The sound of a heel hitting the floor accompanied by the thick and rhythmic tapping of fingers on the armrest reverberated inside the room. The tense atmosphere between the two people facing each other was like what one would feel at the start of a battle.
No one wants to lower their weapons and bow their heads to one another.
The crane who stood elegant and unyielding, more mature than she had last seen, pushed the papers above the table to the man before her, "If we're going to continue with this engagement, let's set some boundaries and rules in this relationship. I've written mine, fill yours."
The bull who always looked angry even on his sitting face, scanned the paper without taking it. His grey eyes only lowered, and his brows would occasionally rise from time to time. He pursed his lips and spoke, "Stop with the heel thing, Diva. It's annoying."
"I'm bored. Gosh, sitting with you bores the hell out of me. Quick and state your conditions, so I can leave already."
Azrael glared at his female alpha friend and stated, "I gave you the option that you can walk away from this agreement and the engagement won't happen. But you let the invitations be sent instead. What are you thinking?"
Diva changed the positions of her crossed legs and folded her arms before answering, "Don't take me for a fool, Azrael. I know that if I initiate the breakup, the Idol Entertainment would only suffer losses. I should be the one asking you that, you know?
"If you're against this, why not cancel the engagement once and for all? If you do it, my company will gain sympathy and might even thrive again without your company's help. On the other hand, your company's worth won't even get shaken."
Azrael frowned, "I tried suggesting that to that old geezer. But he likes you so much he's willing to disown me if I don't marry you. If he wants you to be family that bad, why not marry you instead?"
A throw pillow was thrown in his direction but Azrael only swatted it away. However, another made a surprised landing and hit him right in the face.
"Damn you, Azi. Your father's too old for me, and I don't want you even as a stepson. That's gross," Diva said and shuddered exaggeratedly. "If we can't postpone this engagement, let's not go along with it. Besides, we have plenty of time to think of ways to split before the marriage, without incurring losses on both sides."
Diva stood and readied herself to leave, "I already listed my conditions, whatever you write, I might just approve it, as long as it's not contradicting my rules. Well then, I'm leaving. Bye~"
Azrael took the paper. Listed below were her boundaries – not to touch her if it's not for show; not to lust over her and expect intimacy; not to get in the way of her fun, as long as she's not ruining their reputation and putting their agreement at risk.
Those are the highlighted boundaries Diva wrote in the paper, but it was filled with many nonsensical rules that Azrael just crumpled the paper and threw it into the bin.
He doesn't need to be told by Diva those rules, he was aware that both of them, who grew up together, treated each other as almost like siblings. Kayden and Rian must have thought the same way, so they both refused even when Azrael pointed knives at their throats.
Azrael stood from the sofa and moved to his swivel chair behind the desk. He pulled out the drawer and took out the brown envelope. Dismissing other contents, he only left a single photo on his table.
He leaned back on the chair as he stared at that piece of paper. Included in the report were the address and contact number of Knox Arden. For a moment, he battled with his inner self whether to pull out his phone and dial the number or just throw the paper out.
A few minutes later, the sound of a phone ringing filled his office.
Clack.
Someone answered. A voice so familiar to him, "Hello?"
Azrael balled his hand to fist. His other hand's fingers slowly tapped on the desk one by one unconsciously.
That velvety voice mixed with a bit of masculinity seemed strange and different from Azrael's memories filled with nothing but Knox squabbling indecipherable murmurs, sarcasm-filled and rude voices, and rough snarky remarks.
Though a speck of memory fluttered in his mind where that velvety voice was used.
"Hello? Who's this?" the voice on the other side became smaller, "Wrong number?"
"Your moans—
Clack.
Azrael, "…"
He dialed the number again and got – sorry the subscriber cannot be reached, please try again later.
"Dammit!"
Azrael kicked the air in frustration. He should have answered! Why did he go speechless and reminisce about the past? But, if Knox won't answer him again, then the next thing to do is visit him at his address.
Azrael nodded to himself, "Right. I should have done that first."
That morning on Saturday, he went to the address listed on the report, but after pressing the doorbell, and staying at the parking lot of his apartment building until dusk, not even a shadow of Knox Arden appeared.
He tried calling the number again, but the same automated voice was heard. At that moment, something snapped inside Azrael.
At noon on the same day, Athan was carrying Knoa while looking around for formal menswear inside the mall branch of HZ Clothing Brand. Knoa was excitedly pointing at different colors while shouting, "Looks good on Papa! Try! Try!"
Athan would then look at the sales staff. The sales staff would hurriedly take the set from the display and add it to the mountain of clothes Knox had to try.
"Hey, that's enough! No more pointing, Knoa! And Athan, please, don't indulge him!"
Athan would just whistle and avert his eyes, while Knoa would just cutely hide his face in his palms as if it could hide his wide grin. Obviously, the two were enjoying dressing Knox up like a doll.
However, Knox wasn't having it. He didn't even know why his boss insisted on buying him clothes on the weekend. He got dragged so early in the morning, along with his son. If Knoa wasn't enjoying, Knox would have just snatched his son back and gone home.
But the store was filled with Knoa's tiny giggles that brought smiles to everyone inside.
One customer even pointed at them, "Oh, look at that family~ their baby is so cute~"
Some staff who knew Athan would carefully walk to them and chat with Knoa to entertain him while his father was trying on clothes.
"How do I look?" Knox asked. He wore a white suit with purple linings on the cuff, collar, placket, hems, and pockets, paired with white trousers with the same design and white shoes. His posture was straight and the bodice was slightly curved inward, giving the illusion of an attractive curve.
Athan grimaced upon seeing the male customers stare at Knox openly. He cleared his throat and sent them each a glare before he walked to Knox and answered, "You look like a bride."
"Papa, bride!" Knoa mimicked, then he tilted his head and asked Athan, "What's bride?"
Athan rubbed Knoa's forehead and answered, "A beautiful person."
Knoa beamed and looked at Knox with a wide smile, "Papa's a bride!"
"No, that's not it, baby," Knox looked at Athan with reprimanding eyes but the latter just laughed.
Athan then called for someone and asked, "Do we have this kind of suit in black?"
The staff answered, "Yes, sir."
"We'll take it. With the same measurements, of course."
The sales staff left and prepared their purchase even when Knox refused to accept more than one. In the end, they left the store carrying four store bags. Before they went home, Athan took them out for dinner and it was already dark when they returned.
After putting Knoa to bed, Knox walked Athan to the entrance with the intention of asking what was the clothes for.
Athan answered, "I have an engagement party to attend tomorrow night. Father…asked me to take you as well…"
His voice trailed off after seeing Knox flinched. He sighed and bit his lower lip, then he continued, "If you don't want to—
"No," Knox cut Athan off. He faked a smile and firmly said, "If that's what he wanted, I'll go. That's the least I can do for all his help after all."
"You don't have to force yourself, Knox," Athan said worriedly. Knox just smiled and reassured him.
However, if Athan only mentioned the names of the couple getting engaged that night, Knox might have even fled the country just to avoid seeing that face again.
He stood in the corner of that extravagant hall, clad in a black and purple formal suit, speechless and stunned while gazing at the man he so wanted to run away from, walking elegantly beside a gorgeous woman waving at the crowd.
That man's eyes scanned the entire hall until they landed on the darkest corner where shadows of the curtains hid his black-cladded appearance, and only those shocked, wide, and bright emerald eyes glimmered from the chandelier lights within that hall were noticeable.
Eyes very familiar to him, and often appeared in his dreams. Without any second to waste, Azrael dashed to that man, who staggered for a second before bolting out of the hall.