Until Then, Japan

Twenty Six

3rd Person's POV

"Hey, look!" Hanami exclaimed to Ysabelle when she pulled out a pair of red down coat from the paper bag of a popular Japanese brand. "Nante kotoda! Kore wa takaidesu! (Oh my gosh! This is expensive!)"

Ysabelle managed a faint smile seeing how excited her friend is when she decided to give the clothes to her.

Yes. It all came from the famous Matsumoto couple. They are supposed-to-be gifts from them.

But she already has enough clothes for herself. The gifts she received wouldn't fit in her closet in their dormitory. So she thought of giving them to Hanami for being so good to her ever since she stepped in Japan.

"Anata wa hontōni kore o watashi ni ataete imasu ka?(Are you really giving this to me?)" She asked Ysabelle in shock and the latter nodded. She shrieked in delight that Ysabelle had to cover her ears at her response. "Arigatōgozaimashita! Dōmo arigatō, watashi no aisuru yowamushi! (Thank you! Thank you so much, my dear sissy!)"

"Watashi no yo-sa, hanami! Kurutta yō ni sakebu no o yame nasai! (My goodness, Hanami! Stop shouting like crazy!)" Ysabelle protested, her hands on her ears and her friend flashed her a triumphant grin.

"Watashi wa tada shiawasedesu. Soshite arigatai! Soshite, shiawase ni kansha shimasu! (I'm just happy! And thankful! And happily thankful!)" Hanami reasoned out smiling widely at her while she shook her head in disbelief at her reaction.

"Watashi wa sore o te ni iremasu, watashi wa sore o te ni iremasu, watashi wa sore o te ni iremasu. Son'nani sōzōshī hitsuyō wa arimasen ne.(I get it, I get it, I get it. You don't have to be so loud, okay?)" Ysabelle said dismissively. "Soretomo watashi wa sorera o torimodoshimasu ka? (Or I will be taking them back?)"

Hanami like a five-year old kid hugged the coat away from Ysabelle's hands which the latter laughed at.

"Oya oya! Anata mo kodomo no yō ni furumaimasu! (My gosh! You even act like a kid!)" Ysabelle chuckled at her response to her joke.

"Nani datte? Nani ga okotte ita nodesu ka? (What was that? What was going on?)" The landlady of their dormitory rushed to their room armed with a mop and with her two teenage sons, each with their own weapons.

"Gomen? (Sorry?)" Hanami said sheepishly flashing her a peace sign and a guilty, apologetic look.

---

At the Matsumoto Residence...

"Ayame ga hontō no musumedato hontōni omoimasu ka? (Do you really think that Ayame is their real daughter?)" One of the family's helpers asked her friend as they did their chores when they confirmed no one is home that day.

"Hon'ne o iu to? Kanojo wa sagida to omoimasu. Kanojo wa yokoku nashi ni koko ni kita bakaridesu! Zenkai byōin ni tsureteitte kureta ojōsama to chigatte, madamu-san no omoiyari ya omoiyari sura kanji raremasen! (Honestly? I think she is a fraud. She just came here unannounced! I can't even feel Madame's care and compassion for her unlike the lady that they have brought to the hospital last time!)" Her friend replied shaking her head as she wiped the tables.

Both of them nodded in agreement and their chambermaid suddenly slapped their butts cheekily and dropped her remarks in amusement, "Anata, min'na, goshippumonjā ni naru no o yame nasai! Madamu wa, mi no musume o mitsukeru tame dake ni mainichi kurō shite imasu. Kanojo ga iru toki wa son'na kazeninatte wa ikemasen ne uwasa-banashi wa anata o dokoni mo tsurete ikanaideshou. (You, guys, stop being gossipmongers! Madame has been struggling everyday just to find her biological daughter. Don't be like that when she's around, okay? Gossiping won't get you anywhere.)"

"Gomen! Kanojo ga madamu to ayame no kankei o mainichi dono yō ni atsukatta ka o kansatsu sezaru o emasen. Kanojo ga sagida to shite mo, kanojo ga hontō no musumedearu koto o rōfūfu ni nattoku sa seru tame dake ni kanojo ga ataeru chikara wa shinji raremasen. (Sorry! We just can't help but to observe how she treated Madame and Ayame's relationship  everyday. Even if she's a fraud, I cannot believe the strength she gives just to convince the old couple that she is their real daughter.)" The one in charge with the tables pointed out.

The chambermaid shook her head in  disagreement. "Iu no wa watashi no hanashide wa arimasen. Karera no kazoku no kotogara ni kanshō suru no o yame nasai. Anata ga shinakereba naranai koto o shite, yonbun'noichi ni modotte kudasai. (It isn't my story to tell. Stop meddling with their family's affairs. Do what you have to do and go back to the quarters.)" She said and the maids hurriedly obliged.

"Poor Madame Hikari. Kanojo ga sugu ni kanojo o mitsukeru koto o negatte imasu. (I hope she finds her soon.)" The chambermaid sighed and left the dining hall.