Chapter 51: Marvellously Decline

At the dinner table… my brother had began telling my parents what happened at the salon today.

“I think official invitations will arrive at our house in a short while. However, we were given invitations to Ibuki-kun’s party at the salon today.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Dad didn’t look particularly surprised as he said that. If this party was a yearly thing, then maybe he’d known of it from the beginning. Well, even if he hadn’t known, each family held various parties during significant times and events, so maybe it wasn’t something to be that surprised about.

“Please decline.”

“Huh?”

Even though we still hadn’t mentioned the details, mom flatly refused. My dad and my brother let out sounds of surprise and looked at mom, but she hadn’t hesitated at all and remained calm. I thought that’d happen, so I wasn’t too surprised. Rather, considering my mom’s personality and current position, I thought she might ask me to decline.

“I will not allow you to go to Konoe-sama’s party, Sakuya. Please decline.”

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“Txx…”

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“This date is in the middle of our vacation. Unfortunately, you cannot attend.”

“Hmm…”

My dad, still looking troubled, just vaguely responded. I knew what he was thinking. We could change our travel plans now. We just had to pay the cancellation fee and immediately rearrange our plans, which wasn’t impossible for the Kujou family.

My dad was in the position of wanting to attend the Konoe family’s party even though he had to change our travel plans. That wasn’t just because my dad wanted me to get closer to Ibuki. It was my dad’s job to go to those places and meet with other families. He probably wanted to go to this party he was invited to, even just to show up and say hello.

But it was hard for him to say that now. The yearly summer break family vacation was one of the rarely occurring Kujou family events. No, I said that weirdly, but… The Kujou family held many events and functions, but we could only have a vacation as a family during a certain time.

There were circumstances involved with my dad’s work, so we could only go on family vacations during summer break and the beginning of the year. On top of that, even if we had made plans, there were many times when my dad’s work came in so we couldn’t all go as a family. The whole family didn’t cancel, but there were a lot of trips where my dad didn’t participate and we weren’t all together…

It was normally like that, so my mom and dad fought. Actually, those two had a lot of couple fights. I knew that my mom would secretly enjoy going on a trip with my dad. But of course mom would get mad if dad said that he couldn’t go because of work.

Because of that, our family trips were a rather important event. We couldn’t change plans and attend the Konoe family’s party now when my mom had planned various things and prepared in advance for such an important event.

If my mom thought the Konoe family’s party was important, then we’d accept. But my mom in this world wasn’t really inclined towards my and Ibuki’s marriage. Or rather, that was my fault. Because that thing had happened at the previous party, she slowly became more likely to refuse.

Those conditions had caused that result, so this time I could safely refuse the invitation to the Konoe family’s party. But my dad resisted at the very last and said unnecessary things.

“Got it, got it. Then, let’s make this year’s vacation proceed as planned. But… let’s think about the dates and times for next year’s vacation. That should be fine, right?

This father… he was thinking of changing the dates and times so he could attend next year. He was probably thinking of leaving these same weeks empty next year.

He knew the dates when we’d be invited to the Konoe family’s summer party. If those dates were left open next year, then we could go on vacation and mom would be happy, and we could also appear at the Konoe family’s party. My dad was probably thinking that.

“*sigh*… understood. I shall think about the dates of next year’s vacation.”

“Oh! I see! Then unfortunately, we’ll have to decline this year.”

When my dad heard mom folding, he got quite happy. But he was naive. My mom wouldn’t compromise now. She just said that she’d think about it later. She didn’t say that she’d leave those dates open next year.

At the very least, my mom hadn’t permitted me to go to other parties. That was why she let my dad be prematurely happy without promising anything. She really was a sneaky mom. Rather, my dad was too innocent. The head of the Kujou Group should probably be a little more careful.

Well, it had gone the way I wanted and I wasn’t unsatisfied, so it was alright, but… I kinda hoped that something would happen between me and Satsuki-chan as I attended this party, but I wouldn’t complain that my mom had forbidden me from participating in unnecessary events.

I’d have to do something when I went to play with Satsuki-chan. Anyway, creating trust between friends wasn’t easy, nor was it something you could do in a day. I’d have to think of what to do so we could take the first step towards being closer. 

　　～～～～～～～

I safely conveyed my refusal to attend Ibuki’s party. Azami-chan then declared she wouldn’t attend because of that, and Kaya-san said the same, so I gave up on persuading them to go. Satsuki-chan said she’d attend like usual.

I didn’t really want them to say such things involving me in front of Ibuki and Enju but… if they held too much of a grudge against me, Ibuki and Enju would really destroy me in the future. Kaya-san and Azami-chan might’ve refused because of their own reasons, but I really didn’t want them to use me as a scapegoat.

Anyway, I had suddenly avoided a weird event from an unknown factor. It was best to stay away from unnecessary events. That also included getting wrapped up in unknown events and raising weird flags.

