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missneko-otaku · 6 years ago

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Sakakibara Yasumasa

A Faint Affection (MC x Yasumasa)

-Chapter 1/ Chapter 2/ Chapter 3/ Chapter 4/ Chapter 5/ Chapter 6-7 *new

(Finally, got to finish chapter 5..whew~ (⌐▨_▨) Here it is~! Just gonna share it to you too, guys :-D Hope you don’t mind. @shiranata @ieyasu-tacogawa @bmp-slbp-matchup @uesugi-miu @masamunbae @yvckie @af-fection @sagaralisa )

A Faint Affection (MC x Yasumasa)

Chapter 5

Afternoon Break, and Some Little Troubles..

Everyday is just the same.

Which is good. I hope this peace we have will stay longer, last longer-- tho I know that it’s impossible. That this is just temporary, a thing I could only wish. Yet.. I pray that tomorrow will still be the same as today. Peaceful.

I am outside the main courtyard, just in the clothesline area folding the newly dried and sun-pressed laundry clothes-- putting them into a large woven basket just beside me. It is already late morning, the sky with a glaring sun staring above us. A hot relentless morning, surely.

I stack the nicely folded clothes into the large woven basket and with care, hold the basket both in my arms. I unsteadily walk towards the veranda, careful at each step I take so that I won’t might bump into something. But as I am about to head to the corner of the corridor, I bump not into a wall, instead to someone-- sending him on the floor with a thud that seems painful just by the sound of it. I can’t see who it was because of the pile of clothes blocking my view, but I just really hope so it isn’t lord Ieyasu that I accidentally sent flying to the wooden floor.

Quickly, I put down the large basket on the floor and rush toward that person.

“..mmm..” reacts faintly of the man sitting now on the floor.

“I-I am so sorry, milord..!” still flustering, I help him get to his feet.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.” says the voice so softly, to my surprised when I look, it is lord Toramatsu.

“Oh, lord Toramatsu..!” I say with a sense of relief knowing that it was him.

Whew. Thank goodness, it wasn’t our difficult Tokugawa young lord. I utter within myself.

He looks at me, his hand brushing off his wrinkled hakama, and talks to me in a kind tone, “Still doing some chores?” he asks.

“Ohh, yes. I am about to finish everything, just need to store these fresh laundry then I am done for today’s morning chores.” feeling glad about this fact as I say it to him.

“I see..” he smiles but then, when he looks at that towering pile of clothes, a slight surprised or maybe shocked shows on his face, “but.. That sure looks heavy. Do you want me to help you?” he asks with a little concern.

Even tho everyone here knows that I am a guy, surely you can’t deny the fact that I have a small and almost-like fragile frame. I feel a bit glad for how considerate lord Toramatsu can be, even to a guy. He sure is a kind soul.

“Oh, no. It’s really okay. I always carry this much just fine by myself. All the time too.” I say, reassuring him that he doesn’t really need to worry about it.

“Still. Hmm..” with that familiar determined expression I came to know after living here for a while that shows lightly on his face whenever he’s already decided to do something, he urges me, “Let me carry the other half. Just think of this as a little reward for all the hard work you do for us. You always help in the kitchen, even in cleaning and you even serve lord Yasumasa.”

Well, knowing that I can’t refuse him at all, seeing him exudes with such eagerness to help, I happily take his kind offer and let lord Toramatsu help me carry the half of the clean clothes.

We divide it. He carries the half in the big basket while I on the other hand, the other half of the clean laundry pressed on my chest tightly so as not to deform the folded clothes. We then start to walk.

“You don’t have to be so formal to me too, you know. We are almost the same age.” without glancing at me, he says it with a faint smile on his lips.

“Umm..alright..If it’s really okay with you, milord. Then, thank you again for helping me with these.” I reply, now in a somehow more casual and comfortable tone.

“Yeah..” he adds.

As we walk, a familiar voice greets us suddenly in the corridor that makes me instinctively almost jump into my feet upon just hearing it. My guts is right. It is lord Yasumasa in front of us-- looking at us with a smile and an expression that I can’t seem to decipher.

I don’t know why I reacted like that, but he seeing me with lord Toramatsu, sends bad feelings to me. I can just feel it in my bones.

I feel anxious for some reason..

