'Cigarettes' - G.Satoru

3- Refusal

Miserable

惨めな

"I refuse."

A series of gasps, babbles and whispers occurred around the hall. Nasty glares given to the girl now standing in the middle of the large area. Even her servant was looking at her with a shocked expression.

The women that sat at the end of the hall made a noise furiously. Her nostrils flared with anger as she spoke in a firm tone, "Wait outside, I've to discuss a matter with you privately."

Miyazaki Chiyemi, an important Nobel figure and the previous head the Miyazaki clan, followed by her daughter, who is now the current head. She is a women in her early 40's with the clans usual looks, straight royal blue hair and sharp golden eyes. She was a beauty in her days.

Unlike her daughter, she is a show-off that only serves her personal desires.

The purple haired girl gave a slight bow towards the clans and headed out without sparing anyone a glance. Koemi gave her a concerned look as Miho walked past her.

After a few moments of waiting against a pillar, her mother finally arrived. She had a look of anger present on her face, as she marched towards her daughter.

"You are going to get engaged in 2 years from now, do you get it? You are fourteen now. It's about damn time, Miho." She snapped, pointing her index finger at her face.

Miho's eyebrows furrowed as she replied in a monotone,"Who gave you the permission to invite all the clans just so you can see who is worthy and strong enough to be my future spouse?"

"Hah?! Be respectful to your mother! Where are your manners? Don't act like a great God for once, be a nice, feminine lady and accept someone from a clan." The old woman's slightly wrinkled face moved to side as she muttered to herself, "You should be grateful I'm allowing you to choose for yourself."

The younger girl's eyes flickered to the hall that was at a distance, then back at her mother as she with venom dripping in her voice, "The last time I remembered, I'm the heir of Miyazaki residence first, your daughter second, is it right, Chiyemi-sama? Or should I say Mrs. Noble woman?" The older woman gritted her teeth at the mention of the demotion she faced when her rank of the head was inherited by her daughter.

Not giving the older woman a chance to speak, she continued talking, gaining the attention of her mother with the first word she spoke, "Fine, I will do it. But I have some conditions..."

Somewhere else inside the hall, a confused and furious Satoru was sitting beside his mother, questioning her, "What do you mean you took me here so I might have the chance to marry that girl?! I just turned fifteen! And just look at that girl, she looks like a ghost..!" He shivered.

"Don't say that about her! She is a well-behaved, polite young lady. And on top of that, it should be an honour for you to be even acknowledged by her." The boy beside her rolled his eyes in boredom.

The sound of the shoji door sliding caught everyone's attention. They all straightened up as the heir of Miyazaki and her mother walked with pride, confidence dripping at evey step they took. Both of their sharp eyes glancing at everyone as they made their way towards the seat at the end of the hall.

Both sat down with their knees tucked underneath them, back straight like a proper lady, hands folded on their lap. A nudge on her rib broke Miho out of trance, she glanced at her mother as the older women whispered to her, "Smile."

She obeyed her words, lips curving upwards into a gentle yet blank smile. The older women sitting beside her began chatting to other people that Miho didn't pay any mind to.

Along with Zen'in Naobito, his son Naoya were bragging about the history of their clan and how great they were, trying to impress Chiyemi.

She blinked when she heard her name being called, "Miho, do you want time to think or have you made your decision?" She stared at the middle-aged woman that was standing in the between two other women, Gojo-san and Kamo-san.

She recalled the memories of her and her mother while they were conversing behind the pillar.

Just as Miho turned around to head towards the gathering hall, her mother's voice halted her steps, "Miho, you won't choose the Gojo boy. He has already humiliated us by breaking two of the rules by arriving late and not acknowledging you and by wearing the same colour as you. The guts he has to do this shameful act at the first meeting with his presence."

"...Gojo Satoru"

She didn't realize that her mouth has moved on its own and voiced her thoughts out loud. The white haired boy standing at the corner spat out his hot chocolate in shock, the drink landing on Naoya Zen'in's head. The Zen'in boy started shreaking and crying in disgust as he snatched the paper towels out of a servant's hands.

Nobody paid the screaming boy any mind, even his own father ignored him. Their gaze was fixed on the boy with sunglasses and the girl that was now standing from her seat. Chiyemi gave her a look of disbelief and eyes indicating warning.

Satoru's mother stood as her shock slowly turned to excitement and happiness. She inwardly squealed as her son slowly rotated his head to look at her in disbelief. She patted her face to help her calm down as she slowly let out a few words, "We should let the children talk with each other, shouldn't we? They will get to know one another."

Chiyemi nodded, finally agreeing even though she was still quite shocked at her daughter's bold move.

After a series of protest from the blue eyed bimbo, he was thrown outside in the garden along with the green eyed prick. They both stood in the middle of the garden with a deadpanned expression present on their face.

"I know I'm handsome, and that you couldn't resist my looks. But if I'm being honest, I don't wanna marry you." The boy beside her spoke with a glittery aura surrounding him as he complimented himself.

The girl beside him glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she spoke in a quiet voice, "...I never said I wanted to marry you either."

"Huhh!?"

"You don't have to marry me. I have planned everything out. Just go along with it, Satoru-san." Miho told him, expecting questions about what she had planned out, but he didn't ask them, instead he questioned,

The boy busted out in a loud laughter as the girl got annoyed at the boy that was howling like a hyena. To be honest, she never liked him. Infact, hated him. Hated him more than she hated anyone. A glare was enough to shut his mouth.

Satoru gave her a questioning look, to which she just walked towards the scrying well in the middle of the garden and sat at the bricks surrounding it. He followed her and mimicked her action, sitting beside her.

"My clan won't force us to meet again. They won't take any steps related to our marriage until we are sixteen. That gives us the chance to make an excuse that we are in high-school and busy. If they are not convinced, we'll just say that we don't even know each other so it won't work out." When she turned her head, to look at him, only to find that he was already staring at her with his lips parted.

Finally breaking out of his trance, he responded, "but didn't they say that you're gonna get married at sixteen?"

"Lies. They lie so we'll believe them and start preparing our self. Most likely, I'll get married at eighteen. And if they drag you in it, I'll handle it."

This was the first time, they spoke to each other. But, what they didn't know was that they'll meet sooner than expected.