning?”

Prompted by Asahina to continue, Yuriko began to wonder if she should tell him or not. But, because she already arrived until this point, she let go of the chain that held her back and began to speak honestly.

“About Kurahashi, I really loved him so much. For his sake, I believed I could do anything. I always thought to became useful for him. Even after he betrayed me, I still loved him.—- However, after I was rebuked by Fumiko, after I read the letters Tsubaki wrote for me, I began to think how foolish I was to fall for a man like him. And after that, those feelings I had for Kurahashi suddenly disappeared without a trace. Even though I loved him that much, there were even no regrets in me at all. This heart, the love that I had for him to suddenly gone like that, makes me scared. I think that if maybe, there is something that deep inside me is different than any other people.”

“Is that what have been bothering you?”

“Yes. I am sure I would be despised as a heartless woman.”

Feared that the gentle Asahina will look at her with a despiteful gaze, Yuriko averted her gaze away from Asahina and spoke in self-deprecation.

“I don’t think you are a heartless woman, Yuriko-san.”

“Eh?”

Hearing these unexpected words from Asahina, Yuriko raised her face and stared at Asahina’s eyes.

Seeing Asahina who was looking at her straight into her eyes, Yuriko was flustered a bit and averted her gaze away from Asahina again.

Without minding about Yuriko’s current state, Asahina spoke.

“I think a husband and wife who are considerate and care for each other, is what will make them become a couple and become a family. In Yuriko-san’s case, it is only you who thought and made an effort to become a family, while the other party rejected your effort. Even if it is in a one-way form, as long as the ‘giving’ party is doing their best and persevere, it is possible to create their relationship in a form of a ‘family’. But did you know, Yuriko-san? If you make light of that feeling and effort while keep doing it, it wouldn’t be a surprise if your love for him will wither.”

“… My love for him, will wither…”

“Yes. Although I’m used to hearing people say that ‘there is no love for eternity’, that is why to make it possible, they have to be mutually care for each other and keep hold of their feeling of love for each other while raising their affection together. Well, that is only what I personally think though. In Yuriko-san’s case, it is not heartless, but I think it is right to say that you are fed up with it. It is not rare you know, anybody would experience the same as you if they are in your shoes.”

“… Fed up with it.”

Those words went straight into Yuriko’s heart.

Being told that anybody would experience the same as her, it somehow lightened her heart.

For Yuriko who was raised in a sheltered life, love is something that will go for eternity and can only be severed until death come to separate them.

That is why, for her love for Kurahashi to disappear just like that made her think that something is wrong with her. And it kept bothering her.

However, after listening to what Asahina just said, Yuriko once again realized that there is still a difference in her way of thinking if compared to common sense.

Asahina’s words had a very convincing persuasive power in it, and Yuriko came to consent to it.

Because of that, Yuriko instinctively began to look at Asahina with a reverence gaze.

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

Being watched by Yuriko so suddenly made Asahina in a flustered state, that even anybody who saw him right now can tell that clearly.

“As expected of Asahina-sama. You are really knowledgeable in this area.”

“O-Oh please, I’m still unmarried you know? I knew that kind of knowledge from watching my parents and my elder brothers’ family. I don’t know anything about that in detail.”

“But still, thanks to you I feel more refreshed right now. Thank you very much, Asahina-sama.”

“You are welcome.”

“I believe the person who could have you as their husband would be very happy to have a husband that is so understanding like you.”

“Eh, ah, un. I-Is that so?”

To Yuriko, Asahina was a man who understand what is important to become a family and will become a great husband, but for Asahina, when he heard those words, he was so happy that he began to tremble and started to stutter when talking.

“Yes. That is why I pray that your feelings will pass through the person you yearned for one day.”

“T-Thanks. I see. I hope that would come true.”

Looking at Asahina had a dejected face, Yuriko was worried if she had said something wrong to him.

However, Asahina suddenly raised his face and began to call Yuriko’s name in a loud voice.

“Uhm, Yuriko-san!”

