We Are the Sons and Daughters - Kyoya x OC

Chapter 36

     It was late afternoon the next day when Reiko was summoned to her father's office. She was thankful he hadn't asked to see her in the morning. They'd been attending guests late into the night. Between dancing with guests, conversing with the company's board members, and preparing thank-you cards for the party's attendees Reiko hadn't gone to bed until late in the evening. She'd been exhausted and hadn't woken up until midday.

     After making herself look presentable, the silver-haired teen waited patiently at the door while her father's attendant announced her arrival.

     Contrary to his daughter, Jiro Ishikawa looked completely unaffected by the late night. He had followed his usual schedule and had started working early in the morning. Now he was going over the public's response to their announcement and wanted Reiko to be a part of it.

     "Hello father," Reiko greeted with a bow.

     Jiro gestured to the seat across from his desk. "Did you get enough rest after last night?"

     "I did, thank you for asking."

     "Good. Long nights playing host are always the most draining. I would've preferred to discuss this tomorrow but it's important for you to be aware of the public's response before you go to school tomorrow."

     The silver-haired teen stiffened slightly. "Were people displeased?" she asked.

     "On the contrary, many people expressed their approval of the decision. Most of the calls I've taken this morning have been to tell me how good of an impression you left on them at the party. You did an excellent job in attending to everyone Reiko."

     She let out a sigh of relief. She'd been worried about how people would receive the news of Ishikawa Investment's next successor.

     "You were so impressive that several of my colleagues asked me if I was interested in arranging a marriage between you and their sons!" he chuckled.

     Reiko laughed along slightly and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she thought of what to say next. She knew her father wouldn't've made such a comment arbitrarily. This was a way of finding out how she felt about the matter.

     "If you felt it was the best decision for the company I wouldn't oppose it father," she told him.

     Jiro raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's not a stance most people take at your age."

     Reiko delicately placed her hands on her lap. "I've always expected that my marriage would be for the company's benefit. Since I have no siblings, the company's success lies with me. The choice of who my lifelong partner cannot be decided solely based on my own emotions."

     "That's quite a mature thing to say, Reiko. I'm proud of you." Jiro said smiling slightly. He was happy that Reiko wasn't against an arranged marriage. It would make the process of choosing her future partner that much easier. "Although this decision isn't one that will be made immediately, this is a list of all of the families who have a son around your age and have expressed interest in an arranged marriage."

     Reiko took the paper from her father's hands and began scanning the names.

Suzuki

Nakamura

Ito

Watanabe

Ootori

...

     She stopped, her eyes widening considerably as she read Kyoya's family name on the list.

     Jiro, who had been observing her reactions closely, quickly noticed that one of the names had caught her attention. "You seem surprised," he pointed out.

     Reiko quickly looked up. Her brows furrowed for a moment as she answered. "Truthfully seeing the Ootori's name on the list caught me off guard. I hadn't expected it."

     The older man raised an eyebrow. Yoshio Ootori had been one of the most insistent about arranging a marriage between their children and given how Kyoya interacted with Reiko it seemed obvious that they would extend an offer. "Does it?" he asked.

     The silver-haired teen nodded and set the paper down. Her eyes seemed concerned about something. "Yes well... to my understanding the Ootori family hasn't named a successor. The sons are competing for the right to inherit the position."

     "Yes, that is correct."

     "The only son who isn't already engaged or married is Kyoya but seeing as they know I'm up for inheriting Ishikawa Investments, I can't help but wonder if their interest means that Kyoya is no longer being considered a candidate as the next Ootori head."

     Jiro nodded understandingly. "It could very well be a sign that Kyoya will not be his family's successor. But, if Kyoya were able to maintain a successful relationship with you while also proving his worth within the company independently, your engagement could very well secure his position as the next successor."

     "I see," she said glancing down at the paper once again.

     He stared at his daughter for a moment. He thought back to the party last night when she'd danced with the Ootori boy. The way they had interacted... there was something there. As a person, Jiro had nothing against Kyoya and believed that he could make his daughter happy. As a business partner, however, he was unsure if Kyoya would benefit Reiko when she inherits the company. "You know Kyoya fairly well. What do you think about marriage with him?"

     Reiko paused for a moment. "I wouldn't be opposed to it," she started carefully. "We get along well enough as classmates at least."

     Jiro nodded. "I see. Keep the names on that list in mind in case you hear something particularly attention-grabbing about any of them. This isn't a decision I will make without discussing it with you, so don't concern yourself with this too much for the time being."

     "I understand. Thank you for telling me about this father.

     He nodded and dismissed her, telling her she was free to go back to resting if she wanted to.

     With a bow, Reiko returned to her room. She laid down on the couch and stared at the list. "Should I tell Kyoya about this?" she wondered. She quickly shook her head. It was uncertain if Kyoya would be a real benefit to the company as her husband. It would be unwise to discuss such a delicate matter prematurely in case either one of their families changed their minds. "Besides, father said that I didn't have to worry about this right now. There's time," she told herself.