Fairy Tale - Happily Ever After 1

[iridesenescence]

Season: Spring

[1 week later]

Yuzuru: ♪ ~ ♪ ~
Since the tea leaves for today are thin and fine, I think I shall steep them for just two and a half minutes.

Eichi: Hey there, Yuzuru.

Yuzuru: Oh? Good morning, Eichi-sama.

Eichi: Could you prepare a cup of that tea you're making for me too?

Yuzuru: Of course. Please wait just a moment.
I must say, it's quite unusual to see you in the dorms at this hour. Do you have the day off today?

Eichi: Just for the morning, yeah. It's been task after task on my plate lately, so I'm enjoying what little rest time I can get.
Why do things all end up happening at once, when everything would go a lot more smoothly if the timings were just a little bit different?
With how inopportunely timed some things are, I'm starting to feel like God himself hates me. It hurts to think about, really.

Yuzuru: ......
Eichi-sama, is something the matter? You seem to be in a sour mood.

Eichi: Sensitive to the slightest changes in your master's moods... You really are an excellent butler, Yuzuru.

Yuzuru: Thank you for the compliment, I suppose. Though I do not recall you ever becoming my master.
And so? What is the matter?

Eichi: That's my question, honestly. What's Tori been up to lately?

Yuzuru: Bocchama...? He's busy preparing to take on a certain challenge that he's posed for himself.
Is Bocchama the reason for your sour mood?

Eichi: ... This whole week, Tori has been avoiding me.
It's normal for us to see each other around ES, right? Normally, he'd come running up to me with a big smile on his face, but for a week now, he quickly turns and walks in the other direction. What on earth is going on?
I've racked my brains trying to figure out what I might have done to offend him, but I've come up blank. And I can't ask him directly if he's going to run away the moment I try to talk to him.
It's been several days of this. Surely you can see why even I would have my mood affected.

Yuzuru: I.. see. So you're in a foul mood because Bocchama has been avoiding you every time you encounter each other.

Eichi: When you put it that way, it makes me sound like a really petty person.
Besides, I'm more annoyed at the fact that I can't figure out the overall situation than at Tori's behaviour itself.

Yuzuru: Is that so.

Eichi: ......
Speaking of strange behaviour... You're just as guilty, Yuzuru.

Yuzuru: Myself, you say?

Eichi: Yes. Tori's behaving that way, but here you are idling. If he's busy, then you, as his attachment, should have your hands full too.

Yuzuru: Attachment...

Eichi: You're usually so overprotective. What's going on? Why are you happy to be hands-off this time?
Besides, it's you we're talking about. I'm sure you at least have a grasp of what exactly it is that Tori's up to.
As his loyal butler, I assume you would know Tori better than even a stalker could.

Yuzuru: First an attachment, and now a stalker... I cannot help but wonder just what you take me for, Eichi-sama.
Then again, I suppose it is of no consequence. Your assumption that I am aware of Bocchama's activities is fairly accurate, after all.
And I do indeed have a grasp on the task that Bocchama is busying himself with at the moment.

Eichi: So I was right. You do know what Tori's up to.

Yuzuru: Indeed. And the reason I am simply acting as a bystander this time is at Bocchama's own request.
His instructions were to not step in until he explicitly requested for assistance.
Fufu. Perhaps it is due to the various experiences he has had recently, but Bocchama has suddenly matured a great deal.

Yuzuru: I have served by his side since he was just a young boy, so while it brings me much joy to watch this rapid growth, I do find myself feeling somewhat melancholy.

Eichi: Huh. You and Wataru are both so sweet.
I'm just as happy as the two of you are to see how much Tori's grown recently.
... But growing too much, too quickly, can cause one to become warped in some way. I don't want Tori to push himself too hard — it's fine for him to grow at a pace that suits him.

Yuzuru: ......
While I do empathise... I must remind you that Bocchama is quite a bit stronger than he looks, Eichi-sama.

Eichi: ......

Yuzuru: Bocchama is currently working on completing the project proposal for Atlantis.

Eichi: The proposal? Are you sure it's okay for you to just reveal that to me?

Yuzuru: Is it really a reveal if I was never attempting to hide it? Bocchama has not forbidden me from sharing this information either.

Eichi: ... Then why didn't you just get straight to the point?

Yuzuru: That's a question I could pose to you fairly often, Eichi-sama. Perhaps you had best reflect on how you normally behave.

Eichi: Yeah, I guess I can't retort to that.

Yuzuru: I apologise if we have caused you any concern, but I assure you, there is no need for you to worry.

Eichi: Actually, if Tori's working on the Atlantis proposal, then his behaviour makes even less sense. There's no reason for him to be so secretive about it, is there?

Yuzuru: I'm afraid I can't be sure about that either...
If I were to speculate, however. It could be that the experience of receiving scathing criticism for his proposal has become a traumatic memory of sorts.


Eichi: You know, Yuzuru. I think you'd make a great assassin. I just felt an invisible knife hit me from out of nowhere.

Yuzuru: Fufu. It is a butler's duty to take up arms if that is necessary to protect his master... ♪

Eichi: That's the first I'm hearing of such a duty. But anyway.
Based on how you're acting, I guess Tori really is just working on the proposal. Which means there's nothing for me to worry about.
That's a relief — I was afraid he'd gotten tied up in some strange situation that he couldn't tell me about.
But really, how cold of Tori. This project is nothing like the proposal from before.
I've declared that Atlantis will be left to him, so I won't voice any objections. My intention is to respect Tori's ideas as much as possible.

Yuzuru: Then please look forward to seeing the finished product.

Eichi: Yeah, I'll be patient and wait.

Once Upon A Time 5 || Happily Ever After 2