I don’t know why I feel a bit guilty too right now as if I was caught doing something bad behind his back or something.

This brings me back too, when I saw lord Yasumasa some time ago, staring intently at lord Tadagatsu, lord Tadakatsu and some of the retainers while they were laughing. That facial expression that he had back then, bothered me. Just like now, as I think of it.

“Oh, what do we have here? Hmm.. “ he looks at us with a bit of disdain, his arms crossed..then continues, “You just love being a goody two-shoes, aren’t you...Toramatsu?” he says in a smirking fashion, his mocking gaze directed at lord Toramatsu.

“...”

Lord Toramatsu says nothing in return though I can feel the glare brewing inside his eyes as he stares at lord Yasumasa too. His silent expression tells me that he’s resisting himself, not letting lord Yasumasa’s words get to him.

To break the nerve-racking atmosphere that starts to build up around us, I bow and greet lord Yasumasa as usual.

“Um.. G-good day to you milord.”

Okay. I think I just sounded a bit awkward there.

As soon as I finished my greetings, lord Toramatsu, starts walking in quick strides with the basket in his arms-- passing lord Yasumasa as if he isn’t there and leaving me behind.

“Hmph.” snorts lord Yasumasa, his eyes following the back of lord Toramatsu, “acting all high and mighty now, huh.” he adds, clearly irritated or dissatisfied by how just lord Toramatsu ignored him completely.

Ughh.. I don’t like this. I feel like my stomach is in knots right now. And why does he always have to act like a jerk all the time, anyway..!? Especially with lord Toramatsu.

This, I say with wonder and clear bit of annoyance to myself.

I thought I am accustomed to his jerk behaviors but I think sometimes, he can be just too much and unreasonable. Like a child, a bully, always picking fights.. Sigh. Sometimes I wish he would change that jerk part of him. Oh, well.. What can I do, that is lord Yasumasa for you.

Though I am trying to understand lord Yasumasa more and accept him for who he is, I can’t help but wish for him to try to be a little kind and considerate to others.

Busy wandering in my thoughts, lord Yasumasa now peeks at my direction that I soon noticed as my gaze lands on him as well. Though he has this familiar expression written on his face, that usual irritation that I am somehow used to, somehow today, something feels a bit different.

Still feeling guilty and uncomfortable even though I shouldn’t be really... I make an attempt to start a random conversation with him, but before I even have the chance to open my mouth he strides his way towards me, passing by me without a word or any at all-- just like how lord Toramatsu did to him.

Silently, I follow him with my eyes until he turns in a corner at the corridor and disappears too. I let out a somewhat long sigh.

“I shouldn’t be feeling down like this but..ugh.. I need to get back to work..”

***

Lunch time.

Almost everyone is in the main hall, having their own lively chats while waiting for their trays to be served in front of them. I and the kitchen ladies just finished preparing their meals. With a towering stack of trays on both my hands, I carefully serve everyone’s meal. I come to where lord Tadakatsu and lord Yasumasa sits. I kneel before them to serve their trays to them. Lord Tadakatsu greets me with his usual smile and his eyes, beaming as ever. Well, as for lord Yasumasa… sighs, he has this somewhat unreadable expression on his face, his very self emitting such negativity in the air.. And I feel as if it is directed towards me.

Sighs. Ohh... What is wrong again??

Feeling choked by it, I look at the other side. Sitting next to him is lord Tadakatsu who is emanating such nice warmth and vibrancy around him, merrily talking to the other retainers near them. He’s the very opposite of lord Yasumasa who is currently like at any moment will kill someone with that glare of his too.

“I am sure today’s lunch is good knowing just by the look of it. You are a very good cook Yahiko, you know? How you plan, prepare and pair the dishes--always complementing each other..” says lord Tadakatsu at me as he looks about the food on his tray.

“Really..? The taste the same as ever for me. Nothing special.” belittles lord Yasumasa in a tepid response, he’s chopsticks already in his hands, hardly picking some vegetables from his plate.

Sighs…

While serving the others, I observe him from afar as he silently eats. I can’t figure out why or what in seven hells is he irritated about. I really can’t read nor understand sometimes how his mind works. Despite the quietness, I get the feeling that he is angry at me.

