So, I actually posted the second chapter of this fic a while ago on AO3 and completely forgot that I had posted it on this site, so sorry about that. One of my readers had messaged me earlier tonight, asking me to update it so here you go. Sorry everyone. I'll try not to forget again. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
November twentieth. The day had arrived, and so had she. The train slowed to a halt and she exited into the open air, the smell of the city far removed from the town she was now in. The air was different. Clean. Fresh. So this is where he's from…
Sae grabbed her suitcase and walked to the front of the station, a handful of people gathered, and yet none of them the man she traveled so far for. She glanced down at her wrist, noting the time. Her train arrived a few minute early, so perhaps she would have to wait for her escort to—
"—Did you enjoy the trip?" a cool voice whispered from behind.
She almost jumped. Getting enough of a grip to understand who it was, she calmly turned to greet the man she traveled all this way for. "It was fine," she dispassionately responded. She looked the man up and down. Jeans cloaked his legs, a white button up covering his deceptively toned body, and a black blazer finishing it off. His hair was still a shaggy mess of curls that was befitting of his overall look. The most notable part of his ensemble, however, was the absence of his glasses. She knew they were fake, but she never saw him without them outside of the interrogation room. It was surprising how missing a thin pair of lenses and a frame to hold them transformed him in such a large way. Perhaps it was aided by his choice of clothing. He looked more mature. An intention on his part no doubt. "Have you been well?"
"As well as one can be," he shrugged, walked past her and gestured to the humble sight before her. "Welcome to Kosai."
She walked just in front of him, appropriately taking in the sight of the city around her, or rather, the lack thereof. Surrounding the station was a collection of two to three story shops that she assumed doubled as homes for the owners. From where she stood, there were only a handful of buildings close to them that she would actually call buildings. That was it. That was all she could see. She rarely ever traveled for work, and every time that she did, it was to another big city that was a hub of industry. Seeing so little civilization was alien. It was quaint. Comfortable almost.
A cool breeze swept through the station, carrying her hair along with it and giving Ren another moment to enjoy—the sight of Sae Niijima's perfectly managed image becoming minorly disheveled. She hardly looked to be out of sorts—far from it. She was absolutely stunning. It was the introduction of little chaos, a small amount of the uncontrollable that just made her seem all the more beautiful.
She still remained in a black pantsuit, nothing truly different about her attire. He wondered idly what she'd look like in something more feminine… Perhaps the dress worn by her shadow? It was certainly provocative—so much so that he had found it very difficult after the initial infiltration of her palace to not fantasize about what she might do to him if he were to leave his team behind and… infiltrate alone.
Sae cleared her throat and turned around. "Shall we get going? I'm curious to see the house you grew up in."
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Miss Niijima," he teased.
She raised a brow.
He walked up next to her with a devilishly suave smile etched into his face. "I don't think it would be fitting to bring you home with me just yet. I doubt my parents would let us do anything without answering their questions." He winked at her. "It would spoil the mood."
"Oh?" She played coy. "Why do you think that? What might we do that your parents' presence would spoil."
"Something that we could just as easily do in a hotel." A cool smile still plastered across his face, he gestured with an open hand to one of the only buildings she saw.
Sae crossed her arms. "You have high hopes, I see."
"I'm not the one who played hard to get for three weeks."
Her mostly neutral expression devolved into a glare, warning him that he was getting dangerously close to playing with fire. "I beg your pardon."
Ren's smile only widened. He took a single step. "Oh, nothing," he shook his head innocently, taking another step. "It's just that I extended this invitation to you a month ago, and you only responded last week."
She began tapping her fingers against her arm. "Believe it or not, it wasn't so difficult to wait for this. Besides, I'm a busy woman. There was no guarantee that I'd be able to leave Tokyo in that timeframe."
Ren took another step, his head hovering just over her shoulder, the breath that escaped his lips tickling her ear. "So, why did Makoto tell me that you began planning a month ago to come to Shizuoka Prefecture on this particular day?"
He backed away from her, the scowl on her face only intensifying as a blush creeped across her cheeks. "You rely too much on information from my sister."
"Hey, all I asked was how you were doing," he pleaded his innocence, hands up in mock surrender. "She told me the rest on her own."
Sae let out a low growl. It wasn't as if she was well and truly embarrassed. She was annoyed. She was hoping to see him struggle more than he was. Ren Amamiya was certainly a talented player of her games, especially for one so young.
