Chapter 45: Chance Encounter
She was wearing a vibrant yellow dress that outlined a figure far more curvaceous than her peers. Her long pink hair was tied up with a ribbon, and her impressive figure was almost bursting from the dress.
This was none other than Fujiwara Chika.
The banquet was a buffet, featuring a wide variety of delicious food.
Both Western and Japanese style pastries were available, looking extremely appetizing and exquisite.
However, since the banquet had just begun, most attendees were busy networking with business partners, leaving the only two people genuinely focused on eating to be Fujiwara Chika and Hikigaya Hachiman.
Fujiwara's presence here didn't surprise Hikigaya Hachiman; as the third daughter of the prominent Fujiwara family, with her advantageous background, being on the Shinomiya family's invitation list was routine.
"Hachiman, why are you here too?"
Fujiwara Chika devoured half a mousse cake in one bite, her expression instantly one of immense satisfaction, talking while she ate.
"And you came in with Kaguya-san's brother."
Fujiwara Chika found it very strange. Based on her impression, Hachiman rarely attended banquets like this.
She had initially thought she was mistaken when she saw Hikigaya Hachiman from afar, but upon closer inspection, she confirmed it was him.
That's why she hurried through the crowd to greet him.
Fujiwara Chika looked extremely happy, radiating a gentle smile.
The cake was delicious, and she got to meet Hachiman—it was double the joy!
At a banquet hosted by the Shinomiya family, there were few people her age, and even fewer familiar faces.
"Where is Secretary Fujiwara?"
Hearing Hachiman's question, Fujiwara Chika replied,
"I came with my grandfather."
"Then where is your grandfather?"
Hikigaya Hachiman didn't seem to see Fujiwara Chika's grandfather.
Fujiwara Chika looked belated, as if she had just realized the fact.
"Where is my grandfather?"
She had forgotten about her grandfather while rushing over to find Hachiman.
"But Grandpa should be fine."
Fujiwara Chika said with a smile.
"Probably."
She remembered her older sister's instruction before they left:
"Don't let Grandpa drink too much."
But then she thought, the banquet had just started, surely her grandfather wouldn't start drinking recklessly, right?
She immediately put her sister's warning out of her mind.
Eating the small cakes was the priority.
Surely nothing would happen if she stepped away for just a moment.
"What about Shinomiya?"
Hikigaya Hachiman found it a bit odd. Since her brother was hosting the banquet, why wasn't Shinomiya Kaguya present?
"Kaguya-san rarely attends these kinds of banquets."
Fujiwara Chika was used to it.
Kaguya rarely showed up at such events.
She also didn't particularly like coming.
"Oh, right, Hachiman.
Let's take a picture together and show it to Kaguya-san."
Fujiwara Chika figured Kaguya-san would be delighted if she knew Hachiman was invited to the banquet by her brother, right?
Hikigaya Hachiman didn't object.
So, Fujiwara Chika called over an attendant to help take a picture of her and Hikigaya Hachiman.
The photo showed Fujiwara Chika happily eating a cake while also making sure to share some with Hikigaya Hachiman.
The two looked very harmonious.
"Done."
Fujiwara Chika sent the photo to Kaguya-san.
She wrote:
"I ran into Hachiman at the banquet Kaguya-san's brother is hosting."
Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't surprised by Fujiwara Chika's foodie nature; this was just a manifestation of her genuine and unaffected personality.
Other guests were still mingling and hadn't started eating like them. For instance, Mei Mei was chatting with several businessmen, while Ui Ui stood nearby acting as a bag carrier.
They were clearly networking with Mei Mei's regular clients.
Where did Todo go?
After finishing a few servings of cake, Fujiwara Chika's expression was clearly satisfied.
Fujiwara Chika patted her non-existent belly and spoke mysteriously to Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Hachiman, did you know that the entertainers performing today include not only the comedian Wakaba but also Takada?"
Fujiwara Chika had seen the cast list long before arriving, so she wasn't surprised and shared the information with Hikigaya Hachiman.
Wakaba, the comedian, and Takada were both very famous artists.
Hikigaya Hachiman already knew Takada would be there from Todo. So, Wakaba was coming too.
