Lunch Date

‘Use…?’
“It was you who told me to use you first, Mr. Cox. Don’t you remember?”
At her tone, which seemed to be rebuking him, Theron relaxed his furrowed brow.
‘…Come to think of it, I did say that.’
“In what way do you want to use me?”
In the strange, fast-paced conversation, Theron found himself asking like a hotel bellboy offering various services.
“I just want to keep you by my side and observe the characteristics of a person in love.”
“Even though you doubt my feelings?”
“That’s true, but I think I’ll find out the truth if I keep watching you, Mr. Cox. And as you suggested, I might be able to feel various emotions because of you.”
At the words ‘various emotions,’ Theron once again recalled what he had imagined before.
Things like a brightly smiling Selene Ashcombe, or a Selene Ashcombe who frowned her pretty brow without mercy.
Then, suddenly, he felt the collar of his shirt tickling his skin, and Theron put down his cutlery and stealthily loosened his shirt collar with his fingers.
‘So that’s why she said I’d buy new flowers when the old ones start to wilt.’
As his nagging curiosity was resolved, Theron was able to put his mask back on, which had been about to slip off.
“Then, I think we need to get to know each other first.”
At Theron’s words, Selene slowly opened her eyes.
“What kind of things?”
“Small things, like what you like, or your hobbies.”
“Why do we need to know that?”
“Doesn’t the efficiency of observation increase when you know your subject well?”
Selene, who seemed to think his words made sense, paused for a moment before nodding.
“You’re not wrong.”
“If you understand, I’ll start by asking you a question, Miss Selene.”
“I’m the one observing, so I don’t see why you’re asking me questions, Mr. Cox.”
At Selene’s remark, who frowned slightly, Theron smiled.
“Let’s just say it’s the price for you using me, Miss Selene. I should get something out of it too, shouldn’t I?“
Selene’s face became slightly displeased, but it didn’t take long for an answer to come out.
“Go ahead and ask. I’ll listen.”
At the cat-like coyness of Selene, Theron chuckled.
This was an unintentional, genuine laugh.
“First, I’m curious if you usually spend your time alone, Miss Selene.”
As it wasn’t a difficult question, Selene obediently opened her mouth.
“I’ve lived alone in this mansion ever since my parents passed away. I don’t have anyone close to me other than my cousin who visits regularly and Mrs. Gwendolyn, who was my nanny.”
“I heard you have a grandmother. Don’t you see her often?”
At that question, Selene’s brow furrowed for a moment as if she were in complex thought.
For her, it was quite a big change in expression.
“I won’t answer that.”
“Alright.”
Theron obediently backed down.
He was a little curious about the relationship between her and her grandmother, but it wasn’t a very important matter anyway.
“It’s my turn to ask a question.”
It was Selene’s turn.
“Go ahead.”
Selene’s gaze, after she had set aside the leftover veal, was quite intense.
“Have you ever kissed someone, Mr. Cox?”
Cough.
Theron, who was about to drink water during a break, ended up letting out a dry cough at the unexpected question.
It was a good thing he hadn’t put the glass to his lips yet; he almost made a fool of himself.
‘By the way, why is she suddenly asking if I’ve kissed someone?’
Is it because I once stared at her lips like a crazy person?
Or is this also an extension of checking if he’s a womanizer…?
Theron felt his heart pound at Selene’s eyes, which seemed to be pressuring him to answer quickly.
“…I haven’t.”
A hint of disappointment flickered in Selene’s eyes.
“I see.”
‘What do you mean, “I see”?’
Theron moved his parched lips.
“May I ask why you’re asking this question? Is this also part of the observation…”
“If you’ve kissed someone, I’m curious about the feeling.”
‘Feeling? Just because she’s curious about the feeling?’
For some reason, Theron felt a slow burn in his stomach.
“I don’t really know what’s so great about it.”
‘What’s so great about it?’
Theron was also the type who didn’t understand why people stuck together and pecked at each other’s lips all the time.
However, even as he was inwardly cursing, the moment Selene mentioned kissing, her red lips began to assert their presence again.
He had always considered kissing to be nothing more than foreplay before s*x, so Theron himself didn’t know why he kept staring at Selene’s lips like a pervert.
This thirst was too much to be simply because he wanted to know the taste of those lips.
Whenever the urge to swallow those lips arose, it didn’t stop there; he wanted to climb on top of that slender yet full female body and tear her clothes to shreds.
Yes, that was it.
The reason he felt the illusion of his insides burning more and more fiercely.
“If you’ve finished your meal, shall I show you the piano room?”
However, at the word ‘piano room’ that followed, the heat in his stomach instantly subsided, and his mood sank.
The existence of the piano coming from her mouth was no different from cold ice to Theron.
Whenever and however it popped out, it made his mood turn chilly.
So, if he had his way, he would have refused, but knowing he would inevitably set foot in there if he kept visiting this house, he hesitated to answer.
In the first place, he was the one who had tried to win her favor by mentioning the piano on the cruise ship in a moment of desperation.
“Alright. If you’ll show me.”
Theron answered without delay.
As the heat that had been consuming his body completely disappeared, his smile became more natural.
Selene, who had stood up first, led the way.
At the end of the right corridor on the first floor, a luxurious mahogany door appeared.
Selene familiarly opened the door and entered.
A wonderful space unfolded, too grand to be simply called a piano room.
Sunlight streamed in perfectly through the large windows, and the large carpet on the floor and the antique black grand piano harmonized beautifully.
Theron secretly bit the inside of his cheek at the space, which was much more splendid than he had imagined.
“Have you ever played the piano, Mr. Cox?”
Selene, standing next to the piano, asked as she gently placed her hand on the keyboard.
Whenever someone asked if he had ever played the piano, he always hesitated to answer.
“…A little when I was young.”
“And you don’t play now?”
“I haven’t played since I developed pain in my fingers.”
“Oh, dear.”
Selene had a sympathetic look in her eyes.
It made sense.
He didn’t know how far her sincerity went, but it seemed she truly liked the piano, and she would probably feel sorry for him for not being able to play the piano he loved so much anymore.
Theron himself felt the same way.
His mood sank more than he had expected, and he didn’t think he could manage his expression like this.
It might be better to retreat for today.
Theron, who had unnecessarily checked his wristwatch once, forced a smile.
“I’m sorry, Miss Selene, but I think I should be going now. I actually have an important meeting, and I came here by taking some time out. Since our meal was long because we were talking, I don’t have much time to look around.”
Selene willingly nodded.
“I’m fine, so please hurry. This is all there is to the piano room anyway.”
Theron, giving a slight smile, kissed the back of Selene’s hand.
“As an apology for leaving so suddenly, I’ll treat you to a delicious meal next time.”
Selene gazed at Theron, who was smiling as usual.
Theron, feeling as if Selene’s gaze was looking behind his smile, didn’t linger any longer and left the piano room.
The car Theron got into left the mansion at a high speed.

After getting into the car, Theron continued to speed up.
It was only a moment before he left the mansion completely and entered his familiar home.
The important meeting he had made up for Selene was just an excuse, so Theron immediately took off his jacket and sank into the sofa.
Just as he was covering his eyes with his hand as if to block out his vision to calm his throbbing head, a knock was heard at the door.
‘This damn capital, the people here never rest.’
Just as he let out an irritated sigh, an insistent voice came from outside the door.
“Theron! I know you’re in there. I saw your car parked in front of the mansion!”
Theron got up and staggered to the door.
The unwelcome guest, Lysander, was standing there.
“What?”
Despite his sharp tone, Lysander didn’t care and grinned, holding a piece of paper in his hand.
“Look at this, Theron.”