Only yours

Christmas

The loud knocking at my door jolted me awake.
"Boss? I hate to disturb you, but you need to get up," Massaru called through the closed door.

I squinted at my clock. 4 a.m. "Massaru, it's the middle of the night!" I shouted back, sinking back into the pillows.

The door opened a crack, and bright light spilled in. "No, I'm sorry, but it's already 4 p.m., and in two hours, there's a Christmas dinner at your father's. If you don't want me to cancel it, you really need to get up now," he insisted.

Damn. I had slept like the dead and still felt exhausted. This couldn't be real. With a decisive move, Massaru drew back the heavy curtains, and I took a moment to gather my thoughts. "Alright, I'm getting in the shower. Do we have gifts for my father, Kunzite, and Kaori?" I asked, making my way to the bathroom.

"Of course, even your mother received a gift by mail. All the others are already in the car."

"Good work. I'll be down shortly." I closed the bathroom door behind me and stepped into the shower. The warm water was truly a relief.

Less than an hour later, Massaru was driving me to my father's villa. The ride was silent, and I used the time to mentally prepare for the upcoming gathering. Why did Father even host a Christmas dinner? He hated Christmas, and there was nothing to celebrate, especially not after the recent battles with the press. I stood before my father's imposing villa, now splendidly decorated. The twinkling lights framed the house's contours, casting it in a festive, warm glow. It was a scene straight out of a sappy movie, but to me, it signified another unpleasant obligation.

I entered the villa, and the scent of pine needles and cinnamon hit me. Festively decorated Christmas trees were everywhere, their branches laden with sparkling baubles and twinkling lights. For most people, this ambiance was a dream, but for me, it was a backdrop that only highlighted our family's superficiality. My father still tried to maintain appearances, even though we currently weren't receiving visitors, everything had to be perfect from the outside.

As I entered the dining room, my father, Kunzite, and Kaori were already seated at the lavishly set table. The atmosphere was tense, and an uncomfortable silence hung in the air.
"Merry Christmas, Father, Kunzite," I said, pausing briefly before adding, "Witch."

Kaori's look was challenging, but before she could reply, my father interjected.
"Diamond, stop that. You're no longer a teenager that I need to teach manners. Sit down, you're already late."

"Oh uncle, let him be. As long as he can still crack jokes, we know that our Prince of Darkness is doing well."

My father merely rolled his eyes in annoyance. The list of possible conversation topics in his presence was always relatively short, and today it was even more restricted. Neither Kunzite nor I dared to bring up the sensitive topic of Saphir. Besides, one of Father's unwritten rules for holidays, at least during meals, was: no business talk. So Kaori was the only one at the table leading cheerful monologues, receiving occasional words of agreement from us—more out of politeness than genuine interest.

After a few minutes, I had tuned out. I had to protect my mind from Kaori's endless babbling, or my ears would have started bleeding. How could one person talk so much without saying anything of significance? Kaori truly mastered the art of speaking a lot and saying nothing.

And here I sat, trapped in this boring holiday torture.

Only when dessert was served did Father excuse himself, and finally, the atmosphere became a bit more relaxed.

"And a long night with the girl from the bar, or why were you late?" Kunzite inquired with a mischievous grin.
Kaori immediately perked up. "What girl? What about Usagi?"