écriture fatale
by crisis rain
Disclaimer: Kaichou wa Maid-sama!/Maid-sama! belongs to Fujiwara Hiro. Fiction plot & originals belong to crisis rain. No infringement intended.
A hand draws back the thin, linen curtains and a sheet of bright light rolls into the room. The cold December sky reflected trails of wispy clouds in the hospital window, and a dark-haired girl turned her head to gaze at the outside scenery before glancing back at her hands. Zipping shut a traveler's bag, Kogarashi Hisui shrugged into her woolen cardigan and pulled it closer to her chest before setting down a folded towel to rest upon her cot.
"You're getting discharged today, aren't you Hisui-chan?" Mayu's light voice came from across the room. Hisui met her eyes with the fair woman and smiled warmly. "Yes, since today my family have some important plans."
"The charity ball, correct?" Mayu's eyes twinkled in response. Hisui gave her a slight nod in acknowledgment, a hesitant expression forming on her features. Mayu's smile evolved into a small chuckle. "You don't seem very excited."
"It's not particularly..." Hisui started, but closed her mouth. She let out a small sigh. "U-Um, nevermind. I'm going to go see Teranishi. I'll be back later, Mayu-san!"
Mayu lifted her eyes from the book she was reading and bade the young girl farewell, watching her briskly exit the room.
Making her way down the brightly-lit corridors, Hisui cautiously walked through the hospital wing as she shuffled along in the cotton slippers that donned her bare feet. Upon reaching a closed door, she cleared her throat before smoothing out the creases on the hospital pajamas. Letting out a short sigh, Hisui knocked firmly on the door.
"Come in." A muffled voice came from within.
And she opened the door, making her way in quickly before closing the door shut behind her. The auburn-haired male was sitting upright in his bed, left arm bandaged in a sling. He stared back at his unexpected visitor with surprise.
"Inchou – what brings you here?"
Hisui took a seat on the stool beside his bed. "I just came by to see how you were doing – that's all." She smiled faintly. Teranishi returned with a small smile of his own.
"Nurses say I'll be out tomorrow. I just can't risk using my arm before it heals up." He lifted up his arm a little, but the bandages seem to restrict most of his upper limb movement. "Even though I'll be in this sorry state, I can probably still make it to the class gathering. Speaking of which," Teranishi eyed Hisui closely, who glanced back at him with a wide-eyed stare.
"Will you be attending? For the Christmas party?"
"H-Huh?" Hisui gazed back at Teranishi blankly before a particular memory echoed in her mind. It took her back in early December on a particular night, in the streets – inside a bookstore she was shopping for practice books for final exams where she happened upon her fellow classmate.
"Are you going? I mean, for the Christmas Party our class is going to hold after the culture festival." He asked uncertainly, trying to read that poised expression she held upon her features.
Hisui shrugged her schoolbag stiffly over her shoulders again, turning around to fully face him. "I'll think about it. I don't really fit in too well, so I don't think my presence being there would change anything too much."
"Oh... that's right..." Hisui replied uncertainly, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat. "W-Well, I'm afraid not. My parents and I have some business to attend to."
"Ah." Teranishi nodded understandably, crossing his injured arm over his bed covers. "Going to visit relatives?"
"No... it's more like... we were invited to attend a charity ball by a business partner." Hisui explained, looking away from Teranishi uncomfortably. "It's... um. It's that big one hosted by the Igarashi Group every year."
Teranishi turned his head and gazed at Hisui with large eyes, now at full attention. "You mean... Igarashi Tora... invited you to the Igarashi Group's Christmas Charity Ball?"
At his incredulous response, Hisui dolefully scratched the side of her chin in muted embarrassment. "W-Well... yes. My parents were invited as well, actually... so it's going to be a night out with my family." She cleared her throat before cracking a slight smile that wore an expression of reassurance. The mention of the charity ball made her uncomfortable, as she quickly decided to turn the direction of the conversation around. "I'm really sorry about the Christmas party you're throwing, Teranishi. With you being in the hospital because of me..." She trailed off in a regrettable mutter.
