"By the way, I'm Jin Weilan," the man introduced himself, his demeanor shifting slightly to one of playful negotiation. "If I give you 5 million Yon, will you finally share your name?"
The proposal hung in the air, intriguing yet irrelevant to Alrich, who remained unfazed by the offer and its implications.
But all the people in his direction were surprised and amazed.
Who wouldn't be shock if you are given that much money just for your name.
Wow!
Yet, despite the excitement swirling around them, there was an underlying feeling among the crowd that the money being bid simply did not do justice to the presence of the only True Beauty standing before them.
The atmosphere shifted as others began to raise their bids, eager to claim their piece of the spotlight. It felt as if everyone was participating in a game where the stakes continuously climbed, each person waiting for the moment when the bids would finally falter, and the last person left standing would emerge victorious.
"Thank you, but I hope everyone can respect my privacy. You can call me Rain," the beautiful figure said, his voice both soft and commanding, drawing the attention of the room.
So, people got struck, not the person who's asking previously.
Jin Weilan, intrigued but also slightly incredulous, responded with a teasing glint in his eye, "Why? Are you hiding something?" He glanced at Alrich, who had been momentarily caught off guard and fell silent.
Alrich's heart raced; the playful teasing left him torn between an impulse to respond and the desire to retreat into the shadows.
Inside his mind, he ached to shout to the world, to Jin Weilan in particular:
'Yes, there is! It's you!'
'Why are you even here? There's so many restaurants in this country, why did you come here, and rented this one?'
'Are you f*cking kidding me? Of course, I do. Why are you asking an oblivious question?'
'Where's your brother? Is he here? Just show up and leave, damn*t.'
Yet, he swallowed his real feelings and masked his confusion with a calm smile, choosing instead to address Jin's provocative question. He felt an urgency to clear the air before the conversation spiraled into speculation that could lead to unintended conclusions.
He doesn't like that.
"If I were indeed hiding something, wouldn't it make more sense for me to wear a mask or avoid this crowded place altogether? Right?" he replied evenly, trying to inject logic into the situation.
He smiled slightly too, for forgetting that this guy is his husband.
"Yes, he's right!" someone chimed in from the back, a chorus of agreement rippling through the group of artists gathered around them.
"We are all entitled to our privacy. Just like everyone else, we deserve it!" another artist added, their voice heated with conviction.
"Exactly! Whatever his reasons might be, it's none of our business," a third voice echoed, their stance resolute.
The murmurs among the artists filled the restaurant, underscoring a collective understanding of the fragile nature of privacy in the unforgiving entertainment industry. They recognized just how crucial it was to safeguard their identities and personal lives from public scrutiny. They empathized, knowing that even those in the limelight weren't unique in their plight; privacy was a universal concern that transcended their glamorous world.
"I'm sorry," Jin Weilan said, suddenly realizing that he made a mistake. It struck him that he may have overstepped a boundary.
He rose from his seat, moving gracefully toward Alrich, who remained rooted to the spot, uncertainty clouding his thoughts.
Does he need to go away, to distance himself so that they won't focus on him any longer? Or should he allow Weilan to approach him, to see where this moment might lead?
His mind raced with possibilities, yet his body felt heavy, unwilling to make a move. So, he simply stood there, waiting for clarity.
What Alrich didn't expect was that Weilan would bow slightly in front of him, unperturbed by the curious gazes that filled the room. Panic darted through Alrich's mind as he took a few steps back, feeling the heat of embarrassment wash over him. Yet, he miraculously maintained a calm exterior, unable to fully betray the chaos roiling within.
In the recesses of his brain, he screamed silently, 'Oh my god! Can you please stop?!'
"It's okay. I don't mind. Then, I need to go back." He also bowed in front of him while also walking back to the kitchen, abruptly.
He didn't pay attention to what people said anymore. He doesn't want to associate with them.
To that person.
If only he could speed up time, he would.
Because he didn't want to stay in the place where Jin Weilan was.
But Alrich didn't know that after he left, Jin Weilan grinned in silence.
****
The celebration of the 7th Anniversary in Entertainment Industry of Jin Weilan, continued until evening.
But Alrich already said goodbye to others and to his manager when eight in the evening came.
Even though everyone wants to keep Alrich in the restaurant because he can do all the orders of the guests, they can't because his children are waiting for him.
They also don't want to be blamed when something bad happens to his kids so they just let Alrich go.
But when he left the restaurant, many of the artists were just asking where Rain was. Why he's not the one that serves them? But another.
Alrich's colleagues offered a single justification for his absence: he was tied up with other obligations that required his immediate attention. They were careful to refrain from mentioning that he had children, believing it would be an invasion of his personal life and a sign of disrespect.
As Alrich had articulated to the guests during a previous gathering, it was crucial to honor his privacy and the boundaries he had set. This commitment to confidentiality was why his colleagues vowed to keep his private matters under wraps, safeguarding the secrets that were not theirs to share.