Nat's pov:
"I'm so sorry, I should've left her in her dog room, Ran said as he panicked drying the hot tea spilled on me.
"It's okay, I can do it myself." I said as I tried to stop him.
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A few hours ago:
"Why are we having tea, aren't we supposed to be doing our sessions." I asked as Ran led through the garden and to a small round table full of pastries.
"I've decided to change the scenery around, I'm tired of just sitting still and inhaling your pheromones. We can still do the screening, we will just be doing little activities." He explained.
"Like painting, eating, walking, etc." He added.
As Ran and I sat down at the table, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. This wasn't part of the usual routine, and I didn't know how to handle it. The table was set with an array of pastries, delicate china teacups, and a steaming pot of tea that seemed completely out of place for a therapy session.
Ran, however, looked completely at ease as he poured the tea with practiced grace. "I thought this would be a nice change," he said, handing me a cup. "Sometimes, a bit of fresh air and good food can make these sessions more effective. Plus, I need to observe how you behave in a relaxed setting."
"Relaxed?" I echoed, raising a brow. "You're seriously expecting me to relax surrounded by all… this?" I gestured to the lavish garden and over-the-top table setup.
He smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Exactly. Let's see how well you handle being out of your comfort zone."
I rolled my eyes but took a small sip of the tea. It was surprisingly good—sweet, with a hint of citrus. "Fine. What's the first activity, Your Highness?" I teased.
Ran's eyes glimmered with amusement. "Well, I figured we'd start with something simple. Eat a pastry, drink your tea, and tell me about yourself."
I sighed, feeling the weight of his gaze as I picked up a delicate pastry. It was almost too pretty to eat, but the buttery aroma was hard to resist. "Tell you about myself, huh?" I took a bite and chewed slowly, buying time. "What do you even want to know?"
"Anything," Ran said casually, but his eyes were sharp, studying me as though he were trying to read every unspoken word between the lines. "Your childhood, your hobbies, your favorite color. Take your pick."
I swallowed and set the pastry down. "Well, my childhood wasn't exactly thrilling. Most of it was spent figuring out how to make ends meet. My dad passed away when I was six, so it was just me, my mom, and my little sister after that."
Ran's expression softened, though he kept his usual composure. "That must've been tough."
"It was," I admitted, glancing down at my cup of tea. "But you learn to adjust. I took on a lot of responsibilities early, so I didn't have much time for hobbies or… whatever kids are supposed to do."
"And now?" he asked. "Do you have any hobbies now?"
I chuckled dryly, shaking my head. "You mean between working two jobs and trying to keep a roof over our heads? Not really. But I guess… I like fixing things. Small repairs, tinkering. It's practical, I guess."
Ran tilted his head, intrigued. "Fixing things? Like what?"
"Anything, really. Broken appliances, furniture, you name it. If it's salvageable, I'll figure out a way to make it work again." I shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious under his gaze. "It's nothing special, just something I've picked up over the years."
"Sounds like problem-solving is a strength of yours," he noted, his tone thoughtful. "You seem like someone who thrives under pressure."
"Or just someone who has no choice but to keep going," I said, smirking wryly. "What about you? I'm not the only one at this table."
Ran raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting the question to turn on him. "What about me?"
"Tell me something about yourself," I said, leaning back slightly. "You already know too much about me."
He hesitated, a rare flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. "Well… I grew up in this house. I guess you could say my childhood was the opposite of yours—privileged but lonely. My family's business kept my parents busy, and I was mostly raised by staff."
"Sounds like a dream," I joked lightly, though his expression told me it wasn't.
"Not really," he said, his voice softer now. "It's hard to explain, but when you're surrounded by everything you could ever want, it makes the things you can't have stand out even more."
The conversation paused for a moment, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Before I could think of a response, a loud bark echoed across the garden. A massive dog bounded toward us, tail wagging furiously, knocking into the table and sending the teapot wobbling precariously.
"Uh-oh," Ran said, jumping up to steady the table.
I barely had time to react before the dog's enthusiastic greeting resulted in a lap full of hot tea.
