The Admirer Is Watching

"Is that the CEO's son!?"

"Yes I've heard it's him! He looks way too young to take on the Sheng's empire!"

"Age doesn't matter anyways. It's all about brains! Aside from that, isn't he too handsome!? I'd allow him to step on me if he wanted."

"Like he'd want that." A bitter voice replied.

"Look at him. His father declared him the next CEO and he already has the audacity to appear late to work!"

The employees kept bickering among each other until Ryu lazily paused in his tracks and turned to look at them. They all lost their senses for a moment, breathless at his cold pitch black eyes adorning the face of a greek god and his probably millions worth of black jacket accompanied by silver chains. He didn't look like a typical CEO at all. But he did look like a CEO's extravagant son, which he was after all. 

Ryu coughed, watching them looking at him speechless. Now everyone seemed to get back to work except the two ladies who gazed at him dreamily with red cheeks. He smirked, looking down on every one of them with his hands in his pockets. 

"Just because I'm late doesn't mean you get to slack around. I own this place. You don't. Now get back to work!" 

"Yes Sir!" The people voiced enthusiastically as they scattered to their respective seats. He smirked and continued in his track towards the elevator with his two secretaries running behind him. When Ryu reached the conference room, all of them had already arrived, with him being the last by five minutes. 

"He's here, late as usual." Aldric muttered in a firm voice and a strong glare hinted towards Ryu along with the rest of the seniors of his company. The young lad indifferently sat down on the chair at the opposite end, facing the rest. 

The old man on the opposite party was someone very much familiar to Ryu… He recalled the man to be Aldric's dear friend of many years, Gerald Yang. And there was a very peculiar reason why Ryu remembered him too. Because of his very unbearably clingy daughter, Pixie Yang. They were collaborating with the Shengs for construction of a new chain of resorts in the Middle East. 

After the meeting was done, Ryu headed towards his cabin, bored whereas the secretary stood with his father. Just as Ryu took a comfortable seat in his spacious room, he saw someone barge in. It was the same new Secretary who introduced himself as Stephen.

"Sir! The CEO has called for you!" 

Ryu gave him a disinterested look, raising an eyebrow. What a pain in the ass! He got up again, taking lazy steps towards the conference room again. Inside, he saw his father, happily chatting with Gerald. 

"Come in son! Take a seat!" Aldric seemed to let go of the earlier inconvenience as he gestured Ryu to a chair. The young man sat down, brows furrowed. 

"Ah, it's been a long time, Ryu! You've grown into quite a handsome young man!" Gerald kept showering him with praises while Ryu watched coldly, his legs crossed. 

"You see, we're hosting a wedding party for Pixie's sister tomorrow evening! I want all of you to be present, especially you Ryu! Pixie will be really glad if you're there." Gerald laughed, thinking back to how his daughter had literally threatened him to convince the Shengs. It was obvious to Aldric that Pixie had a thing for Ryu and he never protested. She belonged to a very well established family anyways. So it was natural for her to admire Ryu, since he lacked nothing. 

"Oh. I…" Ryu paused midway, thinking back to a certain someone. Wouldn't she be alone at home if he left for the party? What was she, a pet!?  For god's sake he couldn't tell why he was thinking about her then.

"No more excuses young man! You missed the ring exchange but you should at least be there for the wedding party!" Gerald smiled, patting his shoulder. Aldric too winked at him, coaxing Ryu to agree. 

"Alright. I'll be there." Ryu replied with a straight face. 

_________

Back at the preparation institute, Darah was furiously searching for a part time place to work at. That was when her friend Judy suggested to her a nearby cafe named Brewing Flavour  which is still taking in workers. 

"Are you sure!?"

"Yes! My friend used to work there and it pays pretty decently. You can try!" Judy pat Darah's cheek. The latter sighed, nodding in exhaustion. The hours of non stop classes had basically killed her and to top it off with part time!? Great! 

"Well, I guess I should get going now." Judy began to walk slowly towards the gates, waving the latter goodbye. Darah waved back with a smile, waiting for Luca to show up after she rang him up. 

"Darah?" A deep voice startled her. She turned around to see Jake again with a charming smile on his face, waving to his friends to go on without him. 

"Hey…" Darah said with a smile in a tired voice. 

"You seem pretty down today. Should I drop you off?" He asked all of a sudden. Darah was thankful but shook her head since Luca would arrive anyway. 

"No, it's fine. You can go on." 

"Darah, it's completely fine." He took her wrist within his hand but she didn't seem to care since it was a habit of his when insisting on something. 

"I'll drop you off. It's getting late anyways." He pulled on her hand a little but Darah didn't know how to tell him off. He seemed determined to help her out. 

"Uhm... I'm waiting for someone actually." She really felt it was cute of him to care so much but she couldn't change plans in a minute. 

"Oh… Your boyfriend?" Jake looked rather disappointed when he asked that. Darah shook her head awkwardly but felt a tug on her top, pulling her backwards. She raised her head to see Luca, a doubtful glare in his eyes. 

"Is he bothering you?" Luca asked all of a sudden, observing the hostility in Jake's eyes. 

No no! He's my friend, Jake!" Darah stood in between them, getting defensive over Jake. 

"And who are you?" Jake asked almost immediately. That was when Luca lost his words. 

"I-I'm her cousin!"  He blurted out after a few seconds but Jake seemed unconvinced to say the least. Darah was out of words, watching wide mouthed the complete rubbish he had just uttered.

 "It was nice meeting you Jake. We'll be leaving now." Luca smiled, seemingly arrogant as he pulled Darah by her wrist and went out of the gates. 

"What was that!? Cousin!? Where did that even come from!" Darah held in a chuckle, trying her best not to burst out laughing seeing all the dreamy glances the girls were throwing at Luca. Who knew he was such a softie underneath...

"Shut up! I almost said I was your dad for the worst part! And you're worried about me being your made up cousin!?"

"You're really an idiot aren't you!" Darah finally broke into an ugly laugh, getting into the car.

"Yes congratulations for finding that out!" He imitated her laugh, getting in simultaneously. As the car sped off, a figure was left watching the duo with a dreadful scowl on his face.