Ren closed the distance again, his cocky smile fading into one that was far softer… warmer… "Sae," he whispered raspily, one hand finding its place on her hip, the other on the small of her back. He pulled her even closer. "Just this once, let me be serious."
She stared at him expectantly, curious as to what he would tell her, what he would confess.
He took his right hand from her hip and placed his fingers just under her chin, forcing her lips to the perfect angle. "I'm happy to see you."
Still, she said nothing. She just waited, hoping to see how far he might push her leniency. Would he take a mile after she allowed an inch? Would the thief allow his greed to take over?
He moved in closer, but instead of planting a kiss on her waiting lips, he moved, once again, to her ear. "And I'm looking forward to this game of yours. So, what say we drop off that suitcase of yours and head to dinner?" He finished off his revelation by nibbling the lobe of her ear, sending a shiver up her back that she didn't dare let him see.
When he retreated, she grabbed hold of her suitcase and began walking to the hotel he had pointed out to her, refusing to allow him a single glance at the sudden lust that exploded within her eyes. Had this not been a test, had he already earned her, she'd have jumped on him then and there and showed him things that his young, developing mind had never even conceived of.
Had it not been a test.
"Let's go," she ordered. "I'm curious to see how long it will take for you to fold."
A smirk crept across his lips as she walked past, the sweet scent of her perfume dragging behind and pulling him in. "This woman…" he muttered to himself, licking his lips like a dog who was just presented with a slab of meat.
His consciousness took hold of his leash, allowing him to act like he wasn't currently a creature piloted by carnal desires. He caught up to her, matching her pace and allowing his right hand to hang slightly out, swaying right next to hers.
A play that was all for naught. If she had noticed, she certainly didn't act like it. Ren's confidant smirk momentarily devolved into cold, calculating neutrality, keeping an eye on Sae's movements, analyzing her for any weaknesses to exploit.
But she possessed no weaknesses.
His experience with the fairer sex was limited at best, and no woman he had met to date was close enough to Sae's level to compare. Even Takemi wouldn't hold a candle to the Leviathan he was currently attempting to seduce.
He once more realized the titanic nature of the task set before him. The shadow truly was a mirror to the true self. Aside from the obvious physical differences between Sae and her shadow, the air both exuded was identical—daunting. For a single moment, it seemed he was back within the casino.
They walked through the doors of the hotel, checkered floors of black and white marble stretching from the door to the counters where they could check in. They crossed the lobby with the presence of royalty, their heads held high and confident. Ren collected the key to their room and guided his queen to the elevators, and as the doors closed on the otherwise empty lift, Sae pushed him against the wall.
It wasn't meant to be sexual. She simply placed him against the wall, her right hand firmly keeping him in place. She enjoyed the look of shock he was giving her, like she had finally ambushed him. She lifted her left hand and presented him with the keycard to their room, revealing that she had swiped it from him when she made the move. "I let you get away with dropping the pretenses, so give me that same courtesy right now."
His hanging mouth closed and he nodded, no cheeky grin, no lecherous glint in his eye. Just a pair of open ears.
She moved forward, replacing her hand with the whole of her body, her head nestled comfortably in the crook of his neck, her hairs rubbing against his skin like sheets of silver silk, the smell of the shampoo she used in the shower that morning almost hypnotizing Ren with its sweet, lingering smell.
"I'm happy to see you too," she admitted. "But wait for me outside. When we… If we enter that room together, I want it to be all mine. I don't want you to know a thing about it. I want you to come to my room. Not ours."
The elevator slowed its ascent and the doors opened behind her. She pushed off of him, grabbing her suitcase on the way out. As the doors closed she smiled at him. "I'll be down soon, Ren."
At that moment, his name never sounded so good to his own ears. He let out a wheezing breath and pressed the button for the lobby, eagerly awaiting Sae's return to him.
He rode the elevator down, struggling to calm his breath, the image of entering into Sae's room now playing over and over in his mind. He imagined their bodies slamming open the door and crashing directly onto the bed, her lithe fingers slipping past the band of his waist to stroke the part of him that's been lying in wait since she last left Leblanc. He took in a sharp breath and—
—The elevator doors slid open, as did his eyes at the realization. He saw a small family waiting for his exit and he speedily retreated from the lift, red creeping across his face. This was hardly the first time that a fantasy of Sae Niijima unexpectedly took over his mind, and he knew well enough how to manage himself after being pulled out from the haze.
