The Heir I Dragged Into My “He’s My Fiancé!” Lie Is Somehow Playing Along!? - Chapter 2.8

Lately, Takase seemed to be getting a little too attached to Shirotsuki-san.

(Kido’s the one who said all those suggestive things. Even though I wasn’t invited, I came to check on her, but the situation is way worse than I imagined. What’s going on?)

Does Alice not realize how cute she is? Umi couldn’t stop thinking about it.

After hearing about the drinking party from Kido, Umi headed to the aquarium restaurant after work, only to find Alice completely surrounded by men.

Just seeing that made the temperature around them drop sharply, even though Umi himself wasn’t consciously doing it.

Though usually skilled at reading the room, this time Umi opened his mouth without noticing the sub-zero chill he was emitting.

With a smile.

“Good work, everyone. I don’t mean to intrude, but I was just passing by. Since I recognize some faces here, I thought I’d take the opportunity to say hello.”

The atmosphere in the room completely froze.

“Chief Kura…?” Takase murmured.

Umi turned his smiling face toward her.

“That’s right. Is there a problem?”

“Ah, um, we’ll make a seat for you! One with aquarium view!”

“An empty seat.” Takase muttered. Everyone’s eyes turned toward Alice.

Alice looked completely bewildered, as if she hadn’t anticipated this development at all.

Just making eye contact made his chest tighten painfully.

(She’s so cute today too…!)

So cute he didn’t want anyone else to see her. He wanted to throw his jacket over her head and whisk her away right now.

Various kidnapping-like extraction methods ran through Umi’s mind.

“No need to make a seat for me. I won’t stay long.”

“Ah, no, no! It’s not like we’re expecting a cash gift from Chief Kura or anything! The drinks are bottomless but last call has passed, and the food has already been settled with the party fee! It’s just that, well, since you two are here together now!”

“The two of us together? You want to see us side by side?”

Though Umi intended to answer with a smile, Takase broke out in a cold sweat and took a step back. She ended up stepping on the foot of the man sitting next to Alice and was apologizing profusely. “I’m so sorry!” Umi didn’t miss that.

“What’s wrong? You seem unsteady on your feet. You should be careful not to drink too much. You made the reservation under the company name, right? Don’t cause any vulgar disturbances.”

Of course, even under personal names, causing trouble for the establishment was unacceptable.

Umi said that much, but it was doubtful whether anyone heard him to the end. For some reason, the completely flustered Takase turned pale and bowed sharply.

“Th-that would never happen! We would absolutely never do anything to tarnish the Ozora name!”

There was a sense that Kido had peeked out from behind Umi. He chose the perfect moment to interject.

“It’s about time to wrap things up, isn’t it? Sorry I couldn’t make it in time, even though you kindly invited me. Chief Kura didn’t come to ruin your fun time either; he just came to pick up someone heading in the same direction. Please don’t mind him.”

It was effectively a declaration that the party was over. Even so, in the still-frozen air, without so much as a glance at the employees who showed no sign of starting to talk, Umi began walking toward Alice.

(Mr. Umi, making an appearance in a rare private edition…!?)

Umi, having come straight from work, was wearing his usual executive-style suit seen at the company, but his hair was lightly tucked behind his ears, and multiple piercings were visibly layered, creating an edgy look.

It might have been to switch between his work and private personas, but his polished beauty was now coupled with a dangerous glamour, making him feel even more intimidating.

Takase, who had been standing right next to Alice, murmured, “Piercings…” having spotted them keenly.

(Mr. Umi in a stylish restaurant with an aquarium backdrop is just like a drama! Everyone at the tables we passed was turning to look, and I get it. His aura is incredible. As expected, the Ozora family isn’t ordinary…)

Since becoming attached to the vice president, Alice had recently been attending gatherings with clients’ executives, heavy-hitters, and even politicians.

The dignitaries from various fields, whom she faced directly without media filtering, were overwhelming in their intense presence, even without speaking to them directly.

But it was easy to imagine that Umi, as Chief Kura, the prince of the Ozora Group, would never be overshadowed by these veterans, despite his youth.

(Even though I never had the chance to interact with him, we were in the same company. How come I never noticed the prince’s overwhelming aura until now? The atmosphere makes even speaking to him feel presumptuous.)

She could easily understand the feelings of the employees around them, holding their breath and watching his every move. Because Alice was just as tense.

In the air that seemed to have stopped, Umi, the only one who seemed able to move freely, walked up to Alice and smiled at her.

“Kido and I were working nearby until just now. Since it worked out, I came to pick you up.”

In the dimly lit restaurant, his beauty, floating in the pale blue light, was fantastical and unreal.

Would even a still from an otome game have a composition this perfect? Alice thought in the corner of her mind as she looked up at Umi blankly and managed to open her mouth.

“Ah, um, thank you for coming all this way when you must be tired.”

“Your face is red. You’ve been drinking, right? I’m driving today too, so you can sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

His smile was sweet.

