14 DEAL?

Staring blankly at him with her brows arched. Thoughts raging inside her head with her heart beating strangely fast. The ring on her hand is making her feel nervous. But the meaning behind is devouring her confusion. She took a deep breath and placed the ring on the table returning it to him.

"I already played a game with you," she smiled forcibly. "I lost so what's with this new game you are proposing? The first game you opened I lost and the condition is to not show myself to you..."

"The first game means do not show yourself as Rose to me," he pushed the ring back to her. "The second game keep the ring till you figure it out."

"If you are giving me the ring for safekeeping," she pushed the ring back to him. "Why don't you deposit it somewhere? I am not a keeper of jewelries."

"Haha!" he laughed and pushed the ring back to her. "You are making this difficult for both of us."

"No," she shook her head. "You are the one who is making it difficult..."

The door of the cafe opened. Long bluish hair floated in mid air. That cute little face looked around to find the one she's looking for.

"Ah," she smiled and sprinted towards the corner of the room by the glass. "Here you are."

Surprised. He lifted his head and found a stranger standing. Her cute and cheerful face frowned at him.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"Ryun," Seri replied. "Meet my cousin Luna."

"Hi," Ryun offered his hand to shake hers. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here," Luna smiled. "I did not expect my cousin is with a handsome guy. She rarely goes out with one."

"Is that so?" Ryun curiously looked at Seri.

Luna sat down next to her and continued talking to Ryun.

"So how did you make her go out with you?" Luna asked. "This girl here is bad at talking to men. In fact, those who try to come close often loses a face."

"She is the one who asked me over," Ryun replied.

"Hmm?" Luna turned to Seri doubtful. "Is that true?"

"I did asked him over here because he said he wants to talk about something," Seri answered. "But I will only talk to him until this tray of sweets is empty."

"I see," Luna smiled teasingly at Ryun. "So handsome, you're in a difficult situation. These sweets won't last 20 minutes. So I hope what you came here to talk about is already done?"

"Yes," Ryun replied. "We already chatted earlier and has come to a conclusion."

"Oh?" Luna glanced at Seri.

"I am afraid my answer is the same," Seri glared at him.

"It has been decided," Ryun smiled.

"I wonder what the two of you talked about," Luna happily took a butter cookie and ate. "But whatever that is I hope you come to an agreement."

Seri quieted herself and took a sip of her tea. While Ryun took his time assessing Luna.

"You are not from here are you?" Ryun asked.

"Good eye," Luna smiled. "I am indeed not from here but from Silverdale."

"The southernmost island of the Sky Continent?" Ryun frowned.

"Yeah," Luna nodded.

"Isn't the continent having a difficult time?" Ryun asked.

"Yep," Luna nodded. "The current ruler is having a difficult time indeed. His people have left him so he is slowly losing his grip back there."

"You escaped?" Ryun curiously looked at her.

"More like banished," Luna smiled. "But I am happy to have been banished. I found this gal here! Now I am more than happy!"

"You are from Silverdale too?" Ryun frowned.

"My biological parents," Seri replied. "But here I am a Gomez."

Ryun frowned at her waiting for an elaborate answer from her.

"She's a Frost," Luna stole the opportunity to speak. "We are cousins from the grandmother's side."

Seri nudged on her. Luna is becoming more talkative making her nervous. She had not mentioned anything about Frost to Ryun.

"I see," Ryun nodded.

"Anyways," Luna had emptied the tray. She took a sip of her tea and looked at them. "The sweets are gone so let us go somewhere else."

"Huh?" Ryun surprisingly looked at the empty tray.

"I told you earlier those sweets won't last 20 minutes," Luna smiled. "My cousin knows my weakness. And I have been craving those since I last eaten one for around a month? But it would have been better if she had prepared it herself."

"I will make you some if you come by at the house," Seri told her.

"Why don't you come over to my place instead?" Luna suggested. "Everyone wants to see you."

"Tell that to the master," Seri replied.

