A Thrilling First Date

Serena stared at all the clothes spread out on her bed with a strange expression.

For some reason, she only now realized how few clothes she actually had. Even after pulling out everything from her closet, she still couldn't find anything suitable to wear for the afternoon.

"If I go to the mall now, I won't make it in time," she muttered to herself.

"Uggghhhh…."

Serena groaned in frustration.

She never expected that getting ready for a date would be this difficult.

Glancing at her phone on the vanity table, Serena hesitated. Even though Ren had said he would pursue her, no one else knew about it yet—not even Iril, her best friend.

She wanted to ask Iril's opinion, but if she did, Iril would find out about Ren.

Serena picked up her phone, about to send a message to Iril, but then she canceled it.

Feeling confused and needing to think, she lay down on the couch near her bed.

"Dating is such a hassle," she grumbled.

After nearly thirty minutes of contemplation, she finally decided—albeit reluctantly—to ask for her best friend's help.

Serena: Are you busy?

Not long after she sent the short message, Iril immediately called her.

Taking a deep breath, Serena answered the call.

"What's up?" Iril asked bluntly.

"Umm… Can you give me some ideas on what to wear for a lunch with a friend?" Serena asked hesitantly.

Iril raised an eyebrow. Serena had never asked her about outfits before. If she suddenly did now, something was definitely up.

A mischievous smile spread across Iril's face—she had a feeling she knew what was going on.

"And… may I know the name of this friend?" Iril teased with a smirk.

Serena's eyes widened at Iril's suggestive tone. Realizing that Iril had already caught on, she closed her eyes briefly, trying to calm herself.

"You already know, don't you?" Serena pouted. "And don't tease me right now! I really need your advice on my outfit."

Iril chuckled.

"Okay, okay," she said, grinning. "So, where are you two going?"

Serena fell silent.

She had no idea where Ren planned to take her for lunch.

Hearing no response, Iril sighed—she could already guess what had happened.

"Serena, my dear… Did Ren not tell you at all?"

"Errr… no??"

Serena wasn't sure if Ren had mentioned their plans or not. As far as she remembered, he had only said today would be their first date.

"....."

Iril was speechless.

She sighed deeply, finally realizing just how inexperienced Serena was with dating and relationships.

But thinking back, Serena's marriage had been a rushed one—she had gone straight into it without ever dating Andre.

The thought of Andre made Iril frown. She had never liked him.

Andre always acted like a gentleman in front of others, but Iril had always felt it was just a facade.

That's why she had never tried to get close to him.

"Maybe… I should ask Ren now?" Serena suggested after noticing Iril's silence.

Hearing Serena's voice snapped Iril out of her thoughts.

"No!!"

Iril rejected the idea without hesitation.

"Eh? Why?"

Now Serena was confused.

"If you ask Ren now, he won't be surprised and mesmerized when he sees you later," Iril explained.

Hearing that, Serena's face instantly turned red. For some reason, she felt embarrassed.

But she quickly composed herself.

"Serena… Wear that spring dress from Brand P, the beige one. And pair it with a—"

Iril continued giving outfit advice, even suggesting the best makeup to go with the dress.

"Once you're done with your makeup and outfit, send me a picture," Iril ordered.

"Ehhh… Why?" Serena asked hesitantly.

"Obviously, I want to see how you look in the outfit and makeup I picked!" Iril rolled her eyes.

"Oh… okay!"

One and a Half Hours Later

Iril finally received Serena's picture on her phone.

Seeing how beautiful Serena looked, Iril felt incredibly happy and proud. She couldn't wait to see Ren's reaction when he saw Serena later.

Meanwhile, at Serena's House

Ren had arrived at Serena's home half an hour ago.

Even though she had asked him to pick her up after noon, he had come thirty minutes earlier than planned.

Since Serena was still getting ready, Ren waited in the living room.

While waiting, he replied to messages from Rendy regarding a project he was handling.

Technically, Ren was supposed to have a meeting with the company involved in the project this afternoon.

But because today was his date with Serena, he had entrusted everything to his older brother Darian and Rendy.

Ren didn't want any distractions while he was with Serena, so he replied to Rendy's messages as quickly as possible while he still had time.

Then, he heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

Ren immediately turned toward the sound—and the moment he saw Serena, he was stunned.

Serena looked breathtakingly beautiful, elegant, and mesmerizing.

Ren felt like he had lost his breath.

Seeing Ren's surprised, awestruck, and delighted expression, Serena sighed in relief and flashed him a sweet smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, her face adorned with a gentle smile.

"No, it's nothing," Ren quickly responded.

"And… you look absolutely stunning today."

He didn't forget to compliment her.

"Thank you," Serena replied softly, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

Ren grinned at her reaction.

They soon left for the destination Ren had planned.

At the Restaurant

Ren drove himself today—he wanted to spend quality time alone with Serena.

After a thirty-minute drive, they finally arrived.

Serena was in awe when she saw the restaurant.

She never knew a place like this existed in B City.

The ambiance was incredibly cozy, and from the interior alone, it was clear that this was a high-class establishment.

"I never knew there was a place like this in B City," Serena said, looking around in admiration.

"Do you like it?" Ren asked, his voice warm and his smile gentle.

"Love it!!" Serena exclaimed honestly, her face lighting up with joy.

Ren chuckled, feeling proud of himself for choosing the perfect spot.

Seeing Serena's radiant smile and the sparkle in her eyes filled him with satisfaction.

All the effort he had spent searching for this place the night before had been completely worth it.

Finally, Ren could breathe a little easier.