Chapter 53.2: Would you go out on a date with me?

Ivy slowly found herself awake in Phoenix's arms in her dream. She knew she was back in her paracosm. "Phoenix, where are we?" Ivy asked as she stood and looked around the gazebo surrounded by a beautiful garden of marigolds.

"Is this the kingdom you have been talking about Phoenix? Aww, they are so pretty..." Ivy cooed as she touched one of the marigolds before Phoenix plucked one with his sturdy hands for Ivy. Phoenix hummed his reply to her question.

Ivy once again had the chance to see close up the features of Phoenix's face which were now only covered with an eye mask. She was captivated for a moment before she took the marigold from him. "When can I ever see your face, twinnie?" Ivy reached out as she caressed his face while Phoenix shy away. Ivy couldn't help but to voice out her curiosity all along.

"When the time comes, you will…." Phoenix echoed gently. "What history did we have Phoenix? What caused us to be so different despite being twins but yet why do I feel like we have a strong attachment?" Ivy questioned as Phoenix's eyes widened knowing it must be because they were back in the kingdom that Ivy's memories which were concealed by their grandma previously were slowly coming back to her.

Phoenix held her hand as he caressed them while reminiscing a past he was trying his might to save. "I promised before. When the time comes, I will reveal it to you one by one. That way would be my only hope to save you." Phoenix affirmed as Ivy beamed.

"Whatever promise it is and whatever comes our way, I will defend with you…" Ivy hugged Phoenix as they stayed in each other embrace in the gazebo in the middle of a pond surrounded by marigolds.

"Ivy, you're are my soul mate and I will ensure we will find our way back to each other, in this life." Phoenix thought to himself while he look ahead of the reflection tower up on the hill on a faraway horizon.

Ivy's peaceful moment with Phoenix was short-lived by a lick on her face by Daisy the next morning as she found herself tangled in bed with Daisy. Sandra was beginning to stir as Daisy was vigorously trying to wake them up. Ivy giggled and hugged Daisy remembering the embrace she had with Phoenix. It also reminded her of Lucky and wondered how's Lucky doing.

"Oh My …! Is that Jason's dog? Is that Lucky?" Sandra teased as she quickly pulled Daisy in for a hug and pat her. Ivy shook her head while smiling.

"Meet Daisy! One of our family members!" Ivy cheered as Daisy barked at Sandra before greeting her with licks on her face while both girls giggled.

"Definitely Lucky's twin!" Sandra commented as she laughed.

Ivy smiled as she enjoyed the sunrays for a moment. She knew it was the day she had long anticipated as she quickly got up to get dressed while Sandra was playing with Daisy and headed downstairs to help out with breakfast preparation.

She could hear the sizzling sounds from the frying pan as the smell of slices of bacon wafted across the dining hall. Ivy popped in and saw Jin was in action in his home clothes as she quickly ran to his side and helped him out.

"Here, here are the plates…" Ivy said as Jin slid the bacon into the plate by force. He was in a hurry when he noticed Ivy was already all dressed in Cassandra's maroon jumpsuit attire specially made for Ivy for today's occasion.

"Don't worry… Quick place the bacon over…" Ivy urged. As Jin didn't want to dirty her outfit after a moment of staring from head to toe, he carefully kept the pan away from her. "Don't come in. You might dirty your outfit. Wait outside." Jin nagged as Ivy chuckled.

"Stop worrying… Hurry up I will prepare the table. You're almost done right?" Ivy asked as Jin nodded and quickly prepared the eggs for frying.

"Yes, just the eggs…" Jin said while pouring oil into the pan. "Alright! I will prepare the plates outside in the dining hall…" Ivy replied as Ray came downstairs in his formal look.

"Morning!" Ivy greeted cheerfully as she arranged the plates and utensils on the dining table but couldn't take her eyes off Ray who was looking very charming.

"Morning sister!" Ray went to hug her momentarily as he felt grateful to hold his pretty sister in his arms after such a long time and still couldn't believe it.

"It's going to be a big day today. And you look gorgeous." Ray praised as he took a good look at Ivy who was giggling in his arms. "Let me help you so that you don't dirty your outfit..." Ray said as he took the utensils away from her while she lay the last piece of plate down on the table.

"Don't! Let me finish it myself… You shouldn't go in too. He is almost done else you might dirty your outfit." Ivy nagged in return as Ryu who had just woke up had been standing behind them chuckling with Ray.

