172 RECIPE TO SUCCESS

"HUH."

"Huh?" Neoma asked, repeating what she heard from the other "line." "This is Ruto, right?"

"I'm Ruto."

She rolled her eyes at his boring response. "Then, what's with the 'huh?'"

"I was just surprised," Ruto said. "I thought you threw away the calling device I left for you since you didn't call me."

"I should have thrown this device," she said. "Why didn't you tell me that you left a calling device for me? If you want to contact me, you should have just told me. You didn't have to leave me something so expensive."

"Did you feel burden by my present?"

"Bull's eye," she said, then she activated her actress mode. "How can a mere lady-in-waiting trainee accept something so expensive from the Crown Prince's Royal Chef?"

"I've been thinking about this ever since we met…"

"About what?"