In the end, Ran stuck to her money conserving attitude as she ordered a plate of pasta that costed 48. Even though she promised to pamper herself ever since she moved into her new home, Ran can't break free so easily from a habit that she's maintained for over 4? Or has it been 5 years now? She couldn't really remember.
On the other hand, she was impressed by Rowan's guts of steel. He ordered a plate of exquisite lobster that costed 120 without even batting an eye. 'Ah, the difference between a plebeian and noble,' Ran cried internally after hearing Rowan order something so expensive.
"Ran?" Rowan cleared his throat when the waiter left their table, "I apologize for everything that I have done to you while I was intoxicated..."
"Ah that?" Ran gave a small smile as she crossed her legs under the table comfortably.
"It's alright. Anyone under the influence of alcohol can act different than normal. I understand that your mindset was a bit hazy then," She thought for a moment before forgiving him. Although she was frustrated at Rowan for taking her bag, it was also slightly her fault for letting him do so. Ran should have been responsible for her own belongings.
"Nonetheless, it didn't give me permission to act the way I did, so I still apologize. I hope my actions didn't cause you any harm," Rowan didn't easily accept her forgiveness as he stubbornly insisted on apologizing to her.
Ran stared helplessly at his apologetic face.
"No, it's truly alrig--" She started out.
"Once again, I do wholeheartedly apologize to you," Rowan interrupted her with another apology, causing Ran's right eye to twitch unknowingly.
'God, three apologies back to back. Ro didn't insult or harass me or anything, so it's all cool man. I just want my clothes back please," She bit her lip as she retrained herself from saying such blunt words. They weren't close friends or anything, so she couldn't just outright curse at his face. Ah, the struggles of interacting with an acquaintance!
"Well enough about that. I was surprised to see you as the one interviewing me." She smiled brightly and poured him a cup of aromatic red wine. Changing the subject should help Rowan get his mind off of this issue. She'll also set the atmosphere, so it won't be too awkward when she asks for her clothes back.
"I was also pleasantly surprised to see that I was the one interviewing you. I didn't know you applied to work at ATE?" He picked up his wine and took a sip rather elegantly.
"Ah.. truthfully, I was going to tell you about it when I saw you that one night. But since you were intoxicated... I guess I never got the chance to?" Ran immediately regretted her words. She was the one who changed the subject in the first place, yet she came back to it. What a mistake she's made!
"My apologies for that once again. I get embarrassed whenever I think of my actions that night," Rowan took another sip of wine, his ears red whether it was from the wine or from shame.
'Four! Four apologies!' Ran was fascinated by his dedication.
"Ah it's fine. Truly fine. Uh.. I was also surprised when I saw you greet Own-- no I mean Andrew at the cafe earlier today. I never expected that you two were friends," Him talking with Owner made quite the impact on her. She's worked for Owner for all those years and met all (or at least she thought that she met all) his friends, yet she had never met Rowan. How many friends did Owner have exactly?
"Oh?" Rowan put down his wine cup and stared at Ran, "You know Andrew as well?"
"Well, if I'm being honest," She hesitated. Owner had somehow forgotten(?) her, so she didn't know how to describe their current relationship, "I uh.. worked for him. Or at least I thought I did! When I visited him the day after you found me lying on the ground, he somehow forgot that I ever worked for him? He doesn't even remember me anymore so uh.. it's kind of complicated."
After saying it out loud, Ran realized how strange the situation really sounded and bit her lips. What if Rowan also thought she was a stalker?
"Oh how strange. I never heard of Andrew having a worker," Rowan responded with a tilt of his head.
"He must have not told you. You know his personality. He's... quite eccentric," Ran assumed that since she's never met Rowan, Owner had never told him of her existence. Even though she's worked there for three years.. Ah, how heartbreaking.
"Ah indeed. Well, even if he had never told me, I still met you and I'm glad I did," He grinned and poured her another cup of wine after seeing that Ran drank all of her previous cup.
'Did... did he just flirt with me? Ro, the stiff and awkward robot is capable of shooting out such lines with just a bit of wine? The power of wine is truly amazing!" She stared at the light reflecting off her wine, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"I guess I can say the same. You have been my lucky charm lately to be honest," She looked up from her wine and stared at the smiling Rowan.
Somehow, she could hear her heartbeat. When has it been this loud?
She placed a hand over her heart, ignoring the words coming out from Rowan's mouth.
"Oh god," She whispered out extremely quietly when she realized how fast her heart was currently beating. Seriously?
'Has wine always had such a negative effect on me? Should I stop drinking it?' Ran stared worryingly at her wine, her hand over her chest.
...
"Excuse me. I'll be heading to the bathroom for a bit," Rowan spoke up after they talked a little while longer.
"Ah yeah. Alright!" Ran was in the middle of taking a bite out of her dish. She watched him leave the table then looked at his half eaten plate.
'His dish will get cold if he's gone for long. Drinking all that wine must have taken its toll now,' Ran shook her head in pity.
She was too focused on finishing her plate that she failed to see Rowan head to the cash register instead of the bathroom. He took out his card, payed for their meal, and then headed back to where Ran was sitting with a smile on his face.
"That was fast," Ran's thoughts just slipped out of her mouth. She cringed when she realized she spoke that out loud. Ugh, who comments on how long someone spends in a bathroom? Awkward!!!
"Was it?" Rowan replied with a small smile as he sat down, "I didn't want to keep you waiting."
'Ah, wine sure makes him flirty,' Ran bit her tongue in order to not slip up again.
"How's your meal?" He took a sip of his wine and continued eating his lobster.
"It's great! I don't think I can ever make a plate of pasta that tastes even half as good as this one," Ran even wanted to lick the sauce off the plate. Leaving it really was a waste ah!
"What about yours?" Ran eyed his dish. She's never had lobster before but from its appearance and fragrance, Ran found that her mouth unconsciously watered.
"Would you like some?" Rowan didn't answer her and instead offered up a spoonful. He held his spoon in the air and waited for her to take a bite.
"Yes please. Thank you," Ran didn't even think twice before taking a bite. Free food all the way!
"... How cute," Rowan placed the tip of the spoon he fed Ran on his lower lip, staring at Ran enjoying her first taste of lobster. Her expression changed from delighted to fascinated to now satisfaction.
"Did you say something?" Ran was too focused on enjoying her bite that she didn't quite hear what Rowan said. Did he mention something about a cuticle?
"Nothing," Rowan gave her a sly smile.