"You! Who let you chuckle… Go in and bring out the dishes…" Ivy scolded playfully after noticing Ryu had not gotten dressed yet as Ryu let out a laugh this time and went to hug her first.

"Morning sis, careful not to let your temper create more lines on your forehead…" Ivy smacked Ryu playfully as he chuckled. "Are you calling me old already?" Ivy scolded playfully.

"How is it that I wouldn't dirty myself if I enter there and he will?" Ivy snarled playfully at Ryu's complaint.

"You don't need pretty pajamas to sleep! Hurry up and go now!" Ivy instructed before putting an act to attempt and tickle him as Ryu made a salute to her. "Yes, madam!" His action sent all of them laughing as he rushed into the kitchen to help Jin who was almost done.

After breakfast, they all ride together as Mr. Jin drove them over to the company which was Ivy's first time visiting. Andrew and Sandra had excused themselves for their internship interviews later in the morning. Ivy yawned briefly reminding herself that she could only see them both at night during the company's party.

Out of boredom, Ivy also came to realised their family's driver, Mr. Jin shared the same as name as Jin except it was Mr. Jin's surname and as for Jin it was his first name. Jin who was sitting next to her in the car noticed Ivy had been staring at Mr. Jin for awhile and looking back at Jin himself. Her dad was busy engaging in small talks with Mr. Jin and Ray who was seated in front. Ryu who was squeezed next to her was sitting quietly listening to their conversation.

Jin could roughly tell what was on Ivy's mind as he nudged her.

Ivy pointed her chin questioning him. "Stop staring at him… Yes, we share the same name but dad calls him by his Chinese name, Joo Chiat." Jin whispered as Ivy widened her eyes in surprise that Jin knew exactly what she was thinking.

"How did you know?" Ivy blurted out while still trying to register Jin's explanation and actions.

"I live in the family longer than you do…" Jin explained as he frowned.

"No, no I mean… How did you know what I was thinking?" Ivy quickly explained as Jin smirked.

"Have you forgotten? I am kinda your twin…" Jin said coolly as he adjusted his glasses leaving Ivy rolling her eyes and smirking at him. In the back of Ivy's mind, she pondered on how the similarities between her and Jin were so surprising to her that they could fool anyone to believe they were fraternal twins. She secretly wondered to herself if she had found her twin flame.

Her daydreaming was cut short at the sight of the office building as Jin noticed Ivy began to fidget and took a deep breath. "Relax… You will be alright." Jin comforted her as he held on to her hand for a while before they alighted. The moment Ivy alighted from the car, a sharp-looking figure was standing not too far away from her and she instantly knew it was Jason.

Jason was mesmerised by Ivy's stunning formal look with her four-inch heels. She beamed looking at him but soon realised the employees in front of them were waiting for them to head to the boardroom. She quickly adjusted her composure and nodded slightly in acknowledgment as Peter went to greet and shake Jason's hand. Marcel was following Jason from behind as Ivy walked side by side with her brothers.

Ivy was trying to hide her excitement as they entered the lift when she noticed Jason was deliberately trying to stand by her side. When the lift started to move, she could feel Jason was locking fingers with her as she tried to hide her surprise but couldn't help letting her eyes twinkle. Just when the lift was about to reach their designated floor, Jason quickly retrieved his fingers and walked out with Peter nonchalantly as the rest follow behind.

Ivy blushed a little as Ryu nudged her to walk faster. "Keep the excitement down… We need to be professional at work." Ryu whispered as Ivy nodded.

"I know…" She whispered in return as everyone took their respective seats in the boardroom while the lawyers stepped in to take the lead in the extraordinary annual general meeting. As everyone screened through the agreement one last time after the lawyers' briefing, they each penned down their signature. Jason had been enjoying the sight of Ivy's serious look at work as he found himself missing the times of her internship.

"Ivy, everyone is waiting for you. The agreement is in order as we checked before…" Ray whispered noticing Jason had been staring at Ivy for awhile as Ivy threw Ray a snarl for being caught by him trying to stall some time for Jason to admire her.

"I am just double-checking the shares figures." She said as she put down the agreement on the table and finally signed off leaving Ray trying to hold back his laughter.

Once signed, she handed it over to Jason as she took his agreement and countersigned it before standing up and shaking his hand. "Wishing us a smooth sailing journey working together moving forward Mr. Rahi." Ivy said as Jason smiled and took her handshake.

