Chapter 339 Maki's Engagement Ring
After Mine Shiori put away the earrings very solemnly, the two sat and chatted for a long time until Mine Shiori mentioned another thing that interested Sawayama Haruno.
"Ms. Morikawa told me that the annual meeting will probably start around mid-December. When does Haruno plan to come back?"
Mine Shiori looked at Sawayama Haruno with some concern. She asked this because she knew Haruno would go back to Osaka in the next two days and his schedule was so tight that she didn't know if he had any extra time to come and participate.
Since Morikawa Riho's career has been steadily rising recently, she and Shiori Mine, who was interning under her, also got the opportunity to attend the annual meeting. However, this event is not mandatory after all, and she thought that if Haruno couldn't spare the time, she might as well not go.
After all, apart from her colleagues in the same department and Ms. Morikawa, she didn't know anyone else, and she didn't have any authors of her own to accompany her. If she went to the annual meeting, she could only sit and watch the leaders speak.
Although Kodansha's annual meeting offers the opportunity to fly to Canada for free and stay in high-end hotels, as well as exquisite gifts and raffles on site, these things are not very attractive to Shiori Mine.
"Mid-December?"
Sawayama Haruno had a headache.
The annual meeting is an event that is somewhat important to him but not particularly important. To use the words of his previous life, it is probably the type of event that is "tasteless to eat but a pity to throw away". Of course, Sawayama Haruno also has his own considerations for saying this.
First of all, he has become a pillar of the station, and it seems a bit unreasonable not to participate in such a major event. Secondly, he wants to have a deeper cooperation with Kodansha in the future. Sawayama Haruno is no longer satisfied with the current dividend model and wants to continue to make some profits for himself.
After all, as someone who came from another world, he knew better the "value" of the books he wrote. Whether from a literary or commercial perspective, any one of these books would be enough to provide a person with a comfortable life for the rest of his life.
The reason why he hadn't planned these things before was purely because his first book was his debut work and he didn't have much capital to negotiate some favorable conditions. But now it is obviously different because his status has risen.
"I'll wait and see. Ms. Morikawa hasn't told me about this yet. But it's mid-December, so it's hard to say when I'll be free."
Sawayama Haruno stroked his chin and said casually, "I guess it's for the New Year's celebration. The company leaders should be planning to return home before January 1st, so they set the meeting in the middle of the month."
The island country does not celebrate the Spring Festival in February, which is a unique feature of Zeshan Haruno's country in his previous life. For the island country, the so-called New Year is on January 1st. All companies will have corresponding holidays, and those who work outside will basically return to their hometowns to reunite with their families. In fact, the feeling of celebrating the New Year in his previous life is not much different.
After all, the two countries are close to each other, and mutual cultural influence is inevitable. In addition, Asians generally attach great importance to the day when the new year comes. It is understandable that the company leaders arrange the time in this way. The only thing that gives Sawayama Haruno a headache is how to arrange his time after the annual meeting.
It's impossible to go back to Osaka again, right?
And then they have to go to the district office to register their marriage. No matter how easy it is to say before, how can they not prepare well for such an important day? In fact, Sawayama Haruno has already made his own arrangements.
Anyway, Maki's current appearance hasn't changed much from usual, so we might as well take her to take some wedding photos before and after the registration. At worst, we can wait until we get married officially and then take another new one. It's always better to do more than nothing.
Besides, Ezaki Suguha seemed to be looking forward to this event. She would be able to take a set of wedding photos with him at that time. It would be the best of both worlds from any angle.
After some thought, Sawayama Haruno decided to prepare according to the current plan for the time being.
So he looked at Mine Shiori and said casually, "If Ms. Morikawa contacts me later, I will ask her again. If I can come back early for the annual meeting, I will go. If not, forget it."
He paused and added, "To be honest, I'll be quite busy for the next while. I haven't even had time to write a novel recently."