Everyone starts eating as soon as all have their trays.

Still, my job isn’t yet finished for I am to serve tea to everyone as they eat. I smile while watching everyone’s faces who seem like they are enjoying their meals heartily. Even lord Ieyasu who is sometimes picky is silently eating his meal without a frown on his face. I can see that the food on his bowl is already half, his umeboshi already gone. That just means that he is satisfied right? Well, I just hope so.

I am done filling everyone’s cup with hot tea.

I go now outside of the main hall to make more extra tea and so that I can start to prepare my desserts for them too.

After some time, I come back with their tea and desserts, everyone is almost finished with their meals and some already have continued their own lively conversations from before. I served tea and his strawberry daifuku first, to lord Ieyasu before everyone else of course, then soon I serve the others as well.

“I can see that only lord Ieyasu is having his favorite strawberry daifuku. You are really adjusting quite well here, and aware too, of our lord’s likes and maybe dislikes too.” lord Tadagatsu tells me nicely, as I pour him hot tea on his cup beside his uiro-mochi dessert.

“He is. Really.” adds lord Toramatsu sitting just beside him, smiling at me as he starts to fork his serving of the sweet dessert on his plate. “And...even with lord Yasumasa.” lord Toramatsu says this with a small sigh. “I am honestly amazed with you, Yahiko. To be able to put up with lord Yasumasa’s attitude, especially everyday... is just like a pure hard work for me. But you? I am really amazed. I admire your fortitude and endurance.”

“Haha.ha.. (yeah, a real hard work...you are so right lord Toramatsu.. But, oh well..lord Tadakatsu is right too, he’s not that bad if his not in his one of his moods...well, he just can be hard to read, deal or be with sometimes. But he can be briefly good too...once in a blue moon tho).

“Then I am glad to know from both of you that I am doing a good work. Milords” I say in return.

I go now to lord Yasumasa and lord Tadakatsu’s side. As I come nearer, I can see that Lord Tadakatsu seems to be waiting for his share of dessert. I kneel beside them, fill their cups with hot tea and serve their desserts too.

“Thank you, Yahiko. So today’s different. Uiro-mochi right?” asks lord Tadakatsu as I put in front of him his dessert. “Is this like Yokan?” he asks again, as he brings his plate to his face, curiously examining at the new slice of sweet sitting on his small plate.

“Um..well, a bit kind of. But, to be specific, it is a steamed cake made from rice flour and sugar. It is chewy, the texture more like of a mochi than a yokan. But just like yokan, you can add different flavors to it like matcha, azuki beans or chestnut.” I say.

“Ohh. Wow.” happily says lord Tadakatsu in amazement, “As expected from you Yahiko, you are the best when it comes to desserts too. So mine is..?”

“Sakura-flavored.” I say, smiling. I sure do feel delighted whenever someone compliments my desserts..

“Hmph.. What’s so amazing about it?” cuts lord Yasumasa instantly to our conversation. “This is just rice flour and sugar then. Nothing of note-worthy.” says lord Yasumasa bitterly, his small wooden knife-like dessert fork relentlessly poking the side of his green-colored uiro-mochi.

And here I am, I especially made his dessert in matcha-flavored as a peace-offering. Thinking that at least he would notice it and be pleased with it, knowing he likes green tea so much. Sigh.

“You know, I honestly do like it when you talk in that way lord Yasumasa. It’s like music to my ears.”

Lord Tadakatsu says and continues, “But.. I think you should be a little bit nice to Yahiko, after all he is very good to you. To be honest you won’t be able to find anyone like him to serve you this long, to be able to put up with you and your nice spiteful little remarks.” says lord Tadakatsu, his face glows with a hint of pleasure as he says the last three words but then his face falls, brows in a concern frown as he talks and glances at me. “Look at Yahiko... ”

Lord Yasumasa glancing at my way, with a ‘so what?’ kind of expression, says in a snobbish manner, “And so..? It’s not like I am wrong or anything. I’m just stating the truth.”

Feeling a bit hurt about his words--though I should be so accustomed to it by now-- I just sigh again.

“...still, I hope you enjoy it... It’s in matcha-flavor.” I mutter as I leave them be, feeling somewhat disappointed and down for not getting a compliment or at least a small positive response from him.

