Manhattan, New York - May 2008
In a modest apartment in Manhattan, Naori was relaxing in her room while watching TV.
As she switched channels, her eyes landed on a news segment about Tony Stark holding a press conference.
"And that's why, from now on, I will be shutting down the weapons division of Stark Industries until I decide the future direction of this company."
Tony Stark's statement immediately shook the room. Naori, who was watching, was startled by this decision.
'What just happened? Why suddenly shut down the weapons factory?'
"The focus of this press conference is about Tony's return, now healthier than ever!" After Tony left the podium, a bald man in a suit tried to give a brief closing, but seemed rushed to end the press conference.
Naori turned off the TV, but only a few seconds later, her phone buzzed.
On the screen of her phone appeared a notification that read: $20 million has been transferred to your account, along with a digital invitation to attend the "Stark Industries Charity Event" to be held in Los Angeles next week.
Naori simply smiled slightly, not too surprised. She knew how Tony had gotten her contact information and bank account details.
For someone like Tony Stark, finding contact data for a small company leader like herself was no difficult task, and most likely Tony had asked Coulson.
Naori walked over to the window and opened it, letting in the fresh air. Casually, she took a cigarette and lit it.
Huufff...
She exhaled the white smoke from her mouth, her eyes focused on the bustling view of New York City outside.
'Hmm... What should I buy with this $20 million?' Naori thought, letting the question flow through her mind.
…
A week later in Los Angeles.
By the time Naori arrived at the venue, the event was already halfway through.
Although the red carpet welcoming guests had passed, Naori's arrival still caused many people to stop and watch.
Reporters from all walks of life, who had been preparing to end the day or enter the venue to continue interviews, pointed their cameras at the woman with black hair.
Since Naori got out of the car, the flashes of cameras never stopped, making her eyes blink slightly and feel uncomfortable.
Wow, I'm going blind, I'm going blind!
Though Naori was slightly overwhelmed by the sudden crowd, she quickly adapted and walked confidently.
At that moment, Naori was wearing a deep maroon evening gown that fell perfectly to the floor. Its mermaid silhouette emphasized her curves in an elegant way.
With off-the-shoulder design, delicate lace details stretched along the waist, adding a touch of classic elegance. Her black hair was styled in a low bun adorned with sparkling pins, showcasing tiny diamond earrings that reflected the chandelier lights. Silver high heels completed her look.
Entering the venue, it could be said that the place was extraordinary.
Elegant decorations, luxurious fittings, gourmet food, and quality wine.
Hyuga Naori had never attended an event of this level, either in her previous life or in this one.
While walking into the venue and taking a drink from a passing waiter, Naori heard a man's voice calling her.
"Hello, Miss Naori, we meet again."
Wearing a suit and leather shoes, his movements were steady, and he had a thin hairline.
"Hello, Mr. Coulson," Naori replied with a smile.
Coulson nodded. "Oh, you look absolutely stunning tonight, Miss Naori."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Naori leaned forward to give a slight bow.
"So, what do you want from me, Mr. Coulson?"
"Nothing special, I just wanted to greet an acquaintance. May I ask for a dance, Miss Naori?" Coulson asked with a polite look and an extended hand.
Naori smiled slightly, placing her glass on a nearby table. "Of course, Mr. Coulson," she replied, placing her hand in his.
They walked toward the dance floor. Under the sparkling crystal chandelier lights, she could feel many eyes on them. However, she remained calm.
They stopped in the center of the room, and Coulson lowered his head slightly, a sign of respect before holding her right hand and placing his left hand on her lower back.
"You're quite good at dancing, Mr. Coulson," Naori said lightly, trying to fill the silence.
Coulson gave a small nod. "Part of the job, I guess," he replied with a slight smile.
They continued moving, the rhythm of the music carrying them across the dance floor. With every move, it felt measured and polite. They exchanged glances and small smiles while moving in time with the music.
When the music stopped, they released each other. Coulson lowered his head again slightly. "Thank you for the dance, Miss Naori. It was an honor."
