On a beautiful morning in the bustling city of Tokyo, as vehicles and bystanders pass by, birds sing and flutter, creating a colorful display with vibrant colors flying freely in the sky. There are some people who are doing some grocery shopping, going to school or work, or even just heading to a nearby cafe to grab some coffee with their friends and family.
While Yumi and Sebastian walked close to their master's side, opposite each other, she menacingly glared at the smiling butler in some form of rivalry to claim dominance over the young man, making Carter want to sigh from this obvious atmosphere between them.
Sebastian, however, was nonchalant about this, casually enjoying his walk with Carter and being unbothered by the mean looks he was getting from her as he spoke calmly to his friend, "such beautiful scenery to behold, isn't it? Appreciating the city to its fullest, admiring the tall skyscrapers, shops, and buildings.
A smile grew on the young man's lips. "Cleaner than any other places on earth, and I'd be damned if I wasn't proud to call it my home." He said, gazing proudly upon his city, "not only had I significantly reduced crime, mental illness, and the homeless, but I also found ways to improve the environment by modifying factories to produce green energy to power every place with clean air, water, and electricity throughout Japan. Not to mention giving them incentives for what they can do to help reduce pollution. People are living better because of it."
"This is why you're so amazing, Carter-sama." Yumi intervened in their conversation, saying, "I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't met you in my life and fallen in love with you, especially being the best commissioner Japan has ever seen! You literally changed people's lives for the better!" Her comment made the commissioner blush a bit, feeling flattered by such praise.
"Indeed, my old dear friend here has indeed become one of the finest commissioners and philanthropist billionaires throughout all of history and one of the most intelligent beings in the world as well," Sebastian added his own input, complementing his friend's great achievements.
"Jeez..." His entire face burned up with red, staring down at his moving feet while they were walking. "You guys are saying that way too much, and this isn't the first time, remember?" He said in self-defense, scratching the back of his head in an awkward manner, "Beside, all of this was because of honoring my parents, nothing more, nothing less," explaining in a firm tone, being frank on his intentions.
However, his butler disagreed with that take, saying, "You have contributed to countless lives in need throughout Japan, master Carter. No millionaire or billionaire would go to such lengths to spread this much goodwill to their country, but you, of course, and for that, I respect you and am honored to be your friend. Truly, what you have done for this country is truly remarkable and inspiring to not only me but also many others who have been touched by your philanthropy and goodness."
When will their praises end? He almost feels like he wants to collapse at any minute now and die from an overwhelming blood rush, but he continued forward and stayed strong, having to remind himself that this is a natural reaction, as it's normal to receive compliments for one's work.
Regardless, the commissioner decided to change the subject, wanting to distract himself from his feelings: "Anyways, you guys want to eat in a restaurant? My treat," Suggesting that both his butler and his maid be in the mood for lunch.
She pumped her fist up in the air, brightly smiling from this notion, "sure! I can eat anything in this city!" She was excited to see what her beloved would pick out and choose for them all to enjoy together, as Yumi loves whatever her master offers her.
"Are you perhaps sure, Miss Yumi? Sebastian said teasingly as he looked at her, "You appear to be the type to gain weight easily, like a whale bloating up fat after consuming such excessive amounts of food," resulting in the girl being enraged by this insulting comment.
"Hey! Are you cooling me fat!?" She yelled as the trio stopped in their tracks, standing in the middle of the sidewalk, "I'll have you know that I eat healthy food to keep myself fit just to impress the love of my life. Unlike a certain someone who is a cocksucker loser!" Angrily insulted, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Unlike you, Miss Yumi, I have proper etiquette in regards to maintaining a balanced diet and also exercising to keep my body in shape, where I care about what I consume to be eaten and not the other way around," he said to defend himself, not appearing phased by her insults.
"Enough!"
Carter stood between the two, his arms separating them further in hopes of keeping distance. "Both of you cut it out and stop fighting over little things that don't matter! He commanded sternly, wanting both of them to behave as the bystanders began gathering around them in curiosity about what was happening.
