Chloe Grace followed Yuto Miyazawa into a lavishly decorated room.
"Miss Chloe, do you like Japanese cuisine?" Yuto asked as he pushed open the door of a private dining room, then walked in behind her.
"It's alright," Chloe replied, her tone distracted. Perhaps it was the absence of Blaine Jackson that made her feel somewhat out of sorts.
Scanning the room, she noticed that, like the outer hall, it was exquisitely furnished. A long table in the center was adorned with an assortment of steaming Japanese dishes, clearly prepared in advance.
Strange. How did he know she'd be hungry? Did he expect her to come in here with him? Chloe wondered, feeling as though she had been subtly manipulated.
"Miss Chloe, please have a seat," Yuto said casually, unbothered by her cautious glances around the room. His relaxed demeanor was paired with an easy, confident smile.
"Oh, alright," Chloe muttered, sitting down at the table. Almost immediately, the rich aroma of the food wafted up, catching her attention. Her eyes widened with curiosity and hunger, betraying her desire to devour everything in sight.
Yuto chuckled, a low, warm sound that caught her off guard.
Chloe snapped out of her reverie, her cheeks flushing slightly. "President Miyazawa, are you laughing at me?" she asked, self-conscious that her expression might have resembled that of a starving child.
"…You're adorable, Miss Chloe," Yuto replied smoothly, neither confirming nor denying her accusation. His striking features radiated charm and approachability.
Strange, she thought. It was rare to see a Japanese man so strikingly handsome without appearing overly feminine. Despite sensing that Yuto was cunning and possibly manipulative, she found herself inexplicably drawn to his smile.
Of course, it wasn't the same as how she felt about Blaine. Blaine made her heart race; Yuto merely appealed to her natural inclination to admire beautiful things.
"President Miyazawa, you—"
"Chloe, I think we're friends now, don't you? Just call me Yuto—it feels more natural," he interrupted with a disarming grin.
She blinked in surprise. Did he just call her "Chloe" directly?
"Did I scare you by being too forward?" Yuto asked, his tone careful as he noticed her silence.
"Uh, not really." Chloe chuckled awkwardly, touching her nose. Privately, she thought, *He already called me by my first name, and now he's asking if I mind? Talk about putting the cart before the horse.*
"Good," Yuto said, oblivious to her internal grumblings.
"Yuto," she began hesitantly, "can we start eating now?" The atmosphere was growing awkward, and she wanted to finish quickly so she could return to Blaine.
"Of course." Yuto pushed a plate of salt-grilled mackerel toward her. "Chloe, these are some of Japan's most distinctive dishes. They're delicious—give them a try."
"I know these," Chloe said, pointing to each dish as she identified them. "This is salt-grilled mackerel, that's crab soup, and this is Ishikari hotpot. The dish to your left is…" She rattled off the names effortlessly, leaving Yuto visibly impressed.
"You're quite familiar with Japanese cuisine!" he remarked, his expression showing genuine admiration.
"I spent a few years in Japan, so I picked up a bit. I know the names of these dishes but rarely eat them. I'm not that used to Japanese food being mostly raw or half-cooked," she admitted, smiling faintly.
"You spent several years in Japan? How is it that we've never met before?" Yuto asked, his tone tinged with regret.
"I'm not exactly well-known, and you're the illustrious CEO of MoriZen Enterprises. Our worlds didn't overlap, so it's only natural that we never crossed paths," Chloe replied with a slight shrug.
"True. But getting to know you now is enough for me," Yuto said, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"Uh?" Chloe glanced up at him and caught a glimmer of something in his gaze—a hint of calculation, perhaps.
"Chloe, aren't you hungry? Go ahead and eat," Yuto urged, his tone light.
"Yuto, you…" She wanted to ask if he had ulterior motives but didn't know how to phrase it without making things awkward.
"What is it, Chloe?" Yuto asked, noticing her hesitation.
"Oh, nothing." She decided against it. If she confronted him, things might become uncomfortable, especially since Yuto and Blaine were business partners who would inevitably meet often.
"Chloe, are you worried about Director Blaine?" Yuto ventured.
"Not at all. Why do you ask?" she said with a smile, lowering her gaze to hide the flicker of worry in her eyes. "I'm just afraid he might get impatient waiting for me."
"Should I send someone to invite him in for dinner?" Yuto asked, gentlemanly as ever.
"No, that's fine. I'm almost done, and I'll head out to find him shortly."
"Alright." Yuto frowned slightly, a fleeting thought crossing his mind.
The relationship between Blaine Jackson and Chloe Grace seemed far more complicated than the "mentor and sister's friend" dynamic it appeared to be. Otherwise, why would Chloe's response to his overtures remain so lukewarm? It certainly wasn't like their first encounter when she'd accidentally bumped into him and left a strong impression.
Could it be that he'd misunderstood? Was Blaine and Chloe's supposed quarrel just a lover's spat, explaining why Blaine had claimed Chloe wasn't his girlfriend?
"Chloe, may I ask you something?" Yuto suddenly said.
Chloe nodded, swallowing the food in her mouth.
"You and Director Blaine—"
"Chloe Grace! Where are you? How long does it take to grab a bite to eat?" Blaine's impatient voice rang out from the main hall.
Hearing his voice, Chloe immediately stood and left the room.
"Blaine, I'm here," she said as she approached him.
"Annie called to say there's an urgent matter at the store. I need to head back right away."
"Oh, then let's go." Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into his. Blaine clasped her hand tightly, forgetting to even bid Yuto goodbye as they left the room together.
Behind them, Yuto Miyazawa watched their retreating figures, his dark eyes thoughtful.