One week since the contract. The trembling in her fingers when she'd sent that email felt like a distant memory now. No—that wasn't right. Runa remembered the sensation clearly, even as she changed in the guest room of Residence Platine Shirogane. A dress. A deep crimson evening gown, worn for the first time. It plunged dramatically from her shoulders to her chest, cinched at the waist to emphasize a flawless curve. The hem swept the floor, and the wine-red fabric shimmered with each movement under the light. Her hair, finished by a professional stylist over three hours, bore no resemblance to the head that had belonged to her in that Akabane apartment. She studied her reflection in the mirror. Her long black hair, naturally straight, was half-pinned into an elegant chignon, the rest falling softly to her shoulders. Her makeup was neither heavy nor light—just enough to make her deep brown eyes appear larger. A small diamond earring caught the light at her left ear. "You can stay as you are." Toshiya's words still echoed in her ears. But those had been spoken on the terrace, beneath the night sky. Now, she was about to be exposed to the gaze of the financial elite as his wife. There was no way she could stay as she was. When she entered the living room, Toshiya was waiting. Black tuxedo. White shirt. Burgundy tie. A perfectly harmonized ensemble. He'd been sitting on the sofa, but the moment Runa appeared, he stood. His eyes met hers—just for an instant. His eyebrows rose slightly. The expression vanished in a heartbeat, but Runa saw it clearly. Surprise. "...It suits you." That was all. But his tone was different. The usual coldness had thinned, replaced by something else—something she couldn't quite name. "Thank you." Her voice was small. Without thinking, her hand drifted to the spot below her left collarbone, where a star-shaped mark lay hidden. She was nervous. Toshiya extended his arm. "It's time." Just that. But Runa took it hesitantly, her fingers trembling slightly as they linked with his. His warmth transferred to her. It was warm. Her face flushed involuntarily. The entrance of Hotel Grand Verre Tokyo was already brimming with opulence. A red carpet stretched across the floor, flanked by white floral arrangements. Bellhops and concierges in white gloves attended to arriving guests. Men in black tuxedos and women in dresses of every color disappeared into the venue one after another. It was another world entirely. A different planet from the Akabane shopping district. A completely different dimension from the Marusei Foods office. The laughter of expensive women, the low voices of men, the complex fragrance of perfume—everything existed outside Runa's frame of reference. Linked arm-in-arm with Toshiya, she rode the escalator to the third floor. The Grand Banquet Hall: "Suiko no Ma." When the doors opened, Runa's breath caught. Countless chandeliers sparkled, their light cascading down from a soaring ceiling that reached the roof. White tablecloths draped tables topped with gold-folded napkins. Waiters carried white plates. Soft classical music drifted through the space. Approximately two hundred dignitaries from finance and politics gathered, laughed, and conversed. The women's gazes turned toward Runa. "...Is that her?" "The new Mrs. Shirogane?" "I wonder which family she's from..." Whispers reached her ears. Not completely—but distinctly enough. Runa's heart began to race. She didn't belong here. That certainty pressed down on her chest like a weight. "You're all right." Toshiya's voice came like a whisper in her ear. He wasn't looking at her—his gaze remained forward. He simply said it. "Stay by my side." Those words shook something deep within her chest. Toshiya made his rounds, greeting important figures. Runa remained on his arm as they moved from table to table. The chairman of a major bank. A powerful politician. The president of a large real estate company. And their spouses. Runa smiled and greeted them. "Thank you for your hard work today." The words came automatically, as if she'd rehearsed them a thousand times. They didn't feel like her own voice. That was when it happened. "President, don't forget your greeting rounds." A cold voice stopped them in their tracks. Saya Himuro appeared in a perfectly tailored navy dress. Her long chestnut hair was pinned up and curled elegantly at the nape of her neck. Her makeup was flawless. A diamond necklace glimmered at her throat. And most of all, her eyes were different. Those gray eyes, nearly silver, looked down at Runa. There was unmistakable hostility in that gaze. Not disgust—challenge. "Saya. Thank