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Chapter 169: Fujiwara Sai
Chapter 169: Fujiwara Sai
Chapter 169: Fujiwara Sai
At a hotel somewhere in Tokyo.
Beep!
[Young Master, the young lady of the Saionji family has arrived.]
“Alright. I’ll go down now.”
Fujiwara Sai, the second son of the distinguished Fujiwara family, whose lineage dates back to the Edo period, responded and then rose from his seat.
“Young Master, are you leaving now?”
“Yes, it might take a while, so if you have other things to do, feel free to leave early.”
“That’s too much jest. How could I, your escort, do that?”
The man, dressed in a stealth outfit that old ninjas might wear, said so and deeply bowed.
Soon, the moonlight shone into the room, revealing the man’s figure in the darkness, which was overwhelming.His muscles, discernible even through his thick clothes, were extremely well-trained.
His strong limbs were like those of a fierce beast.
He was fundamentally different from an ordinary person.
Specifically, he seemed like a character from an action manga dropped into a romantic comedy universe.
Fujiwara Sai chuckled at his loyal retainer’s words.
“Hanzo, you’re too inflexible.”
Chided by his young master, the black-haired ninja called Hanzo replied skillfully.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Let’s go down together then. It seems they will also bring escorts.”
“Wouldn’t the stares directed at me be a burden to you?”
“If I were bothered by just that, I wouldn’t have chosen you as my escort over my brother.”
Fujiwara Sai said this and patted the shoulder of the giant, Hattori Hanzo, who was about two heads taller than himself.
“Follow me.”
“I shall obey your command.”
The master and servant, seemingly from different genres, boarded the waiting elevator and headed to the restaurant in the hotel lounge.
Saionji Kumiko, riding in a limousine to the appointment, thought to herself,
‘…This is uncomfortable.’
She had always thought this day would come eventually.
But she hadn’t expected it to arrive even before graduating from school.
Normally, she would have flatly refused, but this was a request from her beloved grandfather.
Moreover, as a command from the 27th head of the Saionji family, she, being a member of the family, had no choice.
Saionji Kumiko, who had never missed being the top of her class since enrolling in Ichijo Academy, was well aware.
The responsibilities of those in high positions.
It was the so-called ‘noblesse oblige.’
Having enjoyed numerous benefits since birth, repaying them was the only task remaining.
This arranged meeting would be the first step.
But she still had lingering attachments.
A very large lingering attachment named ‘Kim Yu-seong.’
“Miss, are you alright?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
Startled by Koga Izumo’s question, who was sitting right next to her, Kumiko answered with a surprised look and straightened her posture.
“I was lost in thought for a moment.”
Then, Koga Izumo nodded as if understanding.
“Being your first arranged meeting, I imagine you’re quite anxious. But don’t worry too much. Seeing someone for an arranged meeting doesn’t necessarily lead to an engagement or marriage. I know this from experience.”
“……”
For the listener, it was the kind of encouragement that seemed almost uplifting.
Then, Minami, who was sitting quietly beside her, spoke.
“Miss, we seem to be arriving at the hotel soon. But are you really not planning to change your outfit?”
Kumiko scoffed and swept her long, prized hair over her shoulder.
“School uniform are practically formal wear for a student. If a man judges me for attending an arranged meeting in this, it says more about his level.”
“Understood.”
Yielding to Kumiko’s stubbornness, Minami shook her head and looked out the window.
She already knew why the lady chose to wear her school uniform to the arranged meeting.
‘Kim Yu-seong, you are a man with many faults.’
Despite the risk of being rude to a stranger, she was willing to bear it to sabotage this arranged meeting.
Being unable to actively oppose due to her position, she chose a passive form of resistance.
She wanted to support the lady in her heart, but it was impossible with her power as a mere servant.
‘Miss, be strong.’
Minami murmured inwardly and looked out at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window.
From the dark sky, the autumn rain was falling steadily.