***

Meanwhile..

The main hall is still full of people, busy chatting and having a good time as they eat their desserts and drink their tea.

Lord Yasumasa, sitting in crossed-legs, propping up his cheek while the other hand playing with his small wooden dessert knife. His eyes quietly follows the young boy who downheartedly leaves the main hall. Once Yahiko is gone, he stares back at his slice of green steamed cake and silently, he eats it.

***

Late in the afternoon.

I am outside the castle, in town.

Inside an old bookshop, I wander in every shelf looking for some particular books about medicine and such as I wait for the store clerk.

Lord Tadagatsu asked me to go and buy what was written on the list. It is for lord Ieyasu who apparently has ran out of books to read. Lord Tadagatsu personally wanted to do it but he’s busy with some other castle affairs leaving him no choice. So, here I am in his place.

“I have looked inside if we still have some stocks of it, and fortunately we do have. So here.” says the bookstore clerk, handing me the pile of books bound together with a thin sash of cloth.

“Whew. Thank you so much.” I say, reaching for the pile of books.

“Is this all on your list?” as he checks again the list I gave to him. “If so, then it means we are done finally.”

“Yes and thank you again. Lord Ieyasu will be really glad for having to get these books. He likes to read a lot, all the time.” I say as I hand the payment to him.

I finally leave the bookshop with a pile of books being carried and hugged by my arms.

Outside, a vast shade of warm crimson hue greets me, it’s color starts dappling the sky that was once blue earlier. Enough to tell me how long I have been outside.

“So it’s this late now?” I murmur. “I was so consumed in finding lord Ieyasu’s books that I didn’t notice the time. I have to hurry now.” I say to myself. But soon as I hurry my pace, my eyes catch a glimpse of that familiar caramel brown hair entering a shop that sells ink and paper.

“Hm? Lord Yasumasa?” curious, I walk towards the small shop and stop just by the entrance of it. “Should I go in? Or wait for him here? Hmm… Agh! Anyway! Why am I even here?” I tell myself, shaking my head when suddenly someone comes out of the entrance of the store making me startle…

“Ahh..!” I say out loud in an almost high-pitched sound similar to a woman’s cry.

“Seven hells! What the…!!? Yahiko?!” yells back by an exasperated voice. It is lord Yasumasa standing in front of me, who by the looks of it is surprised too.

“Why are you here? And what the hell are you even shouting for?!” he asks fully annoyed by the sight of me.

“Ohh..I’m sorry, milord. I just saw you entered the shop and followed you here. By the way, why are you here milord? Did you perhaps, ran out of ink again?” I ask.

“What else? Why would I even bother to go here if that wasn’t the case. And I should be the one asking here. What ARE you doing here? Following me?”

“Um.. (ughh..) Nothing milord. It just happened. You should have told me earlier that you have ran out of ink again. So that I would have gotten it for you.” I say.

“I can’t believe I am being told something like that right now. Has our positions been switched? I clearly remember that part of YOUR job is to prepare these things for me beforehand, am I wrong? Have you not been using your mind well again or it’s just that you really lack some common sense, eh? And even though I WANTED to make YOU buy it, I couldn’t even damn find you anywhere..!”

Arms crossed in a displeasure fashion, I can see as clear as day, the reproach look that lord Yasumasa is giving to me right now.

“I’m sorry, milord. This won’t happen again.” I say and bow apologetically.

As he looks down on me, his gaze shifts at the books resting on my arms. “I can’t believe that you have the time for some idle book shopping when you still have some workload left waiting there in my chambers for you to finish..tsk.” he says, irritated a bit.

“Oh these..!? These are not mine. I was just asked to buy these by lord Tadagatsu. These are lord Ieyasu’s new books.” I show to him the thick and slim binded books-- books varying from medicines, rare herbal plants and some about battle stratagems.

“Ahh.!” he scoffs. “What am I thinking. Haha. It’s not like you can read or understand those difficult books. Anyhow, as expected of lord Ieyasu…” His expression and voice, drastically changes into a full smile as he admires the sight of lord Ieyasu’s books.

Sigh. He doesn’t have to say it like that. Even my position is just a cook and an errand runner, I can read and understand well enough. Hmph..! What do I expect? This man just loves spitting venomous words and looking down on people. His very odd hobby... Hmph.

