Chapter 172 - Tears

Suzuki Ara watched as Homura Ryuu rushed towards Kazehaya Gin. Her fiancé said they had trouble at work, and she would normally feel okay with it. After all, those two were business geniuses at the pinnacle of their world; they didn't need her or anyone else's help to deal with business matters. However, something about the way they dashed away as if the devil was at their heels that made her feel uncomfortable.

Oh well…

There was nothing she could do about it anyway even if she did worry. She would just wait for Kou to return and ask him. For now, she should follow his advice and rest. After all…

After all, tomorrow she and Ryuu would be married.

A soft smile curved her lips as she inhaled the fresh scent of the winter evening. The air was cool and crisp in her nose and she wrinkled it before starting to head back into the house towards her room. It's already late, and by now, her friends had probably retired to their own sleeping quarters for the night. She should go ahead as well.

She was thinking this when she passed by a small, balled form almost hidden by the foliage. It was dark, and the form was mostly wearing a dark color, but the way it shook, and the stifled sobs Ara could hear reminded her of a small broken animal.

Curious, she leaned out of the engawa to see what it was and was surprised to find a crying Emi, sitting at the corner of the frozen ground against the wooden platform.

"Emi! What are you doing there?"

Her voice startled the girl who tried to scramble to her feet and run away, but her frozen limbs made her topple on the ground, hitting her face.

Ara's house slippers flew as she hastily removed them which was a fairly stupid action as her feet were shocked by the cold as soon as they made contact with the frozen soil. She didn't mind it anyway as she rushed to take Emi off the cold ground and took her back up to the warmth of the house.

Emi looked at her with her wide chocolate eyes brimming with tears, her nose and eyes puffy probably from sobbing for a while. She had a scratch on her forehead too, probably from falling on her face earlier. She seemed disoriented, not really realizing what was happening as she just obediently followed as Ara guided her towards her own room.

Inside, she made the girl sit on the pillow by the table as she served her warm tea that was probably brought here by a servant not a while ago. Emi didn't want to drink first, but Ara forced her to do it to calm her down.

The warm liquid ran down from her mouth, down to her throat, then to her stomach, giving her color back. She was as white as sheet and freezing earlier so Ara's priority was to make her warm. It seemed to be working as Emi's awareness returned.

However, the girl was horrified realizing what she'd done, where she was, and who she was with. Emi quickly kneeled down in a complete bow, totally worried she did something very rude and offensive to her employer.

"Miss A-Ara-… This servant apologizes for being rude. I'm deeply sorry for running away earlier."

Ara sighed as she looked at the girl's form, shaking like a leaf. She already heard that Emi would be transferred to the Kazehaya House if she did something not alright with her, and so she could understand the girl's current apprehension.

"It's alright. Why are you kneeling down?"

The demigod reached over and helped her up again, making her sit properly. She even helped the other wipe her tears with a handkerchief. However, this act of kindness backfired as Emi shed more tears.

"I-I'm so sorry t-they w-wont s-stop," the poor girl sobbed as she scrunched up her face trying to will her tears away but to no avail. 

Ara had that feeling that Emi probably hadn't cried for a long time, but something happened tonight that broke the dam and made all the feelings she hadn't cried over over the years spill non-stop.

"It's alright. If you feel like crying then just cry," Ara advised. "If that's what will make you feel better. You don't have to think about other people all the time you know. You cannot help them if you cannot help yourself first."

Silence hung between them as Emi slowly gathered her bearings together. When at long last her sobs died out, and only her occasional sniffles were left, the girl looked up at her and tried to smile. 

Her tear-streaked face with her red nose and big watery eyes reminded Ara again of a hamster. So cute.

"T-that was some wise words Miss Ara," Emi commented after a while regarding what she told her earlier.

"My brother told me that," Ara informed her. She would not take credit over something she did not say. 

Emi nodded in understanding. "Master Aki said that? Miss Ara is very lucky to have a caring brother," she commented, and Ara just smiled.

She couldn't tell Emi that it was Alistair and not Aki who said that to her.

"How about you? What about your siblings?"Ara asked before she could think and she nearly kicked herself.

Knowing Emi's situation, how could she ask this insensitive question to her?

Oh no…

Emi, however, looked like she didn't mind. "I'm supposed to have other siblings but I don't know who they are."

Well, Makuras were brought to the house when they were born. In exchange for a huge sum, the family where the Makura came from would have to cut ties with her. This would prevent future abuse of power as relatives often would leech off the highest-ranking member. This was why Emi was a Homura and was not using her own family's name anymore. 

"It must have been tough on you. You suffered too much."

Hearing Ara said those words, Emi was surprised. It was as if the thought that she was suffering never occurred to her.

"But I was raised surrounded by luxury it shouldn't be difficult. I-I was more than privileged. I heard my real family was not that well-off. The Homura House helped them a lot – and I was able to have everything I needed too."

Ara was perplexed. This poor girl, she now realized why even after all the ill-treatment Emi received, the girl never complained. She was still probably thinking of the family who had abandoned her and her situation. Emi perhaps thought that she had no right to complain since her life was more comfortable than what it could have been if she was never taken in by the Cedar Palace.

"Rich, poor, what's the difference? If your heart hurts then it hurts…"