Beautiful Affection

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25

"Those are not what I wanted, Haruka," despite the diplomacy in his voice, he slammed all the music sheets down his table but the most 'interesting' thing about the said composer was...

How calm she looked. As if she already anticipated this kind of response or if Saotome had to be more pessimistic...

Haruka was trying to pick a fight with him. He realized that her personality had become stronger after she married Masato. She was no longer the naïve girl who was so easy to manipulate.

It made Saotome wondered if his plan to make Haruka fall in love with Masato was a big mistake. Instead, she should marry someone weak like Tokiya. Someone stupid and docile like the blue head.

"This song especially," Saotome lifted one of the sheets which contained Haruka's favorite song out of the list. "The melody reminds me of Crystal Time and Nanairo no Compass. I believe that you remember just how old those songs, right? More than ten years had passed and Tokiya had gone through a drastic change. He no longer suits this kind of melody anymore."

"I know but that's what I got from knowing the singer," Haruka said, still dared to look into the president's eyes. No sweet smile or nervous expression. Just a determined look which attempted to test her employer's patience.

"You're referring him as the singer instead of as your friend so you should know that you're supposed to create a seductive song..."

"But the singer is far from being seductive. Sure, he is The Stripper but it's because you oppressed him. You forced him to be someone who is far from himself. The current Ichinose Tokiya is still the same guy who I knew from the academy so that kind of melody suits his true self. Soft and beautiful."

"I didn't ask your opinion regarding Tokiya, Miss Nanami," he emphasized her surname, indirectly suggesting that she should know her place. "And I don't think I ever ask for that since I hired you so please mind your words. Your job is to do what I say."

"I refuse," she replied, too fast and rude for Saotome who expected her to apologize or at least be flustered by his stern tone.

"You... refuse?" Saotome repeated, chuckles escaped from his lips. "Or should I say you can't come up with more mature songs since you don't have the ability and experience to do that?"

"Excuse me? What are you trying to say, president?"

"You married your first boyfriend. That's why you have so little experience about how an adult relationship works, right? Too bad. Our composer is too pure. She doesn't even know how to use her 'experience' with her husband to write songs for her friend... or should I say, her first love?"

"Wh...what?" Bringing up something as sensitive as her marriage was so offensive and she might consider slapping the shameless old man but...

"Just admit it, Haruka. You didn't just idolize Tokiya. You actually loved him. I think everyone could tell that as much. But, unfortunately, you ended up marrying Masato."

"What do you mean 'unfortunate'? I love Masato and I won't regret marrying him," Haruka had no time to be surprised at her harsh tone when her anger clouded her mind. It was unacceptable when Saotome was clearly insulting her husband.

"Really? When he becomes that useless and only depends on you as the breadwinner? Seriously, if you think composing mature songs for Tokiya is hard, just fantasizes about your husband. They even look similar so it should be easy."

"Stop that!" Haruka yelled. It was the loudest and rudest voice that she had ever blurted out to the used-to-be respected president. "You're not just evil but you're disgusting."