Interlude

I love my mistress.

My name is Hayasaka Ai. I was born in the Shinomiya family's main house as a servant and was given special education. My father is my mistress's Godfather, and my mother is her wet nurse. We're raised together for a short period after birth, but my mistress was moved to the main house on her second birthday.

I know this is a disrespectful thing for a servant to think like this, but I see my mistress as my sister. Our next meeting is at the age of seven when we're officially master and servant. Even though we are a master and her servant, our bond was similar to that of inseparable sisters. Only my mistress fully understands my flaws and only I fully understand her flaws.

I am a coward.

I can't reject the mission that my mistress's brother gave me to watch every move of her. I was scared by the threat my mistress's brother gave me. He said "This is what happens when you turn your back on the Shinomiya Family. You would be wise to remember this." while giving me an example.

I can merely carry out my duty for my mistress and report everything to the main house at night. Years passed, my mistress is currently in her sophomore year of middle school. The adorable and kind expression that she used to have when we were a child is gone. It's replaced by a cold facade and rational thinking drilled by the rules and expectations of her family.

At first, my mistress often smiles when we're talking at night before sleeping. Only those times I can talk normally with her like sisters do, but most likely I am the only one who thinks like this.

Recently the times my mistress smiling seems to be reduced. She always talks to me about how much she wants to have a friend. But, her logical side always in the way. At first, she has a friend but, it turns out the friend of her only gets close to her for her family. After that, the times she smiles reduced.

It changes after the existence of a certain bubbly girl who becomes one of her real friends. Her name is Fujiwara Chika. This girl always comes to my mistress even though she's rejected at first. Then after some time, my mistress came to know, that this bubbly girl just wants to be her friend. Also, she has a bit screw lose in her head.

When I saw them together, I also wanted to say "I am always your friend" but my feeling of guilt prevents me from saying that. Every night, as always I reported every move of my mistress to the main house and It's becoming a part of my daily life.

At this time, I heartily hope I was born in an ordinary family. Because if I was, I would have a chance to be a normal friend of my mistress without worrying about anything else. I was terrified of the main house, especially my mistress's brother. He is a very cold and cunning man, probably even more than my mistress.

Times passed, right now my mistress and I are waiting for our graduation from middle school. Naturally, my mistress will be the one who gives a speech as the third-year representative. It was a week before the ceremony, and the third year usually wasn't going to school and just in their home waiting for the ceremony.

My mistress admires a certain pianist. He is dubbed as the number one pianist in the world. Her bubbly friend also a fan of him, in fact, she is the one who introduces my mistress to his performance. That was the first time I saw my mistress crying after a long time. Tears also fell from my eyes unconsciously.

The song that he plays is always beautiful. Causing everyone who heard it feeling something from the deep of their heart. For me, his song subtly reminded me about the times I spend with my mistress when we're a child. Subsequently, come my feeling of guilt that I think this is probably the cause of my tears.

Even the usually bubbly girl undoubtedly feeling something, in her case, she's smiling serenely with a bit of tear of happiness falling down from her innocent eyes. I don't know what is my mistress thinking about when she heard his performance. But I know one thing, that his performance is genuinely touching the deep of her heart. This man is, without a doubt, the number one pianist in the world.

A week before our graduation ceremony, my mistress heard a certain rumor. The number one pianist frequently saw playing a song or two in a well-known Ryokan name Kitahara Ryokan because he is the child of the owner. Of course, we know about his name, but we didn't expect he was the son of that ryokan owner. Everyone knew him as the number one pianist in the world, not the son of a well-known ryokan owner.

That time, my mistress gives an excuse to her family about visiting a well-known ryokan together with me only. Needless to say, at first, she got rejected, but after some persuasion, she's allowed to go only for 2 nights. She's so happy with that, at night she talks about what should she do if she meets him.

I was clearly ecstatic too, they didn't know this but I also a fan of him. I undoubtedly want to get closer to him, but I naturally know, it's impossible. Our world is separated by these shackles of family. He is a worldwide popular pianist, while I was just a cowardly maid who betrays her mistress.

Unfortunately, the bubbly girl can't go with us too even though she really wanted to. Her mom seems to take her to another country for a holiday.

Then we went joyfully to the ryokan with just two of us and a driver. There are probably some bodyguards hiding nearby but she made so they won't show nor being near her themselves if there is nothing happens.

When we went inside the ryokan, we're greeted by the man who we idolize. His appearance is more attractive in real life than in the video. I look at my mistress, and she still uses her cold facade with emotionless eyes, but she probably very excited.

After we finish our registration, a very cute girl comes and escorts us to our room. She also inquires us if we want to eat in our room or together with everyone. And I told her we were going to eat in our room. Then she promptly left.

"Hayasaka! That's him! That's him! Kitahara Izumi-san!" Kaguya said excitedly.

"Alright, I know Kaguya-sama. Please don't shout aloud, your act will be known you know," I said.

"H-how should I get close to him? I want him to be my friend!" Kaguya said while closing her eyes, likely imagining the situation.

"How about performing a song in the Grand Piano in the evening. Isn't the rumor mentioned he frequently plays there?" I offer her a suggestion.

"That's right! Great Idea Hayasaka, thank you! I will wait till evening then!"

In the evening I asked my mistress permission to go for a walk nearby while she performs a song in the Grand Piano. I'm not worrying about anything happens inside this ryokan, because for some reason this ryokan is like a safe place for everyone, it's like no evil can be done in here.

I walked around slowly until I found a park. I sit on the bench and looking at kids playing around here and there. After some time, the sun starting to set, and the kids returned home together.

I lift up my head looking at the setting sun. The scenery and the silence made my feeling of guilt become stronger, and I feel like if I don't hold it, my tears will come down. The smile of my mistress haunts my mind. I am scared and have no one that I can depend on.

'Please... Someone helps me.'

Suddenly, I heard a walking sound come approaching me. At that place, I saw a young man who we come to idolize walking to my side.

"Yo, Maid-san"