Suspicions

During breakfast with the family, the topic of Takumi's engagement was addressed again. Keiichi had planned it for that afternoon.

"Does it have to be today?" Takumi asked. That was the exact day he had planned to go out with Sachie.

"It doesn't matter if you take a day off from work," Keiichi replied. "You have to understand that you have other obligations, for example, being able to give the family an heir."

Souta got excited about the idea. Without asking permission, he began to talk about how Miss Hanasaki, their neighbour, got married last spring and had already announced her pregnancy in early September. The little boy liked the idea of preparing for a wedding and attending. He was also curious about what a pregnancy was like. His mother reprimanded Souta for interrupting his father and added:

"I remind you what happened with the Apricot family," she said to Takumi, who flinched upon hearing the name. "I don't need that same humiliation."

Against his will, Takumi accepted the proposal, just to satisfy his parents; he also wanted to avoid arguing. For the moment, he decided to keep up appearances. If he said something or acted differently, his friendship with Sachie was at risk, and his freedom in danger.

When the family was ready, they left to attend dinner at the Shibasaki residence. As the sun was setting, they arrived and were being waited for by the couple, who were grateful for the opportunity for an engagement.

Souta could not keep quiet. Despite the Shibasaki house being smaller in size, it was noticeable that they were an important family. Mrs. Shibasaki smiled at the boy's enthusiasm and invited the family in. In the living room, they met the rest of the family.

The eldest son, Takao, was visiting with his wife, and next to them, smiling shyly, was Haruna, dressed in a light blue kimono. Her makeup was discreet, and her jewelry was clearly foreign.

After the introductions and the tea was served, the conversation began, in which they talked about the Shibasaki family's travels, which country was the best to visit in which season. Souta even encouraged his father to go to Bombay next December.

"Miss Haruna," Takumi commented at a certain point. "What is your opinion about Shimizu? Have you liked it?"

"Shimizu is an incredible city," Haruna commented without looking at Takumi, something that displeased him.

Sachie always looked at him and spoke loudly, almost without thinking while she talked. She was not careful with her words, and she spoke without fear, without judgment. 

The dinner passed successfully, and the Shibasakis decided to continue with the engagement. Both families were eager for Haruna and Takumi to get engaged as soon as possible.

For the Takaharas, it was beneficial for the business since they could create new products with the merchandise that the Shibasakis brought from all over the world. It would even mean reaching other cities.

Takumi kept up appearances. He could feign interest in the family not only to avoid scandal but also for the factory, in which his interest was genuine. He wanted to see sales grow, create more jobs, and expand his products to other cities.

A few days after his first interaction with the Shibasakis, he was walking with Sachie. That friday was a warm day despite it already being autumn. But Sachie looked upset, and Takumi pointed it out to her.

"I was waiting for you all day," Sachie commented, stopping. She looked clearly annoyed.

"I had problems at home," Takumi replied without hesitation. He knew that conversation was going to happen. "Souta was sick, and I had to stay. But don't worry."

That day was awful for the coupe. Sachie had a bad day at her job that day and her herbs were dying. Her boss had reprimanded her for forgetting to clean the cellar, and he had finally lost his patience. Sachie wasn't good with numbers, which meant the profits had to be counted more than once.

For Takumi things weren't easy either. At the factory, his best friend, who worked as the accountant, had warned him that the employees were already talking about his evasiveness. They were gossiping about him seeing a peasant woman, and if he wasn't careful, they would find out.

Both decided to finish the date earlier and both took separate ways and went home. When Sachie finally arrived home she tried to find the key to her room. In that moment, her neighbour reach her to talk.

"My niece has been working in that factory," commented the woman, who observed Sachie.

A few days ago, she had invited her for tea, and her attitude was not that of a peasant. Her posture, her manner of serving tea, and her way of speaking were strange. And it wasn't just that. 

Her friendship with the Takahara heir was scandalous. Sachie observed her and bowed, greeting her. Another strange custom—no woman her age had as much respect for her elders as she did. Furthermore, she did not respond to her aggression.

"She tells me that Takahara-san is a coveted young man in the social circles he belongs to," the woman continued, trying to get Sachie to respond, to start an argument. "Why would the heir of such an important family be interested in a simple peasant woman without a name, without a family?"

"It seems to me that what Takumi does is none of your business, Aizawa san."

"How awful!" commented Mrs. Aizawa upon seeing Sachie's closeness with Takumi. If this woman addressed the heir by his first name, it meant they were close. Perhaps too close to go unnoticed.

And the pointed comments were not only about Takumi's closeness to the peasant woman. Sachie's manners also gave cause for gossip. At her job, her obsession with cleanliness was exaggerated.

When she began attending to patients at the apothecary, Sachie only asked what was necessary, smiling. She listened to them, gave them advice, but when her boss tried to inquire about her life, she changed the subject or evaded him.

In the Takahara factory, the talk was already about Takumi's relationship with the family-less peasant. That afternoon, Keiichi was supervising the day's production. He was proud of his son's work, as productivity had risen under his management.

The employees were satisfied, working to the maximum, and accidents were at a minimum. But there was something he didn't like. Those women talked too much. He began to worry when his son's name was being involved in those rumors.

The workers talked about how young Takahara frequented a nameless peasant woman. They were always together, as if they were a couple. They mentioned how Takumi smiled more when he was with her and even spent too much time at her house, despite that woman still being single.

"That Sachie must be looking for something from the Takahara family," one woman commented. That's when Keiichi started to worry.

Although the name was a coincidence, the truth was that when he wasn't at the factory, his periods away from home began to being suspicious. He never knew where Takumi went on his days off, and now, the mere mention of that cursed name made him suspect the most obvious thing.

That night, after dinner, Keiichi asked to call his son to his library to talk. The door to the garden was closed, his father was not smoking and was seated. He looked worried, he looked impatient. Takumi sat in front of his father.

"I was at the factory today," Keiichi began. "I must congratulate you on your great work. These last few weeks have been productive. Since the inauguration, the factory has grown more than I could have planned. But..."

His father paused for a moment. He had to think about what words he should use so that his son wouldn't feel attacked. He knew there was nothing to complain about. He went to work at the factory, attended commitments with Haruna, and the Shibasakis had not done anything that required reprimanding.

"I was at the factory today," Keiichi repeated. He was anxious, and it showed when he tapped the table lightly with his left hand. "They comment that you are seeing a peasant woman. Sachie, I think her name is."

Takumi was startled. He didn't know how to respond and was afraid his father would connect Sachie with the Apricot family, that he would discover that both were, in fact, the same person.

"Father... I—" Takumi stammered, trying to defend himself. His father stopped him and continued.

"Prove to me that they are just rumors," Keiichi sentenced his son. His attitude hinted at something he refused to believe. "Make me believe that my suspicions are unfounded. I give you one week. You may go."

In his bedroom, Takumi sighed. He meditated on his situation, on his problem. On one hand, he didn't like being with Haruna. He saw her as superficial, without personality. Always speaking softly and asking permission to do any activity. She never expressed herself, and he noticed how, even if she wanted something (a sweet, a hair ornament), she never said it openly.

On the other hand, Sachie... He counted the hours to see her again. He admired her determination, her desire to learn and succeed. She always talked about her customers, and although she didn't talk about her problems and still carried her education and manners, she had become more expressive. Takumi saw himself thinking about her too much and he wanted to please her.

“I think I found my princess” thought Takumi with a genuine smile.