° Ｆｒｏｓｔｂｉｔｅ | ° | Book 1 | ° | 𝙏𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙞 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤 °

29 - The Chosen

Matoba-San was right. You were there at the top of the steps, holding Matoba's arm as you gracefully stepped down. You didn't seem to catch Todoroki's gaze, which irked him, but he supposed you had plenty of people to look at and talk to. After all, he would be dancing with you later that night.

He snagged a cup of sparkling cider (that's what the drink was, apparently), and took a sip.

He watched you begin a conversation with Yaoyorozu, which he couldn't blame you for. You were a social person, and from what he was told, you and Yaoyorozu hadn't seen each other for a long time. He would let you mingle, speak with other people. You deserved that much.

He regretted his decision exactly 0.02 seconds after that, when an old man dressed finely approached him.

"You're the Todoroki boy, are you not?"

"I am."

"It's good to see you again; the last time I saw you, you were just this tall!" He held his hand out by about his knee, then let out a boisterous laugh.

Wonderful. One of these people.

"You know," he continued, "I was wondering about how in the Sport's Festival, you only managed to...."

It wasn't anything Todoroki hadn't heard before, so he tuned it out, only giving off handed remarks and half invested answers. "Oh," "I see," "yes," were about all he said for the entirety of the conversation.

He caught the eyes of another young lady that was now speaking with you, and she quickly turned away.

Hm.

"...and oh, all the sounds and the lighting were all just spectacular, can you believe the budget that—"

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

The whole room froze. Everyone turned to face the man standing in the center of the room.

"I, Nazumi Katsuki, would like to thank all who arrived tonight, heroes, business partners and friends alike. It is truly an honor to be serving you on this wondrous evening.

"It is with pride that I present to you my eldest child, my daughter, Nazumi Hanae, and give her to the lucky man who has been chosen to take her as his wife. Now, this is not a wedding, it is an announcement of her marriage. My dear," Todoroki hated how fake but real his voice sounded when he said those words, "come forward."

You stepped forward with Matoba-San. All the words spoken between you two were unheard by everyone.

You took your father's hand and stood proudly, facing the crowd.

"May I ask the six suitors to please come forward?"

Todoroki supposed that was his cue, and nodded to the old businessman. The older man winked. "Best of luck!"

Todoroki didn't respond as he stood to the direct right of Nazumi-San (you were on the other side), and next to him was Kubo.

"One of these fine young men will be engaged to my daughter by the end of the night. Only three people know who that is--It's up to you to guess who those people are. My daughter will dance with each of them for the next hour, but only the last person that dances with her will be The Chosen."

Todoroki scoffed at the name. The Chosen? My father chose her. Not the other way around.

He continued. "Tonight is a night of new beginnings, opportunities, and change. Please join me in celebrating these things."

He bowed, and when the crowd began their applause, Todoroki joined in. Strange, he noted, how he would have admired such a man as him, if not for what he knew about him. He was charismatic, charming, well spoken, confident.