Tiger's trick #Ares&Tharn

17

As the time to open the cabaret for the performance approached, all the actors quickly applied their makeup and got dressed, each one attending to their respective duties. Tharn was walking around to check on things periodically. He felt excited, even though he had been doing this for many years. Part of the excitement might be due to the fact that the place had been renovated and improved, which made Tharn eager to see the results quickly. The reception team also went out to wait for customers.

"Today, we have a tour group from Italy," Fahsai informed Tharn.

"Is every seat taken?" Tharn asked.

"Yes, both shows are fully booked. The VIP room is also completely reserved," Fahsai replied, which relieved Tharn somewhat. He stepped out to take a look at the customers, and when the time came, many international guests arrived. Tharn stood discreetly on the stairs beside the stage to observe.

"What are you doing here?" Ares's deep voice startled Tharn slightly. When he turned to look, he saw Ares standing behind him.

"I'm just checking on everything. This tour group is the one your marketing brought in, right?" Tharn asked. Ares nodded in agreement.

"There will be full tours like this every day until the end of the month, and I'm confident that next month will have customers coming in just like this as well," Ares said, making Tharn's eyes widen in surprise.

"How did you manage that?" Tharn blurted out, astonished by what Ares had accomplished. In less than two weeks, Ares had managed to bring in such a large audience for the performance. It was true that when Tharn was taking care of things in place of his mother, there were customers coming to see the shows, but there were times when not all the seats were filled. The most crowded times were during holidays or peak seasons.

"Have you seen my capabilities yet?" Ares remarked, prompting Tharn to roll his eyes at him.

"I'm not praising you," Tharn replied, and Ares smirked slightly.

"I'd better go check everything first, and then I'll come out to see what's happening outside," Tharn said before quickly running off to check on the actors who were set to perform first. He rushed to the sound and lighting control room, while Rafa whispered to Ares that Tharn was running around to ensure everything was in order. Ares could only shake his head in exasperation. When it was time for the first actors to take the stage, Tharn returned to stand beside the stage again, and Ares was still standing in the same spot.

"What are you afraid of that you're running around so much?" Ares asked.

"I'm just worried that things won't go smoothly," Tharn replied, watching the performance on stage with satisfaction. The images on the screen were perfectly aligned with the flow of the show. Ares stood closely behind Tharn, which Tharn sensed but was too focused on the performance to notice. This caused Tharn to inadvertently lean against Ares's strong chest, drawing the attention of some actors who were preparing to go on stage. They looked at Tharn and Ares with interest, as the way they stood together seemed very intimate. They didn't expect someone who appeared so intimidating and had a wall of ice with others to be so close to Tharn.

"I think I'll go check on the actors' costumes first," Tharn said, turning to speak to Ares.

"Didn't Fahsai take care of that?" Ares replied, as he had asked Fahsai to help with this as well.

"But if I check myself, I'll feel more at ease," Tharn responded. Now, the two stood facing each other, their bodies almost pressed together. Tharn looked up slightly at Ares because he was shorter, forgetting that he was currently in the view of many people around.

"You're so stubborn, always looking for trouble for yourself," Ares said, playfully ruffling Tharn's hair in front of everyone, which was intentional. Tharn swatted Ares's hand away, not too forcefully.