The third floor of Hotel Grand Veil Tokyo. The grand banquet hall, designated "Suiko no Ma," was filled with the brilliant light of ornate chandeliers. Approximately two hundred members of the upper class had gathered for a charity party hosted by the Shirogane Group. The highest echelon of high society. Politicians, business magnates, and graduates of prestigious universities. The atmosphere was entirely different from the world Kirihara Runa had lived in until now—cold and utterly isolated. Runa entered the venue escorted by Shirogane Toshiya. In her pale pink evening gown, she felt like a different person from the one reflected in the mirror. Her hair was meticulously arranged, her makeup flawless under the hands of a professional. Yet that very perfection made Runa uneasy. (Is it really all right for me to be here?) The gazes of those around her concentrated on Runa. Shirogane Toshiya's wife. The new president's new bride. She was the subject of conversation. Wrapped in those stares, Runa crafted a smile. It was perfect. So perfect that her true self seemed to be disappearing. "Are you nervous?" Toshiya's voice reached Runa's ear. Low, slightly hoarse. That voice brought her a measure of calm. "A little, I think." Her answer was modest and sincere. That particular inflection at the end of her sentences—the way she spoke while gauging the other person's reaction—was uniquely Runa's. "I'm right here. You'll be fine." With those words, Runa's heart warmed just a little. But at the same time, she could no longer distinguish whether that warmth was real or merely a performance for this party. Toshiya's hand touched Runa's waist. The sensation was warm and solid. Runa leaned into that warmth as they moved through the venue. The aristocrats around them began to approach. "What a lovely couple you are." "Are you with President Shirogane? You're quite beautiful." Receiving these words, Runa maintained her smile. "Thank you very much," she replied politely. Her hand unconsciously drifted to the star-shaped mark beneath her left collarbone—a sign of tension. Yet even that gesture, through Runa's careful control, appeared graceful to those watching. Then the music began. It was time to dance. "Would you do me the honor of a dance?" With those words, Toshiya extended his hand. The gesture was gentlemanly, perfect. "Yes, of course." On the dance floor, Runa surrendered herself to Toshiya's lead. At first, her movements were awkward. Her feet couldn't quite find the rhythm. But Toshiya's guidance was sure. In his arms, Runa gradually began to find her footing. She surrendered to the music. Feeling the warmth of Toshiya's chest, Runa danced. The gazes of the entire venue concentrated on the two of them. "They're so well-matched." "What a beautiful couple." Whispers drifted from somewhere. Those words made Runa's heart twist in complicated ways. Admiration. Expectation. But at the same time, a hollow emptiness. This perfect dance was not the real Runa. The real her was an ordinary woman who spoke with a downtown Akabane accent in the shopping streets. The dance ended. Applause rang through the venue. Toshiya spun Runa once more. In that moment, their gazes tangled together. Runa saw something in the depths of Toshiya's eyes. She couldn't tell what it was. "You did beautifully." Those words sounded like praise, yet something else seemed woven into them. During a break in the party, the two found themselves resting in a private lounge on the second floor. A small room with a sofa and coffee waiting. The moment they were alone, the air changed. Toshiya leaned toward Runa. His eyes had lost the brightness they'd held on the dance floor. What remained was loneliness. "You did well. It was perfect." After those words, Toshiya looked away. His gaze turned to the Tokyo night sky beyond the window. Tokyo Skytree glowed in the distance. "It's all part of the contract, after all." That single sentence pierced Runa's heart. (The contract...) Yes. This was merely a contract. A relationship bound by money. Not emotion, but the result of calculation. Runa understood that. But her heart did not. "Yes, that's right." The moment those words left her lips, Runa's chest tightened. Something caught in her throat. She desperately held back the tears threatening to spill. (I can't. I mustn't cry here.) She tried to force a smile. But it came out stiff, unnatural. Toshiya saw that expression. His gaze was sharp, piercing. "Runa..." His voice carried genuine concern. Real worry. But before she could respond, there came a knock at the door. The door opened, and Shirogane Touitchiro appeared. Fifty-two years old. Vice Chairman of the Shirogane Group. A gentle smile played across his face. But his eyes were cold and calculating. "You must be exhausted. That was quite a beautiful dance." The words sounded like praise. But something lay hidden beneath them. Runa felt herself caught in his gaze. Touitchiro's eyes examined her as if appraising her worth. (What is he doing? What is this man thinking?) Runa felt a chill of unease. But she didn't let it show on her face. Instead, she offered a polite, gracious smile. "Thank you very much." Touitchiro studied that smile. Something flickered in the depths of his eyes. Runa couldn't tell what it was. The party continued deep into the night. Runa's exhausted heart could only pray for it to end. The next day, Runa met her friend Miyazono Chisa at a café called "Nocturne." A fashionable alley in Minami-Aoyama. Six minutes on foot from Omotesando Station. A beige-walled Western-style building. The seat inside was tucked away in a quiet corner. Chisa, with her chestnut-brown medium-length hair gently waved, gazed at Runa. "How was the party yesterday?" The question was light and casual. But when Chisa saw Runa's face, her expression changed. In an instant, she sensed that Runa was carrying something. "...It was difficult." Those were the only words Runa could manage. Chisa set down her coffee cup and took Runa's hand. "Ru-chan. What happened?" At that kindness, Runa's words came pouring out like a broken dam. The dance. The stares of those around her. Toshiya's words. "It's all part of the contract, after all." How much those words had hurt her. Chisa listened in silence. Her eyes were full of concern for her best friend. "Hey, Ru-chan. Tell me the truth." Chisa looked directly into Runa's eyes. "You like him, don't you?" At that question, Runa's world froze for a moment. (Yes. I...) Runa couldn't bring herself to admit those words. But deep in her heart, she already knew it was true. "I think... I might actually be in love with Toshiya." When those words left her lips, tears pooled in Runa's eyes. Chisa heard those words and smiled softly. "Finally figured it out?" Runa was startled. "I've known for a while. That's why I could see how hard you were trying to hide it." Chisa squeezed Runa's hand. That warmth brought her comfort. "But your feelings are real, aren't they? So what does it matter if it's a contract or not?" At those words, Runa wept. At the café table, Runa finally acknowledged her own heart. Her feelings for Toshiya. They were real emotions that no contract could explain away. At that moment, in the back of the café, a single customer sat watching. Long, lustrous chestnut-brown straight hair. Sharp gray eyes. It was Himuro Saya. She held her coffee cup, listening to their conversation. Her eyes were cold and calculating. (This could be useful for Shirogane.) With that thought, Saya continued to observe them. Meanwhile, on the thirty-eighth floor of Shirogane Tower, in the president's office, Toshiya sat at his desk. Mountains of documents. Materials related to factional struggles within the group. And the image of Runa. That image would not leave his mind. (That dance. It was truly perfect.) That very perfection tormented him. Because that perfection was beginning to transcend the boundaries of their contract. (This is wrong. I mustn't let this go any further.) Even as he thought those words, Toshiya's heart could not pull away from Runa.