After the first game ended, half of the participants in the banquet hall had left. It was rare for a table like theirs, Table Three, to have no one leave.
Seeing the banquet announced as over, the four Kuroki members exchanged a glance with Ayanokoji. Before Saotome could accuse them of cheating, they suddenly stood up, pulling a bewildered Tanaka Yuzuna with them, and quickly exited.
Saotome was still quite angry, a surge of frustration suppressed within her, but now all the boys had suddenly run off.
She turned to look at Inui Chitose, but she too had slipped away at some unknown point.
Although Saotome Meari still wanted to mock them, now only Ayanokoji was left across from her, so she could only swallow her complaints.
"Ayanokoji, you…"
Saotome was about to ask Ayanokoji about the "Overnight Rights," but Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, as if he knew beforehand, also stood up, not giving Saotome time to ask.
"You all must be tired today. I won't disturb you. Let's talk about anything else tomorrow."
Kurume Laiwei, who was checking out love hotels, saw Ayanokoji leaving and quickly put away her phone to follow him: "Hey, wait for me, I'll go with you!"
Ayanokoji and Kurume left the banquet hall one after another. Now, only the Saotome trio remained at the table.
The three of them looked at each other, and no one spoke first.
Finally, Saotome broke the silence.
"Hanatemari, I want to apologize to you. Even though it was acting, I still lost my temper with you. And Togakushi, I'm truly sorry, I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to drag you into this mess." Saotome lowered her head and said remorsefully.
"I got two million, so it's not bad."
Togakushi Yukimi sighed: "Besides, I should also apologize to you. Although you hinted that this gamble would definitely win, I still didn't believe you, which is why I raised the stakes."
Togakushi Yukimi was the big winner today; she was going to get two million from Tanaka Yuzuna. She could wake up smiling in her dreams.
"However…"
Togakushi Yukimi looked worriedly at Hanatemari: "What about Hanatemari? She gambled her own body…"
At this, Saotome Meari's blood pressure rose.
She anxiously questioned Meari: "Hanatemari, since you understood my intentions, why did you choose Ayanokoji when you confessed? If you had just chosen Tanaka, there definitely wouldn't have been any problems!"
"If I had to say… I wanted to protect Meari."
Hanatemari Kazura lowered her head, her voice filled with grievance: "As long as I chose Ayanokoji, Meari, you wouldn't choose him again, right? I didn't want to put Meari at risk…"
She said she wanted to protect herself?
What was there to protect about herself?
Saotome originally had many more questions she wanted to ask Hanatemari, but seeing her like this, she could only suppress all her words in her heart.
Although she didn't quite understand Hanatemari's thoughts, she lost because of her…
Saotome helplessly comforted her: "The outcome of this gamble is quite good. We got a total of four million. If we used normal methods, who knows how long it would take to save up. Risk is normal."
Fortunately, Hanatemari confessed to Ayanokoji, not someone else.
If it was Ayanokoji, Saotome was confident she could persuade him.
"Meari, are you not angry with me anymore?" Hanatemari carefully looked up.
Saotome sighed: "Angry about what? Your safety is the most important thing right now.
It's fine. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is very easy to talk to. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him properly, and he definitely won't lay a hand on Hanatemari."
"Meari, then I'll leave it to you!" Hanatemari Kazura smiled through her tears.
Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang, receiving a text message.
She glanced at the message, and her face suddenly turned a little unpleasant.
"Hanatemari, are you alright?" Saotome couldn't help but ask.
"It's fine." Hanatemari smiled sweetly: "My family called me, saying they wanted me to go home today… Alright, then I'll be going first."
With that, Hanatemari greeted the two of them and quickly excused herself and left.
"Is Hanatemari alright?" Saotome asked uncertainly.
"What could be wrong with her? Her family is looking for her."
Togakushi Yukimi pushed up her glasses and said worriedly: "You should really think about what we're going to do tomorrow. Don't forget we still have to deal with a dinner party."
A dinner party… Thinking of this, Saotome's face also turned unpleasant.
…
Sunday noon.
Although she won and received two million Japanese Yen, Saotome Meari couldn't feel happy at all.
Hanatemari Kazura lost her "Overnight Rights" to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
This was the most fortunate point.
At least she didn't lose to some random person, especially that Tanaka.
When she saw his interest in Hanatemari, she truly broke out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, the person he ultimately chose was Kurume Laiwei, following the "mole's" instructions.
Otherwise, she might have been dragged into it herself.
Saotome Meari was currently sitting in a high-end restaurant in Ginza. She had wanted to invite Hanatemari out, but she refused, saying she felt unwell.
How could it be physical discomfort? It must be psychological resistance…
Thinking about spending the night with Ayanokoji tonight, she definitely wouldn't be able to eat.
It's fine, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is very easy to talk to. If she just asks him, he will definitely be willing to let Hanatemari go.
At worst… Saotome Meari's face turned red.
This restaurant was chosen by Ochi Ren. He had told Saotome Meari to arrive at eleven, but it was almost twelve now, and he still hadn't shown up.
He didn't receive any nominations in the second round, so he didn't have to pay those two million Japanese Yen.
Togakushi Yukimi should be having dinner with that young master, Tanaka Yuzuna, right now.
But thinking about getting two million Japanese Yen, even if she felt disgusted, she should still be able to bear it, right?
Maybe she was even secretly laughing while eating.
Why isn't he here yet…
Saotome Meari waited for an hour, growing increasingly agitated with her wild thoughts.
He wouldn't be deliberately tricking her, trying to make her bleed a lot in this room, would he?
A meal here costs at least one hundred thousand Japanese Yen. Although she currently had two million, this money was owed to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, so she couldn't use it.
She should make a call. If he doesn't answer, it means she's been stood up…
Saotome Meari took out her phone, and as she was looking down to dial, someone sat down across from her.
"Sorry, I'm late. I slept a bit late last night, and I rushed over as soon as I woke up."
You're an hour late!
This was not the time for polite words like "I just arrived."
Saotome Meari was about to rudely lecture him and let him know her resentment, but when she looked up and saw the person in front of her, the words that blurted out instantly changed.
"It's fine, I just arrived…"
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