Another Way!

Back at Sasaki's estate, Mr. Fujimiya wondered why his future daughter-in-law was in a sour mood.

" What's wrong, Sasaki? Is everything okay?"

…

Sasaki was simply there, quiet, and wasn't saying anything to ease the tension. Mr. Fujimiya was seriously starting to get worried.

" Speak to me, Sasaki! Why aren't you saying anything?"

…

" Sir, let's annul the dinner party!"

" Why?"

…

" Don't you no longer want to be engaged to my son?"

…

" Of course not! My intentions towards him haven't changed. It's Ryuji who doesn't wish to get engaged to me."

" What are you saying? You must be mistaken."

" No, I'm not. Ryuji doesn't truly like me. He's been fooling you all this time, including me. Ryuji doesn't want this engagement to take place."

…

" What makes you think that he doesn't like you?"

…

Sasaki narrated to Mr. Fujimiya the recent events that occurred between the two of them. She told him how he's been ignoring her for the past two days and acting oddly as if she wasn't there. Listening to all that, Mr. Fujimiya thought Sasaki was worried over nothing. He didn't realize the gravity of the situation and simply thought she was exaggerating.

" I'll talk it over with Ryuji. I'm sure it's nothing much. Don't worry! Nothing will get in the way of your upcoming engagement."

…

Mr. Fujimiya left the Sono Estate and headed to the Fujimiya's Corporation. He looked over some pending documents and had a reunion with some clients for a potential collaboration.

Five hours later, he headed back home and called Thomas Albertini over to his office.

" There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you, Thomas. Would you hear me out?"

" Sure! What is it about?"

" I was at the Sono Estate today and happened to converse with Sasaki a bit."

(The Sono Estate?)

" What Sasaki told me shook me a bit, and I'd like your opinion."

(Did she tell him how the young master has been acting?)

" I'm listening!"

" Sasaki told me that Ryuji doesn't intend to get engaged to her. What do you think?"

…

(What should I say? Should I take this opportunity and reveal the young master's truest feelings to him?)

" Well, that's-----------"

Just when Albertini-San was about to answer Ryuji's father, the latter knocked on the door.

" Father, may I come in?"

(Young master? Why is he here and just when I was about to help him out?)

" Come in, Ryuji! What brings you here?"

" I'm simply here to pay my respects to you, father."

…

" You're here too, Albertini-San! Good afternoon!"

" Same goes for you!"

" Father, would you mind if I borrow Albertini-San for a while?"

…

" No, go ahead!"

" Thanks, father! Are you coming, Albertini-San?"

Mr. Fujimiya forgot that he had something to ask his son. He remembered what it was when he was about to exit his office.

" Wait, Ryuji!"

Ryuji stopped at his father's call and turned around to face him.

" Yes, father!"

" I was at Sasaki's place today, and she told me something I'd like your clarification about."

" Sure, father! What is it she told you?"

" She told me you don't intend to get engaged to her. Is that true?"

…

" What nonsense! Sasaki must have misunderstood me."

" That's what I thought. I'll call her and tell her she was mistaken."

" Thanks!"

" Why are you thanking me?"

" For clearing things between us. Sasaki must be nervous due to the engagement, and that might be why she thinks I'm against the engagement."

Ryuji and Thomas walked out of the office. On their way back, Thomas was constantly staring at Ryuji, and he sensed it.

" What was that just now?"

…

" I know what you're thinking, Albertini-San. I should have taken the opportunity to come clean regarding my feelings, but I didn't. You must be wondering why, and also why I stopped you as you were about to help me. I'm right, aren't I?"

…

" That wouldn't have changed anything. My father would have wanted to know the reason for my refusal and investigating, it would have led him to Sakamoto-San."

…

" I don't want to cause her trouble. Our plan had backfired. We need to find another way to annul the engagement party, or I'll be doomed to attend."

…

The following day, at P.E. Ryuji and Anthony were doing stretching exercises.

" Did you finally find a way to annul the engagement Party?"

" I had the perfect plan hatched for success, but it all backfired on me, and now I'm back to square one."

" What will you do now? The engagement is tomorrow, isn't it?"

…

" You'll have to attend and get engaged to Sasaki."

…

Ryuji was looking gloomy and unmotivated. At recess, Josiane noticed his gloomy expression and wondered what was wrong with him.

" Ryuji, what's the matter with you? Is everything okay?"

…

By the end of the day, Ryuji came to Josiane for a discussion.

" Let's go on the roof!"

Ryuji and Josiane head to the roof to discuss things.

