Chapter 34 : A Cheap Apology

As the first snow fell upon Oshima Town, its residents were delighted upon the arrival of the winter season.

And yet, few people were unable to rejoice -- one of them being Fumiko Ito, who had recently been punished with suspension from St. Anne's Academy.

And when Fumiko was unhappy, the maids had to suffer.

"MAI!"

"WHERE ARE YOU? MAI???"

Mai flinched every time Fumiko hollered her name.

"Don't mind her," Midori said. "Don't even answer."

She looked up and saw Mai's distraught face through the mirror.

"Don't worry. You are helping me prepare for my bath. She does not own you, you know. You serve the Takigawas, not the Itos."

"Y-yes, Ojou-sama."

Fumiko truly did not know how to be humble, Midori thought to herself. Did she think that she was gaining more power when she was bullying others?

Besides, her punishment was far from being over.

Midori rose to her feet and opened her bedroom door slightly. She could hear murmurs coming from the ground floor, and then the front door was opened to let Midori's brothers in.

"Master, welcome back," Onizuka said. His greeting was answered with a grunt, followed by the sound of heavy, authoritative footsteps that echoed throughout the entrance hall.

"Showtime," Midori rose to her feet. "Come, Mai-chan."

"Eh? Ojou-sama, weren't you planning to take your afternoon bath?"

"No, no. It is too early for a bath."

One should properly roll in the mud pool first, and then cleanse themselves."

Mai held Midori's arm as they gingerly descended the staircase, giving Midori an air of fragility. That was the exact impression she wanted to give when she met Grandpa Takigawa again.

"Ah, Midori-san."

Grandpa Takigawa looked up at his youngest granddaughter. Whatever he wanted to say next remained forgotten because another person made her appearance, swift as a snake.

"Grandpa, welcome back."

Chie bowed her head slightly. Behind her was Fumiko, who ceased her hollering as soon as the patriarch returned to the house.

"Hmm."

Grandpa Takigawa eyed the three women in front of him.

"Is this related to the incident at St. Anne's Academy?" he correctly guessed.

"I wish to clear a few misunderstandings between Fumiko-san and Midori-san, Grandpa," Chie spoke as she shot both Midori and her younger sister a brief glance.

"Misunderstandings?"

Midori landed at the bottom of the staircase with a furrow between her brows.

"Chie-san, maybe you are referring to the insult, and then the assault on my person."

Midori could see anger rising in Chie's eyes, but the latter managed her emotions well.

"As I said, Midori-san, there have been a lot of misunderstandings to clear up. May I please invite all of you to the living room?"

Grandpa Takigawa grunted.

"Midori-san, Chie-san is your elder. Allow her to talk."

"I will naturally follow Grandpa's wish," Midori said as she walked toward the living room.

"Mai, prepare my bath," she told Mai before she followed after Grandpa Takigawa and the snake incarnates.

Midori was burning to know what method the Ito sisters would use to weasel their way out of Grandpa Takigawa's wrath.

As soon as they were seated, Chie started preparing the tea. Green tea, brewed the traditional Japanese way, just as Grandpa Takigawa preferred it. She knew that Grandpa Takigawa had a soft spot for Japanese women who remained faithful to the arts, thus she used this to her advantage. An advantage that Midori had yet to claim for herself.

After everyone had a steaming cup of green tea in front of them, Chie began to speak.

"I understand that there has been some friction between Fumiko-san and Midori-san lately. I chose to dismiss the sentiments, believing that they would disappear with the passing time. My error of judgment caused the bad blood between the two young women to escalate, culminating in the form of the incidents in St. Anne's Academy. I humbly apologize for my failures."

It was not Chie's fault to begin with, but her willingness to apologize quickly melted Grandpa Takigawa's exterior.

"Chie-san, you are busy taking care of the entire family. Both Fumiko-san and Midori-san are adults," he said before shooting glares at them. "They should have been able to clear the problems between them without your help."

Chie sighed into a handkerchief.

"Grandpa is too kind," she said with a broken voice that bordered on tears.

Midori applauded herself for not breaking into a sneer.

Following her elder sister's good example, Fumiko too started apologizing.

"Grandpa, I was too careless and impulsive. I should not have done what I did. I humbly apologize for my words and actions at St. Anne's Academy."

Grandpa Takigawa arched his brow at Fumiko.

"It is not I who you should apologize to, but Midori-san," he said, gesturing to Midori.

"Of course," Fumiko quickly said. She bowed her head in front of Midori, her face concealed when she spoke further, "I am deeply sorry, Midori-san."

"Thank you for apologizing," Midori said.

The two women stared at her in disbelief.

"That was rather curt, Midori-san," Grandpa Takigawa furrowed his brows at Midori. "It doesn't sound like you accepted Fumiko-san's apology with open heart."

Midori calmly turned to look at Grandpa Takigawa.

"Grandpa, the entire St. Anne's Academy has heard about my current predicament, or better said Fumiko-san's version of it.

I also fell, and had to stay overnight in Hongo's hospital.

I don't know how one single... No, any amount of apology from Fumiko-san can offset the damage I have sustained."

Grandpa Takigawa hummed.

"I cannot say that Midori-san is unreasonable. Fumiko-san certainly did something irreparable to Midori-san's reputation. We should be grateful that the baby remained unharmed."

The patriarch's words made Fumiko slump forward in resignation, but Chie was like a mighty willow tree that refused to bend in the face of a storm.

"Unfortunately, Midori-san, we cannot turn back the time. Otherwise, Fumiko-san would be more than happy to undo all the damage she did," Chie retorted with a gentle smile. "Seeing that we are all family, please forgive her nonetheless, Midori-san."

"Honestly, that sounds like a cheap apology, Chie-san," Minato's cold voice was heard before the door to the living room was slid open. "Even if Midori-chan is willing to forgive and forget, I refuse to do so."