Chapter 34 - 34: One-shot Sayuri

With Haru by Yukino's side, any young men who harbored thoughts of approaching her merely exchanged pleasantries before quickly excusing themselves. Likewise, several young women approached to greet Haru, prompting Yukino to stand quietly at his side. Though she appeared indifferent, her sharp gaze returned to the same wary expression she had before—one that practically said, A pony should only ride in a small car. After a few rounds of this, Yukino found herself growing irritated. Just as she was about to say something to Haru, she noticed him looking regretful, deep in thought. A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. "What's wrong?" "I was just thinking about a scene in a drama I watched recently," he mused. "The male lead got into trouble at a banquet, only to turn the situation around and steal the show. I wonder if I'll get a chance to do something like that tonight?" "I should've never have asked." Yukino shot him an exasperated look. That sort of thing almost never happened in real life—people weren't that foolish. She scanned the room before pointing toward a quiet corner. "Let's go over there." She knew Haru well enough to understand that, like her, he wasn't fond of these social events. Leading him to a less crowded spot was her way of looking out for him. With fewer interruptions, Haru could focus entirely on eating. Yukino sat beside him, watching him with a quiet smile. Moments later, however, her smile froze. A familiar figure was approaching. "Mother." Yukino immediately straightened, her posture proper and formal. Haru put down his cake, his expression relaxed. "Is there something you need from me?" Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled warmly. "I heard about last week's incident from Haruno. You handled it well. It seems I was right to have Yukino grow up alongside you—there's a lot she can learn from you." Yukino pressed her lips together, her expression calm. She had heard these words countless times before. No matter what she did, it always felt like she was almost good enough to meet her mother's expectations. "Rather than saying she learns from me, I'd say we learn from each other," Haru responded casually, meeting the older woman's gaze head-on. "Oh? And what qualities does Yukino have that you find admirable?" "You would know better than I do, wouldn't you?" He smirked. "She picks things up quickly. At this rate, she's going to drain me dry. One day, I'll be nothing more than her bag-carrying lackey." Yukino's eyes softened with amusement. [He jokes no matter who he's talking to.] She glanced at him, remembering how, years ago, he had stepped in to diffuse tension when her sister had come to confront her. Mrs. Yukinoshita's expression remained unchanged. "You really haven't changed at all." Then, she shifted topics. "By the way, I need to thank you." "Thank me?" Haru raised an eyebrow. She nodded. "Thanks to you, a soon-to-be-promoted police inspector reached out to me. From what he said, he's interested in forming a connection with the Yukinoshita family—and with the Amamiya family as well." Haru instantly understood. No wonder the police didn't give me any trouble last time. That guy must've cut ties with his 'friend' at lightning speed. Mrs. Yukinoshita glanced toward Sayuri Sawamura. "The Spencer family has also taken an interest in you. Sayuri invited me after hearing that you had invited Yukino…" Her smile carried a hint of satisfaction. "So, I suppose I owe you my thanks." Haru grinned. "Does that mean I can cash in this gratitude?" Mrs. Yukinoshita sighed and shook her head with a smile. She was long accustomed to his personality. Because she viewed him as competent and promising, she treated him with kindness. After exchanging a few more words, she excused herself. Not long after, Sayuri Sawamura finally freed herself from her previous engagement and approached with Eriri in tow. "Sorry for keeping you waiting—I was a little tied up." After exchanging greetings, Sayuri chuckled. "I imagine young people don't enjoy events like this much, do they? Honestly, my invitation was a bit sudden." Haru nodded. "Yukino and I aren't exactly the type to enjoy these gatherings." "My, such a direct answer! Now I feel a little embarrassed." Despite her words, Sayuri's expression showed no embarrassment at all. Instead, she wore a playful smile that seemed far too youthful for her age. Yukino remained composed, careful not to show any displeasure. But she disliked that kind of expression. It reminded her too much of her sister. And the fact that Sayuri was already a mother made her attempts at appearing cute even more jarring. Haru , noticing Yukino's mood, held back a chuckle and asked, "I'm curious—why did you specifically invite me?" Sayuri sighed. "Honestly, it was for Eriri. Since you both attend the same school, and I've known your parents for ages, I thought—why not have you two become friends?" Eriri blinked, looking completely bewildered. Wait… this involves me?! "That's it?" Haru didn't seem surprised. "That's plenty." Sayuri smiled. "As a mother, my biggest wish is for my daughter to be happy. You've always seemed like a mature and reliable boy, so I thought—if you could look after Eriri a little, I'd have some peace of mind." Then, her smile took on a mischievous edge. "Your mother told me about you, by the way. Apparently, when you were in kindergarten, you tried to start a business and seriously asked her for startup funds. She ended up 'investing' 100 yen in you." "Let's not bring up the past," Haru muttered, clearly embarrassed. Sayuri laughed behind her hand. "So even you have an adorable side." Yukino listened with great interest. This kind of gossip was rare. Eriri, on the other hand, was mortified. She had no idea her mother had sought out Haru because of her. It's not like I want to be friends with him… She stole a glance at him. Another glance. Yeah, I don't want to be friends with him. But since Mom insists, I guess I have no choice. Then, Sayuri sighed dramatically. "If I had known, I would've booked a venue with a dance floor. That way, I could've watched all the girls lining up to ask Amamiya-kun for a dance~" Haru smirked. "Why not you?" Eriri's jaw dropped. Sayuri, however, narrowed her eyes playfully. "Oh? So you like older women? I thought the first person you'd think of was Miss Yukinoshita." [Older women? More like 'motherly' women. I really can't get used to mature women acting cute.] Yukino calmly continued observing. Haru, unfazed, responded smoothly, "I meant that I would, of course, ask Yukino first." Sayuri blinked. "And what about my Eriri?" "M-Mom!" Eriri turned scarlet. Why is she dragging me into this?! "Well," Haru said, "since Eriri and I aren't close yet, I'd have to ask you for permission first before inviting her." "Oh? So I'm more charming than my daughter?" Sayuri mused, pleased. "That makes sense. My husband and I have always said Eriri is very 'cute'.'" Eriri turned even redder. But Haru simply shook his head. "I think you misunderstood. What I meant was—you're just the middleman. Or, in simpler terms, my tool for inviting Eriri." Sayuri's smile froze. Eriri gawked. Did he just… one-shot Sayuri Sawamura?! Haru grinned inwardly. Mission accomplished. He turned to Yukino, expecting praise—only to find her watching Eriri curiously, deep in thought.