Haruno and Shinra found a remote corner to sit down. As soon as she was seated, she asked:
"Speaking of which, Shinra-kun, have you heard of the Togawa Group?"
"Never heard of it."
Shinra was quite honest, basically answering whatever she asked.
"Why does Haruno-san ask this?"
"It's about the family business." Haruno had no intention of hiding it and immediately explained the order and her family's concerns.
"So, Haruno-san means you want to confirm if the Togawa Group's order is reliable, right?"
"Correct."
"I don't know the specific situation, but I can help you ask around."
"Would that be too much trouble for you?"
"If I said it was troublesome, what would Haruno-san do?"
"Then I would just have to beg you."
As she spoke, Haruno put on a pitiful expression. Shinra had reason to suspect that if this wasn't a public place and she wasn't wearing an evening gown but casual clothes, this Haruno person would have unhesitatingly wrapped her arms around his and humbly begged him for help.
What a pity.
"In that case... Haruno-san, you owe me a favor." Shinra held up one finger. He wasn't the kind of foolish man who would jump to help a beautiful woman without expecting anything in return just because she asked.
This was true even if the person asking was Haruno.
In fact, it was precisely because it was Haruno asking that he had to 'haggle' with her. After all, opportunities to make Haruno owe a favor were rare and had to be seized.
Besides, favors are all about you owing me, and I owing you. Through this back and forth, the bond between people deepens.
Of course, if it were her sister, Yukino, Shinra might have just helped directly. It wasn't that he was playing favorites... okay, he was definitely playing favorites.
People inevitably have those they are closer to and those they are more distant from. Yukino was Shinra's good friend, the kind who would likely be able to split the 'good' out of 'good friend' in the future.
Good friend -> Girlfriend and bearing one's 'child'.
On the other hand, could Haruno do that?
Huh, it seems... it's not impossible.
"Ehh~ I've already given you Yukino-chan, and I still have to owe you a favor?" Haruno said half-jokingly.
"Haruno-san, if Yukino heard you say that, she'd probably start arguing with you again." Shinra shook his head.
"She's not here, is she."
"I'll tell her when I get back."
"...Shinra-kun, has anyone ever told you that boys who like to tattle are extremely unlikable?"
Shinra smiled and replied, "I thought Haruno-san would say that Yukino wouldn't believe it."
Haruno sighed, her tone melancholic, "I can't help it. She relies on you more than me now."
Her voice trailed off slightly. Then, this beautiful older sister stared straight at Shinra with her light red eyes.
She said, "And now, even I have to rely on you a little."
Shinra felt that something was a little off when Haruno said this, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.
He could only reply, "I get it. It's just helping to ask about some news. 'Relying' and all... isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
Hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed in Haruno's eyes. Then, as if to confirm something, she stared at Shinra for a good while. After seeing that his expression was not feigned, she returned to her usual light-hearted tone and said, "Haha, then I'll be counting on you. If there's anything you need your big sister to help with, just say the word. Even if it's tying Yukino-chan up and sending her to your house, it's not a problem for me!"
"It's clearly Haruno-san who owes the favor. How did it get wrapped back around to Yukino again?" Shinra teased.
Haruno glanced sideways at Shinra. Her tone suddenly became seductive, her voice so sticky it seemed like it could be pulled into threads, "In that case, does Shinra-kun want me to tie myself up and send myself to your house?"
"That won't be necessary."
Shinra sat up straight and proper, righteously refusing this tempting offer.
Thanks for the offer. Slightly aroused.
"Not this, not that. Don't tell me you want to tie up both me and Yukino together?"
"Ahem... You really can't say such things."
Shinra was defeated. He beckoned a waiter to refill his juice. Then, under Haruno's introduction, he also met the university classmate who had brought her.
After seeing that Shinra and Reiko were indeed meeting for the first time, Haruno finally dispelled the doubts in her heart. She felt that she had probably been overthinking.
Shinra had no reason, nor was it likely, that he would go to such great lengths just for her. Everything was just a coincidence.
The reason Reiko invited her to this banquet was most likely to take the opportunity to one-up her.
After all, she had always suppressed Reiko at school. Although their relationship wasn't bad, with Reiko's competitive personality, she would definitely try to find ways to get back at her.
Just as the few of them were chatting happily, the banquet entered its second phase.
Guided by the hotel staff, the guests moved from the reception hall to the adjacent music hall.
Just as a bonfire party is incomplete without a folk dance, a dinner banquet is inseparable from a ball.
As a formal social event originating from the European aristocracy, balls gradually became popular among Japan's upper class after the Meiji Restoration in the mid-nineteenth century.
Balls are social events centered around ballroom dancing. Participants are required to attend in formal attire, such as evening gowns. The main process includes an opening dance, a free dance, and a closing performance.
Among these, the free dance phase is the core of the entire ball. In this phase, guests will expand their social circle by dancing together.
Typically, the first dance of the ball is usually performed by a gentleman inviting his female companion.
Shinra had come with the Old Master Mori and did not bring a partner, but Haruno's appearance fortunately solved this problem.
"Do you know how to dance?" Haruno asked.
"A little." Shinra replied. In his memory, in his early years when he wasn't yet an orphan, his parents had taught him about it.
It was called 'teaching', but it was actually just his parents demonstrating for Shinra, who had just started junior high, while they were dancing. In the end, the two of them just left him aside, vividly demonstrating what 'parents are true love, the child is just an accident' means.
After hearing Shinra's answer, Haruno didn't reply, but just looked at him with a smile.
