"Is this... really the ti to be doing this sort of thing?"
Soyo looked sowhat hesitantly at the open space in the living room that had just been cleared.
"Even though there's less than a week left before the [TGC] starts..."
"But Tetsuya-kun doesn't have any particular work to do, right? Aside from going to the venue on the day of the event to cheer on Ai and Uika, he shouldn't have anything else to do."
Sakiko, who was in the process of clearing the area, said:
"And really, it won't take too much ti to learn this dance anyway. Although ballroom dancing involves many different types of dances when you break it down, to handle a banquet, you only need to learn the basic steps and posture. If nothing goes wrong, as long as Tetsuya-kun can spare an afternoon to practice every day, he can learn it quickly in three days... Speaking of which, Soyo, shouldn't you have co into contact with these things at Tsukinomori too?"
"Mhm, but it's only limited to hearing about it. After all, my mother, to give maximum freedom, has never taken to participate in her social engagents."
As Soyo said this, her expression looked slightly lonely.
"Even though I'd be quite happy to go with her if she just asked normally..."
"Oh dear..."
Sensing the obvious low spirits radiating from Soyo, Sakiko couldn't help but smile wryly and shake her head.
Even though [Starry Sky] and the [Nagasaki Economic Consulting Firm] had both embarked on promising tracks, Soyo's mother was still unable to allocate much ti to her daughter, who was a key contributor and an important link. Rather, it was precisely because [Starry Sky]'s results were too excellent that this workaholic mother's regular contact ti with her daughter was continuously shrinking.
To so extent, the family problems Soyo faced were perhaps not much lighter than her own—
"That's why, I wanted to take this opportunity... to invite Soyo along as well."
Just then, Mutsumi's voice suddenly ca from the doorway.
And right after, when the two people present looked towards the door together, Mutsumi, dressed in a tracksuit, had already stepped into the house.
"...Eh? Why a tracksuit? What about that super cute little dress?"
Soyo asked with deep curiosity.
Hearing this, Sakiko imdiately and habitually answered on her behalf:
"Because that dress has a much higher degree of exposure than the clothes Mutsumi usually wears, so she can't keep wearing it while moving around right now."
"...Even though we're at ho?"
Looking at the long tracksuit on Mutsumi—which was so out of season that she had specially rolled up the sleeves and pant legs—Soyo nodded, seeming to half-understand.
"Alright, this kind of clothing is indeed more convenient for moving around anyway... However, Mutsumi, what did you an just now when you said you'd take this opportunity to invite along?"
"...It ans that this afternoon, the four of us are going to learn ballroom dancing together."
Under Soyo's incredibly blank stare, Mutsumi said:
", Sakiko, Soyo, and Chihaya-san."
...
"Eh... in other words, the ones taking the class this afternoon aren't just , but also Soyo... And the teachers aren't just Wakaba-san, but also Sakiko..."
Tetsuya looked blankly at the living room in front of him, which was much more crowded than he had imagined.
"Won't there be not enough space this way?"
"No. The dance steps Sakiko and I will teach you next basically just involve spinning in place. Even if we added one more person, we'd still be able to fit."
Mutsumi said:
"Originally, I also planned to invite Anon along, but she happened to have plans to go out with a friend today, so it'll just have to be us for now."
"Is that so..."
Tetsuya, who knew absolutely nothing about dancing to begin with, very naively accepted Mutsumi's explanation out of his trust in her.
However, Soyo, who had purely been dragged into this, hurriedly followed up and asked:
"W-Wait a minute, Mutsumi! Why are you asking to learn it too? You're the only one attending the banquet on that day, right?"
"This ti... it is indeed just the two of us. But next ti, if possible... I want to invite everyone together."
Mutsumi's flat tone sounded exceptionally serious right now.
"Besides, if you can learn ballroom dancing, Soyo, you'll have more confidence to proactively propose attending banquets with your mother in the future, won't you?"
"Eh..."
Hearing this, Soyo instantly fell into deep astonishnt.
Although she was indeed very dissatisfied with her mother's neglect, before this she had never thought about proactively intervening in her mother's work... But thinking about it carefully, given her current status, and the future deepening of the collaboration between [Starry Sky] and her mother, she did have the opportunity to proactively participate, or even invite her mother instead!
"Mutsumi... to think you would consider so much for ..."
Soyo had never thought that this child—who was always taciturn and acted as if she were detached from everything—would be so considerate of her, even proposing a possibility she herself had never even considered.
Faced with Soyo's amazent, Mutsumi simply shook her head and said:
"After all, I also have a mother who isn't very easy to talk to, so in a sense... I can very well understand your desire to get closer to her, Soyo."
"That's true."
Soyo, whose proactiveness had been completely mobilized, finally no longer had any hesitation.
"Then, I'll leave it in your hands, Mutsumi and Sakiko!"
"Mhm, leave it to us."
Mutsumi responded once again with that slightly serious tone.
anwhile, this completely uncharacteristic appearance of Mutsumi's made Tetsuya and Sakiko instantly exchange a glance—
(Did you say sothing to Mutsumi?)
Sakiko shot him an inquiring look, and seeing this, Tetsuya imdiately shook his head and returned an innocent expression that said, (I don't know anything).
However, although Tetsuya did respond, Sakiko didn't completely believe his claim.
This person might indeed not lie, but it was also highly possible he simply genuinely didn't realize what he had done... At least from Sakiko's perspective, the seriousness Mutsumi was displaying right now absolutely held a deeper aning.
(...This is completely different from Uika's situation.)
Although Sakiko had imagined before this that Mutsumi—who already respected and admired Tetsuya—might have her feelings deepen due to this date with him, but looking at it now... rather than a feeling directed solely at one person, it seed more like Mutsumi had undergone so deeper change.
(Just what did Tetsuya-kun do to her?)
(What will Mutsumi beco after this banquet?)
(Could I have unintentionally facilitated sothing incredibly serious?)
Looking at Mutsumi, who was full of fighting spirit before her, Sakiko thought to herself with a mix of unease and anticipation...
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