Author's Note: Wow, got this chapter out a bit faster than I expected! Probably because I already knew exactly how this scene would play out and it wouldn't leave my thoughts alone, lol! Well, I hope you find this entertaining! Enjoy! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Lucky Star or any of its characters.
Minami slowly descended the stairs with a healthy shade of pink staining her cheeks. Honoka, who noticed her daughter's arrival, momentarily stopped putting away the groceries and cracked a small smile.
"Hello, dear! Are you done with your fun now?" Minami's blush darkened, "If so, could you please help me put away the rest of the groceries?" Minami silently obliged and assisted the woman, refusing to make eye contact with her the entire time. Once the teen placed the last jug of milk in the fridge, she awkwardly stared at the floor—fingers nervously drumming the smooth metal door. She cleared her throat.
"O-Okaa-San?" Throwing away the last of the grocery bags, Honoka gave Minami her full attention and beamed a pleasant smile.
"Yes, dear?"
"Could you forget what you just saw…please?"
"Why?" Her mother enquired with a raised eyebrow, "I don't see anything wrong with it. You were just having a little fun. Besides…I had no idea you danced so well. It was quite entertaining." Minami groaned in embarrassment.
"Okaa-San, please—"
"Alright, alright" Honoka submitted with a giggle, "Completely forgotten. Are you satisfied, dear?" Minami nodded and silently sighed in relief before finally turning to face her amused mother.
"Yes…How was work today?"
"Ah, same old, same old." Honoka said off-handedly. She scrutinized the pile of groceries that were left out to be cooked for tonight's dinner. Light contemplation was plastered across her feminine features as she asked, "Do you think this will be enough to feed five people, dear?"
Minami blinked curiously.
"Are we having visitors?"
"Of course! Remember the Uwojis that just moved in down the street a few days ago?" Minami nodded. "Well, I figured it would be rude not to invite them to dinner. I got to talk with them yesterday and they seem like such lovely people!" Minami, already knowing her mother, instantly headed for her room to change into a more eloquent outfit.
"I'll go get dressed, Okaa-San."
"Okay, dear" Her mother answered distractedly as she focused on meticulously preparing dinner.
Honoka was not a stickler, far from it, but the woman was competitive—whether she realized it or not—especially when it came to bragging about her daughter. During those times, Minami would just endure the awkwardness and pretend to be the model child that Honoka adored flaunting.
-XXX-
Soft laughter erupted from the dinner table.
"Oh, your life almost sounds like a comedic sitcom, Mr. Uwoji!" Honoka gasped between her giggles. Mr. Uwoji, a middle-aged man with slicked back dark hair, a perfectly trimmed goatee and adorning a grey suit slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose while chuckling.
"Sometimes I feel the same way, Mrs. Iwasaki. Isn't that right, Michelle?" Mr. Uwoji was referring to his wife, who was much fairer in complexion. Her cherry blonde hair cascaded just past her shoulders and her emerald eyes twinkled with a natural mischief that spoke of stories from wild, younger years but it was now more subdued and tame. Her cherry lipstick brought a sense of endearing charm to her freckles. She was obviously from America, as both her looks and English accent gave it away.
"Don't even get me started, Satoshi. Sometimes I look over my shoulder expecting the director to yell "cut" with how crazy your life gets."
"Don't you mean our lives? You and Karen have been through some weird things too."
"Oh?" Honoka piped up curiously before taking a bite of her stuffed quail. The mother chose a more European approach with dinner tonight to be considerate of Michelle's tastes. Karen, Satoshi and Michelle's daughter, perked up at the mention of her name and smiled shyly. She appeared to be the exact, shorter replica of Michelle—all the way down to the freckles, green eyes, and cherry blonde mane. Up until then, she had remained completely silent and allowed the adults to converse among themselves.
"Well, Okaa-San, there have been a few times…Remember when the cashier man at the auto repair shop thought you asked him to marry you?" Honoka cringed while Satoshi chuckled under his breath. Michelle, however, didn't find the recollection as funny and groaned.
"Don't remind me, Karen. It's not my fault my Japanese was so rusty back then. Gosh, that was so humiliating…"
"It happens to the best of us, Mrs. Uwoji." Honoka reassured with a kind smile.
"Please, just call me Michelle. We're friends now, right?"
Honoka's smile widened.
"That we are." Just then, realization struck her and she turned her attention to a silent Minami.
"I'm sorry, dear. We were so wrapped in funny stories that I almost forgot to include you!" Anxiety twisted in Minami's gut but her calm demeanor gave away nothing. She shook her head softly and replied.
"No, it's fine, Okaa-San. I do not mind—"
"Nonsense, dear! Don't be a stranger! We're all friends now!" It took a small dose of restraint on Minami's part not to counter that they've only known the Uwojis for approximately thirty-six hours. Honoka waved encouragingly at the Uwojis, "Would you like to share anything about yourself?"
