I met the Vice President at the shrine, and then went to the restroom in a nearby park to change into the suit he had prepared for me.
Snap!
As I slipped my arms into the suit, it fit perfectly.
It felt like it was made for me, even better than ready-made clothes.
Finally, as I looked in the mirror and adjusted my tie, I asked the Vice President standing next to me.
“How did you know my clothing size?”
“I referred to the physical examination records in the school database. This is a specially ordered anti-stab suit from a place our family does business with, so it should block most blades.”
“Wow...”
Is this the anti-stab suit I’ve only heard about?
I felt like a special agent from a movie.
Once I finished dressing, the Vice President opened the briefcase he was holding in his right hand and showed me the contents.
Inside were sunglasses, a watch, and a ring.
“Are these also some kind of high-tech gadgets?”
“They’re just ordinary accessories. Haven’t you watched too many spy movies as a kid?”
“...”
Since he hit the mark, I couldn’t think of a rebuttal.
As I quietly put on the sunglasses and ring, and strapped the watch on my left wrist, the Vice President, who was watching beside me, handed me something.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a small sticker-type radio you attach below your ear. Unlike a regular radio, it’s not inconvenient when you move, and it’s very durable.”
Saying that, he showed under his ear where it was attached, and it looked just like a motion sickness patch.
“Let’s move. The lady’s engagement ceremony starts at noon.”
“Noon! Then why aren’t we moving already?”
It’s just past 10:20 right now.
In a situation where every second counts, I unintentionally wasted time changing clothes.
But unlike my urgency, the Vice President’s attitude was more relaxed.
“Don’t rush. It only takes about 10 minutes to get to the hotel where the engagement ceremony is held from here. And I’ve already prepared all the information and tools needed for this operation.”
Saying that, the Vice President pushed up his sunglasses with his middle finger instead of glasses and suggested we go outside.
Following him quietly, I was shocked to see the transportation parked near the park.
“This is!”
“Why are you surprised? Have you never seen a bicycle before?”
“No, it’s not that it’s my first time seeing one, but won’t it draw too much attention?”
When I pointed to the tandem bicycle and said that, the Vice President calmly confessed a shocking truth.
“Actually, I spent all my emergency funds to custom-make your suit, so I had no money left for this.”
Ah, oh no...
Indeed, even though the Vice President worked for a wealthy family, he was still a student.
Just making a custom suit must have been tight on money.
“What are you doing? Get on.”
The Vice President said that and handed me the helmet tied to the bicycle’s handle.
Since I was in no position to refuse the Vice President’s kindness when receiving something for free, I silently put on the helmet.
That’s how I ended up riding the tandem bicycle.
“I know the way, so you just need to pedal well.”
“Yes.”
We rode the tandem bicycle onto the road.
“Oh my.”
“What is that?”
Ding!
The elevator arrived on the 10th floor of the hotel.
Having finished his conversation with Hanzō, Fujiwara Sai walked confidently towards the waiting room.
Standing in front of the waiting room door was Akagi Minami, the attendant of Saionji Kumiko, the bride-to-be.
“Where’s Kumiko?”
“The young lady has just finished all her preparations and is resting.”
“Perfect timing. Can I go in?”
“...Please wait a moment.”
Minami bowed slightly and opened the waiting room door to enter, but Fujiwara Sai boldly followed her in.
“What...?”
A surprised Minami looked back, but Fujiwara Sai didn’t pay any attention to her.
“Wow~ She really is beautiful.”
He let out a short exclamation at the sight of Saionji Kumiko sitting in a chair.
She usually wore a kimono in public due to her doll-like appearance, but that didn’t mean Western-style dresses didn’t suit her.
She was, after all, a high-class beauty.
Her unique, glamorous figure, unlike a typical Japanese woman, allowed her to pull off any outfit with ease.
Saionji Kumiko frowned at the unexpected visit from her fiancé.
“What is this rudeness?”
“I just came to see your lovely face.”
Fujiwara Sai approached her, speaking in a smooth tone.
The atmosphere was undeniably awkward.
The two were about to get engaged, but they hadn’t met many times in person.
At most, less than ten times.
But for some whim, the prodigy, considered the next head of the Fujiwara family, chose Saionji Kumiko as his fiancée.
Although it was a one-sided pursuit, the entangled relationships between the families were not something even Kumiko could handle at her will.
So, despite being forced into this engagement ceremony, she kept it a secret from Kim Yu-seong.
‘Yu-seong...’
She repeated his name in her mind.
The man Saionji Kumiko liked for the first time in her life.
The day a year ago when she sneaked out of the mansion alone and received help from him by chance...
Saionji Kumiko’s heart was completely stolen by him.
‘I miss you...’
She wanted to leave the hotel right away and be with him.
But all the benefits and money she had enjoyed so far were happiness she could have as a member of the Saionji family.
And if you enjoyed something for free, there was always a debt to repay.
This engagement was one of those debts.
“Smile, Kumiko. It suits you better.”
Fujiwara Sai said that and cupped her cheek with his palm.
But Kumiko firmly refused.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not a prostitute who sells smiles to just anyone.”
“Yes, that’s why I’m making you my fiancée.”
In that position, Fujiwara Sai bent down and whispered in Kumiko’s ear.
“I want to monopolize your smile that goes to someone else.”
Feeling his obsession, Kumiko shivered slightly.