Saionji Kumiko and Fujiwara Sai met at a five-star hotel restaurant in Roppongi.
As she got out of the limousine, accompanied by the Akagi siblings and Koga Izumo, the hotel’s general manager, who was waiting at the entrance, approached.
“Welcome. I am Hashimoto, the general manager of this hotel. Young Master Sai is already waiting in the hotel lounge. I’ll guide you there.”
“Oh, thank you very much.”
After Kumiko spoke and slightly bowed her head, Hashimoto, who had bowed politely, led her and her companions.
‘What kind of person is Fujiwara Sai?’
She had heard the name before.
Since she was young, he was rumored to be a prodigy or a gifted child of the Fujiwara family.
She heard that the head of the Fujiwara family, recognizing the second son’s exceptional talent from an early age, sent him abroad to avoid friction with the eldest son, and he only returned to Japan after becoming a university student.
Even afterward, he seldom appeared in public, maintaining an aura of mystery, but there was talk that many were interested in his whereabouts as the power succession tilted from the eldest son to him.
Ding-dong!
Then, as the elevator doors opened, the restaurant, lavishly decorated with thousands of flowers from the entrance, came into her view.
“This is…”
As she murmured in awe, Hashimoto, the general manager walking ahead, said,
“This event was specially ordered by the young master for the visit of the young lady from the Saionji family.”
“Ahem. Understood, let’s proceed.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed to have been distracted, Kumiko cleared her throat softly and hastened her steps.
And finally, they arrived at the appointed location.
Waiting there was a prince with gray hair.
“Welcome, Lady Saionji. My name is Fujiwara Sai.”
“…I am Saionji Kumiko.”
“Due to living abroad for a long time, my Japanese may be a bit rusty, but please bear with me. Please, have a seat.”
After Fujiwara Sai said so and took a seat, Kumiko quietly sat across from him.
As he drank water from a glass, he spoke,
“You look very fitting in a school uniform. You must have come straight after school ended?”
“Yes. It just turned out that way. The appointment was tight, so I didn’t have time to change.”
“Oh, it would have been alright to be a bit late and change into something more comfortable.”
“It’s fine. In fact, a school uniform can be considered the most comfortable attire for a student.”
“Haha, in foreign countries where there are no dress codes, I am not so sure.”
“Hoho, isn’t there a saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’?”
On the surface, it appeared to be a peaceful conversation, but the two were already engaged in a fierce battle of wits.
This was because their exchange had been in the ‘Kyoto-style rhetoric.’
What might sound like ordinary compliments to others, when said by someone from Kyoto, often subtly mocks the other’s actions.
And Saionji Kumiko realized, through the aggressive words and behavior of Fujiwara Sai.
That she was not the only one displeased with this arranged meeting, unilaterally decided through adult conversations.
Therefore, despite being strangers, both unabashedly attacked each other using ‘Kyoto-style rhetoric.’
Their intense fight temporarily ceased when the awaited food arrived.
Even in battle, they seemed to agree on the need to replenish energy, so the sharp blades of their words paused for a moment.
Then, after tasting the appetizer of the course meal, Saionji Kumiko spoke genuinely for the first time.
“The food tastes quite good.”
Fujiwara Sai chuckled and nodded in agreement.
“The chef here made these dishes with special care.”
After exchanging a few words, a strange silence lingered.
It was so intense that their escorts standing behind seemed more tense.
After tasting another bite of the escargot appetizer, Kumiko spoke again.
“It seems the preliminary probing is over. May I speak frankly?”
“About what?”
“I have no intentions of getting married yet.”
Although this was akin to a bombshell statement, Fujiwara Sai smiled contentedly, as if he appreciated her candor.
“Hearing that, I find myself even more drawn to you.”
“What? How can that be…?”
Confused, Kumiko queried further, prompting Fujiwara Sai to put down his fork and explain,
“You’re the first to treat me this way, Miss Saionji.”