[Ginza District]
[Cartier Store]
Shin responded to Higeki, saying, "I'm looking for a ring for my fiance."
Higeki initially nodded in response, but his eyes widened in shock as he looked at Shin. "F-fiance!?" he pointed at Shin in surprise.
Shin chuckled and confirmed, "Yes."
Higeki continued to look at him in shock and said "You're so young, bro, and you're already preparing to get married!?" Since Shin was looking for a ring for his fiance, it could only mean one thing, "It's a marriage!"
Shin simply nodded. Higeki was someone who probably never planned to marry, so this was likely shocking to him.
"Wow, bro! I didn't know you were into that!" Higeki chuckled as he placed his hands on Shin's arms. "Let me help you find one," he offered.
As they explored the selection of rings at Cartier, Shin searched for a luxurious ring while Higeki took on the role of a sales associate, seemingly knowledgeable about Cartier products.
"Bro, if you want, this Cartier Diamond Yellow Gold Nigeria Ring is one of the most favored by women. Women tend to prefer luxurious-looking things, especially those with gold and diamonds," Higeki explained.
Shin chuckled and asked, "How did you know?"
Higeki responded with a smile, "You know me, bro. I'm an expert in this. According to feedback from hundreds of women, 20% of them chose the Cartier Diamond Yellow Gold Nigeria Ring."
Shin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Only 20% chose this ring?" He pointed to the golden ring adorned with white diamonds in surprise.
Higeki nodded and added, "Indeed, it only made it to the top three list of women's choices."
"Really?" Shin pondered, rubbing his chin in thought.
Higeki then directed Shin's attention to another ring that appeared even more luxurious than the previous one.
This ring was made of gold, with a prominent diamond prominently displayed.
Higeki introduced, "That one is the Cartier Paris 1940 Bombé Diamond Ring! It was favored by 30% of the women I've interacted with."
Shin was rather taken aback by Higeki. He was genuinely keeping track of women's preferences and could even recall them from memory.
Shin then examined the ring closely. There was no denying that it was captivating and exuded luxury...
The diamond on the golden ring, though small, appeared quite large. It caught the light from the overhead lights, creating a captivating sparkle. However, Shin had doubts about whether Mira would appreciate it. From his perspective, Mira probably preferred unassuming yet elegant items. Something that appeared modest but was, in fact, sophisticated, luxurious, and costly. This was how Shin perceived Mira's taste.
Higeki, curious, asked Shin, "What do you think?"
Shin shook his head and replied, "No, I don't think my fiancée would like it."
Higeki sighed and commented, "Really? That's unfortunate. This ring is the second most preferred among women... It's worth at least 3.4 million yen."
Shin simply smiled and scratched his chin.
Then, Higeki led him to one of the most expensive rings in the store.
It was a panther-shaped diamond ring.
Higeki introduced it, saying, "This is the Cartier 18k Panther Diamond Ring."
Shin gazed at the ring in contemplation.
"The price is approximately 3.7 million yen," Higeki began, but before he could say more, a sales associate approached him with the watch he had initially ordered.
He turned to Shin and apologized, "Sorry, bro, I need to sign the paperwork for this watch and make the payment. I'll assist you in finding your engagement ring once I'm done."
Another female sales associate, who had been nearby, observed Higeki and Shin, and she approached them respectfully. She bowed and said, "I'll be happy to help the young gentlemen find his desired engagement ring."
Higeki nodded and accompanied the sales associate who had approached him to complete his purchase.
Shin acknowledged the female sales associate with a nod and provided her with detailed information about his fiancée's preferred ring. The woman nodded professionally and guided him to a ring that, as per Shin's description, appeared modest yet was undoubtedly luxurious and expensive.
"This is the Trinity Ring Classic in 18K white gold, 18K rose gold, and 18K yellow gold, set with 144 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 0.99 carats," the sales associate explained with expertise.
Shin couldn't help but chastise himself internally for thinking that Higeki, the womanizer, was a professional. Now, he had a true understanding of what professionalism meant.
He examined the Trinity Ring Classic, which appeared as if three rings were elegantly fused together, enhancing its overall aesthetic appeal.
Noticing Shin's thoughtful gaze, the saleswoman proceeded to provide the price, saying, "It's 2,015,490 million yen, sir."
Although Shin remained silent after hearing the price, the saleswoman didn't make any assumptions about whether he could afford it or not, given his association with Higeki, one of their regular customers.
After contemplating for a moment, Shin spoke up, saying, "Let's continue looking..."
Upon hearing this, the saleswoman thought that the ring she had presented might have exceeded Shin's budget. Consequently, she guided him toward more affordable options, presenting them professionally.
She did so without causing any embarrassment or awkwardness, respecting Shin's preferences. However, Shin's expression turned into a frown as she led him to the less expensive choices. Observing this, the saleswoman became concerned, fearing that even the less expensive options might be beyond Shin's budget.
As she prepared to show him more budget-friendly rings, Shin suddenly interjected, "Price doesn't matter... Just show me the ones that will satisfy me..." He said this to avoid any misunderstandings with the saleswoman, who appeared to be directing him toward less expensive choices.
Upon hearing his words, the saleswoman was taken aback and felt remorseful for jumping to conclusions about the customer's budget. She realized that she had made an unfair judgment.
Bowing apologetically, she said, "I apologize, sir."
She apologized upon seeing Shin's furrowed brows and the unease in his expression, recognizing her mistake.
Shin's expression softened, and he replied, "It's alright... It's just a minor matter..."
Top 15: +2 chapters.
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