At her statement, her classmate waved a bandaged hand in dismissal. Teranishi scruffily rest his arm over his lap once more, and gave the window a penitent gaze. "What's important is that Nakata is finally locked away for good."
Hisui stood up, hands patting and dusting out the wrinkles in her pants. "Well then, congratulations on your discharge tomorrow, Teranishi. I'll see you at New Year's." With one last, faint smile, she waved goodbye before exiting the hospital room.
The clatter of clothes hangers filled the girl's bedroom. Articles of clothes lay strewn upon the floor, and the heath representative appeared to be furiously clawing her way into the innards of her wardrobe closet. Exhausting her search, her legs weakly gave way and she fell upon the floor in a gentle flop – a wrist rising to wipe the sweat upon her brow. It was the night before Christmas Eve – literally a day before the grand charity ball arrives.
"…Nothing to wear…" She muttered defeatedly to herself, pulling up a dress still hanging on its hanger from a pile of fabric beside her. An old dress she wore five – maybe six? – years ago to a relative's wedding. The cheap rose corsage and the frilly white silk seemed only befitting for a young child. Tossing it to a corner, Hisui dejectedly sifted through her collection of clothing. She wasn't one for keeping up with fashionable trends – much less owning a formal evening gown to wear to such a prestigious event.
"Hisui," Her mother's voice called from the corridor. A few seconds later, a gentle knock resounded from outside of her door. "Do you have something for wear for tomorrow?"
Hisui let out a loud sigh as her mother invited herself into her daughter's bedroom. "That's what I'm looking for right now."
Sayaka glanced at the heap of clothing on the floor with a crooked smile. "Well, I think I might have a solution for that." Lifting her hand, she held a large, fancy paper shopping bag with gold, embossed lettering. Hisui gaped back at her mother for a moment, before quickly gathering the fallen clothing off the floor and tossing it upon her bed.
"D-Did you go out and… buy that?" She warily asked, eying the expensive-looking bag. It was almost certainly classy, if not designer from the looks of it. Sayaka merely shook her head, before placing the bag on a free corner space that wasn't occupied by the clothing upon Hisui's bed.
"It's a gift." Sayaka bemusedly replied, gesturing to the bag. "From Igarashi-kun."
Hisui's face froze in muted surprise for a long moment, before stiffly craning her neck to stare inside the contents of the bag. "…Igarashi-kun…did?"
"His chauffeur dropped it off earlier this morning while you were at the community center with your father." Sayaka winked back at her daughter before proceeding to exit her bedroom. "Try it on, see if you like it. I don't think you have any other dresses to wear, and well… I trust Igarashi-kun's taste on fashion." With a light laugh, she closed the door behind her.
With trembling hands, Hisui reached inside the bag, and was surprised to feel a soft, silk-like netting fabric. Excavating the bundle of fabric, a black, protective layer of netting was wrapped around a silk chiffon dress, tied up fancily with a ribbon and a card attached. She sat down on the edge of her bed, undoing the ribbon and picked up the card, eyes quickly reading the short contents.
I thought you would have rather poor tastes in fashion and a lacking wardrobe, so here is something appropriate you can wear without embarrassing me at the ball.
You're welcome.
- Igarashi Tora
Hisui felt a blood vessel somewhere behind her right eye pulsate in annoyance at the trite message, but nevertheless she was thankful. Somehow, even when she hasn't seen him in over a month, he knew what exactly to do.
Unwrapping the dress, she lifted it up and hung it from her outstretched arms, taking in a full view of the fancy garment. The dress was real chiffon all right – and in a lustrous, deep shade of blue. The torso piece comprised of the fabric rippling to create a heart-shape that accentuated the chest, continuing down in a form-hugging skirt. However, the waistline sprouted a second layer of a silvery-blue sheer fabric that parted away from the front, leaving behind a rippling wave of shining blue behind the dress. A deep, dark brown ribbon held the waistline together in a neat bow.
