「Agh! My hair!」 A gust of wind attacked Mieko's head as she and Takako wound in and out of narrow alleyways and side roads.

Fruitlessly attempting to keep her tabi socks free from the dirt flying up from the ground with each hesitant step, Takako couldn't help but roll her eyes. 「Miss, did you see that girl’s head the other day? You certainly have no need to fuss over two unruly strands.」

Mieko sighed, hands grasping for a wooden wall beside her as she waddled through a puddle of mud. 「First impressions are everything! Not to mention she’s welcoming us into her home, it’s common courtesy to make yourself look the best you can!」

「First impressions?」 Takako's nails dug into the fabric cover swaddling Mieko's dirtied kimono. 「Oh goodness, that’s right.」

There’s more of them…

She huffed as she held the crudely drawn map and address arm's length away, scanning the streets for anything remotely resembling Lucy's pathetic scribble of a house.

Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't it have been Kazuma? He knew English at least! And it was a miracle Mieko’s “shopping” excuse worked on her father twice in one week, on two consecutive days no less!

In the heat of her self-pity, Takako had half a mind to toss the kimono into the dirt and leave the godforsaken thing for a tanuki.

「She said her uncle is also American! Why do you think they’re here? Do you think they’re teachers? Or maybe they work at a church? Like Mrs. O’Halloran’s husband! Or maybe-」

「Miss.」 Takako interjected, eyes already heavy and head pounding from Mieko’s blabbering. 「We’re here…I think.」

She took another glance at the paper between her fingers. This had to be the house. It was by far the most unkempt on the street, with its dirtied walls and mucky windows.

「We came here of all places to clean something?」

「Looks like it! Wait!」 Mieko hopped on the tips of her sandals, plucking a wayward leaf out from Takako’s sleek bun. 「Both of us need to be presentable, you know!」

Takako held in a groan as Mieko jumped towards the door, rapping a total of four times before a woman’s voice made its way to the opposite side.

「Yes, yes!」

Takako held her breath and nearly choked on her own saliva as the door slid open. The woman smiling down at Mieko and ushering them inside was gorgeous. She was absolutely everything most modern women could only dream of embodying: perfect skin, sparkling, dark eyes, glossed ebony hair that shimmered in the sun.

Takako couldn’t bring herself to look any further beyond her angelic face, lest an irrational jealousy take over all inklings of reasonable thinking she had allotted herself for this escapade.

「You must be Miss Mieko! My name is Yuko, please come in!」

Mieko was visibly just as taken aback as Takako at the woman’s beauty, stuttering for about five seconds before managing to introduce herself.

「Ah-yes, yes! Thank you for having us!」 Mieko bowed her head to the point that Takako was certain she was going to smack her forehead on the ground. 「This-this is Takako, she works for my family!」

Takako cringed as Mieko patted her on the back, urging her to bow while Mieko bumped past her and into the house.

「Please, please, come in!」 With Mieko already slipping off her sandals inside, Yuko’s perfectly sing-song voice welcomed Takako into the narrow entryway.

With a smile forced on her face, Takako cringed again.

As the two were led further in the house, down the hallway and into a sitting room, Takako’s mind was quickly turning to mush trying to grasp the already-incomprehensible story unfolding before her.

How can a woman like that live in a house like this?

Yuko may have been inconceivably, irritatingly stunning, but it seemed like her luck ran dry from there - she was practically living in squalor. Wooden boxes splayed across the dented floor, yellowed windows, dust everywhere, including on the very pillows Yuko was gesturing for them to sit on.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Not to mention-

Takako flinched.

“For god’s sake, would ya stop complaining about every little thing? How the hell was I supposed to know?”

Living with foreigners.

A man’s voice began to yell out in what Takako presumed was English.

As Mieko and Takako settled into their seats, a tall man with glasses followed by the young woman with messy hair from the day prior came into view from the hallway.

Lucy, Takako had somehow remembered her name, had her hands on her hips and back turned from the sitting room.

“Are you serious? Yeah, how were you not supposed to know we would need our money for food and not a bottle of God-knows-what-alcohol?” She slapped the side of her head as the man began to roll his eyes. “Silly me, how on earth did I think a man in his forties could somehow make sound financial decisions for his family.” She clapped her hands together as her voice raised with every word, leaving the man unphased and, to Takako’s surprise, laughing.

His blue eyes eventually traveled from the top of Lucy’s head over towards the three women in the room.

“Hello ladies!”

