MAKING MERRY
Chapter 4 - Holiday Meetings
"Hana-chan! Uo-chan! Megumi-san!"
From where they were seated in the living area, Shigure, Kyou, and Yuki heard Tohru's cheerful greeting as the first guests arrived. They exchanged glances and stood up, wanting to be on their feet when they met with Tohru's friends. They were curious to see what Hanajima's brother was like since Tohru's description hadn't really helped them in terms of visualization.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" A smiling Tohru appeared followed by her friends. "Megumi-san is the only one who hasn't been introduced. Shigure- san, Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun, this is Hana-chan's brother, Hanajima Megumi!"
"Ah, Honda-san." Yuki started, echoed similarly by the other two males. He didn't see anyone else besides Uotani and Hanajima. "Where is."
"Pleased to meet you," came a low voice.
Startled at the voice that seemed to come from nowhere, the Soumas tried to find the source of the spoken words, eyes bouncing around the room in a frantic search. Shigure, especially with his active writer's imagination, was getting a little freaked out as he wondered if one of the special powers of Hanajima's little brother was of invisibility. From his brief prior contact with the denpa girl, he wouldn't be half-surprised. But that was the last thing this gathering needed, an invisible denpa stumbling around in the midst of their cursed selves and ferreting out their secrets.
"Ah, Megumi," said Hanajima in her dispassionate way. "You should let people see you when you greet them."
They watched with varying degrees of a mixture terror and amazement as a short black-haired boy dressed all in black slowly came out from behind Hanajima. He had been hidden by his sister's taller frame garbed in flowing gothic dark dress and long unbound hair. He stared at the three men before him with the same eerily penetrating glance they had often received from his older sibling.
"Pleased to meet you," he said again in the same remote manner.
Hanajima bowed. "I apologize for my little brother's behavior. Sometimes he acts so odd, it's hard to believe we're related."
We completely believe it, the Soumas thought as they stared in horrified fascination.
Shigure laughed nervously. "Don't worry about it."
"Yo," Uotani interjected. "No need to be so formal. It's a party after all."
"Arisa's right," Hanajima said. "Megumi, don't be act so reserved."
You're not someone who has the right to say that, the Soumas thought.
"What's with the cards?" Uotani asked. She'd moved further into the room to get a closer look at the pieces of paper set atop the table.
It was Shigure who answered. "Ah, well, we thought it would be better to have the seating arrangement laid out." He waved his hand in a gestural manner. "The younger people will be seated together at one end and us, older ones, at the other."
"My, how interesting." Hanajima's gave him a cool glance.
Shigure started sweating. He hated that look. "Well, Ha-san has a hard time relating to the younger generation so we thought we could spare everyone some discomfort this way," he babbled, hoping she couldn't really detect lies.
"Hmmm." She continued looking at him, energy crackling around her.
The mood of the room seem to be getting ominous, at least it did to Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure. The rest of the occupants gave no indication of anything being wrong. Although Hanajima did nothing but stare, the Soumas were becoming increasingly worried.
"Oh!" Tohru suddenly interrupted, head tilted. "I think someone's at the door. That must be everyone else. Momiji-kun said that Hatori-san would drive them all over." She motioned to them with her hand to remain. "Everyone, please stay here. I'll go get it."
"Honda-san-" Yuki started.
But it was too late. The Soumas' friendly barrier had already left, leaving the male residents of the house alone with her friends. For a moment, they stared at each other, half in interest at what the other was about to do and half with something akin to fear. As in nature in times of trouble when a pack of animals turned to either the eldest or wisest, whichever came first, for guidance, so did Kyou and Yuki look to Shigure. Under the combined weight of the gazes directed towards him, it was all Shigure could do to prevent himself from fidgeting.
"Ah, Megumi-kun, is it?" The smile he directed to the boy gazing calmly back was a bit forced as he tried to think of what to say next. "So, are a denpa like your sister?" He sucked in a quick breath, not believing he'd fumbled so badly.
