Capítulo 37: Grandparents
I pulled up in front of the mansion, swallowing thickly as I parked the car in front of the grand steps. I was anxious, terrified really- I still had no clue what I was walking into. It could be open arms, a cold glare, a demanding hand- there was no end to the possibilities. "Wow. This place is huge." Tobio mumbles, looking up at the mansion in pure fascination. "This is where we're having dinner tonight." I say, Tobio nodding as we step out of the car. My body feels stiff, like a robot as I walk around the car, heading up the stairs. Tobio tags along, just behind me as he looked around curiously. He seemed too blown out of the water by the flashy mansion to pick up on me internally suffocating with anxiety. That, or I was disguising it well enough- so well in fact, that I seemed confident instead of stiff. The thought gave me a little comfort, so I raised my head high and rolled my shoulders back, standing tall. It was okay- I was Kimiko fucking Suzuki, I could maul people for fucks sake, in fact, I have mauled people before. I could deal with some shitty grandparents, right? What's the worst they can do? If they killed me, plenty of people knew that I had a meeting set up here today.
Then again, they were billionaire's. They could just pay off the police- okay, that would be ridiculous. They could've easily just kept on ignoring me if that was the case. The buzz would die off soon enough and I'd be left as Kimiko Suzuki, the daughter of the disowned son who nobody cares about. I take a deep breath before I lift a hand to the door- I could do this, I can do this, I am doing this- the door opens before I can even knock, and suddenly I'm frozen stiff. "Hello, you must be Kimiko Suzuki. I am Kazu Joberu, I'll be escorting you today per the request of Madam Suzuki." The man says- perfectly tailored suit, fresh styled black hair and blue eyes. Shit, was I underdressed? I wore a long sleeve white ruffled blouse, tucked into a black skater skirt with two white stripes, white knee high socks and classic black suede heels. Wait, hold on, why the fuck did I care? They requested to see me, I was fine, they would just have to accept what I was wearing. I didn't need to dress to the 9s to see them, they weren't royalty. Fuck, they were barely my family. They were just people that I descended from. I took a deep breath, puffing my chest with pride as I looked Kazu in the eyes.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is my guest, Tobio Kageyama." I say, offering my hand as Kazu seems amused, shaking my hand. "The pleasure is all mine. Please, come in, I'll show you to the waiting room. The dining room is currently being prepared." Kazu says, stepping out of the way and gesturing for us to enter. I stepped in, Tobio followed behind me- now he was stiff, but he managed to stand tall with his head held high. Kazu led us to a room to the left, opening the door for us and bowing. I step in, walking over to one of the couches and taking a seat. Tobio slowly walked in, looking around and seeming even more amazed. "I'll go check on the dining room. In the meantime, would you like anything to drink?" Kazu asks from the door and I lay my hands in my lap. "Tea would be nice. I'll trust your selection to suit our tastes." I say and he nods, closing the door behind him as he leaves. "This place… is awesome." Tobio says and I offer him a half-hearted smile as he pokes around. I felt like I was suffocating, but I knew I was breathing- could they be held responsible if I died from asphyxiation from severe anxiety? Was that possible? It'd be a first, I'm sure.
I took slow, deep breaths, closing my eyes and flexing my fingers. It would be okay- just get through today and I'll worry about the rest tomorrow. Hell, they could've just invited me to dinner to tell me to fuck off; one could hope. Then I could tell them to blow it and flip them the bird. Bam, problem solved. Kazu comes back with a pot of tea and two cups, setting it down on the coffee table. "Supper will be ready shortly, I have chosen the dragonwell green tea from our tea selection, it was a preference of your fathers when he was still in the household. I hope it suits your tastes." Kazu says and I look into his eyes as he pours two cups of the tea. "Yes, I am quite familiar with it." I say- it was one of the teas mom always kept in the house that we made on sick or sad days. It was a warmth bringer in our home, something we all enjoyed as we reminisce on our memories with dad. In fact, on the anniversaries of his death we'd brew a fresh pot of it and slowly drink it through the day. Kazu sets the lot down, bowing to me as I use the prongs to put two cubes of sugar in mine before taking the tea plate, using the tea spoon to stir it in. Tobio comes and sits down beside me, taking his plate and looking at me.
