Beautiful Dreamer

63. Submission

"Sipping tea while I languish in abject pain."

The sight of an unexpected lover walking in through the main door startled Ari. She feared that Rey might have discovered her meeting with Ned again. 'Hold on... He was in the hospital all this while so he has no way of knowing.' "I wasn't expecting you."

Mun snickered at Ari's nonchalance. "This is going to be interesting.

"Stop it, Mun," Ari warned, smelling a flicker of tease from her friend. She turned her attention to Rey and slurped her tea before addressing him again. "Last I heard of you was you being attended to by my..." Ati cut herself short, spotting a familiar fiend walking in behind Rey and finished off with a hollow tone. "...My brother."

"Hello sister," Ari's brother appeared to be full of enthusiasm. "Mr. Mun, it's lovely finding you both here."

"It appears you two are very close." Ari's remark expressed displeasure.

"A mare phone call you couldn't grant me?" Rey lamented, seeming unconcerned about his lover's disapproving tone, but Ari did not have it.

"You went looking for trouble on your own. What did you expect?"

"Go on." Mun snickered further, but Ari ignored her catalysis.

"I run a business, Rey, and you were in capable hands as I see it." Ari gestured at her brother. "What would I be doing once I got there? Pity, weep, sympathise with your chaotic state, which mark you, was of your own volition?"

Rey's expression remained unimpressed. He knew Ari was right, but he still felt wronged. "Can we talk in private? My sister is parking my car, and soon, she will be here."

Feeling disturbed, Ari sized up Mun, concluding there wasn't much he didn't already know. Besides, she stubbornly wished to continue unwinding on her day off while enjoying a hot cup of tea undisturbed.

Rey read her body language and decided to join in on her obstinance. "Allow me to address the fact that I forgave you for kissing Chairman Ned, but you couldn't spare time to come and see me in hospital admission."

"I knew your dominant urges would kick in sooner or later!" Mun exclaimed mischievously, standing up from his seat.

Ari grunted, then stood up, placing her half-drunk cup of tea inside the sink. "Follow me or get out."

Rey obliged, slamming the door shut behind him.

"You brought my brother here again."

"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have recovered."

"Then what are you blaming me for?"

"Neglecting your boyfriend, that's what! You are so unattached to me, Manager Ari! You never called to check on me!"

"I kept tabs with your sister of your welfare!"

"I missed you."

Dumbfounded by Rey's sudden change of tone, Ari frowned. "So, this is why you are throwing a tantrum."

"Couldn't you tell?"

Ari let out an exasperated sigh and covered her eyes.

"It hurts everywhere." Rey sulked, seeking to drive more attention to himself. "I lost consciousness several times."

"Is it that bad?" Ari spoke in action, lifting Rey's pullover. She stared at the fading bruises for a while without uttering a single word, her thoughts taking her back to what Ned had cautioned her of.

"Don't worry," Rey assured, seeing that he may have gone overboard with his guilt-tripping. "It looks better than before."

"They pulverised you tremendously."