HA3 9.2 - Going to St. Mary
After he got final confirmation from Kaede Sensei, that starting this week Aizawa would play piano for evening mass in St. Marry, Hide immediately bought remote switch for home lighting, along with remote curtain puller.
He bought both systems from King’s Hardware, and chose open-architecture package that could be paired with existing switch and window curtain in his house. That way, he didn’t need to buy new switch and new curtain rail.
Yesterday, he had installed both systems. And today, while waiting Kaede Sensei to pick them up, he taught Aizawa how to set up the systems using her smartphone. Basically, it worked based on pre-determined schedule or the user could turn it off and on whenever they wanted remotely using their smartphone. Aizawa grasped the explanation in no time and tried it right away.
“Any question?” Hide gently asked after Aizawa re-set up the system.
“Mhmmm…” While tilting her head to the side Aizawa asked, “Can we buy automatic cooking oven to make pizza?
So, we only need to put the ingredient and seasoning to the oven and the pizza will be ready a few minutes later.”
“Nope.” After a smile Hide added, “Our civilization is not that advance yet. We still have to cook pizza and other food manually.”
“Okay,” Aizawa dejectedly said. She looked very disappointed, but she didn’t press the matter further.
“Other question?”
“Why the micro cameras only cover the lamp and curtain?” Aizawa curiously asked. “Can we make it to cover the room too?”
“We shouldn’t do that.” Hide calmly explained. “If someone hack our smartphone and has ill intention to the house, the micro camera will help them a lot.”
Aizawa nodded and said, “Okay.”
Then, someone rang the doorbell. Wasting no time, Hide and Aizawa went to check it and as soon as they opened the door their gaze met with Takeo, Rei, and Kei. The three wore semi-formal clothes. Takeo looked calm as usual, while Rei and Kei were brimming with smile.
“Big Sis Aizawa, we super-duper miss you.”
“Mhm, we super-duper miss you.”
Rei and Kei said in turn before hugging Aizawa together. People who looked at the three would think this was their first meeting after a decade of force separation. As for Hide and Takeo, they had a light smile in their face as they looked at their little sisters.
Then, Hide turned his gaze to Takeo, “I never thought you will choose to go to St. Marry with us.”
“I never consider this option actually. It’s Rei and Kei who wants to go to St. Marry,” Takeo calmly replied. “I’m just their escort.”
“I see.” After a smile Hide asked another question, “What did your parent say about it?”
“Mom said it is fine as long as I escort Rei and Kei,” Takeo said. “And actually, my father received Catholic baptism before he married my mother.”
Hide instantly had surprise look all over his face. “Your father is a Catholic?”
“He joined it in high-school, to chase the girl he liked. But after the girl rejected him, he stopped going to the church and never talked about it again,” Takeo explained. “He only told the whole family about it when Rei and Kei ask my mom if they can go to St. Marry with Aizawa.”
“I see.”
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A moment later, Kaede Sensei and Kana arrived using white MPV. A few days ago, Hide had told Kaede Sensei that Takeo, Rei, and Kei would go with them to St. Marry, and she happily welcomed it. She then talked about it further with Takeo’s mother through phone call. So, after a short introduction, the group immediately departed.
Hide took over the wheel from Kaede Sensei, so she moved to the back seat with the girls. They already had lot of chat and video call through their chatting group. Therefore, they blended together with ease and kept giggling happily.
As for Takeo, he calmly sat in the passenger seat and made idle talk with Hide. Then, a few minutes later they arrived at St. Marry and Kaede Sensei asked Hide to park the car in the inner garage instead of parking lot in the side yard.
---
After his wife died from shooting incident in her school, Carlson went to catholic seminary. He wanted to become a Jesuit, but things didn’t work out as he expected. He then joined the paramilitary group under Morris Abram, met with Hide and the two became a pair in buddy-buddy system.
