Chapter 27: Sora’s Appreciation
As the violet hues of the sunset deepened into a rich indigo, the shopping district transitioned into a different kind of luxury. The neon lights of the Korean sector began to flicker to life, but Sora led Jun in the opposite direction, toward the heart of the Japanese quarter.
“I know a place,” Sora said, her voice sounding warmer, more intimate. “It’s one of the most exclusive ryotei on the island. They serve traditional Kyoto-style kaiseki. I’ve wanted to bring you here since you arrived. I want you to taste the real Japan—the side that isn’t just corporate glass and steel.”
Jun followed her, noticing the way she looked at him. There was a new softness in her eyes, a quiet gratitude. For the first time in her life, Sora felt someone caring for her needs rather than her just managing the needs of others. The way Jun had spent the afternoon with her, listening to her preferences and treating her as a partner rather than a tool of the Tsukama Group, had touched a chord deep within her. She felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known was possible.
The restaurant was a masterpiece of traditional architecture, a wooden sanctuary tucked away from the modern bustle of the island. The entrance was marked by a single, glowing stone lantern and a path of perfectly raked white sand. As they stepped inside, the scent of tatami mats and incense enveloped them, instantly calming the senses.
However, the tranquility was short-lived. As they were led toward their private room, the hallways were not empty. Several groups of female students, mostly from the Japanese elite, were dining in other sections of the restaurant. As Jun passed, the atmosphere shifted. The low murmur of conversation died down, replaced by a heavy, charged silence.
Jun could feel the weight of their gazes. He noticed the way they leaned in, whispering frantically to one another. He didn’t need to hear their words to know what they were discussing. The forum leaks had spread like wildfire. These girls weren’t just looking at a Prime Candidate; they were looking at the man who had reduced the “Iron Lady” to a shivering, satisfied mess. Their eyes were predatory, filled with a mixture of jealousy and an intense, raw curiosity about what it would feel like to be handled by him.
Sora noticed it too. She straightened her posture, her expression cooling as she reclaimed her public mask. She didn’t like the way they looked at Jun—as if he were a prize to be won—but she also felt a surge of pride. He was her guide’s candidate, and she was the one who had experienced his full power.
They were shown into a private room, a serene space with sliding shoji screens and a low table set with exquisite lacquerware. As the door slid shut, the tension of the hallway vanished, replaced by the intimacy of the enclosed space.
Akane moved efficiently, arranging the seating and preparing the tea. She looked at Jun, then at Sora, her expression neutral but her eyes glowing with a quiet affection.
“I will go and coordinate the order with the kitchen,” Akane said softly. She paused, her voice hesitating. “May I have your permission to wait in the adjacent servant’s room, Jun-sama? I shall be ready to serve you the moment the courses arrive.”
Jun looked at her, then at Sora. “I don’t mind if you join us, Akane. You don’t have to stay in a separate room.”
Sora gave a small, appreciative smile, touched by Jun’s inclusive nature. “Akane would be very happy to hear that, Jun-sama. She truly values your kindness.” However, Sora’s gaze shifted, becoming more thoughtful. “But for now, it is better if she stays in the servant’s quarters. Until she is officially selected as one of your women, the hierarchy must be observed.”
Jun raised an eyebrow. “Hierarchy?”
“In Japan,” Sora explained, her voice taking on a pedagogical tone, “status is everything. The line between ‘servant’ and ‘partner’ is a thin but rigid one. If Akane is seen sitting at the table as an equal before she has been formally chosen, it could be perceived as preferential treatment. It might cause friction with the other elite families, who view these distinctions as sacred. To protect Akane—and to ensure your image as a disciplined Prime Candidate remains untarnished—it is best she remains in her role for now.”
Jun nodded, understanding. He didn’t particularly care for rigid social structures, but he respected Sora’s insight. He realized that by keeping Akane in the servant’s room, he wasn’t just following a rule; he was protecting the transition Akane would eventually make. When she finally joined his inner circle, it wouldn’t be as a lapped-over assistant, but as a chosen woman of the house.
“Understood,” Jun replied.
Akane bowed deeply, a look of quiet gratitude in her eyes. She didn’t mind the separate room; knowing that Jun wanted her there was enough to make her heart race. She stepped out, the shoji screen sliding shut with a soft click.
For a few moments, it was just the two of them. The silence was comfortable, filled with the rhythmic sound of the water feature in the garden outside. Sora looked at Jun, her expression softening.
“Thank you, Jun,” she whispered. “For today. For everything.”
Before Jun could respond, a soft, rhythmic knock sounded at the door. A waitress appeared, bowing low.
“Pardon the intrusion, Sora-sama, Jun-sama,” the waitress murmured. “There is another Prime Candidate—a high-ranking son of the Kyoto nobility from your own year—who wishes to pay his respects. He asks if he may be granted a moment of your time.”
Sora’s expression instantly shifted. Her brow furrowed, and a flicker of irritation crossed her face. She didn’t want her evening interrupted, especially by another Prime Candidate. In the rigid world of the Japanese elite, these “visits” were often thinly veiled attempts to assert dominance or scout the other’s status.
“Now?” Sora muttered, her voice laced with annoyance.
“It is a request,” the waitress replied softly. “And given his family’s standing, it would be considered a slight to reject him without a word.”
Sora sighed, leaning back in her seat. She knew the game. If Jun rejected a fellow Prime Candidate from a noble house, it could be perceived as arrogance or a lack of social grace, which could reflect poorly on her as his guide.
“Very well,” Sora said, her voice returning to its cold, professional edge. “Permit him entry. But only for a moment.”
Jun just smiled, leaning back. He could feel the tension rising in the room. The peace of the evening had been broken, and the competitive nature of the Academy was once again knocking at the door.