“So have you bought something, milord?” I inquisitively asks, changing the topic.

“Nothing. Tsk. I can’t find it even here. Now that you are here, you should be at least useful. Where did you buy those ink sticks/stones? Those sculpted ones that I used last time. ”

“Ohh! Is that what you are looking for!?” I answer him in a bright tone knowing that he must have liked it if he’s looking for it.

“Yeah, yeah. No need to get excited.. Right, those sculpted ones. It has a nice pure dark shade that I like. And it is smooth to use on my brush.”

“Then we have to hurry before it closes.” I say excitedly, unconsciously dragging him by his left arm.

“Wa-waiit..! Yo-you stupid fool! What are you doing?!!” he yells, annoyed by my action.

I realize that I am holding his left arm that he soon abruptly flails it as he removes it from my sudden grasp.

“Hey! I’m your lord. You shouldn’t carelessly touching me like that..!” His arm now released from my clutch, he touches his wrist then his whole arm, massaging it lightly as if my hold was so firm that it hurt him.

“I’m ss-so sorry!” I slightly blushed, feeling flustered as it dawns on me what I just did.

Oh heavens! MC what are you thinkinnnng!!?

How careless of you to just touch lord Yasumasa’s arm..!

“Oh, please.. Stop that. You’re weirding me out now.” says lord Yasumasa in a commanding, irritated tone giving me a look, like, what the hell is wrong with you or something similar to that.

We are still near at the storefront. He is standing just a few feet away from me, annoyed and glaring at me. I, on the other hand, for some reason I can’t help but lower my head feeling embarrassed at my actions.

“I-, uh.. I’ll lead the way to where I bought it, milord..” I say.

“Sigh. Sometimes, I can’t help but feel weirded out around you. Don’t you know that? And would you man up a bit?! You always act so girly it sometimes irritates me and freaks me out..!” he huffs as he follows behind me.

Ugh.. MC…stay acting like this and you’ll soon find yourself in trouble. Deep trouble. Seriously.

I just walk and lead the way.

***

After sometime, we come out from the shop where I usually buy his sculpted ink stones that seems to become his favorites now. Fortunately, we arrived before it closes. So here we are about to return to the castle.

Curious why he always ran out of it, both paper and ink, I ask lord Yasumasa as we walk side by side.

“Um..lord Yasumasa, I--”

“What??” cut in lord Yasumasa, glaring a little at me like I bothered him already.

Ugghh..Why the hell that I can’t even start a normal conversation with him.. Every time..!

I sigh. Trying to just let it pass.

“I am just a bit curious milord, why do you always ran out of these?” I glance at him and then point with my eyes at the wrapped ink sticks in my arms that we just bought.

“Are you always busy doing letters and such, everyday?”

Still carrying both the books and the newly bought ink sticks wrapped in cloth in my arms, I ask turning my gaze at his direction again.

I remember lord Tadakatsu as I wait for lord Yasumasa’s response. He admitted before that he is not that good when it comes to paperworks..and because of that, usually it is lord Yasumasa who is asked to redo all his poorly documents.

Lord Yasumasa just walks. He is silent, his eyes hinting me that he is in a ponder, maybe thinking if he should even bother saying it to me or not. With his brows knitting as he usually does, he replies in a somewhat calm tone that is rare actually of him, but, still the words he spits are with venom as ever.

“Aside from being weird, stupid, and talkative, you sure like to stick your nose into other people’s affairs too. Hm.” he scoffs, as he walks ahead of me, not even taking a glance if I’m still behind him.

I hurry my pace to catch up with him, “Well, it’s just that whenever I go to your room milord, I always find a heap of crumpled papers sitting next to your desk. So I am just wondering..I’m sorry milord if it seems like I am prying too much. I didn’t mean to be--”

“Shodo.” he says with a hint of a firm and proud tone.

“Hm..?”

He says it so sudden that I almost didn’t catch his words.

“You don’t know? Shodo? The way of beautiful writing? Hmf.” he huffs with a visible smirk forming on his face. Wait. Why it sounds like he is somewhat...mocking me now…!?

He continues as we walk side by side. “*Sigh. Oh well, what do I expect from someone dumb and low like you. I’ll be bit kind enough to enlighten your uneducated brain at least.”

