Chapter 113: Aria and Her Compulsory Invitation.
Noah was on his way to work when he began to suspect that something wasn’t right, since there was a car that was far too elegant parked by the curb and a woman in a formal suit was standing next to the rear door.
Noah slowed his pace.
’Don’t tell me...’
The car door opened and Aria was sitting inside.
"Get in."
Noah stood still.
"I’m going to work."
"I know."
"Then no."
Aria watched him.
"I sent you a message."
Noah took out his phone and there were several unread messages from Aria.
[We’re having dinner together tonight.]
[I’ll pick you up before your shift.]
[I won’t take no for an answer.]
Noah looked up.
"That doesn’t sound like an invitation."
"Correct."
"And it also doesn’t mean you have the right to take me."
"Get in."
"No."
Aria made a small gesture with her hand and the woman who was next to the car opened the door a little wider.
Noah looked at her and then looked at Aria.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"This counts as kidnapping."
"You’re exaggerating."
"You show up in a car while I’m on my way to work and you’re telling me to get in even though I said no."
"You could get in voluntarily."
"That doesn’t erase the previous part."
Aria remained silent for a few seconds.
"If you get in now, it’ll be less awkward."
Noah checked the time, since he had to get to the café and if he kept arguing there, he would waste even more time.
"Just five minutes."
Aria smiled.
"Sure."
’I don’t believe her.’
Noah got in, the door closed, and a second later the car started moving.
Noah looked out the window.
"The café is in the other direction."
"Yes."
"Aria."
"What?"
"Where are we going?"
"To dinner."
Noah slowly turned toward her.
"I just told you I’m going to work."
"It’s already taken care of."
"What does that mean?"
"That you don’t have to worry."
That didn’t reassure Noah at all.
"Aria!"
"Relax."
"I can’t relax when I’m being taken somewhere without knowing what you did about my job."
Aria remained calm.
"Everything is under control."
Noah rested his head against the backrest.
’This is definitely a kidnapping.’
After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of an enormous building.
Noah looked out the window and then looked at Aria.
"Are you serious?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"This place."
"What about it?"
Noah looked again, seeing that there was staff at the entrance with two women opening the doors for the customers, several of whom were wearing formal clothes, and even the parked cars looked far too expensive.
"I don’t think I can afford this."
"Relax, you don’t have to."
"That makes me feel worse."
Aria opened the door.
"Come."
Noah got out.
He looked at his own clothes and the fact was that he was wearing pretty ordinary clothes because he planned to change when he got to the café.
Aria, on the other hand, was dressed as if she had been preparing for this for days.
"I’m dressed horribly for this place."
"That’s not true, it’s just normal clothes."
"There’s a woman over there in a dress that probably costs more than everything I own."
"Don’t look at imaginary prices."
"I don’t think they’re imaginary."
Aria started walking and Noah followed her because staying alone in front of the entrance wouldn’t solve anything either.
The staff recognized Aria immediately.
"Miss Celestia."
"Good afternoon."
"Your table is ready."
"Thank you."
Noah looked at her.
"You made a reservation?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"This morning."
"So you really planned to kidnap me."
"Correction, I invited you."
"Clearly, that’s not true."
"We can discuss the terminology later."
They were guided to a private table in an elevated area.
Noah observed the place.
Separate tables, elegant decorations, glasses that were far too delicate, utensils he didn’t know what they were for, and a full view of the city.
Noah sat down carefully and Aria settled across from him while a waiter left the menus.
Noah opened it, saw the prices, and closed it, at which Aria watched him.
"What’s wrong?"
"I don’t want to eat."
"Don’t lie to me."
"I’m not eating at these prices."
"I already told you I’m paying."
"That doesn’t change what they cost."
"Precisely why I’m paying."
Noah opened the menu again and looked at one entry, then another.
’How can a soup cost that much?’
Aria seemed to be enjoying watching him, at which Noah looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You’re smiling."
"I find it curious."
"What?"
"Your reaction."
"Well, your restaurant has absurd prices."
"It’s not mine."
"With how calm you are, it could be."
Aria set the menu down.
"If it feels too formal, we can go somewhere else."
Noah sighed.
"That would have been a good idea before bringing me here."
"We could also go to a hotel."
Noah immediately looked up.
"No."
Aria smiled.
"That was a quick answer."
"Because I know where that’s going."
"I didn’t imply anything."
"You don’t need to."
"I could be referring to having dinner at a hotel restaurant."
"No."
"Sleeping?"
"No."
"Talking in private?"
"Of course not."
Aria let out a small laugh, so Noah shook his head.
"Every time you talk about hotels, everything gets worse."
"That depends on your interpretation."
"The last time you interpreted anything."
Aria didn’t seem embarrassed.
"It was a possibility."
"It wasn’t."
"Now I know."
"Good, that’s better."
Noah put a hand in his pocket out of habit, but then he remembered something.
The star that was the magical object and his eyes widened.
’This is the opportunity!’
They were alone.
Yume wasn’t there, nor Luna, nor Iris, nor Ren, so no one could interrupt him.
Noah searched in his right pocket and nothing.
He tried the left and nothing either.
Jacket and it wasn’t there.
Noah froze, at which Aria watched him.
"Are you looking for something?"
Noah checked again, but nothing.
Then he remembered the night before, since he had taken the star out in his room, left it on the nightstand while he checked the messages, and then gone to bed.
’It can’t be.’
He brought a hand to his face, so Aria tilted her head slightly.
"What’s wrong?"
"I forgot something."
"Important?"
"Very."
"At your house?"
"Yes."
"We can go afterward."
Noah looked at her.
"I still have to leave."
"Why?"
"Because I have work."
Aria took a sip of water.
"No, you don’t have to go."
Noah frowned.
"What do you mean I don’t?"
"I already spoke with your manager."
Noah felt a chill upon hearing those words from Aria.