The antique mirror in the dressing room returned the image of a young man meticulously polishing the last details of his attire. He wore a dark ensemble of fine cloth, adorned with a maroon bow tie and a small golden badge on his left pocket: the emblem of his family, carved with pride of lineage.
His fingers, elegant but youthful, smoothed an imaginary wrinkle in his jacket while his hazel eyes examined everything with great attention. Almost as if it were a ritual.
-Symmetry... is everything," he murmured softly, as if reciting a lesson no one had asked him to repeat.
It was his fifteenth birthday. Riku Arisugawa, born into a distinguished family, had been trained from an early age in the art of etiquette, behavior and logic. His voice was soft but firm. His manner of speaking always included honorifics; even in silences he seemed to ask permission before breathing.
-Are you still there, Marie? -she asked without turning around, noticing the presence behind the open door.
A head peeked timidly from the hallway. A young maid, no more than sixteen years old, wearing a spotless white apron over her pale blue uniform. Her hair was light, pulled back in a braid that seemed made to elicit sympathy. Her gray eyes looked at him with a mixture of admiration and gentleness.
-Always, young master," she replied with a slight bow. Your mother has sent me to make sure you are ready. The carriage - excuse me, the car - is on its way.
Riku nodded, finishing adjusting his cufflinks with a small metallic click.
-I appreciate your attention, Marie. As always, you have delivered with care," he said, turning to her with a slight smile.
The girl blushed, bowing her head.
-You are very kind, young master.
There was a moment of silence. Riku watched her carefully. Not out of carnal desire or interest, but out of a genuine need to understand people. He had always found Marie curious. Too helpful, too present... and yet, lacking in visible ambition. As if she expected nothing from anyone, not even from herself.
-Does this trip seem strange to you? -he asked suddenly, walking to the window to observe the grayish sky that announced a possible rain.
-You mean because of Mrs. Ichijo's invitation? -she asked, approaching from exactly one meter away, as etiquette dictated for non-family members. I don't know. She's never been very clear, has she?
Riku did not answer right away. He looked down at the pocket watch that hung discreetly on his vest.
-Mother said it will be an important meeting... An inheritance, perhaps. But I can't help feeling that there's something else. Something... calling me.
Marie blinked. For an instant, her expression changed, as if something in his words had echoed inside her. But she quickly returned to her helpful composure.
-I'm sure it's just nerves, young master. It is a formal event, after all.
-Of course... nerves," he repeated, but without conviction.
In the main room, decorated with pale marble and crystal chandeliers, his mother was waiting for him sitting in one of the armchairs, leafing through an open letter with a gesture of concentration. She was an elegant woman, with a serene face and manicured hands. Her posture was perfect even when she sat down, and her midnight blue dress gave her the air of a duchess from an old novel.
-Mother," Riku greeted, bowing his head in respect.
-Riku," she replied with a brief smile, closing the letter. You're on time, as usual. Are you ready?
-Yes, Mother. Thank you for waiting.
She stood up, examining him from head to toe.
-You look beautiful, son. Worthy of your family name.
Riku blushed slightly, bowing his head again.
-I strive to uphold the honor of our family.
-You do it well. Sometimes... too well. -His tone was ambiguous, but affectionate.
There was a pause. She lowered her voice a little.
-Do you have any doubts about this trip?
-Only as many as necessary," he answered sincerely. I am intrigued by that mansion. As I understand it, it's the oldest residence that remains under the Ichijo name. It was closed for years, wasn't it?
-Since the death of Soutarou Ichijo, yes," she confirmed, taking her bag calmly. Her daughter, the hostess, has decided to open it to reunite the family. No one knows exactly why now.
-Do you know her, mother?
The woman hesitated.
-I met her father. I only met her once, many years ago. She was a very quiet girl... But with a look... difficult to explain.
Riku did not insist. Something in his mother's tone told him she didn't want to relive those memories.
Minutes later, the two stepped out onto the front lawn, where a large black limousine was waiting with open doors. The chauffeur, a man in a gray uniform and white gloves, bowed wordlessly.
The sky was beginning to darken, although it was not yet five o'clock. The clouds were heavy as if the day was about to close in on them.
Riku looked at the door of the vehicle as if it were the entrance to another world. A shiver ran down his spine. It wasn't fear. It was something else. A distant vibration... as if something inside him recognized it before he could.
-Everything all right? -asked his mother, already seated inside.
-Yes, Mother. It's just the weather," she replied with a soft smile, concealing her uneasiness.
And so, he took the plunge.
He got into the car, closed the door behind him....
...and so his journey began.