Chapter 9: Christmas (part 1)
When Erina was younger, she used to loathe Christmas. Sure, she liked the decorations, the charm, and the music as much as the next person. However, for her personally, Christmas was a sad reminder of the broken family that had once felt so perfect. It didn't help that on top of the gloom, she was forced to attend special events and Christmas parties with her grandfather. However, since her second year in high school, much of her previous hate had evaporated.
Part of it was due to her friends being granted access to said special events, bringing much needed excitement to the usually dry and dull affairs. Part of it was being able to spend the holiday with Soma, listening to music and baking Christmas themed cookies while sipping hot chocolate and occasionally being forced to dance around the kitchen with him at the most inappropriate of times. But most of it was due to her once shattered family becoming whole again following the events that had transpired at Blue.
So once again, just like how it'd been for the last several years, on the twenty-third of December Erina found herself standing in front of a full-length mirror wearing an elegant ballroom dress.
"Do I even wanna know how much that cost?" Soma asks from the other side of the room. "Oh god, and you bought that when we were in Paris. Your poor credit card."
Erina turns and narrows her eyes at Soma. Through the years, she'd learned to put up with a lot of his antics. His crude creations that oftentimes could be considered a violation of the Geneva protocol's ban of biological weapons in warfare? Sure, as long as he didn't force them on her. His refusal to get an assistant to help him streamline the opening of their restaurant? Fine; annoying as it may be, a simple adjustment to the expected opening date could compensate. However, if there was one thing that never failed to irk her, it was his relentless and seemingly unfounded reluctance to spend money.
"It's not like I made you pay for it," she fires back. "And even if I did, it's not exactly like you're short on cash."
Soma doesn't respond, instead focusing on fixing the tie around his neck, but Erina's keen ears are able to hear him mutter "rich girl" under his breath.
"Plebian," she shoots over her shoulder, but she returns her attention back to the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her eyeliner.
Twenty minutes later, arm in arm, Erina and Soma enter the entrance hall of Nakiri manor where the Totsuki annual Christmas event is about to begin. Like any good high-class party, a live orchestra is warming up in the corner. A wide variety of food – provided by the second years of Totsuki's high school division as was custom – cover a long table along the wall of the entrance hall, and Erina can hear a never-ending wave of pops from one of the back rooms as the servants prepare glasses upon glasses of champagne to be caried out on trays. With five minutes remaining until the event is scheduled to begin, Erina intends to visit the manors staff and perform a last-minute check to make sure all is in order. However, the sound of both Erina's and Soma's names being called effectively renders this plan ruined.
"Oh, why now?" Erina quietly asks the heavens, her grip tightening on Soma's arm for support.
"Crap…" Soma agrees, also tensing next to her. But all the same, the two paint smiles on their faces as Erina's parents approach them.
"Mother, Father," Erina greets the two of them. "Welcome home."
"Thank you dear," her mother responds. "You look wonderful." Soma takes the opportunity to greet them as well, but all Erina can hear is her thoughts screaming 'please don't ask us about marriage! Please don't ask us about marriage!' over and over again.
Ever since their third year of dating, Nakiri Mana seemly took every opportunity to question the two on the subject. Soma and Erina had an understanding that yes, marriage was something they'd eventually get around to. There was no need to rush - they were both still in their early twenties after all - and they had no trouble repeating this to friends whenever asked. However, for whatever reason, whenever Erina's mother broached the subject, Erina and Soma both experienced a level of discomfort neither knew was even possible. Even worse, on more than one occasion, the topic of discussion eventually found its way to children, something Erina and Soma had an unspoken understanding of – emphasis on unspoken.
But luckily, before Mana can ask the much-dreaded question, Soma's phone beeps twice, indicating it's time for the party to start. "Excuse me," Erina says to her parents, "but I'm afraid I have to go play hostess. Soma, would you mind keeping them company as I greet our guests?" For the briefest of moments, a very un-Soma like glare comes over his face as he turns his head so her parents can't see and mouths the word "traitor." But just as fast as it appeared, it disappears, and he turns back to her parents with an almost natural looking smile plastered across his face.
"Sorry, I promise I'll make it up to you," Erina silently apologizes, not that he can hear her. Realistically, Erina knows that the subject will come up at some point during the holidays; the holidays were one of the few occasions Erina could spend any extended amount of time with her parents, and make no mistake, Erina was grateful for it. But unfortunately, that gave her mother an awful lot of time to corner her.
"Just focus on the party," Erina tells herself, approaching the double doors to the manor. "Worry about… that stuff, later." And with a welcoming smile, she opens the double doors to the manor, greeting the stream of people that quickly file into the mansion.
Author's note: Two updates in the space of a week? Who am I? Anyway, while I go be impressed with myself, hope you all enjoy this new chapter. I realize it's January so I'm kinda late on this whole Christmas part, but hey, better late than never. Next chapter will either be a continuation of the party, or be a scene of Erina and Soma spending time with their parentals. Oh and no matter what, I swear to you all that I will somehow find a way to let Mana interrogate Erina. I live to see that level of cringe, fictional or otherwise. As always, hope you're all staying safe and I will see you all next time.