He took in several deep breaths, hoping to snuff out the fire that was kindling beneath the surface, sparks of worry igniting when thinking about how none of his fantasies were as close to being reality as right now.
Ren swiftly made for the lobby's exit, hoping the cool November air would do something for his own heat. Calm~ he mentally stilled himself, the mantra doing very little to control his ever growing anxiety of his date with the former prosecutor, Sae Niijima.
He had been waiting so long for this day, and every second had been agonizing. They spoke so rarely, and never about what transpired that night that he so often asked himself if what they shared that night was a fever dream that had been borne from urges that he denied from the moment he met her shadow.
It was the seconds-long moments of communication from her that reassured him. Times when she'd paused as if looking around her before hushedly asking him in an alluringly uncharacteristic timidness if he was still 'all in': a call back to his promise when she was still attempting to convince him to forget that night.
His response was always an offended huff of laughter, followed by, "Of course I am, Miss Niijima."
It all felt so long that he almost never expected this day to arrive. But it had, and here he was trying to mask his racing anxiety with suave bravado.
He wasn't blind to the reality of his situation. Sae Niijima was a mature adult, likely to have enough experience in love, both physical and emotional, to know that he was a terrible prospect to set her eyes on. He was inexperienced in every aspect, never even having a girlfriend before now.
Technically, he still didn't.
He also doubted his own feelings for her. She was, without a single doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on, but he feared that the butterflies that appeared in his stomach when recalling their tryst within Leblanc was nothing more than his physical urges becoming frustrated at coming so close to satisfaction only to have it ripped away at the last second. He worried that the musings he constructed of a loving life with her were nothing more than the naive fantasies of a teenager who had no idea how real love worked.
And aside from the worries that bubbled across the surface of his mind, something far more irritating gnawed at his conscience—would he lose? There were very few occasions during his tenure as a Phantom Thief where he ordered a retreat, but each and every one left a bitter taste in his mouth—an unrelenting, stabbing pain at his pride. He knew it was better that his pride be wounded rather than his body, but it nagged at him constantly, his own mind taunting him about how he could have done better, almost like his own shadow was manifesting for the sole purpose of poking weakness.
But more prevalent than fights he retreated from were fights where he had no choice but to push forward. Fights against palace rulers, guardian shadows, and the occasional ambush—all of them pushed him and his team to the limit due to how high the stakes were—victory or death.
It was amusing to him how comparable this date felt. Not only was he cut off from retreat, but losing was not an option. Sae Niijima was like a treasure that guarded itself—but more than that—she was the ultimate prize.
Ren would have been lying if he said other women hadn't caught his eye during his stay in Tokyo. Ann was striking when he first laid eyes on her to the point where he could have sworn his heart had stopped. Makoto held strong convictions, but was so easily thrown off when it came to the subject of romance that it was too cute to ignore. Futaba also caught his eye more than once, though he'd never let Sojiro know that. The memory of when she burst out of the closet, asking his team to steal her heart, never failed to put a smile on his face. Haru was so sophisticated, despite her more… sadistic tendencies. Hifumi was the picture of elegance, and, coupled with her eccentric behavior while playing Shogi, was nigh irresistible. But even then, those were just the girls.
The women in his life were far more appealing. He had fantasized of Tae Takemi taking advantage of him in his incapacitated state numerous times, and if she ever came forward and told him that she did as much, he wouldn't even think of complaining. Chihaya was by far the cutest of all the women in his life—her naiveté of the city was adorable, seeing her marvel at something such as a bladeless fan and cry out in disbelief in her country accent made it difficult for him to control his heart. Ohya, even with her many flaws, had a charm about her that he couldn't help but appreciate. And Sadayo Kawakami was, until recently, the one he thought about most often. He didn't care one bit about her dressing in a french maid uniform or calling him master—no—all he ever concerned himself with was the fact that she was his teacher. Perhaps it was due to his nature as a thief—his desire to take the grandest prize—but the idea of exchanging knowing glances with her in the middle of class was beyond tantalizing. There was one point where he very nearly made an attempt, but stopped when realizing the danger it could put the both of them in.
And somehow, even with all those prospects, Sae Niijima seemed the grandest prize of them all. She was the pinnacle of achievement. She would not simply give him her heart—he needed to prove himself worthy. It doesn't matter what he accomplished in the past, what mattered is what he will accomplish in the future. He cannot afford to rest on his laurels—
—and neither could she. Sae Niijima would never allow herself to take second place to her partner. If her man ever managed to get a leg up on her, she would undoubtedly reclaim her spot by the day's end, and the game would begin again. Her partner would never be allowed to rest, and that excited him more than it should have.
