Goja Cola: Part 1

Leo woke up suddenly, a strange sensation washing over him as he felt Rianel's foot on his face.

"Damn it! What are you doing? Get your foot off me, Rianel!" Leo said, pushing his foot away gently, though he couldn't stop himself from chuckling a little.

Still deep in sleep, Rianel mumbled, "Mmm... Are you waiting for me, my lady?" his eyes remaining shut.

Leo smirked slightly, glancing at Rianel, who looked completely exhausted. He slowly got up and headed toward the bathroom to get ready for work. Before stepping inside, he playfully nudged Rianel with his foot.

"Wake up, Rianel. Take care of the house today. If you're hungry, make yourself something to eat. I'm in a hurry," Leo said, grabbing a towel from the rack before rushing into the bathroom.

As Leo showered, the doorbell suddenly started ringing nonstop.

"Rianel! Rianel!" Leo called out from the bathroom. "Get the door, see who it is. Sounds like we've got a visitor."

Still half-asleep, Rianel groaned, rubbing his face. "Ugh, alright, alright. Who's making all this noise so early?" He dragged himself out of bed, nearly tripping over his own feet, and made his way to the door.

When he opened it, he found a stunning woman standing before him. A strange feeling settled in his chest, something unfamiliar creeping into him.

"Hello, sorry to bother you, but is Leo here?" Lilia asked gently, a soft smile on her face.

Rianel, unable to hide his surprise, felt his heart skip a beat as if something inside him had suddenly been awakened. Who is she? he thought. She looks familiar... Those Green eyes, that golden hair, the way she smiles… She's different.

"Oh, yeah, he's inside. Probably taking his time in the shower, but he'll be here soon," Rianel replied, trying to sound normal despite struggling to focus.

Lilia raised an eyebrow curiously but kept her polite smile. "And you are...? I don't think we've met before. You're not part of Leo's family, are you?"

Rianel straightened his posture, attempting to sound confident. "I'm his childhood friend. I've known his family for a long time. I don't think I need to introduce myself." But realizing he might've sounded too proud, he quickly added, "Anyway, you're in the right place. Leo will be here any moment."

Just then, Leo's voice echoed from inside.

"Alright, that's enough, Rianel. Good morning, Miss Lilia," Leo said as he stepped out of the bathroom, his expression relaxed after the refreshing shower. "How are you today?"

Lilia gave him a small smile. "Good morning, Leo. I'm doing well, thanks. I was in the neighborhood visiting a friend, so I figured I'd stop by so we could head to work together."

Leo, sensing something odd in the situation, raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're here... just for that?"

Lilia hesitated for a second, but then her smile returned quickly, as if she had just dodged an awkward moment. "Yes. I was nearby, so I thought, why not?" she said casually.

"Well, I appreciate it. Let's get going before we run into trouble with Manager Morris," Leo said as he grabbed his bag. Before stepping out, he looked at Rianel and added, "See you later, Rianel. Take good care of the house."

Excited to leave with Leo, Lilia beamed. "I have a feeling today is going to be interesting. Shall we?"

Rianel, still processing the interaction between Lilia and Leo, smiled faintly. "Alright, go on. Have fun. I'll stay here and watch the place." But deep down, he couldn't shake off his growing curiosity.

As the two boarded the bus, they found seats beside each other. The city lights flickered through the windows as the vehicle moved smoothly down the street.

Leo casually unzipped his bag and smirked. "I feel relieved I didn't end up being late again. Maybe I'm finally getting the hang of this."

Lilia chuckled softly, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "Yeah, but you look like you were up all night. Were you preparing for today the entire time?"

Leo raised an eyebrow hesitantly, as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind. "Ah, about that..." He paused for a moment, as if the words had slipped away from him.

Sensing a hint of tension in his voice, Lilia spoke gently, "Don't worry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. But I'm still curious— is this Rianel, the childhood friend you once told me about?"

A spontaneous smile crossed Leo's face, instantly restoring his usual expression. "Yes, that's him. He recently returned from the Kingdom of Oria and is staying with me now. Most of his family is abroad, but we've always stayed in touch. We've shared our ambitions and dreams over the years."

Lilia listened intently, her voice tinged with curiosity. "That sounds fascinating. I imagine he must be a really kind person. Honestly, I'm a little jealous—you got to experience such a deep friendship."

Leo responded with a gentle smile, "You have friends too, don't you? But in any case, he's an old and dear friend. Living together now gives me a sense of comfort."

