Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

29. What Happened To Us?

Ryan leaned back in his chair, a casual grin on his face. "How about we play a little game while we wait for the food?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling my patience thin. "Wait, you called me all the way here... just to play a game?"

He shook his head with that same playful smirk. "No, I called you here to celebrate."

I blinked in confusion. "Celebrate what?"

His eyes gleamed as he leaned forward, voice lowering like he was revealing some big secret. "Last night, you said we could never be friends. So, we're back to being rivals, right? This is our first step into that rivalry. I figured that deserved a little celebration."

I felt my grip tighten on the knife placed beside my plate. I took a breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "Okay," I said slowly, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead," he replied, still grinning.

I leaned forward just slightly, holding his gaze. "Dr. Ryan, are you showing off your money right now?"

His grin faltered for a split second before he let out a soft laugh. "What? No, of course not."

I raised my eyebrow, still unconvinced. "Then why did you choose this place? You could've picked somewhere near our regular cafe. This is... quite the spot, far from where we usually hang out."

He shrugged, completely unfazed. "No problem at all. I'll drive you home after. You won't even notice the distance."

I internally sighed. This guy is totally showing off, I thought. But before I could respond, the waiter arrived with our food. I glanced at the bill that had been discreetly placed on the table, and my heart nearly stopped. The numbers were outrageous, beyond what I could ever cover.

Ryan leaned back in his chair, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "So, what's your favorite hotel?" he asked, his voice casual yet inquisitive.

Without hesitation, I replied with a sly smile, "Hotel del Luna."

He blinked, his face scrunching up in confusion. "Wait, what?" he asked, clearly trying to make sense of my answer.

I couldn't help but laugh at his bewildered expression. "You don't know it? Seriously?"

He looked at me like I was playing some kind of prank. "Does that place even exist?"

Still chuckling, I nodded. "Of course it does! You should look it up on Google."

He grabbed his phone, furrowing his brow as he searched. After a moment, he turned the screen toward me. "This is what you mean? You know this doesn't actually exist, right? Not even in the drama."

I grinned wider, shaking my head. "Oh, it exists... in a different world."

He took another bite of his food, then casually asked, "Alright, let's get serious for a second. Do you have a boyfriend?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like someone who has a boyfriend?" I shot back, trying to keep the mood light.

He set his spoon down, eyes narrowing playfully as he leaned forward. "You're sneaky, you know that? You could be hiding it. I wouldn't be surprised."

I rolled my eyes, laughing softly. "Well, if you really want to know... he's not my boyfriend yet, but yeah, I've got a crush on him."

He quickly grabbed his glass of water and took a big gulp. With a raised eyebrow, he asked, "Wait, who is it?"

I paused for dramatic effect, then finally said, "Fahad Mustafa."

His eyes widened a little, and he leaned in closer, his expression both surprised and a bit concerned. "Mustafa? A Muslim? Is he from your college?" The worry in his voice was unmistakable.

I couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter, the sound catching him off guard. His serious face only made it funnier, and I could barely stop myself as I shook my head.

He let out a half-laugh, still puzzled. "Why are you laughing so hard?"

Grabbing my stomach, trying to catch my breath, I said, "Looking at you."

He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Why? Don't tell me he's not real either."

Finally catching my breath, I straightened up and wiped my eyes. "You used to be all about cricket and movies. Now, with your apron, you're so practical and serious. Back then, I was all about working hard, but now, I'm the one lost in fairytales."
I sighed deeply and said, "What happened to us, man?"

Seeing his serious expression, I added, "Well, he's a Pakistani actor. His current drama is really popular and breaking records. You should give it a watch."

He finally let out a laugh and asked, "So first it was Korean, now Pakistani. What else do you watch?"

I said proudly, "Thai, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Anime, American, French. Almost everything except Indian. Don't ask me why."

While stirring his soup with a spoon, Ryan asked, "Why did you say that we can never be friends? I mean, we're talking like friends now."

I glanced away, my thoughts swirling. "I think we really need this," I said softly.
I really need it.

He looked at me and said, "Okay. Let's go back to where we started."

I met his gaze with renewed confidence and said, "But honestly, I promise I'll win against you this time. And don't worry, I won't use your methods to do it."

He broke our gaze and replied with a teasing smile, "Alright. We'll see."