Chapter 64 - Warm and Close

"Hahaha!" laughs Kokoro, as she stumbles down the rocky path back to the main house. Kasumi follows her solemnly, like she didn't just experience the harsh beating of her half sister.

They arrived at the household just as Hanae finally found the makeup that Kokoro needed. She presented it to her mother, and when she did she got a slap on the head.

Kokoro huffed, "How long does it take a young, fit woman like you to get a small bag?"

Hanae bowed her head and asked for forgiveness, "Sorry, mother. I couldn't find it at first, someone must've misplaced it."

Kokoro huffed once more and left her mother bowing as she walks to the couch and sits down. The couch falls around her due to her immense weight. Kokoro opens up the bag and pulls out a cloth and a small mirror to remove the makeup laid on her face. When she peels it all off, all that's left is her bland face, a face that definitely didn't win over their father.

Kokoro put on her makeup once more and tucked all her tools back into the bag, that almost seems to about to burst from the amount of things in it. She holds onto it as she orders her daughters, who are continuing to stand obediently, "Get my bags and give them to the maids. They'll put them in my room. Them come back and fill you dear mother in on what has happened these last few months."

Kasumi and Hanae nodded as they left for the dining room where Kokoro left her bags. They glance outside and they see the darkness, and they felt very grateful, because the maids were heading outside to Kokoro's room instead of them. They're quite fearful of the dark. The bedtime stories that they were told when they were younger were filled of the evil and dark creatures that roam the land. The creatures were real but rare, and they greatly scared the sisters.

They looked for some maids and told them their orders. The maids nodded and took the heavy bags filled to the top with gifts and accessories. They dragged them outside and to the bedroom, that was near the larger garden and nearer to the forest, where it is stunning in the morning when the bright sun hits the small lake in the backyard and makes the whole place glisten. Unlike Miyu's room that is separated from the main house, Kokoro's room is luxurious and made for the main lady of the household.

The maids weren't scared of the dark, they were used to it when they were at the beck and call of the residents, even during the night. They liked Miyu the best, because she didn't only order them politely, she never hit them nor talked rude to them.

Kasumi and Hanae headed back to the couch and sat down next to their mother. Kokoro looked at her daughters with glee and said, "Now, tell me. What happened?"

Kasumi went first and said, "Not much... Just that the finals for school is coming soon. I'm preparing hard for it."

Kokoro smiled calmly, "It's your last year, you need to make a good impression. Or else, you won't get that sweet prince of yours."

Kasumi's lips turned upward, "Thank you, mother. I'll try."

"How about you, Hanae?" Kokoro questioned.

Hanae lips trembled before she opened her mouth, "Not much, mother."

Kokoro was suspicious, "What do you mean, not much? You're lying... I can see you trembling!"

Hanae cleared her throat and looked at her mother guiltily, "I'm sorry, it's just... I forced Miyu to do my homework for school... And I was expecting some questions to be wrong... But instead... She got them all right."

Kokoro raised her head, "That idiot... Got all the questions right?"

Hanae nodded her head, "Even Kasumi didn't get it all right."

Kokoro shook her head, "That's not right... The only thing this means is that she's a secret genius. But she can't be... She's been a retard her whole life!"

Hanae face lit up, "Maybe she cheated!"

Kasumi furrowed her eyebrows, "How?"

Hanae shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know... Maybe she slept with one of the teachers for the answers."

Kasumi smiled, "That might've happened! If we got even the tiniest bit of evidence, we can spread it around and we can use it to disown her, once and for all!"

Kokoro grinned at her daughters, "Oh... My scheming daughters, you're thinking so smartly. I love you and your schemes."

She brought her children close and hugged them. They sat like that for a while, warm and close, away from the cold and dark and whatever lies deep in the woods.