(This is bad for my heart. Absolutely bad. It’s scary to think that smile is directed only at me.)

Though she felt terribly sorry toward Umi, Alice, being an ordinary person, was dominated more by the feeling of “an incredibly aura-intense person approached me and spoke to me with a smile” than by the joy of “my boyfriend came to pick me up.”

The fact that just a few weeks ago she had grabbed him herself and dragged him into a lie by saying, “This person is my fiancé!” was such a ridiculously fearless episode that it made her shiver.

“Chief Kura, those piercings suit you outrageously well. No host around here could compete with that!”

Beside Alice, Kirihara, apparently trying to lighten the mood, cracked a joke.

Umi, still smiling sweetly, tilted his head slightly.

“Host?”

Kirihara, as if unable to bear the tension, looked down and covered his face with both hands.

It was a reaction completely unlike his usual battle-hardened salesperson demeanor of being bold and open-hearted. He was like a baby rabbit spotted by a lion.

“Until now, I’ve never seen that kind of attire at the company, so it’s fresh. I had a strong image of you in executive suits, but Chief Kura, you’re not that much older than us, are you!”

Boldly stepping over Kirihara’s corpse, this time Takase initiated conversation herself.

(Ms. Takase, you’ve completely lost all color from your face! If you’re scared, you should stop, why are you pushing yourself like this!?)

Alice knew that Umi was by no means an overbearing person.

On the contrary, he was very considerate, kind, sincere, and serious.

But that was strictly his private face.

While it was undeniable that he was born into the Ozora family and had a privileged position, Umi had climbed to a responsible position in a major corporation at his young age.

How he would behave toward employees was something even Alice couldn’t quite grasp.

Indeed, he might sometimes assert his dignity to ensure he wasn’t taken lightly.

Sure enough, Umi turned his face toward Takase and, with an impeccable smile, said:

“Did you find something familiar about me? Where? I’d like you to explain it in a way I can understand.”

It was terrifying.

Even though he was just speaking normally, the pressure was intense.

Takase, with a strained smile, said, “Um, well…” and then fell completely silent.

Showing no indication that he considered Takase to be “intimidated” by him in the slightest, Umi cheerfully pressed on.

“It’s a company drinking party. You never know who’s listening, so keep internal topics moderate. I don’t think you’ll get out of hand, but drinking too much isn’t good. Shall we call it a day here?”

Yes… someone replied, and finally, the time that had stopped began to move slowly again. Umi turned his gaze back to Alice.

“Is there anything left unfinished? If you have closing remarks, I’ll wait.”

“No, it’s fine. I already had time for greetings earlier.”

Not wanting to keep him waiting, Alice quickly answered Umi once. But then, thinking it would be awkward to leave just like that, she reconsidered, stood up, and looked around the table.

“Thank you very much for preparing such a generous seating arrangement today. The restaurant was very lovely, the staff’s service was excellent, and as someone in the same industry, I learned a lot and had an enjoyable time. I’m grateful not only for the opportunity to speak with my seniors from the Secretarial Department but also with everyone from Sales. I imagine there will be many situations in the future where we’ll need to cooperate across departments. After the break, let’s do our best again starting next week.”

When she looked up, everyone present had serious expressions, but Kido was smiling amusedly.

When he made eye contact with Alice, he spoke to her in his usual earnest and efficient manner.

“Everything here is taken care of now. Shirotsuki-san, you’ve been tired from consecutive business trips, and you stayed late today—thank you for your hard work. Please go home and relax today.”

Being spoken to so considerately gave her a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. When Umi said, “Let’s go,” Alice nodded, letting out another sigh of relief.

(I can’t believe I fell into a deep sleep.)

After getting into Umi’s car parked in a nearby lot of the aquarium restaurant, just as she was wondering what to talk about first, lulled by the comfortable vibrations, Alice completely fell asleep.

“Are you waking up? If not, I’ll carry you like this, is that okay?”

Noticing Umi calling to her by her ear, she barely managed to wake up. They had already arrived at the apartment complex’s multi-story parking garage, and Umi, who had opened the passenger door, was lifting Alice up.

“I’m sorry, I can walk by myself!”

While hearing Umi say, “It’s fine,” she extricated herself from his arms and, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him, headed through the silent hallway toward her room.

(I’ve been on consecutive business trips lately, and even when I got home, I’d prepare for the next day and go straight to sleep, so it’s been a while since I’ve returned home during a more relaxed time. It’s past 10 PM though.)

No matter what, I want to make sure we have time to talk properly…! She had that determination, but right at this moment, Alice was acutely aware of her lack of physical stamina.

If only sleeping in the car had helped her recover even a little, but if anything, combined with the fact that she’d had some alcohol, the incomplete sleep made her body feel even more sluggish.

Thinking she was way too weak-willed, she let Umi guide her through the entrance door.

With a click, Umi, who had followed behind and closed the door, called out, “Alice.”

