The Announcement

Oto exhaled slowly as he adjusted the bow tie a final time in the mirror. Examining himself, he fiddled with his beige three-piece suit, touching at the lapels and eyeing the faintly apparent cobalt plaid windowpanes tailored into the clothing. The matching blue of his dress shirt and pocket square popped from above the vest and jacket, lending itself well to the brown leather dress shoes.

Running a hand through his black hair, he anxiously tousled the loose strands before locking eyes with the figure that approached from behind.

“Hayami,” He spoke softly, admiring her beauty. “Absolutely breathtaking, as always.”

“Mmm,” She replied, reaching for his pocket square to adjust it. “It’s a little heavier than I’d like, Neem.”

“Only the best materials for you. I’m sure you can manage, killer.”

With a step back, Oto took her in. Hayami wore a sleek, floor-length cobalt gown that had been tailored to her body. The gold stars set into the fabric's side caught the warm light, shining brightly, though still dull compared to the thousands of diamonds sewn into the dress by the seamstresses. At the point where the short, fitted sleeve of the asymmetrical off-the-shoulder neckline met her collarbone, a thick cluster of precious stones radiated outwards, slowly becoming more dispersed. They all but disappeared near the thigh slit in the dress, which reached nearly to her hip, revealing her long leg and the strappy high-heel sandal beneath.

Oto smiled, admiring her and the silver hair that had been done up in a bun and held in place by a golden rod with an ornate chrysanthemum atop it. Continuing to take her in, he stared at the jewelry that adorned her body, the diamonds he had given her for Christmas that she wore proudly, including the sizable ring on her finger. Overjoyed by the sight of her wearing his gifts, he was unable to help himself and leaned in to kiss her.

Hayami didn’t shy away, instead reaching a hand up and caressing his cheek as their lips locked. After a passionate moment, the boy pulled away, gently rubbing at his mouth as the red of his face began to return to normal.

“I like kissing you.” He replied sweetly. “Your lips are so soft.”

“Well, if we survive tonight, we can kiss more and do other things.”

“Hayami, are you talking about dirty things?”

"Happy Birthday, dear."

With a wink, she turned away from him, snatching her clutch from the nearby table as she began her walk towards the door.

“Wait, no, Hayami!” Oto chased after her. “Hayami, are you talking naughty things?”

There was a knock at the door to Oto’s bedroom as they reached it. Hayami didn’t open it but instead turned and looked back at Oto with a coy smile. She reached out, placing a finger to his lips to silence him.

“Wait and find out, dummy.”

“Tch—” He replied, flashing her an irritable glance. “I know you do it now because you love me, but it's still not better than being called an idiot.”

“That’s what you get for calling me a killer.”

The door before them opened as Giles stepped into the room. The sound of the world beyond filled the once quiet space. There was a buzz of noise as the guests excitedly partook in Oto’s manor while he and Hayami prepared themselves. The sounds of string and wind instruments played beautiful melodies as, beyond, faceless figures enjoyed the butler-passed hors d'oeuvres, fine wines and champagnes being circulated.

“Sir, Miss—” Giles spoke formally as he stood in the doorway. “The stage is set for your speech.”

“Thank you, Giles,” Hayami replied with a smile. “And everything else?”

The Butler revealed a devious grin.

“The stage is set for your speech.” He responded once more before delivering a slight bow and stepping back from the door.

“Well then,” The girl continued, reaching a hand back to Oto. “Shall we, dear?”

Oto released a nervous huff. He had welcomed people dozens of times to enjoy his balls. But this time, he felt surprisingly on edge due to the nature of the performance he was about to give. Even though he knew he was as ready as he was going to be.

With a nod of his head, he took Hayami’s hand before stepping out into the Mezzanine and towards the third-floor balcony where he would welcome everyone.

Stepping to the railing, Oto inhaled deeply and examined the world beneath him. Without saying a word, figures immediately turned his way, shifting their cameras his direction and beginning to snap photos.

Unlike previous years, where they had been forced to remain at the edge of the property, the actual paparazzi were allowed into the event so long as they wore a press badge. This meant that, mixed amongst the rich and famous faces that regularly gravitated towards Oto and his family’s power, dozens of eager photographers were making their money that evening.

Oto glanced at the hundreds of figures that crowded the space beneath. Custom-designed gowns and suits, made of the finest threads and richest colours, stood nearly shoulder to shoulder as they looked up at the pair that had emerged. Adorning their faces and loosely concealing their identities were masquerade masks of porcelain, etched with gold and embedded with precious gems.

