Chapter 454
"Is there something you need while practicing the Piano in your room?"
"Um, there's something I'd like to discuss with Rumin-jie. Is now a good time?"
His voice boomed in the empty corridor.
"... Sorry, it's late, I should probably go to sleep, it might not be possible..."
"What about tomorrow?"
"I'll probably be quite busy tomorrow too; I have school during the day and the company in the evening..."
"The day after tomorrow?"
"I might find some time to go back to the mansion the day after tomorrow to see my parents..."
"How about we talk about our wedding the day after tomorrow?"
"That one too... wait, what?!"
A piercing, abrupt note, as sharp as a high-pitched Flute, made him grit his teeth and pull his phone away.
This shout swept away all his previous listlessness, making him so energetic that he wondered if the person opposite him was a completely different person.
"What, what does 'that, that, that, that... that' mean?!"
The trembling of Okura Rumin and the clattering of her teeth came through the phone.
"Open the door and we'll talk. I'm standing right outside your room."
"..."
On the other end of the microphone, there was silence, with only the faint sound of slippers and breathing.
Soon, even the footsteps stopped.
He waved towards the camera, a silent greeting to her.
"..."
Snap~
After a brief silence, the heavy door in front of them slowly opened.
"Talent-kun! Some jokes shouldn't be made lightly! What exactly were you referring to just now...?"
"Well, well, let me in first."
He hung up the call, put away his phone, and with a grin, pressed down on her smooth, fragrant shoulder and pushed her inside.
"..."
Click~
The lacquered door closed tightly again, isolating it from all sounds, both inside and out.
"..."
"..."
"Talent-kun..."
Shh~ Don't talk.
"But..."
"No buts, just be a good boy and don't move."
"... Let me go! You're kidding me, aren't you? I'm really getting angry!"
"How could that be? I love Rumin-jie the most, why would I play a trick on you?"
"You already have Mahiru and Miss Ai, you can do without me!"
"..."
"... Why are you not saying anything again?"
As soon as he entered, Sakurakoji Talent Kabe-don the wall in the entryway, his eyes fixed on her flawless, model-like face, resisting the urge to kiss her.
She is both sexy and innocent, both mature and delicate; her multiple qualities blend together, and anyone who sees her now will be amazed.
The only flaw was the faint weariness around her eyes; the composure and confidence she usually possessed were now obscured by confusion.
"Because Rumin-jie also very cute when she's jealous~!"
"!"
Okura Rumin turned her head away, embarrassed and angry, and said indignantly, "So you really did come here to laugh at me!"
"How could that be? Am I such an annoying guy?"
He grabbed her struggling Hands, pried them apart, and pressed her fingers together against the wall.
"... Ugh, I hate it the most!"
"But it's also my favorite?"
"Who likes you! You're so narcissistic!"
Squeezing that soft, alluring flesh, he lowered his head and gently touched the tip of her ear with his lips.
"Ahhh~"
She let out a cute, coquettish cry, like a young lady.
In this respect, she was far more innocent than Ashiri... It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was the most innocent person in the entire apartment.
If you tell her a Dirty Joke, you have to worry that she won't understand it at all.
"Hmm~ Rumin-jie cute even like this!"
He chuckled softly.
"Seriously! What are you even here for?!"
Okura Rumin gave him a coquettish shout.
"Didn't I just say? I'm here to discuss our marriage with Rumin-jie."
"Stop lying! I know everything! It's about Miss Ai and Mahiru!"
"So what?"
Sakurakoji Talent remained unmoved by his talent, showing no embarrassment or awkwardness at being caught in the act.
Actually, when he arranged for Shiina Mahiru and Hoshino Ai to stay at the mansion during Golden Week, he anticipated that this might happen, but he did it anyway.
At the time, he wanted to put those two people at ease, and he doesn't regret that.
"You already have them, how could you possibly still be with me..."
Okura Rumin's eyes dimmed, and an indescribable sense of dejection spread across the fair skin of this strong woman.