And today was his long awaited chance to prove himself worthy of being her partner. He was given a chance to not only show that he was up to her standards, but to glimpse at the potential of what such a relationship with the elder Niijima sister could provide. Months of planning ideas in secret, away from the eager ears of his parents, the few friends he managed to scrounge up, and most of all, Morgana, had finally come to fruition. He could only hope that it all went off without a hitch.
"You know, for a thief who stole the hearts of the people, you seem awfully nervous about a little date," a soft voice giggled.
Ren turned around and saw the most dazzling sight in existence, her arresting crimson eyes holding a smile just as gorgeous as her lips. Sae Niijima had exited the hotel and appeared behind him in a stunning black dress that hugged her perfect figure tightly enough to know what was beneath but loose enough to hold tantalizing mysteries that could only be solved with its removal. There was a cut in the dress between her breasts that taunted Ren's sight, mocking him as if this was the most he would ever see of her.
Two strings of fabric hung on her shoulders, calling out for her permission to descend her arms and pull the dress to the floor. Ren never knew how excited he could become just by seeing the bare arms of a woman, her soft skin almost inviting his touch. The necklace that hung from her neck was an immaculate diamond-shaped ruby, set within a gold frame. Her ashen hair cascaded down her back except for a clump of strands that had fallen on across her left shoulder. She was elegance personified. Beauty incarnate. Grace in human form. Never before had he felt so underdressed.
Sae walked forward, her heels clicking against the cement with every step. She slid her left arm around his right, letting her fingers slide down and interlock with his. She looked at him with the most disarming smile he had ever seen on the domineering former prosecutor.
"I know you've been waiting for this, but there's no reason to stress yourself out. You're already doing better than most men who make an attempt at getting my attention."
"I am?" he skeptically questioned.
She laughed at his response. "Of course," she reassured him. "Most men don't get to see me in a dress like this."
Just as he was about to thank whatever God that would listen, she leaned in and whispered, "And most men don't get to kiss me like that."
Ren suddenly forgot how to breathe, treating Sae to a sight that she had been waiting for since she first got off the train: Ren Amamiya on the backfoot and unsure of how to act. He started out strong, calling her bluff on how long she had been waiting for this, but she would never allow this thief to win out in the end. After all, Sae Niijima doesn't lose.
He might have earned her attention all those months ago, but the true question that needed to be answered was if it was a passing glance at his potential or hypnotizing display of his worth.
Despite that now was a time for them to enjoy each other's company, she needed to test experiment had no use for a character. Joker the Phantom Thief was an enticing man that she enjoyed meeting, but if anything were to grow between the two of them, she needed to see if Ren Amamiya was up to her standards as well. And the best way for her to see the Phantom Thief without his mask was to lower his guard and stop contesting with him.
For now…
I've seen a lot of sides to you, Ren Amamiya, but I need to see everything if you're going to be the man I spend my time with. Sae reached her right hand up to the side of his face, cradling it gently before planting a small kiss on his cheek. Don't disappoint me.
"I, uh…" He huffed out a quick, nervous laugh. "What was that for?"
She smiled and tightened the grip on his hand ever so slightly. "To remind you of what you're fighting for. And to show you that, despite how vicious I can be, both in and out of the courtroom, I'm able to be sweet too. So stop worrying so much. I wouldn't have come here if I thought you incapable of meeting my expectations."
In truth, Ren was stunned by her words. He never would have expected Sae Niijima of all people to offer encouragement, least of all about their date.
He smiled and nodded. "You're right. No time for hesitation at this stage."
"Exactly. So let's go enjoy a nice dinner, and then afterwards…"
"'Afterwards?'" Ren repeated.
She paused, and then offered him a sly smirk.
"We'll see."
Ren gave a silent nod and escorted her to the street, where he walked up to a car and opened the passenger door for her. The car itself was nothing special. Clearly a few years old, but well maintained and clean. He must have had it detailed before my trip up here.
She took her seat and the two drove down the street. She tossed him a soft smile, inquisitively asking, "I see you've gotten your license. How long ago was that?"
"I had been studying for it before the whole 'EMMA Incident' kicked off, but after seeing Haru drive… Well, let's just say that it was an excellent motivator."
Sae hummed. "Makoto told me about how the Okumura girl drove. I never would have expected that from such a mild mannered girl."
