The assembly of distinguished guests turned their collective gaze toward the center of the ballroom. Their expressions were a tapestry of surprise, curiosity, and varying degrees of astonishment as they took in the sight of the handsome young man standing between the two radiant Yukinoshita sisters, each of his hands held gently in theirs.
Hozuki Nozomi responded to the attention with a calm, confident smile. He offered a polite, measured bow to the gathered assembly, a gesture that acknowledged their presence without a hint of subservience. Then, with natural grace, he escorted Haruno and Yukino to their mother's side.
Mrs. Yukinoshita, her pride evident in the regal tilt of her chin, smiled warmly and made a subtle gesture. On cue, the string quartet in the corner transitioned from a light prelude into the first, elegant strains of a waltz, officially marking the start of the celebratory banquet.
As the music swelled, the social mechanics of the evening clicked into gear. Young men from various prominent families, emboldened by the atmosphere, began scanning the room for suitable dance partners. The engagement banquet had seamlessly transformed into a formal ball.
Yukinoshita Haruno, ever perceptive, gave Nozomi's hand a light, encouraging squeeze before releasing it.
"Take good care of my little sister," she whispered with a playful glint in her eye. Then, she herself glided away, transforming into the epitome of a social butterfly. With effortless charm and impeccable grace, she began circulating among the other young ladies and their families, her laughter like silver bells, her conversation engaging and warm. It was a masterclass in social navigation, the skill of a true "perfect superhuman" on full display.
Meanwhile, Nozomi turned to Yukino, who stood beside him with a composed but expectant air. He extended his hand formally, his smile softening. "May I have this dance, my lady?"
"Of course," Yukino replied, placing her hand in his without hesitation.
Together, the handsome young man and the beautiful young woman in white moved onto the polished dance floor. Their steps were synchronized and graceful, a picture of harmonious elegance. For this very evening, Nozomi had undertaken extensive practice. His tutors in the art of ballroom dance had been none other than Sanshokuin Sumireko and her sister, Nichiji Sumire. Though they had chosen not to attend the banquet themselves, their diligent coaching and kindness were deeply appreciated, a fact that warmed a small, private corner of his heart amidst the grandeur.
Across the room, Hayama Hayato watched the scene, a dull ache throbbing beneath his ribs. Swallowing his turmoil, he forced his features into a practiced, brilliant smile and approached Haruno, who had momentarily paused near a refreshment table.
"Haruno-senpai," he began, executing a perfect bow. "May I have the honor of this dance?"
Haruno turned her elegant smile upon him, though it held a distinct, polite distance. "My apologies, Hayato-kun. As one of this evening's protagonists, I have decided to share my dances exclusively with my fiancé tonight."
"But… your fiancé is dancing with Yukino-san right now," Hayato pointed out, unable to keep a hint of strained confusion from his voice.
"I am aware," Haruno replied smoothly, her smile unwavering. "My turn will come shortly."
"Is this… is this really acceptable to you, Senpai?" Hayato pressed, his voice lowering. The question hung in the air, attracting the subtle, gossiping attention of a few nearby guests.
Haruno's smile cooled by several degrees. The warmth she showed others vanished, replaced by a tone of definitive finality. "I find it perfectly acceptable, Hayato-kun. You should focus on enjoying the ball yourself. Now, if you'll excuse me." With a final, dismissive nod, she turned and glided away, leaving Hayato standing alone, his fist clenched tightly at his side.
Her new target was Asuna Yuuki, who had just, with visible relief, declined an invitation from a rather eager young man from the pharmaceutical industry.
"Hello, Asuna-chan. I hope I'm not intruding?" Haruno asked, her voice friendly once more.
"On the contrary, Haruno-san," Asuna exhaled, offering a grateful smile. "You've saved me. This is my first time at such an event, and I'm not really comfortable dancing with strangers."
Haruno chuckled lightly. "I understand. But if you refuse everyone, your parents might hear about it. People could start saying the Yuuki family's daughter is too aloof, that your family looks down on others. It could cause… complications."
Asuna's eyes widened with mild panic. "Then what should I do? Just accept anyone? But… the way some of them look at me…" She trailed off, a slight shiver running through her. The gazes she referenced were less about admiration and more about possession and calculation.
"That's simple," Haruno said, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous idea. She took Asuna's hand. "We'll have Nozomi-kun help you. One dance, and the matter is settled. No one can fault you afterward."
In a bit of a daze, Asuna Yuuki found herself being gently transferred from Haruno's care to Nozomi's arms as he and Yukino finished their dance. A flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks, but her impeccable upbringing took over. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and together they moved back into the flow of the waltz.