As she stared in awe at the dress, a piece of paper fluttered past her right hand, and Hisui realised that it was the price tag. Curiously, she took it by her thumbs and squinted at the numbers.
170,000¥.
Her eyes jumped out at the ridiculous digits, gingerly loosening her hold on the dress when she realised just how expensive it is. 'There is no way I can wear something so expensive.' She thought immediately, feeling her brown perspiring again from the shock of the price tag. 'I need to return this…'
Hastily reaching for the shopping back so she could figure out a way to return it back to Tora (or at least put it out of her hands to one of his servants), she realised there was still something left inside. A large, black shoebox was sitting at the bottom of the shopping bag, along with a much smaller one.
A drop of sweat rolled down her face.
Here is something appropriate you can wear without embarrassing me at the ball.
Angrily she bit back her pride and opened the shoebox, which revealed a pair of blue velvet ballroom heels to match her dress. Instinctively trying on the shoe to see if it fits, Hisui was surprised that it was a perfect match to the contours of her feet.
Stripping down and trying on the dress out of curiosity, she was again surprised, much to her annoyance, at how well the dress fit. Everything was made matched to her figure. Seeing how well it fitted, it almost brought a deep blush to her face at the realization. "How did that pervert managed to know my sizes…?" She growled her breath as she picked up the last, smallest box and opened the case.
A ribbon hair tie made from the same blue chiffon sat on the bed of the velvet-lined jewellery box. In the center was a pair of clear, tear-shaped crystal earrings.
She snapped the box shut, her face burning a deeper red.
"This is way too expensive, idiot."
Morning came as a light grey. She could hear the usual sounds of light traffic outside of her fogged up window as she tiredly sat up and pushed away the heavy blankets she had cocooned herself in. With a head of tousled hair, Hisui tiredly blinked at the clock which read '9:13AM'. It was finally the 24th of December.
She barely slept last night, worrying about the expensive, lavish dress she was gifted from someone she hadn't seen in over a month. Regardless, time does not wait for those who lingers.
As the rest of the day sluggishly came to pass, it wasn't long before Hisui found herself sitting in front of her bedroom vanity. As she stared at her reflection, she took in a deep breath and began to brush her hair back. If she were to attend the ball in such lavish clothes, she might as well try to look the part. It took some time for her to finish applying the makeup – it had been ages since she had worn cosmetics – and for the final touches, she tied the hair ribbon around her bun and hooked on the earrings from inside the black jewellery box.
"Hisui, are you ready?" Came a knock on her door, and it swung open, revealing her mother who was dressed in a modest evening dress. Hastily grabbing her clutch that was sitting on top of her desk, Hisui nodded without a word and grabbed her coat.
Her father was already waiting in the car that was parked in front of their driveway. He turned around when he spotted his wife and daughter entering the vehicle, a smile on his face. "You two were taking so long, I was afraid for a moment we would be late to the ball!" Sayaka closed the door behind her in the passenger seat, glancing at the rear view mirror to check on Hisui.
"Ladies take a longer time to prepare." She simply stated.
The drive to the hotel that was holding the reception for the Igarashi Group's charity ball was long due to the overwhelming flood of traffic. Throughout the entire trip, Hisui could hear her mother softly complaining to her father about how they should have left the house half an hour earlier. Sometime after, they had finally reached the parking valet, albeit a long queue of other cars were waiting ahead of them for a parking spot.
When they finally reached the security checkpoint, a young man dressed in the hotel uniform approached them and bowed politely. "Sir, shall I park your vehicle for you?"
"Yes, please do. We're running a bit late for the event." Kogarashi Katsuo placed his car in idle, before slipping out and handing a tip over to the valet chauffeur. "Sayaka, do you have the tickets with you?"
