FMS Episode One 3

"I'm home!"

Chihaya woke up to the rattle of footsteps downstairs. Apparently, she had fallen asleep with her arms and face down on the desk by the window. It was already dusk outside the window, and the sea and the cove were contrasting silhouettes of black and white. As Chihaya rose she noticed a thin blanket that had been draped over her bare shoulders. Auntie was here.

As she rubbed my eyes and went downstairs, voices of Auntie and a young girl were heard.

"You were pretty late today. You know, it's time to set the tables."

"Yeah, I'll do it right away."

"Wait, look at you. Don’t go dressed like that."

The young girl, who was about to go carrying a tall pile of plates, looked down at her attire as if she had noticed it for the first time - a large white T-shirt over a swimsuit. Her T-shirt was wet, revealing the blue color of her swimsuit and the curves of a lean body. The hem of the shirt was tied on one side to allow for free movement, and the girl’s short hair was damp, as if she had just been in a shower.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm going to get changed."

Tanned skin and brownish hair. She was much taller and slender than Chihaya remembered, but this girl must be Aya. Chihaya smiled and waved her hand softly from the middle of the stairs, which Aya noticed and halted with a surprised look. Auntie, following her daughter’s line of sight, also noted that Chihaya had emerged from her room.

"Oh, you’re up... you must have been tired from the long trip. And this is Aya I talked about earlier. Aya, say hello to Chihaya onee-chan."

"I'm Chihaya. Nice to see you, Aya-chan."

Prompted by her mother, Aya bowed in a bit of an awkward hurry. “I’m Aya Isuzu. I-I’m in the seventh grade. I’m, I’m very welcome, so please entertain.” After she mumbled those words, Aya rushed out into the hallway, face down and her ears flushed red.

"Well, that didn’t make much sense,” Auntie sighed. “An innkeeper’s daughter, but she can’t even greet the guests properly. Chihaya-chan, please don’t be annoyed…Aya just needs a bit of a help here and there.”

"Yes, I’m happy to help where I can,” Chihaya smiled. Good, Aya seemed like a good girl.