042　Keep it a secret

It was an afternoon when I was praying alone at home because I had no plans to go to the Imperial Palace. The lady who was in charge of guiding the guests came up to me with a slightly troubled look on her face. 

"The Young Master of the Minister of the Interior family came here by himself."

"Yugiri-kun is here?"

When I asked the guest to come in, Yugiri-kun was indeed there alone.

"Hi, Yugiri-kun. How are you?"

"Hi, how are you?"

It was a nice day, so I invited him to sit in the verandah with a view of the garden. He bows slightly and sits down next to me. We sat side by side and didn't talk for a while. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all even though I had nothing to talk.

"Are you my real Dad?"

Yugiri-kun suddenly asked me. Although I was surprised, I chose the right words to speak.

"Ah, well, that's your misunderstanding... You are definitely Hikaru's son."

"Oh... it's a shame."

He muttered as he looked forward.

"I wish you were my Dad."

He says in a disappointed voice.

"How come you think so?"

"Cause that man doesn't like me."

I wonder if that man means Hikaru?

"He comes to my house not to meet me, but to talk to the ladies he likes. That man only likes women."

Yugiri-kun kept looking forward and spoke with a lonely tone. 

"Were you Mom's precious?" 

"I think I'm not that... I might be her friend."

"You were corresponding with Mom, right?"

"They were not love letters." 

He thought about it for a while, looking like he didn't really understand,

"Didn't you like my Mom?" 

asked in a quiet voice. 

"Yes, I loved her. I adored her."

"Then why didn't you become Mom's pertner?"

"I didn't want her to break up with Hikaru. I had hoped that Hikaru, her, and you to live happily ever after. Her happy smile..."

I really wanted to see that from the bottom of my heart.

"Is that so?"

Yugiri-kun lowers his eyes and looks at his lap.

"If Mom were still alive, would that man ever come home?"

"I think so."

"Even though he has someone living with him?"

I was a little confused by his keen observation skills. I think he's only 9 years old, but he's a very sharp boy.

"If Mom were alive,"

Yugiri-kun looked ahead again and spoke clearly.

"I would let her meet you."

"How come?" 

"I want you to be my new Dad." 

"......I see."

My heart was so full of love for him that I couldn't find the words to say. We were silent for quite a while. Since I'm not a good husband or dad too, I didn't think I had the right to say anything to him.

"Don't tell him I came today."

"All right. I'll keep it a secret."

"Can I come again?"

"Sure."

Yugiri-kun looked at me with his sharp eyes, then stood up straight and headed home. I watched him as he left, thinking he looked like Hikaru when he came to Umetsubo's hideout when I was still the crown prince.