SILENT || Sugawara Yuri

CHAPTER | 54

• 3rd POV •

   Yuri waited with the others as the graduates finished their ceremony. The four graduates came out and mostly everyone cheered them on and give their graduation presents. Hugs went all around and they cheered them on before separating to go to their parents.

   Kōshi and Yuri walked to their parents, who smiled at their son, embracing him in a hug and congratulating him.

   "Shall we head home?" Mayumi asks with a smile. "Are you coming Yuri?"

   The girl hesitated.

   "Come." Her dad says. "We're going to have lunch and then set up for the party."

   'Sure.'

>>>

   Lunch was calm enough, Kōshi and Taro tried to not let Mayumi bring any attention to Yuri's work or her relationship with Kei, that they didn't even know much about.

   'Lunch was great, thanks mom.'

   "Your welcome." She says, cleaning up. "So, how are you doing?"

   'Good.'

   "Really? Having your dream life without your family and with your boyfriend—"

   "Yuri, can you come help me hang up this banner?" Taro quickly walked in. "It's the last thing we need to do. Kōshi's going to help your mom set the table."

   Yuri looked at her mother but followed her dad out into the living room, hanging the graduation poster.

   "Sorry about your mother, you don't have to answer her." He tells her. "Are you doing okay? Really?"

   "Yeah, back to the top of my class and work is great."

   Taro was surprised to hear his daughters voice, he couldn't really remember the last time they had a normal conversation. He listened to every word she spoke, remembering her voice as it was now. It didn't sound as forced as it used to sound.

   "Yeah? We heard you're modeling now. You look beautiful on the covers." He smiled.

   "Thanks. Have you and mom found jobs?"

  "Yeah, another office job, not the same stand as before but we make enough to get us by."

   The two had a small conversation, Taro enjoyed the time he was spending with the girl. It didn't last long as a knock came from the door, Kōshi walked over to open the door to the other graduates.

   The party started, having everyone from the volleyball club, neighbors, classmates, and others. Yuri was staying close to Tadashi, not really aware of it since they had the same friend group.

   She hated being at a party since the last party she had been to was the first time she got drunk, but it was also the first time she ever talked so much and expressed her feelings freely.
   Of course there was alcohol for the adults and Yuri debated over drinking just to feel like that again.

   "Yuri, do you want to get a drink?" Daichi asks.

   She nodded and followed him to get a cup of soda.