"Could you remind me of the menu tonight?" I ask, setting my tea spoon down and picking up my cup, blowing on it lightly. "For an appetizer we will be having gyoza with a filling of black bone chicken, saffron, caterpillar fungus, truffle and blueberry powder. The main course will be the wagyu steak. It will be accompanied by roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes. Dessert will be sakura mochi." Kazu says and I nod, taking a sip of my tea before setting it back down on my plate. "Sounds delightful." I say, offering him a kind smile which he returns with a courteous one. "I am glad the selection is to your liking. Madam picked it out herself with you in mind." Kazu says and I nod, dropping my gaze to my cup. "I see. I'll have to thank her for being so thoughtful." I say, crossing my legs as I sip my tea again. "Caterpillar fungus?" Tobio asks and I can't help the twitch of my lips as I lift my tea again. "Yes, it is a symbol of wealth I do believe. It's known as the viagra of the himalayas and has a very small, but vastly expensive, market. Whether it has aphrodisiac tendencies… I'm not sure. It's costly and rare, so it must be a delicacy." I say, Tobio nodding and picking up his tea plate as I sip my tea.
"You seem very knowledgeable." Kazu says and I set my cup down on the plate. "Despite my disposition as the daughter of the disowned son, my father took great efforts to make sure I was raised into a fine lady. He personally saw to it that I know a great deal about the life of a noble; he held great faith that his parents would reconsider their decision to disown him until his final days." I say, Kazu slowly nodding as his gaze dropped. "You knew him." I say, Kazu offering me a small genuine smile. "You are very similar to him in his mannerisms. Pardon me for speaking my mind, but it is like a breath of fresh air." Kazu says and I run my tongue over the back of my teeth. "He mentioned a friend, a servant about his age whom he was fond of. He said that he was the one he could feel most free to confide in." I say, looking up and watching Kazu's reaction. He smiles widely, his eyes softening as he looks down at me. "I take great pride as the personal assistant to the Suzuki family. Before he was disowned, I was to be his personal assistant in the matters of the family company. We were raised together; it's a great pleasure to meet his daughter." Kazu says and I slowly relax, bowing my head.
We sat down at the table- I sat at one end, Tobio beside me, Kazu perched behind my chair. I glanced over at Tobio- he looked confused, staring at the arrangement of forks, spoons and knives. "Kageyama." I say and he looks up at me, though I begin pointing to his utensils. "Dinner fork, dinner knife, dinner spoon. Dessert fork, dessert spoon. White wine, red wine, water. The rest is irrelevant. Use it how you please, just sit back, relax, eat slow and enjoy." I say and he nods, seeming to relax as he looked over the utensils once more, more confident this time. The door opened and I stood, Tobio following suit as we both looked over. Servants flooded in from the kitchen entrance, taking their positions and opening the main doors. Akemi and an older gentleman stepped in, heads held high as they stride to the other side of the table. We all take our seats, servants rushing forward and pushing our chairs in. "Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki, I am glad to see you in fine health. Thank you for meeting with me today; this is my guest, Tobio Kageyama." I say, bowing my head and gesturing towards Tobio. "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you." He says- perfectly rehearsed, bowing his head politely.