His wife nodded firmly, eyes flashing a sense of urgency. "Yes, yes, you should hurry!"
Hisui sighed as she followed her parents in a brisk pace, knees shaking slightly from the discomfort of wearing heeled shoes. Other party attendees were also quickly making their way to the hotel entrance, and she quickly realised just how enormous this event was. As the crowd grew thicker and other attendees were anxious to get to the grand ballroom, she instinctively reached out for her father's sleeve and held on tightly.
"Careful, Hisui. There are a lot of people here." He took her hand in his, and the other hand gently resting behind Sayaka to make sure they wouldn't separate.
After showing their tickets through the front entrance, Hisui stood beside her parents as they picked up paper pamphlets for a map of the hotel. "As expected, even the hotel is quite beautiful." Sayaka commented lightly, her eyes staring up at the large chandelier that hung high above in the front foyer. Hisui picked up a pamphlet as well, glancing over the words quickly.
"Well... the hotel is owned by the Igarashi Group, after all." She reported, noting the Igarashi Group symbol embedded at the footnote of the pamphlet.
Katsuo folded the pamphlet and tucked it inside his breast pocket. "Well, we'd best start heading inside. The tickets I received from Tora-kun are nice, front row seats." At her father's words, the hairs at the nape of her nape stood up eerily.
"My, that's rather generous of him! Come along now, Hisui." Sayaka mentioned for her family to pick up the pace.
The inside of the ballroom made the hotel entrance foyer pale in comparison. Perhaps reaching as high as 30, 40 feet with a upper deck level, the enormous hall was sustained by classical architecture and large, glass windows to the east of the room that overlooked a sprawling, outdoor garden. Ornate Christmas trees served as festive décor, lining the outside perimeter of the ballroom. The south end was filled with round, dining tables that were just as lavishly decorated, and hotel staff waiting at beck and call lined the doorways and sides – non-obtrusive, but intently focused at the task at hand.
Amidst the loud chattering and laughter, the vibrancy at how luxurious the ballroom presented itself compared to the charity ball attendees (who might as well be celebrities, for all of them looked glamorous and fitted with the environment), Hisui could feel an overwhelming feeling from how grand everything was.
As expected of Igarashi Tora. He would not spare any expense in crafting this magical night for his guests.
"Let's see here… table 27…" Katsuo gingerly squeezed past several people, eyes searching for the appointed table he was promised. "There we are!" A small table already set for three people, with a marker placed near the centerpiece that read '27' in bold, black letters. "A pretty darn good table, if you ask me."
Hisui shrugged off her coat, and was about to place it over her chair when a footman quickly approached her in fast steps, bowing politely. "Ma'am, may I be allowed to check in your coat for you?"
"O-Oh, but what about a ticket for it?" Surprised at the generous hospitality, Hisui quickly handed her plain winter coat to the footman, immediately feeling self-conscious at how drab her coat looked compared to the furs and designer coats everyone else wore.
The footman merely bowed again. "I shall remember check-in your coat from your table – number 27. Sir, ma'am; if you would be pleased to check-in your coats as well?" He gestured towards Katsuo and Sayaka, who looked approvingly nodded and handed him their coats.
Hisui took a seat, glancing around nervously. While there was a menu laid out for the night's dinner course, there were tables and tables of food piled along the side. Patrons who were already hungry and wanted to help themselves to the plentiful platters of food and wine lined up with heaving plates in their hands. Truly an extravagant event, Hisui silently noted to herself. The atmosphere was filled with merry chatter and a string quartet performing a classical piece which served as the function's background music. It seems like the main event has yet to start.
"Hisui, would you be a good girl and perhaps fetch a plate of some of those delicious hors d'oeuvres?" Doctor Kogarashi glanced over to his daughter with a smile on his face. "It seems like there is still some time before the event begins, and your father would very much appreciate it if you could bring back some snacks."
