Luckily for me, my mother, Inori, instantly got me an etiquette tutor so that she wouldn't be shamed by duchess Hina anymore.
My tutor's name was miss Hana and she was an elderly but graceful woman. She taught me etiquette better than my former tutor when I was Suzuha. I learned quickly and she was impressed.
Three days passed and I started to get familiar with the Hayato family. I was still quite invisible to my mother and hated by Emika and her mother, but I kept on shining through all my situations as Katsumi Hayato.
One day, when my family was seated in the lounge except for my father, Dena came rushing in with an invitation from the Naka family. Which was my former family when I was Suzuha. She said that we have been invited for a splendid banquet at their palace for Sayuri's sixteenth birthday that evening.
We were all thrilled with the news, and I was more thrilled when Dena said that they were inviting the royal family of Okinawa. This was my chance to finally get a relationship with one of the princes of Okinawa. I was definitely not targeting Ayoshi Ren, but his elder step brother. His name was unknown to me but I would get to know it soon enough.
Duchess Hina rose on her feet with her daugand said, "A banquet for Sayuri's birthday? What wonderful news!"
"Yes, mother. And i want to outshine her and all the guests. So you should make she to get me the most fancies dress, got it?" She was talking to Dena.
Before Dena could reply, I stepped in.
"Dena is my maid and not yours. So go find your own maids." I said defensively.
"How dare you? Every maid in this palace should attend to me!" Emika yelled.
"You and your witchy mother better take yourselves out of here before it gets worse!" I said confidently.
Duchess Hina fumed and walked off with Emika. While I just burst into laughter with my mother.
"Did you see the look on her face?" Inori asked.
"Oh, yes. It was priceless!" I said giggling.
"Before we get going, how about some sushi?" Inori asked me.
Sushi with my mother? Sounds like I would never get this opportunity again if I refuse right now.
"Yes, of course. I love sushi." I said.
Inori ordered Dena to go bring us sushi and when she brought it, I was so intrigued by the dish that I finished everything on the plate before Inori could take her second sushi.
"Katsumi!" Inori said as she burst into laughter.
"It was delicious." I said.
Then I went with Dena to my bedroom to change my dress and prepare for the banquet that evening.
That evening, we went to the palace looking our best with a bunch of gifts for Sayuri. I was quite nervous to meet myself there. Including the princes of Okinawa. I had no idea why they were invited to Sayuri's sixteenth birthday banquet since we were only supposed to meet in the future. But when they introduced the royal family of Okinawa to everyone at the banquet, I was at a loss for words. Prince Ayoshi Ren who was supposed to be around the same age as Sayuri so that they could get married in future was twelve years old! The same age as Emika. And as for his elder step brother, who was introduced as Zenkai Tashaki, was the same age as Sayuri!
My head was spinning. How was i supposed to approach Zenkai now, as a child! Everything is planned in my head was messed up by the ages. I just had to find myself.
I ran through the crowds and went outside the palace to look for myself in my usual spot. The garden.
I was surprised to see myself, Suzuha, sobbing. I crouched beside her and asked, "What's wrong, Suzuha?"
She wiped her tears and said, "Everybody hates me. All they care about is my sister!"
That was puzzling. Suzuha was supposed to be loved by everyone while Sayuri remained in her shadow. But I figured out that since this is an Isekai, it's not the same world I was in before. Same people but not the same people.
I never thought that i would see myself like this aside from my poisoning. I looked scared, alone and unloved.
"What do they do to you, Suzuha?" I asked her. I wanted to know more about the Suzuha of this universe.
"They don't love me. They treat me terribly and I hate it. My sister is so mean to me. And she will pay for it one day!" Suzuha said angrily.
I really didn't want history to repeat itself because of what happened when I was Suzuha. Instead of Sayuri taking revenge on Suzuha, in this universe, Suzuha would be taking revenge on Sayuri.
I thought of how that could affect my purpose here. So I tried to persuade her to change her mind.
"Suzuha, you're a uniqe girl. And i know you enjoy embroidery. " I said.
"How did you know?" She asked.
"I know someone gifted when i see them. I enjoyed embroidery as much as you do."
"Really? I never knew that i could relate to someone. My mother says my embroidery is not good enough so I stopped. "
Now this was a very broken version of myself that I had to urgently fix.
"I see. But anything you do, don't take your anger out on Sayuri. " I said.
"Why? She caused me all this pain!" Suzuha yelled.
"Don't yell. But if you take revenge, you'll suffer the consequences. I speak from experience." I said convincingly.
"But you're so young?"
"You don't have to be old to have an experience or suffer the consequences of your actions."
"You're right. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Forgive me for not introducing myself properly. I am Suzuha Naka, the second daughter of emperor Yuto and empress Mayi. Pleased to meet you."
Suzuha curtsied politely.
"I am Katsumi Hayato, the illegitimate daughter of duke Souta and my mother is Inori. "
I gave her a slight curtsey.
"Well, Katsumi. It looks like we could become good friends." Suzuha said happily.
"Yes, of course." I replied.
Suzuha then excused herself and goes to join the banquet. It felt awkward being friends with my old self in another world. Especially if it was the broken version of me.
Back to my scheme. To speak with Zenkai Tashaki. He was very good looking at sixteen. He had attractive green eyes, blonde hair and pale skin. He was much more handsome than his brother. I went back to the banquet to search for him, and there he was. Standing with Sayuri as they were busy talking to eachother. I felt something shift inside me as if I was angry, I was angry in fact, Sayuri and Zenkai getting together must not happen before I could have my chance at him.
Seeing this as my opportunity, I dramatically fell on Zenkai and he caught me unexpectedly. I pretended not to feel well as I fanned myself desperately.
"Oh, I'm feeling so fatigue! Thank goodness I have someone like you to hold unto me." I said in my most dramatic voice yet.
"Uh, kid. If you're not feeling well. Then call for your maid." Zenkai said plainly as he put my back against the wall for support.
"Ugh! How incompetent of you to not know how to take care of a lady!" I screeched at him.
"If you want to be taken care of, tell someone to go and fetch you your maid. I'm not your servant so go find yours." Zenkai walked off rudely while saying that.
Sayuri turned to my annoyed and said, "Look at what you've done! Now Zenkai's in a bad mood!"
She chased after him like a lost puppy as I stood frozen in humiliation. More humiliation that I felt when Ayoshi proposed to me instead of Sayuri.
I needed a plan B and fast. Zenkai Tashaki would not be easy to tame so I needed to find his weak points and become closer to him. And i could only do that through his brother that dislikes him, Ayoshi Ren.