"Please, call me Mitsubishi. It'll save us from any confusion that may occur." Mitsu says, taking his napkin and laying it on his lap. "You can just call me Akemi. I hope that tonight's menu suits your tastes." Akemi says, though I take my napkin and lay it over my lap, Tobio follows suit. "I was told that you specifically chose the menu with my visit in mind." I say politely as I look over at her, seeing she was laying her napkin over her lap. "Yes, I did." She says simply, waiters stepping forward and filling our glasses. "It all sounds very delightful, I appreciate the thought." I say, glancing up at the waiter as he spouts off some type of wine from some year- I nod and he fills my glass half way. "Only a small glass for the gentleman with me, please." I say and the man nods, pouring a fourth of a glass for Tobio. I didn't know his temperament with alcohol, but I knew that the wine would probably be a great company with the main course. Chefs usher in with two carts with silver domed platters, opening them up and revealing the plates of Gyoza. They place them in front of us but I don't reach for my silverware yet. Tobio watches me as I wait for them to take their first bite before reaching for the fork.
We both began to eat- it was delicious, of course. Tobio's eyes widened as he blinked at his plate, though he did manage to chew and eat slow like I had told him. "Kanori tells me that you dance." Akemi says- an ice breaker, but it told me that she had asked Kanori about me; she wanted me to know that. "Yes, I am very passionate about it." I say, taking extra care not to talk when I had food in my mouth. "Ballet?" Mitsu asks- he hadn't talked to Kanori about me. "I know it, yes. I also know ballroom dancing, acrobatics, hip hop, freestyle- I pride myself on my diverse styles of dance. I also enjoy my freedom in it." I say, tacking the last bit on so they know I don't compete. "I hear you danced with Arthur Pendragon at the ball last week. It was quite the show stopper, I hear." Mitsu says, taking a bite of his gyoza. "Arthur and I have been friends since childhood, so our dance has evolved together; I'm sure people noticed our comfort in dancing together. After all, after so many years of stepping on your partner's toes, you learn how to avoid such things, even in the most complicated maneuvers." I say, Mitsu seems pleased with my answer as he nods his head.
"I hear that you've had Arthur on a leash these past few years." Akemi says and I run my tongue over the back of my teeth. "One does not simply control Arthur; he is a man of free and wild spirit, trying to tame him will simply fuel his rebellious streak. I have found the key is to encourage him in the right ways at the right times, or bribe him with something far more entertaining; it can be a double edged sword, however. As I try to keep him in check, per say, he guarantees that he will profit from it at a later date and time. As is the way of the Pendragons." I say, though Mitsu barks out a rambunctious laugh. "Indeed, that is the way of the Pendragons. It seems that you are the one that knew Arthur the best out of all of us, who have tried futilely to insure his best behavior. Perhaps I should take note of your tactics and attract him with honey instead of salt." Mitsu says and I take a finish the last of my Gyoza- Tobio had finished his not long before me. "It isn't as simple as that, darling. It's scarce that Arthur finds anything more interesting than mischief." Akemi says, having finished her plate as well. Mitsu waves his hand and the chefs step forward, taking the empty plates and ushering them away.
"Perhaps I should request the professionals help in such matters then, seeing as she is the snake charmer herself." Mitsu says, another set of chefs ushering in with the main course. "I wouldn't be able to do that. My rapport with Arthur is one built over many years and built on trust. We both hate being controlled, especially when it comes to the matters of our relationship. We prefer our freedom to be who we are with each other; if I were to approach him with your intent to contain him, I have no doubt in my mind that the repercussions would be disastrous for everyone involved. In short, it is because we are free and have no intention to control one another that we are able to give and take so easily. If he happens to behave because I see fit, so be it." I say as the plates are placed down. "You make it sound like you have just as wild a streak as Arthur does." Akemi says, sparing a glance over at me and raising an eyebrow. "I do not find mischief as Arthur does; my wildness is more in my bold actions, loose tongue and quick wit. When I am passionate about something, I do not hold back. That is simply who I am." I say, Akemi's lips curling into a smile as Mitsu chuckles.