The hot tea soaked through my jeans, and I hissed in discomfort, quickly trying to dab at the fabric with my hands. The dog, oblivious to the chaos, barked happily and wagged its tail, clearly pleased with itself.
Ran immediately grabbed a napkin, his calm demeanor replaced by genuine panic. "I'm so sorry, I should've put her in the dog room," he said, leaning down to dry the spill on my lap.
"It's okay, I can do it myself," I said quickly, trying to take the napkin from him, but he kept going, muttering apologies under his breath.
"She's usually better behaved, I swear," Ran insisted as he turned to gently nudge the dog away from the table. "You've officially been introduced to Duchess. She's… overly friendly."
"Friendly is one way to put it," I muttered, standing up to shake out my soaked jeans. Duchess barked again, looking like she wanted to play, and I gave her a wary glance. "Does she always greet people like this?"
Ran sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Only the ones she likes, apparently."
I couldn't help but laugh despite the mess. "Lucky me."
Ran smiled sheepishly. "Here, let me get you something to change into. We can't have you walking around like that." He turned to Sang, who had just appeared at the edge of the garden, undoubtedly drawn by the commotion.
"Sang, can you grab a spare pair of pants and a towel for Nat?" Ran asked, his voice laced with authority but also a hint of guilt.
Sang nodded, suppressing what I swore was a smirk. "Right away, young master."
As Sang walked off, Ran turned back to me, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Seriously, I'm really sorry. I should've known Duchess would pull something like this."
"It's fine, really," I said, waving him off. "I've had worse days. Besides, it's not like she meant to spill tea all over me."
Ran's expression softened, and he reached out, brushing a stray tea-soaked napkin off my arm. "Still, I'll make it up to you. How about I let you pick the next activity?"
I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "You're giving me full control? Isn't that risky?"
He chuckled. "I'll take my chances. Just… maybe something less chaotic?"
I glanced down at Duchess, who was now lying at my feet, wagging her tail innocently. "I don't know. Tea with Duchess was pretty memorable."
Ran laughed, a genuine, warm sound that caught me off guard. "Well, let's aim for something memorable in a good way this time."
Sang returned with a fresh pair of pants and a towel, and I excused myself to clean up. As I walked toward the guest bathroom, I couldn't help but think that, despite the mishap, this session had somehow managed to feel… less like work and more like a glimpse into a world I didn't quite understand.
———————
After the session:
"I'm so sorry again, make sure you apply some medicine on the burn." Ran said handing me the bag with my pants.
"I'll see you next week then." I said grabbing the bag out fingers slightly brushing together, we looked at each other for a moment like we both wanted to say something, but what?
"We'll get home safe." He said quickly looking away from me
I nodded, adjusting the bag in my hand. "Thanks. You too," I said, though it felt strange to say that to someone who barely left the comfort of his massive estate.
Ran gave me a small, almost shy smile before stepping back. "Sang will see you out," he added, motioning toward the stoic Beta who was already waiting at the edge of the garden.
As I turned to leave, I felt the weight of Ran's gaze on me, but when I glanced back, he was already walking away, hands shoved into his pockets, his head tilted slightly as if deep in thought. There was something about the way he carried himself that made me pause—a mix of confidence and hesitation, like he wasn't sure how to navigate whatever unspoken thing lingered between us.
Sang fell into step beside me as we made our way to the gate. He was silent at first, as usual, but then he glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "The young master seems to like having you around," he said finally, his voice low and measured.
I looked at him, startled. "What do you mean by that?"
Sang shrugged, his gaze fixed ahead. "He doesn't usually extend sessions like today. Nor does he…" He trailed off, then shook his head slightly. "Never mind. Just… take care of yourself."
I frowned, trying to make sense of his words, but before I could ask, we had reached the gate. Sang opened it for me, standing aside like the perfect professional. "See you next time, Nat."
I stepped through, hesitating for a moment. "See you." I said. And with that he closed the gate behind me, leaving me alone to walk back into the world beyond the mansion.
TBC