And in most cases, there were two types of tea. She didn’t like the taste, but she could hold her own. And she would be able to especially if there was nothing for two hours. And she could boil tea, which was something why she wasn’t terrified. Or Masaki could if he had offered to do so. He knew of her dislike, but would not have guessed that she was capable of serving satisfactory tea.

While Enyou was not a bad conversation partner to have, and thus would nullify the boredom. And a reason why she rather despised joining one back in Senwari, since she did not have anyone to talk to. Her mother surrounded herself with women her age, with no regard for Sachiko. Leaving her to simply listen.

She was also reprimanded for even joining in, as it was not her place to do so. As such, she often avoided it as much as she could. Either by staying in the gardens, and later on when she had her own personal servant, drinking with her. This time around, it had been with Masaki and Enyou. So, she knew it could not be so bad.

“Is everything alright?” Suzumi asked.

“Nothing.”

“You’ll need to head inside as Masaki is already boiling tea.” She nodded. “It’s a hobby of his, as he grew bored of being in here for long periods of time. He receives invitations, but even those do not save him from the loneliness of lack of company. He prides in choosing good tea leaves. The same way with you and sake, maybe you’ll introduce him to that as well.”

She nodded even as she rushed over. Even as Enyou had got up, perhaps hoping to find her. It was suitable as she had been her friend. Or rather a lie to explain their correspondence. She took a seat down, even as he boiled it too. All too familiar with the lack of sound here.

No comments until everyone had drunk from it and finished. After was where they could engage in casual conversations. And she knew that this was etiquette, even as she wondered just how it would have went if they had decided to make the change from tea to sake.

Which Sachiko knew was an inherently bad idea. Intoxication often led to many saying the strangest things, or doing things without much thought in them. This was not anything they could help, as they were under the influence. And hangovers often lasted till the next day. Which was why drinking was a good pastime for the night, but not the day.

In a moment, Masaki was done. Almost as though he was proud of it, even as it was often a woman’s job to boil it. But he brought it out, poured it into a single bowl. He offered it to Enyou first, who had been happy to take a sip from it avoiding its back.

“You can open a tea shop, and I’m sure you’ll still be rich after it.” Even as she wiped the bowl, before passing it to her. There was not a lot, since there was only three of them. Done because Masaki wanted it, without many guests here.

She took a sip too. Knowing full well of what would be expected of her. She tasted it, with the expectation of the bitterness. Even as she recognized the skill in it, her mother had made great tea. And this was comparable to that. Though she knew full well that it was something that would expected of her more than it was of him.

“It reminds me of haha’s.” That was a compliment on its own.

“I did it because I miss her tea.” Glad to see that it reminded him of her. And thus she knew why he had chosen this. It was something which he remembered his mother for. After he had moved here. Even as he kept it, Enyou not even thinking that it was wrong. As though she had seen this before to some extent and did not find it strange.

Even as he poured the remaining into a cup. In an effort to remember just how his mother’s tea smelled and tasted like. Even as he had left, to clean up before bringing in some weak tea. With Suzumi bringing in the food. She helped to do it, even as Enyou picked up the chopsticks to eat it. Knowing that it was simply when they could talk. The main time for chatting.

He had served the tea to them. And she picked it up, drinking it. The worst was over, even as she wore that her mother dragged it out back home. Or it had been the silence which caused it to be so long. Or rather impossible to predict why. But this was much faster than she thought it would have been.

“Either way, I’m surprised. It makes sense that he would be the one to do it.” She gave her a small smile. Though she wondered just how she had come to the truth. “I mean just now, you barely touched your tea.”

She was right in that regard. She often took barely more than a sip or two. It wasn’t anything personal, but just that she often forgot it existed. “How about I prove it here and now?” She took the entire cup and drank it in one sitting. She could finish it, but she disliked the weak taste of it. Because this was thin tea after all.

“Have you tried sake?” She asked the boy.

“No. Not yet.” He returned a nice smile.

“She seems to have great taste in them.” Which had been the truth. Even as she had not told him that. Mostly on account that he was a child. “I’m pretty sure you’ll do great in making a choice.”

It was rather strange for her to do so. Even as she stood up, before going on. “Remember that I’ll be waiting for you three days later at Houya inn. The place that serves great wine.”

Just why had she decided to tell him at this point. It was a hint, something that he could catch or not. But she had never known her brother well enough to tell what was the case. As he came here as a child and grew up in this environment.

“You’re going to meet with the Sasaki clan, aren’t you?” He had caught on.

“Yes. We need them as allies right now.” There was not much which they could do about it. Their clan was in a weak position, one where others could take advantage of.

“Why? Is it something that chichiue assigned you?” He asked. She nodded, knowing that it was best.

“Not really. Except that we need to protect our clan right now and all that we have done.” It was unusual to expect that of a young woman, where marriage would have been the best choice. “And it’s best for you to keep yourself out of it. I can pretend to be an innocent young woman, and many would believe me.”

But he on the other hand, would be placed under suspicion the moment word got around. He was still a child, but he was a boy 3and the heir. Many would expect him to be more cunning than they would ever a woman. “Of course, aneue. I’ll leave it to you. Ensuring that I can leave this place is what I should be focusing upon.”

They nodded, both knowing what they needed to do.