"Shigure!" Yuki and Kyou cried, horrified.
"No," came the impassive reply, capturing their full attention. "That isn't an ability that I have."
The relief that radiated off the three men was practically visible as they released the breaths that they hadn't been aware of holding.
"I can only curse people once I know their names."
Tension snapped back into the room. Those words had been said too blandly for them not to have a reaction. Now more than ever, the Soumas became increasingly anxious by the presence of their new young guest. Having the threat of another curse placed on their family wasn't one of their holiday wishes.
"But I only curse bad people." Megumi gave his surroundings a blank-eyed glance. "Like Saki says, this seems to be a good place for Tohru-san." Then his head lowered as if he were speaking aloud to himself, almost absently. "Yes, no need for me to do anything."
"Really, he's a strange child." Hanajima's unemotional voice floated towards them.
Feeling gloomy, Shigure thought the siblings bore absolutely amazing resemblance to each other. All the guests hadn't even arrived yet but he already felt exhausted. A fleeting glance to the side showed that Kyou and Yuki were also looking the worse for wear. Tohru's friends were the only ones who appeared in tip-top shape. He hoped the rest of the evening turned out better and trouble-free. He could only thank the heavenly powers above that Ritsu had called earlier saying he couldn't make it as the hot springs resort that his branch of the family ran was unusually busy this time of year. Despite the multitude and loudness of apologies that had come over the phone lines, the Soumas had been relieved since Ritsu was considered to be the most likely to slip up with an accident and reveal their secret. But that didn't mean the Soumas could relax their guard. Shigure gave an inward sigh and prayed for help. The next approaching sounds that filled the ensuing silence had Shigure smiling broadly in relief. Yuki and Kyou, however, only seemed to get more depressed.
"Yuki! Rejoice! You're older and wiser brother is here, ready to impart his wisdom!"
"Kyou-kun! Where is my darling Kyou-kun!"
And so the real party began.
"Hana-chan! Uo-chan! Megumi-san!"
From where they were seated in the living area, Shigure, Kyou, and Yuki heard Tohru's cheerful greeting as the first guests arrived. They exchanged glances and stood up, wanting to be on their feet when they met with Tohru's friends. They were curious to see what Hanajima's brother was like since Tohru's description hadn't really helped them in terms of visualization.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" A smiling Tohru appeared followed by her friends. "Megumi-san is the only one who hasn't been introduced. Shigure- san, Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun, this is Hana-chan's brother, Hanajima Megumi!"
"Ah, Honda-san." Yuki started, echoed similarly by the other two males. He didn't see anyone else besides Uotani and Hanajima. "Where is."
"Pleased to meet you," came a low voice.
Startled at the voice that seemed to come from nowhere, the Soumas tried to find the source of the spoken words, eyes bouncing around the room in a frantic search. Shigure, especially with his active writer's imagination, was getting a little freaked out as he wondered if one of the special powers of Hanajima's little brother was of invisibility. From his brief prior contact with the denpa girl, he wouldn't be half-surprised. But that was the last thing this gathering needed, an invisible denpa stumbling around in the midst of their cursed selves and ferreting out their secrets.
"Ah, Megumi," said Hanajima in her dispassionate way. "You should let people see you when you greet them."
They watched with varying degrees of a mixture terror and amazement as a short black-haired boy dressed all in black slowly came out from behind Hanajima. He had been hidden by his sister's taller frame garbed in flowing gothic dark dress and long unbound hair. He stared at the three men before him with the same eerily penetrating glance they had often received from his older sibling.
"Pleased to meet you," he said again in the same remote manner.
Hanajima bowed. "I apologize for my little brother's behavior. Sometimes he acts so odd, it's hard to believe we're related."
We completely believe it, the Soumas thought as they stared in horrified fascination.
Shigure laughed nervously. "Don't worry about it."
