Yamada Ancient Manor, Sakura City.
9 Hours Ago.
Ayia had just sneaked back to the party after calling Theo to wish him a happy new year.
She had just sneakily entered the party venue when she saw Shizuka looking at her with helpless eyes.
"Where were you?" Shizuka asked helplessly.
Ayia just giggled and said, "I called Theo and the others to wish them a happy new year."
Shizuka shook her head and sighed, "Your luck is that everyone is busy watching the Year Video. I think only Mom noticed you slipping away."
"Oh, no! Had it to be her? The only worst situation would be Mom and big sister noticing as well." Ayia complained.
"Well, we should go back in before the videos end." Shizuka said as she dragged Ayia back in.
Fortunately, for them, the video was still passing when they got in and sat down.
But a pair of golden eyes filled with playfulness still stared at them from the other side of the room. Hazel looked at her daughters and wanted to tease them, but she refrained from doing so and turned her attention back to the screen.
The Year Video.
This was a tradition that came to be ever since the last century when technology reached unprecedented heights. The video, as the name said it, told the happenings of the last year.
Every New Year's Day, the whole family would get together and watch what relevant events happened in the past year. This way the whole family would be aware of events that they usually wouldn't know about it.
Even though Ayia's father was the family head, during this Year's Video, the family would judge how well his work was during the year. After all, everything was for the family and there was no space for personal greed among them.
But although there were important deals in the video, there were also other events that depicted normal happenings.
For example, as Ayia and Shizuka had just sat down, the screen showed a particular scene.
The coat of arms of the Rainbow Sakura College appeared on the screen and it was followed by a scene of a field filled with people. There was a stage at the front with rows of people dressed in graduation clothes in front of it.
Ayia froze when she saw the scene.
"No way..." She mumbled in disbelief.
While she was frozen by the shock, everyone smiled and was excited when they saw that.
It was the famous Ayia's Valedictorian Speech!
Although a part of the family was there that day to see Ayia and Shizuka graduating, not everyone was there to see Ayia's famous speech. They had only heard of it from the ones who were there.
"This must be a dream, this can't be happening." Ayia mumbled as she pinched herself.
Shizuka tried to hold off her laugh as she said, "You can't be that surprised. Everyone's graduation appears in the Year's Video. Don't you remember when we watched Kaori's Valedictorian Speech?"
It was only then that Ayia realized what Shizuka said was true.
"Damn it! When I made my speech I haven't even thought that they would put it in the Year's Video!" Ayia said exasperatedly.
Ayia and Shizuka discussed in whispers as everyone else paid extra attention to the screen to watch Ayia's speech.
Fortunately, for Ayia, she had arrived back before her video went on. Otherwise, everyone would notice that she wasn't there.
"This year we had great things happening with the young ones as well. Ayia and Shizuka graduated with flying colors from the Rainbow Sakura College's Business School." The video's narrator explained as the scene of the graduation ceremony went on.
"Ayia, in particular, was the best in her class and was chosen to be the valedictorian. Here is her speech."
The screen showed Ayia, dressed in a rainbow cap and gown, on the stage. She looked beautiful as always, but her eyes showed a playful look.
Ayia started her speech with the usual and normal things like thanking the faculty, her classmates, and her family. She went on about the years she spend in the school and what happened. So far it was a normal speech, but when she finished saying these things, she took a detour.
And what a great detour!
"...this is why we are here today."
"Finally, I'd like to say some things from the bottom of my heart." She said with a playful smile.
At the time, no one imagined what was to come. But when everyone saw that through the screen, they all smiled. The good part had arrived.
Ayia could only cover her face embarrassedly.
"I come from a traditional family, and I've been following their arrangements for a long time. For some time, I liked this way. But when I grew up I saw that I wanted to live my own life. They told me that I'd be free to do whatever I wanted as long as I graduated from Rainbow College's Business School." Ayia smiled happily.
The people watching the ceremony on the field were shocked when they heard that.
She was the valedictorian of a graduation that she didn't even like!
That was absolutely crazy!
"Family! Do you guys see that? It's my University Degree!" Ayia exclaimed excitedly as she showed everyone her degree.
"I'm free! I can do whatever I want, and the best thing is that no one can stop me. I don't know how the future will come to be, I don't even know if I'll work in something related to business management. But it is almost certain I won't. I can finally pursue my dream of becoming a cook! I invite you all to my restaurant someday." Ayia laughed happily before ending her speech.
Ayia was the only one laughing at the entire graduation ceremony. Her speech was so shocking that made everyone speechless and frozen.
The Business School's valedictorian said that wouldn't work in the area and would pursue her dream to become a cook!
That was umprecedent!
It was only after a while that they started clapping, but it was a weird clapping moment as everyone discussed between whispers Ayia's speech.
"What just happened?"
"Oh my god!"
"How could they choose a valedictorian like that?"
These were some of the things the crowd discussed among themselves.
But the crowd over at the Yamada Manor was laughing out loud with Ayia's speech.
They thought it was so funny Ayia's rebellious actions.
"Oh my god, I can't stop laughing!"
"So funny!"
"Ayia! Can you do your speech again here?"
Everyone teased her between laughs.
Ayia could only cover her eyes in shame as her cheeks blushed.
"Our little princess is so cute when she is rebellious!"
"So cute!"
"No! She is a cute free princess now."
Everyone couldn't stop teasing her.
'Why didn't I think of the consequences of my actions?' Ayia thought helplessly.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