The first half of the gathering was a sharing session between several entrepreneurs with a moderator conducting it. According to Kenji, Mr. Hokama was supposed to be one of the panelists but, he chose to pass the baton to another person this time.
Before the event started, Kenji brought Heisuke to their seats. There were a few rows behind Mr. Hokama. As one of the influential figures in the social gathering, he got a front-row seat together with several other acquaintances.
The emcee called for Mr. Muranaka to give an opening speech. The vibe he gave off when delivering the speech was different than how Heisuke met him earlier. The confidence that exuded from his words and body language impressed Heisuke.