Seeing no point in fighting, Yumi stepped back with a pout, avoiding all eye contact from the white-haired young man. "Fine, whatever..." she crossed her arms together, acting childish while huffing irritably. "If master says so, then fine. She turned away her head and gazed off to the side.
As for Sebastian, he merely smirked amusingly at his adversary, "Master is quite right in making us come to a compromise," he concurred with the commissioner, "after all, it's pointless in wasting energy arguing over trivial matters that aren't worth our time, but I admit, miss Yumi; that was the most interesting contest of wits I have engaged in for awhile, though it's entertaining to see you get riled up with every insult I throw at you, a truly wonderful sight to behold."
"Oh shut it, Sebastian," she snapped her head towards him with annoyance, "no one asked for your opinion," her brows furrowed irritably, gritting her teeth, "and stop mocking me with that smile of yours or else I swear I will pummel you to pulp and make you regret ever meeting me, bitch boy!"
Scratching the back of his head, Carter decidedly to use his hands to grab theirs, catching her surprise as they escaped from the growing, curious crowd of bystanders that gathered. "Alright, alright! Let's just go somewhere else and avoid getting more attention, shall we?" He suggested that they walk swiftly ahead to avoid such an unpleasant scenario.
Their fingers entangled tightly against each other in a gentle manner, Carter has no choice but to pull them away when reaching the end of the corner of the street, releasing their grip entirely upon each other, turning around to see the surprised maid and casual, smiling butler patiently awaiting his words, "There, we are finally free from that." Exhaling in relief of seeing the crowd disappear out of their sight.
His finally relieved to know they are quietly in a less populated area with only his loyal servants, he said, "Thank God none of them caught us otherwise those journalists would be all over the place questioning about my relations to my servants and also my job as police commissioner." He expressed his worries, "those journalists are like a swarm of flies who only care about drama rather than serious problems," mumbling under his breath from having had a bad experience once.
It hasn't even been an hour, and he already has to deal with more people giving him headaches. He just wanted to rest for the weekends and enjoy himself for a day. Can't the two just get along already? How will they handle working in the same building and living under the same roof when they don't even like each other?
"Master, look," pointing at a specific building from the opposite sidewalk they are standing on, "look, master! Over there!" She exclaimed in delight as they turned to the source, seeing the luxurious restaurant in its full glory with people dining on their seats and talking among themselves while being served by waitresses or waiters.
The restaurant was indeed impressive, being three stories high with golden decorations and red velvet carpets placed everywhere, while lights shone beautifully upon the vast interior. It seemed like a five-star place and was popular among many who wanted a taste of an upper-class lifestyle for a day. While the exterior was covered with windows, visible from the outside.
"What do you think, Sebastian?" He asked his childhood friend, wanting to hear his opinion while his servant kept silent the entire time, "Do you find this place suitable or should we go somewhere else? We can find a place anywhere."
"No need, master Carter," he waved his concerns off, "if what you seek is fine dining, then I highly recommend this establishment called The Golden Aria. They serve excellent cuisine from Italian and French cultures, far surpassing anything you might've eaten before," he recommended with eagerness. "The Golden Aria is widely fitting for a wealthy man such as yourself, sir."
His eyes widen from that. "That restaurant is the golden aria? Carter repeated in disbelief while the white-haired young man nodded at him, confirming his own words, "alright, it's decided," smiling in contentment, "to golden aria it is then, and this will be the perfect opportunity for us to enjoy ourselves."
"Woohoo!!" The pink-eyed maiden cheered with excitement, jumping in the air with her cheeks flustered red and celebrating by swinging her arms around. "You will enjoy this, master!" She embraced his arm, placing her head over his shoulder while rubbing it softly. "Trust me, they have the best dishes and desserts you would love to try out!" Her bubbly personality radiates warmth that can melt anyone's heart.
"Heh," staring down with his eyes closed for a few seconds, "guess lets start dining then," he said before they passed through the road after there were no incoming cars, then entered, having to endure his maid clinging to him like a child who wanted to play, giggling gleefully while continuing to snuggle up close.