"Kafka on the Shore" has been stuck on the first two chapters. It would be more accurate to say that Sawayama Haruno just can't write it, but there have been too many things going on recently for him to concentrate.
Although she felt a little inexplicably regretful, Mine Shiori still nodded slightly and said, "I understand. If Haruno needs my help, remember to let me know."
"Will do."
Sawayama Haruno smiled when he heard this.
"Not so soon yet, but I think I'll have a lot of things to ask of you in January or February next year."
He estimated that he would only have time to write in January or February next year. Fortunately, school had not started yet, so he had plenty of time to finish his second novel and deal with other things.
The task list that he had drawn up in advance had already planned out all his next things, even including when he would mention Mana to Maki again and how to pursue Mine Shiori.
In the following time, the two chatted about some other things, and most of the time, Shiori Mine was sharing some interesting things about her work.
After she understood each other's feelings, the petite girl tried her best to have more interactions with Sawayama Haruno in her clumsy but hard-working way. Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction, including at this moment in the high-end apartment on the other side of Shinjuku District.
3:26 pm.
Suguha Esaki was the first to wake up from her sleep.
When she opened her eyes, what appeared in front of her was a ceiling that was somewhat similar but not exactly the same. After being stunned for a while, she realized that she was now in Haruno's bedroom.
"Well"
A lazy voice came from the side.
Suguha Ezaki turned her head subconsciously and saw the sleeping face of her best friend Maki Miyazawa.
The ridiculous things that happened last night came to his mind, and Ezaki Suguha's face began to turn red.
"These two people"
Ezaki Suguha bit her lips lightly, looking a little unconvinced.
The main reason for her dissatisfaction was that yesterday Maki instigated Haruno to bully her, which was really too much. It was clearly her who said that they should work together to deal with Haruno, and it was also her who betrayed her at the last minute.
And he is actually the only one who can be considered as having fighting ability.
If I had known this earlier, I would have found a way to trick Ayano Yui over. That guy also has feelings for Haruno anyway, and Ayano Yui seems to have some objections to Maki being able to monopolize the identity of "legal wife". If I had brought her along, I could have taught the traitor Maki a lesson.
But then again, I wonder what that guy and Mana are planning.
Suguha Ezaki slowly sat up from the bed and looked at her fair and smooth arms, lost in thought for a moment.
There is a tooth mark of Sawayama Haruno on it.
It was just that I asked him to bite it yesterday.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Ezaki Suguha sighed slightly, but she didn't feel embarrassed at all. After all, this was a great satisfaction for her.
But the question now is not whether I am satisfied or not, but whether Haruno can be satisfied.
Yesterday's behavior was obviously the result of the other party's intentional restraint. Judging from the current situation, this problem can only be solved after Mana and Ayano Yui have completed their respective plans and there are other people to help share the burden.
But the problem is that the conflict between Mana and Maki is not small. Although it has eased, it is impossible to achieve it overnight. It is estimated that it will take some time. Unless I find a way to pull Mine Shiori over?
Suguha Esaki hesitated a little. To be honest, she was not the kind of girl who was generous enough to share Haruno without limits. But whether it was Miyazawa Mana or Ayano Yui, their feelings and relationships with Haruno were no weaker than hers, not to mention her master, Shiori Mine.
To be precise, she was the one who ran away in the competition with her master.
When I was in Kyoto, I even had a chance to let Haruno and Mine Shiori chat through a door while I was sitting underneath.
Thinking of this, Ezaki Suguha's face couldn't help but turn red again. She quickly calmed down her surging emotions and took a deep breath.
"Sure enough, I always feel an inexplicable sense of guilt if I don't solve my master's problem." She murmured to herself.
It's almost time to think of a way to take the relationship between Master and Haruno to the next level.
As for Maki, she wasn't particularly worried.
Because a few days ago she had very obscurely tried to probe the other party's thoughts on this matter, but Maki's expression made her wonder whether she should be glad or helpless.
