Reina of Hanneau (English)

A PRETENTIOUS RELATIONSHIP

“Teacher! Teacher! Are you here to play?”

“Are you going to be our teacher again?”

Reina waves her hands around, trying to appease the ever excessively active children. It is nothing new to her since she had been enjoying their company as well. She loves hearing their giggles and candid conversations.

Jones H. School students range in age from five to eleven years old. Helen, the owner, and founder is honored by the school's name. Reina intends to learn how to run the institution from Helen and eventually inherit it. However, she might need to persuade Mitsuei first if she wishes to proceed.

The school has students from both Haran and Moulen, with Haran accounting for the majority of the students. Haran is, after all, home to practically all working-class families who can barely afford to take their children to school.

Reina came just in time for the kids to participate in their outside activities. Kids normally spend the last hour of the day outside playing and exercising their bodies. It is done to keep students from becoming bored at school and to help them enhance their social skills.

“I came here to visit since I miss you all,” Reina responds cheerfully, matching their energy.

The youngest ones pull Reina into the playing field, eagerly forcing her to join in, to which she agrees.

It has only been a few months since she married into the Sou family, but she already misses Haran and the school.

The environment here is lively. Children in the neighborhood like to play outside, especially during the afternoons if there are no classes.

Haran is a tight-knit community. Most of the residents are either war veterans or outsiders that came from neighboring countries. Somehow, all of them have at least one or two that are common.

Reina is giggling with the kids when she spots her companion acting strangely out of the corner of her eye. Today is one of the few times Reina is permitted to leave the house. But with a companion.

“Rio!” Reina calls for the person who just came with her to Haran.

After the incident in the library, Mitsuei made sure someone is to keep her company. And then he assigned the young worker from the inn, Rio. Reina remembered her well because she was the same girl who came with Kiyoko during the marriage meeting in the Asai residence.

Rio seems to be an awkward girl, only a few years older than Kayomi. Perhaps around seventeen, more or less.

Rio stands helplessly in the distance, unsure of what to do. Reina motions with her hand for Rio to approach. The young girl immediately responds by sprinting in her direction.

“Everyone, this is big sister Rio. She will be joining in our play today.” Reina introduces the surprised-looking girl. Then she turns to her with a gentle smile. “Rio, these kids are our lovely students. Please treat them well, big sister Rio.”

Rio looks taken aback by the situation. She stares back at Reina with bewilderment, at a loss for what to do. In response, Reina nods, reassuring Rio that it is okay to play once in a while.

Since Rio came to Mitsuei’s house a week ago, Reina noticed that she seemed stiff all the time. She thought it was because she was half foreign that Rio was unsure of how to treat her. Most people do.

Rio would jump on even the littlest sound. And oftentimes, she seems to be scared and anxious about something.

It was later that Reina heard from Kiyoko that Rio is suffering from a traumatic childhood. The town she used to live in erupted with a civil war. It was a group of people who disagrees with the treaty between the western and eastern countries.

The war ended years ago, yet people still suffer from the aftermath.

A terrible life.

The children are eventually picked up by their parents as the hours' pass.

Rio fell asleep from exhaustion. And she was glad to see that she enjoyed her stay. Her usual stiff face curled up to a smile. Even for a short time, Rio at least forgot her troubles and trauma.

“Are you okay being here?”

Reina turns her head to look behind her.

Maya approaches her carefully, a tray in her hand. The aroma of freshly made tea in the kettle is refreshing. She can tell the tea leaves were freshly plucked by the smell. It had to have come from the fields of the locals.

Further back near the mountains, the residents of Haran own and tend to a wide field of evergreen shrubs called Camellia. For years, making tea has been Haran’s primary source of living.

“Why not? This is my home.”

Maya sighs, shaking her head. She sets the tray on the table, pouring tea to their respective cups.

“Let’s just say you have a talent for making people worry about you,” Maya giggled, gesturing for Reina to sit across her.

Reina pouts as she covers Rio with a blanket. She has been sleeping soundly for a few minutes now that she feels bad waking her. After all, it was half her fault that the girl got tired.