In the luxurious, tastefully decorated, spacious entranceway where not a single extra pair of shoes was placed, Umi turned to the now-facing Alice and gave her a soft, melting smile. His gaze was gentle.

“It’s been about two weeks since we’ve been able to talk calmly, hasn’t it? I’ve been away on business a lot too, so we’ve been missing each other quite a bit, but you’re free this weekend, right?”

Her knees went weak with a thud, and Alice ended up leaning against the wall behind her.

(This is violence through sex appeal…! This is definitely magic. Charm, charm, charm!)

Unable to look directly at him, Alice tended to look down and turned her face away. Into her line of sight came Umi’s wrist.

“Wall slam chance.”

When she looked up, Umi, who had approached to the absolute limit, was peering into Alice’s face and smiling.

(…He’s a man who doesn’t let chances slip away, as expected. My heart is going to break sooner or later.)

Alice managed to say, breathlessly:

“I thought I’d never experience a wall slam in my life. Thank you.”

“Good. I like them. I thought you might be put off, but if there’s another chance, I’ll do it again.”

Since she didn’t think she’d get used to it, if he did it again, her heart might break and she might die.

Before she could voice such dangerous thoughts, Umi pulled away, looking satisfied. But then, as if remembering something, he placed his hand beside Alice again.

“A wall slam isn’t just the slam and then it’s over, right? Sorry. I ended it with just the slam.”

“Huh?”

In front of the bewildered Alice, Umi lowered his eyes. Then, quite naturally, he brought his face closer and pressed his lips to hers.

After taking his time with the kiss, Umi looked at Alice from up close.

“Welcome back. I missed you since we haven’t had much time together. Let’s take it easy this weekend. I’ve stocked up on ingredients, and if we run out, I’ll have Kido deliver more.”

Is it okay for Kido-san to show up during our time together? and I’m already planning to completely shut myself in…! Her short line was packed with things that concerned her, but at this moment, Alice didn’t miss the “I missed you.”

(This is the important part! The kind that shows up on tests! The level where if you mess up the answer, you fail!)

As his girlfriend, she shouldn’t get this wrong; she should try to say something thoughtful, Alice thought with a difficult expression.

What did Umi think of that reaction? He chuckled softly and then continued.

“You look like you’re worrying about something, but I always think that if there’s anything Alice wants me to do, I want to make it happen. I want you to tell me without hesitation. And next, if you could just go along with what I want to do a little, I’d be happy.”

“What you want to do? What is it? If there’s anything I can do, please let me know!”

This was “acting spoiled” following his lonely statement. This was the chance to spoil him back!

(I’ll become a woman who doesn’t let chances slip away either! I owe Mr. Umi more than just a night’s lodging and a meal, so I’ll absolutely spoil him!)

With strong determination, Alice leaned forward and asked.

“Well, it’s…”

Umi’s cheeks flushed faintly, and he whispered shyly in a small voice.

“The bath.”

“The bath?”

“Won’t you join me?”

“…!? U, u, you and me, Mr. Umi?”

“Yeah. Alice, you always use the shower room attached to your bedroom, but the bath is nice too. You can see the ocean with the harbor view, so it might be nice to turn off the lights and float some candles while we’re in there.”

She felt like her knees were going to give out, but Alice somehow managed to endure through sheer willpower.

(He’s saying such stylish things and it’s really wonderful, but the hurdle is too high! Spoiling your boyfriend is super difficult!)

In Alice’s sensibilities, “that’s impossible,” but she could feel that Umi was actively trying to spend time with her.

Maybe he was worried that she might collapse in the shower because she was drunk.

“A shared bath. That means being naked together, right?”

As Alice asked while wiping her cold sweat, even Umi got drawn in, turning even redder as he answered.

“We have bath salts too. The kind that turns the water milky white. Then it should be okay, right?”

To that Prince Kura, who, when seen from the outside, possessed a fearsome intensity—the kind you’d easily believe could move Japan in the future.

He was shyly acting spoiled toward her.

(Living together, even though I always fall into a deep sleep, on days when we’re home we sleep in the same bed, but he never does anything improper. Kai has proper self-control in that regard.)

Despite there being countless situations where he could have taken advantage if he had ulterior motives, Kai never did anything Alice was unwilling to do.

And now this same Kai was confessing that he wanted her to accompany him in what he wanted to do.

For Alice, who wanted to fulfill his wishes, this was indeed a perfect opportunity.

Pumping herself up with determination, Alice voiced her agreement.

“Understood. Let’s take a bath together! Please take care of me!”

She clenched her fist with strong resolve to get through this with courage!

Naturally, there was no sweet atmosphere between them, but Kai smiled happily, though somewhat shyly, and said:

“Thank you. If you’re uneasy with just bath salts, shall we float some rose petals too? I’m sure you’ll like them, Alice.”

Why does he have rose petals stocked at home? Before even considering whether she’d like them or not, Alice felt a chill run down her spine at this display of luxury.