When the Seraphs Cry

Rokkenjima

October 4th, 1986

Rokkenjima

10:30 AM

Finally, we docked at the harbor. By the time we are descending, we can see a man in a tuxedo waiting for us. I don't recognize him, but judging by his clothes, I guess he is a servant.

"Welcome back, Milady" he said seriously. "You were quite late and everyone began to worry".

"Ah, sorry" Mitsuba responded and looked at me. "One of us got scared and we had to slow down".

That new guy is Seishiro, he's mainly the chef of the family. From what I have heard, he does his job quite good and is helpful, he's normally wearing a "work" smile, but he's very arrogant and a dick towards his co-workers, especially de young ones.

After everyone was greeted, the boat started to steer away from the harbor.

"It's weird" I said softly. "I can't hear the seagulls cry".

"Eh~" Shinoa said. "That's true, that's unusual".

"Maybe Mitsuba turned them all into some kind of yakitori" Kimizuki added jokingly.

"Oi, Kimizuki!" Mitsuba exclaimed. "That's not true!".

I remember that when I was a kid, every time we came here, the seagulls greeted us with their cries. Now that I look at the sky, I can't see any.

"Come on brats" Guren shouted from the other side. "What the hell are you doing. Let's go".

We hurried and joined the others at the beach stairway.

"I shall lead you towards the guesthouse where you'll be staying" Sayuri said. "Please, this way".

She called everyone and started leading us.

A serpentine, twisting path leads into a dim forest. After that, we can see a garden-style stone stairway. From here on, I have some memories.

We keep going and at the top of the stairway, we see a beautiful guesthouse. Its façade is quite beautiful, but what actually steals the heart of everybody, it's the immense rose garden before it.

"Ah~" Mahiru exclaimed. "It's as beautiful as ever, look Shinoa".

"Yes, yes~" Shinoa joined her sister. "A real delight for the eyes~"

It is a delightful rose garden. Even Guren and Mito can't help but let their wonder slip out. For me, it looks like a leveled-up version of the garden I remember from 6 years ago.

"This place is always amazing" Shinya added. "It'd be great to have a garden like this at home~".

"Give it up" Guren interrupted him. "Who do you think would take care of it? Flowers are a real pain".

"Hey guys, come here!" Yoichi called us from the other side of the garden. "Look at this one"

He pointed to a flower, at first glance, it just looked like the other ones, but when we came closer it was different. AI the midst of all the magnificent roses, just a single one was withering.

"Oh right, it isn't healthy" Mitsuba said.

"It's sad that this is the only one" Yoichi said a bit concerned.

He's been always the type that looks into the small details, and we clearly know that this will make him feel bad for probably the rest of the day.

"How about we mark it?" Kimizuki added.

"Yes, and this way we can take special care of it until we leave" Shinoa responded, knowing exactly what Kimizuki was thinking.

Yoichi smiled at the idea and Shinoa and Mitsuba tied a ribbon around it.

"Oh Kimizuki" Yuu teased. "I didn't expect you to become this soft"

"Shut up!" he mumbled.

He may seem cold and annoyed by us sometimes, but he's actually really caring and understanding. I respect him, even if we're always arguing.

"Now I shall be guiding you to the rooms" Seishiro pointed after everyone finished admiring the garden.

By the time we started following the servant, Goshi noticed somebody.

"Hey! If it's Narumi-kun" he said cheerfully. "It's been so long. How are you doing?"

In the directions he was waving at, there was a boy. I figured he was a bit older than me and by the atmosphere, that he was a servant too.

Sayuri noticed that our interest now shifted towards him, he went to the guy and introduce him to me.

"Yuu-sama, I shall introduce you" she said. "He's one of the servants who serve the Hiragi head house. Narumi-san, greet our guest"

"I'm pleased to meet you" he said in a serene tone. "I'm the servant Narumi"

My first impression of him is that he's not much of the speaking type, compared to Sayuri who likes to talk with everyone. He looks quite mature, but inexperienced at the job.

"Narumi. Could you give them a little more of a greeting?" Seishiro urged him in a whisper.

"No... because we, are furniture" he answered coldly.

It didn't seem that he's refusing to greet us out of spite, but rather, he gives the impression that he doesn't know what to add to his greeting.

"Ah, umm, Narumi is the kind that doesn't talk much" Mitsuba interrupted. "He may act cold, but he's actually a good person"

"Ok. Nice to meet ya" I said. "I'm Yuichiro, just call me Yuu, it's weird when they say the whole thing".

"All right, Yuu-sama" the servant answered politely and gave me a small vow.

After that, Seishiro still gave him a cold gaze.

"Well then, I still have work to do. If you'll excuse me" the boy said.

Suddenly, by the time he's leaving, the wheelbarrow he was carrying gets caught on a pebble and lost balance

"What have you done" Seishiro added angrily but with a low voice. "Now, quickly clean it up".

The servant started picking everything up without complain.

"You're so careless" Mitsuba said while handing him one of the items that felt. "Here".

"Milady, you will dirty your clothes" the boy said, taking carefully the item. "Leave it to me".

After he finished picking everything up, he apologized and left.

"Oh Milady~" Shinoa teased Mitsuba and let out her mocking laugh.

The rest of us joined her with the teasing, while Mito started a conversation with the other servant.

"Seishiro" Mito called. "Wouldn't it have been better if you'd helped him instead of being a bully?"

"That hadn't occurred to me" he answered. "I deeply apologize" he vowed, not even twitching his smile.

"Sayuri, how are we going to split up for our rooms?" Shinya asked, trying to change the mood.

"Oh, right. I'll be the same as last year" she said smiling. "Please, come this way".

We headed towards an elegant but simple guest house. Inside are our rooms for the night.

Sayuri and Seishiro are now showing us our rooms. Yoichi, Kimizuki and I, are staying in one room and Shinoa and Mitsuba, in another

"Hey brats" Guren called us. "We are going to the mansion, so don't cause problems"

I feel this is personal...

The adults are heading to the main building to announce their arrival.