Chapter Text
There was nothing that either Korekiyo and Gonta could understand or quite possibly explain what had just happened. Neither of them didn't know why the door to the storage room had disappeared or why everything seemed way different than before. While Gonta seemed to be in a bit of a panic, the anthropologist tried to think of what could explain this strange occurrence. Though his thoughts were interrupted as he heard someone clearing their throat, turning his attention to the woman. Right, he had momentarily forgotten that she was there.
“I'm sorry but why were you two looking at the wall just now?”, she had asked them, who seemed even more puzzled than the both of them. “Kiyo and Gonta had come out of storage room but there is no door.”, Gonta tried to explain to the woman, but seemed to have confused her more as she looked between the two of them then to the wall and back to them. “But there isn't a storage room there, it's located downstairs.”, she said to him.
“Would you mind telling us what year it is right now, and where we're at currently?”, Korekiyo had asked, having a bad feeling as to what this could mean. “Well you're in Shiroichō mansion, and the year would be 1744. Why do you ask?”, she said to him. Hearing this was definitely unexpected, though there were some tales he heard about how some people had somehow been transported to the past.
Gonta was about to say that it couldn't possibly be the year that she mentioned, before Korekiyo put a finger to his mask in order for his friend to not accidentally reveal what year they had come from. “Please excuse us for a moment.”, the anthropologist said and gestured for his friend to follow him shortly away from the woman. “If either of us were to tell her where we were from, I doubt she would believe a single word from us. For now, don't say anything about where we came from and how it may have happened.”, he explained to the taller male in a hushed tone.
“But Gonta not really understand how we got here, wouldn't lady help us if Gonta and Kiyo explained?”, Gonta quietly said to him in response, as he thought that it was probably the only way that they would possibly return to where they originally came from. “I doubt she would know about the situation either, for now we just have to try and look for a way back while we're here.”, Korekiyo said to him. Truthfully, he didn't blame his friend for wanting to ask the woman for any help to get back to the present. Though he didn't think that the woman might believe them if they did explain what happened.
“Okay, Gonta will try not to mention what happened.”, he said back to him. Meanwhile, the woman watched with a look of curiosity as she wondered what exactly they were talking about, before seeing the two of them walk back over to her. “My apologies, I believe it would seem that me and my friend here were a bit lost and accidentally entered this place by mistake.”, Korekiyo began to say.
Gonta soon realized what the anthropologist was trying to say to the woman, and decided to play along. “Gonta and Kiyo were walking through forest before finding large building. But didn't know there was already people here.”, the entomologist had chimed in. The woman tried to take the information in, and was trying to make sense as to what Gonta was saying.
“I believe it would be difficult to sneak in here, normally the master of the house would hire banner guardians to patrol the area. But perhaps they hadn't seen you yet when you had made your way in here.”, she said to them. Hearing this information did bring a moment of relief to Korekiyo, as he didn't think that hired samurai would listen to their explanation as to why they were in the mansion. Though Gonta didn't really know what banner guardians were, and the anthropologist made a mental note to himself to inform his friend about it later.
“I must admit, I don't recognize the type of clothes you're wearing. Where exactly are you from?”, she asked them. It would make sense that she would ask, considering that they both stand out like a sore thumb. “Before we answer that question, would you mind telling us who you are?”, Korekiyo had questioned her. “Oh my apologies, my name is Chiyo Seizuki. I usually bring tea or food to the master-”, she started to say before looking down at the broken teapot that she had accidentally dropped a moment ago.
“Oh dear, the master would be furious if he learned what happened to his teapot.”, she said, as her face became pale should the master of the mansion know what had occurred. “Gonta can help clean up mess while Chiyo gets another teapot.”, the entomologist had offered, though she quickly shook her head as her expression soon appeared to be full of fear.
“As much as I appreciate the offer, it won't help. That's his only teapot and he will notice that it's not with me when I bring him his tea.”, she explained and looked to be even more panicked. Korekiyo wondered why this person she mentioned doesn't have more than one teapot, but tried not to think too much of it. “We would definitely need to find a way to fix this, perhaps we will just say to him that the teapot was stolen before you could get a chance to make the tea.”, he said as he picked up one of the broken pieces.
“With the kind of material that the teapot is made of, it wouldn't be too big of a stretch to say that a thief had taken it just to sell it for lots of money.”, he explained to her. “I…suppose you're right, but I'm not really sure you two would be able to tell him directly about it. Since he won't know who you and your friend are.”, she said to him and continued on to say, “Though you two haven't mentioned your names to me yet.”
“My name is Korekiyo Shinguji, and my friend here is-.”, he said before Gonta joined in on the introduction. “Gonta’s name is Gonta Gokuhara, sorry for nor telling name sooner.”, he said with a smile. Though Chiyo seemed a bit confused as to why the taller male kept referring to himself by his name. “Why do you talk like that?”, she asked him. “It is how Gonta usually talk, he hope it won't be big problem for you.”, he said to her.
“Uh no of course not.”, she said, though Korekiyo could tell that she would need to get more used to it. “Anyway, I believe the only way that the master would believe your words is if you and Gokuhara were to be hired as new servants of the mansion.”, she explained to them. “I suppose it would make sense, however we don't plan on staying for too long here.”, he said to her, though he just hoped that he and Gonta would get out of here sooner rather than later.