" I'm getting engaged tomorrow."

…

" Congratulations! What great news!"

…

I couldn't help but notice that Ryuji wasn't happy. He was even more gloomy than before.

" Aren't you happy with your engagement?"

…

" I can't get engaged when I don't know what love is."

?

My statements confused Josiane who couldn't grasp why I was getting engaged to someone I had no feelings for.

" Sakamoto-San, I don't have that kind of feeling for my fiancé. Our parents organized our matrimony and intended for us to get married, but I don't want to."

…

" You can't predict what the future holds for the two of you. You might not love her now, but you will later on, won't you?"

…

" In this case, it's an arranged marriage, so it's natural for you to feel this way."

Ryuji listened to Josiane attentively, but nothing she was saying was changing his gloomy expression.

" What is it, Ryuji? Don't you think what I'm saying makes sense?"

…

" Yes, it does! In my case, that scenario cannot happen. Sasaki isn't the kind of girl I see myself being with."

…

" Whenever there's something wrong in our relationship, she would inform my father of it right away. I don't feel like I can trust her at all. She's so different from you."

…

" How can you be so sure of that? Whenever we talk or meet, I narrate everything back to my friends. There's no difference."

" There is! That's what friendship is all about. Just like you, I also tell everything to Anthony."

…

" Sasaki complains about everything, even the smallest things. Sometimes, I even feel that she doesn't love me as much. Because if she did, she wouldn't put me in a difficult spot each time."

…

What Ryuji was saying to Josiane started to make sense to her. Seeing him in that gloomy state, she decided to help him out.

" When is your engagement party again?"

" Tomorrow afternoon."

" Are you allergic to anything at all?"

…

(Why is Sakamoto-San asking me all those questions? What are they for?)

" I'm allergic to eggs."

Not understanding why Josiane was asking all those questions of him, he responded to her every question without fail.

" Got it! Tomorrow, at lunchtime, join me on the roof."

" Why are we having lunch on the roof?"

" Don't ask so many questions, and simply do what I tell you to."

" Okay, then! I'll meet you here tomorrow for lunch."

…

" Let's join back with our friends! They must be eagerly waiting for us and wondering where we are."

" Okay!"

We met back with our friends outside the school gate. Just as I had predicted, they were pretty angry at us for taking this long. They looked for us everywhere without success and were starting to get worried.

" Sorry!"

" We're very sorry!"

We could do nothing else but apologize sincerely to them, hoping for forgiveness.

" We forgive you, but what were you both doing?"

" What was so important to make us worry like that?"

…

" I'll tell you girls later, okay?"

" No can't do. We're staying over today."

" What about your parents?"

" They're already aware we'll be staying over today."

…

A few minutes later, Ryuji's chauffeur came to fetch him.

" See you tomorrow, everyone!"

" See you tomorrow, Sakamoto-San!"

" See you tomorrow, Ryuji!"

Anthony and Ryuji left together in a car. My friends and I took the subway to my house.

A few hours later at Fujimiya's Estate---------

" Nothing should go wrong tomorrow night."

" Yes, sir!"

Ryuji was sitting on the terrace, thinking about stuff, when Thomas joined him.

" I don't wish to meddle in your affairs, but in the car, you said that Josiane Sakamoto would help you."

" Yes, that's what I said. At least, that's what I understood from all the questions she's been asking me."

" Questions?"

" She asked me what I was allergic to and asked to meet on the roof tomorrow for lunch. I don't know what she's planning to do at all."

…

At the Sakamoto's Residence, Josiane was watching an anime with her friends.

" Can you tell us what took you so long with Ryuji?"

…

" He's getting engaged to his fiancé tomorrow night."

" What?"

" Weren't they already engaged?"

" No, they weren't! The engagement is happening tomorrow and Ryuji wants nothing to do with it."

" Does that mean he's not getting engaged?"

" It's not that simple. His father is in it for the engagement. He can't possibly tell him he wants nothing to do with it. He's a good son after all and has an image to uphold."

" Then what? Did he ask for your help by any chance?"

…

" You guessed it! From what he told me, he tried many methods to have the engagement annulled, but it backfired on him. Another point to note is that he holds no feelings for her."

…

" He thinks she doesn't care for him nor love him. By annulling the engagement, he thinks of doing both of them a favor by getting rid of it."

…

…

" What are you planning to do, Josiane?"

" Something sick!"

…

…

" Something sick?"

" What exactly are you planning? It's not something dangerous, is it?"

…

" What do you think?"