夏妃

“Thank you for your sincere concern, I promise I will.” Natsuhi smiled, and that was when their orders arrived. She politely thanked the waiter for bringing food. “And thank you for this dinner, Battler.” She smiled again as she put food on her fork as well and educately had a little taste of it.

“Ah, you were right! It’s really good!”

”See? I told you!” He grins. The meal goes on peacefully, juice accompaniment and all. Once he’s done, he stretches himself on the chair and lets out a burp.

“The same goes for me. I am not quite as strong and as athletic as you… but if you’ll ever need my help for something…” Help for what…? She didn’t even know. But if Eva was taking this oath, she was too. “Do you really think so?” The giggled that came out from her lips what a thoughtful one. “But it is true. I don’t want to hold a grudge against you. You could say… that it would also be sort of my pride, to want to maintain a good relationship with the fellow members of my family, but… I’ll admit it is not just that.” She tucked a lock of her hair beside her ear, watching Eva almost timidly. “… You were always so strong, so confident in yourself. Being a woman, with all its disadvantages and all the pain we must undergo naturally from birth… it almost seemed like you were unaffected by it.” She turned again her gaze, solemnly. “Of course, at first I looked at your behaviour… scornfully. The way you dared defy your family, the way you were ready to trample over everyone… and mostly, me… of course, how could I even feel about it…? But, on the other side… I admired you. Even if we were so different, you were much stronger — I couldn’t be so with my pride alone. But instead, you… you had great dreams, for you and for your family. So I always wished, in the depths of my heart… that I could do so to. But, you know very well how things went…” Trying to hide Kinzo’s death and everything…

Natsuhi took a deep breath and exhaled… and then covered her face in embarassment with both hands. “Aaaah, sorry, I said too much! But, ah, that was to say I am forgiving you because I want to, really. It is not only about being softhearted.”

“Your thoughts are appreciated,” she commented with a soft smile on her face. It was true that she was the polar opposite of her, but having her around was oddly helping her be calmer than usual.

Overall, it felt nice to be with her. 

As she listened to what she had to say about her, she almost felt her eyes widen a bit and her face a tad redder than before. She had all those things to say about her?… She was nearly at loss before she knew she had to say something, and she almost stumbled on her words as she didn’t know how to accept such a lengthy compliment. 

“You know… Now that I look back at it, I feel as though there are some things that I admire you about as well…” She paused, clearing her throat. 

“I can learn a thing or two about your patience… and your femininity. Father had always scolded me about being too ruthless for a woman, and although I don’t take his word for it… This is my personal investment on it.

So… if you’ll allow it… I’d… like for you to teach me too, sometimes…”

Cupping a hand around her face, she took a glimpse at the woman who seemed to be more overwhelmed than before. In that moment, she chuckled at the sight of it, finding it somewhat adorable to see how self conscious she was of herself.

“Teach you...?” This was news to her, was Eva really looking up on her for her... femininity? And patience, too? It was almost funny how up until now these two opposites had admired of each other what they lacked, in a way. A smile was the reply to Eva’s request. Natsuhi didn’t really want her to change the strong and less-feminine, let’s say, aura she held, but she was pretty sure that her teachings wouldn’t have been enough to change her character significantly.

At least let me choose, instead of picking them…

“T-that’s true I suppose, if you say so… thank you very much. I will find a way to pay you back…” Was it another way for Eva to mess with her…?

“Of course, I’m not holding you back on anything… I’m not doing that, am I?” She didn’t say that so seriously, but she at least wanted her to know that she wasn’t chained up to her.

Seriously, had Eva mistaken her for a doll…?

“I-I can’t let you buy everything for me, though…!” Maybe like that Eva would have pondered that Natsuhi had just arrived here and probably didn’t have all those money to begin with? Who knows.

“It’s fine, it’s fine~! Just consider it a welcome gift and think about repayment later!” Already arriving and picking out a bunch of clothes for her, she honestly didn’t even bother hesitating at her words.