Ren shuddered as the memories were pulled to the surface. He'd rather be ambushed by the Reaper than ever be in a car with Haru behind the wheel again.
"Regardless, I'm happy to know you all made it. Though, I have to admit, I was worried once the authorities were looking for you all again."
Ren's expression relaxed from traumatized into melancholic as he reflected on all his adventures in the Metaverse during his second year of high school and all the times that he and his team were nearly caught or killed. The fact of the matter was that they could have died any number of times, but their biggest gamble by far was his capture. The only thing he could think to say was the mantra he always told himself.
"We all knew the risks. Even if we had been caught, it would have been worth it."
Sae looked away from the Phantom Thief and out the window at the passing scenery. Makoto had told her the same thing once upon a time. Even though she had been convinced of the Phantom Thieves' justice, finding out her sister was placing herself in such supernatural danger worried her to no end. After she helped Ren fake his death, she returned home and furiously lectured Makoto about how reckless she was being.
And to her surprise, Makoto fought back, telling her that if those in charge weren't so corrupt that she wouldn't be forced to do anything about it. Sae didn't disagree with the defense, but the idea that her sister had to be the one putting herself in danger…
"None of you ever should have had to take such risks. I can't imagine your parents reacted very well when you told them."
She awaited a response, but was only greeted with silence. Sae turned back to Ren and saw him staring at the road ahead with an almost mournful expression, like he was contemplating his regrets.
"Have you…"
He shook his head, answering her unfinished question.
"Do you think they wouldn't approve? Or do you think it's better to keep the secret? If I recall correctly, Makoto mentioned something about Sakamoto telling his mother."
"Ryuji told his mom?" he quickly asked, snapping his head towards her.
"I believe so."
"Huh…" he simply responded, his eyes slightly widened as he languidly turned his attention back to the road.
Sae continued staring at him in silence, her eyes burning into his being, yet, he showed no sign of answering. This seems a sore spot for him. I wonder if the situation with his parents was affected by his arrest.
Ren suddenly pulled into a small, empty parking lot. She took a look at what she assumed would be their restaurant. The small building was adorned with the Italian flag, the name Cestino painted at the top, with a sign above the entrance with the same name written across it.
Ren parked the car and gave Sae a warm, yet confident look. "It might not be a five star restaurant with high cuisine, but I trust you'll be surprised by the quality here."
She gave the building a second look and neutrally hummed. It wasn't as if she only ever ate high class foods, but her dress might make her seem out of place at a place like this. Even Ren's blazer and button up seemed too formal for this restaurant.
That being said, Ren's confidence clearly wasn't shaken, and he was hardly the sort to disappoint, especially when he could have conceivably been planning this date from the moment she left Leblanc all those months ago.
Sae exited the car and followed Ren to the entrance, noting how all the windows seemed to be covered. He held the door open for her and walked inside, finding it far more dim than she had expected.
"Welcome, Niijima-san!" A young woman's voice greeted her. She turned and saw a woman standing by the counter, likely no older than her date. She wore black slacks, a white button up, and a charcoal vest. Clearly a server, but far more done up than she had expected of the establishment.
"You know who I am?" she questioned the girl.
"Of course!" she smiled. "Amamiya-kun couldn't stop talking about you for the past few weeks."
Ren walked up from behind Sae and cleared his throat, obviously silencing the girl. "Thank you, Akari-san. If you would, please show my date to our table."
Sae paused at his wording and sent him a look. "Only me?"
Ren walked past her and began taking off his blazer as he neared the kitchen. "Of course. You didn't think I'd take you out to dinner without cooking your meal myself, did you?"
The girl, Akari-san as Ren greeted her, smiled. "Please, follow me, miss."
Sae did as she was asked, taking only a few steps before stepping in a room that was empty save for a single table, primarily lit by the candle that sat atop it, two chairs waiting for their diner's, as well as a wine glass on one side. It seemed that her date had reserved the restaurant for just the two of them.
"This doesn't seem like a place that would allow for a single party to reserve it for an evening," she idly commented, approaching the table.
"It's usually not, but our boss made an exception since Amamiya-kun is such a good employee. Plus he paid our usual daily profits, so we're not losing any money doing it."
"Ren works here?"
Akari gave a big nod. "That's right! You're a lucky girl, Niijima-san. He's been planning this whole day for a while, even coaching those of us who volunteered to help with the cooking. But he still insisted on doing most of the work himself. Which reminds me—"
Akari turned around and walked into the kitchen, coming out a moment later with a bottle of red wine. "Amamiya-kun had our boss order this bottle of wine for you. He thought you would appreciate its flavor."
