A/N: Drabble I wrote a while back and decided to post on here because I thought it was decent enough. It kind of explores some of the thoughts in Yukiko's mind as someone who was, at first, forced to inherit a family business she wanted no part of and the pressure that came a long with maintaining the perfect image. Enjoy!
Always smile for the guests.
Don't wrinkle your kimono.
Keep your hair nice and tidy.
Walk with your back straight.
Don't fool around in public.
Be modest, not scandalous.
And always remember…
Present yourself in a dignified manner.
Her mother's voice echoed in her head everyday, every second of her life. The daughter of the Amagi Inn had become programmed to be the typical elegant hostess that the town and her mother had expected of her. It was in her blood, she was brought up with high expectations upon her small shoulders. Everyone knew Yukiko Amagi would take over the Inn, and she hated that idea.
She hated that she had no say in her future because she didn't even know if that's what she wanted. She asked herself everyday and could never find the answer. She continued her work without truly knowing if this life was for her. A life of precision and modesty, where all the world saw how fake she was and couldn't even notice the doubt hidden in her eyes.
She wanted to be free, not restricted. And as long as she foolishly clung to the Inn, she knew she would never truly be free. She wanted someone to take her far, far away from Inaba and the Inn. A place where she could frown if she was angry and not care if people noticed. A place where no one would care about one small wrinkle on her clothes or whether her hair was just a tad bit messy. Where she could slouch if she was tired because damn it, it was a long day. Where fooling around meant just having fun and you could enjoy yourself for just one day without being called a whore. A place where she didn't have to be the highly esteemed daughter of the Amagi Inn and could just be Yukiko Amagi, a teenager who just wanted to live her own life.
So when her mother asked her if everything was okay, she didn't know how to respond. Because everything was not okay and she still couldn't find an answer.