-Haruka POV-
We're on our way back to Paris now. I have been preoccupied with Levi's condition since earlier. He didn't seem to be doing well at the airport earlier. He doesn't talk to any of us and just keeps looking at his phone. He even wears a mask to cover his face. I doubt he even had the hangover soup, let alone breakfast this morning. Is he going to get sick, or what?
"I'm sorry, sir, but do you need something to eat or drink?" The stewardess' voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"We'll be having two cokes and spring potatoes, please." Louis suddenly spoke and grinned at me. I couldn't help but smile, too.
"Oh, please also bring some hangover soup for Mr. Ackerman." I told the stewardess, and she just nodded.
"Hangover soup? For my brother, on top of that, what for?" Louis asks curiously.
"Your brother had too much to drink last night, and he didn't seem too well. I guess a hangover soup could help him a little." I said it calmly.
"Did he drink last night? Well, since when did you care about my brother, senpai?" Louis' question made me wonder. Yeah. Why did I even care about whether he's doing well or not?
"It… It's just tomorrow we're going back to work already, and a meeting on this project will be held too. I simply don't want him to force me to complete the entire project if he becomes ill at this time." To avoid any suspicion from Louis, I said it confidently. We just started dating, and I can have him doubt me.
"Well, yeah, it would be a pain in the ass, right? Btw, senpai, are you going back to your family's main residence right after we arrived in Paris?" Louis asks, making me raise my eyebrows. That's so sudden.
"I guess I'm not going back there first today. I'll have to review the documents from the meeting in Germany. Why is it?'' I asked him because I wanted to know the reason.
"Ah, it's nothing. I just thought I wanted to tag along and give Hanabi the things I bought." He said that.
"Why are you the one who's going to give them? Wasn't Lauren the one who asked you to buy them? She should be the one to give them to Hanabi, I guess." This uneasy feeling keeps coming into my head every time Louis talks about Hanabi. When Hanabi's name was mentioned, he appeared strangely excited. Did he actually like Hanabi? Of course not. We're dating, right? I keep saying that to myself.
"Ah, yes, you're right. How could I forget? Haha, what a fool!Senpai, let's continue the series we watched before while eating, huh?" Louis tried to change the topic, and he took the coke and spring potatoes he asked about earlier.
"Alright. Let's."
//SKIP//
-The Next Day-
We're now in the meeting room. We're going to have a meeting about the Germany project, as well as a board meeting. We arrived pretty early, so there aren't many people here yet. Surprisingly, the chairman also attended the meeting today.
"Mr. Auclair, it's been a while, is it?" The chairman speaks to me as he enters and takes the seat.
"Yes, it's good to see you again, sir." I smile and bow my head a little. The chairman smiles back.
"Oh, right. I know you already know that we'll be having Laura's wedding ceremony this Saturday. Please bring your entire family. It's been a while since I met your grandfather, too." The chairman said it with a smile. He's always been a cheerful person when I look at him.
"Will do, chairman. Thank you for the invitation." I smile back.
"Levi, you don't look too good." The chairman said, looking at Levi with a smile.
Levi looks up at his grandfather and smiles. To be honest, his smile looks pretty when he's sincere. Ugh. What am I saying?
"I'm good, chairman. Maybe I just haven't fully recovered from the jetlag yet." Levi said that politely.
"It's not like you, Levi, to have jet lag from a short trip. Don't push yourself too hard, then." The chairman spoke with such a concerned and soft voice. Levi is his beloved grandson, after all. His grandson should be blamed because he drank too much the other day. Sigh.
"Alright, chairman. Thank you for your concern." Levi replied politely.
Then, a few minutes later, the vice chairman enters the room, as do Louis and the other board members. Some of them are shocked to see the chairman here, and they greet him with respect.
"Chairman, you're here too." The vice chairman is clearly shocked to see the chairman here. I guess no one expected the chairman to come today.
"Yes, take your seat, Karl." The vice chairman nodded and took his seat in front of Levi.
"Oh, my grandfather is here too! It's been a while since I met my grandfather. Good morning, grandfather." Louis' loudness catches everyone's attention. This is his first time joining the board meeting, no wonder the senior executives are a bit furious with his behaviour.
"Louis, act professionally and greet with respect." Levi warns Louis and glares at him.
"Levi is right, Louis. And you should be addressing me as chairman at work. Now, take your seat." The chairman speaks up calmly.
"Oh, alright. I'm sorry then, chairman." After saying that, he takes his seat next to the vice chairman.
"Well, then. I believe everyone is here now. So, let's start the meeting with our new project in Germany first. Levi, would you?" The chairman said that while looking at Levi.
"Yes, chairman." Levi stands up and goes to the front.
"Well, as for our new project to build a hotel in Berlin, Germany, we managed to secure the partnership contract with Lorraine Holding and will start the hotel construction as soon as possible." He keeps explaining everything, and everyone seems to agree with everything he says. Well, I never see anyone objecting to what he said. Not even once.
"However, there are some extra things here, and I'll have Mr. Auclair explain that from here." He finishes talking about his part. Like we both agreed, I'm going to be the one who explains about Aiden and Mr. Thomas since I'm the one who arranged it.
"First of all, I want to apologise, as I made this backup plan without consulting with the Director first. In this project, we'll have Aiden Clarke and Mr. Thomas Ravier be a part of the contract." My words clearly shocked everyone, as none of this had been mentioned in the meeting prior.
"Aiden Clarke, a genius chef, has been the talk of the town lately. Mr. Thomas Ravier himself is also famous for the way he rejects people. How did you manage to convince them, Mr. Auclair? Did you offer him anything from the company without our knowledge?" Mr. Antoine Garnier, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), speaks.
"Are you doubting my secretary's abilities, Chief Garnier?" Levi interjects.
TO BE CONTINUED…