Miyazawa Maki was very confident in her victory and was not worried at all about the other girls who appeared next to Haruno.
But it's true, after all, we're getting married soon
"Um Suguha?"
A confused voice came from behind me. It was Maki Miyazawa.
She seemed like she hadn't gotten enough sleep. She was rubbing her eyes and yawning, looking sleepy.
Hearing her best friend calling her, Suguha Ezaki naturally turned around, but her eyes stayed on the bedside table behind her.
"what happened?"
Miyazawa Maki couldn't help but yawn again, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "What time is it now?"
".It was probably in the afternoon. I don't know where Haruno went. Maybe he went out." Ezaki Suguha blinked and pointed behind Miyazawa Maki hesitantly and said, "There seems to be something for us on the table behind."
"Eh?"
Miyazawa Maki instantly perked up.
She struggled to sit up from the bed, and when she turned around, she saw the Christmas gifts that Sawayama Haruno had prepared for them early in the morning. There were even different labels attached for them, each with its own morning greeting.
Love words seem somewhat ordinary, and their main function is probably to let them distinguish which one is theirs.
Miyazawa Maki was immediately delighted when she realized that she had received another gift after waking up. She took the two small gift boxes without thinking, and after handing over Ezaki Suguha's, she quickly opened her own.
Inside was the diamond ring that Sawayama Haruno had prepared for her early in the morning.
The moment she saw the gift, Maki Miyazawa's eyes suddenly lit up.
“Mine is a ring.”
Miyazawa Maki said with a smile: "I thought he would wait until the day of registration before he was willing to give it to me."
She had been looking forward to him giving her a ring for a long time. After all, rings have special meaning for girls. Now they not only have a baby, but have also met each other's parents, which is equivalent to being engaged. However, Sawayama Haruno had been slow to buy her a ring. Now she finally made up for it.
The only regret is that the guy is not at home now. He should be asked to kneel down on one knee and take out the ring in front of me. This would be considered a more formal proposal.
If it really doesn't work, I suddenly took it out when I was "dark and dark" last night. It's acceptable, or even better!
"If you get married later, he might buy you a new one."
Hearing what Miyazawa Maki said, Ezaki Suguha smiled and said, "That doesn't seem to be a wedding ring. Generally speaking, only engagement rings have such a large diamond, and wedding rings are more plain."
As the eldest daughter of a noble family, she also knew something about the styles and meanings of rings.
It's obvious that the diamond ring in front of Miyazawa Maki is very expensive. It's estimated that Haruno spent a lot of money when buying the gift.
"Two rings?"
Maki Miyazawa became even more excited. She put the diamond ring on her hand without saying a word, and then smiled foolishly for a long time.
It was not until Ezaki Suguha was about to open her gift that she came to her senses.
“Is it a necklace?”
"Made of diamonds and platinum."
Ezaki Suguha carefully took out the necklace, and looking at it lying in her palm, she couldn't help but feel an inexplicable throbbing in her heart.
Although it was not the first time I received a gift from Haruno, it was the first time that the gift had such special meaning.
Although it's not a ring, this necklace is already very good. If Shin gave her a ring and I and Maki got the same gift, it would be indescribably awkward.
What's more, there is still a long future for him and Haruno, and maybe he will receive similar gifts in the future. After all, the other party has always adhered to the principle of treating everyone equally.
“It’s really beautiful.”
Looking at the platinum diamond chain in her hand, a smile appeared on Ezaki Suguha's lips.
"Looks like I have to play the role of a little elk again tonight," she joked.
"Again?"
Maki Miyazawa, who was admiring her ring, shrank her neck in fear when she heard this.
Although she was not the main fighting force last night, she still had intimate interactions with them, and her mouth is still a little sour. Don't even mention whether Ezaki Suguha can bear it or not, she really can't bear it.
Just when she was hesitating and wanted to back out, she heard the sound of a door opening and closing outside.
It's Sawayama Haruno who's back.
(End of this chapter)