you." Toshiya's response was businesslike. Emotionless. Yet to Runa, that coldness felt like a deliberate distance, pushing Saya away. "So this is your new wife...? It's a pleasure to meet you." Saya turned to face Runa directly, a smile on her lips. But it was only teeth—her eyes remained cold. "The pleasure is mine." Runa's voice was barely audible. Saya deliberately, slowly, looked Runa up and down. A complete appraisal. That gaze swept across her entire body like a caress. "You're quite beautiful." The words were complimentary. But the tone was different. It was mockery. "And that earring at your left ear is...lovely." With that, Saya turned gracefully and walked away. "The president is needed at the next table. The chairman is waiting." And she was gone. The party continued. Runa maintained her smile, shook hands with strangers' husbands, exchanged pleasantries with their wives. But her heart sank deeper with each passing moment. (I don't belong here. I really don't.) Each time that thought surfaced, her hand drifted to the mark below her left collarbone. It was an unconscious habit. Toshiya remained expressionless, methodically processing each social interaction. But with Runa, he occasionally tightened his grip on her arm—a subtle pressure that told her something of his attention was directed toward her. Two hours passed. The party had peaked and begun to wind down. The crowd's movements grew languid. Runa's feet ached. The heels were new, and blisters were forming on her heels. Then it happened. "Come with me." Toshiya whispered it, and took her hand. To the terrace. An open terrace, removed from the banquet hall. Tokyo's night sky spread before them. The Roppongi skyline glowed with light, and in the distance, Rainbow Bridge shimmered with color. They were alone. Cold night air stirred her hair. "Don't push yourself." Toshiya said it, his gaze still on the city lights. "You can stay as you are. That's enough." When she heard those words, Runa's heart seized with something she couldn't name. "But...I—" "It's because of the contract. You need to behave as a wife for that reason. But you don't need to change what's inside." Toshiya finally looked at her. His eyes held none of their usual coldness. Something else was reflected there. What was it? Runa couldn't find a name for it. "You can stay as you are." He repeated the same words again. In that moment, tears spilled from Runa's eyes. It was involuntary. She didn't even know why she was crying. But the tears wouldn't stop. Toshiya said nothing. He simply placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. That warmth only made her cry harder. (Who is this person...?) Not the president. Not a contract partner. Not a cold man. Who was he? They returned to Residence Platine Shirogane after midnight. Runa changed out of her dress into casual clothes and entered the living room. Toshiya was there too. He sat on the sofa in shorts and a t-shirt, his jacket removed—somehow more vulnerable this way. "Thank you for your hard work today." When she said it, Toshiya looked at her. Something flickered in his eyes. "You as well." He answered, then turned his gaze back to the night view. The same silence as on the terrace. Not an anxious silence. A peaceful one. Runa was beginning to find it comforting. "Today was...thank you." She said it again, more sincerely this time. Toshiya murmured, "...It's part of the contract." But his expression was soft. Runa smiled. For the first time in this Shirogane apartment, it was a genuine smile. "Good night." With that, she returned to the guest room. Alone in the living room, Toshiya remembered the tears Runa had shed on the terrace. What did they mean? Why did it matter to him? It was just a contract, so why did he care? (A contract...) He whispered it softly and tilted his wine glass. The next day, Runa headed to work. An ordinary morning. But something flowing through her body was different from yesterday. She passed through the Akabane shopping district and arrived at Marusei Foods headquarters. When she reached the Sales Administration Department on the fourth floor, her best friend Chisa Miyazono jumped up from her desk. "Runa! Where were you yesterday!?" Runa smiled. In this world, yesterday could remain a secret. The confidentiality agreement. So the truth couldn't be told to anyone. But deep in her heart, Runa was thinking something else. (That person is...really...) Toshiya's expression from the terrace last night was etched in her mind. She still didn't understand what that expression meant. All she knew was that her heart was slowly, steadily drawing closer to that cold man.