"Eh? Mimi, what are you doing here?"
Popping out from behind Tobias, Eli greets Mimi with a pleasant smile. Looking up at the smiling man, Mimi's expression remained cold and emotionless.
"It's my lunch break."
In response to her words, Eli's brows furrowed. "Then shouldn't you be eating in the company cafeteria with everyone else?"
Mimi sighed as if his question was a nuisance before looking off to the side.
"I like eating on the roof."
"The roof?" Eli's brows furrowed even further.
Tobias standing to the side also couldn't help but show a displeased expression.
On the roof? Didn't she realize how windy it was up there?
He secretly kept in mind to lecture her about that later.
"Well then, excuse me." Mimi bowed her head politely toward everyone before walking past the group.
"Ah, wait a moment Mimi!" Eli's voice halted Mimi's steps.
Slowly turning her head in his direction, her eyes flash with a hint of boredom and irritation.
Smiling helplessly at the girl's expression, Eli pats Mimi's shoulder.
"We're all actually going out for lunch right now, why don't you join us?"
Frowning, Mimi says, "I'd rather not."
"Oh come on, would you really rather have lunch on the cold roof than at a restaurant with us?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
"On what your intentions are." Mimi coldly glanced at the hand on her shoulder.
Feeling a sudden chill run down his spine, Eli laughs awkwardly while removing his hand from the girl's shoulder.
Ah, he had almost forgotten about the devil behind him that seemed to favor Mimi!
Eli secretly reminded himself to be much more careful with his actions toward the girl.
Meanwhile, Senior Su's eyes darkened as she watched and listened to Eli and Mimi. Her expression only seemed to worsen the more they spoke, her lips pursing into a stiff straight line.
"Mr. Sato, surely you haven't forgotten today's lunch is also an important business meeting. I'm not sure that inviting Ms. Mimi is appropriate. And besides…"
Senior Su's eyes glanced toward Tobias who looked at Eli and Mimi with a chilly stare.
From her stare, it was clear she was insinuating Tobias, a man of business, wouldn't want an ordinary employee like Mimi to join their meeting.
Amused by Senior Su's indication, Mimi inwardly smirked.
She glanced at Tobias with an intense stare, her eyes challenging the man. Staring back at her, Tobias raised a brow, a deep seductive chuckle escaping his lips.
"I don't mind."
Senior Su's expression stiffened and her eyes widened.
"M-Mr. Itou, but today's meeting shouldn't it be…"
Before she could finish, Tobias coldly glanced in her direction and cut her off. "Do you not trust our own employees to keep the company's private matters a secret?"
Stunned, Senior Su shakes her head.
"Of course not, it's just…"
"Then there's no problem."
Senior Su clamped her mouth shut and lowered her gaze, a dark glint flashing within her eyes. Eli ignored the two's conversation and smiled at Mimi.
"There, what do you say?"
Sighing tiredly, Mimi looks at the group indifferently.
"I have no choice, do I?"
"Haha, no." Eli laughed softly.
"Fine."
Beaming brightly, Eli walks back toward Tobias. While everyone walked in front, Mimi stayed behind with Juno and slowly leaned close to the man.
"This restaurant better have a lot of fried food...And crepes, I'm craving something sweet."
Stifling a laugh, Juno coughs and nods his head. "Of course Ms. Mimi, Mr. Itou already informed the chefs to prepare something special for you on our arrival."
Mimi looks at Juno with a smile and proudly pats the man on the back.
"That's boss for you. He's always so considerate of his employees." She chuckled.
Juno didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Only to you Ms. Mimi…Only to you.
…
Arriving at the restaurant, the waiter led them to a private dining area where only elite customers dined in.
Mimi admired the restaurant's traditional interior and somewhat found the atmosphere to be incredibly comfortable.
She should come here again with Tobias some time, and this time without the stuffy business talk. And if he was busy, maybe Emilia.
She recently learned about Emilia's fondness for historical fiction and Chinese literature - she was certain if Emilia saw the restaurant she'd take dozens of photos.
As they were seating themselves, a mischievous gleam flashed through Mimi's eyes as she watched Senior Su's movements.
Just as Senior Su was about to sit beside Eli, Mimi's petite figure sat comfortably down in the chair.
Her expression was one of indifference as if she hadn't committed a shameless act and stole Senior Su's seat.
Senior Su's lips twitch and a frown formed on her face, a look of displeasure showing in her eyes.
Senior Su was taken aback, "Ms. Mimi?"
"Hmm?" Mimi hadn't looked up at Senior Su as she stared at the menu in front of her.
"That seat…" About to reprimand the girl for her disrespectful actions toward her senior, Mimi cut her off in a lazy tone.
"Eh? Weren't you handing this seat to me?"
As much as she wanted to say no and scold the girl, Senior Su bit back her words and knew if she said no and asked for Mimi to move she'd appear childish and rude.
After all, she was the adult in the situation.
Rather than causing an uncomfortable atmosphere, Senior Su released a stiff smile and sat elsewhere.
Tobias watched the scene before Mimi and Senior Su with a raised brow.
What did the girl have planned now?
Concealing the smile forming on his lips, Tobias looks down at his menu. Eli, on the other hand, who sat beside Mimi looked at her with an awkward expression.
She clearly was planning on sitting beside Tobias but suddenly changed her mind and zoomed toward Senior Su's seat. She even had the guts to say she assumed she thought Senior Su was giving her the seat.
Unable to understand her reasoning, he shrugged it off and sipped the water across from him.
Meanwhile, Senior Su sat beside Juno with a courteous smile on her face. Yet, unseen by the rest, her hands clenched tightly beneath the table cloth, her fists slowly turning white.