-In 2023, not all parents hold their children to traditional standards for love and marriage, but modern lifestyles are still not always accepted. Especially not when your younger sibling is getting married first and your parents are practically jum...
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The following Tuesday, Fuyuko invites you over to her house to finalize the wedding reception color palette. Though at first you were a bit surprised- you thought she'd just continue the whole burnt orange thing over from everything else she's done- you agree to help out anyways.
When you arrive, Fuyuko opens the door and welcomes you in with a warm smile. "Thanks so much for coming, Y/N, I could really use a set of fresh eyes. Honoka and I have been going insane looking at these colors all day.
You've met Honoka before. She's Fuyuko's best friend and her bridesmaid, too. She's got beautiful straight black hair that almost reaches her shoulders. It never seems to grow, either, so you're not sure if it's fake or she lives with some kind of hairstylist.
When you walk into the dining room, the room where a bomb looks to have gone off, you see Honoka hovering over the table staring down at a blank white paper as though her life depended on looking at it.
"We were just deciding between FDFFFE and FFFDFE as our two whites. Honoka says she can't see a difference but I'm certain there is," Fuyuko tells you as Honoka moves over to make room for you to look beside her.
"What about the other one? It says F6F7F7?" you ask as you point to the left-out white color.
"We were thinking about that one," Fuyuko hums as she drags the color over to the others, "but I thought it looked too grey..."
The three of you stare down at the whites for a good thirty seconds until Honoka lets out a sigh of frustration. "I can't do this anymore. Can we move on to a different color?"
"Okay. Yeah, it's kind of hurting my head, too," Fuyuko agrees. "So we have our oranges, our tan, and black. Now all that's left is the white and green."
Just as Fuyuko and Honoka pull together a bunch of shades of green- about a dozen of almost the exact shade- the doorbell rings. Already needing a break, you decide to walk over and answer it for Fuyuko.
When you get to the door, your mother is standing on the other side holding some kind of gift. She looks shocked to see you, as though she just caught her husband cheating.
"Mom? What're you doing here? I thought you were too busy to help Fuyuko wedding plan," you say almost just as surprised to see her.
"I'm never too busy to see my daughter-in-law," she smiles, completely ignoring you as her own biological daughter. "May I come in?"
Quietly, you step to the side and let her pass. However, just after taking off her shoes, she turns back to look you up and down once more. "What did you say you were doing here, Y/N?"
"Oh, I'm helping. You know, my sister-in-law," you smile just as she had a moment ago. "We're finalizing the reception's color palette. I don't think you'd want to help. I'd say it might drive you crazy but I'm pretty sure we're way past that."
"Hmph," she then huffs. "Where is Fuyuko? I'd like to give her what I came here for."
"Right this way, your majesty," you hum as you extend your arm and show her toward the dining room where Fuyuko and Honoka are.
But your mother doesn't move an inch. Instead, she narrows her eyes and glares somehow even more wickedly. She always did love a good villain. Too bad that isn't how she feels about you.
"You need to watch your tone, young lady, before you ruin this wedding for everyone. Your brother was nice enough to find a date for you. Fuyuko is offering you to help her so you can feel useful in planning your brother's wedding. And all you can do is complain? Is that really how I raised you? To be ungrateful?" she asks calmly as if she really believes what she's saying isn't totally gaslighting you into believing a distorted view of the world.
"God, there are so many things fucked up in that sentence I don't even know where to start!" you scoff, trying not to raise your voice since Honoka and Fuyuko are nearby. "My brother only found me a date because you forced him into believing I need one, which I don't! Two, Fuyuko isn't 'offering me to help her' because she thinks I'm a shitty person. She needs help because she's planning a fucking wedding, mom! Your son's wedding. How are you helping, huh? If anyone's just sitting around and complaining it's you! A fucking loaf of bread? Is that all you can do? I can smell it's half burnt, too."
"Hmph. My son's wedding. It should be my daughter's wedding," she scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"You know what, get the fuck out of here. We're working just fine without your help," you say before grabbing the package from her hands and walking her toward the door. "It's time for you to go, mom. I'll let you know when we need a refill on burnt toast."
Your mother's eyes widen before softening and swelling up with tears. Just as much as she loves a good villain, she quickly plays the victim card as though she's done nothing wrong.
"I don't understand why you hate me so much, Y/N. I've done nothing but love you. You just hate me. Why am I the bad guy? I don't understand," she shakes her head.
"I don't get it either, mom. You do this to yourself."
Just as your mother walks out and you shut the door behind her, you see Honoka and Fuyuko standing nearby. Perfectly silent.
"I'm sorry about that," you sigh. "I didn't mean for it to get so loud."
"It's okay, Y/N, I get it. I've dealt with quite a few people like your mom before. You've just got to make the best of it. She'll always be your mom," Fuyuko tells you.
"Yeah, and I'll get burnt loaves of bread as an added bonus. Only, this one is for you, not me," you try to smile as you hand it over to her.
"Shit, it does smell burnt," Honoka chuckles as she scrunches up your nose. "I guess that's what they mean by it's the thought that counts."
"Come on, let's salvage what we can and get back to work."