"Thank you as well, Mr. Coulson," she responded with a small smile. She then walked to the edge of the room, while Coulson walked in the other direction, both of them returning to their respective roles.
Naori met with some acquaintances at the event, one of whom was a handsome journalist with strawberry blond hair named Eddie Brock.
After a year of building her company and diving into the business world, Naori had managed to connect with many important people, from company leaders to journalists. Many of her acquaintances were curious about the curse seal on her forehead, and Naori had to patiently explain it to them.
A few months after founding the company, Naori even had to hold a press conference! Fortunately, she had already understood why people in America were a little sensitive to the swastika symbol.
Of course, Naori wasn't foolish enough to tell the public that the symbol on her forehead was a curse seal, let alone explain its function in detail. Instead, she followed the general view that it was a tattoo and explained that the symbol had a different meaning from the swastika used by certain organizations during World War II.
Somehow, the talk about the tattoo ended up getting more exposure than her company's products, but Naori didn't mind for the growth of her company. In fact, it could be said that it was beneficial.
Finally, after chatting with some acquaintances, the long-awaited moment arrived—the main course.
Seeing Tony Stark, who seemingly didn't have the blue light like Ultraman on his chest, Naori smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Stark, it's a pleasure to finally meet you officially."
Tony Stark extended his hand for a handshake with Naori and said, "Nice to meet you too, Miss Naori. Just call me Tony. Hearing 'Mr. Stark' makes me feel like you're calling my father."
Naori smiled and responded, "You look neat and handsome too, Tony." Since Tony had asked her not to address him formally, Naori complied with his request.
Tony smiled, pleased with Naori's response, then extended his hand warmly, saying, "May I ask you to dance?"
Naori responded with a smile and followed Tony to the center of the dance floor. While their dance with Coulson earlier had only caught the attention of a few, this time, with Naori's captivating charm and Tony Stark's fame, they became the center of attention.
They danced in the middle of the venue, following the rhythm of the music, as if the world around them had stopped. It was just the two of them.
"You dance very well, Tony," Naori said, breaking the silence. "By the way, how are you feeling after the surgery? No problems, right?"
"Ah, dancing has become a habit of mine," Tony replied proudly. "Thankfully, no issues after the surgery. One thing that surprised me—you're an Engineering Graduate, not a Doctor in health?"
After returning to America, Tony immediately searched for information about Naori. With the help of JARVIS, his advanced AI, Tony gathered all the data on Naori. What confused him was how ordinary and "normal" all the information was—too normal, to the point of it feeling strange!
Even after learning Naori's true identity, instead of answering Tony's curiosity, it only deepened the mystery.
'Since when can a mercenary perform surgery this well?' Tony thought. 'Even a renowned doctor like Stephen Strange might struggle to do this in a cave under those conditions.'
The final spin of their dance ended perfectly, accompanied by warm applause from the audience around them.
"Thank you for the beautiful dance," Tony said, bowing politely.
Before leaving, Tony whispered to Naori, "Wait for me on the balcony, it won't be long, I promise."
Naori simply smiled and nodded, then walked toward the balcony.
An hour later, Tony approached, finding Naori exhaling white smoke while gazing at the city of Los Angeles.
Sensing his presence, Naori turned. "Want one?" she said, offering her pack of cigarettes.
"Sorry, I don't smoke," Tony replied politely, standing beside Naori and placing his hand on the balcony railing. However, he seemed slightly uneasy, as he had been drinking alcohol continuously.
After Naori finished her cigarette, she stopped Tony from reaching for a new glass. 'Wasn't it supposed to be you who came to pick me up?' Naori thought, though she complained in her heart, she remained calm on the surface and smiled.
Without much word, Naori placed her palm on Tony's forehead, using chakra to remove the effects of the alcohol and his intoxication.
"Sorry, I might've overdone it earlier," Tony said after feeling better.
"No problem. Now, shall we head home?" Naori asked while resting her head on Tony's shoulder.
Tony placed his right hand on Naori's lower back. "Let's go, let me lead," he said, guiding Naori out of the now quieter venue.
