Silence | Book 2

3-7: Convention

「Hibiki? Your father is asking if you are ready.」Kazuo said from the other side of the door. He let out an angry groan, not sure how to even respond to that while at the same time getting his foot into a patent leather shoe. With one side done, and the other only in a sock, he walked up to the door a bit annoyed. Figuring he only had one shoe left to put on anyway, he opened it up for Kazuo.

「Shall I tell him you will be ready in a short moment?」Kazuo smiled, ever unfazed by his sour mood. Not caring much either way, Hibiki just made a shooing gesture for him to go do whatever. With a short bow, Kazuo left again, while he wrestled his other foot into his shoe in the meantime.

He'd tried to look as presentable as he could stand, letting the long part of his hair fall sideways past the edge of his dark rimmed glasses. His parents had his outfit ironed and prepared, and he had completed it with a set of black, soft gloves. Since he would have either Kazuo or his parents to translate his signing, he wasn't so concerned about having to write on his phone – which would be hindered by the gloves. Confident in his appearance, he took a quick selfie to send to everyone willing to look before stepping out to join his parents downstairs.

The business party would consist of two parts; a dinner, and drinks afterwards. He hoped it wouldn't go on too long, so he wouldn't have to spend all evening looking like he was happy and invested. First of all however, he would have to get there. It was quite a long drive into Sendai, and he wasn't entirely certain what to expect. So he signed to his father, who was seated in the front seat while he sat beside his mother in the back.

'How many people are going to be there?'

「The guest list had a hundred and fifty, but not all of them will make it.」

'That many?'

He signed slightly shocked, his eyebrows raised in genuine surprise as it was more than he'd expected.

「There are very many investments and relations I need to maintain, this is the easiest way to do so.」

'I thought it would be like a dinner party'

A bit deflated, he sank back into the leather seat. It made a lot more sense his father was so particular about everything going right when it was such a big gathering.

「All you need to do is bow, or shake their hand and smile if they're foreign. Just smile a lot, we will do the introducing.」His father reassured him, and he nodded that he understood, even when he dreaded it in reality. Afraid that the situation would somehow turn up worse if he dared to ask another question, he instead fished his phone from his pocket and took off one glove. With one hand he selected his messages with Tristan, figuring it'd be better to talk to him while he could.

H: Apparently this party is bigger than I thought

My dad said it could have 150 people

T: That is quite a lot. But I bet none of them will look as good as you do.

H: Duh

They're all rich people

Half of them think expensive and style is the same

T: How much is that outfit you're wearing then?

H: I don't know

I paid for it with daddy's credit card

And it didn't max out