By the time we reached the main saloon I'd already had three glasses of champagne. I knew I probably shouldn't since I was having a dangerous amount of excuses to become an alcoholic.
But I'd found a new way to spend time with Kyoya, every time a waiter passed by I'd fill my left hand with hor'doeuvres and grab a full glass of champagne (if the one I had was empty), so every time he said anything I was either chewing or drinking, I'd just nod. There's a limit of fake conversation I can take when I've only had so many hours of sleep.
The waiters actually seemed particularly overly attentive of me, when I did a quick survey of the people who came for the auction I understood why. I was the only one who was eating.
Come to think about it, whoever planned this thing had no idea what they were doing. I mean, champagne at 10am? But that's understandable, rich people may act like eating at a party is the most taboo thing ever, but they liked their booze.
What I really had a problem with was a round serving table right in the middle of the saloon, it had a ridiculous oversized goblet-shaped thing that had shrimps and sauce on it.
It looked like the god of all zits, in fact, I could feel the one on my hairline twitch and bow every time I looked in that direction.
"Would you like some more champagne?"
I did.
"Lady Hitachiin, how are you?"I heard Kyoya say, I swiveled my head, surprised. Next to Kyoya was a very beautiful woman, she was taller than me, had sharp eyes and a full mouth. Her head was a carefully crafted flower arrangement.
"How are you, dear. Kyoya, have you seen my grandsons?" she sounded bored, but there was a note of mischief underneath that boredom.
"No-"
"Kazuha Hitachiin…", her name slipped from my mouth. Oh, wow. I'm pretty sure I was gaping at her.
She looked at me. "Sorry, do I know you?"
I shook my head, my earrings tinkled. "No, I just love you. I mean, your work!" I blushed, Okay, so maybe I didn't need that last glass of champagne. At least I wasn't slurring. "You're my hero. You and your adventures, it's just... incredible, what you do for the Hitachiin business, it's amazing how you do exactly what you want."
She smiled, and poised her head high like a proud greek goddess, "Thank you.", she said, "Not many women have what it takes to become a matriarch." she gave me an appraising look, "Who are you?"
"Oh, sorry. I'm Risa Kotoku." I said extending my hand.
I immediately regretted it.
Her lips parted a little in shock, "Oh."
That single sound pierced right through me. Because I knew what followed in her head: "Oh, Risa Kotoku ... the one whose mother left when she was four and no one knows where she is now... the one that was raised like a commoner by her grandparents... of that oil and techology business."
I could feel the bile rise in my throat. I should be used to that sound by now.
"Ahem." Kyoya said pointedly, with a start Lady Hitachiin took my hand and shook it. In that shake I felt everything I and my family's name stood for get placed in a much lower place. That handshake was a favor done not even for me, but for the Ootori, because the Ootori were kings and the Kotoku were the bourgeois.
From my hair root to my poor high-heel-squished-toes I was burning with anger. And from that moment, that exact second, I knew I would hate Kyoya Ootori for the rest of my life.