Fateless

Hana ended up being late arriving to breakfast the next morning.

At the very head of the table- a spot normally not accessible, a new placement had been set. Behind it was a man. Regal in appearance with medium-length ash-grey hair and a trite expression. He dressed in long, plain layers which were a pretty mix of pastel greens and white. Even keeling, he was certainly taller than the other women who occupied the dining table.

It seemed the stranger from last night was indeed the Hirano’s family head.

Although she bowed her presence politely to the occupants as she entered, a knot of anxiety tangled in her chest at the sight.A strange hum was also present in the room, which only further exasperated how Hana was feeling.

Lord Hirano eyed Hana as she wordlessly chose an empty seat beside Megumi. It was the furthest option of the three remaining unoccupied seats.

Hana pretended not to notice the constant glances from his direction with his intimidating blue eyes. But she was still left with a prickly feeling on her skin and her heart thumped obnoxiously loud.

The room was more chatty than usual, although the quick whispers of the girls’ excitement were too quiet to pick up what words were actually being said.

Akira was confidently poised to the right of him, her hands were waving expressively as she spoke -as she was prone to do. While Ume and Yui on his left side giggled like school girls. They were all once again dressed up flauntingly in beautiful clothing.

“Urgh. They’re acting like floozies.” Hana mumbled quietly.

Megumi having heard her, responded with a wary smile. She was wearing a similar casual outfit to Hana on insulated trousers and a jacket- although Megumi’s buttons were shaped like little pink rabbits. Her favourite hair clips still being part of her signature look. Hana was glad she could blend in together with someone, instead of sticking out and plausibly drawing more attention to herself.

“Good morning, Hana-san,” Megumi whispered meekly as she also tried to avoid the commotion with the lord at the opposite end of the table.

Hana whispered good morning back.

“Did you sleep better last night?” Megumi asked Hana.

“I did,” Hana lied.

Megumi smiled at Hana’s response.

“Ladies, good morning.” Tomi nodded as she entered with staff flowing in behind with the prepared trays of breakfast.

“What a great honour we have this morning, with the master insisting on joining you for breakfast.”

Tomi’s pretend smile looked more pained than usual. Like she was trying to keep up a professional appearance but also had a brick of Lego embedded in her heel.

Lord Hirano did not seem to react to his introduction. Instead, he reached for the tea that a server had gently poured for him and sipped at it.

When he glanced again at Hana, she made an effort to hold his gaze and was surprised when he was first to break eye contact; Tomi clearing her throat was what snapped the tension. A complacent smile also broke off with his steady line of sight.

He lowered his cup back to the varnished tabletop as he began to speak, the familiar sound of his low voice made Hana cringe from her previous behaviour before him. However, even if he truly was the master, Hana still felt uneasy. The rest of the room also seemed oblivious to the persistent and suspicious mood that hung heavy about.

“I’d like to personally thank you all for attending. I trust you have thus far enjoyed your stay.”

Yui and Ume clapped gleefully as Hana caught Tomi rolling her eyes.

“Master Hirano has also offered to escort you all out for the day,” Tomi continued.

Hana stared at the second vacant gap now at the table while the laughing and chatting continued again from the other girls. The group blissfully commenced their morning meal as Tomi’s plans for a trip were discussed.

Along with Hana, Megumi seemed unsettled by their conduct.

“Hana-san? Are you okay?” Megumi’s soft voice questioned.

Hana suddenly felt claustrophobic. The warmth build-up from the continuous hum emulated in the confined space of the room became unbearable. It was not in a sense of actual temperature, but emotionally Hana felt herself being smothered

Hana’s fist came down hard on the surface of the table. The sound of her palm slamming against the wood was loud enough to make Megumi jump. Everyone else around the table also fell silent and stared in Hana’s direction.

Although the air seemed to momentarily clear, Hana froze up realising everyone in the room was watching her.

“I’m sorry,” Hana apologised sheepishly as she shovelled some rice into her mouth.

Akira’s eyes seemed to bore down on her harshest of all as she pretended to put all of her focus back onto her meal. Hana tried to will away her embarrassment and the uneasy feeling in her stomach from her piercing stare.

The town of Nikko was a short walk from the Hirano residence’s partially hidden presence beside the mountain. And it was bustling with activity.

The built-up area still had a rustic atmosphere and much of the town looked to be populated by an older generation. At least compared to Tokyo.

Hana’s mood dampened at the comparison. Tonight was not going to be the amazing New Year she was hoping to welcome with her friends by her side.

Tomi led the front of the small group, explaining a brief history of the area. Hana didn’t pay attention to much of it but did grasp that the locals set up food and activities for people on their way through to the larger shrines and temple to celebrate the New Year.