Hisui glanced back at the buffet tables lined with silver platters of lavishly garnished food. "Um… alright. I'll be right back." Pushing her chair back in as she made her way out, Hisui tentatively glanced around her surroundings before quickly walking towards the buffet table.
As she walked past several other attendees of the charity ball, Hisui was silently awed once more as she discreetly marveled at the party goers. Quickly feeling out of place, she hastened her pace and picked up a clean plate from a large stack beside the buffet table, quickly glancing over the delicious spread before her. With a pair of silver tongs, she began to randomly select a few tasters for her father, fully absorbed in her task – so much in fact, that she didn't notice a figure who had halted to a standstill beside her.
"That's quite a hefty plate you're having there." A smooth voice came from beside, and quickly she swiveled her head at the source, wide-eyed. A tall, slim-looking boy around her age with sandy ash-colored hair and blue eyes stood before her, a pleasant if not confident smile spread across his face as he stare down at her. At his words, Hisui slowly glanced down at her heaping plate of hors d'oeuvres before connecting eyesight with the stranger once more.
"Er… e-excuse me?" She stuttered, before clearing her throat nervously. Glancing back at this stranger who decided to strike up conversation with her, Hisui self-consciously realized the amount of food she had hoarded. Instinctively her hold on her plate clenched tightly, an embarrassed look quickly spreading across her face.
The young man laughed, his spectacles twinkling in the golden light of the banquet hall. "For a young lady such as yourself, you have quite the appetite." He gestured to her plate, and Hisui's lips pursed tightly together in a frown.
"A-Actually… I'm just fetching a few things for someone." She tersely replied, forcing a smile on her face as she turned around and placed a custard tart on her platter before putting the tongs back down. The male didn't seem dissuaded by her unwillingness for conversation, and simply placed a hand on the buffet table, leaning closer. Hisui suspiciously stared at his advances, bringing her father's plate of food closer to her as she tried to make herself as small as possible.
"Koganei Hirofumi." He introduced himself with a flirtatious smirk, and crossed a hand over his chest before executing a deep bow before the squinting health representative. "Heir to the Koganei Trading Co. and oh, of course – the captain and president of the Chess Club at Miyabigaoka High." Proudly stating his long and decorated title, the Miyabigaoka student straightened up and smiled down at Hisui as he gently allowed his index finger to push his glasses up back in place. "And may I have the pleasure of knowing the name of such a beautiful lady?"
A grumble escaped Hisui's lips, as she tried hard not to roll her eyes. "Kogarashi. Kogarashi Hisui. Nice to meet you, Koganei-san, but I really need to get going now." Quickly making her way past the male, she dared not look back as she scurried along while balancing the platter of food in her hands. It didn't surprise her that there would be other Miyabigaoka students attending such a prestigious event hosted by their student council president. Exorcising the thoughts out of her mind, Hisui shook her head lightly with a frown as she tried to focus back to her task at hand. As soon as she spotted her parents seated at their table, she slowed down in her walk and waved back at her father.
"Here's mostly everything, there's probably more back at the buffet table but it's the most I can get for now." Hisui stated exasperatedly, placing the plate before her father. Katsuo gently patted his daughter on her back. "Thank you, Hisui. I hear there's a prize drawing contest as well, perhaps you should go try your luck?"
"Prize drawing?" She echoed.
"It seems like if you draw out a special ball from the drawing pit, you can win several prizes which includes…" Sayaka paused for a moment, reading quickly at the brochure. "Grand prize includes a trip to the Maldives for two, all expenses paid."
Hisui laughed weakly. A luxurious vacation at the tropical Maldives. Of course, only the Igarashi Group would have the funding for something as meager as a side attraction for their grand charity ball. "That's quite generous of a prize." She managed to reply, and her mother chuckled back in response.
"Other prizes includes… a designer sports car, a Movado watch, and other assortments of luxury goods." Her mother remarked with sparkling eyes. "Hisui, it sounds rather exciting! Why don't you try your hand at it?"
