Mimi approached the table full of food, picked up a plate and began placing Emilia's favorite foods onto it. Even after the plate was completely towering, the girl did not stop and snatched an extra plate.
Hehe, if her beauty said she was hungry, then she'd feed her one of everything!
Whatever Emilia couldn't eat, she'd gladly take to save her from overstuffing herself!
At this thought, Mimi smiled to herself and proceeded to add more food onto the plate. Too busy snatching and stacking, she hadn't paid attention to the figure silently watching her movements from the side.
She could sense their eyes brimming of mock and resentment, but she was too lazy to bother with such an insignificant bug who only knew how to loathe her in secret.
Surely enough, the person who stood and watched her finally let out a mocking scoff following with the words: "Little punk acting so high and mighty. Anyone who uses the meek excuse to follow their so-called passions is an insecure fool."
Mimi squinted her eyes, a menacing light flashing within them. Overbearing, full of entitlement and shameless.
Traits she grew up around.
These familiar words, how could she not recognize who they belonged to?
The corner of Mimi's mouth hooked up, and she looked up from the table and stared at the owner of the voice. As expected, the man standing beside the table was none other than her older half-brother, Seth Hirogori.
Excellent! She had been waiting for this bastard to approach her!
However, keeping up with her disguise, Mimi tilted her head gently and pointed to herself.
"Is the young gentlemen perhaps speaking to me?"
Seth glanced at the boy and sneered. "Who else? There are only you and me here, right?"
She nodded her head and twisted her eyebrows, face full of doubt. "Ah, then was this punk you spoke of also me?"
Seth raised a brow and ridiculed. "Ha, are you an idiot? Or do you think you're too handsome to be called a punk? Does loser sound better to you?"
Mimi blinked her eyes.
Well, obviously she was too handsome!
But besides that, my, my, this half big brother of hers was rather straightforward, wasn't he?
Mimi gave him a casual side glance, raised her eyebrows slightly and curled her lips upwards in a teasing fashion. "Ah, is that so? Although I am glad to know the young gentlemen thinks I'm handsome, I don't mind what name you call me. Punk, loser whichever pleases you the most, you may use."
With that, she proceeded to set food on her plate with a faint smile.
Seth's face turned dim, his brows twitching. Instead of the climactic, enraged face of the boy, as he expected, what he saw was far different from what he imagined.
He looked at the boy's calm demeanor and felt his resentment toward the boy grow.
"Oi, punk! You dare ignore me? You think you're so great and powerful because you have everyone's affection?"
Seth bent over until he was looking down at her and ridiculed. "You think you can make it through the industry with handsome looks and righteous words? Let me tell you; one can't make it in this world relying on others efforts. Someday those advantages will be taken, and you'll be left with nothing."
Mimi's eyebrows raised, her little face bore a hint of surprise. Seth paused a little to enjoy the boy's dumbfounded expression, a sense of gratification welled up in his chest.
Ha, finally scared the little punk!
"Hmph, what's the matter? Too startled to speak?"
It took the boy a couple of minutes to respond before he shook his head softly. "No. Rather I was thinking your words…are they meant for yourself or me?"
Seth's face immediately darkened. He asked in a chilling voice. "What did you say?"
Mimi simply chuckled and waved her hand in dismissal. "Ah, I didn't mean any offense. It was just a guess."
By now, Seth's expression changed for the worst, he was internally trembling with anger. He stared at Mimi as if he wanted to rip her to shreds and bit out each word with cold rage.
"Watch your mouth! If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it, you bastard punk."
Mimi could not help but let her smiles deepen, a hidden glint of delight lit across her face.
Oh my? Did she make him mad? How exciting!
"You're right, I apologize. But…" Mimi smiled helplessly. "I can't help but comment on your words previously. While it's true one should rely on themselves and not others to persist, wouldn't you say the same about others' influence?"
Seth's eyes narrowed. His bad impression of Andras didn't decrease, in fact, he secretly hated him even more after his previous words. However, the slightest bit of curiosity for what the brat wanted to say made him submit.
"What do you mean?"
She looked up at him with bright eyes so deep that they revealed no traces of any emotion.
"There are two parts to influence. It can be powerful or subtle. The level of that influence can define one's efforts and abilities to achieve things. This dominant influence or image of another can overpower or suppress one from accomplishing great efforts. It transforms our thoughts without notice and gradually destroys us."
As Mimi's words fell, Seth couldn't help but frown. He was ready to taunt her and retort with a snarky response but found he couldn't. A set of images flashed through his mind and the hands by his side clenched into fists.
Overpower and suppress one from achieving great efforts?
Thinking of this, Seth experienced a sense of displeasure well up in his chest. He recalled his father and Kenji's words, their expressions of scorn and contempt.
They looked at him as if he were a fool.
The only reason he came to this foolish birthday banquet was that his father forced him to - so he could be like Kenji.
His eyes grew grim and he silently scowled.
Mimi didn't speak. She detected the change in Seth's emotions and concealed the mischievous smirk on her lips. Although she no longer lived in the Hirogori house, she knew of the thoughts running through her half-brother's head.
Out of all her older half-siblings, Seth had the proudest attitude and frequently used their family's name to his advantage.
He had a shallow mind and was an incompetent coward, making him easy to control. These were the reasons why her father still kept him by his side rather than tossing him away.
She also knew while growing up in the Hirogori Mansion, Seth had an inferiority complex to her half-brother Kenji. She could imagine it worsened through the years.
Mimi squinted her eyes and laughed. "Though my words were all metaphorically speaking. As I said, they have nothing to do with you, so you don't need to give it any thought."
She picked up the mountain piles of food-filled plates and turned her head to look at Seth with a thoughtful smile.
"Well, I have to go and feed my lady friend. It was nice talking with you gentleman!"
Without allowing him the chance to speak, she left the table. Seth looked at Mimi's back as she walked away over toward Emilia. After a while, he huffed and turned to blend in the crowd.
…
"What took you so long?" Emilia glared at Mimi's approaching figure but shut her mouth after seeing the mountain piles of food.
She was stunned.
"Haha, sorry! There were so many dishes I couldn't decide what to get you, so I snatched a little bit of everything."
A little bit? Black lines grew on Emilia's face. Of course, this was the reason. Why was she even surprised?
"Hmph, fine! But don't expect me to eat all of this! Do you want me to get fat?"
As if expecting this response, Mimi giggled and reassured. "Don't worry. Whatever you can't eat, I'll bravely finish it for you. Don't force yourself to finish anything."
The corner of Emilia's lips twitched.
Acting brave my ass! Just by looking at the giant plates, it was clear she grabbed two of everything! From the beginning, she already planned to eat all of it!
Emilia shook her head and stuffed a crème puff into her mouth.
Honestly, how did she end up being friends with such a gluttonous, shameless, pervert?