At the moment when they arrived at the front glass doors of the restaurant, they went through and entered the Golden Aria while feeling a wave of fresh wind against their skins, followed by the beautiful smell of good food being cooked in the kitchen and smooth jazz playing perfectly together, creating quite an enjoyable atmosphere.
"That smell..." His nose inhaled deeply, taking a whiff of this lovely scent. "Smells delightful as always, doesn't it, Sebastian?" Carter complimented the restaurant's delicious aroma, causing his old friend to hum in agreement.
"It is a pleasant scent to have for lunch on any occasion, isn't it?" Grinning lightly, appearing to be amused by his reactions, he said, "One would be an imbecile to not take in the experience of fine dining while making themselves feel like a king in their own palace, which is what everyone aspires to do, whether they are wealthy or poor; everyone has the ability to enjoy a good meal no matter who they are."
A few people were already sitting, chewing down on their food, chattering, laughing, and having a good time overall, as they could see. One of the workers, a young woman with dark brunette hair and wearing a red vest suit, noticed their presence, turning to greet the patrons as she walked up to them, "Welcome to the golden aria; where would you like to sit? If you're having a party, I can lead you to a table for no more than eight."
"Me and my friends would like to sit at a table for three, far from crowded areas and close to the window, please," Carter requested politely to the worker as she nodded in affirmation, gesturing her arm over to follow her. Following her guiding path, the commissioner and his two servants reached their destination as they were presented with a circular table.
With only three chairs around it, Yumi temporarily let go of his arm to pick the seat next to him, while his friend, the white-haired butler, did the same, sitting close to their master as well. This caused her to give the butler a dirty look as she embraced her arm once again, much to his amusement, while Carter only rolled his eyes at them, knowing this would happen no matter what.
Once the trio were properly seated, the waitress handed each of them menus. "Here are your menus, customers. "Please take your time to pick whatever you want to be ordered. If you need anything else, please inform us of your requests so we can satisfy your needs," she said while the group opened their menu to see what to eat.
"What can I get you three for drink?"
"We'll take three cold waters with ice, please," Carter replied for the group, "and uh..." Looking at his companions to see if they desire anything else, he asks, "What do you guys want?" Whispering at a soft volume so others don't overhear their conversation.
"Whatever you want to order is fine with me, Carter," Sebastian told him casually as he looked over his options on the menu. "I don't mind picking what you picked, regardless, whatever you're eating; I'm having it with you." His tone sounded suggestive and flirtatious, hinting at something else he could offer the commissioner.
"Same goes for me too, master," she kissed Carter's cheek, causing him to blush in a deep red as his heart pumped wildly. "Just pick whatever you like because whatever you choose is going to taste wonderful since you're having it, especially if you're with me," whispering seductively into his ears.
They can't be serious, right? Did these two plan this or something? Whatever, he might as well just get it over with like usual. "I would like a bowl of shrimp gumbo for starters," he spoke loudly to the waiter, hoping to calm his nerves. "Then afterwards, I will be having a serving of filet mignon, medium rare," he informed the employee, who quickly wrote everything, "and I will take the lobster tail with cream sauce, butter, and parsley, as well as garlic bread rolls for everyone."
"And I will take all of that as well." His butler gave the commissioner a mysterious smile, closing the menu while Yumi stared at the butler angrily and upset, wanting to yell at her rival before deciding against it in favor of holding herself back from it.
"Thank you," the waitress bowed respectfully as she took them, "your food will come shortly." She walked away, leaving them alone. Once gone, Carter immediately felt relief as he could finally breathe in peace, almost embarrassing himself in front of strangers.
"What's wrong, master? You seem tense and nervous," Yumi asked in concern, massaging his shoulders to ease him. "This is supposed to be a relaxing experience, and I don't want to see my love unhappy for a day, especially not on this special weekend when you're finally off from work and not dealing with a stressful job that only gives you headaches every other day, you know what I mean?"
Sighing, "Yeah, yeah," the young billionaire nodded in affirmation, knowing that the only way for him to enjoy this is if he does something about these two's obvious tension with each other, and he does need to fix that fast, otherwise things will get complicated.
"So, mind explaining to me why you two are not on good terms?"
