𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 -𝘼 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑

"Hanako! Why haven't you asked Yuihiso to dance! You two are engaged, act like it!" His mother snaps at us as we sit at our table. He is on his second cigarette and I'm not my second drink of the night.

"Mom, I don't think Yuihiso is in the mood to dance right now." She in return glares at me, so even though my stomach feels like it's trying to undo a cat's cradle, I tell her that I'll dance one dance.

"Good girl. I knew we had chosen well. And not someone like her." She nods over to Kana, who looks like a tacky flamingo in her reception dress. Ayame would not be impressed.

"Mom, be quieter, you're going to make everyone think badly of us." Hanako hisses, budding out his cigarette.

"Mph. Your wedding will be much better and less gaudy."

"Come on." Hanako pulls me out onto the dance floor so that he doesn't have to endure any more of her pointless bickering. And I find it reassuring to learn that he does in fact get fed up with all of her talk.

"Are you free to look at the house tomorrow?"

However, the reassurance I felt is now gone. My stomach continues to plummet thinking about seeing my future house.

"Um, yeah. But it'll have to be during my lunch break since Hatori will still be gone."

"Twelve then?"

"Sure." I feel so alone in this room, in a pink dress, surrounded by half of the people who will be at my own wedding, dancing with my fiance in a similar manner to a first dance. I feel like that one flower that has died amongst a bouquet of bright blossoms. I'm the ugliest and the one that stands out to most, the one everyone stares at and snickers at.

"Yuihiso!"

I practically run off the dance floor, leaving Hanako behind. My stomach and my heart have had enough. And I was afraid that if I had stayed out there any longer I would both cry and throw up.

"The wedding is just wonderful, Mom." God, there's someone in the bathroom. I don't want to walk past them to get to my stall. "No, I'm not the only person without a date! You make me sound so pathetic!"

Especially since that person is Mayuko. You'll be quick, just into the stall and then out. You can wash your hands somewhere else if she still hasn't left. No need to over think this.

"Hey, Yuihiso. You work with Hatori-san, right?" Why is she of all people asking me this. And can't she tell that I need to use the bathroom!

"Yes, I work as his assistant. How do you know Hatori?"

"Um, Kana would talk about how cool of a boss he was and I met him once or twice. I was just wondering how he was doing."

Mayuko is Kana's best friend, so I'm guessing she knew about the two dating. But why does she care so much about how he's doing. Unless...

"He's doing okay."

"I'm sure this isn't easy for him."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Of course I know what she's talking about. I just don't want to bring him up around her.

"Oh sorry. Do you know if he has a girlfriend?" She's really shooting her mouth off. And I can't even say that he does. This almost feels like a smack in the face because I can't tell anyone about us. Not inside of the Sohma family, nor outside.

"Why would you care so much? It's not like he'd ever get with you." I turn heel and leave the bathroom, I'd rather go find a bush to throw up on than stay in there.

"Yuihiso? What's wrong. You kinda left me stranded." Hanako nervously chuckles as I reach the table.

"Do you think we could leave? I'm not feeling well."

"Sure. Let me just tell my Mom."

And even though I can't see her, I can feel Mayuko's eyes burning into my backside.