Coffee With A Stranger?

Shui Xian didn't know why he wanted to reach out to Raelle. Maybe it was his curiosity to know more about his future wife or something else he couldn't understand. When he finally managed to get beside Raelle, he said, "What's the hurry?"

Raelle gave him a sidelong glance as she questioned, "Are you following me?"

"Yes," he replied honestly and it made her stop in her steps. "Since you helped me, I was thinking maybe we should have a cup of coffee together?" He took off his trench coat since he wanted to let the cold chill in the air to cool him down.

"You're paying?" she asked.

"Obviously," he replied. "Since you helped me, naturally I should be treating you. How can I be shameless enough to make you treat me instead?"

"Well, I know someone that shameless, so just wanted to confirm." She was shading Hyson for having no consciousness at all. She looked him up and down before her eyes caught sight of something. Her lips turned into an arc and she accepted without hesitation, "Sure. Let's have that coffee."

Shui Xian actually thought she'd reject him but she again went against his thinking. It was as if she was hell-bent on proving his understanding wrong. As they walked towards the closest coffee shop and found a table, Raelle didn't look at him even once more.

"What do you want to drink?"

Raelle didn't even glance at the menu as she said, "Latte Machiatto."

Shui Xian placed the order and came to sit opposite her. He saw how Raelle picked up a napkin and held it before her face. He really didn't know what she was up to but she sometimes moved it up and sometimes down. What was she really doing?

After a moment, she put the napkin down with satisfaction visible on her face. What conclusion did she come up to was unknown.

"Let's introduce ourselves," suggest Shui Xian.

Raelle smiled at him, "Introductions are for those who want to get familiar with each other. In our case, I'm fine with being a stranger."

"Then why did you agree to have a coffee with this stranger?" he inquired as the coffee was served.

"Coffee with a stranger is said to be a great experience," said Raelle as she picked up her cup of coffee. "I like the word stranger and the meaning behind it. I feel like that's the most honest association in this world."

"Oh," was all that he said. "How so?"

Raelle pointed around at the people in the coffee shop and said, "Do you think these people came into this world knowing each other?" His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "Every one of them had been a stranger once. And no matter how close they seem today, they are all on the road to become strangers all over again. That's the reality of life. It's a cycle. You meet as strangers, you leave as strangers. The only difference is, when they leave, they become strangers with memories."

She took a sip of her coffee and licked the remnants slowly off her lips. This action was small but sensual. Nevertheless, she was actually satisfied to see that his eyes stayed on her eyes. That was a first for her.

"I've met over forty strangers specifically for a coffee but this is my very first time actually ordering or drinking coffee with a stranger."

His brows arched up in surprise at her remark. He observed the way she looked at him and came to a conclusion and finally, he voiced out with conviction, "You know who I am already, right?"

Raelle smirked at him, "Smart! I like that!" She looked at his face and added, "Do you think if I didn't know I'd be sitting here with you?" She had recognized him as he put that ring on her hand. But she wasn't certain at that time. Later when he asked her out for a coffee, she confirmed his identity. Even when she was holding up that napkin, she was actually trying to cover his eyes and match the jawline with the person she met at the party the other day.

"When did you figure it out?" he questioned.

Raelle pointed at his cufflinks, "As soon as you took off that coat. You wore that during the party as well."

Shui Xian looked at his cufflinks and had a look of enlightenment. He really didn't think his cufflinks would give away his identity. Because he never thought she'd notice something like this. Even though he was wearing his customized cufflinks, that had the initials of his name. He still never expected her to catch on.

"You're very perceptive," he couldn't help complimenting.

Raelle shrugged her shoulders, "People like me have to learn to be perceptive. Since I'm not very perceptive when it comes to feelings, I learned to be perceptive of my surroundings." What she meant was that since she could feel the others' emotions, she had to learn to read people's expressions and their movements. Every single expression of people, she had engraved it into her memory. It made life a lot easier.

However, Shui Xian thought she was referring to how her status and position made her become perceptive of everything around her. He also knew it wasn't easy achieving such success without having keen senses and astute nature.

"I think I haven't received as many surprises in years as you have brought to me in just two meetings." He was telling the truth. It had been a long time since he felt surprised by anything. But she was continuing to surprise him. She was shrewd, profound, proud in her own way, and yet, her eyes held such innocence that he had never seen before.

"By the way, I was waiting for the coffee invitation for a while now," told Raelle.

"You were?" he questioned.

"Didn't I leave my personal business card with you? It's not every day I give it out," she informed him with a calm look.