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 werenāt 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. Itās like everything is glittering!
To begin with, almost all the guests here were students from Suiran, so the place was filled with youth. Iāve been to various parties as the daughter of the Kisshouin family before, but they were focused around the Ojisamas and Obasamas of the upper class, so they just stressed me out and werenāt 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.
āReika? Are you okay?ā
Oh gosh. Did I leave my mouth open? I hurriedly put my fallen āojousama maskā back on.
āI am fine, Oniisama. But please make sure to stay by my side, okay?ā
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, Iām confident that Iāll end up lost while my eyes are glued on something.
āLook, Oniisama. Everything is sparkling so radiantly.ā
āIsnāt it just the reflections from the chandelier? Itās thanks to the calculated lighting.ā
Please donāt pour cold water over a maidenās dreams.
*imouto*
Now that the party had begun, everybody was chatting and smiling with a glass in hand, so I quickly invited Oniisama to come look at the rose arc with me.
āI wish to see it before the sun sets! You recommended it to me, didnāt you?ā
āYes, yes.ā
Oniisama escorted me out onto the terrace and furthest back in the garden with a small white fountain and tables setsā¦ There it was! A rose arch! Itās 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!
āOniisama! Could it be that itās one of those bells that grants you happiness if you ring it!?ā
āI wonder. I havenāt heard that, butā¦ You want to ring it?ā
āUu-ā
With such a cute bell, anybody would want to ring it, right!? I wonder if I canāt. There are lots of people around me, after all. Would I look like a bumpkin?
āCome.ā
Oniisama took me by the hand and brought me in front of the arch.
āExcuse me. It seems that my younger sister would like to ring the bell. Would that be all right with you?ā
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 courageā! Oniisama sure has guts~
But they went out of their way to give me this chance. I guess Iāll take advantage of everyoneās good will and ring it? Itās embarrassing by myself, so Iāll do it together with Oniisama. Oniisama was making a complicated expression, but I wonāt mind it. When the two of us rang the bell, somebody said āMy, itās like a pair of newlyweds at their wedding.ā and Oniisama made an even more complicated expression. Donāt 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. Itās because I did the embarrassing 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!
āOniisama,ā
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.
āOniisama, itās the waltz.ā
āDonāt wanna.ā
An immediate reply?
As a daughter of the upper class, I take ballroom dance classes as well. Apparently Oniisama isnāt taking them now, but of course he took them in the past. Since he went to the trouble of learning it, wouldnāt 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 Iāve been on an odd sort of high. Normally Iād be too embarrassed to decide to dance of my own accord.
āJust one song, Oniisama. Okay? Okay?ā
Please say yes. Itās to make good memories for your cute little sister.
āHahhā¦ā
Oniisama gave a big sigh before dropping his head dejectedly.
āJust one song, okay?ā
YAYYYY!
*imouto*
The orchestraās song flowed through the hall.
One, two, three. One, two, three. Straightenn your back. Donātt lower your arms. Now! One, two, three. One, two, three.
While recalling my teacherās 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. Itās like a dream.