Reina walks towards the small table in the corner of the room. They are sitting inside a room available only for the school staff. The children were all sent home while the other teachers are either preparing to leave or have left already.

“It only happened once, Maya. And I have a friend coming with me.”

“I don’t remember it only being once.”

“That is not true.”

“Oh, but it is. Don’t you think your rebellious phase is a little late? Or is it because you love Mister Mitsuei so much that you would rather go against your family just to be with him? Such a cliche.”

Reina laughs awkwardly at Maya’s statement. She is comfortable talking to Maya even though she is older than her and is her brother’s wife. Before being her sister-in-law, Maya is her friend.

They may not on the same years, but they did attend school together. That aside, they used to be neighbors before she got married and joined her family. Maya’s parents were long gone, neither does she have any siblings.

Maya also went through a rough childhood. Her entire family is considered a stranger to their native land. They hailed from a place by the border, a town neither belonging to the east nor the west.

They relocated to Moulen after their town got nearly destroyed during the war. Life, on the other hand, was not kind to them. They face daily discrimination and the look of disgust that comes with being the poorest of the poor.

Haran was formed because of the huge population of people in Moulen who are not accepted, and the number of criminal cases resulting from prejudice is increasing. It is a community solely intended for people who have no place anywhere in the country. Up till the end, they still suffer injustice. But they had no choice. If they want to live a peaceful life, they must yield.

But then, the crimes and discrimination are slowly dwindling nowadays. The people who spent their daily life prejudicing others had slowly died because of old age.

“You surprised me when you suddenly decided to marry Mister Mitsue,” Maya whispers under her breath before sipping her tea. “You never told me anything about him. Or your relationship about him.”

“Oh, I didn’t?” Reina looks away, making sure not to give herself away.

“Yes! You didn’t! And here I thought you fancy the younger Sou. You and Tomohisa seemed to be inseparable during adolescence.”

Reina flinches in her seat when Maya unexpectedly slams her hand on the table. Maya looks upset, looking at her before lowering her head, apologizing.

A deafening silence envelops the atmosphere. It suddenly became awkward. Though, Reina can’t blame Maya for being livid. They are friends, yet she never confided in her.

It might have felt like she didn’t trust her. For years they have been together, but she has been ignorant of the most important phase of Reina’s life.

Looking back at Maya’s heartbroken eyes, Reina can feel herself wavering, wanting to tell her everything. Will it be fine, though? Will she understand and not judge her immediately?

However, Reina held on to her trust in their friendship. She decided to open up to her.

“Forgive me, Maya. I was and am still terrified of what happened.”

Maya gasps after hearing Reina. Her eyes are wide as if realizing something. She then whispers to her. “Did Mister Mitsuei get you pregnant before marriage?”

Reina tenses for a moment, both in awe and confusion. Maya guessed right but misunderstood the crucial part.

“Is it true? Are you pregnant?” Maya asks once more, now holding both of her hands. Her eyes lit up with interest.

Reina nods as a response. She starts playing with her fingernails, trying to distract herself. She is too disoriented to correct her friend.

Maya gasps, snapping her fingers. “I thought so. Why else would he rush into marrying you.”

Reina holds her hands and looks at her with trembling eyes, saying, "Please don't tell."

Maya took a deep breath before gazing at her with tender eyes. She lifts her lips, smiling at her kindly. It isn’t the hatred that Reina was anticipating.

“I love you. I will never do anything that can cause you trouble. Remember that.”

Reina can feel her lips quiver. The mixed emotions inside her are driving her to the edge. Somehow, she didn’t get to lie to her friend. She is thankful that Maya thought it was Mitsuei’s child.

Maya observes the still quiet Reina. Her eyes appeared relieved for a moment. Perhaps she felt better after letting out the heavy burden caused by her secret pregnancy.

“You are loved, Reina. Mister Mitsuei wants you safe even in his absence. It is especially hard in the first phase of pregnancy. Things like miscarriage can happen out of nowhere. When he visited the house, I can tell he was determined to keep you forever."