I didnt wanna go.To begin with I didnt want anything to do with that family. Going now would be even worse because that fasting course would definitely co up. It would be as good as announcing,h.e.l.lo everybody! I was fat enough to warrant fasting!Yeah, no wayyy.
But thinking about it, a tea party probably ant that she wanted to get to know the kids in her sons school year. With a lot of other people there it wouldnt have been too bad. If it wasnt for the fasting issue, that is.Actually, I had been invited to sothing like this a few tis before, but I got out of it by pretending to be shy. Its a sha that sothing like that wasnt possible at my age. How depressing
The days continued to pa.s.s by. Dog Lover-kun continued to force his I Beatrice! photo collection on . Okaasama got excited about the tea party and began dragging to beauty salons and clothes shopping. Before long, the day of the tea party had arrived.It was a casual thing so I just brought so flowers and chocolates with . Well, I say just but this chocolate was actually from bought the newly opened j.a.panese branch of a French chocolatier. A rising star of the chocolate world, they call him. I decided on this since I figured the sweet-toothed Kaburagi might appreciate it.Anyhow, I arrived there for the first ti feeling nervous. It didnt take long for Madam Kaburagi to show in, and I was brought to a large room overseeing the garden. Actually there were already a number of people there. Pretty much everybody was sobody from the Pivoine, so I let out a sigh of relief. Although naturally Kaburagi and Enjou were there too.
Reika-san, might there be so people you havent t before? Allow to introduce you, said Mrs. Kaburagi before doing exactly that. Once she was done, she left to greet new guests.
I decided to just approach soone I knew. Nouzen Sarara-sama was here.She was a Pivoine mber, but spent most of her ti reading quietly by herself. Sarara-sama had this tranquil and dignified air to her, and it felt like she lived in her own world, never taking part in the pointless conversations that the rest of us had. Any conversation I made might have seed inane to her, so Id always shied from talking to her. Thanks to that we werent really close.I had to say though, I admired her constant composure. That was sothing I knew I had trouble with.At any rate, it was surprising that sobody like Sarara-sama would even co to an event like this. Id never seen her really talk to Kaburagi in the Pivoine salon, and neither he or Enjou seed to pay much attention to her.Could it be that she was forced here by her parents like I was?
Gokigenyoh, Sarara-sama. I must admit I was not expecting you here.
Gokigenyoh. Of all places, I wouldnt have expected you here either, Reika-sama.
I must admit that this is my first ti as a guest here. And you, Sarara-sama?
I do in fact visit here on occasion. The Kaburagi family are kind enough to allow to peruse their book collection. Chairman Kaburagi is in fact a rare book collector.
Goodness, truly!?
That dreamy Kaburagi-Papas hobby was books!? Gosh, why havent I been reading more books! I dont know a thing about rare books! And what a refined hobby too!
In my mind, I pictured Kaburagi-Papa sitting in his study, dignified, reading from an old, leather-bound book
It fits him so well! And what does my familys Tanuki do for fun!? Collecting reading gla.s.ses for his eyesight!?
Truly. In his spare him he tours Europe looking for rare books on his own, you know. This wondrous collection is the direct result of all that effort!
Is that so?
It is! Think about it! Early copies of Huysmans works! When I found out about it I couldnt stop the trembling!
My.
It was the first ti Id ever seen the collected Sarara-sama talking so excitedly. I an, I knew that she really liked her books, but I never thought she took them this seriously. I guess she had that sa sothing that led people to getting dog paw earringsWe chatted so more. Apparently she was particularly fond of French literature. Scouring my brains for my agre knowledge on that field, I managed to squeeze out the nas Cocteau and Wilde. Her eyes lit up, and she began to, even more excitedly, list t.i.tle after t.i.tle, and pa.s.sionately discussed(?) their contents.
Um, thats nice and all, Sarara-sama, but could you stop closing in on like that?
