The Veil: Reimagined

Chapter # 32

(Name) lead Satoru to the dining hall, where the rest of her family is waiting. Her eyes observed the attendants, her brothers were all sitting side by side, and her father was s on her mother's side. Her Uncle as expected is sitting on the head chair and Grandma is by his right side.

"This is going to be a pain..." She mumbled, everyone's eye in the room is on them.

(Name), motioned towards the seat Satoru is supposed to take; he pulled out the chair and expectantly gazed at him, asking her silently to take the seat. (Name) sighing, took the seat.

Satoru sits beside her, "I'm Satoru Gojo."

"We know," The oldest sibling uttered, looking over him with a frown.

"Haha, they are my brothers: the oldest, Abram, the middle one, Zayn, and the youngest, Avan. You've already met my dad," she points to the head of the clan, "this is the head of (Last Name), my uncle." she glanced around, looking for familiar faces, "by the way, where are Arshi and Haqir?"

"It's so good to meet you all!" Satoru, for the first time in his life, feels intimidated and not because he thinks they are strong, oh no, they are weak, weaker than (Name); but it is the way these men are looking at the pair with piercing glares.

"(Name) sweetie, you did not bother introducing me!" a shrill voice said.

"I'm sorry, Grandma! Satoru this is my grandma, say hi,"

"Hello, Grandma!" he waves his hand in her direction earning a smile from her, "You look gorgeous, you look hardly over thirty!"

(Name) rolled her eyes, her grandma crackled, showing all her wrinkles, "oh boy, aren't you a charming boy!"

"oh no, Mam, I thought you were (Name)'s sister,"

"Aw, you flatter me too much!" she looked at (Name) and spoke, "are you planning on marrying him? If so, you have my blessing,"

Abram spits out his drink, Zayn coughs violently and Avan, he snorts. Her father spoke, "(Name) is not old enough to marry anyone, she still has three older brothers,"

"oh come on, she is old enough to make that choice," her mother retorted.

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here."

'Well, I don't mind her getting married, that only means one more reason for us to celebrate and party!" not Avan as well.

"I don't mind as long as I get to decide the menu," but, Zayn, it's my wedding!?

"No, she is a bit too immature," Abram, no wonder you are still single as f*ck.

"When I was her age, I was already pregnant with my second child," her Grandma voiced, "it's hopeless asking my grandsons for some great-grandchildren! Only our (Name) can make my wish true."

"Grandma, don't worry I'll make your wish true!"

"Avan, you can't even take care of yourself, how the hell are you going to look after a wife and child?"

"Bro, for the first time I agree with you."

Avan looked betrayed, "I hate you both, (Name), please side with me?"

"I'm sorry, Avan, but you are hopeless,"

"The betrayal! I thought we had something special!"

"You are overdoing it, A**hole." Zayn smacked his head, and Abram just rolled his eyes.

"Who lets these apes have dinner with us again?" (Name) sunk back in her seat, Satoru on the other hand surprised yet amused by these family dynamics.

"We have finally arrived!" the couple is late for dinner, and Arshi and Haqir entered the room.

"Where were you two?"

"I had duties in school today, Arshi helped me with that," Haqir answered, taking a seat beside his father on the left side.

"Yeah, I apologize for we are late."

"What were you three arguing over? We could hear you from the main gate."

"We were planning (Name)'s wedding---"

"Avan, respectfully, shut up."

"What!? (Name) already confessed---" Arshi slammed a hand over Haqir's mouth, stopping him from spilling any more of the tea.

"Don't mind him, y'all. He did not mean whatever he was going to say."

Zayn looked suspiciously at the couple, "How did you know what he was going to say?"

Avan lets out a blissful sigh, "it's called lovers' psyche, brother, you'll never know,"

"And you do?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do. They don't call me ladies heartthrob for no reason."

"Avan, no one calls you that,"

"You'll hear it once you take your head out of your a**,"

"You little shit!" Abram is about to pounce on Avan, but Zayn holds him back.

"That's enough," the voice belonged to her Uncle, the two words were enough to silence the three bickering men, "and the issue of (Name)'s marriage is a concern of the whole clan, not just hers."

(Name) kept silence, her eyes focused on the food that is getting cold. She wants to speak, but it'll be seen as disrespectful. Her eyes wander to Haqir, who apologetically touched his ears.

"I don't wish to disrespect you, but shouldn't her marriage not be the clan's issue?" It is Satoru who spoke, his voice firm.

"Satoru, was it?" her Uncle's voice boomed, "(Name), is not a common girl, she is strongest among (Last Name), and as clan's leader, I must keep her out of the hands of people who might use her to destroy (Last Name) clan or her."

"But---" (Name) grasped his hand under the table, mouthing, 'it's okay,' Satoru lets out a breath, "but it seems it's none of my concern how (Last Name) clan operates,"

"Wow, this chicken is so tender!" Zayn exclaimed.

"Brother, eat slower or you'll choke on your food," Abram scolds him and hands him a napkin to wipe his messy face, "you are eating like a child, show some manners in front of our guest,"

"Don't mind him, Mr. Gojo, he was a pig in his previous life," Avan cringed, making a disgusted face.

"ang jo werb an asf," (translation: and you were an ass.)

"Eww, Zayn, swallow and speak,"

(Name) face palms, this dinner was a rollercoaster for her but she was happy to see Satoru enjoying himself and getting along with her family, well most of her family. She looked over at her uncle, she couldn't comprehend the look in his eyes but she can tell, that look was aimed at the man beside her.