Stealing Spree

When we reached the door to the villa, the old man opened it and gestured for us to come inside. However, it was at that point that he prevented Hitomi from following us.

As though there’s some kind of boundary that they, the servants, couldn’t trespass, he told her to remain outside and stand there with him. Only Otoha and the guest – me – she brought with her could come and stand before the head of the Kaneko House.

His voice was firm and unyielding that even a complaint coming from Otoha wouldn’t be able to bend that decision.

Sensing that, Hitomi halted her footsteps and complied. And with her confidence back, the girl looked straight at us, wordlessly implying that we should go ahead and not mind her exclusion.

Not counting that she’s from a family serving the Kaneko House, even if Otoha and I declared that there’s no such thing as status between us, it would just be overstepping my or our boundaries to twist whatever was decided by the master of this place.

That’s why we didn’t push it anymore. Even if she got scolded again by that old man while we were inside, I doubt she’d be as listless as before. With Otoha standing up for her, she might find it shameful if she folded again. Besides, Hitomi isn’t a weak woman. She just got poked where she erred without any plausible excuse to retort with.

In a way, that blunder was influenced by us, treating her not as a servant.

With the door closing behind us, Otoha looked up to me, concern covering her face. I smiled in response and pulled her in my embrace, assuring her that there was no need for her to worry.

Although I wouldn’t say that I’m completely prepared to meet his grandfather, this was something I had to go through. Moreover, I only had to think that this was for this girl and I could instantly feel the courage in me swelling in my chest.

“Mhm… Stay by my side and watch me make your grandfather accept me for you.” I said as I caressed her hair and back.

Otoha, while she pressed her face on my chest, nodded continuously. Her hands gripped tightly on my back.

A moment later, she raised her head and kissed me. Exchanging a passionate kiss when we’re only a few steps away from where her grandfather was waiting could be said as a rather ballsy move on our part.

The opening and closing of the already sounded so at any moment, there’s a possibility that he could come and welcome us.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen, he’s probably waiting there, sitting comfortably while sipping on tea or huffing a thick tobacco roll. Either way, there’s no turning back now.

After that kiss, Otoha and I already calmed our nerves, I clasped her hand again and this time, I took the first step into the interior of the villa.

Since it’s not a mansion that would take minutes to go from one room to another, we reached the room where he was waiting in less than a minute.

As we stood at the doorless frame leading to the room, my eyes instantly focused on the lone person sitting cross-legged on a cushion by the sliding door leading to the backside of the villa. He had his back turned to us but it’s easy to recognize that he was staring outside, watching the small animals scuttling around the backyard that leads to a small forest.

He’s an old man, alright. However, compared to the old man outside who welcomed and guided us in, he looked nothing short of an authoritative figure. Just judging by his straightened back and rather intimidating posture, he’s not one to be trifled with.

His hair wasn’t completely white yet and it didn’t show the characteristics of being dyed brown. Nonetheless, given that it’s almost the same color as Otoha’s hair, he’s no doubt the Patriarch of the Kaneko House; Kaneko Hirokage.

One thing baffled me though…

His attire.

That brought me back to what Otoha said before we left the car. According to her, he's eccentric and I would be dumbfounded by what he’s wearing.

And that’s correct.

I expected him to be in a suit or anything formal while also holding onto a cane but the old man sitting there was wearing a pair of Hawaiian shirt and short pants. There’s even a pair of sunglasses placed above his head and a straw hat at his side.

It neither fits his status nor the place. This kind of attire was like someone who had just gone back from a summer vacation overseas.

Perhaps noticing my bafflement, Otoha lightly pinched my arm and urged me to go in.

With our footsteps becoming audible at each step on the hardwood floor, his ears perked up and slowly turned towards us.

By the time we reached the spot where two more cushions were placed or prepared, Otoha and I stood rooted on the spot, waiting for his acknowledgment to sit.

However, instead of doing that, the old man, who had his arms crossed, lifted a hand on his chin, seemingly falling into thinking. He then sized me up with his scrutinizing eyes while humming incomprehensible sounds.

At my side, Otoha kept on squeezing my hand. She’s not nervous in front of her grandfather but she’s still worrying that this act of his was unnerving me.

I squeezed her hand back to reassure her and stood straight while my eyes focused on the old man. Although the thought of asking him about his current attire flashed in my mind, I threw it to the back of my mind and just waited.

This was our first meeting and surely, I wouldn’t hold onto the hope that he was unaware of my existence. From how he readily accepted Otoha’s suggestion to meet me, he had long been aware of her relationship with me.

“Onoda, is it? Hmm. You have a great posture. Brave and confident. Have you been training well?”

With that as his first words to me, I quickly responded with a nod, “Yes, it’s Onoda, sir. I won’t call it training but I’m regularly exercising my body.”

“Oh? You won’t get that kind of gait and body build if not for intensive training. Don’t be humble to me…”

Huh? I’m in my uniform. Did he just analyze my body build using only his eyes? In less than a minute, no less…

“Oh. My adorable granddaughter, sit down.”

Without waiting for me to respond again, his eyes landed on Otoha. And as though he found a treasure chest, it shone brilliantly and his bodily movements told me that he was too excited to see her. Perhaps if I wasn’t here, he would stand up and pamper the girl like a little child.

However, contrary to his expectation, Otoha’s answer was rather cold, “Only me?”

Hearing that, the old man put a hand on his chest as if he’s in pain. It’s exaggerated, yet I could see that he’s really shocked by Otoha’s answer. He probably couldn’t believe that the girl somehow put me above him in terms of importance.

The old man shifted his eyes back to me and nodded slightly while gesturing to the other cushion, “Of course, Onoda-kun can also sit.”

Upon hearing that, Otoha beamed a beautiful smile, enough to heal whatever wound he suffered. “Great. Thank you, grandpa. Ruki, let’s sit.”

With Otoha pulling me down with her, I sat down in a seiza position, to show respect to the person before me. Otoha had her legs angled to the side, a comfortable position but when she saw how I sat down, she copied me.

And that act of hers earned another look of shock from the old man.

“Don’t make that face, grandpa. I’m here with Ruki. Just so you’re aware, I’m already set to marrying him with or without your blessing.”

“Huh? O-otoha, aren’t you being hasty?”

“See… You forgot. Didn’t I already tell you about this? Do you think I’m joking back then?”

“… Honestly, yes.”

“Then it’s your fault for not taking me seriously, grandpa. Don’t mind me. Talk to Ruki, isn’t that why we’re here?”

Seeing and hearing that exchange from the grandfather and granddaughter pair, I couldn’t help but wryly smile in my head. For Otoha to say all that without even blinking, she’s really something. Although that sounded disrespectful if seen from another perspective, it seemed rather normal for them.

But that put me on the spot…

Not that I hated it but now that she declared that, her grandfather’s eyes that landed back on me started to boil with jealousy.

Right… He looked like a very doting grandfather and now, from what Otoha displayed, he’s probably thinking that I stole his number 1 position in the girl’s good books.

Ignoring his jealous eyes, I cleared my throat and… introduced myself.

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, I’m Onoda Ruki. Otoha’s beloved.”