"Yo," Uotani interjected. "No need to be so formal. It's a party after all."
"Arisa's right," Hanajima said. "Megumi, don't be act so reserved."
You're not someone who has the right to say that, the Soumas thought.
"What's with the cards?" Uotani asked. She'd moved further into the room to get a closer look at the pieces of paper set atop the table.
It was Shigure who answered. "Ah, well, we thought it would be better to have the seating arrangement laid out." He waved his hand in a gestural manner. "The younger people will be seated together at one end and us, older ones, at the other."
"My, how interesting." Hanajima's gave him a cool glance.
Shigure started sweating. He hated that look. "Well, Ha-san has a hard time relating to the younger generation so we thought we could spare everyone some discomfort this way," he babbled, hoping she couldn't really detect lies.
"Hmmm." She continued looking at him, energy crackling around her.
The mood of the room seem to be getting ominous, at least it did to Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure. The rest of the occupants gave no indication of anything being wrong. Although Hanajima did nothing but stare, the Soumas were becoming increasingly worried.
"Oh!" Tohru suddenly interrupted, head tilted. "I think someone's at the door. That must be everyone else. Momiji-kun said that Hatori-san would drive them all over." She motioned to them with her hand to remain. "Everyone, please stay here. I'll go get it."
"Honda-san-" Yuki started.
But it was too late. The Soumas' friendly barrier had already left, leaving the male residents of the house alone with her friends. For a moment, they stared at each other, half in interest at what the other was about to do and half with something akin to fear. As in nature in times of trouble when a pack of animals turned to either the eldest or wisest, whichever came first, for guidance, so did Kyou and Yuki look to Shigure. Under the combined weight of the gazes directed towards him, it was all Shigure could do to prevent himself from fidgeting.
"Ah, Megumi-kun, is it?" The smile he directed to the boy gazing calmly back was a bit forced as he tried to think of what to say next. "So, are a denpa like your sister?" He sucked in a quick breath, not believing he'd fumbled so badly.
"Shigure!" Yuki and Kyou cried, horrified.
"No," came the impassive reply, capturing their full attention. "That isn't an ability that I have."
The relief that radiated off the three men was practically visible as they released the breaths that they hadn't been aware of holding.
"I can only curse people once I know their names."
Tension snapped back into the room. Those words had been said too blandly for them not to have a reaction. Now more than ever, the Soumas became increasingly anxious by the presence of their new young guest. Having the threat of another curse placed on their family wasn't one of their holiday wishes.
"But I only curse bad people." Megumi gave his surroundings a blank-eyed glance. "Like Saki says, this seems to be a good place for Tohru-san." Then his head lowered as if he were speaking aloud to himself, almost absently. "Yes, no need for me to do anything."
"Really, he's a strange child." Hanajima's unemotional voice floated towards them.
Feeling gloomy, Shigure thought the siblings bore absolutely amazing resemblance to each other. All the guests hadn't even arrived yet but he already felt exhausted. A fleeting glance to the side showed that Kyou and Yuki were also looking the worse for wear. Tohru's friends were the only ones who appeared in tip-top shape. He hoped the rest of the evening turned out better and trouble-free. He could only thank the heavenly powers above that Ritsu had called earlier saying he couldn't make it as the hot springs resort that his branch of the family ran was unusually busy this time of year. Despite the multitude and loudness of apologies that had come over the phone lines, the Soumas had been relieved since Ritsu was considered to be the most likely to slip up with an accident and reveal their secret. But that didn't mean the Soumas could relax their guard. Shigure gave an inward sigh and prayed for help. The next approaching sounds that filled the ensuing silence had Shigure smiling broadly in relief. Yuki and Kyou, however, only seemed to get more depressed.
"Yuki! Rejoice! You're older and wiser brother is here, ready to impart his wisdom!"
"Kyou-kun! Where is my darling Kyou-kun!"
And so the real party began.