Mori Shinra was still thinking about how to bring the matter up with Miura Yumiko, only to be completely thrown off by her silky smooth combo.
What did she mean by 'if I help you, you have to help me a favor,' and even that she would owe him one?
"Why don't you first tell me what favor you need from me?"
Faced with such an uncharacteristic Miura, Shinra glanced at the gray exclamation mark above her head and decided to first hear what she wanted him to do.
"Just... be a guest at my house."
"Oh, so it's just being a guest at your house... Wait, be a guest at your house?!"
"I-is that not okay?" Seeing his huge reaction, Miura thought he was going to refuse.
"It's not that it's not okay, but isn't this a little too sudden?" Shinra was puzzled. Why would she suddenly want to invite him to her house?
He didn't think he was charming enough to make the second most popular beauty in school proactively invite him to her home after knowing him for less than a week and having exchanged less than a hundred sentences. It had even generated a Wish Request.
If he didn't know her personality, he would have thought this was some new type of scam.
"It is a bit sudden. B-but I'm serious. Please consider it seriously. Also, you can tell me about your issue now. I'll help if I can."
Miura somewhat awkwardly changed the subject, then, feeling that it sounded like she was threatening him, she added, "Even if you don't come to my house, I'll still help you."
"Actually, it's nothing much. I just wanted you to help me set up a meeting with Hayama," Shinra said, then added after a thought, "Also, are he and Yukinoshita elementary school classmates?"
"Hayama? He is indeed her elementary school classmate. Why do you ask... never mind. I'll help you talk to him. When do you want to meet him?" Miura really wanted to ask why he was looking for Hayama, but then he mentioned Yukinoshita, so she figured it was related to her and didn't press further.
Actually, it was only because the person asking was Mori Shinra. If it had been anyone else asking for this favor, she might not have agreed.
After all, her hostility towards Yukinoshita was because of Hayama in the first place. Now you're telling her she has to bother Hayama because of a matter concerning Yukinoshita? Wasn't that just ridiculous?
But Mori Shinra was different. First, his relationship with Yukinoshita was unusual. Second, she needed a favor from him. Lastly, Miura felt that him looking for Hayama would not have a negative impact on her or the entire normie group.
With all these factors combined, she naturally had no reason to refuse him.
"This weekend, I guess. We're in the middle of exams right now. I wouldn't want this to affect your grades," Shinra said.
"Alright. Then..." Miura had no objection. She opened her mouth, hesitating to speak.
Shinra knew what she wanted to say, but the problem was, he didn't know why she was inviting him to her house, and so suddenly at that. There was clearly another reason. Until he figured that out, he would not agree under any circumstances.
After he voiced this concern to her, she fell silent for a moment, then finally spoke slowly. "Actually..."
Miura told him the reason for her invitation without hiding anything, even frankly mentioning the allowance her father had promised, as well as her own guesses as to why he wanted to invite him over. It was nothing more than hoping to use his connections to help her family's company renew their contract with the Mori International Group.
It was very utilitarian, very realistic, but she did not try to embellish or hide it. This was her character—very genuine.
Her whole deal was trading sincerity for sincerity.
"So that's how it is." Shinra breathed a sigh of relief. He had been wondering what it could be. So it was because of this.
He had run into Uncle Li at [Angel's Ladder] last time, and many people had seen it, including the owner of the bar. That owner was acquainted with the Miura family and had clearly seen Yumiko there as well. He probably mentioned it to her family afterward, and it just so happened that their company's contract was expiring, which led to this invitation.
"Will you come?" Miura asked, looking at him nervously. To be honest, after she had explained the whole situation and voiced her own speculations, she began to regret it.
She could have just said that her father wanted to meet him. There was no need to mention the later speculations. If she had messed things up because of this, the lost allowance would be a small matter, but if her family's company was affected, that would be a big problem.
"You've already been so honest. Wouldn't I be disrespecting you if I didn't go?" Shinra said with a smile, while also adding in his heart, even if I don't give you face, I have to give the Wish Point face, right?
After getting his affirmative reply, Miura breathed a sigh of relief. A slight smile appeared on her face, and she said sincerely, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. But let me say this in advance: my influence isn't as great as you think. I'm just from a branch family, and I haven't even started working yet. I have no say in the family's business. So even if I go to your house, it's highly unlikely I can give you any guarantees," Shinra said, setting expectations beforehand.
Miura nodded in understanding. Anyway, her father had only asked her to bring him home. She had done it, and she had done her best. As for what happened after, it had nothing to do with her.
Business cooperation was all about mutual consent. It wasn't like he owed her anything. Her family wanted to make money, and his family certainly wanted to make money too. If the contract couldn't be renewed in the end, it must be because one of the parties wasn't profiting. Under such circumstances, forcing a renewal was obviously impossible.
She wasn't some naive princess; she didn't think her 'face' was valuable enough to be compared to a ten-thousand-yen bill.
As for him being from a "branch family," Miura didn't fully believe it. She wasn't a fool. If he were really just from a branch family, why would that Uncle Li, the president of Mori International's Japan branch, treat him with such respect?
Taking a step back, even if it were true as he said, that he had no influence in his family, as long as he had that connection with Uncle Li, it was actually enough for her family.
On the other side, Mori Shinra, now knowing the full story, would naturally not go over unprepared. It was a Wish Request, after all. Although it was only a gray-level one, it was enough to make him take it a little seriously.
He planned to ask Uncle Li directly and hear his thoughts. If it was possible, it was possible. If not, then there was nothing to be done. He couldn't really cause trouble for Uncle Li just for a single Wish Point, could he?