Chapter 12: Chapter 12 His Fiance.
There she stood, refined, gorgeous, well endowed yet something about her screamed high pedigree. Her dress was a stark contrast from him. He wore a dress albeit posh which exuded richness and accentuated his looks while she wore a Yukata with a rich embroidery of gold with flower petals. He had to admit that she was probably the most beautiful woman he ever met.
Taking his eyes away from her Haruto looked at her Mother and father who welcomed them in the living room. His father shook the hands of Mr. Ooka Tatsuhiko and he followed his father with a shake of hands.
He knows how to act before people of power and has met on several instances the Prime minister of Japan, so acted in a charming way earning praise from both Mr and Mrs Ooka.
Mrs Ooka had the temperment of a refined beauty who aged like a fine wine. If his mother looked like a modern beauty, Mrs. Ooka looked like a traditional Japanese beauty.
Her refined temperment oozed excellence that it dimmed his mother's presence but his Mother was unfazed as she has gone to many important meetings.
Haruto looked at his mother to see if she felt any sense of inferiority and sighed in relief when she stood unfazed. However he found it strange that his mother kept staring at Ooka Momiji the daughter of Mr and Mrs Ooka.
They sat on the sofa in the living room and their conversation went into many topics from weather, business, politics and economy.
Haruto silently observed their conversation without any intention to interrupt his father. He acted refined and was well behaved while sipping his coffee. Scanning the living room Haruto watched the rich paintings kept and the posh antique designed chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Finally his eye landed on their butler. The long haired butler stood in the corner watching them quietly and as if feeling an eye on him he stared back at Haruto.
When their eye met Haruto nodded at him, acknowledging his presence with a smile while thinking 'That man! he gives off a strange vibe. He feels strong but his presence is small. This is not something a martial artist like myself can imitate. Who is he?'.
"Ara, are the designs here to your pleasing Haruto-san?".
Breaking his eye contact from the butler Haruto looked at the person who talked. It was Ooka Momiji.
"Yeah, the designs are exquisite and the paintings are pleasing to look at Ms. Ooka".
"Ara, you can call me Momiji. Ooka is my family name and my father is also called Ooka".
Their talk did not go unnoticed. While they were on a family dinner both Kyouichi and Tasuhiko had two different goals, one was a marriage arrangement between Momiji and Haruto which is kept a secret and the other was an alliance between two families.
While the marriage arrangement is optional and in the hands of the younger generation, they had every intention of forming a family alliance to forge a path for future.
"Are the talk boring for you guys? Why don't you kids go and talk amongst yourselves. You don't have to be uptight like us".
Mrs. Ooka broke into the conversation. She knew of the arrangement her husband has made and though she was quite hesitant when hearing this, the second she saw the boy she took a liking to him. She had watched him and saw his refined behaviour which only increased her liking.
She just hoped her daughter also likes him.
"Yeah, Momiji, why don't you take the boy to a tour of the house".
Haruto looked like he was put on spot and hesitated but looking at Momiji who accepted it, he couldn't say anything else and follow her.
The older generation watched the scene with a smile as if they had succeeded in their grand scheme.
Both Momiji and Haruto were in the dark to these grand schemes and Haruto followed Momiji to look at the house.
Haruto himself knew very little about Momiji as she didn't really come to many meetings in which younger generation of powerful families meet. He himself was forced to go and had very few friends with whom he frequently met outside.
"Are you the quiet type Haruto-san".
After moving away from their family Momiji visibly relaxed and with it came her casual Kansai-ben which was quite endearing.
"Not really Momiji-san. It's just we met just now and I didn't particularly know the topics in which you were interested".
"I seem to have met you a few times in those crass and stuffy meetings so we didn't really talk much".
"Yeah, we have something in common. I myself was forced to go to such meetings. It's a relief that I have few friends and I could pass the time quickly".
Their talk went back and forth and soon they became relaxed around each other. As Haruto relaxed he became more fluent and charming making Momiji laugh quite a bit through his humour sense.
As she was an intellectual, she found him quite pleasing as unlike many rich and impudent brats who used bad pick up lines to hit on her, he gave her a sense of friendliness and tranquility.