"I believe I was on the receiving end of your so-called passion the last time we met. I apologise for being so hostile towards you, I was under the assumption that you held a grudge against us for what happened." Akemi says, looking over at me and twining her fingers. She wanted my opinion on the whole thing. "It happened before I was even born; I have no grievances and it never interfered with my life, so I had no reason to hold a grudge. I assumed that you didn't want to take part in our lives and I was perfectly fine with that; I figured you felt the same. Currently, the only misgiving I have with you is your insults to my mother that night." I say, Akemi nodding and dropping her gaze. "Yes, it was quite out of taste for me to lash out on you like that, especially so uncalled for. It has been brought to my attention that despite my assumption of your mother, I was gravely mistaken. Your mother was faithful to my son for 18 years, half of that time with him departed. I will extend my apologies to you and her as well, I do hope that you'll accept them." Akemi says, beginning to cut her steak. "As long as everything is right by my mother, I have no issue." I say, beginning to eat my steak as well.
"On another subject, I wanted to ask of those boys from the party. There were quite a few of them." Akemi says, taking a bite of her steak as I smile lightly. "They are dear friends of mine; it's a bit complicated to say the least, but they are all active volleyball players for their schools. At my school, Karasuno, I am part of the dance club; my club members and I are the representative cheerleaders to the volleyball team. I have met and befriended many of the boys you met, including Kageyama, my guest, who I am currently acting as a chaperone for during his attendance at the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Group. Coming this January, they will be playing in the Volleyball Spring Interhigh tournaments." I say, Mitsu pausing mid bite. "You don't say?" He mumbles, taking his bite as I nod. "Yes, it is believed that Karasuno, a former powerhouse school has found its wings once again. Kageyama here is believed to be a gifted setter, so much so that he was accepted into such a prestigious group." I say, gesturing to Kageyama as he sits up straight. "Interesting. Do you put faith in their team?" Mitsu asks as I take a bite, though I take my time chewing and swallowing before I answer.
"Of course I have faith in my team; I've watched them work and train hard, I've watched them struggle and fight for their spot in nationals. I put my full faith and confidence in knowing the boys will give it their all, that they won't back down from the challenge. I also have faith in the people I've met as well; there are very capable people out there, and they have no intentions of backing down either. That makes it all the better, knowing that the boys are all giving it their all to get to the top; it won't be easy. No, in fact, it'll be hard. We don't plan on going down without a fight, however." I say, Mitsu nodding as he takes another bite. "This is something you're passionate about?" Akemi asks and I can't help but laugh softly, smiling over at Tobio. "A shared passion for us all, I'm sure. Our team has a steady foundation, a solid receive, a smart wall, a wicked spike, a strong mental fortitude, a critical serve and most of all, a move that can't simply be countered. Together they are a pack, they have come a long way from where they were, and it's because of this hard work that they all have faith in each other; I put my utmost faith in that." I say, Tobio offering me his own sheepish smile.
"I see, it seems that you have found a wonderful group of talented young gentlemen." Akemi says and I nod, taking a bite of steak. Wow, juicy, full of flavor, tender- it practically melted in my mouth. I wonder if I could get some of this for Nen? "You are quite the striking young lady, do those boys see you in a romantic interest?" Mitsu says, taking a bite of his steak and raising an eyebrow at me. "I'd find it difficult to describe it as a romantic interest, per say. Then again, I've never given much mind to romance so I wouldn't know any better." I say, though Akemi sits up at this, furrowing her eyebrows. "Would you consider yourself a modest lady?" She asks, though I raise an eyebrow at her. "Sorry, I don't know what you mean. Can you elaborate?" I ask and she nods, cutting a piece of her steak. "Are you humble; Unassuming or moderate in the estimation of your abilities or achievements." She asks and I sit up, humming softly. "I like to be humble, yes, but as for my abilities and achievements, there is not much to speak of." I say, though Akemi chortles. "Sounds like you are very modest, seeing as you did not know the effect you have." She says, raising an eyebrow at me and smiling.
