The Piano and an Unwanted Offer
When it came to piano music, Su Yu was most familiar with anime piano covers.
So unfortunately, while he knew the names of famous classical pieces, he had no idea how to play them.
But in a way, that was a good thing.
With his current piano skill level, if he could suddenly play masterfully, that would be too ridiculous.
If his drawing ability was at a top-tier professional level, then his piano skill was still at a beginner's level—mostly just mimicking.
That said, even a beginner's level seemed to be enough to attract attention.
Like right now—
Standing next to him was a purple-haired woman, holding a glass of wine.
A ring adorned her finger, and her face was flushed from drinking.
When she had walked over, Su Yu had glanced at her once—then ignored her.
But what he didn't know was that just that one glance had made her interested in him.
After his piece ended, the purple-haired woman leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Want to make some money? I'll give you 100,000 yen if you escort me back to my room."
"Not interested. Not in your money, and not in you," Su Yu responded without even looking at her.
"I'm very interested in you," she smiled. "If you agree, I can give you a lot more money. You just need to be there whenever I need you."
Su Yu finally turned to her, his expression flat.
"Do you know who owns this bar?"
"Of course. The eldest Yukinoshita daughter—everyone here knows that."
"Are you planning to make her your enemy?"
The woman froze.
Then, after an awkward laugh, she quietly backed off.
Just then—
"Master Su Yu, your drink," Hanada Yui appeared beside him, her voice respectful.
"Thanks."
Su Yu took the drink, ignoring the woman completely.
Hanada Yui watched the purple-haired woman leave before leaning in and whispering.
"That woman's husband had an accident not long ago. She inherited hundreds of millions of yen and a luxury house."
"Not interested," Su Yu replied without even glancing at her.
Taking a sip of his drink, he continued playing the piano.
Hanada Yui, understanding the message, quietly walked away.
An Afternoon of Piano Practice
By the end of the afternoon, Su Yu's piano skills had noticeably improved.
As long as he remembered the basics, he could play any song he recalled.
The more he played, the more fluent his performances became.
At this point, his level had gone from beginner to intermediate.
If he wanted to go further, he would need to challenge harder pieces—or even take formal exams.
But Su Yu wasn't playing piano to compete—just to acquire another skill.
At his current pace, it was only a matter of time before he reached an advanced level.
After checking the time, he got up and headed to the restroom.
A few minutes later—
As he walked out, he heard elegant piano music flowing through the bar.
Just a few seconds in, he already recognized the performer's skill level.
Advanced. And not just advanced—exceptional.
There was no way an ordinary bar pianist could play like this.
That meant…
It could only be Yukinoshita Haruno.
A Performance by Yukinoshita Haruno
Su Yu walked forward and saw Haruno at the piano, playing with grace and ease.
Her expression was calm, her smile elegant, and the entire bar had gone silent, fully immersed in the performance.
For a moment, Su Yu felt like he was at a concert.
"Master Su Yu, your drink," Hanada Yui approached him again.
"Thanks."
Su Yu took the drink and walked toward Haruno.
Haruno glanced at him and smiled—a slightly different smile than before.
Su Yu stood beside her, sipping his drink as he silently listened.
When she finished, thunderous applause erupted.
Haruno stood and gave the audience a polite bow.
Then, turning to Hanada Yui, she said—
"Give every guest a drink—on me."
"Understood."
Hanada Yui, without hesitation, headed to the bar.
Haruno then turned to Su Yu.
"Here to talk?" she asked, tilting her head. "Or did Su Yu-kun finally regret rejecting me?"
"I'm here to practice piano," Su Yu replied.
"Geez, can't you ever say something I like hearing?" Haruno sighed, pretending to be hurt.
Su Yu smirked.
"I had this drink specially made for you," he said, handing her his glass.
"Su Yu-kun, you're so—"
Before she could finish, Su Yu pulled the drink back.
"Guess you're not as bold as I thought," he teased.
Immediately, Haruno grabbed his hand, brought the glass to her lips, and drank from it directly.
After finishing the drink, she released him and smiled playfully.
"If you want this cup, I'll let you take it home as a souvenir," she teased.
"I don't collect cups," Su Yu replied dryly.
"Come with me. Let's have a real conversation."
With that, Haruno turned and walked toward a private lounge.
Su Yu followed, casually handing the empty glass to Hanada Yui as he passed.
The Lounge: Haruno's Request
Inside the private lounge, the outside noise disappeared completely.
Haruno walked to a shelf, grabbed a bottle of red wine, and expertly opened it.
Pouring two glasses, she lifted hers and smiled at Su Yu.
"Tonight, you won't get drunk, will you?" Su Yu asked.
"That depends," Haruno smiled. "Are you willing to drink with me until we both pass out?"
"Not interested. I need to go home and continue drawing my manga," Su Yu replied.
"What a waste. You're really going to pass up an opportunity like this?" Haruno's tone was laced with amusement.
"Sensei's father is high-ranking in the police force. You were the one who told me that. Did you forget?" Su Yu reminded her.
"If no one finds out, then nothing happened." Haruno sipped her wine. "Only in this bar do I feel like I can be my true self—just Haruno, not Yukinoshita Haruno."
She then moved to sit directly beside him, her perfume subtly filling the air.
Without hesitation, she linked her arm with his.
Su Yu sighed and clinked his glass against hers.
Haruno laughed softly, taking a slow sip of her wine.
Then, in a quiet voice, she said—
"Su Yu-kun, will you do me a favor?"
"Depends. What is it?"
"I want to take control of the Yukinoshita family."
"…Isn't that inevitable?"
"Not the way I want," Haruno's tone turned serious.
"If I inherit the Yukinoshita name, it will be on one condition—that I marry someone chosen by my family.
"Do you understand what that means?"
Su Yu sipped his wine, then asked,
"And how do you expect me to help?"
Haruno didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she took another sip—then, with a mysterious smile, said—
"Su Yu-kun, your manga… has caught the attention of someone who can change the entire Yukinoshita family."