Akira, Ume, and Yui also seemed to pay little attention as Tomi acted as a tour guide. Small stalls had popped up, restaurants were busy prepping, and the streets were unusually active with traditional expressions. The girls, however, seemed to take more interest in the clothing and accessories stores that were few and far between.

Hana stuck with Megumi for the duration of the day, wanting to hang back as far as she could from the Hirano lord.She had discovered that the closer she stood near him, the stranger she felt. She had been feeling continuously anxious since arriving at the residence. But a suspicious tingling sensation also accompanied the master’s presence.

Like Hana, Megumi didn’t seem to have any interest in shopping. She mostly kept quiet, keeping beside Hana at all times. Even Lord Hirano didn’t seem keen to enter any of the shops Akira and the two sisters wanted to. Instead, each time he waited outside, forcing Hana and Megumi to enter along with them and pretend to be interested in the wares for sale.

As the evening approached and the crowds died down, the group made one final stop. Akira insisted on stopping by an aburaage stall.

The wafts of freshly fried tofu smelled delicious, and after being dragged around for hours it seemed even Megumi couldn’t resist.

“Hana-san, would you like me to get you some too?” Megumi asked as she eyed the other ladies queuing at the vendor.

“No, I’m fine,” Hana declined politely. She was feeling too tired and miserable to enjoy any festival food now.

She perched herself on the edge of the street railing. An array of bags was cluttered around her feet- all the other girl’s shopping goodies Hana had been asked to mind.

“I’ll wait for you here.”

Megumi smiled sweetly.

“Okay,” she replied with a nod. “I’ll be right back.”

Hana sighed as she watched Megumi skip to the back of the line. She felt the cold metal through her clothing layers that were pressed against the steel barricade.

She’d managed to find some more decently warm clothing for a winter walk from her mother’s repackaging of ‘prettier’ clothes. But their durability was still questionable and could not stand up against the harsher elements.

“You are still not happy.”

Hana almost recoiled at Lord Hirano’s voice. She was suddenly aware of his presence looming over her but stubbornly refused to look up at him.

Instead, she stared at the long-hemmed layers of his clothes, where his feet underneath would be. The base of the material was threadbare and filthy where it met the ground. Hana wondered why he wore such long lengths when it resulted as such.

His close proximity caused an enthusiastic but silent buzz in Hana’s chest.

“I thought you were feeling cooped up? Isn’t getting outside the residence what you wanted?”

Hana was surprised by his words. But she bit her lip, unwilling to speak to him and trying to distract herself from her absurd feelings.

“Are you scared of me?” The man’s voice came out in a husky whisper. It sounded taunting to Hana’s ears.

“No!” Hana snapped at him, suddenly raising her head and leaving the two staring each other in the eye.

The lord’s eyes were the strangest colour Hana had ever seen. A dark blue with hints of gold accenting the rims of his irises.

A chuckle escaping his throat snapped Hana out of her silent staring and she cleared her own throat to break the tension.

She felt her heart jump as Lord Hirano’s hand suddenly encased hers, his warm palm pressed something cold and hard into Hana’s grip. She felt unnerved by the amount of time his hand seemed to linger there. Hana was sure her face was yet again blushing as she felt excited tingles.

“You dropped these.” He told her when he hesitantly let go.

Hana froze at what Lord Hirano had given her.

A petite-rimmed pair of glasses with the lens cracked.

Honoka’s glasses.

Hana shuddered as her voice bravely spoke up.

“What did you do to her?” Hana accused him.

When the Hirano master did nothing but tilt his head in response, Hana’s voice rose again.

“Where is Honoka!?”

The Lord appeared to feign surprise. That made Hana’s fear overshadow into rage. She stood tall and determined. Surely she was safer here than on his property, right? If he reacted aggressively, or if she needed to make a run for it; she could escape home. Albeit her mother’s wrath for coming home early was equally terrifying.

“And the other girl too! What did you do to them!?”

As Hana’s fists bunched tightly, she was abruptly whirled around roughly by her shoulder.

Tomi glared at Hana angrily. Tofu snacks in hand, the looks of the other girls behind her were a mix of amusement and confusion at the confrontation.

Even Megumi appeared bewildered by Hana’s actions. Her mouth was agape.

“How dare you raise your voice to Hirano-sama in such a way!”

“But Honoka and the other girl-”

“Went home on their own accord!” Tomi snapped.

Hana felt her posture wilt as Tomi began to drag Hana back towards the Hirano villa. The crushing grip she had on her arm reminded Hana of her mother.

Hana gulped fearfully as her thoughts swelled with dread.