With the arrival of the Hiratsuka family, the conversation at the party gradually shifts.
"Is that the young master of the Hiratsuka family? He's quite handsome."
"My daughter is about his age, but unfortunately, she couldn't make it today."
"Miss Hiratsuka is a great beauty, too. By the way, is your son still single?"
"You moron! What are you talking about? I only have one son. Do you want me to be without a male heir?!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka seems to have heard people talking about her. Her face turns dark. She wants to find the moron who said that and beat them up. Ryosuke notices her expression and immediately grabs her hand. The warmth from his hand calms her down.
"Hiratsuka-san, what a pleasure to have you here. I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you." The head of the Yukinoshita family strides toward the three from the Hiratsuka family. Nitta is responsible for driving, so he doesn't enter the Yukinoshita house.
"Yukinoshita-san, congratulations," Hiratsuka Gen says in a low, serious voice, offering his congratulations.
"Hiratsuka-san, let's go inside to talk." The head of the Yukinoshita family instructs his daughter. "Haruno, please see to the guests." Even though he has won the election, he will still need the support of Chiba's yakuza leader in the future. The lion may be old, but its claws are still sharp. He can't believe that in just a few years, other yakuza organizations have either been swallowed up or completely destroyed. The recent actions of the Hiratsuka group have indirectly led to turmoil in Chiba's high society.
Ryosuke also notices Yukinoshita Haruno behind the head of the Yukinoshita family. She is completely different from the playful, frivolous person he is used to. Her eyebrows are gentle, and her smile is soft. Standing quietly, she is as graceful as a white peony and as pure and noble as a lily. She is the very image of a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko in Japanese society.
"Ryosuke, Little Shizuka, don't forget it's Miss Yukinoshita's birthday," Hiratsuka Gen says before leaving with the head of the Yukinoshita family. Even with the two family heads gone, Yukinoshita Haruno's demeanor remains unchanged.
"Miss and young master of the Hiratsuka family, please follow me." Haruno's manners are impeccable, leaving no room for fault.
She leads the siblings to a circle of young people.
"Little Shizuka, you're back!"
"Huh? Is this your brother? He's so cute!"
Several young girls surround Shizuka. Ryosuke is a little surprised. She is feared by men her age but so popular with women?
"Ryosuke, it's just the two of us now~" Yukinoshita Haruno says in a seductive voice, winking at him.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke gives her a cold glance. As expected, she's as malicious as ever. He ignores her and tries to find a quiet place to be alone for a while. He walks toward the pond in the courtyard.
Ryosuke's cold reaction seems to remind Haruno of someone else. She takes a piece of cake and walks back to him.
"Want a piece?" This time, there's no mockery in her eyes, just the concern of an older sister for her younger siblings.
"Thank you, I'm not hungry," Ryosuke politely refuses.
"Oh, okay, then I'll have some," Yukinoshita Haruno says. She uses a fork to cut a small piece of cake. Her delicate lips part slightly as she puts the cake in her mouth. A little bit of cream is left on her lips, and she uses her soft tongue to lick it off.
Seeing that Yukinoshita Haruno is acting serious today, Ryosuke asks calmly, "Yukinoshita Haruno, I'll ask you one last time. Why do you always cling to me?"
Yukinoshita Haruno cocks her head and thinks for a moment. Her eyes light up, and she smiles. "Why? I don't know."
Hiratsuka Ryosuke sighs. "Here we go again. You're much cuter when you're serious."
Haruno freezes, her fork still in the air. She puts the cake back on the plate, and her expression darkens. Hiratsuka Ryosuke... he's not Little Yukino.
"Ryosuke, you're coming back to Chiba for the Obon Festival, right? Little Yukino will be home then, too. Should I arrange for you two to meet?" Haruno's tone is serious, and her eyes show a hint of expectation. Ryosuke is like her sister in many ways, like a version of Yukino who chose a different path. Maybe he can save Little Yukino?
The girl named Nibuya Mori was well-protected by him since she was little. And the situation Nishimiya Shoko faced in school was even worse than Yukino's.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke looks at Yukinoshita Haruno's expectant eyes. He puts her past words together and has a guess. Yukinoshita Haruno is obsessed with her sister; there's no doubt about that. Her first meeting with him at the graduation ceremony was a test. Now, Yukinoshita Haruno has probably been observing him for a long time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have known his whereabouts after the art exhibition. Through her long observation, maybe Haruno realized that running away wasn't very effective, so she had a new idea. Ryosuke now understands why Yukinoshita Haruno pays attention to him. The more a person lacks something, the more they are attracted to people who have it.
Looking back at his actions since meeting Yukinoshita Haruno, the answer is simple. Yukinoshita Haruno's sister must have faced a problem that wasn't solved.
Swoosh!
Bang!
A large firework explodes in the sky, its ephemeral beauty illuminating the night. The brilliant light shines on Ryosuke and Haruno's faces. After the Meiji calendar reform, many Japanese holidays were changed to the solar calendar. Today is July 7th.
Yukinoshita Haruno sees that Ryosuke is silent, but her face is still smiling. She reverts to her usual little devil persona, a hint of mockery in her brown eyes. "My birthday is on Tanabata, isn't that romantic? Are you happy, Little Ryosuke, to have a beautiful older sister with you on Tanabata?"
"What's wrong? Little Ryosuke, why are you not talking? Are you thinking about me? Or those little girls in Tokyo? Or..." She deliberately elongates her words and glances at Shizuka on the other side of the courtyard.
"Yukinoshita Haruno, are you proud of yourself?" Hiratsuka Ryosuke asks with a cold, emotionless expression. Yukinoshita Haruno's smile freezes. She didn't expect him to say something like that. A normal person would have been eager to refute her. Her usual mind games have no effect on him.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke looks straight into her eyes, which are now filled with a dazed expression. He continues, his tone even colder. "I'm different from you. I may speak carelessly and make mistakes, but I never lie."
"People will seal up memories that are too painful. Your choice was to wear a mask to hide your pain."
"You created your own loneliness and have spent your life chewing on that loneliness, a life of fakes."
"You think you understand people and can see everything. But when you face a problem, you just run away. You don't even have the courage to protect what you cherish."
"If my sister faced a problem, I would do whatever it takes to defeat her enemies."
"But you chose the most foolish method for your sister's problem."
Finally, a ripple appears on Ryosuke's calm face. The corners of his mouth turn up in a sneer. He leans closer to Yukinoshita Haruno, looking into her dazed brown eyes.
He says slowly, "Looking at it that way, Yukinoshita Yukino... is a little pitiful."