At that mont, Mrs. Kaburagi ca back with another girl. The girl had hair up to her shoulders, and the tips were lightly curled. Wow, what a casual.
This is Maihama Ema-san from Yurinomiya. Everyone get along with her. Now that everybody is here, shall we begin the tea party!
And thats how it began. Maybe because his mother was right here, Kaburagi was even more silent than usual. He was literally giving only the bare minimum replies to Maihama-san who was desperately trying to start a conversation. Not that I couldnt sympathise. A high-school boy being forced to attend a tea party with his mother? It was like so sort of strange punishnt ga, if you thought about it. Worse yet, there was no Yurie-sama here.Apparently Yurie-sama and Aira-sama were the UK right now, spending their break living with so host family.Ill bet anything that that Kaburagi had wanted to go with.Anyhow, Kaburagi, still morose, picked up a chocolate and put it into his mouth. His face betrayed faint surprise. Gotcha!The chocolate that he ate just now was none other than the one I brought with as a gift. Hows that, Kaburagi! Its good, right!Madam Kaburagi, sharp-eyed as usual, was quick to point out that it had been brought here by .
Hmm Whered you get this?
I replied.
So they opened a store in j.a.pan he muttered.
He really knew his stuff.
You like chocolates, Kaburagi-sama?
Chocolat isnt bad.
Ooh, shoh-koh-lah. Sorry, for being a commoner, Mr. Frenchman.
Reika-san, the other day you stayed at one of our hotels with your Okaasama, didnt you? How was it?
Yes. Your exclusive anities were excellent. It was almost a sha to use them. I also enjoyed your garden. The way it lit up at night was simply magical.
My! Thank you! Im glad that you enjoyed it.
Kisshouin-san, you stayed at one of the Kaburagi Groups hotels? Enjou suddenly asked.
Well, yes
Our hotel had so fasting course. To lose weight.
KABURAGIIIIIIIII!I knew you knew! And youve revealed here!?What is wrong with you!? Havent you heard of tact!?You dont understand a girls heart at all!
Fasting?
Its one of the courses our hotel offers.
Wow. So Kisshouin-san was fasting
Enjou looked like he was struggling not to smile. Everyone else started talking about it as well. Wasnt this like publicly acknowledging that I was a fatty!
My, it might have been a fasting course but it wasnt just for dieting, began Madam Kaburagi. It was a detox course. Reika-san is skinny, so she wouldnt have needed to diet.
Unfortunately I doubt anybody believed her.
Reika-san ca to accompany her mother. Shes very close with her parents. Chairman Kisshouin told all about how she makes handmade chocolates for him every Valentines.
Tanuki! Youve been spreading trouble again!
Gosh, I wish I had a daughter Sons really arent cute at all.
Kaburagi looked put out by his mothers words.
Then Maihama-san cut in.
I know that you have a rule against ho-made chocolates, but Im attending desert school so please try one of mine!
Also she was looking at like I was so kind of rival.
Dont want. If Im going to be eating so rank amateurs mistakes, why shouldnt I eat a professionals successes instead.
Maihama-san, shot down.
Kaburagi, one of these days you should really learn the art of subtlety.After that, people kept coming over and asking about my fasting, so I got offended and blurted out,
Recently I went with a friend to clear my spirit with zazen ditation as well,
when a senpai from the Pivoine replied with a shocked,
Eh-, Reika-san, youre one of them?
Enjou was facing away from , breathless with laughter. I wished I had a zen stick with to teach him so manners.
Anyhow, as a result of regaling my experiences, a number of people said that were interested in trying the fasting course as well.
When it was ti to leave, Madam Kaburagi comnted,
Today was really lively thanks to you. Co again, okay!
It wasnt fun for at all though
Also Maihama-san huffed, and turned away from . What a funny person.
Returning ho exhausted, I was ambushed by Okaasama who asked all about the tea party, but when I ntioned that they found out we were fasting partic.i.p.ants, she was crestfallen.Half of that was her fault though.
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