(Continuation…)
"Nothing."
Rai shrugged, my smile lingering.
"Sure, if you say so."
Rosalind arched an eyebrow, unconvinced.
However, she shifted her focus to the main reason for their meeting, and her expression turned serious as she prepared to discuss the matter at hand.
"So, why did you ask me to meet you..?"(Rai)
Rai asked with a little to no interest to know the reason behind today's meeting.
Not because he disliked coming here, but the opposite, because he wouldn't mind coming here even if there was no particular reason, of course, only when the one he had to meet was Rosalind.
So he simply wants to get over the boring stuff as fast as possible.
And the disinterest in Rai's words was not hidden, as he didn't plan to, and it was easily noticed by Rosalind.
While Rosalind also knows that Rai was just being Rai and didn't mean to disrespect her, knowing that didn't help her much.
"Rai, I am trying to be serious here."
Viviana spoke with a serious face and an intensity in her gaze that could send a fleeting shiver down anyone's spine.
"Hey Viviana, I thought this was supposed to be a date.
–Rai not caring about her gaze, chimed in, his playful disappointment evident in his voice.
"What a bummer."
He added, his tone tinged with a mix of teasing and sarcasm.
"You wish."
Rosalind's response was sharp, showing that she was not falling for his teasing.
Knowing from their encounters, Rosalind came prepared for Rai's antics, well-aware of how he could often take conversations in unexpected directions.
…again, at least on the surface.
She also knows her many tricks won't work or manage to pierce through Rai's thick skin.
Seeing that his attempts to provoke a reaction had failed, Rai decided to back down .
"Yeah, yeah.
–Rai's response was accompanied by a playful whine, a tone that Rosalind recognized all too well.
"I'm all ears, Madam."
He added, with a touch of mock formality.
But Rosalind was not about to let his playful demeanor derail the conversation from its purpose.
"No, you are not."
Rosalind's serious gaze locked onto Rai's, conveying that she wasn't here for trivialities.
Rai raised his hand in a stop gesture, as if acknowledging her seriousness.
Even Rosalind believed he was about to halt his antics.
Yet, Rai's hand moved towards Rosalind, and his index finger pointed at her, capturing her attention more fully.
And then came the unexpected twist.
Neither Rosalind nor Rai had foreseen the next words that would tumble out of his mouth, once again breaking her monotone expression as he so often did.
"Viviana, I don't like that.
-Rai's words were abrupt, catching Rosalind off guard.
"I mean NOT you.
"l like you, but not that."(Rai)
His words stumbled out of his mouth one after the other, revealing something he hadn't intended to share so directly or so soon.
"Gosh! What did I just say?"
-Rai shook his head away immediately.
However, he knew he messed up, and now he had to clarify if he didn't want to ruin his relationship with Rosalind.
He took a deep breath, shaking his head to clear out his thoughts.
"What I mean to say is that I don't like the-Business model-look of yours that you wear right now.
-He continued to attempt to clear the misunderstanding, his words falling over each other in his haste to correct himself while still not looking at Rosalind.
"I don't care if you talk like that to others, but not with me."
-Rai finished with a heavy tone as he finally looked into her eyes.
Despite his attempts to backtrack, it was too late.
The embarrassment had already crept up, and Rosalind's face flushed red, her emotions momentarily getting the best of her.
The words 'I like you' reverberated in her mind, echoing over and over again.
For a brief moment, her composure wavered, and her focus shifted solely to Rai's unintentional confession.
A few seconds passed by, but no one spoke, making the air around them more awkward and embarrassing.
And each second intensified it.
"I understood. No need to explain so particularly."
–Viviana's voice cut through the tense silence, her tone carrying an unusual weight that Rai couldn't quite place.
'Idiot…'(Rosalind)
She added one more word under her breath, a whisper lost in the air, a secret shared only between her and the cosmos.
Rosalind fixed her gaze at him, and mixed emotions flared in her, diluting her command over her own emotions.
However, she didn't ponder it too much and focused on herself.
And that's what she did-
"Rai, I assume you received the invitation to the-Orientation Ball?"
Rosalind questioned, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"Yeah, I received it as everyone would with their Uniform.
"And I already planned to-
"...not attend."(Rai)
This time around, Rai also answered without beating around the bush.
"*nod."(Rosalind)
Seeing Rai's disinterested face in attending the Orientation Ball, Rosalind simply nodded as if she was expecting this.
"You seem to have already guessed my answer, Viviana."
Rai questioned, in an amused tone.
Having a good grasp of Rai's personality Rosalind was sure he would not attend.
That's the reason she even proposed a meeting with Rai-
…before sorting out her own feelings.
"To some extent. Yes."
she replied vaguely, keeping it casual.
"...yeah, to some extent."
Rai was quick to catch on and murmured.
"I would like you to attend the Orientation Ball."(Rosalind)
Changing her approach, Rosalind finally spoke, removing the mask and not giving up.
She knew, just as she had a good grasp of his personality. Rai also had a good view of her.
So there is no need to think too deeply.
"I already said I was not planning to attend, Viviana."
Rai repeated.
"Rai, I'm here to extend a personal invitation to you—to accompany me to the Orientation Ball."
Rosalind stated, her words gentle yet unwavering.
"...you think I will just change my mind if you ask?"
Rai questions, almost tripping his toes in accepting.
"Yes."
Rosalind answered with a smile, as though the conclusion was as foreseeable as the morning.
"Viviana, are you using our relationship and tricking me into the messed up conflicts I avoid?"
Rai raised an eyebrow in question.
"Yes."
Rosalind replies immediately.
"And you actually believe I will fall for it?"
"Yes."
.
(Change In POV)
(Rai's POV)
"And you actually believe I will fall for it?"
"Yes."
Viviana's response was again immediate and sounded confident, as if she had the inside track on a sure thing.
"*chuckle~"(Rai)
...So that's why my character ended up showing his face at the Party in the Novel, I guess.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought, as if a longstanding riddle had finally been cracked.
The Rai I knew, who'd bend over backward to avoid any grand social shindig like the Orientation Ball.
But, being the pushover that he is, he couldn't say no to his fiance's request.
It's no easy feat trying to string together all those little pieces of information scattered throughout the novel to form a coherent picture of my actions and reasons.
Especially for someone like me, an Extra character.
Sure, I could have been lurking in the shadows of practically every significant moment, but my involvement remains unclear.
I'm just one of the countless extras that populate the backdrop, watching as the main characters–the real story-changers—take the stage.
...And, as fate would have it, it appeared that I, too, was destined to attend this event, just as the novel dictated.
Though, this time around, it might be for an entirely different reason, considering Viviana wasn't my Fiancée—at least, not yet.
Where in the world did I mess up the plot again?
Not like I cared about it.
.
.
(Change In Scene)
(Third Person View)
In a cozy corner of the café, Kavir, David, and Maya nestled into comfortable seats.
While David slyly stole glances at Rai and Rosalind, who were conversing with each other.
The visible gap between their tables afforded a certain privacy to each other's conversion.
The air around them was charged with curiosity-
…at least around a certain someone.
"So, what's the deal between them?"
David leaned in toward Kavir, his attention unwaveringly fixed on the exchange between Rai and Rosalind.
.
(To be continued…)
(Chapter END)
★─★─★─★─★─★─★─★─★
[Author Information :
[-Orientation Ball-Is a formal Ball held to mark the start of the Academic Year, providing an opportunity for Students to socialize and establish connections.
[Well, it is a Formal Word for the Freshman Party.]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★