"Well… I wouldn't complain if I won a trip to the Maldives. Then perhaps you and dad can have a second honeymoon." Hisui light-heartedly joked, getting back up to her feet again. "Alright, I'll see what the commotion's all about. Anyway, to most folk around here, these prizes just seem like side bonuses to what they're able to afford."
The clamor and excitement from the grand hall below echoed above to the balcony platform that overlooked the spectacle. A gloved hand drew back a heavy set of red velvet curtains, and perceptive eyes gazed down at the medley of chandelier glass, party goers, and the twinkling chimes of champagne flutes that singed harmoniously along with the music. Dressed in a tuxedo suit, Maki Kanade gazed back at his friend with a pleasant smile when he had succeeded in spotting a particular young woman dressed in the finery she was so generously gifted.
"Kogarashi Hisui is here, president." He stated with a steadfast smile, before withdrawing his hand from the curtains. "And she is wearing the dress you had bought for her, as you had expected."
A pleasant laugh came out of the young man's handsome, smiling face. "Knowing that this event is for the elite and highly profiled, she wouldn't dare come dressed otherwise. That dress alone is perhaps worth more than all of her rags combined in her closet." Igarashi Tora leaned back in his chair, a glass of wine in his open hand. Swirling the red drink for a moment before drawing in its scent, he took a long drink before smiling deeply once more.
Maki paused for a moment, before thoughtfully bowing his head in respect. "I do not mean to hinder you from the little time you have to yourself, president, but Miss Chiyo and her family have arrived already. As such, they are expecting you to announce the news…" Maki trailed off when he saw Tora's face drift into an uninterested expression, who continued to stare at the alcohol contained inside his glass.
"I suppose." Tora set the glass of wine down on a nearby table. Standing up, he ran his hands across his suit, smoothing out any creases that would detract from his appearance. "I should perhaps give my greetings to the rest of the families." Hardening his usual cool, lofty smile, Tora motioned for Maki to follow him. His friend nodded curtly in response, withdrawing a small notebook from his pocket.
"Most of the Elite Group members have arrived." Maki announced, following his president as they briskly walked past the open door, down the second floor corridor. "Arashiyama, Tomikouji, Umekouji, and Li. Along with a few other figures, but it is almost time for the opening ceremony. Miss Chiyo is waiting for you in the ballroom."
Tora smiled bitterly. "Thank you, Maki."
"Thank you miss, your ticket number is 9076. Please hold on your ticket until later tonight. The drawing will be held at 10:00PM."
Hisui accepted the raffle ticket from the woman who was in charge of the lottery prize stall, and tucked it inside her purse. While there was no harm in trying, she was doubtful that she would win first place, if any prizes, at all. It seemed like the main event for the charity ball had yet to start. With her throat feeling a bit parched, the health representative made her way towards the buffet tables once more, this time with an inkling of fetching something to drink.
A fountain constructed out of drinking glasses stood towering at one end of one of the buffet tables, a shimmering, golden liquid streaming down in a delightful cascade. Enchanted by such a sight, Hisui picked up the nearest glass that was brimming with the golden-colored ambrosia. A sweet scent wafted into her senses, and immediately she took a sip. The drink was bubbly and carbonated, tasting almost as if it were ginger ale. Delighted at the flavor, she gingerly took another long sip.
She was so mesmerized by the drink that she hardly noticed the slightly sneering laughter that was coming behind her. Hisui was finally brought to attention when a somewhat familiar voice spoke up in a jesting manner.
"I suppose, you were right. She may look like an eight, but I would say her personality is more of a four!" The bespectacled young man from earlier could be found in view, a smirk resting on his refined features. This time however, he had a few other friends in tow, and Hisui turned around to meet their piercing gazes as they stared back at her with jeering smiles.
One of the newcomers glanced at her once over, a stupid grin planted on his face. "I don't see what the fuss is about, Koganei. I've seen cheap whores looking better than that!"