Wow. This man, whenever he talks..Really, he sure always wants to get on somebody’s nerves, isn’t he??

“I’ll cut it short, so be thankful, for I am actually helping you widen your knowledge, giving my time to someone as unimportant being, like you.”

Then he continues, ”Shodo is more than a form of artistic writing..”

Hells. I know what that is. I am not that stupid really, Lord Yasumasa. I think of this as I let out countless invisible sighs within me while he goes on, talking all by himself as we walk.

Despite of the fact that he’s somewhat getting reaaally into my nerves, the way he tells it to me like I have no clue or whatsoever about the world... I- I just let it go and quietly listen to lord Yasumasa who seems to be enjoying his moment.

“Behind every fluid stroke, lies the feelings that the writer poured into it. Behind every character written tells you a story about the meanings of life or a particular moment, happening in life. As a samurai like me, it is natural for me this. Just like how every lord must have knowledge in tea ceremony and such..”

“So that means you are practicing milord?” I unconsciously cut him bluntly. That would only explain the piles of papers crumpled and scattered everywhere in his room.

“!!”

Lord Yasumasa briefly stop from talking..

For some reason I feel like the air around us has changed into an ominous one..like I stepped myself into a minefield or something.

“No! I am not..!” exclaimed lord Yasumasa so sudden with his arms crossed now, he continues, “Why should I? I am good already and skilled enough. So why should I bother myself practicing.!?”

Clearly, I can see the fluster and the faint blush making its way on his face despite the anger and irritation rising in his voice.

“For a mere servant like you, how brazen of you to cut me in while talking, and say something absurd like that. You..! I can’t believe this. You just mocked me, right!!?”

Ah-- Wait.!!? A what.!!??

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT..! When did I mock this man!!??

This man, ugh.. His mind is surely twisted..!

“You should be shaking on your knees, careful at every word you say, and yet here you are showing no respect with that stupid face..!”

Oh hells..

As this thought occurs to me, I realized that it does feel strange. After hearing his words. I remember that before, I would really feel scared to the point like my whole body would tensed up, nervous of not knowing what should I do. But now, I don’t feel scared. Instead, I am just annoyed. And, what is weirder is that, it feels like I am somehow a bit.. tiny bit of enjoying it..??

My thoughts are cut again, as lord Yasumasa throws words at me.

“..I must have been going easy on you lately..” continues lord Yasumasa reprimanding me, oblivious of what I was just thinking a moment ago about him. “..because you always somehow find the guts to throw questions, ask and say things randomly at my face without fear. I should teach yo--”

Feeling weird right now at my own self, I caught a glimpse of a manju stall just near us ahead and cut him too, to divert him or perhaps more of divert myself from thinking too much about it.

“Lord Yasumasa, look..!They sell manju! Seems delicious too.!” I hurriedly walk towards the stall leaving him behind.

“What the..!? You disrespectful, and rude, mere little thing..! Come back here..!”

Pretending not to hear the voice that keeps on shouting behind me, I continue striding towards the stall following the delicious smell of newly made manju.

***

We are sitting now in a small tea shop drinking hot green tea while eating the freshly made manju from the stall. After buying manju for myself and for him-- using my money by the way-- lord Yasumasa’s mood starts to get better, letting whatever happened that made him angry earlier (though I really have no idea why he’s so worked up with me or with every little thing, ever since in the morning) slide. He accepted my what-seems-like-a-bribe-to-him apology gift.

Though, of course, he doesn’t admitted it.

I invited him or rather beg him to have tea and eat the manju here in this shop. So that we can enjoy it while it is still warm. And rest a bit too from all that walking.

“So now, you...are bribing me with food? Hah. How cheap.” he exclaims, “if you think you’ll get away from it and that I’ll just forget about everything, then you are so wrong.” yet lord Yasumasa grabs the warm pieces of manju wrapped in a cloth. His smile is evident as he gets a bite. The warm, delicious and sweet smell lingering around us.

We are sitting in a small table with cups of hot tea still steaming in front of us. We sit opposite to each other. Despite his complains about it, he seems to be enjoying the manju so much that I can’t hear him talking or complaining anymore.

