Chapter 8

People were already gathering at the hall.

“Fuwahh~”

A stupid sound escaped me because of how moved I was.

The hall was overflowing with Oneesamas in fluttering dresses of various colours. Together with the vivid rings of flowers decorating the hall here and there, the room was like a sea of flowers. Although the Oniisamas weren’t dressed as gorgeously as the Oneesamas, they were dreamy in their formal attire too.

Hahh, so this is the Pivoine Summer Party that everybody adores. It’s like everything is glittering!

To begin with, almost all the guests here were students from Suiran, so the place was filled with youth. I’ve been to various parties as the daughter of the Kisshouin family before, but they were focused around the Ojisamas and Obasamas of the upper cla.s.s, so they just stressed me out and weren’t fun at all. Because I was still a child, I tried my best to avoid going. Apparently my parents wanted to bring me with them though.

“Reika? Are you okay?”

Oh gosh. Did I leave my mouth open? I hurriedly put my fallen ‘ojousama mask’ back on.

“I am fine, Oniisama. But please make sure to stay by my side, okay?”

Although we were only supposed to be lightly linking arms, I was firmly wrapped around. Sorry if it gets your jacket wrinkly, Oniisama. But if I let my guard down, I’m confident that I’ll end up lost while my eyes are glued on something.

“Look, Oniisama. Everything is sparkling so radiantly.”

“Isn’t it just the reflections from the chandelier? It’s thanks to the calculated lighting.”

Please don’t pour cold water over a maiden’s dreams.

*imouto*

Now that the party had begun, everybody was chatting and smiling with a gla.s.s in hand, so I quickly invited Oniisama to come look at the rose arc with me.

“I wish to see it before the sun sets! You recommended it to me, didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes.”

Oniisama escorted me out onto the terrace and furthest back in the garden with a small white fountain and tables sets… There it was! A rose arch! It’s even cuter than I imagined! The arc decorated with red roses was tied by ribbons of white chiffon, and blowing in the wind made it look like a wedding veil. And at the top was a bell! I want to ring it!

“Oniisama! Could it be that it’s one of those bells that grants you happiness if you ring it!?”

“I wonder. I haven’t heard that, but… You want to ring it?”

“Uu-”

With such a cute bell, anybody would want to ring it, right!? I wonder if I can’t. There are lots of people around me, after all. Would I look like a b.u.mpkin?

“Come.”

Oniisama took me by the hand and brought me in front of the arch.

“Excuse me. It seems that my younger sister would like to ring the bell. Would that be all right with you?”

Oniisama spoke to the senpai closest to the bell. The senpai happily gave the spot to us, and Oniisama urged me forward. But. With all these people watching now, ringing it needs courage―! Oniisama sure has guts~

But they went out of their way to give me this chance. I guess I’ll take advantage of everyone’s good will and ring it? It’s embarra.s.sing by myself, so I’ll do it together with Oniisama. Oniisama was making a complicated expression, but I won’t mind it. When the two of us rang the bell, somebody said “My, it’s like a pair of newlyweds at their wedding.” and Oniisama made an even more complicated expression. Don’t mind it.

Apparently girls from the primary section saw me happily ringing the bell because they gathered here and wanted to ring it too. Right? Right? I knew it. Everyone actually wanted to ring it. It’s because I did the embarra.s.sing thing of going first that they had the courage to do so, right? Good job, me.

After having my fill of the rose arch I returned inside to find that people in the middle of the room were dancing the waltz! Party! Waltz!

“Oniisama,”

Sensing something from me, Oniisama averted his face and tried to head to the buffet corner. But he had his armed linked to the unmoving me.

“Oniisama, it’s the waltz.”

“Don’t wanna.”

An immediate reply?

As a daughter of the upper cla.s.s, I take ballroom dance cla.s.ses as well. Apparently Oniisama isn’t taking them now, but of course he took them in the past. Since he went to the trouble of learning it, wouldn’t he want a chance to put it to use? Otherwise what did he learn it for, right? After ringing the bell on the rose arch I’ve been on an odd sort of high. Normally I’d be too embarra.s.sed to decide to dance of my own accord.

“Just one song, Oniisama. Okay? Okay?”

Please say yes. It’s to make good memories for your cute little sister.

“Hahh…”

Oniisama gave a big sigh before dropping his head dejectedly.

“Just one song, okay?”

YAYYYY!

*imouto*

The orchestra’s song flowed through the hall.

One, two, three. One, two, three. Straightenn your back. Don’tt lower your arms. Now! One, two, three. One, two, three.

While recalling my teacher’s lessons, I span around, and around. The chandelier up on the ceiling sparkled with light. The hem of my favourite dress danced in the air. Aahh, this is so much fun. It’s like a dream.

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*