Hozuki Nozomi led with practiced ease, his gaze holding a gentle, respectful warmth entirely devoid of the predatory gleam she had seen in others' eyes. This alone significantly increased Asuna's favorable impression of him. After the dance concluded, she was able to gracefully plead fatigue, using the completed dance as a shield to politely deflect any further invitations for the rest of the evening.
In a shadowed corner of the ballroom, Eriri Spencer Sawamura stood with her arms crossed, her small fists clenched. She watched the scene, a familiar sulk settling over her features. That scoundrel! When did he get so chummy with the Yuuki heiress? I'm standing right here! Can't he see me? Why hasn't he asked me to dance?
Her mother, Sawamura Sayuri, observing her daughter's stormy expression, let out a soft gasp of surprise behind her fan. She sidled up to Eriri, looking from her daughter's face to the now-departing figure of Nozomi and Asuna with keen interest.
"Eriri-chan, what exactly is the situation between you and Hozuki Nozomi-kun? I thought you said you were just club friends…?"
"W-we are!" Eriri sputtered, her cheeks coloring. "Mom, don't jump to conclusions!"
Sayuri merely hummed skeptically. A mother knew her daughter's tells.
While Eriri was fuming and Sayuri was plotting, Hozuki Nozomi, having finished a whirlwind dance with Haruno, made his way directly toward them. He stopped before the two Sawamura women and, with a charming smile, extended his hand in invitation.
"Lovely lady, may I have this dance?"
Eriri's heart did a traitorous little flip. She immediately lifted her chin, a haughty "it's about time" expression beginning to form. But before she could move a muscle, she watched in horror as her mother's elegantly gloved hand slid forward and settled lightly into Nozomi's waiting palm.
"Of course, Nozomi-kun. Since you asked so charmingly."
Eriri's jaw dropped. Her own hand, half-raised, hung frozen in the air in a gesture of utter despair.No!Mom! What are you doing?!He was inviting me!Aren't you worried about Dad getting jealous?!And Hozuki Nozomi, you big idiot! You're actually taking my mom to dance?!
Nozomi himself felt a wave of helpless amusement. Sayuri had moved with decisive speed, and refusing her would have been unthinkably rude. Besides, hadn't Eriri's own tsundere hesitation created this opening?
As Sawamura Sayuri allowed Nozomi to guide her into the dance, she noted how his eyes remained respectfully focused over her shoulder, his concentration on the steps impeccable. A mischievous, approving smile touched her lips.
"My, are you surprised I stole my daughter's chance?" she whispered playfully.
"Not at all," Nozomi replied smoothly, a hint of a smile in his own voice. "My invitation was for you, Sayuri-san."
The response made her pause, then her smile widened. "You certainly know how to speak to a woman's heart. Now," her tone shifted to one of gentle conspiracy, "please go and coax my daughter properly afterward. She's a textbook case, that one."
Though she didn't fully understand the circumstances that led the Yukinoshita matriarch to accept Nozomi as a dual son-in-law, his evident charm and capability were clear. If her Eriri had feelings for him, Sayuri was willing to give fate a little nudge.
"Lovely lady, may I have this dance?"
A different, unfamiliar voice pulled Eriri from her stunned reverie. A young man from a publishing family stood before her, hand extended. Eriri, her annoyance at peak levels, opened her mouth to deliver a sharp refusal.
However, another hand interceded. Hozuki Nozomi, having gracefully concluded his dance with Sayuri, slid between them. He took Eriri's still-trembling hand firmly in his own. "My apologies. This dance has already been promised to me."
Under the combined weight of Eriri's shocked, blush-pink gaze and the thinly-veiled displeasure of the other young man, Nozomi triumphantly swept Eriri Spencer Sawamura onto the dance floor.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Eriri mumbled into his shoulder as she fell into step with him, her movements stiff with residual pique. "Flirting at your own engagement party?"
"I was merely assisting acquaintances," he explained calmly. "Miss Asuna is my classmate and fellow club member. And as for your mother… wasn't it your own delayed reaction that caused the mix-up? Sayuri-san was simply saving me from embarrassment."
"Ugh… who asked you to be such a… a flirt! It's normal for me to hesitate, isn't it?"
"You weren't hesitating. You were being tsundere."
"I am not a tsundere!" she retorted automatically, but the protest lacked its usual fire. Her mood, against her will, had lifted considerably. She felt like a child who had secretly gotten her way. With a faint, guilty sense of triumph, she stole a glance toward Yukino Yukinoshita, who was serenely observing the ball from a plush chair. Then, cheeks still warm, she allowed herself to relax into the dance, following Hozuki Nozomi's lead.