"It's flavor, hmm?" Sae reached out her glass for the girl to fill it. "As I recall, he isn't legally allowed to drink yet. How is it that he knows how it tastes, I wonder?"
"I asked the same thing when he brought up the wine. I think he just looked some things up online, but who knows, maybe he's just some delinquent!" The girl laughed heartily, unaware of how close to the mark she was.
Sae chuckled to herself, bringing the glass to her lips. "An interesting choice of words." she hummed, pausing for a moment to savor the flavor of the wine. As expected, it tasted like every other red wine she had ever tasted.
"Tell me, Akari-san, are you one of his classmates?"
The girl nodded her head. "Yep. I only moved here this year though. Amamiya-kun helped me get familiar with everything. He even helped me get this job!"
"In that case, I'm assuming you know what people think of him."
Akari's jovial behavior dimmed and she grew a saddened expression. "Yeah. It bugs me when people talk bad about him. He hasn't told me anything about what really happened, but I know that what people say can't be the truth."
Sae smiled and took another sip from her glass. "You have good instincts. A lot of people back in Tokyo would agree with you."
Akari allowed a semblance of her smile to return, but there was still a sadness that lingered across her features. For a moment it seemed she would add some other comment, but instead excused herself, claiming that she needed to help in the kitchen. Sae excused her and patiently waited for her date's return, examining the bottle of wine Akari left on the table for her.
"It seems expensive," she muttered to herself. "I think his view of me is far more elegant than reality. It tastes fine, but he shouldn't spend so much when I can't discern its quality." Sae looked up the wine with her phone. The wine, a Château Lafite Rothschild, was sixty-thousand yen on the low end, and she even found prices near two-hundred thousand.
She sighed, disappointed. "I'm flattered, but he's only eighteen. He should know that I don't expect him to provide me with anything, especially when I make as much as I do."
Thinking on it more, Sae reasoned that this date might have been better if it was upon his return to Tokyo. Makoto was in the process of moving out, leaving Sae with the house to herself. Not only that, but in all likelihood, Ren would be living in Leblanc, allowing them two different locations they could retreat to without any people to bother them. Sae was comfortable enough out in public, but she meant what she said earlier in the elevator. If she brought Ren back to her room, she wanted to bring him to her room. The hotel served a purpose, but it was neither her space nor his.
Then again, as loathed as she was to admit it, she had been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time. Likely, just as long as him. It disturbed her some nights—that she had such thoughts about a young boy. Even now, with Ren being an adult, she was still shocked by it all. Young men never managed to hold her attention. They all seemed so immature, driven by more carnal desires.
She had Ren in an interrogation room for quite a long time without so much as a passing compliment on her appearance. Usually, suspects, even delirious ones, would leer at her like a piece of meat.
Ren's convictions were more important than physical desires; his mission took precedence. She was attracted to that, though at the time it was more that she respected his ideals and the strength with which he held them.
All that being said, he had desires, as did she. That night in Leblanc was an anomaly. Had Boss never made such insinuations as to their relationship, neither would have even thought about making any sort of move. But he did. Sojiro Sakura planted a seed that swiftly grew and invaded both of their thoughts, prompting a very spontaneous and risky sequence of events that led to their current position.
"Assuming all goes well, we should thank him," she said, taking another sip from her wine.
"We should thank who?" Ren suddenly asked, startling her as he entered the room, two plates in hand. On one, a large steak, juices bleeding onto the plate as he set it down in front of his seat. On the other, a serving of linguine garnished with shredded parmesan, torn spinach leaves, and basil.
Sae sat there for a moment, stunned by how deeply she had been trapped in her own thoughts. "I-I—Boss. I was just thinking about how if not for him, we wouldn't have…" Her words trailed off, trying to come up with a delicate metaphor for what didn't happen that night.
"Traded Valentine's Day Chocolate?" he offered, setting down her food and moving over to his own seat.
Sae let out a breath, her cheeks heating up. She wasn't used to being caught in her own head like that. "Yes. That."
Ren smiled and waved over one of the employees from the kitchen who came in with a glass of water and handed it to him before retreating from the dining area.
Ren sat and raised his glass across the table, waiting for Sae to do the same. "To Boss, then?"
Sae smiled, letting her blush settle before raising her glass in kind. "To Boss."