“Thank you, but I can’t really stay still while even the children work hard, right…? What kind of an irresponsible aunt would I be?” Natsuhi smiled faintly, she was pretty worried as well, but she could take care for herself. She would probably serach for something that wouldn’t give her too much stress…

“My, did I lead us to resume this topic again…? I’m sorry, I didn’t really want to… Really, it is fine, Eva. We both have our faults… but we are all working hard to bury them and start anew. I think even just this fact is enough to be a reason to be proud of ourselves and to go on…” She kept her head slightly low, hiding embarassment as well. Honestly, she was surprised by how much all of Eva’s misdeeds didn’t weight anymore on her pride, and even if, maybe, they still hurt somehow… the very fact that she was putting so much effort into changing their relationship entirely was so worthy of note, she didn’t mind at all putting it aside. “And I have to thank you again for trying so hard to make up with me… thank you, Eva.”

“I agree– if they’re working as hard as we speak, then we should be the ones to follow that example rather than them…” There a pause before she spoke, hesitating whether she should mention it. “If you ever need help… please don’t be afraid to ask me.”

She would need it, she’d imagined, and there was nothing wrong with that. It simply felt awkward for her to say such things, considering she rarely said those words to anyone. 

“You’re too softhearted, did you know?…” There was some solemn left in her muffled laughter as she spoke. She then leaned close to her side, shaking her head. “That’s what worries me the most about you. You really need to grow a backbone. 

While it’s fine for you to say that, it’s also fine to not forgive someone for what they’ve done to you in the past…”

Biting into her lower lip, she didn’t look at her, but a small, genuine smile curled on her lips.

“The same goes for me. I am not quite as strong and as athletic as you... but if you’ll ever need my help for something...” Help for what...? She didn’t even know. But if Eva was taking this oath, she was too. “Do you really think so?” The giggled that came out from her lips what a thoughtful one. “But it is true. I don’t want to hold a grudge against you. You could say... that it would also be sort of my pride, to want to mantain a good relationship with the fellow memembers of my family, but... I’ll admit it is not just that.” She tucked a lock of her hair beside her ear, watching Eva almost timidly. “... You were always so strong, so confident in yourself. Being a woman, with all its disadvantages and all the pain we must undergo naturally from birth... it almost seemed like you were unaffected by it.” She turned again her gaze, solemnly. “Of course, at first I looked at your behaviour... scornfully. The way you dared defy your family, the way you were ready to trample over everyone... and mostly, me... of course, how could I even feel about it...? But, on the other side... I admired you. Even if we were so different, you were much stronger --- I couldn’t be so with my pride alone. But instead, you... you had great dreams, for you and for your family. So I always wished, in the depths of my heart... that I could sdo so to. But, you know very well how things went...” Trying to hide Kinzo’s death and everything...

“You’re flattering me now, Battler-kun.” Natsuhi giggled at her nephew’s words. “A teacher… I wonder about it, but I don’t it is a totally terrible idea… I’ll take it into consideration.”

“A teacher assistant, I see… I am sure you are working really hard, I should do the same. What kind of aunt would I be if I wouldn’t act as an example for you, right?”

“Hehe, you’re very considerate, aunt Natsuhi. But there’s no hurry for you to get a job. Take your time to first familiarize yourself with the city and get to know other people. There’re plenty of interesting folks here besides our family.”

“Aaah, I am a bit too old for school, I am afraid. Yes, surely Jessica would have enjoyed the idea of her mother going to school with her…” A brief  sad smile appeared on her face. “I will have to look at something I would like to do, then… what about you, Battler? Do you have a job here too?”

”Nonsense, aunt Natsuhi. Look at you, in the flower of your youth!” Battler gently elbows her arm. “Plus, there’s a bunch of adults studying in Hive Academy, some I’d bet are way older than you. But if the student life isn’t for you, then maybe the teacher one would fit you better!”

And even if that doesn’t fit the bill, there’s certainly something out here that’d be perfect for the woman’s knowledge fields, like shrine work or a fancy restaurant. As he said, this is the city of opportunities.

