84 – Unknown Maid – 2
I thought the time had come.
When she saw the young lady’s appearance becoming more and more suspicious, rolling her eyes and looking at her every time she met her, she already guessed it, but she didn’t show it.
And then the young lady decided to run away from home.
She couldn’t have done anything on her own, so she definitely expected Aiden’s help. Of course he left with the young lady.
Because I had trust in him, he just looked out the window at a car leaving in a hurry, but the adult owner didn’t seem to have it, so he was very embarrassed and made a phone call.
Itsuya Shiraishi.
Owner of the Shiraishi family, one of the world’s leading conglomerates.
He has a daughter.
Since the death of his wife a long time ago, his only true family has been his wife.
“…… “Did you call me?”
“Okay. “I want to entrust you with something important.”
When my daughter ran away from home for nearly a month, the owner called me.
“I thought if I left it alone, it would come back exhausted… “What happened?”
Several photos flutter and fall on the table.
There was a young lady in that photo.
Walking around the downtown area with a group, getting on a bus, even eating lunch with other students.
“…… “I was a fool to trust Aiden.”
He grumbled and looked back at me.
“Elena. “Please bring Akira.”
“…… All right. Then right now….”
When he muttered softly, he waved his hand in embarrassment.
“Oh, no, not by force…” Because I don’t want to be hated anymore… I understand Akira. At that age, that could have happened. Cancer… ….”
Unable to stand strong in front of his daughter, he made a long excuse and cleared his throat.
“To some extent… I’m worried that my daughter won’t go down the wrong path… Because it is my father’s heart. Huh.”
It sounded like he was trying to console himself in that way.
“But Aiden has some soft spots… In that respect, isn’t Miss Elena certain?”
“……… ….”
“So… “What should I say?”
Even though he was speaking backwards, I could understand what he meant.
In other words, it was a story about pressure to bring the young lady back to the family under the rules of the Shiraishi family.
“I understand. “I will pack my bags and leave tomorrow.”
Quietly lower your head.
He turned around, relieved that he had saved himself the trouble of giving a long explanation.
“Okay. I’m just worried about Akira. If you look away from her for a moment, she will have an accident and go missing…. She said that until she became an adult….”
Until she became an adult… The young lady is protected under the rules of the main family.
After that, she gets engaged to a man chosen by her family.
The young lady’s future was decided.
I also knew why the bird in the cage desperately tried to open the door and escape.
***
From noble mtl dot com
When she arrived at the young lady’s mansion, she faced a boy she had never seen before.
He appeared to be the young lady’s classmate, but we had never heard anything about it in the report.
He is not Yuuki Yuu.
Aiden stood in front of me and defended him, and the young lady looked at the boy with trembling eyes.
Who on earth is this man?
The boy, standing next to the young lady as if he were a knight, looked up with frightened eyes without any spirit and spoke in a firm voice.
“……… Don’t worry. Believe me.”
A voice coming from behind me.
When I glanced back, the young lady was watching his back as he left for a while.
Looking at that scene, I guessed their relationship.
The girl knows that he is in love now.
I was also able to guess why Mr. Aiden did not mention his presence in the report.
That night, when he stopped by the room to report, the young lady came out to the veranda.
“…… Ah. “Elena.”
“It’s bedtime.”
“I did.”
After staring at the night sky for a while, the young lady closed the window and drew the curtains as she always did. At night, when she couldn’t sleep, she could always be seen looking out her window.
When her eyes met, she smiled slightly and said.
“I was just going to lie down. “I have to go to school tomorrow too.”
“I came to tell you about it.”
She lowered her head and spoke calmly.
“Starting tomorrow, I will personally take charge of managing your schedule.”
“……… ….”
“Not only is there a curfew restriction, but you can’t act carelessly without telling me even when you go out… “I came to tell you.”
When I raised her head, she lowered her gaze and was only looking at her floor.
“……… All right.”
Short answer.
After that there was silence.
“Okay then.”
“Ah… “Elena.”
As I turned around, I stopped at the sound of her calling coming from behind me.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you…” “I haven’t even been able to say hello properly yet.”
“……… ….”
“How have you been?”
She answered, bowing her head to the smiling young lady.
“Yes. Of course.”
“Yes. Thank god. Me too, of course… “I had a good time.”
She looked embarrassed, as if she felt awkward meeting me after leaving the house without warning.
She had often seen the young lady like this.
When she had an accident. She said it was when she confronted me after doing something she couldn’t handle, or
“…… Elena. “I want to ask you one thing.”
When she reveals her honest feelings.
She said her words even though she hesitated because of my always calm appearance.
“Yes. “Please tell me anything.”
“…… “Does Elena like a guy?”
“No.”
“Then has she ever been in love?”
“……… ….”
I looked at him in silence.