Lilia tilted her head slightly, her curiosity growing. "But when he opened the door, I felt something unusual. There was a strong magical presence… almost as if he were a Hunter?"

Leo thought for a moment before replying. "Rianel? No, he hasn't undergone any tests to determine his magical rank, so it's hard to say if he's a Hunter or not. But he does possess impressive skills, and that's enough for me. I haven't fully seen that side of him yet."

The conversation shifted when Lilia suddenly smiled, a bit of tension in her expression. "So, today's the day you present the new 'Goja Cola' project, right?"

Leo took a deep breath, his eyes widening slightly before winking playfully. "Yeah, today's the day. I think I'm starting to feel a little nervous, but I'll do my best to make sure the executives like the idea."

Lilia looked at him, her eyes reflecting genuine support as she said enthusiastically, "Don't worry, Leo. I'm here for you. You can count on me every step of the way."

Leo gave her an appreciative smile, gently patting her head. "Thank you, Miss Lilia. Your support means a lot to me."

Lilia blushed slightly, her voice soft as she replied, "No need to thank me. I just want to be by your side."

Leo chuckled before shifting his gaze toward the street. "Well then, Miss Lilia, we've arrived. Let's head inside and start the day."

The two entered the company building together and made their way to their respective desks. Leo placed his bag on his desk and carefully reviewed the project documents, his eyes focused on the details. Lilia watched quietly, as if silently wishing him luck.

Meanwhile, in the luxurious office of Director Morris, tension filled the air. His face was clouded with anger as he suddenly raised his voice, his words bursting out like an explosion. "Secretary Taylor, I need you here now!"

Elena Taylor entered swiftly, her steps cautious as she took in Morris's evident fury. She looked at him warily before speaking in a quiet yet tense voice. "Yes, sir. What do you need?"

Before Morris could answer, one of the employees stepped into the office, holding a document as if he had urgent news to deliver. He approached Morris and whispered in his ear, "Sir, the head of the main branch, Mr. Max Baker, along with executives from our branches worldwide, have just arrived. They're waiting at the reception."

Morris's expression instantly shifted from anger to sharp focus. His voice turned cold. "Thank you for informing me. I'll go welcome them and take them to the conference room."

Then, turning to Elena, he commanded in a sharper tone, "Miss Taylor, please make sure Mr. Silvius is prepared. I don't want any delays today."

Elena nodded quickly as she hurried out of the office. "Of course, sir. I'll handle it immediately."

As Morris strode toward the reception area to meet the company's senior executives, he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with quiet menace. "Well then, let's see what he presents today. This time, I'll make sure to kick him out."

Elena rushed down the hall and soon arrived at Leo's office. Entering the room with a slightly exhausted expression, she offered a quick smile before speaking. "Good morning, Leo."

Leo turned from his desk, his eyes taking in the sight of Elena, who seemed to have been running around, her anxious energy growing. He smiled. "Miss Elena, good morning. You look like you've been in a race."

Elena let out a quiet sigh before answering quickly, trying to contain her tension. "Well, Director Morris said you need to head to the conference room to present your project. He seems to be in a hurry, so there's no time to waste."

Leo quickly stood up, carefully gathering his papers. He looked at Elena with gratitude and said in a calm yet determined voice, "Thank you, Elena. I'm heading there now."

As Leo left the room, Elena murmured to herself, a mix of admiration and deep thought in her tone, "Leo is an interesting person. He seems to have something special. I hope his day goes well."

While Leo walked towards the meeting hall, time felt heavy on his shoulders. His heart pounded as he thought about the "Goja Cola" project he was about to present. His eyes reflected both excitement and tension—he knew this opportunity could be the most crucial one in his career.

Inside the office, Morris entered the room with Baker, and the air was thick with tension. Baker stood firmly, his sharp gaze fixed on Morris before he spoke.

"Morris, where were you? Delays are unacceptable," Baker said in a low but cutting voice.

A slight shiver ran through Morris as he hesitated before replying, "I apologize, sir. There were a few matters that... but I will be faster next time."

Baker showed no sympathy. His piercing stare remained locked on Morris. "Being late means you don't respect time. We are here to get things done, not to waste it."

Lowering his head slightly, Morris responded in a subdued voice, "I promise this won't happen again, sir."

Baker gestured toward the door with cold, unwavering eyes. "Let's go to the meeting hall. But remember, if this happens again, we will have a different conversation."

As they walked down the hall, Morris's steps felt heavy, but he did his best to mask his unease.

In the meeting room, Baker scanned the room with sharp eyes before simply stating, "Let's begin."