She held her tongue, knowing full well that this wasn't the place nor time for such conversation. The crudeness of strangers evaluating her appearance was slowly bringing her blood to a boil, but self-control got the better of her. She placed her glass down, deciding that she had enough, and turned away without another word. It was perhaps better to leave these fools behind, and partake in something else…
"Hey, hey now!" She felt her arm being pulled back in a tight grip. Hisui whirled around with a pained look of anger, before whipping her arm back from the grasp of one of the young men. "Don't you think it's rather rude of you to ignore us like that?"
Hisui stared back at the boy who looked to be around her age, before a disgusted look folded across her face. "I didn't realize that I was supposed to respond to buffoons such as yourself."
Koganei Hirofumi stepped in this time, a sneer unfurling across his lips as he opened his mouth once more. "And I suppose that attitude of yours wouldn't get any better! And here I thought you would be a pleasant girl with a smarter head screwed on your shoulders! If you would know any better," His voice sunk to a hiss now, as he stepped closer to the health representative with a rather threatening gesture, "then you would perhaps mind your tone of voice when you are speaking to the son of the elite Koganei family."
Unfazed by his threat, Hisui merely glanced back at him with uninterested eyes. "Koganei? That name hardly rings a bell, so I am utterly unaware of what ounce of elite you have to your name." She venomously spat back, crossing her arms over her chest. A flicker of intense anger passed through the Miyabigaoka student's eyes, and his head twisted to the side where the champagne glasses were sitting.
"Ah, I see!" He declared loudly, assuring that he held the attention of the people nearby. Seizing a champagne flute, he tossed the contents squarely in the girl's face, drenching her face as he made sure to pour every last drop on top of her head. "Then this should perhaps make you more attractive as you think hard about your words! That dress was ill-suited for the likes of you common rabble, anyhow." With a presumptuous smirk, along with a throng of gasps and snickering from the nearby spectators, he turned his back on her, haughtily marching off in a victorious manner.
Hisui stood still, frozen, as her mind tried to decipher what had just happened. The chuckles had turned to laughter, and as she stood there she could see the mocking smiles and whispers floating around her. She dared not to look further, and she pulled her arms around her as she tried to wipe off the sweet liquid.
"Are you alright?!"
A soft yet well-spoken voice came from in front, and Hisui slowly shifted her downcast eyes to meet a girl around her age standing before her. The young lady was dressed in an expensive-looking kimono, her dark hair drawn back in an elaborate bun with expensive-looking kanzashi keeping it in place. Stretching out a hand, the girl offered a handkerchief, but upon seeing Hisui still standing there, mouth agape, and slightly shivering, she took it upon herself to wipe the champagne off the health representative's face.
"S-Sorry?" Hisui repeated dumbly, shocked at the sudden gesture of kindness. The girl merely shook her head with a disapproving frown. "I cannot believe the gall of Koganei-san… but regardless, we should bring you to the powder room, and maybe we can still save your dress…"
She found herself being led by the slightly shorter girl, who quickly and discreetly moved through the crowd. Exiting the ballroom and down the marble corridor, she continued to lead Hisui through the hotel until they arrived at the ladies' room. The bathroom however, served to be more of a resting area than a regular bathroom, and the young girl locked the door behind them as to ensure their privacy.
"Poor thing. I hope you didn't catch a cold from being drenched!" She lamented as she pressed the handkerchief gently around Hisui's face, trying to dry it off. "I'm sorry, even your makeup is ruined."
Hisui blushed slightly, unaccustomed to being cared after so intensely. "T-Thank you… but it's fine. I'll manage somehow."
"With that wet dress of yours? You shouldn't be so reserved about what's happened to you." The girl firmly argued, before withdrawing the handkerchief she had been dabbing on Hisui's face. She let out a sigh at the wet stain that had settled in the blue chiffon. "I'm afraid we would have to get it dry cleaned…"
Hisui smiled, nevertheless. "Thank you for your help. Um… I didn't quite catch your name? I'm Kogarashi Hisui, by the way." She quickly introduced herself, bowing slightly before the girl. In response, the kimono-clad young lady smiled respectfully and returned the courteous bow.