Hikigaya Hachiman immediately thought of Mutsumi's father, who was the comedian Wakaba.
Did that mean Mutsumi might also be here?
Hikigaya Hachiman thought this was highly likely and scanned the hall.
The banquet hall was quite large, spacious enough to accommodate over 2,000 people.
However, Hikigaya Hachiman estimated that no more than 300 people were invited tonight, making the entire hall feel a bit deserted.
Sure enough, Hikigaya Hachiman spotted Mutsumi near a piano area.
Mutsumi was also wearing a black evening gown, mechanically playing a song repeatedly as accompaniment for the banquet, like an automaton.
Perhaps in other places, Wakaba Mutsumi's father's identity as a comedian was quite useful, but at the Shinomiya family, both father and daughter were merely performers.
Fujiwara Chika was originally watching Hikigaya Hachiman's reaction, hoping to surprise him with her news.
However, Hikigaya Hachiman's expression remained unchanged, which left her feeling somewhat dissatisfied.
Following Hachiman's gaze, Fujiwara Chika saw the delicate, doll-faced, light-green-haired girl.
"That girl is little Mutsumi, the daughter of the comedian Wakaba I just mentioned."
"Secretary Fujiwara, do you know her?"
Fujiwara Chika smiled. She said somewhat reluctantly,
"I saw her in my piano teacher's circle of friends."
Due to one comment from Kaguya-san, Fujiwara Chika no longer played music, but she hadn't deleted her piano teacher's contact information.
The teacher was currently instructing Wakaba Mutsumi, the comedian Wakaba's daughter.
Wakaba clearly wanted his daughter to follow Fujiwara Chika's former path.
Fujiwara Chika obviously didn't want to talk about her piano teacher, as she was the one who unilaterally abandoned music.
So, she shared the other piece of news she knew with Hikigaya Hachiman.
"You definitely don't know this.
I just saw Misumi from Sumimi backstage.
Misumi will also be performing here later."
"Hmm?"
Hikigaya Hachiman's expression shifted upon hearing this news.
If he remembered correctly, Misumi had previously said her performing career was over.
She didn't specify the reason, but it seemed she was forced out.
Being blacklisted, yet performing at the Shinomiya family's event.
Could Hikigaya Hachiman reasonably infer that Misumi's trouble was actually with the Shinomiya family, and the condition for the Shinomiya Group to let her go was for her to join a management agency under the Shinomiya Group?
Hikigaya Hachiman thought that Misumi's former company president wasn't an idiot and would surely understand Misumi's value.
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
"Oh, Grandpa is drinking so much again."
Fujiwara Chika suddenly noticed her grandfather gathering with a few old friends, looking quite happy. The trays held by the nearby attendants were filled with empty wine glasses.
She was very upset.
"Sorry, Hachiman, I need to go find my grandfather."
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head, indicating he didn't mind.
He pulled out his phone and found Misumi's contact.
He composed a short message.
"Misumi, want to have dinner together tonight?"
The message was read almost instantly. Misumi quickly replied with an emoji.
It was a crying kitten.
"Sorry, sorry, Hachiman, I'm busy tonight.
Maybe another time.
I have work.
I'm really busy, I probably won't be done until very late.
I'm so sorry."
Misumi's string of apologies made it seem like she was genuinely unavailable.
"It's okay, I'm sorry for bothering you.
Good luck with your work.
I really like Misumi's performance on stage."
He had also confirmed that if what Secretary Fujiwara said was true, Misumi would be performing here later.
Only specially invited people, not just anyone, performed at the Shinomiya family's event.
But how could Misumi, someone about to be blacklisted by her own company, receive an invitation from the Shinomiya family?
Unless the condition for Misumi not being blacklisted was joining the Shinomiya family's management agency.
However, this was only Hikigaya Hachiman's conjecture. He would know for sure by asking her after the performance.
Hikigaya Hachiman called over a passing attendant.
"Hello, could I please have a glass of mango juice?"
"Certainly, sir."
Hikigaya Hachiman thanked him, took the mango juice, and walked towards Mutsumi Wakaba.
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