Chapter 231: Youran / Shoelace (2/2)

Youran and the attractive girl in the suit exchanged words.

The two woman in the center of the assembly hall were like two crimson dots, and even more attention was being focused on them.

After they had for some time exchanged lip service, the woman turned toward Taiyou.

「And who might this gentleman be？」

「Allow me to introduce him. His name is Natsuno Taiyou, and he is the one who hath exchanged vows with me for the future」

Momentary silence.

Then there was an explosion of noise expanding like a tsunami pushing through after receding.

In a moment, everyone in the assembly hall had their eyes on Taiyou.

The curious onlookers around them couldn’t seem to hide their astonishment, but the woman who was introduced instead spoke “in an astonished manner”.

「How rude of me. I am called Orikawa Maho」

「It is nice to meet you. I am Natsuno Taiyou」

「While being born in a distinguished family, Chairwoman Orikawa is a woman of character who, in her generation, brought forth a large corporation without using a cent of her family’s money. Doubtless you have heard of FOT before？」

「Oh, yeah, that smartphone――」

He had heard the name of that corporation before. It was a corporation with the second-most shares in smartphones in the world.

With a universal enterprise like that, a person of the title of chairwoman had appeared in front of him, so Taiyou was a little taken aback.

「――unh！」

Youran suddenly pinched his behind.

It was all he could do to keep from letting a voice out.

Eye met with eye, and he felt like her gaze was scolding him.

――See, I’ll be going around bragging about you in front of all these people here. Hold a dignified appearance to make everyone jealous of me.

He recalled the words that Youran had said just earlier.

Taiyou sucked in air, puffing out his chest again.

「It is a privilege to meet you. Although I am an Apple user, so I do apologize」

「Oh? I am the same」

Maho smiled broadly.

He glimpsed the slightest mischievous nature within her ripened glamor.

Taiyou saw her as the same type as Atsuko, but better in every way.

「I use that in private」

「Oh? That’s the first I hath heard. I hath thought that thou useth the one from thine own company」

「I do use that one at work. It is merely my preference in private after all. Are you not the same way, New Moon-sama?」

「I see. Private and work, hm」

「Indeed. I had “always thought” that you were that sort of person」

「I am awed by thine great insight」

There was something up. This wasn’t a conversation to be taken at face value.

That was what Taiyou thought, but he wasn’t actually sure what that something was.

「Come to think of it, New Moon-sama, you did use our company’s terminal, did you not?」

「Yeah, I am using the custom-made one. Thanks to that, work is progressing well」

「In that case, I shall have another new one reach you. You may use it in private this time」

「Private, huh」

「Indeed, even in private」

「Understood. I gratefully accept」

It shouldn’t have been anything important, and yet for some reason, Taiyou felt a tense atmosphere between the two of them.

「Oh?」

Suddenly, Youran’s gaze moved downward.

Wondering what was up, he followed her and looked down, noticing that his shoelaces were untied.

「They are untied」

「Yeah, I’ll go ahead and――」

「Wait」

When Taiyou was about to squat down and retye them himself, Youran squatted down, stopping him.

She squatted, put her hand on it, and tied it.

In an instant, the party hall was filled with noise.

It was a clamor greater than when they had entered together earlier.

「Did New Moon Director-sama just do an action of servitude!?」

That line that was heard from a faraway area seemed to convey the feelings of everyone in the assembly hall.