Right at the moment Asahina wanted to continue his words, BAAM, the door to Yuriko’s room was opened with a loud sound. The one who opened the door was Tsubaki accompanied with Kyousuke and they entered the room where Yuriko and Asahina was in.

Tsubaki and Kyousuke’s clothes and hands were smeared in dirt, also there’s a dirt with hand-like mark on their faces.

“Okaa-sama! Look, I made this!”

Saying that, Tsubaki showed a corolla made of white clovers in her hands and gestured Yuriko to crouch down.

Looking at Tsubaki, Yuriko crouched down like what Tsubaki wanted her to do and Tsubaki put the corolla on top of Yuriko’s head.

“How is it? Does it look good?”

“It looks so good, Okaa-sama. You are so pretty.”

“Thank you. Ara? Kyousuke-kun made one too?”

“Ah, yes.”

Seems like Kyousuke was restraining himself. He was standing one step away from Tsubaki and her mother.

However, Yuriko saw the corolla that Kyousuke hid behind him and talked to him casually.

Slowly, Kyousuke presented the corolla in his hands to Yuriko. Yuriko took the corolla and was surprised when she saw how neatly the corolla was made.

“Maa, this is done very well. Kyousuke-kun, seems like you are really skillful with your fingers.”

“It’s not… true.”

“It is true. How is it, Asahina-sama? You think so too, don’t you?”

“Yeah, it is done very well. As expected of Haruki’s son if I have to say.”

Asahina was praising Kyousuke’s dexterity in handling his fingers.

The praised Kyousuke was letting out an aura like he was saying “This is feels not bad”, and naturally made the edges of his lips raised and he began fidgeting.

Looking at that Kyousuke, Tsubaki began to feel relieved and took out the four-leaf clover from her pocket and presented it to her mother.

“Ara? A four-leaf clover?”

“Yes. I want to give it to you, Okaa-sama.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll make this as a pressed flower and use it as a bookmarker. I am looking forward to use this while reading a book.”

Yuriko was delighted and wrapped the flower with a tissue and inserted it in a book.

Looking at the delighted Yuriko, Tsubaki was satisfied and told them that they will go wash their hands, and left the room together with Kyousuke.

“Oi, Tsubaki. Are you fine with this? You only have 1 four-leaf clover you know?”

“It’s fine. Because I was looking for it for Okaa-sama after all.”

Kyousuke was a little surprised at the lack of desire of Tsubaki who easily said it.

“… Here”

Suddenly, Kyousuke hold out his hand toward Tsubaki. He opened his grasped hand, what in his hand was a four-leaf clover and he presented the flower to Tsubaki.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Also, if I want a flower like this again I only have to search for it. I still have one four-leaf clover to give it as a present for Father so I don’t mind giving this one to you.”

“Thank you Kyou-chan!”

Overflowing with a smile, Tsubaki said her thanks to Kyousuke. She took the flower from Kyousuke’s hand, gently wrapped it in a handkerchief and put it in her pocket.

Tsubaki was thinking of hardening the flower with resin and make it as an accessory or a keychain.

“Did you know, Segawa said that today’s snack is a shortcake. As a thanks for the four-leaf clover, I will give my strawberry to you, Kyou-chan.”

Saying no more than that, Tsubaki began running toward the washroom to wash her hands.

Kyousuke was left behind was in a good mood when he saw how happy Tsubaki was, his lips naturally took a shape of a smile.

Kyousuke hadn’t known that a single word of gratitude could make his heart this warm until now.

But still, for a person from Mizushima to show improper behavior like running in a hallway, I guess I’ll warn her for this. With that in mind, Kyousuke began to chase after Tsubaki.

TL: Ellionora

Editor: Kevin

TL Note: Hi guys, it’s me Elli. I’m sorry for the irregular update. Stuffs happened here and I got my hands full so can’t do anything about translating. Anyway, good news. I have a long period holiday for a month so I can pump up more chapters from now on. Bad news, Kevin is stuck with his summer classes…. What? Nothing change? I guess so *Looking away*