CHAPTER 3

ONCE IN A LIFETIME ENCOUNTER

Aunt Himari's house was quite spread out. A spacey garden surrounded the house from all the four sides of the two storey house. One could even see the Meguro river could be seen from the second floor.

Himari Watanabe is Hiroto Hayashi's only sister.

Aunt Himari got married into the Watanabe family twenty five years ago. Sayuri's grandmother stayed here a couple of years when her health fell. And it was here, grandmother died.

A middle aged man who was probably the gardener opened the door for her. Sayuri thanked the person and walked inside.

The big living room was quite and still. The crystal lights which hang from the ceiling were bright. On the TV, a game has been was on paused.

After walking halfway, she heard a youthful voice. She could sense impatience in the tone of the person's voice.

"You are quite late. It's already six."

The speaker was none other than her grumpy cousin. Hiroshi Watanabe.

Sayuri turned her head and saw Hiroshi Watanabe sitting casually on the couch.

He was looking straight at her. His facial features were very similar to Aunt Himari.

She felt very annoyed.

I was calling this bastard so many times and here he is lazing around, playing video games.

Sayuri smiled and said," How are you, brother? I hope you are resting properly."

Hiroshi's mouth turned a little stiff and it even seemed to twitch. He remained silent but the woman who just came into the room answered. It was Aunt Sato, the housekeeper who was working in the house since the time the house was made.

"Hiroshi has been sick since yesterday. Of course he has to rest. Stop bothering him."

Housekeeper Sato walked towards the young master on the couch and patted his head affectionately and said," He had such high fever, my poor boy."

"Oh…Please take care and have lots of water. You need to get well to play video games properly."

"So what if i played video games... You are a grown up now so you should learn to travel alone." Hiroshi said.

"Yes, I am already a grown up." Sayuri replied with a slow smile.

Hiroshi's face twitched. What is she implying? Is she telling me that I am a child? The more he thought about it he got frustrated.

"Your room is on the second floor. Don't make any noise. Hiroshi's reading room is just opposite to yours." Aunt Sato said.

"Sure. I won't dare disturb my cousin brother while he reads manga." Sayuri said and started walking upstairs with her pink suitcase.

Hiroshi clenched his fingers into a tight fist. He hated this cousin of his that was mainly because she had a sharp-tongue.

Is she not annoying enough? Do I have to face her everyday from now on?

"Come down to dinner twenty minutes later. I don't want to go upstairs to inform this to you." Housekeeper Sato almost shouted.

Sayuri continued walking upstairs as she dragged her suitcase behind her.

"Tsk…" Hiroshi stood up and walked up the stairs towards Sayuri. "Give it. You are a weakling."

Hiroshi snatched the suitcase from Sayuri and stomped away hurriedly up the stairs to the second floor.

Sayuri was a bit surprised but she continued walking behind her cousin brother.

The clear displeasure in Aunt Sato's disposition during dinner, made Sayuri stand up and she found an excuse to leave the dining table.

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Sayuri tossed and turned on her bed.

The soft moonlight fell upon her body. The pink laced curtains moved as the soft breeze blew through the open window.

Although the room was filled with many stuff toys which Sayuri hated, the room was quite warm and comfortable.

Filling the room with so many cuddly stuffed toys must have been the work of Aunt Himari, her father's sister.

Sayuri was feeling hungry.

The night light clock showed that it was half past twelve. She had slept for four hours.

She propped herself up and leaned against the bed for some minutes.

Then, a soft growl came from her stomach. Her stomach was churning.

If it would have been earlier, she could have gone out to buy some food for herself.

Sayuri sighed, and gulped down the glass of water on the nightstand. She felt a little better.

She stood up from the bed. She had brought some snacks while she was in the airport.

Sayuri walked towards her pink back pack and opened it's zip. There are two packets of corn chips and a packet of roasted peanuts. Great!

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END OF CHAPTER 3