Shinra wasn't dense. He quickly understood Haruno's meaning. As the melodious music began to play in the hall, he gave a slight bow, extended his right hand, palm up, and said, "May I have this dance?"
"I would be delighted." Haruno placed her fingertips on Shinra's palm, accepting the dance request.
In fact, Haruno did not like attending balls. Because of her outstanding appearance, she was always invited by men and envied by women. Due to social etiquette, refusing was often quite troublesome.
Under normal circumstances, when Haruno attended such events, she would invite another woman to dance. After a few dances, she would use the excuse, "I'm a little tired, I need to rest," to decline subsequent dance invitations.
However, sometimes she would encounter some persistent men. Faced with these people, Haruno would show her strong side, allowing them to lose face gracefully.
Although Haruno had ample leeway to deal with various possible situations at a ball thanks to her superb social skills, she couldn't help but feel mentally exhausted.
Therefore, of all social events, Haruno hated balls the second most.
Fortunately, although Haruno hated balls, she did not hate Shinra. If she had to dance one song, he was the best choice.
"Speaking of which, when you and Yukino-chan are alone, have you ever danced together?"
Resting her hand on Shinra's arm, Haruno asked curiously.
"No. In fact, this is my first time dancing with a non-related female." Shinra replied.
"Really?"
"Really. And the last time I danced was probably in junior high."
"...So you really only know 'a little'?"
When Shinra said he knew 'a little' earlier, Haruno had assumed he was just being modest. Now, hearing him say this, it turned out he really did only know a little.
This guy isn't going to step on me, is he?
Haruno was wearing open-toed high heels today, held only by a few thin black straps. Besides that, there was no other covering. Her exposed toes were as delicate as new buds, her nails neatly trimmed and showing a faint pink. The skin on her heels was smooth and delicate. Only the areas in contact with the straps were faintly red from friction, like the tender color of early spring branches that had not yet faded.
In contrast, Shinra was wearing a pair of brightly polished leather shoes. Just looking at the soles, one could tell how good the quality was. If those stepped on her, da-mn, it would probably hurt quite a bit.
Shinra seemed to see Haruno's worry and took the initiative to reassure her, "Don't worry, I won't step on you."
"It's fine even if you do. That way, I can enjoy some leisure for the rest of the time."
Although she said that, Haruno's dance steps slowed down considerably. As she moved, she consciously maintained a relatively safe distance from Shinra's feet. Only when the dance was over did she finally relax.
"Good dancing skills." Haruno complimented Shinra. In the beginning, she could feel his dancing was a bit rusty, but by the middle and later stages, Haruno could clearly feel Shinra's steps had become much more natural, reaching the point where she no longer had to worry about him stepping on her feet.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Shinra knew his own business. His dancing skills were mediocre at best, definitely not 'good'.
Haruno was just thanking him for not stepping on her.
The music paused temporarily, entering the intermission.
"I won't occupy you any longer. Be careful not to step on anyone else next." Haruno advised.
Shinra shook his head and said, "I don't plan on dancing anymore."
After all, among the guests present, he was only relatively familiar with Haruno. The rest were no different from strangers to him, and Shinra had no intention of socializing.
"Those ladies have been waiting for you to invite them since the beginning. Do you have the heart to just leave them waiting in their empty rooms?"
Because of Shinra's status, many women had been staring at him since the ball began, hoping to share a dance. Besides, even without his status, just based on his character model (looks), many female guests were eager to make a move.
"Who taught you to use idioms like that?" Shinra was a bit speechless. 'Waiting in their empty rooms' was too much.
"Am I wrong? Look at them. Even if you don't go to them, they will come to you."
"The first lesson of adulthood is learning to refuse."
"That doesn't follow the rules of a ball."
In the rules of a ball, a gentleman invites a lady, and the lady can refuse. A lady can also invite a gentleman, but the gentleman cannot refuse.
"I'm sure they will understand."
Haruno was stunned. She understood what Shinra was trying to say.
The ball had its own set of rules, and Shinra also had his own set of rules. As things stood, it was clear that Shinra's rules overrode the ball's rules. At least, the guests present were not likely to offend him over such a small matter.
Unlike when Haruno refused someone, where she needed to find a suitable reason or excuse, Shinra's refusal needed no reason at all, because the other party would find a reasonable explanation for him.
This was the same logic as when a 'simp' is rejected by his goddess. He won't get angry, but will instead try to find all sorts of reasons to justify the goddess's actions.
And this, perhaps, was the freedom that came with power.
Haruno was very envious. Not of Shinra's power, but of his freedom.
So-called freedom is not about being able to do whatever you want, but about being able to not do something when you don't want to.
So, did Haruno have freedom?
Yes, but not much.
She could refuse a dance invitation, but she couldn't refuse her mother's arrangements. Her freedom was built on the premise of not disobeying her mother.
This led to a new question: can conditional freedom still be called freedom?
Haruno didn't know, but what could she do?
Reality is not a fairy tale. The princess captured by the dragon will most likely be turned into compost, not rescued by a hero.
But even if it was just a ball, Haruno wanted to taste the flavor of freedom.
"In that case, are you willing to dance one more song with me?" Haruno extended an invitation to Shinra.
Shinra raised an eyebrow. "That's not according to the rules, is it?"
By convention, a dance pair is only supposed to dance one song together. At the absolute most, they might dance again for the final song.
But this was only the second song of the ball. It was still a long way from the end.
"You'll understand, right?" Haruno winked at Shinra.
"Of course." Shinra didn't really mind. It was just one more dance.
However, seeing the change in Haruno's emotions after he agreed, he seemed to understand something.