"Is uncle still babying his daughter?" Luna disappointingly looked at her.

"You can't blame him," Seri defended her dad. "The events back then gave him a trauma."

"Oh yes," Luna understood.

"If you don't mind me asking," Ryun speaks up noticing the girls had forgotten about him. "How did Seri got adopted?"

"That," Luna shockingly turned to him. "She got stolen when she was little. Then the next thing we heard she's in Gaia living with the Gomez named Van."

'You sure are quick to create fancy stories,' Seri is relieved Luna caught it before her. She isn't good in making up stories to maintain animosity.

"Is that so?" Ryun glanced at her feeling sorry.

"But that was a long time ago," Luna chuckled. "We are indeed happy she's in a good family rather ending up in the streets or being used for something really bad."

Luna again is becoming more talkative making Seri more nervous. She nudged at her again to stop.

"Anyways," Luna stood up. "I have promised this gal on her birthday but it would be less fun if it is just us so why don't you come join us?"

"I apologize but I have to decline," Ryun smiled. "I have other things to do today. I just come across her this morning and took the opportunity to talk to her."

"Oh," Luna understood. "She's that hard to find no?"

"Yeah," Ryun admitted. "Took me five years to find her."

Ryun gives Seri that look again sending her heart to go wild.

"So," Ryun stood up and stealthily threw the ring at Seri who caught it right away. She was in shock of what he had thrown at her. "Until then Miss Seri. I'll be waiting."

"Huh?" Luna surprisingly blinks her eyes and turned to Seri who is dumbstruck. "What is that?"

Seri immediately kept the ring inside her purse. She feared Luna will make a big fuss about it and her dad will find out. She'll be in big trouble.

"Nothing," Seri stood up and dragged her cousin outside. "Come on, we're going to have fun. That is what you promised me!"

"Okay," Luna let go of the thing earlier and agreed to Seri's suggestion. "I actually bought two tickets with me for the roller coaster ride."

"Okay," Seri nodded. "So let's go."

At the back of her head she is wildly mumbling. The ring ended in her hand again. She hates the idea of keeping it without understanding the meaning behind.

'Am I stupid?' She thought. 'I just really don't want that advance thinking kind of thing but why does it feel like I am playing a dangerous game with him? That guy!'

Hanging around Luna helps her free herself from that cell. She has been hiding all her life. Without Antoine or Aki she cannot go out freely. Lucas and the others always accompany her and keeps an eye at a distance. Thus, having this gal around for a change is giving her that opportune.

Luna likes to talk about boys, love and stuff. Dragging her into a more mature conversation. From this gal she gains a different perspective of the world. Her brother only talks to her about strategies, war and stuff. While Antoine talks to her about being a proper lady that is choking her everyday. And Lucas, Sai or Luna often tells her to keep that authoritative demeanor to keep her subject's on her view.

Heaving a sigh, Seri puts those things aside. Her brother, Lucas, Antoine and the Alliance. Just for one day she wants to be free. To enjoy being a teen and waste it doing all things she had not done before. To ride the coaster and soar high. To sing without being ashamed of the kind of voice she has. To gaze at the heavens silly and imagine you're in a different world. To be normal and free from worry. Just taking the time wasting the day with a dear friend who understands her most.

Luna did played that part. Exposing her to stuff she had not experienced before. Become wild in a day. But not forgetting who you are and compromising the title given.

"Do you understand now my dear cousin?" Luna asked her while they were in the Ferris Wheel.

"Sort of," Seri smiled coyly.

"Sort of?" Luna is in dismay.

"I don't know about that love thing," Seri blushed. "I am not ready for it."

Ryun's face flashed suddenly before her eyes. Sending that strange feeling again.

"Hey," Luna sees something. "That Ryun sure is handsome and a gentleman."

Her mien go flustered. It made Luna burst into laughter.

"You like him don't you?" Luna asked.

"No," Seri blushed.

"Liar!" Luna nudged her. "But that's part of being young. You should learn that feeling. It is not taught in school."