"So, you came back without even telling me."
The sky had completely darkened. Under the flashing neon lights in the heart of the city, the bright stars were all but invisible. The lights surrounding the lawn illuminated the area as brightly as day.
"Hmph!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a soft snort. Her obsidian-like eyes, brilliant even in the darkness, slowly narrowed as she looked at Sato with an amused smile.
"If I hadn't come back, were you planning to spend some quality time with your little sweetheart?"
Sato looked at her for a long moment before replying speechlessly, "Aren't you a cheating cat yourself? I'm a man with a girlfriend."
"Then why did you sleep with me?"
"You forced me!"
Utaha rolled her eyes at his words, looking at him with a hint of mockery.
"You're a grown man. Don't tell me you couldn't resist. Or are you saying a weak little girl like me could actually force you?"
She wasn't wrong.
Still, when someone practically threw themselves at him, how could he possibly let the opportunity slip away?
Sato thought silently to himself.
If he accepted, he was a scumbag.
If he refused, he was worse than a beast.
Compared to being worse than a beast, he thought it was better to just be human.
Seeing him fall silent, Utaha snorted again before muttering under her breath,
"Besides, we don't even know who's going to win yet. Right now, I'm the one in the lead."
This woman...
Looking at Utaha's lovely face, Sato could only smile helplessly.
He'd walked right into her trap.
"Senpai!"
Just then, Yuuki Asuna walked over to the quiet corner where Sato and Utaha were standing. The moment Utaha saw Asuna, a trace of amazement flashed across her eyes.
What a beautiful girl.
Asuna approached gracefully in a white evening gown, like a classical beauty emerging through misty rain. There was an indescribable elegance about her that naturally captivated anyone who looked at her.
"Mm."
Sato gave Asuna a slight nod.
Utaha quietly looked Asuna up and down before reluctantly admitting that she was a beauty worthy of standing beside her.
That was what she thought to herself.
Nor was she wrong. If someone were asked to judge which of them was prettier, the answer would most likely be that they were evenly matched.
Like the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, each possessed beauty in their own way.
"Senpai, who is this?"
Asuna looked at Utaha standing beside Sato, and a hint of admiration also flashed through her eyes.
"This is Kasumigaoka Utaha, a recently graduated third-year."
Sato introduced her casually. Since Utaha had already graduated by the time Asuna transferred in, it was only natural that they didn't know each other.
"And this is Yuuki Asuna, my classmate."
He then introduced Asuna to Utaha as well.
"Classmate?"
Surprise appeared on Utaha's face, and her brows furrowed slightly. If there had been a girl this beautiful in the second year, there was no way she wouldn't have heard about her.
"She transferred here this year."
Sato added another sentence.
The moment she heard that, the way Utaha looked at Asuna immediately changed.
A girl who had only transferred in this year yet already knew this womanizing man, it was hard not to question her intentions.
As it happened, her guess wasn't wrong at all.
Without drawing attention to himself, Sato quietly stepped aside, picked up a glass of champagne from the table, retreated a few steps, and turned slightly away, no longer looking at the two of them.
At times like this, he felt it was best to make his presence as small as possible.
It might be a little cowardly, but at least it kept him out of the crossfire.
Hmph, what a spineless man.
Utaha shot Sato a disdainful glance.
Senpai really is popular.
Asuna maintained a gentle smile, but inwardly let out a quiet sigh. She had a feeling scenes like this would become quite common in the future.
Still...
Didn't that just make things more interesting?
The two of them stood there smiling at each other. To an outsider, it looked like a perfectly friendly meeting. Only those caught in the middle knew how sharp the invisible clash between them really was.
Not far away, graceful music drifted from the dance floor, where many couples danced elegantly together. There were both Eastern and Western faces among them.
Although it was supposedly Eriri's birthday party, calling it simply a banquet wouldn't have been inaccurate either. In truth, the event was about far more than celebrating a birthday. It was also a social gathering.
There were many guests.
Besides diplomats from various countries, numerous prominent figures from society were also in attendance. One of them was the young woman currently walking straight toward Sato.
"What are you doing here?"
Sato looked at Yukinoshita Yukino in surprise as she stopped before him.
She wore a deep blue evening gown. Her long black hair flowed freely down her back to her waist, and her fair shoulders were as delicate as early spring cherry blossoms. One could only imagine how stunning she looked from behind.
Yukinoshita Yukino sighed softly. Her calm voice carried a faint trace of helplessness.
"My father is a Chiba Prefectural Assembly member."
As a member of the Chiba Prefectural Assembly, how could he possibly not receive an invitation to a banquet like this held within his jurisdiction?
"That must be rough for you."
Sato couldn't help laughing. For someone like Yukino, who preferred peace and quiet, attending this sort of banquet really was asking a lot.
Seeing his shameless grin, Yukino couldn't help glaring at him.
The commotion between the two naturally drew the attention of the other two women. After all, in this secluded corner, even the slightest movement was impossible to miss.
"Yukinoshita-san."
Utaha suddenly walked over and greeted Yukino. Unlike Asuna, she and Yukino had crossed paths many times as the top-ranked students of their respective grades.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai."
A flicker passed through Yukino's eyes as she greeted her in return, her tone as calm as ever.
Red, white, and deep blue.
Three evening gowns, worn by three girls with completely different styles. Each possessed a breathtaking beauty, and standing together, they looked like the meeting point of spring, summer, and winter.
One was as gentle as a spring breeze.
One burned with the warmth of summer.
One carried the crisp chill of winter.
The smile on Sato's face suddenly vanished.
It was only then that he remembered the predicament he was in.
Two women made for a drama.
Three women...