"Definitely Ms. Ophal…" Jason said in return with a smile as he shook everyone else's hand before Ivy walked off the boardroom to her check out her designated office room. Ryu noticed her leaving the boardroom shortly after the meeting was being dismissed as he accompanied her to show her around.

She noticed her room was next to Jin as Jin's office door was opened and she saw his signage on the table read "Jin Ophal Ai Yu, Assistant General Manager". Ivy then noticed, it was her first time knowing Jin's Chinese name. It was very similar to hers.

"Where's your room?" Ivy asked Ryu.

"Downstairs…" Ryu said as Ivy questioned again. "What about Ray's and dad's?"

"Ray's downstairs too. Dad's is directly opposite yours." Ryu said as they stood in between Ivy's and Peter's office.

"What's your Chinese name Ryu?" Ivy asked curiously as Ryu raised an eyebrow at her randomness.

"Ai Rui…" Ryu said primly as Ivy asked about Ray's while she stepped into her office noticing the minimalist setup.

"And Ray's?" She asked as Ryu crossed him arms but still answered her.

"Ai Yeh… Ivy what are you up to asking all these?" Ryu quickly asked out of curiosity.

Ivy noticed all the brothers' Chinese names started with a "Y" and perhaps that's why her grandma changed hers to Ai Yee instead of Ai Lee.

"Not bad… Good taste… At least nothing is pink…" Ivy tried changing the topic by teasing Ryu about the office's design as Ryu chuckled and forgot about the question he asked. Just then, Peter walked over to his room with Jason and Marcel in tow as Jason excused himself from Peter.

Jason quickly went on to make an attempt to speak with Ivy in her office. At the sight of Jason heading toward his daughter, Peter decided not to get involved and let them solve matters themselves as he excused himself from Marcel and headed into his own office. Ryu quickly made an effort to leave Ivy's office at the sight of Jason knocking at the entrance door. Ryu went and join Marcel in waiting outside of Ivy's office.

"So, what can I do for you, Mr. Rahi?" Ivy asked as she walked over to the table after watching Jason shut her office door but Jason quickly caught on to her right hand and turn her around.

While at it, Ivy twirled around and nearly fall over onto him as he straightened her by supporting an arm around her waist. Ivy quickly maintain her composure as she noticed her office's walls were transparent. Marcel and Ryu stood outside watching them as Ryu couldn't help but kept smiling cheekily in excitement.

"Looks like a good show is about to happen…" Ryu told Marcel as Marcel hummed and nodded in acknowledgment, desperately hoping for it to be true.

"Sorry…" She mumbled as Jason smiled. "It's alright. I was thinking, Ivy…" Ivy's eyes twinkled at the sound of him calling her first name as she looked up at him when he paused briefly.

"It's time for some talk." Jason continued in a mysterious voice. Ivy raised an eyebrow and folded her arms defensively as she shook her bewitched self away.

"So? What are we talking about?" Ivy asked pretending to be oblivious only to be trampled by his next question.

"Shall we go out on a date?" Jason threw the question abruptly at Ivy. She was caught off guard as she kept blinking her eyes trying to process his question. It was enough to make Jason understand Ivy was interested as he smiled and stood closer to her ear.

"I will take it as a yes when you say nothing. I will see you tonight after the party… I have something for you." Jason whispered as Ivy sharpened her eyes at how tricky Jason was.

She quickly shook her charmed self away again as she retaliated and walked away towards the door. "Sorry, not available. Busy…" She said as Jason smirked.

"Oh, what about the day after?" Jason continued as Ivy stopped and turned around to answer him.

"Sorry, still busy. As always you know…" Ivy raised her hands up in the air and shrugged as she tried to walk out of the room.

"Here! Wait…" Jason walked over to her and handed her a concert ticket. Ivy saw the details and knew it was a ticket to the weekend's concert carnival in town.

"I will wait for you there. I have something I want to say." Jason said gently as Ivy took the ticket from him with a smile.

"Would you go out on a date with me?" Jason finally asked the correct question as Ivy looked at him with her twinkling eyes.

She told herself to control her excitement as she still wasn't sure about them moving on this way. There were too many doubts and worries she wanted to clear away first before she could give him a definite answer.

"I will think about it…" Ivy decided to tease him instead as she winked and walked out of her office. Jason wanted to get a definite answer but instead accepted his defeat with her ambiguous answer while looking forward to the weekend.