"Ahh, the weekend," Min exclaimed as she stretched dramatically across her bed. She rolled onto her back and threw an arm toward the window where sunlight spilled across the room.
"What should we do with the light of this pretty golden sun?" she asked as though delivering a line on a stage.
"Get dressed," I replied calmly while tying my hair into a ponytail. "So we don't keep the others waiting."
"Ugh," she groaned, pushing herself upright. "You'd better buy me something for this."
Even while complaining, she slipped into her dress with surprising grace.
"Oh—look, they're ready," Amihan said just as I opened the door.
Standing outside was Etsuko in an awkward position in front of the door, her hand half-raised as if she had been about to knock. She froze for a moment, offering an awkward smile.
"Haha," Min laughed as she stepped out and ruffled Etsuko's hair.
"Good morning," Amihan greeted softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Min's eyes widened immediately.
"Wow," she said with delight. "You have your hair down!"
Her grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Oh! A maxi dress?" she continued, circling Amihan like an inspector. "What color is this?"
The skirt flowed in a deep, beautiful green, paired with a soft white top. Even the faint fragrance she wore felt fresh and gentle.
"Who's the lucky man?" Min teased.
Amihan ignored the question completely.
Behind her, Etsuko simply watched with a quiet smile.
"Good morning, ladies."
Tatsu stood at the base of the stairs as we came down. Apparently he had been waiting.
"You all look lovely today," he said.
We returned the greeting.
Then his gaze settled on Amihan.
"You look stunning."
Amihan immediately lowered her head, a faint blush appearing across her cheeks.
"Wait… what?" Min blinked.
Her head turned slowly between the two of them.
"When?" she demanded.
Then she pointed dramatically at her brother.
"Him?!"
The way she said it made it sound like a criminal accusation.
"Did you know?" I asked Etsuko quietly.
"Hm," she replied. "She mentioned it once… when she slept in my room."
Min was still processing the revelation, eyes darting back and forth like a detective unraveling a conspiracy.
I glanced at my pocket watch.
"We should be leaving," I said.
Behind me Min had already moved from shock to attempted murder.
"Stay away from my Amihan!" she shouted at Tatsu.
Etsuko grabbed her arm and began dragging her toward the carriage before the situation escalated further.
After stopping to pick up roast duck, pancakes, and a small box of sweets, we hired a carriage to the hospital where Victoria was receiving treatment.
The road gradually led us away from the crowded city streets.
Buildings gave way to quieter lanes, and the air felt clearer the farther we traveled.
The sun was still climbing the sky, bathing everything in gentle morning light—the kind that made being outside feel easy.
"Good morning, Mr Kudo," we greeted when we arrived.
He returned the greeting with a warm smile.
We walked toward Victoria's room, but when we opened the door it was empty.
"Excuse me, Miss Rin," I said after returning to the front desk. "Do you know where Victoria is? She wasn't in her room."
"Oh," she replied calmly, glancing up from the book she had been reading. "She should be in the garden with Adeline."
Then she returned to her page as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Must be nice," Min muttered. "This place is basically a vacation house."
She received a sharp flick to the back of her head.
"Hey!" she protested.
We continued toward the back garden.
It was larger than I expected.
Flower beds stretched along stone paths. Tall trees cast soft shade across the grass. A small pond reflected the sky like polished glass.
"It's almost lunchtime," a gentle voice said somewhere ahead of us. "What would you like to eat?"
We rounded the path.
And there she was.
Victoria.
She sat quietly in the lap of a tall woman—Adeline—whose arms were wrapped around her in a relaxed embrace.
My legs suddenly felt heavy.
Earlier, when Victoria had returned, her face had carried a kind of fear I didn't know how to answer.
Now she was smiling.
A small one, but real.
The contrast left something unsettled in my chest.
"Heiwa," Amihan said softly beside me.
"You go ahead and get them."
"We'll wait in the sitting area."
"Ah… okay," I replied.
"Cute," Min murmured as she followed the others away.
I gave a small nod.
The lunch basket in my hands suddenly felt heavier.
And for some reason, my throat hurt when I tried to speak.