"Haninozuka Mitsukuni? He's your boyfriend?" Mom smiled slightly when I nodded. "Hm. How interesting." "What?" I asked curiously. Mom was so weird these days.
She smiled brightly. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You've admired his martial arts skills for a long time."
"So then..."
She raised an eyebrow, prompting me to continue.
"Do I still have to marry Funaki-san? He... I don't really like him, you know."
"And you like Mitsukuni? Hah." Mom let out a harsh, short bark of laughter. "What a joke. Did you think that just because Kimiko got out of the engagement since she has a boyfriend, that you can too? It's obvious that this is just a ploy. No. You're still engaged to Minoru-kun. He's a fine, young man. Once you get to know him a bit more, you'll come to like him."
"What do you mean it's just a ploy?" I said, my voice raising in pitch. Okay, yes. It was true that Honey and I weren't really dating, but my feelings for him... those were real. "Mom, you... I really do... l-love... Mitsukuni." I blushed madly. Gah! I just confessed! To the wrong person too!
Mom's smile vanished. Maybe she knew that I was being serious.
"Regardless, you're still arranged to marry Minoru. Once you get to know him a bit more, I'm sure your feelings towards him will change. He's an excellent boy, very smart and handsome. If you want to, however, I can push the marriage to after you graduate from university."
Geh. Mom wanted me to marry Minoru the moment I graduated from high school. Like hell that'll happen! "Please," I said, hanging my head.
"You can keep up your fake little relationship with Mitsukuni, if you'd like. But, I'm warning you. Be careful or your feelings will be easily tread upon. Did you know your father and I were an arranged marriage? And we like each other."
"Yes that's true, but you had years to get to know each other." I said. "And Minoru, he-he's just so pushy, and I don't like that."
"Hm." Mom was silent for a moment, then she glanced at my left hand. My wrist and pinky were still lightly bandaged and kept in a position that limited movement. Uh-oh. Her eyes narrowed. "What happened to your hand?"
"I fell down some stairs and fell on it oddly." I said with an embarrassed smile.
"Are you alright then?" She asked, with what even looked like mild concern. Wow, is she actually worried? It's been a long time since I saw that look.
"Yeah. I sprained my wrist and broke my pinky finger. But the rest is perfectly fine." I smiled in a hopefully reassuring manner.
"Did Azumi deal with the medical bill? You did visit a hospital right?"
"No and yes. I paid for it myself."
"She didn't go with you to the hospital?"
Part 27
Start from the beginning