The young lady was clearly asking me for advice.
Not as an employee, but as an adult who has looked after her since she was young.
“……… Doesn’t exist.”
I spoke calmly.
It wasn’t a lie.
“I see….”
The young lady muttered and sat down by her bed.
“Then…” “Can you at least listen to my story?”
“……… ….”
She said that even though she probably knew what I came here for.
“There is someone I like.”
“……… Is that so.”
“However, that person and I are destined to never come true.”
“…………….”
Slowly approach and sit next to her.
I gently stretched out her hand and held her hand.
“I came here as if I was running away, and my father sent Elena to watch over me.”
The young lady continued speaking quietly as if she was reciting.
“I know I have to go back someday. “In the end, I am in a love that cannot come true.”
“……… ….”
“This moment is just a dream to me. Even if I keep struggling, I can’t escape that fate….”
Her expression was not visible because it was covered by her bowed hair. She knew what she was talking about.
The lady is running away.
Even when memories of her childhood came to Seorin’s neighborhood, she kept running away.
“Of course… I don’t blame you. “Elena is also just an employee of this family.”
“……… Miss.”
“It’s okay to go back now.”
Saying that, she stood up and turned her body.
I also left the room thinking about the man who made her like this.
***
The bell rings, signaling the end of school.
Most of the students would probably stay and focus on preparing for the cultural festival.
That’s the same in our classroom. From preparing props and backgrounds to practicing acting. There was a lot of work to do.
For this reason, we planned to push the desks and chairs back and gather each team separately to prepare.
I took on the role unexpectedly and took out the script Shiraishi gave me from my bag.
The good thing is that since I wasn’t the lead role, there were less lines to memorize or movements to do.
While everyone in the classroom was busy moving around, the classroom door burst open.
It was an appearance that everyone could not help but notice.
That’s right, because a blonde beauty wearing an old-fashioned maid uniform suddenly came in.
I thought it was impossible, but she approached Shiraishi.
“… “Elena.”
“It’s time to go back. “I waited in front of the school gate, but he didn’t come, so I came to pick him up myself.”
I hear voices muttering around me. I was confused for a moment because I had no idea that he would come into the classroom.
“I… We need to prepare for the cultural festival. So you can go back right away….”
When Shiraishi answered hesitantly, Elena raised her head.
Then I looked at the classroom.
Everyone was paying attention to this maid who appeared out of nowhere and was doing something, but she calmly opened her mouth.
“A cultural festival is a meaningless pastime. It’s just a waste. “It is unacceptable to waste your precious time in such a place.”
“Yeah, but….”
You are so determined.
Even though the students in the classroom were looking at her, she casually said that and took Shiraishi’s bag.
“Let’s go. Miss.”
“Oh… ….”
But we needed Shiraishi.
Without her, I can’t receive any instructions. Because Shiraishi was the general manager of our play.
She is also a leading actress. Without Shiraishi, she cannot prepare properly.
Nevertheless, Elena opened the classroom door.
Shiraishi looked at us with trembling eyes. No, those eyes were focused on me. At that moment, I stepped forward.
I couldn’t send her away without doing anything like she did during her lunch break.
As Elena says, this cultural festival is simply a memory-building event with no deep meaning, a festival and play for students. It’s nothing more or less than that.
“Shiraishi.”
I was clearly convinced that the most important thing to her was those memories.
She grabbed her arm and pulled her into the classroom.
Shiraishi, who was lightly pulled and clinging to me, looked up at me with surprised eyes.
“……… I’m sorry. “I can’t let Shiraishi go.”
As I said that, I stood in front of Elena, who had stopped tall.
“……… You are….”
Muttering, she looked intently as if observing me.
“It may not mean anything to you, but… “It’s important to us.”
Yes.
Because I never imagined that I would face a time like this in this world.
We all work hard to prepare together to make the cultural festival a success.
In this world full of unpleasant incidents, I barely encountered a youthful event.
I never wanted to miss this opportunity.
“…… “I really need Shiraishi.”
Yes. For the preparation for the cultural festival and for my own plans.
Her eyes hardened due to her nervousness, but instead of avoiding her, she faced her directly. I said straight up.
“……… ….”
There was silence in the classroom due to the sudden confrontation.
Elena was speechless.
However, the expressionless expression remains the same.
She stretched out her hand towards me.
At that moment, I closed my eyes, feeling that I would be pushed or grabbed by the collar.
“…… Ugh.”
I slowly opened my tightly closed eyes, but fortunately, Shiraishi and I were standing there quietly.
And…
“……… To… I….”
Elena’s outstretched hand was on my head.
She was slowly stroking my head with that inexplicable expression on her face.
“……… Elena… Seed?”
Without any expression.
Not knowing the meaning of those strokes, I froze in place.