"Well…I…" Minami began unsurely while she wracked her brain for something impressive, as she knew that Honoka was itching to brag about her. Thankfully, an idea crossed her mind, "I play piano—ever since I was five, actually."
Honoka beamed.
"That's right! My baby had been attached to those black and keys for the longest time! You played and won Nationals a few years in a row, didn't you?" 'Oh no…' Minami thought with dread. Her mother asked that question as if the answer was escaping her, when in reality the woman remembered these accomplishments better than Minami herself. She twiddled with her food nervously.
"Yes, Okaa-San…I won four years in a row." Honoka defied the impossible and doubled the wattage behind her sunny smile.
"Oh?" Satoshi said curiously before plopping a heft hand onto his daughter's shoulder, "Well how about that, Karen? It seems that you and Ms. Minami have something in common!" Ignoring the uncomfortable smirk playing on Karen's lips, Mr. Uwoji finished casually, "My little girl went to Nationals as well and won five years in a row! Isn't that amazing?"
"It sure is. Our little bright child!" Michelle cooed in pride.
Honoka's wattage smile experienced a shortage.
"Oh" She said simply.
Minami needed a surface—a hard surface. A hard surface to repeatedly bang her head against, 'why, why, why, why, why Kami-Sama?!' Minami knew what that unusual look shining in her mother's eyes meant.
It meant mutha freakin' war.
Honoka rested a hand on Minami's shoulder as well, "Well, did you also know that Minami is ranked number two in her class?"
"Karen was ranked number one in her last school." Michelle pitched instantly. 'This is going to get really bloody…' Minami glanced at Karen. Noticing that the mixed-race girl was just as devastated as she was, they traded silent agreements of comradeship. It was always nice to meet a fellow sister survivor of the Parental Flaunting Struggle.
"Minami's first word was chrysanthemum." Okay, now Minami had to stop herself from doing a double-take, 'no it wasn't! It was blue!'
"Karen's first word was dandelion! How crazy is this?" Satoshi gushed with a deep laugh, "It's almost like our girls were separated at birth!" Everyone cackled along but Minami could sense the tension lurking beneath it and, judging by the look Karen gave her father after that statement, it seems that the Uwojis were lying as well.
This was bad.
Really bad.
Minami was hoping—praying—that the battle would end soon before casualties showed up…but then she felt Honoka's grip tighten.
"Well, did you also happen to know that Minami is an advent dancer...in…ballet!" She conjured up with a smirk that border-lined victorious.
And thus, Minami's death was called Sunday night, March 3rd, at 7:45 PM.
Unable to recover from shock, Minami just gawked at her mother.
"Wow…" Michelle breathed in slight awe. Satoshi appeared to be slightly deflated but retained a majority of his usual optimism and said.
"That's really something Ms. Minami! How long have you done ballet?"
"Going on three years now." Honoka answered before Minami could clear up any of this horrible, unfortunate, unbelievable mess. Satoshi's coal eyes crinkled with his polite smile.
"That really is something…Well, this dinner has been most pleasant, Mrs. Iwasaki. Your quail was roasted and seasoned to perfection!" He promptly rose from his seat, right hand comfortably tucked inside his slacks pocket. Michelle and Karen soon followed—the latter smiling robotically and the former fiddling with her plaid skirt.
"We must have dinner again, Honoka." Michelle said while offering a handshake. Honoka accepted the gesture gracefully and responded happily.
"Of course! It was fun getting to know you, your husband and daughter!" Michelle's emerald gaze snapped in Minami's direction, who was still seated.
"Ms. Minami" She bowed slightly, "It was a pleasure. Oh! Also…my daughter will be attending your school tomorrow. Please do be so kind as to help her learn her way around the school?" She gently pinched Karen's cheek, who in turn didn't even bat an eyelash at the action, "My poor baby is a bit shy."
"I-I would love to, Mrs. Uwoji." Giving their last round of goodbyes, Honoka waved tranquilly from the door and watched the Uwojis' lavish Buick pull out of the driveway. As soon as the vehicle turned the corner, she closed the door with a clang.
A sharp silence reigned over the living room.
"Dear…" The mother glanced sheepishly at her rigid daughter.
"Yes…" Minami was so still, that her lips barely parted when she spoke.
"Don't be angry but…g-get ready to start taking ballet next week."
Minami's heart plummeted into her gut.
"W-what? But…Okaa-San—"
"Okay that's great, I love you, sleep well, good night~!" She rushed out while making a hasty retreat upstairs.
Minami stared at where her mother recently stood…
A beat of silence…
She slowly walked over to the staircase and sat on the bottom step.
"B…Ballet? B-but…I…"
This outcome was way worse than any amount of casualties.
And thus the plot moves forward! Oh man, it was so much fun writing this chapter! I got really out of hand with Minami's mother, but I couldn't resist the opportunity for some good, comedic fun! Will Minami survive the dreaded ballet lessons? Find out next time in Smooth Move!
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