By Zephyria 
“Ashley Miller, you see.”
“Consideration, consideration. Hmm.”
Koi grew puzzled by the strangely repeated word. What is this reaction?
A strange atmosphere flowed between them, but soon they resumed talking and laughing as if nothing had happened.
“It’s a bit hot, isn’t it? The weather’s already like this.”
“I heard this summer will be longer than usual.”
“Excuse me, do you have champagne here? Thank you.”
A brief, disorderly noise ensued as they engaged in scattered conversation and occasionally called over passing servants for drinks. Koi also accepted a glass of champagne. He could barely taste it, but the sensation of the bubbles popping in his mouth was pleasant.
“By the way, has everyone seen the ring Elaine is wearing? Elaine, that’s an engagement ring, right?”
At those words, everyone cheered and looked at her, and the woman named Elaine shyly raised her left hand. Exclamations erupted from the crowd at the large diamond ring adorning her finger.
“What a beautiful ring. Congratulations, Elaine.”
“So George finally proposed, did he? Congratulations, I was wondering when he would.”
“Elaine waited quite a long time, didn’t she? It seems George finally made up his mind.”
“The ring is absolutely splendid. George has quite good taste to choose a design like this.”
Listening to the exchanged pleasantries, Koi just stood there blankly. Although he had been introduced, he couldn’t even remember their names, let alone what they did, so he had nothing to say. He merely nodded occasionally, keeping time with what others were saying.
‘Not very interesting.’
Suddenly, he recalled what Ashley had said. That he would be disappointed because they only say obvious things.
It wasn’t exactly wrong. But he thought it was natural since he was meeting these people for the first time and couldn’t connect with the conversation. I should try to mingle with people more proactively from my side, Koi thought.
As he listened to them calling each other’s names and tried hard to remember their faces and names, one of them spoke to Koi.
“How about you, Mr. Niles? Did Mr. Miller give you a wonderful engagement ring?”
Attention immediately focused on him. Flustered, Koi tried hard to smile.
“Ah… yes. That’s right.”
“That’s a wedding ring, isn’t it? May I see it?”
At the curious question, Koi hesitated, then extended his left hand. The people gathered around him immediately encircled him, craning their necks.
“What a magnificent diamond.”
“Such a sophisticated design. Mr. Miller has excellent taste.”
“I’m envious. I wish I had received a ring like that.”
Offering a word or two of praise, they smiled at Koi. Feeling his face flush, Koi replied, “Thank you.” At his words, a woman who had been smiling faintly frowned and made a pitying expression.
“What can we do? We’re not Mr. Niles. How much effort must it have taken to receive such a large diamond?”
“Ah, that’s true. We couldn’t do it.”
“And against Mr. Miller, no less.”
As they spoke, they chuckled and laughed. To them, Koi said nonchalantly,
“Ah, I bought the wedding ring. I wanted to give it as a gift.”
At that, everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You bought it, Mr. Niles? That ring?”
“Mr. Niles prepared the wedding ring, not Mr. Miller?”
At the successive voices, Koi nodded obediently.
“Yes. But thank you for saying the design is good. I’m glad.”
He hadn’t yet repaid the money borrowed from Ashley for the ring, but it was fine. Ashley said he could wait as long as needed. Hearing praise for the ring he had chosen filled him with joy, making him smile broadly. As he laughed, “Haha,” and blushed, the gathered people watched him silently. They exchanged glances as if something displeased them, then cleared their throats with an “Ahem.”
“But.”
In the ambiguous atmosphere, one person broached a subject.
“What do you do now, Mr. Niles? Today is your first time at this gathering, right? What do you usually do? Do you perhaps run a business…?”
To the subtly probing question, Koi answered honestly.
“I don’t have any particular work at the moment. The child is still young…”
“A child?”
The listening people looked at him curiously, as if wondering what the child’s age had to do with anything.
“Does Mr. Miller perhaps hold a ‘traditional mindset’ that a child shouldn’t be raised by a nanny’s hands?”
One person asked as if joking, but it sounded like they deliberately stretched and emphasized the specific phrase. Koi immediately shook his head.
“Of course not, we have three nannies. It’s more that I just want to see the child more often.”
He spoke honestly, but they still wore unconvinced expressions.
“Spending too much time with a child isn’t good for their education.”
One person smiled and gently admonished. The woman next to him also nodded and said,
“Unconditional affection is a shortcut to spoiling a child. Maintaining some distance would help foster independence.”
The majority gathered seemed to agree. As he listened without much thought, a woman who had been glancing at him gave a wry smile.
“Still, I’m envious, Mr. Niles. Being able to just stay home with the child. I’m so busy with charity work and social activities that I can hardly see my child’s face properly.”
Her sighing face looked genuinely regretful. Koi carefully chose his words and spoke.
“Well, Ash hasn’t really talked to me about such activities… Probably because he knows I wouldn’t be much help.”
As he laughed, “Haha,” and brushed it off, the woman put on an extremely thoughtful expression.
“Mr. Miller would do that, of course. If his beloved Mr. Niles finds more joy being with the child, he’s saying you can stay as you are now, right? How romantic is that?”
“It means you don’t need to do anything else, just look after the child.”
“My husband wants me to engage in social life appropriately, so that would be difficult for me. There are many couples’ parties and gatherings, and if I go to places my husband can’t, he saves time, and I get to hear about various things too.”
“It’s good to be helpful to my husband that way, but being so busy that I can’t even rest properly is a bit dissatisfying.”
“As for time seeing my child’s face, it’s only once a day, and mostly when they’re asleep. The children are busy too.”
I see. As he nodded and listened, the woman who had sighed suddenly turned her gaze toward Koi.
“But that means you don’t have to do any of those social activities, Mr. Niles? Ah, I’m so envious. I wish I could just relax at home and look after my child. My husband would never allow it, though.”
Oh dear, Koi thought sympathetically. These people must all be incredibly wealthy, yet they have worries like this too.
“Since you’re spending your lives together, it’s unfair to only accommodate one side’s demands. Why don’t you have a serious talk with your husband? Tell him you’d rather spend time at home with your child than engage in social activities.”
When he earnestly shared his thoughts, everyone silently looked at Koi. Did I say something unrealistic? Flustered by their somewhat blank reactions, he added an explanation.
“Anyway, overexertion isn’t good for anyone… If you’re so busy and tired, I thought reducing social activities would be better for your health…”
As he scratched his cheek and laughed, “Haha,” the woman who had been staring intently at him curved her lips into a smile.
“Thanks for the advice.”
“You’re welcome.”
When he answered immediately, she promptly turned her head away. As he tilted his head in confusion, another middle-aged woman spoke to Koi.
“The baby is still young, right? How old are they?”
“They’re about six months old now.”
“Such an adorable age. Children grow up in a flash, but even when they’re bigger than me, they still look like ten-year-olds to me.”
At her kindly smile, Koi smiled back. She added in a warm tone,
“Take my eldest son, for example. He’s going to intern at Miller Law Firm this time. Both my son and I are terribly nervous. As you know, Miller Law Firm is the top firm in North America, right? I hear the internship there is extremely demanding. It would be nice if someone there could be a source of support for him…”
Sighing, she covered her cheek with one hand, a picture of worry to anyone who saw. Understanding her heart, burning with concern for her child, Koi spoke with conviction and emphasis.