“A-Ah?!” So she was serious?! It wasn’t just a slip of the tongue?!

“Okay, okay, I am changing, b-but…!” It was all too late, Eva’s gentle push had sent her again the changing room. … It couldn’t be helped, could it? Natsuhi changed and came out of the room.  It was too late to turn back, was it…?

As if Eva was someone to joke around with these things. Once she walked away and came back in her regular clothes, she began to pull her to the direction she had been eyeing on for a while now.

“I understand your surprise, I would have never expected to have to find  a job… but it seems to support yourself here you have to, so… I wasn’t given much of a choice.” She took a deep breath, shaking slowly her head, with a bit of an exasperated smile on her face.

“It’s fine. Don’t get the wrong idea, but… I most certainly prefer this kind of tease over the ones you made in the past.I really do.”

“I see… Well, you shouldn’t overwork yourself if you do tend to find one. I’d rather you rest, to be honest…” She was a woman that received stress quite easily, so to imagine her in a working environment was rather concerning to the other. 

She paused in between to gaze at her smile, before she felt the shame come through. Of course, she didn’t want to worry her so she didn’t express it, but their past still bothered her regardless.

“Ah, that’s right… I was terrible back then, wasn’t I? I’m glad you were strong enough to tolerate someone like me for all those years of hatred…

While the past can’t be undone… I want to make it up to you starting now. Even if I cannot make up all of it, I want to at least rekindle our bond by starting anew… And…” It was Eva’s turn now to look away, her face slightly red at that point. 

What a simple, regal design… That was a nice logo, though something was familiar about it…

…Ushiromiya! This kimono better be perfect, considering the family’s presence in the city. 

“That seems entirely acceptable, thank you Lady Maria. These things take time, so come back here in about… four hours? That sounds about right.”

Rrgh, four hours on a kimono… Sewing with two hands is much slower than sewing with six…

But true to the tailor’s word, with the help of some of his designers, a kimono was brought to the young girl to inspect as she deemed fit as she returned.

“D-Decor?!”

Okay, her choice of words was alarming now. She stopped observing her outfit left and right to direct her gaze at eva. “This is not a dress up game, you know…”

“It may as well be if I’m going to help you become a bit more stylish…~” Turning Natsuhi back at the direction of the fitting room, she gently pushed her away.

“Now go back in there to change out of this so I can help you pile up more from this shopping spree. Be at least grateful that Gaap isn’t the one assisting you in this…”

“That is not a problem. I still have to serach for a job here, but I am positive I should be able to pay for both of us without much difficulty. And I trust your tastes.” …Wait, what…

“… Now you are just doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“You’re going to find a job?” Now that was a surprising fact that she learned from her. She had always thought she would be devoted to the housewife style no matter what… maybe something finally clicked inside of her.

She chuckled at her playfully, hoping she wasn’t taking offense at this.

“O-Of course not, who do you think I am…!” It was not an angry tone this time either, but clearly an embarassed and nervous one. Eva was surely messing with her, how could she not think about that when all she had done was hinting at it in her own way?

“Ah, a place we will both like…? It’s perfect, then. At what place were you thinking about?”

“Of course, of course~ You’re a woman of elegance and manners! It’d be a huge surprise if you had such a side… unless you’re hiding it for special occasions, fufu~”

It was all for fun, but she wondered if the other had taken it a bit more seriously? Knowing her record with jokes (usually not picking it up), that was a possibility and the reason why her face was redder than ever. 

Natsuhi could’t help but let out a big gasp of relief – her reaction had worried her so much she was keeping her breath, preparing to be insulted about how she looked with that outfit!

“Do you really think so…? I don’t mind my usual clothes, you know, but it’s true that they really are comfortable… after all…!” She was stuck between half a smile, was she complimenting her and insulting her usual clothing simultaneously…?

Of course it should have been- they were pants! The fact that she dreaded it didn’t help at all, and she was relieved to hear that the other didn’t resent it as well. 

“I’m so glad to hear that, then that means I can decor you more freely than I thought!”