"Sorry, I haven't the slightest clue what you mean." I say, though this time Mitsu chortles. "Ah, I see. You are not modest per say, more… oblivious. You are ignorant of the effect you have." Akemi says, taking her bite as her lips twitch. "I'm not sure if your intent is to compliment me or insult me." I say, setting down my fork and knife. "It depends really, to what extent your ignorance is. If you are completely oblivious, it is a shame. If you are not oblivious at all, it is a shame also. There is a fine line which the two cross and find good. I do not mean it as an insult, it's just peculiar to me that you have not recognized your effect." Akemi says and I nod, taking a sip of my wine- yes, it went nicely with the steak. "Are you in a serious relationship with anyone?" Mitsu asks, taking a bite of his steak as I shake my head. "No, I am currently not in a relationship with anyone. I have never really given it much mind, I have been more invested in my friendships and family matters." I say, Mitsu waving his hand- the chefs take the plates and usher them away. "I see. Kioshi tells me you are also in a legal battle of the sorts." Akemi says as the desserts are rushed in and served.
"Yes, I am." I say, nodding as Mitsu digs into his plate. I nibbled on mine- it was good, but I had filled up on the appetizer and main course. "An assault, if I am correct… I am curious." Akemi says- she didn't plan on dropping it. "Yes. The man who forced himself on me 6 years ago, the biological father of my son, came at me with intentions of kidnapping me. Kageyama, as well as Nen, my son, were with me at the time. With a great struggle and the help of my friends, the volleyball team, we were able to subdue and apprehend him. I was bruised and battered in the event, the pending case is one to guarantee he doesn't become a problem again." I say, Akemi nodding as she sets her utensils down. I follow suit and use my napkin to wipe my mouth, settling back into my chair. "I see." She says, looking over at me and scrutinizing me. I sat up straight, my head held high and meeting her gaze with no hesitation. "I think you were correct, Akemi." Mitsu says, Tobio and him setting down their utensils as they finish their desert. "Let's take this to my study. I believe it is time we finally got down to the business of this meeting." Mitsu says and we all stand, following him as he leads the way.
"In regards to your kinship and inheritance, Akemi and I have come to a conclusion. After today's dinner we would like your family to join the family. You will be arranged for marriage after your 18th birthday. Your arranged husband will take care of the family business, you will simply be the wife that takes care of the home. Of course we'll put Nen up for adoption and give you the inheritance that was designated for your father. " Mitsu says, pulling out some paperwork from his desk and setting it down. I freeze at his words, staring at him with wide eyes- fury bursts in my veins, though I feel the dead calm take over. "No. I love my son, he means absolutely everything to me. I refuse to give him up like you did, I don't need your money or your help to raise my child and have the family I want. Unlike you, I can truly be happy surrounded by the love and affection given to me by my friends and family. Money can't buy that kind of happiness, just like it can't buy my favor. Our business is done here, don't put PI on me." I say calmly, standing up and bowing my head. Tobio stands up and follows me as I storm out. I huff, pulling my phone and texting Arthur- I was fucking pissed.
Akemi looked at Mitsubishi, gaging his reaction to the girl's outburst. At first, Mitsu sits back on his chair, twining his fingers and looking at the door. His lip then twitches as he looks up at his wife, a grin spreading over her face. "I see what you mean. She's got his fangs." Mitsu chuckles, Akemi laughing as she crosses her arms. "Oh, yes. I had assumed she regretted her son, but it seems we only angered her even more. It reminds me so much of him, I didn't even realize how much I could miss it." Akemi says, sighing softly as her hand wanders to her necklace. "Yes, yes… I don't remember the last time I've seen someone so fiesty. The girls got guts. Passion, bravery… that's our boy in her, alright." Mitsu chuckles, his gaze dropping down to the paperwork before him. "So. What do you think?" Akemi asks, picking up on her husband's thoughtfulness. "We'll welcome her regardless, no need for an agreement. I like her, we'll make the arrangements immediately; call for the lawyer. We'll start drawing up the new paperwork. No arranged marriage- we won't exclude the idea entirely." Mitsu says, though Akemi smiles at him. "We have a great grandson." She chimes, Mitsu chuckling.
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