Page 22 of The Arrival
“Was there… maybe a turning point? A distinct moment—or place or person—that changed things and led to your settling in Devonshire?” With the bottle open, he walks to the cabinet near Asao’s head to retrieve two glasses. The manservant is still hovering over the stove, his hands busy but his mouth silent.
Glasses in hand, Nino prods. “Well?”
“You’re digging up old, buried bones right now. Did you ask Haruka about this, directly?”
“I did, but… you know how he is.”
“Vague. Reluctant.”
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s his business. And it’s the past. The most important thing is that he’s a million times better now than he was back then, and I attribute one hundred percent of that to you. Take comfort in that?”
Nino nods, carrying their glasses over to the bottle. “I do. Absolutely.” He manages his task, pouring carefully. A waft of nostalgia hits, reminding him of his bartending days—the shine of clean glasses lining shelves, the smells of sweet and bitter liquors under soft, ambient lighting. “Sometimes I just think… if I knew exactly what he went through, I’d understand his behavior better, you know? His worries and why he reacts the way he does sometimes. I’d know what I was fighting against.”
When Nino glances over his shoulder, Asao is pulling two bowls from the cabinet beside the stove. “I disagree,” the manservant says. “I don’t think you need to know the details.”
“You don’t think there’s value in me knowing?”
“Well, that’s a different question. Is there value in you knowing—maybe? But do youneedto know?” Asao shakes his head. “Nah. You know enough.”
Picking up the wine glasses, Nino carries them to the oak table. A moment later, Asao joins him, placing a hearty, steaming bowl of stew in front of him. He sets his own bowl on the circular placemat before sitting in the chair across from him.
“Haruka isn’t like you,” Asao goes on. “It’s very, very difficult for him to talk about the people and situations that hurt him. But he does open up for you—which is more than he ever has. You see it too, don’t you?”
“I do. Of course. He’s like a completely different person compared with when we first met. Even in the two years we’ve been bonded, he’s opened up more.”
“Exactly. That’s what matters most—not the specific details of what he went through in the past. Don’t dig up and scrutinize old bones. Let them lie and keep moving forward together. That’s where the good stuff is.” Asao claps his hands to bless the food and Nino follows his lead. “Itadakimasu.”
“Itadakimasu,” Nino repeats, then picks up his ladle. “I hear you. Thanks for that reminder.”
Asao scoops a healthy portion of vegetables and soup onto his ladle and blows. “Of course. I’m just glad it all worked out.God, was I rooting for you. I really thought he’d stay frigid and push you away, but thankfully, he just melted. Softened right up for you.”
“I wouldn’t say he ‘just melted.’” Nino grins, picking up his chopsticks as well and fishing for noodles to load up his spoon. From his perspective, it definitely was not that easy or certain.
After Asao takes a bite and makes a satisfied sound in his throat, he counters. “You have no idea. Listen. He went to Italywithoutme. That was the first time I’d let him out of my sight in decades, Nino. Decades. I was always worried about him and watching him, you know? For a while there, I wasn’t completely sure he wouldn’t intentionally hurt himself. But when you showed up, I knew he’d be fine with you. I knew it was right.”
“How did you know?” Nino asks, curious.
“First, he let you in the house. He wouldn’t even let that girl he was feeding from come in—he always went over to see her at Emory’s estate. Then, it was your conversations. I was listening a lot in the beginning.”
Nino’s face falls flat. “Yeah. Eavesdropping.”
Asao shrugs. “Call it what you want. But it was the first time in forever that he was… enjoying talking with someone. Not just talking because he had to—because it’s a pain in the ass but the polite thing to do given his rank. I could tell he was trying with you, and he was nervous. It was… I was happy about it. Really relieved.” Asao takes hold of his wine glass, then raises it. “Anyway, enough reminiscing.”
“Are you getting weepy?” Nino asks, grinning.
“Shut up. Cheers to you, Mr. Sunshine, and the little vamp brightening our nest soon.”
Shaking his head, Nino lifts his glass. “Cheers.”
Asao takes a healthy sip then smacks his lips, obviously pleased with Nino’s wine selection. He smiles. “You’re going to be an awesome dad. You know that, right?”
“I don’t know that, but I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
“You will.” Asao winks, refilling his soup ladle with vegetables. “I’m never wrong about these things.”
ITALY