The house itself was quite massive unlike his villa, but he knew that having a huge manor was a sense of pride to these Japanese High class families. It's just his father had them in Switzerland and Los Angeles.
By the time it was 7.30 the two came down for dinner and the entire family sat on the table while the butler served them with food.
"I have heard that you are exceptional in martial arts Haruto-kun. I have also heard that you are an honour students".
For the first time the questions were targeted at me by Mr. Ooka.
"Ara, what Martial arts do you learn? Haruto-kun".
This time it was Mrs. Ooka.
"Yes, Mr. Ooka. I have been training in boxing and wrestling since I was 7 and since a year ago I shifted to MMA. As for studies, I am somehow managing it with the help of my father's arrangement".
He downplayed his achievements like usual as he knew people of higher society expect humility from the younger generation and just like that he earned respect from both.
'This is really easy' thought as Haruto flawlessly answered the questions from Mr and Mrs Ooka, but as time went on Haruto felt that the questions were getting strange.
'What is going on here. It feels like they are appealing my good points rather than trying to know more about me. What are these older generation tring to pull'.
Meanwhile Momiji had this same notion as she felt rather embarrassed from how her father tried to Haruto-san's good points while also trying to explain all her achievements to the Tachibana's.
"Yeah, well while we are at it how about a marriage proposal? Between our Haruto and your daughter"
Out came a ridiculous sentence from Haruto's father which damn near made Haruto spit his food earning coughs followed by drinking water.
His reaction earned laughter from both Mr and Mrs Ooka. Haruto glared at his father while inwardly cursing the man and looked at Momiji in embarrassment and was shocked to see she was still calm.
"Looking from his reaction it seems like Haruto-kun was kept in dark. You are as playful as ever Kyouichi-kun".
"Then again this is not a compulsory thing. I have a policy of not interfering with the younger generation and my daughter's happiness is my happiness. So you both can slowly try to get to know each other and decide if you want to move forward with this. Our family will regardless enter into an agreement in both business and politics with Tachibana family".
Mr. Ooka stated his piece which visibly relaxed Haruto.
The rest of the dinner went in a relaxed manner and his father followed Mr. Ooka to their study room probably to discuss their future actions while his mother went ahead with Mrs. Ooka and it seemed like they had known each other because of each other's husbands leaving Momiji and Haruto alone in the living room.
"Ms. Momiji, you knew about this?"
"Yeah my father informed me yesterday".
"Is it alright with you? That is getting forced together with me".
"It's alright and it's not like we are forced. The decision still lies on our hand. Is it troubling you Haruto-san".
"No, Ms. Momiji, if anything I feel like it should be troubling you. From what I have heard you seem to have taken a liking to a particular boy since a young age".
It was Momiji's turn to get surprised. This was an issue which she kept close to her heart and she didn't really meet with her crush whom she considers her future husband.
Not wanting to lose she gave her findings about Haruto which included him dating a few girls and having had physical relations with them in the past.
"Yeah thats true. I have dated a few women who looked good, but so what? It's not an issue. In any case how about we come to an understanding. Let's not reject this arrangement made by our parents. We will even go on a few dates to camoflauge and this will continue until you manage to get your crush to fall for you".
There was a silence after this proposition and Haruto gave her time to think.
"It seems like this is only benefiting me. What about you?".
"Don't worry, during this time I'll make sure not to date any more women. At the very least my father's name is more important".
"I'm not talking about that. What I'm asking is, what if you fall in love with someone else. While talking let's cover all bases".
"Ok then the same applies to me as well. But you don't have to worry the probability of you making your crush fall in love is far higher than me falling in love with someone. In any what do you think about my proposition".
"Ok, I accept it".
It was 9.00 when Haruto and his family left Ooka residence.
"What do you think about him Iori?".
"Oujo-sama, he is probably the best candidate. Based on my investigation apart from being a bit of a womanizer he is exceptional in both studies and is an elite Martial artist. I have seen many with exceptional talent but he is different. If I have to focus on one thing which makes him stand apart from the rest, he is disciplined, observant of his surrounding and he strives for success in the things that he invests his time".
"Oh, it's rare for you to praise someone this much Iori. Well he is exceptional but not as much as my Hattori Heiji-kun. He is an exceptional detective and will soon surpass his father who is the chief of Osaka".
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