Dinner had begun, and Matthew felt that everything was in perfect harmony. The view of the city in the background was stunning, but no landscape could overshadow Elise's beauty.
As they sampled a delicate starter of tuna carpaccio with truffle oil, Elise broke the silence with a mischievous smile.
"So, Matthew, I heard you spent the day testing NeuroPlay's new game."
Matthew gasped slightly at that. He hadn't expected her to know, and the memory of his frustration with the demigods made him blush.
"Ah... well... yes, it was just... a quick test..." he tried to hide it, but the tone of his voice betrayed his discomfort.
"Quick? I thought it would have been intense, considering how challenging 'Almighty' seems to be." Elise's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I admit I took some time today to test it out too. The system is incredibly immersive, but I found it curious how some NPCs seemed impossible to beat."
Matthew laughed awkwardly, running his hand over the back of his neck.
"Impossible... you have no idea! It's not even easy on normal mode."
Elise raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Wait... you were playing on normal? I thought you were at least on hard."
He let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head.
"Yeah, I think I'd rather focus on improving the game's balance..." he said, looking away from his plate.
She laughed softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You're adorable when you're embarrassed, you know that?"
Matthew looked up at her, surprised, but before he could respond, Elise changed the subject with the same lightness that guided the conversation.
"Speaking of challenges, my father mentioned that Montavon Corp. is in need of a network security application. He wants to hire an IT company for the project."
Matthew crossed his arms, curious.
"Really? Well, I think NeuroSys could be an interesting candidate. We recently released a security system that is at the top of the market."
Elise smiled, leaning forward slightly.
"That's exactly what I thought. Could you release this system to Montavon Corp.... maybe an even improved version of what is available for purchase?"
Matthew raised an eyebrow, intrigued and amused by the request.
"Are you asking me this as the wife of the president of NeuroSys or as someone interested in the NeuroSys system as a manager of Montavon?"
Elise blushed instantly, her eyes shining with a mixture of embarrassment and surprise.
"President's wife?" she repeated, trying not to stumble over her words.
"Yes." Matthew leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Because even if the president's wife asks, the CEO here won't let his wife lose out in a deal. It wouldn't be fair, would it?"
She brought a hand to her face, trying to hide her embarrassed smile.
"You never miss an opportunity, do you?" she replied, trying to regain her composure.
"Never." Matthew leaned across the table, his teasing tone softened by a genuine glint in his eyes. "But for the president's wife, I think I can pull off something really special. After all, I don't want Montavon Corp to think I'm being petty."
Elise caught her breath, laughing as she crossed her arms.
"Well, the president's wife wouldn't take no for an answer anyway."
"Then we agree."
They laughed together, and the moment seemed to crystallize the harmony that existed between them.
---
The sun was already shining through the heavy curtains in Matthew's bedroom, but he didn't need an alarm clock. Sunday was the only day he allowed himself to wake up without rushing, enjoying the slower pace. He picked up his phone from beside his bed, unlocking the screen with a lazy gesture.
"Good morning, Elise. Did you sleep well?" he wrote, a slight smile on his face as he sent the message.
After sending it, he stretched and stood up. On his way to the bathroom, he heard the sound of the reply notification, but decided to ignore it for now. A hot, invigorating shower seemed more urgent.
He started brushing his teeth while the water in the shower heated up. The reflection in the mirror caught his attention: his hair was longer than he remembered, the uneven ends starting to give it a unkempt appearance.
"It's time to fix this..." he murmured, as he ran his hand through his hair.
After the shower, with his face shaved and fresh, Matthew decided to take action. He opened the System Mall, where a variety of products were available to him.
"Let's see... a basic hair clipper should do the trick."
Within seconds, he had selected and confirmed the purchase. The clipper instantly appeared on the shiny surface of the nearby table, and Matthew picked it up curiously.
"This can't be that hard..." he said to himself, standing in front of the bathroom mirror.
The idea seemed good, but the execution was catastrophic. Attempting to trim the sides, he ended up cutting more than he should have on one side, leaving it visibly uneven. Frustrated, he tried to fix it, but the mess only got worse.
"Aether!" he called, and the AI projected itself to his side with a warning glow.
"Do you need assistance, sir?"
"Yes, something that actually works. Find something more advanced in the System Mall... I'm ruining my hair!"
Aether quickly scanned the available options and suggested:
"The Aynt-18 self-cutting device, sir. World-class technology designed for perfect, personalized cuts."
"Perfect! Buy it now."
The device appeared on the table in seconds, a sleek, futuristic little machine. Matthew picked it up, and Aether quickly explained how to use it.
As he placed the Aynt-18 on his head, he felt a gentle vibration as the device scanned the shape of his skull and suggested styles. Matthew chose a classic cut, with shorter sides and a textured top.
Within minutes, the Aynt-18 completed the cut, and Matthew looked in the mirror, marveling at the flawless result.
"This is amazing... I feel like I've been to the best salon in the world!"
Satisfied, he stored the device in a special compartment that the system had automatically installed in the bathroom. With his new hair, he felt refreshed, almost as if he were ready to conquer the world or at least his kitchen.
As he went downstairs to make breakfast, Matthew whistled, his steps light and carefree. He didn't know exactly what he would do that Sunday, but he was sure that the day had already started out interestingly.