Silence takes over us before I even come to notice it.

It somehow feels new to me, sitting here with a cup of tea and taking a sweet, peaceful rest. I can’t fully remember when was the last time I did something like this. To be able to drink tea like this peacefully. I stare at my cup, the faint glow of sunset glimmering in my tea. Faint memories starts to flow in my head, reminiscing my times with mother and Yahiko, where we would have tea in the afternoons whenever there were no customers in our shop.

I kind of miss them. I miss my days, cooking in our restaurant and the laughter of our dear customers echoing in the air as I serve them their meals, and their random chatterings.

“Well, well, well... I didn’t know that you can hold that mouth of yours and stay quiet for that long.” interrupted by a voice. I look up from my teacup to see lord Yasumasa with his smug face talking to me. Our manju almost gone because of him.

… And I didn’t know that you love manju that much.. Wow. This is new. You eat so much.

Looking at the plate in front of me, I can’t believe that the once towering manju... is now almost gone. All eaten by no other than lord Yasumasa himself. I am stunned for abit. Because he doesn’t seem the type to have a sweet tooth.

Discovering something new about him, about something like this, I can’t help but find it adorable. I mean, come on... lord Yasumasa?? Likes manju? That is his favorite? This very overconfident and selfish man? And not just that, he eats so much of it that somehow it does not seem to fit for his bad boy image.

As I giggle in my mind, lord Yasumasa casually lick the sweet bean filling on his lips and on his fingertips in front of me. Not minding me one bit.

I unconsciously find myself swallow a bit. There’s something a little sensual about it that sends me flushing a little.

Hells...! What are you even thinking MC.!!?? When did your mind get so dirty, huhh.!?? Don’t tell me that, deep inside...that you are a pervert.!!?

“Aren’t you going to eat?” aks lord Yasumasa, interrupting my foolish thoughts, as he takes a sip of his hot tea.

“Ohh! I- I..Uh..I mean...thank you milord.” I say, feeling shy as I take a piece for myself.

“You know what, I changed my mind. Don’t eat anymore. The sun is almost down. We better return to the castle now.”

“Whhhaa--t?” I blurted out.

“I don’t know what useless thoughts you were having earlier, but we have to go now. It is your fault for spacing out too much.. You should have eaten it earlier.” he continues to say as he stands up from his sit, ready to leave.

But I still haven’t enjoyed my tea yet, let alone take a bite of my manju..!

As I hurry to put some of the manju left on the plate back on its cloth wrapper, lord Yasumasa is already walking, leaving me behind, again.

I drink half of my tea in a rushed manner, almost burning my tongue. I grab our belongings and hurry to catch up with him-- who is by now striding out of the tea shop.

When I finally catch up with him, he suddenly make a stop, sending me to bump into his sturdy back. I hear him sigh in an annoyed manner. I look over his shoulder and see a drunk man shouting angrily towards someone that I can’t see. When the man raises his right hand and is about to slap someone, lord Yasumasa suddenly calls to the man just in front of us, in an annoyed loud voice.

“Hey.! You.! Yes. YOU.”

He says as he crosses his arms. I step out to look around to see a scared boy with a little girl clinging to him, crying-- on the floor is a mess of large bottle of sake, spilled all over the place and a bag of some fallen manju too, bought from the same stall that we went too, earlier.

“What!!?” said the angry, drunk man turning to lord Yasumasa.

“You are blocking the way. So move your damn ass, would you!?” says lord Yasumasa authoritatively, I can imagine his brows knitting into an arc just based on the tone of his.

“What did you just said!? Huh!!? Boy!”

The man leaves his spot, walking sluggishly towards lord Yasumasa. Lord Yasumasa, on the other hand, is standing in front of me, not flinching at all.

“Are you deft?? Or just plain stupid? I said, MOVE YOUR DAMN ASS, OLD MAN.”

In the midst of all that, I do not worry at all for lord Yasumasa. Instead, I hurry towards the children who are still there unmoving and frightened.

“Hey, are you two okay?” I say while picking both of them, helping them to stand up again.

I try to calm the little girl who is still clinging hard to what seems like her older brother-- who looks like he too, is about to cry as well. I ask some women around about what happened. I find out that they, while the children are merrily running to go home, they accidentally bumped the drunk man. The children even with the help of some, already apologized but the man just can’t let it go.

