Double Date
"You're late!" she snapped at him as soon as he sat down.
Grand shows his teeth at her and raises his eyebrow. "Let's not act like we don't know why we are both here." he sneered.
"Here," he said, giving her the bouquet of flowers like he just remembered he has it.
Li Na stared at the flowers that Grand put on top of the table. A smile was about to break from her lips when she heard Grand say; "My mother bought it for you, she said they were your favorite."
Li Na's face turned nasty and she's about to give him a piece of her mind when the waiter returned to the table with the appetizer.
"Give me a glass of whiskey on the rocks," he told the waiter, who was pouring water in his glass.
"Seriously? You're going directly to drinking without eating?" Li Na asked Grand with annoyance.
He smirked, as he picked up the glass of whisky and said nothing.
Li Na raised her hand and asked for the same thing Grand is having.
Grand laughed and shook his head.
"I don't have the energy to fight with my parents that's why I'm here. But... let me be clear, I'm not interested in you." he arrogantly said.
She was dumbstruck by was she heard.
"Can you tell me what you want from me so we could go and be done with this shit?" he asked a speechless Li Na across the table.
She got back her bearing and took a sip of her drink and jeered at him, "No one treated me like shit and got away with it."
Grand just smirked at her and raised his glass in a mock salute.
Li Na slammed her palm on the table and said between her teeth, "Wang Wei!"
---
She was laughing over a story Bobby was telling when a man wearing all white, smiling a very familiar smile, the same crooked of lips she always sees in Bobby, approached them and stood beside their table looking between her and Bobby, then finally, his eyes settled on her and smiled.
"How do you like the food?" he asked in a friendly manner.
"The sea bass was exquisite. Thank you." she smiled back.
He chuckled and looked at Bobby, "Well, finally someone enjoyed my cooking." he said teasing.
"Dana, this is my cousin Wu Jui-lien," he told her. "Dana Hasegawa," he said casually.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Dana," he said offering his hand for a shake. "I am his cousin, how about you?" he asked bluntly.
Bobby kicked him on his shin, but he just laughed at his anger.
"Don't listen to him," he said watching her expression.
She just smiled, and said, "A good friend. A very good one." she playfully bantered with him.
"Mnn, I like your spunk, because of that you can call me Julian and you may come here anytime and enjoy my cooking." he turned serious with his invitation.
"I will take on the offer," she said giggling.
Julian looked at Bobby who was enjoying his wine, "Business is doing good?"
He responded by raising his wine glass.
"Thanks for dropping by, it would be nice if you'd also visit the main house in your free time," he said in a solemn voice.
He took a slug of wine, then, "I'll do a rain check with my schedule." he said with an equally serious tone.
"We're family…"
He spoke before Julian could finish his sentence, "Go back to the kitchen, you're ruining my date," he said playfully but his eyes are throwing him a silent warning.
Julian became quiet for a moment then, got back his attention to Dana, and smiled handsomely, giving her a forty-five-degree bow, "Thank you for gracing us with your presence Miss Hasegawa. We would love to have you in the future."
Dana, despite being a bit tipsy from her drink, still felt the sudden tension in the air, "I would surely come back to enjoy more of your cooking." she said with a controlled smile.
Julian pats Bobby's back and excuses himself to return to the kitchen.
"More?" he asked, raising the bottle of wine to Dana.
Dana smiles and shakes her head. "I think I had enough for the night."
Bobby, proceed to pour more wine into his glass as Dana enjoys her creme brulee in silence.
----
Grand watched Li Na downed the glass of whiskey like it was water, glaring at him the whole time.
"If you're done, let me pick up the bill." He told her while sipping his own drink.
"Can't wait to get rid of me?" she asked sarcastically.
He just stares at her and keeps quiet with open boredom on his face, which drives Li Na madder than she already is.
For a girl like her that comes from a prestigious family, with money and looks, being rejected is something that she has never experienced in her twenty-three years of existence.
Li Na scowled at the impassive Grand, she wanted to claw his annoyingly handsome smug face, but she held in her rage for her pride was on the line. She will have her revenge one way or another, she thought as she stared back at him across the table.
She could feel the effect of whiskey on her as she's already feeling lightheaded. She gulped down a glass of water in a futile attempt to weaken the alcohol in her system.
She excused herself and stood up to go to the bathroom, while she covered her mouth as she felt like throwing up when the water hit her stomach.
When she returned to their table, Grand was already paying their tab and about to leave.
"You have a driver right? Because I didn't have a car, and I don't have the plan to take you home," he said within the earshot of the server.
She bit her tongue and gave Grand a cold smile, "Well, at least have the decency to walk me out of this restaurant."
"Gladly," he said grinning, taunting her.
Li Na was seething in anger and sent a WeChat message, - 'Meet me at my usual spot.'