With an air of intrigue, Jose slipped away through the back door, executing a masterful stealth maneuver. Then, as if reentering a world he'd long yearned to inhabit, he smoothly returned through the front door.
"I've arrived," he declared, unlocking the VIP area door with an enigmatic smile.
Seated at a corner table was a man with long, meticulously coiled brown hair tucked neatly into a bun. He looked up from his drink, a glint of recognition lighting up his eyes. "You're finally here, Jose."
Jose nodded and gracefully took a seat across from the man, Dante. "So, Dante, what have I missed?" he inquired, leaning in.
Dante grinned widely, animatedly recounting, "Hei performed! Can you believe it? His performance was utterly breathtaking!"
Jose offered a reserved smile and sampled Dante's drink, taking a sip. "I see."
Dante, however, promptly reclaimed his drink from Jose's grasp, his voice dripping with playful reproach. "Would you mind buying your own drink?"
Jose raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping the room as if assessing every detail. "Just felt like it. I wasn't in the mood for self-service," he casually replied.
Dante's amused scoff couldn't be contained. "Jose, I won't waste my money on someone wealthier than I am," he jested, gesturing toward Jose with a playful flourish.
A bemused smirk tugged at Jose's lips as he remarked, "Well, I can't deny that."
However, their camaraderie took a humorous turn when Dante swiped his drink back and decisively retorted, "So, go ahead and buy your own bottle."
Jose's playful facade slipped slightly as he voiced his objection, "Why?"
Dante, meeting his gaze unwaveringly, issued his verdict, "Because you should buy your own."
An air of tension hung between them momentarily before Jose impulsively reached for a nearby bottle. However, he stopped abruptly when Dante slapped his hand away, asserting, "Not for you."
Jose frowned but couldn't escape Dante's unyielding glare. "Why not?" he pressed.
Dante, determined and unrelenting, simply replied, "Buy yours."
With an exasperated sigh, Jose shook his head, looked down at the floor, he reached over, quickly snatched the bottle of beer, his glass away from Dante's grasp, got up and walked briskly towards another empty table .
Dante watched as he left and his eyes widen, his jaw dropped and yelled, " Hey!"
But Jose acted like he didn't hear him yell and poured himself a drink and began to drink it.
Meanwhile, Dante leaned back on his chair and laughed at the absurdity of the situation, watching Jose sip his drink from a distance.
He stood up and started making his way to where Jose had gone and when he arrived in front of the table, he stopped and chuckled to himself again when he saw the look on Jose's face. Jose seemed angry at first but then his features softened, and after a while he started laughing along with Dante.
Suddenly, an unmistakable voice called out, " Jose!"
Both men turned to behold a striking figure approaching. She donned an elegant midnight blue bodycon dress that accentuated her crimson curls and highlighted her piercing sky-blue eyes. Hoop earrings and a delicate silver bangle adorned her, adding a touch of glamour to her presence. Her makeup was a subtle masterpiece, enhancing her natural beauty with smoky eyeshadow and soft pink lips.
She approached them, the rhythm of her heels echoing through the room as they collided with the floor. Jose averted his gaze momentarily and muttered, "Why is Carmen here?"
Dante echoed his confusion, "I wasn't expecting your fiancée, either."
As she neared, Carmen favored them with a sweet smile. "Jose, I wasn't expecting to see you here," she greeted.
Jose, his expression guarded, shrugged nonchalantly. "I could say the same about you. What brings you here?" he inquired.
Pushing Dante aside ever so slightly, Carmen took a seat next to Jose. Dante, less than thrilled, grumbled, "I was here first. Seems you only have eyes for your fiance."
Carmen pursed her lips, slightly vexed by Dante's words. She turned her focus to Jose as she spoke, referring to Dante, "Jose is my fiance as you just stated, so of course he is the only man I see, " She said.
" Brat," Dante mumbled under his breath and sat on another seat. Carmen rolled her eyes at Dante's response.
"Jose, we had plans to go out tonight, remember?" she reminded him, her hand gently resting on his thigh.
Jose tensed at her touch, a strange energy passing between them. "You never mentioned our plans earlier. I'm here because Dante invited me. I won't abandon my friend for someone who disrespected him," he asserted, pushing Carmen's hand away and stood up.
Dante burst out laughing and Carmen raised an eyebrow, take aback and stood up as well.
"You're choosing him over me? Is there something really going on between you two?" she accused.
Jose and Dante exchanged baffled glances.
When they realized what she meant, their eyebrows rose and they quickly looked away, shaking their heads in denial.
Jose looked at her incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous. Do people actually say that? "
Dante, amused, chuckled and teased, "Jose is an asshole."
"What?! What the hell did you just call me ?! You're the real asshole here, Dante," Jose growled, glaring at his friend.
Dante rolled his eyes and laughed. "Whatever," he retorted before leaning back in his chair.
" But, I -" Carmen wanted to speak but Jose interrupted her, shaking his head, " I'm out. "
With that, he left the table, leaving Carmen and Dante behind.
Jose walked out of the club and stood in front, his wrist lifting to check his watch for the time.
A sleek black Lamborghini pulled up in front of him, and he opened the door, slipping into the plush back seat. Leaning his head against the headrest, he let his thoughts drift back to his two previous timelines.
'Carmen ruined my life in my first timeline, forcing me to abandon my music career. In the second one, I managed to rid myself of her, yet somehow, I still met a tragic end.
Now, here I am again, and inexplicably tied to her once more. It's maddening,' Jose pondered, running his slender fingers through his hair, tousling it in frustration.
His chauffeur ignited the engine, and the car started moving.
"What am I doing wrong?" he mumbled to himself.
***
After neatly arranging the groceries in the refrigerator, Rosalina closed the doors with a sigh. Her thoughts mirrored Jose's: 'What am I doing wrong?'
She left the kitchen and retreated to her living room, sinking onto the couch. It was as if they were both grappling with the same question, unbeknownst to each other, tied together by an invisible thread of shared introspection.