The place is starting to be surrounded by a lot of curious folks.

“Gotta have to teach you hard lad, a lesson, ay? So that you lad next time would know how to give some respect to your elders..!”

“Oh..Will you, now?” whispers lord Yasumasa with a smirk.

The overconfident man, lunges an attack with a katana to lord Yasumasa who contrarily is standing still in his place, unwavering and unafraid.

Odd. Because how lord Yasumasa is very sure of himself, I too, am very confident about him. That he will not get hurt even though the man looks like he has some experience too like lord Yasumasa. Instead, I think of the stupid man who is oblivious of his fate.

“Oh my.. you’re a sure dead meat today.” I utter with a tired sigh.

And there, in an instant, lord Yasumasa swiftly grabs the arm of the man and without too much effort, throws him back to the ground-- there with his spilled sake.

The crowd cheer for lord Yasumasa. I too, unknowingly, is already raising my hands, both into a fist and cheering him loudly. “Yeaahhhh~!”

Lord Yasumasa, with a confident and a satisfied look on his face strides his way out of the scene, leaving the man wailing in pain. He goes straight to where I am.

“Come now, let’s go.” he says without even stopping from his steps.

“Wait.” I reply.

Lord Yasumasa stops from his tracks, turning his head to me.

“I, um.. you should go first milord, I would accompany these little children first until they get home safely. Don’t worry, I would return right away after I make sure they are home.”

“Whaat.!!?” he says aloud, a bit surprised.

The little boy who is holding back his tears, suddenly speaks to me, tears starting to spill from his eyes.

“Onii-chan, *sniffs, mghmm.. what should we do about those..? Mghhhmm..*sniffs.” says the boy as he points out at the fallen manju that was once warm but now, cold, wasted and full of dirt.

The little girl cries too, clinging more harder than before to her brother. They are both sobbing quietly. My heart tightens at the sight of them. So, as am I about to ask lord Yasumasa to just let me take care first the children, he continues to stride again towards us.

With his arms crossed, he talks to the little boy, saying “Hey, stop crying.” says lord Yasumasa in an imperative tone, particularly to the boy. “Strong men and boys don’t cry over such petty things.”

“*sniffs, but… we have been saving our money for those.. mgghmm.” says the boy weakly.

“No buts.! Don’t be a crybaby.!” scolds lord Yasumasa. “You’re the brother right? The older one, am I right?”

“*sniffs, yes sir.”

“So what you should do, or rather, be doing right now?? Huh..? Answer.”

Meanwhile, I am kneeling just beside the children as I try to calm down both of them . Seeing that the two child is getting more scared and that lord Yasumasa isn’t helping at all, making the situation a bit much worse, I stepped in.

“Milord, I think you aren't helping at all. You are just making them more uncomfortable and scared.” I say calmly as I stroke gently both of the children’s backs.

But it seems lord Yasumasa isn’t listening to me at all. He continues to scold the little boy.

“So.?”

“*sniffs, I- I- …”

The boy says quietly as he sobs, he looks confused and don’t know what to say. To be honest, I am a bit starting to get worried for the children at how lord Yasumasa doesn’t seem to care at the children’s feelings as he continues to reprimand them. So, I butt in again.

“Lord Yasumasa would you just please..!--”

“Instead.!” he says towering my voice as if to block me from talking. “Instead of crying right now, man up.! Be stronger.! You are the boy here, the older one, and most of all, her brother. The one who should do the protecting. That is your duty. Instead of bawling like a girl, right now, what you should do is to be stronger. Get stronger. Be the brother strong enough for her.!” points lord Yasumasa to the little girl who is now clinging at me, clearly terrified of him.

I am stunned for a moment.

Stunned from what I am hearing. Stunned from what I am seeing.

Am I hearing this right? Am I imagining things?? Is this reaallly coming from this guy..!?

The man who is usually inconsiderate, spitting ill and foul things towards others is now in front of me, blurting out words... words I never, not even once, have I ever imagined I would even get to hear from him..

***

#fic #fic list #mc x yasumasa slbp #slbp yasumasa #slbp mc x yasumasa #slbp sakakibara yasumasa #yasumasa fic

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