Allea

thirty-five

"He gave you this? It seems more exclusive than an exclusive invitation."

Hearing Elijah's words after explaining everything to him about how I got the card, I nodded through a mouthful of fried rice and bulgogi, giving a sharp look to the card in his hand, I shrugged offhandedly. Swallowing my food, I pointed my chopstick toward the subject of our current discussion and mumbled, "Like I care."

He put the card aside and glanced at me with his narrowed hazel eyes, "Then why did you accept this?" He demanded with his stupid grin.

Not minding his scrutinizing gaze, I simply responded, keeping the words clear and casual, "I don't know, I already declined his lunch offer, taking a card didn't seem so bad."

His gaze momentarily moved away from me, after a pause he nodded and took his chopsticks again to continue eating the delicious food in front of us, "Right, the point is whether you go or not."

"What do you say?"

"You never went to such places, then what changed now?"

He was right, but I had no answer to the words he said so nonchalantly, for him, everyone is a stranger to me and I should know nothing about them except their names, but I do and I don't want to tell him how. I know no matter what, the world can turn its back on me except Elijah, even if I told him about my past, he would be the only person who will not hate me but... I still don't want or one could say somewhere inside me have no courage to take the chance.

Without changing my tone or face, "It's not bad to experience what the outer world holds once in a while, right?" casually urged I.

"Right, but if you're indecisive and not planning to use it, give me this invitation."

Doubtful at his request, I raised my eyes from my food and asked with a tilt of my head, "Huh, you want to go?"

Waving his chopstick, he dismissed my words, "Nuh, I'll sell this," was his proud-toned response, with a wide smile. My brows further lowered as he continued, "First, it has Aris Salvadge's signature. Second, the rare platinum seal to enter the Z'nA, this will sell in millions!"

No one understands better than me that without a doubt this will cost thousands, and I know Eijha's just saying but these words sound a little peculiar hearing from a millionaire. So, I couldn't help the chuckle that left my lips and shaking my head added, "You're so greedy."

He gave me a face of so-what and in an upright tone asserted, "Can't help, I'm a businessman." After a pause steered at me and accused, "And I learned this from you."

Aiming my chopsticks at him, I warned with narrowed eyes, "Don't make me hit you." To which he gave me a half-shoulder shrug and nonchalantly continued stuffing his mouth.

After a pause of us just eating our food, I heard him asking with an edgy seriousness in his tone, "But, are you really planning to go?"