Curiosity

It's rare for him to compliment someone like this. Toh pulled out his phone and looked at the number he had saved on his phone. 'Sumire.' Even her name is pretty.

From: Toh

Can we meet? You're even at my university.

He watched the girl pull out her phone, and she looked around cautiously.

From: Sumire

I'll think about it.

Oh? 'I thought she would be against meeting me.' After all, he did take her first time. Based on their conversation, she appeared to be the conservative type. But perhaps there is something she needs from him.

From: Toh

For now, should we exchange messages?

From: Sumire

I suppose.

From: Toh

So, can I ask what you're doing in my university?

From: Sumire

I'm investigating a case; someone from your university is missing.

Toh blinked when he read the contents of the message. How straightforward. Should she be telling him that information? But, huh. He knows this case very well; after all, the one who abducted that woman is somebody from 'his side.'

It's a mission that has nothing to do with him, but when he learned it was a girl from his university. The boss told him to appease her so she wouldn't cause problems and stay put.

But if she is investigating, is she a underworld member too? How unexpected, with that innocent-looking face. But, if he thought about it, it would explain.'

From: Toh

I know a lot about this, maybe we can discuss it?

At that message, he turned to see the girl's reaction and saw that she seemed troubled.

"Ki? What's wrong?"

"I feel bad after all. Let's go back."

Toh's lips curved to a smile as he watched her walk away, and her companion quickly followed after her.

From: Toh

Call me when you get home.

She stopped replying but knew that the girl had read the message. After making sure she was further away. Toh approached the guards.

"Can you tell me more about that girl that has been visiting?"

Yoshinari tilted his head, puzzled. "It seems like she is from the Holy knight's group; she actually has a legit reason to enter. But the leader here is being stubborn."

"What a legit reason, she is a yankee. This town is too strange; they should lock people like her away."

"No leader, it's the holy knights group. They are different."

"No matter what you say, the underworld is evil."

Toh raised his eyebrows when he heard the words holy knights. Isn't that the group, the boss, is interested in recently? What a coincidence. It seems like it is worthwhile keeping in touch with this girl.

'It's just a passing by curiosity. Once I learn that she is the same as the others, then I'll discard her.' There is no use attending classes for today; he should head to the studio and work on the rest of the designs.

…

Three hours later, at Mt Studio, Star Town.

As he grew older, he joined his grandmother's fashion design company. But, it didn't take him long to realize that if he continued on this path, people would only ever see him as the grandson of Mashima Mizusa.

They will never see him as 'him.' He does not want to be the same as everybody else. He wants to build something for himself and survey his own identity in this superficial world.

"Those pants are too baggy. Do you want the model to lose her graceful posture?"

"Uh-I will fix-"

"And you, have you even looked at the model who is wearing that dress? The top half has to curve more because of her figure. Press the padding against the shoulder and accentuate the waistline." Toh instructed.

He glanced at the right and saw some new recruits throwing material away in the trash. "What are you doing? You can still use that silk."

"But none of the designs-"

"We can use it to make some accessories like a scarf. You're a patternmaker; you didn't think of something this simple?"

Tsk knew it was a bad idea to hire to hire new people when the show was around the corner.

Toh sighed deeply as he leaned against the wall, deep in thought. Should he hire more people? But where would he find more capable people? The people he gathered here are already the best of the best for their age groups. It would be troublesome to higher grown-ups.

If he hires people older than thirty, there will be disadvantages and advantages. But, the disadvantages are higher. He cannot make a mistake with this show. It will help determine whether or not he is worthy of Paris fashion week.

Incoming call: Sumire

For a moment, he blinked. He didn't think she would call him first. No, Toh scrolled through his call log and saw that the girl had rung him seven times.

Toh immediately exited the room and quickly entered his office. It was a room filled with canvases on each shelf. In the center was a large canvas of his 'highlight' piece for the show.

'I will work on it later.' It won't be bad to take a break. Toh called her, and to his surprise, she picked up on the first ring. "To call me seven times, are you that eager?"

"Y-you're the one who said call me when you get home! But then you didn't answer for three hours."

"I'm busy finishing my preparations for the show. But, I can spare time to entertain you since you're so persistent."

"Even though you're the one who wanted to exchange messages," Sumire mumbled.

This girl is interesting; how many years have passed since somebody spoke to him casually like this?

Ever since he became the grandson of the world-famous designer, the people around him have treated him cautiously. He is the grandson of somebody important, so even those who disliked him couldn't say anything.

They cannot say anything on the surface, so they speak behind his back. Back when he had nothing, they spoke directly in front of him. They badmouthed him directly in front of his face.

Nothing changes, except their methods. Just because he has a famous grandmother and is a talented designer doesn't mean people will like him. 'I have already long accepted that people wear masks that conceal their true thoughts and feelings.'

But even with this knowledge, it frustrates him watching people behave like this.