"I've looked into it. They're the people that Mr. Mario, Director of the Yeesho company sent." Anna recounted her discovery.
Axel, Edward, and Anna chose the Tonight Bar as a place to discuss the events at the party. They booked the VVIP room as usual.
"Damn Mario! Dissatisfied with the deal he agreed to then he attacked me. Did he think he could finish me off easily? Tch, how naive!" Axel cursed.
Mario is the Director of the Yeesho Company who this morning had a meeting with the Emperor Group.
"We have nothing to lose even if you give him a bit more of an advantage for him, Ax," Edward said.
"No way! A cunning person like him will never be satisfied until he gets the whole thing. I won't let it go." Axel said.
"Indeed, I won't be short if I don't participate in this oil project, but I'm more interested in getting Yeesho to resign in defeat." Axel showed his sly smile.
"What do you want to do?" Anna asked.
Axel shook his head. "Let me think about this carefully, Anna. Don't be curious too early." Anna rolled her eyes.
"That's up to you! I just don't want you to put yourself in danger."
"I know you care about me, but don't worry about it. I wouldn't put myself out there except at the top." Axel said confidently.
"Would you do the same if I were in Axel's shoes, Anna?" Edward asked suddenly. Anna frowned.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
Axel watched the two by glancing at them alternately. He chose not to speak.
"Okay, here you go. If I was in danger would you stand upfront to protect me, like you always do for Axel?" Edward clarified the question.
"If you were Axel then, of course, I would," Anna replied quickly.
"So it's just Axel? You'd go through all the trouble if it was for Axel? You don't even care about your life when it comes to Axel?" Edward's expression was unreadable.
Anna's guts shrunk a little because Edward had never shown such an expression before.
"Don't be too dramatic, didn't you also do what I did for Axel? You also desperately protect Axel in every fight even though your own life is at stake?" Anna replied realistically.
Anna's words made sense, so Edward had no reason to ramble on anymore.
Axel poured alcohol into his glass. It was as if the sound of the liquid had broken the silence that had been going on for a while.
"You don't drink, Anna?" Axel asked shaking his glass. "Looks like someone forbids me to drink it." Anna's reply made Axel laugh softly.
Axel gulped wine from his glass. "I forbade you to drink at parties, now of course you can."
"No, I drive." Reject Anna.
"Cheers," Axel said aimed at Edward. Edward also poured the red liquid into his glass, lifting the glass into the air as Axel did, causing a small clinking sound when the two glasses met.
"It's getting late, we should head home. It's not good for Anna to drive herself to her apartment." Edward said. Axel nodded in agreement.
"Let's go home, Anna."
"Okay. I'll go get the car. You just wait at the front door." Anna had walked out of the VVIP room first.
Axel and Edward watched Anna's back until she disappeared behind the door. They do it on purpose, or maybe on instinct.
"I'll come up with a plan. When the time comes for you to clear the Yeesho Company from this Oil project." Axel said with a stern look.
"I see. Just leave it to me."
***
Axel chose to sit beside the steering wheel, not like he usually sits in the back seat. Ace glanced at Anna many times like he was looking for something.
"Oh, I just realized your dress has changed shape." Axel sneered at Anna when he realized the dress he had bought had been tampered with. Anna hissed sarcastically.
"This dress blocks my movement. If you don't accept it I'll replace it."
"No. I'll be the one to replace it. Come with me tomorrow, I'll buy you a new dress instead of the one you modified."
"I don't really need it. You're not telling me to put on a dress to go to work, are you?"
"No, of course not. You're already too attractive. If you wear a dress you will stand out more, I don't like you being the center of attention of mashers."
"Including you?" Anna glanced at Axel with a mischievous smile.
"What?"
"The masher," Anna said.
Axel let out a smirk. "You want me to prove that I'm a masher?"
Anna was suddenly taken aback. She didn't expect Axel's reaction to being like this.
"Ehem. It's here, please come down, Mr. Axel." Anna changed the subject.
"Then let's go down."
"I don't, you just." Reject Anna.
"It's no good for a girl to drive alone in the middle of the night like this."
"I'm used to it, no problem."
"Okay, since you're not coming down, let me walk you home."
"Huh? Are you serious?" Anna raised one eyebrow in surprise.
"Hurry up and start the car before I force you in." Axel snarled.
"O-oh, okay."
***
"Thanks for taking me home, you should come home as soon as possible," Anna said.
Even though Anna was driving, Axel still accompanied her to her apartment.
"You won't let me stop by, Anna?" Axel said being spoiled.
"No, you should go home."
"But I need a glass of water, my throat is dry." Axel rubbed his throat to make it look more reassuring.
"Axel, your house has more kinds of water." Anna still refuses Axel's request.
"I need it now, Anna."
"You wait here, I'll get it."
"No, I'm coming. I'm afraid to be here alone." Anna froze.
"What are you afraid of, Axel? You can even kill five criminals with one bullet."
"I'm afraid the mosquitoes will attack me." Axel kept coming up with alibis. Anna was more astonished than before.
"I'm sleepy, Anna."
"Then you should go home soon."
"I think I'm drunk, Anna. I can't drive drunk." Axel made a helpless face.
Anna knew from the start that Axel was only looking for a way to live in Anna's apartment, so Anna kept refusing. But it seemed that this time Anna had to give in, otherwise it would never be finished even until the day after tomorrow.
"Okay, just this once. Come in!" Anna said at last.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"You're not going to kick me out, are you?"
"Not."
"You do not—"
"Hurry up or I'll change my mind!" Anna exclaimed who had walked first.
"Okay if you insist," Axel said with a crooked smile. In an instant Axel was already walking in front of Anna, his movements were so fast. It showed that Axel wasn't drunk. He is fine. He lied just to get into Anna's apartment.
"No shame!" Anna pouted but Axel didn't care. Most importantly he could stay here tonight.
***
"This is my house so you have to obey me," Anna said
"Very well, Host," Axel replied obediently.
"You sleep on the couch because there's only one room here."
"On the couch?" Axel looked surprised.
"You can choose to sleep on the couch or the floor."
"Fine, I'll sleep on the sofa. But can I sleep on the sofa in your room?" Axel bid again.
Anna sighed. She was tired of having to argue with Axel again. Finally, she gave in again.
"On a note, you can't touch my bed."
"No problem," Axel said casually.
"I'm going to change first," Anna said while walking towards the walking closet.
"Where's my change of clothes? I can't sleep in this suit, can I?" Axel spread his arms as if showing off his clothes.
"I've already ordered it for you. Someone's coming for it in a minute. Just you wait."
***