“…in summary, I am unfortunately unable to attend Konoe-sama’s party.”

“You are saying that, but you seem quite happy, yes?”

I’d received the invitation the day before yesterday, conveyed my refusal yesterday, and was in the middle of eating lunch with Azami-chan’s group and Satsuki-chan, who I’d invited.

Why had the conversation turned to the topic of the Konoe family’s summer party? That was because I had unavoidably, reluctantly, and very painfully declared my refusal because of the family vacation. But Azami-chan asked me that. Why?

“Why do you not wish to attend Konoe-sama’s party, Sakuya-chan?”

Tsubaki-chan always sat beside me, but now Satsuki-chan was sitting there. The other four of Azami-chan’s group were sitting across from us. Since it was just us, we didn’t have any fixed seating, but when someone from another group who was also a member of the Seven Shining family came, we had to care about seating arrangement.

“Uh! No… it is not as if I particularly dislike the idea of attending Konoe-sama’s party, alright?”

Satsuki-chan further investigated the topic, so I got flustered. No matter how much I was thinking that I didn’t want to attend, it’d be embarrassing to say that out loud. If I were to, it’d be the cause of the situation worsening and a fight breaking out. Maybe I’d make an enemy out of the Konoe monryuu too. If Konoe were my enemies, then Takatsukasa and their monryuu would follow. That was key.

“But you are happy that you are unable to attend the party, yes, Sakuya-chan?”

“No~, well~…”

What was up with Satsuki-chan today… she was really cutting deep. She was good at reading the room and capable, so I didn’t think that she’d say such troubling things in front of this crowd, but… It felt like she was trying to say that I didn’t want to attend the Konoe party, and that I hated the Konoes.

“Perhaps Sakuya-sama does not dislike attending Konoe-sama’s party, but instead does not like the chaos that is a party?”

“Huh…?”

Azami-chan then suddenly said that. Well, I definitely didn’t want to attend many parties, no matter who organised them or where they were held…

“Sakuya-sama has a priceless, transient beauty! That is why she does not like noisy places like parties! Such locations do not suit Sakuya-sama! She is suited towards calmer places where she can lounge alone!”

No… Azami-chan? What was a lady like you saying? She was saying such unreasonable stuff, so I didn’t get what she meant. Why would I lounge alone in a calm place… wait! Did that mean that I was suited to being alone!? Was she saying something like go loiter alone in a place with no other sounds or people…

No way, I knew that Azami-chan wasn’t the type to verbally bully like that. She was just going over-the-top, so it was slightly unclear what she meant.

“Sakuya-chan, do you dislike the idea of parties?”

“Uhh… um… well… Parties are not my specialty…” 

Satsuki-chan asked me that while staring directly at me. I replied, troubled. I was definitely bad with parties. It wasn’t because of what Azami-chan said with the noise. I simply was bad with parties, nothing more.

I didn’t attend many parties and my manners weren’t the best, so I really had to pay attention to myself and got tired. In the first place, I hated gatherings and didn’t know what was fun about attending parties.

The food was pretty delicious. I didn’t hate wearing a cute dress. But to experience such mental fatigue and troubles to attend a party just for that; my answer was a no.

Of course, with my position, there were times that I had to attend. I couldn’t decline invitations just because I wanted to. That wasn’t because I enjoyed appearing at parties, but instead because I had to carry out various roles and obligations. My dad had to attend any parties that he could, even if he just showed his face and introduced himself, because that was his job.

Sons and daughters of families like ours didn’t attend parties just because we found them fun, but instead attended for various meanings and reasons. You had to come even if you didn’t want to.

But my mom thought that I couldn’t attend parties for the time being. It was a sort of house arrest. Maybe it was easier to understand if I said my mom stopped me from going to those kinds of places.

“Is that so… then, would you prefer me not inviting you to my family’s parties?”

Huh! Satsuki-chan’s party! I wanna go!

“No! If you are inviting me, Satsuki-chan, I will somehow convince my mother and absolutely attend!”

“Yes! Absolutely!”

I nodded my head at what Azami-chan said too. I would go to any lengths to attend a party if a cute girl was inviting me! Resistance from mom? I’d persuade her with a fighting cry! If Ibuki and Enju invited me, I would refuse. But if Azami-chan and Satsuki-chan invited me, I would convince my mom and absolutely go…

“Um~… then, may I invite you to my family’s parties?”

“Your family’s parties, Tsubaki-chan? Of course!”

“Come to think of it, will you not appear at a Kujou family party?”

If Tsubaki-chan invited me, then I’d go. As we were fired up from all that talk, Azami-chan suddenly said that. Come to think of it, I didn’t remember attending a Kujou family party.

“Though the Kujou family throws parties, I myself have never been to one.”

“What!?”

“Is that so?”

Everyone looked oddly surprised. Maybe it was weird that I had never attended parties that my own family had hosted.