“I understand, it can be rather stressful but I normally wouldn't say that in front of the master.”, she said, sounding a bit nervous. “Let me take you to the servant's quarters, it shouldn't be too far away.”, she said as she started to lead the way. The two of them then began to follow her, and Gonta had decided to ask her a question.
“Has Chiyo seen any ghosts at night?”, he had asked her, thinking that it could possibly help with Korekiyo figuring out what kind of spirit it would be. “Uh no, there aren't any signs of a spirit haunting the mansion. The master would have probably informed a monk in order to exercise the spirit.”, she said to him. “Why do you ask?”, she questioned, a bit curious as to why the taller male would ask her thus.
For a moment, Gonta wasn't sure how to answer without accidentally revealing what he and Korekiyo were doing prior to accidentally going into the past. But after thinking for a moment, he figured something that could be used as a reason. “Kiyo had told Gonta about ghost stories before coming here, and Gonta wanted to know if there is ghost here.”, he said in response.
“I see, though I never knew that your friend would know any stories about such spirits.”, she commented, and noticed the nickname that the entomologist had given to Korekiyo but decided not to question it. “There are some that I heard from here and there, and you would be surprised by how different each spirit acts. Though I never really told Gonta too many of these stories, just the ones that I believe would pique his interest.”, the anthropologist had explained.
By the time he finished explaining it, Chiyo then led them into the servants quarters. She looked at them closely before opening a small closet, looking through it to see if there were any clothes that could fit the two of them. But considering how they were both taller than her, it was definitely a bit tricky to find any already made clothes for them to wear.
“Excuse me for one moment, I'll return soon.”, she said before leaving the room, to try and get something for them to wear. Looking around the room, Korekiyo could see that there was only one futon that had been laid out but nothing else. Making him wonder where the other servants might be. “Gonta wonder why ghost not here at night like Chiyo said.”, the entomologist had said. Korekiyo was a bit surprised to hear his friend mention the ghost again, remembering how the other reacted to such supernatural activity earlier.
“My guess would be that the spirit hasn't made its appearance known here yet, perhaps we can learn more about the cause while we stay here temporarily.”, he said in response as he looked over at the taller male. “Though I must ask, why do you want to know more about the spirit rather than the potential infestation of caterpillars within this mansion?”, he questioned him, placing his hand underneath his chin as he tried to think of any possible reasons.
“Gonta admit he still scared of seeing ghost, but Gonta want to help Kiyo learn more about ghost by assisting you.”, Gonta had said with a smile on his face. A somewhat similar reason from what he heard earlier. “But why exactly, I don't see how you could gain by assisting me with dealing with a spirit.”, the anthropologist had pointed out.
“Well…”, Gonta began to say, appearing to be slightly sheepish as he scratched his cheek. “...Kiyo always helped Gonta with things he don't understand. Like when you helped Gonta learn different words that he doesn't know meaning to. Gonta still remembers when you weren't scared when first meeting and letting Gonta show bug friends. Gonta want to find way to repay Kiyo for helping.”, the entomologist had explained.
That…was something he wasn't expecting to hear. Then again, his reasoning wasn't too surprising now that he thought about it more. “I see, I do appreciate your assistance, no matter how small it may seem. Though I sometimes question why you would still be willing to try and hang around with me after all this time.”, he said in response, mumbling that last part to himself. Gonta appeared to be happy by what he said, though was a bit confused as to what his friend had said, as he didn't really hear it.
“What did you say?”, he asked with a slight head tilt. “It's nothing to be concerned of.”, he responded and looked at the door that Chiyo had left through. Wondering where exactly she may have gone to. Meanwhile, the master of the house, one named Reiji Shiroichō, had decided to see where exactly his servant had gone off to. He knew that his tea wouldn't take too long to make and deliver, and frankly he was furious it was taking this long to deliver one single cup of tea.
However, his anger grew more upon the sight of the broken pieces of a familiar teapot he knew all too well. “Someone find that cursed servant, I need to deal with her immediately!”, he loudly demanded. His booming voice going through every part of the mansion. With his only daughter hearing it as she came out of her room to see what he was so mad about this time. Upon joining up with her father, she too discovered the broken pieces, and became worried about Chiyo.
“Father, would you tell me what's wrong?”, she asked him with a more neutral expression, though she could clearly see why he was angry. “Not now Kiku, I need to find that servant and show her what happens when she doesn't do as she's told!”, he said angrily. “Have you considered that maybe you've been pushing too many chores for her to do, we don't have as many servants as we used to.”, she said to her father.
“What's your point exactly?!”, he questioned, his anger not disappearing any time soon. “Listen, you can just use kintsugi to repair it. I will let her know not to do it again.”, she said to him. She watched as her father picked up the broken pieces of the tea pot. “Fine, but tell her it'll be her only final warning.”, he said before walking away in anger. Watching him walk away, Kiku then sighed to herself, a look of worry soon returning to her face. “Oh Chiyo, I just hope my father won't find you before me.”, she said to herself and quickly went to find Chiyo.