Chapter 36.2

After resting her legs back on the bed, Yernia glanced at him as if she suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right. Do you know a nice restaurant, Cassian?”

“Restaurant?”

“Yes, I’m going to go eat.”

Yernia’s meetings were somewhat limited.

It was valid for both the Cilliards’ and the Lecardos’ since they only associate themselves with a few other people.

Despite Yernia’s constant participation in book clubs, she hadn’t engaged in making connections either.

“Are you seeing Evan or Seria behind my back?” Cassian asked.

Yernia shook her head no.

“No. You and I aren’t dating anymore. Oh, press it hard over there, Cassian! Yeah, there—”

Cassian gently pressed the part which Yernia liked to be massaged.

“I’ll make a reservation.”

“Thank you, Cassian. Please do. The restaurant must be nice and comfortable.”

“How many people will be there?”

“It’s just a dinner for two. Do you think seafood would be good?”

“You can eat whatever you want.”

“I want to know what you think.”

Why was she asking about them?

Cassian thought about it seriously while rubbing Yernia’s leg in a daze.

Was Yernia asking him out on a restaurant date?

Yernia?

To him?

Cassian couldn’t believe it.

He initially thought his wife would go with someone else, but he hadn’t caught Yernia seeing someone else so far.

Yernia wouldn’t hide anything from him, and she often talked about the people she met.

Cassian was sure she was doing this in a good way, but it would literally kill him if he found out Yernia had a man other than him.

He didn’t want to hear it for it was a burden he’d rather not carry.

“Well, I’m down for anything.” He answered curtly.

“Really? Then, please make a reservation for a good seafood restaurant.”

Cassian was even more convinced that Yernia was asking him out on a date.

Wait.

Yernia might not want a date.

Maybe she would just be there to eat as if it wouldn’t matter whether Cassian was her companion or not.

If two people eat and spend time together, that was already considered a  date.

Cassian nodded, pursing his lips to suppress a smile.

He couldn’t believe Yernia had asked him out.

He  couldn’t believe it.

Cassian pretended to agree immediately on purpose.

He was afraid to give his eagerness away if he started babbling for no reason.

“Oh, there! That spot hurts so much, Cassian.”

He had failed to control his strength due to anxiety.

***

For days, Cassian’s mood rose to the full.

He’d been in such a good mood lately that he might as well be flying through the roof.

“You seem to be in high spirits these days, my lord. Anything good going on?”

“Good things? Nothing.”

Cassian smirked at the report.

His assistant narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, ‘See? I caught you.’ before announcing Cassian’s schedule without further questioning.

“We made a reservation at Sanvis this afternoon, my lord. Are you going with your wife?”

Cassian gave him a light, knowing nod.

“Yernia said we should go there first.”

“Is that so?”

“She wanted me to be  there.”

“Is that why you’re in a good mood, my lord.”

“Do I look happy? Not at all.”

The assistant wanted to respond with, ‘Yes, you look great, my lord.’ but he decided to hold them back.

Casaian looked very, very, very happy whether or not he was unconscious of it or he was simply in denial.

He had already finished the pile of work a few days ago in a heartbeat, and now there was really not much left.

He had been waiting for this fateful day.

“Having dinner with my wife is nothing special to me. It didn’t make me feel that good.”

After uttering those words, Cassian burst into laughter.

“Wife! Hahahaha! ‘Wife’.”

He sounded so pleased with the word ‘wife’ that the assistant didn’t know how to react.

“Joseph, you should go out with your wife, sometimes.”

“I’m single, my lord.”

“Oh, you poor, poor thing!”

Cassian laughed as if other people’s misfortunes made him ecstatic.

Well, it didn’t take long for his excellent mood to sink to the ground.

***

Cassian looked at the scene with a hardened face as Yernia sat next to the window not far away from him.

“How did you make a reservation here? I love it.”

And another boy was in front of her, where Cassian should have been seated.

His head felt cold.

“The lady left earlier.”

As the time of their reservation approached, Cassian decided to visit Yernia early.

He cared for everything left so she could devote his entire day, especially to Yernia.

He had arranged the next course at the restaurant.

Cassian was too excited for his good.

When he found out Yernia went to the restaurant first, he didn’t think about it deeply.

At that moment, he realized how foolish he was being.

Cassian wasn’t the person that Yernia wanted  to go to the restaurant with.

Why did he realize that just now?

What happened to his brain?

His heightened mood hit rock bottom.

After dumping the bouquet at the umbrella stand in front of the entrance, he turned his back but Yernia’s words caught his attention.

“Someone I know recommended this place to me.”

What?

Someone she knew?

Did she just refer to him as someone she knew?