Alaric was clearly agitated. It can be seen from his movements. He almost stumbled multiple times, on the verge of falling off the treadmill he was using. This evening was reminiscent of the cloudy and windy evenings of yesterday, with intermittent drizzles that came and went. The sky seemed to be playing tricks lately, making it difficult for humans to predict.
That's why Alaric preferred indoor activities rather than exerting himself outdoors. It was the complete opposite of Aymard, who remained unfazed by the evening weather, venturing onto the jogging track around the club. From inside the room, Alaric could see Aymard in his electric blue jacket, circling it twice.
Circling around the equestrian training field and skirting the rowing pond near the plantation, it seemed tiresome just to imagine. Alaric needed an extraordinary motivation to join Aymard in his regular Friday afternoon activities. He had done it a few times before, and it was indeed enjoyable. However, when it came down to personal preferences, Alaric consistently chose to avoid the open sky that had a habit of unexpectedly showering at any given moment. But damn it, Alaric couldn't ignore Aymard's invitation to enjoy the breezy evening outside this time. Someone had joined Aymard. A woman whose long legs were clearly visible even from a distance, perfectly supporting her beautiful figure. Who could resist such curiosity?
It wasn't exactly joining them, as the woman in the gray ensemble had already been running on the track. Aymard approached her, and eventually they ran side by side for two laps. Alaric couldn't find a name for this figure. It seemed to be someone unfamiliar to him. However, Alaric was never willing to pass up an opportunity to admire a woman with long legs. It was his weakness. So, in the end, he decided to go out and find out who this Tall Legs was. He took leisurely steps, treading on the steps made of slate-like stones arranged like a staircase. Without changing, he still wore his black shirt, dampened by sweat, and sat on a wooden bench. It was not a wise decision considering the unfriendly wind. Alaric squinted, searching for Aymard and that Tall Legs, who were almost as tall as Aymard. The two of them emerged from the rows of pine trees near the pond. Perhaps it would take about five more minutes before they passed in front of him.
Regardless, Alaric could only force himself not to show excessive surprise when he realized that Tall Legs, standing next to Aymard, was someone he knew. Who would have thought it was Aisha Roestam, the lucky PA? Alaric didn't expect that beneath her boring outfit and conservative dress from last week's dinner, it wasn't just her legs that could be considered an asset. It took an extra effort not to display an expressive facial expression to deny how beautiful Aisha was, both front and back.
"So, you're a member of the club too? Since when?" Alaric grumbled irritably, matching his pace with Aymard's.
Aisha remained silent, stepping rhythmically along the track. Only a moment later did she respond, "Not really."
Aymard turned to her, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
"I got an offer. Promotion. They also gave me vouchers for accommodations above. I thought, rather than wasting them, it's better to use them," Aisha replied matter-of-factly, slightly out of breath.
It was understandable, considering they had almost completed a 3-kilometer lap. But her words were more directed towards Aymard. She spoke while looking at him.
Alaric sneered, "Must be nice being someone important's trusted aide. I've been queuing for six months just to get approved here."
A small chuckle escaped Aymard from Aymard. Alaric indeed had a bit of bad luck with this club while Aymard had received invitations several times before finally becoming one of their exclusive members. Aisha glanced briefly at Alaric, flashed a stiff smile, and then focused back on her run.
"How far do you usually run?" Alaric asked, a bit curtly for some reason.
Aisha momentarily ignored Alaric, took a deep breath, and answered briefly,
"It's not about the distance. It's about the duration. An hour and a half is enough for someone like me, who's no longer young."
Aymard was surprised by Aisha's response. His pace slowed, as did Alaric, but Aisha didn't. She remained constant with her steps, gradually leaving the two Dirdja siblings behind. Aymard put his hands on his hips, catching his breath, and looked at Alaric with annoyance.
"What?" Alaric snapped, not accepting being looked at like that by his brother.
"Ah, you jerk!" Aymard groaned in annoyance.
"What's wrong?"
Aymard began to walk slowly, making sure his body didn't get shocked by sudden stops. Alaric followed him.
"She's offended by you, Burik!"
Alaric frowned, "Why?"
Aymard shrugged, "Duh, you ruined it! I was having a nice conversation with Aisha. I was about to ask her to have dinner together. You're such a troublemaker!"
Alaric was refused to be blame, "She's the troublemaker, not me. It's Aisha the Pain!"
Aymard elbowed Alaric, causing him to groan, "Mardi, how could you?"
Aymard glanced at him annoyed, "You ruined my plan."
"It's Aisha's fault! Why does she have to be so annoying?"
Aymard shook his head, "She just doesn't like you. Before you joined us, she was fine."
This time, it was Alaric who was annoyed, "Come on. What did I do wrong?"
"A Little Fox in the sheepish cloths?" Aymard whispered.
"Just keep bringing that up!"
Aymard laughed briefly and then turned to him, "Could you at least be polite to her?"
Alaric looked at Aymard in disbelief.
"You're almost ten years older than her. One decade makes a difference. Despite her being a PA, you still have to maintain a respectful attitude."
Alaric widened his eyes, "Really? But she doesn't seem that much older. I thought we were only around five years apart."
Aymard smiled awkwardly, "I didn't expect it either. But Danti mentioned that she's 37 years old."
Alaric widened his eyes again, this time accompanied by numbers swirling in his mind. He had never really bothered with age differences before because he rarely had to respect someone based on age gaps. As the always-respected one, Alaric only showed respect to those in higher positions, not an Assistant.
"Ah, Aisha is so outdated," grumbled Alaric. Then he continued,
"But there's a big question mark, Mardi. At least for me. Aisha is 37 years old, has three children, and you want to get close to her?"
Aymard stopped walking. He remained still as he turn around to face Alaric a few steps ahead. He found a mischievous smirk appeared on his younger brother's face who isn't longer do his running.
"It's none of your business, Burik!" said Aymard.
Alaric chuckled mischievously, happy to have found material for teasing Aymard,
"Falling in love? With a single mother of three? How cheap, Mardi!" Alaric chuckled.
Aymard squinted, "Really?"
"Yes." Alaric said firmly.
"Then I might as well admit it, I am interested in Aisha."
Alaric squinted, feeling that Aymard wasn't finished speaking. And true enough, with an ugly grin, Aymard said,
"Marcell said you were shining with excitement when you described Aisha's perfect long legs. Praising women's legs, as usual."
Alaric felt his face heat up, "Wh-What? Damn you, Marcell!"
"Just admit it, don't use the excuse 'oh, she's just an assistant, not in my league!' You're cursed now that you know!" Aymard taunted, tapping Alaric's forehead with his finger.
Alaric glared, putting his hands on his hips when watching Aymard start running again. His laughter sounded irritating. After a few steps, Aymard turned his body around and spoke softly, only readable from the movement of his lips.
"She's mine, Baby Bro!"
*****