Chapter 721 - 721: Plans After the Banquet

After chatting with the Hayama family for a while, Haruno led Ichin away to greet several companies that had long maintained business partnerships with the Yukinoshita family.

Once they had finished making the rounds, the two finally found themselves with some free time. They picked up some food and found a quiet table in the corner, where they sat down and ate in peace.

"Mmm~ The chef's lobster here is actually pretty good."

After finishing the lobster on her own plate, Haruno glanced at Ichin's plate. Her eyes immediately lit up.

"Ichin, can I have your lobster too? I'll trade you my steak!"

"Sure."

Ichin didn't mind in the slightest. He speared a piece of lobster with his fork and held it up to Haruno's lips.

Smiling happily, Haruno opened her mouth and took the bite. She then cut off a piece of steak herself and personally fed it back to him.

This little exchange happened to be witnessed by someone not far away.

It was Hayama Hayato.

Originally, he had been planning to walk over and chat with Haruno. But the moment he saw the two feeding each other without caring about the people around them, he immediately withdrew the step he had just taken.

He had already been curious about the relationship between Ichin and Haruno. Seeing this scene now, even if they hadn't officially reached _that_ stage yet, they were probably very close.

Still...

He vaguely remembered hearing some of his classmates mention that the owner of Ichin's company was already married.

So... what exactly was going on?

Shaking his head, Hayama couldn't make sense of it. In the end, he chose not to approach them and instead returned to his parents, continuing to socialize with acquaintances from the business world.

Not long after Ichin and Haruno finished eating, they were spotted by several daughters of wealthy families, who immediately gathered around them.

"Haruno! Haruno! Long time no see!"

"Who's this handsome guy? Your boyfriend?"

Besides greeting her, they were all extremely curious about Ichin's identity.

Haruno calmly wrapped an arm around Ichin's and smiled.

"What do you think?"

The girls exchanged glances before offering their guesses.

"I don't think he's your boyfriend. If you had one, everyone in our circle would've heard about it by now."

"Exactly! But he really is handsome! How did you two meet?"

"Hehe, if he's not your boyfriend, would you mind exchanging contact information?"

A few of the bolder girls even directly asked Ichin for his contact details.

Ichin helplessly glanced at the smiling Haruno before replying,

"Sorry, I can't give out my contact information. But we can all chat together here."

"Aww, it's just your contact info! What's the harm?"

"Yeah! My dad even told me to come here and see if there were any suitable guys around my age. But none of them caught my eye. Either they looked decent but had terrible personalities..."

Feeling Ichin subtly nudging her twice, Haruno finally decided to step in.

"Alright, stop focusing on him. He's not someone you girls can handle."

She smiled before continuing,

"I won't say too much, but if you want his contact information, you'll have to see whether my little sister agrees. She's nowhere near as easygoing as I am."

"..."

The girls instantly fell silent.

They hadn't expected Haruno's younger sister to enter the conversation.

Although the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family rarely appeared at these social gatherings, everyone had heard at least a little about Yukino.

An outstanding student at the The University of Tokyo, majoring in law and currently pursuing graduate studies.

Besides being brilliant both academically and personally, there was one thing everyone knew.

The rarely seen second daughter had an extremely straightforward personality. She always said exactly what she thought.

And if someone genuinely angered her...

They definitely wouldn't have a pleasant time afterward.

Looking at how close Haruno and Ichin were, everyone finally understood. So Ichin was actually Yukino's boyfriend?

"Aww... so he belongs to your little sister? Guess that's hopeless."

"But Haruno, aren't you being awfully close with him? Won't your sister get upset?"

Haruno's lips curved into a teasing smile. She rested her head on Ichin's shoulder and, under everyone's astonished gazes, said,

"My little sister and I have very similar tastes. If she likes someone, then naturally, I like him too."

"So you don't have to worry about that. But keep it a secret, alright?"

"Besides, if you're looking for suitable guys, I can introduce a few. There are several promising young businessmen who have recently made a name for themselves in Tokyo. Interested?"

Although they were shocked by the relationship between Ichin and the Yukinoshita sisters, these young ladies were all smart enough to know what should and shouldn't be discussed.

The moment Haruno mentioned high quality bachelors, their attention shifted instantly.

"Tell me! Tell me!"

"Me too! My parents have been pressuring me to get a boyfriend. If I don't find one myself, they're going to arrange blind dates!"

"Same here!"

After another lively round of chatter, Haruno casually arranged a small gathering for the following week, successfully satisfying the group.

Once they finally left, Ichin let out a long sigh of relief and rubbed his forehead.

"They say three women make a drama troupe. With this many gathered together, it's honestly exhausting."

Haruno chuckled.

"What? Those young ladies were all pretty and had great figures. You're really that uninterested?"

Ichin rolled his shoulders.

"I'm not someone who only looks at appearances. Besides, none of them compare to you."

"My standards have already been spoiled by you girls. There's no way I'd get carried away over something like this."

"Oh?"

Haruno gazed at him before leaning close to his ear and whispering,

"Then... if it were just the two of us alone..."

"You wouldn't be able to hold yourself back, would you?"

"Of course not."

Narrowing her eyes with satisfaction, Haruno continued softly,

"Then... how about we don't go home tonight?"

"...???"

Ichin's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her.

A faint blush colored Haruno's cheeks, making her already alluring red lips even more irresistible.

Ichin couldn't help swallowing.

"Isn't... this a little too fast?"

"Too fast?"

Haruno asked with a smile.

"I've never been the type to hesitate once I've made a decision. Once I decide something, I never look back. Besides, I've already talked to Utaha and Yukino."

"They both agreed."

"So... let's drive back to Tokyo and find a hotel for the night."

Listening to her proposal, Ichin silently nodded.

Haruno happily picked up her phone and sent a message to Utaha and Yukino at home.

"Okay, all settled."

"Tonight, Ichin, you'd better take good care of your big sister~~"

"...Huh?"

Why did the meaning behind those words... sound a little off?

...