𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙆𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙚 -𝘼𝙣 𝙄𝙨𝙚𝙠𝙖𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

New Year, Same Old Lying Me

"You wanna come to my place and just relax since we're on break?" Koharu asks. "I mean, New Years celebrations don't start for a few days at the Sohma Estate..."

"I can't. I really wish I could, but my Dad is coming and joining us for New Years." I tell her. I tried to come early to school this morning to see if I could stop and express my distress to Hatori, but, when he arrived this morning, a bunch of the guys from his school needed to talk to him and Ayame about something that had happened, so I couldn't.

"Oh. That's nice." She beams. 

I bite my lip, reminding myself that as soon as the New Years are over, I have to talk to Akito about letting me tell Koharu everything. Because soon enough, the last straw will be put on the camels back. And I'll be screwed. 

"Yeah. Sure." I shrug.

                                                                            ----------------------------

"You'll be fine, Tanaka. Just breath. And remember, he'll be under my roof, so I have control." Sobo tells me as we drive to the train station.

"I don't understand why he doesn't even bother to write me a birthday card. But, he has the audacity to show up for New Years." I groan.

"I know it's hard, Tanaka. But promise me you'll try not to get angry at him. At least he is coming." She sighs.

"I'll try. But I make no promise." I grit my teeth. Don't do anything stupid. Don't say anything stupid. Just hold your tongue. He's only here for three days. And then you don't have to see him for another, probably, year.

"Ah, there you are!" Dad acts very happy to see me and Sobo when we arrive at the train station. But he's lying through his teeth. Now I know where I got it my lying streak from.

"It's good to see you again, Natsuo." Sobo takes the lead. "Tanaka..."

"Huh? Oh yeah, it's good to see you Dad." I look down at the ground. If there's one thing I've learned since Mom's death. It's to not look Dad in the eye. It always leads to an argument. 

I think for a split moment how wonderful it would be to blackout right now. Or to die again, and find myself, hopefully, in a better life. "Well then, let's get heading back. I'm sure you're very tired and hungry!" Sobo breaks the silence.

"Yes. That's just what I need. Rest and food." He agrees. 

The whole ride back to the apartment is silent. And painful. I've had some meals at the Main House that were as awkward as this. Usually it's whenever Ren decides to join Akito, Kureno, and I for dinner.

                                                                 -------------------------------------

"So, Tanaka, how has school been?" He asks at dinner.

"Oh, uh, it's been good." I reply.

"Have you joined any clubs, made any friends?" Stop, trying to make a conversation with me, Dad. Please. 

"Yeah, I'm in volleyball. Like you always wanted." I say, with anger filling my voice. Volleyball has always been something I liked, but I never had a strong passion for it. It was always Dad's passion. To have a professional volleyball player for a child, since he had to quit volleyball in high school due to an injury. 

"Watch your tone, young lady. You want to have a good career and future don't you?" He growls. I look at him straight in the eyes. Telling him that if a fight is what he wants, it will be what he gets. 

"I can have a good career and future without doing what you wanted to do with your life." I snap at him. "In fact, I'm not even that good compared to the other girls. I'm mostly on the bench."

"Maybe if you asserted yourself, you wouldn't be on the bench." He tells me.

"I don't want to assert myself. I don't care about volleyball. In fact, I've decided on what I'm going to do with my life." I lie. 

"Oh! And what might that be!" He snaps.

"I'm not going to go to college. Instead, I'm going to get married, and have a dozen children." I lie, just to watch his face get even redder. If there's one thing my parents wanted from me, it was to go to college, have a good career, be rich. And then, only then, could I think of marriage.

"You wouldn't!" He shouts.

"I would. And I will." I'm getting a lot of pleasure making him fume. I'm also having a lot of fun thinking about me being married to Hatori and having a dozen kids. 

I get up and leave the table, smirking with how ticked I managed to get him. 

"She's lying, right Mom?" I hear him ask Sobo.

"She does have quite a few male friends, all of which, come from wealthy families. I wouldn't put it past her." Sobo replies. 

I lay down on my bed. Maybe I can escape the apartment and go join Koharu for New Years. If Akito wasn't going to be busy with the Zodiac Banquet, then I would go be with her. Why do all my friends have to be entangled in a stupid curse?