As he looked at them, realizing that he was missing his own disguise, Giles approached with a pair of porcelain masks for them to wear. The first was Hayami's, a half-mask that covered from her cheeks up. Crafted of white porcelain, black obsidian, and gold, her visage was that of a powerful white tiger. As for Oto's, it was a jesters mask covering the bottom of his face with porcelain and the top in gold, embedded with sapphires.

In the time it took Giles to hand them over, the strings beneath grew quiet, and the crowd focused their attention upward.

“Eherm,” Oto cleared his throat quietly, holding his mask to his chest and looking down over the crowd of eager faces and flashes of cameras.

“Good evening and welcome!” His voice boomed. “Welcome, everyone, to another fantastic Hildebrand Ball! So many beautiful faces filling this manor yet again. Though not as beautiful as I!”

Hayami cringed slightly at his comment, preparing to give him a jab to the side, only to stop as the crowd beneath chuckled and cheered in response. With a confused glance their way, she noticed that many, if not most of them, all wore smiles on their faces. Some truthful, others drunken, and most lying through their flawless veneers. And, in an instant, as much as she was irritated by Oto’s remarks, she hated them more. Deciding to allow it to slide, she adjusted herself to remain a quiet participant in Oto's moment.

“I jest,” He continued, holding his mask up for all to see as the sounds of camera shutters reacting filled the space. “For you see, I am a mere fool. Here for the pleasure of those around me. Here to celebrate and dance on this, the day of my birth. And as you are all accustomed, there will be much to eat, drink and enjoy, so please do indulge to your fullest.”

With a gulp, Oto felt his nerves kick in as he moved on to the next stage of the speech. It was the piece he had yet to grasp, even after days of rehearsal.

“Th-that said! I am pleased to announce that in this last year that I have spent—eherm—I have grown wise and discovered, if I may be so bold, the feeling of love.”

The crowd gasped, looking between Oto and Hayami. Cameras flashed wildly as Hayami felt their collective gaze fall upon her. Playing her role, she blushed and looked down into her mask. But Oto was going off the script they had planned, rushing to end before it was time. He wasn’t supposed to talk about them yet, meaning that she hadn't had enough time to scan the crowd.

Glancing to the side, she eyed him, quickly able to tell that he had only rushed their plan because, in true Oto fashion, he had forgotten what he was supposed to say. She could see the panic quickly growing in his eyes as he looked over the sea of faces. So, reaching over, she took his free hand in hers.

The cameras went wild, and Hayami feared they would break under the sheer strain of the amount of photos being taken.

“You got this.” She whispered.

“Thank you.” He returned softly to her.

“In this last year—” Oto repeated, his nerves slightly calmed by Hayami’s thoughtful reassurance. “In fact, these last few months, I have fallen in love with a beautiful and talented woman...sorry, everyone else.”

The boy released a small, awkward laugh, which was followed by the soft murmur of polite chuckles and saddened huffs from the crowd below as he continued.

“The amazing, trendy woman who stands beside me now. Miss Kiku Hayami Isfine.”

With a gasp, the crowd turned to look at Hayami, who, in turn, looked away in frustration. Even with days of practice, neither Giles nor Hayami had been able to convince him that Isfine was not part of her name. Glancing down at the crowd, she stared into their eager eyes, which, in an instant, had already begun to deconstruct her. She could recognize their hate at a glance, seeing a familiar burn in their gaze, one that let her know that most of the people present had now learned to hate a new name.

But Hayami knew the hate they felt currently was simply the beginning. And what they would soon experience after what came next would be much worse.

“And,” Oto continued, “It is with great pleasure that I announce that Miss Hayami and I are planning to antelope!”

The crowd became quiet, staring up at him.

“Elope,” Hayami whispered. “Elope, Oto.”

“Eherm, thank you.” He whispered, turning back to everyone. “Antelope-elope!”

Hayami sighed, wondering why she couldn’t have given the speech. Raising her's and Oto’s hands into the air, she revealed the dazzling engagement ring she had gotten for Christmas.

“We’re getting married!” She announced excitedly.

Cameras flashed, cheers erupted, and applause rang out as the manor celebrated the announcement. And as they did, distracted by the sudden reveal, Hayami reached over and took Oto in her arms. She planted a quick kiss on his lips before positioning herself where the cameras couldn’t see her.

“You’re never allowed to give a speech again.” She whispered before turning back to the crowd with a forced smile and fashionable pose.