"Impossible? But as you can see, there are two people in the mansion... Hiss~ Ooh~!"
Okura Rumin stared at him with sharp, deep eyes, grinding her white-stockinged feet against his. "I haven't even said anything about the two of you, and you still want to have your cake and eat it too?"
"... There might be some ethical issues, and legally..."
"It's still not allowed under the law!"
She stomped on it again, this time with force.
"As long as we don't get a marriage certificate... or change our nationality? If you'd like."
"That won't do!"
"Isn't Rumin-jie Rule Supremacy? Even this isn't allowed?"
"... Talent-kun,"
Okura Rumin was so angry she laughed, staring at him with a dangerous smile, "When did you become such a shameless boy? Hmm?"
"I didn't want to at first, but life and fate are too cruel..."
"What kind of cruel fate could have turned you into this? Can you tell me, sister? Hmm?"
"You do not know?"
"Know what?"
Seeing her furrowed brows, full of resentment and dissatisfaction, he believed she genuinely didn't know.
"Oh, I see. Mother and the others didn't tell you..."
He looked thoughtful.
"Hey, what did you say?"
Okura Rumin's expression changed from shyness and anger to confusion and surprise.
Let's talk in the living room.
He changed his shoes as easily as if he were returning to his own room and headed to the living room.
As I passed by one of the rooms, I could see through the open door a huge, beautifully shaped grand Piano with a gleaming finish—this was her practice room.
Unlike the decorative Piano in the living room, this one inside was her usual instrument, where she practiced regularly.
Naturally, that Piano was several times more expensive than the eight-figure yen Piano outside.
Even if she appears simple and frugal on the surface, she is, after all, the daughter of a wealthy tycoon... and she won't be stingy with money when it comes to things she needs.
--By the way, although he didn't charge her rent, everything in the room, including the decorations, was purchased with her own pocket money according to her own preferences, without her parents contributing anything.
He naturally sat down on the sofa and waved to her with a grin.
As if she hadn't seen him, Okura Rumin sat down on a separate chair, looking down at him with her arms crossed and her eyes cold. "What do you want to say?"
"You're so cold. If you keep this up, no boy will like you..."
"Don't worry about me, Talent-kun! Instead of worrying about me, you should think about how to get along with those two in the future!"
"But I will always like you!"
"..."
Okura Rumin's clear throat bobbed, her eyes filled with speechlessness as she looked at him. "Stop just saying nice things. If you have nothing else to say, you can leave today."
"Hey~ hey~ this is the first time I've ever been so impatient with you."
Sakurakoji Talent sighed, then reluctantly returned to the main topic. "So, where should we begin? Let's start with leaving New York..."
"..."
Okura Rumin listened silently.
As he explained, her gaze shifted from initial indifference and apathy to suspicion and confusion, eventually settling into a furrowed brow as she fell into deep thought...
Ten minutes later, the explanation ended, and he went to the kitchen and refrigerator to prepare a drink for himself, giving her some time to catch up.
Now he understands that, considering his parents' status and age, there are some things he simply can't explain to her in detail.
Even Ashiri still doesn't know how he healed his body—indeed, this content is quite inappropriate for children, isn't it?
When he returned with the water, Okura Rumin frowned and said, "If you think you can always use your body as a shield, you're mistaken. No matter how worried your parents and I are about you, we can't..."
"I have evidence!"
He interrupted, feeling like a defense lawyer shouting for a reversal in court.
"... What?"
"Hmm... I told them not to tell you yet, but -- do you really want to see it? Once you see it, there's no going back, you know?"
He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and looked helpless.
He just told his parents yesterday not to tell Ashiri, and now he's breaking his vows?
Wow, life and fate are always so unpredictable and full of surprises!
"What?"
Okura Rumin furrowed slightly like ripples on water. She quickly made a decision, "Rather than being looked at like that by you, I'd rather face the truth, even if it's worse."
"It will shatter your worldview, you know?"