[Aside] Yard Work

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Kai
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[Aside] Yard Work

Post by Kai »

It was a typical day at the Kokoro residence- this time on a weekend, and naturally, work needed to be done. Of course, that was the job of one young Irishman, a Druid, specifically, named Ruarc. The Mistress of the manor was of course on hand, sitting on her porch, a drink nearby. The young woman, Raiko, seemed to be enjoying the day from the comfort of her seat.

Ruarc absentmindedly went about pulling up a few weeds that had grown in around the edge of the front porch since the last time he had done the chore. There were only a few here and there, but by and large the grounds looked quite tidy. With the last weed within reach the Druid pulled the stubborn plant out by the roots before standing up and stretching.

"That should be the last we see of those buggers for a week or two," Ruarc said as he wiped his brow and looked around. "I'd say that your home looks a lot better since I began working here, wouldn't you?"

Raiko surveyed the Irishman's work after he addressed her. "Hrmm... I suppose it does look a little bit nicer. At least there's no more weeds, but... Your landscaping design could use some work." Raiko gave Ruarc a bit of a grin, eying the rest of the rather large grounds. "Wouldn't you agree that it's just a little too... Oh, I don't know, Plain?"

Following Raiko's gaze, Ruarc inspected how the environment looked. "Well, yeah, it is a little under developed, but I didn't really realize that I was expected to overhaul your yard along with keeping it manicured."

"Well, how about this, If you make my yard better, I'll give you something nice in return. How about that?" the girl offered, winking. She picked up her glass and took a sip from it, seeming unconcerned, aside from the bit of a grin hidden behind the rim of her glass.

"Something nice, huh?" Ruarc repeated. He scratched the back of his head as he contemplated whether there was even a budget for that kind of work. "Hmm, maybe that is the nice thing, some money to do the redesign," the oblivious Druid thought.

"Alright, I'll make the grounds look more interesting in return for something nice," Ruarc answered.

Raiko chuckled. "You're not even going to ask me what I'm offering?" she questioned, taking another sip, and asking another question. "Ah, well. So. Do you have any ideas on what you'll do to make my yard better?"

Panning across the grounds once more, Ruarc considered potential ideas. Once he had something in mind he gave Raiko a quick idea that more or less boiled down to more color along the front and sides with a few more trees here and there.

"So yeah, in a nutshell that should make the yard more appealing, and, since you brought it up, what are you offering?"

Raiko waggled a finger at Ruarc. "Ah-ah-ah! Since you took so long, it's a secret, now." Raiko giggled, relishing in her secret, before getting back to the task at hand. "However, just let me know anything you need to fix the yard, and I'll be happy to get it for you, okay?"

"Huh?" Ruarc said as he was denied a response. He hung his head as he thought about how difficult it was to understand this girl sometimes. Pushing the mild irritation aside, he made his way over to the porch and leaned against the railing.

"Keep yur secrets," Ruarc replied as he tried to deny her the enjoyment of toying with him. "And I can get you a list of what I'll be needing after thinking it over a bit more."

"That sounds good" Raiko responded, Looking at the soil-covered, sweaty yardworker. "You thirsty? maybe since you're done you can come up here and have something to drink." Raiko motioned at the window, and out came the mysterious butler whom sometimes drove Raiko to school, complete with a tray that had a glass of cool water on Ice, and set it down for Ruarc, before vanishing into the house again.

Ruarc watched as the butler came and went without saying a word, and the druid considered how odd it was that he never really noticed the man or even had a conversation with him. "Uh, thanks."

The tired worker made his way up onto the porch to grab the water, and relished the stepping into the shade of the overhanging roof and out of the afternoon sun; and the cool water made it all the more pleasant. Finishing half of the glass in little time, Ruarc gave a relieved sigh. "Ah, that hits the spot. Thanks, Raiko."

"It is no trouble. It wouldn't do to have my workers dying of thirst, or going to the hospital because they couldn't handle a little weeding." Raiko grinned, continuing to sip her own drink, amused at Ruarc's earnestness. "So, it's been over a month now, hasn't it?" she pointed out, referring to how long Ruarc had been living in her groundskeeper's cottage.

Ruarc took another swig of his water as he held back a rebuke to Raiko's teasing. Then as the lady of the house changed the subject, he focused his attention on thinking about the time he had spent working at the Kokoro house.

"Yeah, it has been a little while now, hasn't it?" Ruarc said as he also thought of how quick his mission here in Japan would be. "Time flies when I have something to apply myself to, and of course a bed I can sleep in."

"I do suppose you won't be staying here for too much longer then, will you?" Raiko pondered "You plan to go home once you've achieved your goal, don't you?" She put a finger to her lip, as if in deep thought about the subject.

Gripping his glass in both hands, Ruarc seemed to also be deep in thought as he considered the question. As he thought he looked around the yard, his cottage off to the side, and then finally settled back on Raiko.

"Well, that all depends on how fast I can finish the tasks presented to me by my Order," Ruarc replied at last. "As a rough estimate I would say I will be here for a few months more, but hey, my time estimates have proved to be very off in the past." Tipping back his glass he finished the water.
"That, and I think I am starting to like Japan, so I wouldn't mind staying a while longer," Ruarc added as he gave Raiko a genuine smile.
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