The two also had a unique drinking habit that deepened their bond as teammate. When the two drink, Carlson would sip his whiskey bit by bit while talking about his experience in seminary. As for Hide, he would sip his mint and strawberry milk while calmly listening.
It was drinking habit that only they two could comprehend, but somehow it helped them to lessen up their pain from losing someone they cherished more than anything. Sometimes, Hide would also go to Sunday morning mass with Carlson. So, to some extent he was not alien to Catholic’s rites and fundamental teaching.
‘This brings back some memory,’ Hide muttered as he entered the church from side door and made a cross sign after lightly dipping his finger tips on the holy water next to the door.
“Hide…” Kaede Sensei had surprise look in her face as she looked at Hide. “It seems this is not the first time you enter a church.”
“Sort of,” Hide calmly said.
“Do we have to make cross sign too?” Rei curiously asked as Kaede Sensei and Kana made the cross sign like Hide.
After a smile Kaede Sensei gently replied, “No, you don’t have to.”
“Okay,” Rei said.
Kaede Sensei than scanned the empty church. “I will accompany Aizawa, while Kana will take you all to your bench, and feel free to pick wherever spot you are comfortable with.”
“Yes, Sensei,” Hide said before turning his gaze to Kana. “Lead the way, we are behind you.”
“Mhm,” Kana firmly nodded.
The group then separated to two directions. Kaede Sensei and Aizawa went to the piano located next to the altar, and the two sat side by side. Kaede Sensei and Aizawa would play together and they had trained together for it.
At the same time, Kana took the group to the foremost bench in the left wing. From this position, they would have clear view to Aizawa, but didn’t draw too much attention because they were not right in front of altar.
Takeo casually entered the bench first, followed by Rei, Kei, and Kana. Then, Hide closed the formation. As soon as they sat, everyone busy with their mind. Takeo casually looked at the painting on the wall behind the altar. Rei and Kei curiously looked at the painting in the ceiling, while Kana closed her eyes and fell into silent pray.
As for Hide, he attentively looked at Aizawa. Surprisingly, she didn’t look nervous or anxious even though this was the first time she would play outside the class.
‘What a brave girl,’ Hide muttered. Then, he turned his gaze to Kana as she finished her pray. “You are a Catholic, right?”
“Mhm,” Kana happily replied. “Kana’s big family is Catholic.”
Hide nodded before turning his gaze back to Aizawa and Kaede Sensei. “Will Kaede Sensei be alright to play in the middle of crowd?”
“It’s fine,” Kana calmly said. “Church is an exception for Aunt’s phobia. People who come to Saturday evening mass is also not too many.”
“I see.”
A moment later, a teenage boy lit the candle in the altar. Before long, people who would attend the mass entered the church one by one from the main door. Mostly, they were elderly or parents with their kids. They chose the benches located straight in front of altar, and from his position Hide could see them clearly.
Then, among the flow of people who entered the church Hide recognized someone. She was Sayaka. She came with both her parent and little brother. Hide never heard that Sayaka’s family was a Catholic, so it was a bit surprising to see her in the church.
She had charming expression as usual, while her long sleeve shirt and long plated-skirt made her look lovely as a whole. However, it took only for a moment before she fully disappeared from Hide’s mind.
Not to mention, a few seconds later Hide saw Paolo entered the church from side door. He came with his 3-year-old granddaughter, and as soon as he saw Hide, he immediately smiled at him before going straight to the bench behind him.
“I never thought you two are a Catholic,” Paolo said while looking at Hide and Takeo in turn.
“We are not,” Hide casually replied.
Hide was very sure Paolo already knew that he and Takeo would come to St. Marry this evening. He left lot of trail about it in his smartphone after all. Even so, Hide still had to explain it to Paolo and pretending he had no idea about the detail.
“And so here we are,” Hide casually ended his explanation.
“I see,” Paolo happily said. “Whatever the reason is, I’m happy to meet you here, and later let’s talk about your request.”
“Okay,” Hide said.
A moment later, at exactly 17:00 the evening mass was started.
*****