29 Homura Ryuu

Homura Ryuu, Homura International's one and only heir, stepped into the tatami room with an electrifying presence that made the private dining chamber almost immediately seemed small.

"Aya, you're late," Kazehaya Gin told the other casually as he stepped next to the newcomer.

Technically, Kazehaya Gin was taller, but the aura surrounding the young heir made him larger than life that even the already very charismatic, eye-catching, and colorful CEO next to him paled in comparison.

If Homura's CEO had the bearing of a noble, the young heir had the bearing of a king, even in casual clothes. That air of authority, his tall frame, and his face with a pair of icy blue stare were simply out of this world.

Koutaishidenka. Crown Prince.

There was no other fitting nickname for him.

"The meeting place was far from where I came from," Ryuu answered expressionlessly, transferring the small parcel he was holding to his other hand as he turned his attention to Aki.

Realizing that he's in the presence of these two unreachable men, Aki reeled. He could not fathom what he was doing here with them. There was no logic.

But Suzuki Aki had strong survival skills, and immediately jumped to his feet, before he could even gather his brain cells and bowed to give his greetings. "'Nice to meet– "

"President Suzuki," Homura Ryuu interrupted his greeting, as he too bowed deeply at his direction the same time he did. "Nice to meet you," the prince continued.

" – you..."

Suzuki Aki was so dumbfounded; he had finished his words very awkwardly. He couldn't understand why the young prince was bowing so deeply towards him.

As if sensing his confusion, Kazehaya Gin let out a small laugh as he waved them all back towards the table to sit.

"I already ordered your preferred food. They were just waiting for you to arrive before they serve."

The Koutaishidenka just nodded as the three of them sat on their respective seats and kept quiet.

Aki who still had no idea why he was there felt grateful that Homura's CEO kept chatting their heads off as he couldn't find a topic to talk about with them. Also, it gave him ample time to gather his bearings as his shock had been too great earlier. It also gave him an opportunity to contemplate about life in general.

Honestly, the reason why Suzuki Aki's success never went to his head was because of the existence of these two men who were so close to his age of twenty-five.

If memory served him right, Homura Ryuu was five years younger than Kazehaya Gin who was twenty-seven years old. At the young age of twenty-two, this man was already at the peak of power that nobody could ever dream of possessing.

It was no secret that behind Kazehaya Gin, the genius CEO, there was a shadow lord who was much, much more talented, and intelligent. It was why he was revered even by people who were older than him – Aki included.

With them around, his achievements with the Suzuki Raiden Group seemed so pitiful in comparison.

On that note, Suzuki Aki couldn't help but wonder again why he was called here. He was about to ask when there was a small knock, and the screen door slid open to reveal two hostesses bearing a tray of sake in ceramic flasks and another tray containing small, ceramic drinking cups in the same design.

The alcohol in the establishment was famous for being very high in quality and was best served at room temperature.

The hostesses wearing traditional kimonos elegantly placed the tray on the serving table and transferred the items on the low table. Afterwards, they bowed and retreated gracefully before exiting the room.

A small cough escaped the prince's throat that appeared to be parched from his travel.

Aki took this as cue to pour him drinks. He lifted his hand to take one flask when a pale hand beat him to it.

The Koutaishidenka lifted the ceramic flask with poise using both of his hands and bent it towards Aki's direction, his blue gaze prompting the other to lift his cup so he could pour alcohol in it.

Aki was astonished. Status wise, he was the lowest ranking among the three of them and therefore, should be the one pouring the sake of the others in their cups, not the other way around – most especially the Koutaishidenka. Also, even if the prince really wanted to serve him alcohol, he should technically just use one hand to hold the flask, and not two.

In Japanese etiquette, holding the flask with both hands as you serve someone alcohol meant you were showing deference – and it was something the Suzuki Raiden Group's CEO couldn't understand, and so he froze.

"Your cup please," Homura Ryuu said softly, and only then did Aki snap out of his thoughts and clumsily lifted his cup with both hands and received the alcohol.

He thanked the prince politely afterwards who just placed the flask back on the table quietly.

Suzuki Aki now took hold of it and poured the other some sake, which Homura Ryuu received with both of his hands.

With this, Aki finally concluded that maybe, because of his upbringing, the young prince was trained to be humble and polite – or so he thought.

"Can't I have some?"Kazehaya Gin suddenly inquired, and Aki was so embarrassed because he had forgotten to pour him drinks.

But before he could touch the flask again, Homura Ryuu took the alcohol flask with one hand, and casually poured Gin sake in his cup without so much as looked at him.

"What is this disparity in treatment?" Kazehaya Gin complained, and Suzuki Aki wanted to know too.

The poor CEO was thinking that the prince was polite to him because he was really like that, but no. Suzuki Aki was really given special treatment. But why?

"You're noisy."

One word from the prince and Kazehaya Gin swallowed the rest of his complaint and kept quiet with a pout.

Homura Ryuu then picked up the small parcel he had been carrying earlier from his side and placed it on the table. It was an elegant box, and the prince pushed it towards Aki's direction.

"Huh?"

Suzuki Aki didn't know what to do as he looked at the box.

"It's a gift," Homura Ryuu said, and so Aki had no choice but to open the parcel albeit reluctantly.

Inside was a very elegant looking watch with a leather strap that Suzuki Aki knew very well. It had a brilliant triple split that could measure time for seconds, minutes and hours. Its mindbogglingly complex mechanism contained five hundred and sixty-seven components and was very rare. Only a hundred of that series was made by A. Lange & Söhne, a German manufacturer of luxury and prestige watches.

He had seen the very same timepiece on TV where it was reported to have been auctioned in Geneva at the staggering amount of six hundred and seventy-two thousand pounds.

But why was Homura giving this to him now? Suzuki Aki's mind became blank, his eyes dull and empty. His brain was tired and fried that he finally spaced out.

On the opposite side of the table, Kazehaya Gin couldn't help but laugh at Ara's brother's expression. Poor guy.

He had probably reached the end of his wits trying to figure out why Homura Ryuu was brown-nosing him.

"Koutaishidenka," he called out as he waved his hand in front of Aki's face, but the latter remained unresponsive. "I think your brother-in-law's soul's not here anymore."