"Sakurai Chiyo. But please, just call me Chiyo, Kogarashi-san."
"Thank you, Chiyo." Hisui smiled. "And likewise as well, please, call me Hisui. Still… I feel a little bad about getting this dress dirty." She examined herself, brushing back some wet hair that had now become sticky from the champagne. "It was a gift, you see…"
Chiyo's smile quickly turned into a frown at what she said. "Then, even more so! Please, let me help you get that dress cleaned."
Hisui curiously stared back at Chiyo, a puzzled look forming on her face. "Thank you for your offer, but I'm afraid I didn't come with a change of clothes…"
Chiyo confidently smiled back. "Well, as a matter of fact, I did."
He had finished his greetings to the Igarashi Group's trading partners, and finally found some time for himself once more. Excusing himself politely from the throng of middle-aged men deep in their discussion of politics, the Miyabigaoka's student council president briskly walked over to a VIP table, where Miyabigaoka's Elite Group were seated, and looking dreadfully bored. Upon his arrival, each of the members' faces lit up – as if, Tora himself proved more entertainment than the charity ball had to offer thus far.
"We were beginning to wonder if you would smell like an old geezer by the time you were done talking, Tora." Umekouji Kaon stifled her laughter, but there was a hint of snickering in her voice. Tora gazed at her with a more laidback expression, but a smile did not grace his features.
"It seems like you all managed to arrive tonight, and dreadfully plagued by boredom, it seems." Tora commented lightly, taking a seat at the table.
"As you well know, we are well-accustomed to such events by now." Li Yi Hua commented with a serene smile, taking a sip of tea. "It would be troubling for you if we weren't."
"Ah, but it hasn't been all too boring so far, at least." Kaon spoke up once more, twirling a strand of honeyed locks in her fingers. "I saw that loser Koganei earlier arguing with some plain-looking girl. He dumped a glass of champagne on her, though." Tora continued to look uninterested in her prattle as he took a sip of wine from his own glass after Maki had poured him one from a bottle. "A real pity though, since she was wearing that new Gabbani dress." Kaon pouted loudly. "You know the one, Arashiyama! That blue silk and chiffon dress that's sooooo in season right now."
Tora paused.
"Ah, yes. It was showcased during this year's Fall season. That's a shame, since it's a rather expensive dress." Arashiyama Tenryuu nodded in mutual agreement. "Ah, but you know what they say, that the clothes make the man – er, woman."
"Umekouji." Tora started suddenly, and Kaon stared back at him, a stoic smile still settled on her petite face as she awaited his question. "By chance, was she also wearing the Bvgalri crystal earrings as well?"
Her face contorted from a stoic smile to a look of surprised confusion. "W-Well, that's oddly specific, but now that I think about it… yes, those earrings did look like Bvlgari. Why, do you know this girl, president?"
He placed his glass of wine down, and Maki without requiring a word of command was already quickly walking away, opening his phone to begin making calls. "I see, thank you. Arashiyama, I believe your boredom will be finally relieved." With a smirk, he stood up, motioning for the tall male to follow him.
"Relieving some boredom, you say? Well, I can't reject your offer when you put it that way." Arashiyama smiled slightly in return, following his president through the crowd. "What can I do to assist you?"
Tora withdrew his cellphone from his pocket, glancing through his contacts list. "Do you have your tools with you?"
A glint appeared in the taller male's eyes at the young Igarashi's words. "Yes, of course! Who is in need of my… special services?"
Tora was already quickly thumbing out a text message, and quickly hit 'Send' before clasping it shut. He grinned, finally feeling that tonight perhaps, may not be so dreadfully boring after all.
"An unpolished diamond. Your favorite, Arashiyama."