“What? What the hell are you talking abo-” Lucy froze as he started to bow. A quick turn of her head revealed the two women from yesterday, sitting all prim and proper on their pillows with Yuko standing behind them.

“Oh Go-”

“Good to meet you!” Alfred sang as he sauntered past Lucy and into the room. “Sorry about my niece, she’s not really one for social graces!” He released an exasperated sigh with a shrug of his shoulders.

Just as Lucy turned and was about to protest, Takako let out a playful giggle from behind her hand.

「Nice to meet you.」

Both Lucy and Mieko furrowed their brows, baffled at Takako’s uncharacteristic friendliness, towards someone speaking words she didn’t understand, no less.

Yuko, on the other hand, felt her skin prickle as her stomach did flips.

“Al, dear, would you mind getting some tea? It’s already made, and I cleaned the cups on the table in the kitchen.” Yuko flashed him a smile, relishing in how he blushed and gave her a wink before jumping past Lucy towards the kitchen.

「My, your husband is so hospitable.」 Takako eyed Yuko as she took a seat opposite her and Mieko. 「That’s so interesting, does he often serve the guests instead of you?」

Why the hell is it any of your business?

Lucy’s thoughts nearly dared to make their way past her lips as she took the seat next to Yuko.

Just as Lucy was about to greet Mieko across from her, Yuko replied to Takako’s questioning.

「We’re engaged.」 She cooly quipped with a satisfied grin on her face. 「And he loves to meet new people, he’s always this cordial to everyone he meets. It’s one of his best qualities.」

Despite being of the humble opinion that Yuko was leagues above her uncle and could have much, much better, Lucy silently applauded her strength to hold her own - especially against this guest who had already overstayed her welcome.

“Mieko.” Yuko switched her attention from the now-frozen Takako over towards the young lady across from Lucy. “Lucy tells me you know English. How wonderful! Have you ever been abroad before?”

Mieko shimmied forward on her knees, eyes wide and smile beaming as Yuko’s lovely English poured into her ears.

“Yes! Yes, I learn English at home!” She nodded excitedly, hips bouncing up and down as she continued. “No, I have never been to another country!”

Takako did her best to hold back an eye roll as she felt Mieko’s little hops vibrate through her cushion.

Yuko pursed her painted lips into a coy grin once she heard Alfred step in from the hallway.

“Well, I’m sure Al would love to tell you all about America.” She whipped her head up towards Alfred, her fingers brushing against his own as she gingerly reached for the tea tray. “Thank you, dear.” She cooed, quickly locking eyes with Takako while setting the tea.

“Heard my name, what’re we talking about?” Alfred plopped down at the head of the table beside Mieko and Lucy.

Before Yuko could reply, Mieko dove in. “You are from America? Wow! Where..where are you from?”

Alfred shot a glance at Lucy, searching her apathetic face for any answer that wouldn’t crush the poor girl’s naive enthusiasm.

“We’re from South Dakota.” Lucy said as she idly fiddled with her hair.

“South Dakota.” Mieko repeated the name to herself. It sounded like another world, somewhere much more interesting and exciting than Osaka, with the same gossip and to make things even worse, no Kazuma for her to laugh at it all with. “What is in South Dakota?”

“Corn.” Alfred and Lucy replied in unison, waiting for Mieko’s sparkling eyes to grow dim and disappointed, only for her to press on further.

“Ah! Corn! Amazing! What else is in South Dakota? Oh! Is there a North Dakota?”

“Wheat.”

“Nothing, and North Dakota is even worse, don’t get me started!”

Lucy and Yuko glared at Alfred, Lucy having half a mind to verbally assault him in front of their company.

Remember where you came from, I see.

「Lucy, why don’t you and Mieko take the kimono to the wash room? Alfred and I can handle Miss Takako.」 Yuko’s grin still didn’t waver.

「Ah…handle?」 Lucy repeated.

Yuko’s curt nod confirmed Lucy’s suspicions - she was not a fan of Takako.

“Okay, um…” Lucy slowly stood from her cushion, nodding towards Mieko. 「I can take your-」

A white bundle surfaced from Takako’s lap and suddenly slid across the table, bumping into Lucy’s leg.

「...kimono.」 It took every fiber of Lucy’s being to ignore Takako and remain focused on Mieko, now standing next to her and eager to explore the house.

「Follow me.」 Reaching for the silk bundle, Lucy gestured for Mieko to follow her back into the hallway.

Never thought I’d be happy to be doing laundry.

Without a bow nor a single glance in Takako’s direction, Mieko dashed out of the room with Lucy.