Naori nodded and followed Tony obediently, enjoying the moment.
…
"Yawn!"
The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtain of the hotel room window, illuminating Naori's face as she was still asleep. Slowly, her eyelids began to open, allowing the light to greet her sight. She yawned softly, then stretched her arms, letting her body muscles feel the first stretch of the day.
Her gaze fell upon the figure beside her. Tony was still asleep, his breathing steady, his face calm though slightly fatigued. Naori observed for a moment, smiled faintly, then carefully got up so as not to wake him.
The blanket that had covered her body slowly slipped off, revealing her snow-white skin, now glowing with the golden sunlight.
She quietly walked toward the bathroom, her fingers running through the messy strands of her long hair. Each of her steps echoed on the cold hotel floor, but Naori didn't mind. When she reached the mirror, she stopped. Her gaze met her own reflection.
"Ugh..."
She groaned softly. Her usually perfect black hair was now tangled, messy, and hard to manage. Her smooth skin was adorned with marks of affection from the previous night, soft kisses still lingering like distant memories stuck there.
Naori took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind. She turned on the shower, letting the warm water flow freely, washing away the traces of the night from her body.
The scent of jasmine soap filled the small space, soothing her mind and the tiredness in her body. Occasionally, she gently massaged her scalp, making sure her hair would return to its best condition.
After finishing her shower, she put on clean clothes, wearing a loose, light white shirt that was comfortable and airy. Her hair was now neat, dried with a towel, although a few strands were still wet.
When she came out of the bathroom, her gaze once again fell on Tony. The man was still sound asleep, his breathing slow and steady. His face looked peaceful, as if the world had no power to disturb his calm.
Naori stood at the edge of the bed, watching him for a while. A small smile tugged at her lips. She took a piece of paper from the table beside the bed, then wrote something with deft hands. The folded paper was placed on the pillow next to Tony.
Before leaving the room, she paused in front of the door, looking back. She gave one last glance at the figure still lying there. With light steps, Naori walked out, letting the door close slowly behind her.
A few hours later, Tony woke up with messy hair. He yawned deeply while reaching for his phone, but the first thing that caught his attention was a piece of paper. The paper was placed right next to his pillow, as if intentionally positioned so it couldn't be ignored.
With raised eyebrows, he picked up the paper and began to read it. Naori's handwriting, neat but slightly slanted, adorned the paper.
"It was a fun night, your technique is good, but unfortunately, your stamina is a bit lacking... hehe :p"
Tony froze. His eyes read the line three times. His lips moved, as if trying to form a response, but his mind went blank. Then, something inside him began to boil. He gripped the paper too tightly until—criiiit!—it tore without him realizing.
"STAMINA LACKING?!!!" he yelled into the empty air, his face turning red like a tomato thrown at a bad stage. He glanced around, as if afraid someone might hear him.
Tony sat on the edge of the bed, holding the torn piece of paper. "Hehe? She even used 'hehe'? Does she think this is funny?" he muttered. Then, suddenly, he remembered Naori's expression last night, her confident gaze that seemed to always know everything.
He snorted while ruffling his hair. "Just wait, Naori. I'll prove my stamina—" He stopped, then pondered. What could he actually prove in a situation like this? Sending a push-up video? Challenging her to a race in the park? Everything sounded silly.
After several minutes of thinking, Tony gave up. He sighed deeply, got up from the bed, and decided to make coffee. "At least I'm still the champion when it comes to making coffee," he said, trying to cheer himself up.
However, when he opened the kitchen door, he saw another sticky note stuck to the fridge. The small note read, "Oh yeah, I finished your expensive coffee. Thanks, Tony! XOXO."
Tony froze. The coffee she was referring to was the rare beans he had ordered directly from Ethiopia, his treasure, the savior of his dreary mornings. With wide eyes, he muttered softly, "Naori... you are a threat to humanity."
But beneath his frustration, the corner of Tony's mouth slowly lifted.
Both Tony and Naori knew this was just a one-night stand. With their personalities, it was impossible for this to evolve into anything more serious.