Chapter 88 - Sweet & Sour (2/2)

”Join me?” he suddenly invited, making Yanee raise her brow at him.

He looked at her innocently. ”I promise I will behave, okay? You won't see anything either. It's too dark in here. I just want to talk and drink. You're not sleepy anyway.”

Yanee looked at him for a while before letting out another sigh. ”Oh well,” she murmured as she stepped off the wooden balcony to walk towards the hot spring.

She went near Tohru, but not near enough to see within the water. She grabbed Marian's chair and sat. Seeing as she'd settled down, Tohru shifted so he could pour sake on another ceramic cup, and Yanee raised her brow when he lifted it towards her.

”Drink with me?” he said with a charming smile, and Yanee took it without thinking much.

She had already resigned to facing him properly anyway. Still, she looked at the tray and the ready flasks of sake and the cups he and she were holding.

”You looked like you were prepared to have company,” she commented and he smiled shyly, turning a bit red even in the dim light which surprised Yanee.

She was not expecting him to be bashful. It was as if she had caught him doing something sneaky and he felt embarrassed about it towards her.

”Well, not really since it's already late,” he answered before looking straight into her eyes. ”But I was hoping. In case you're still not sleeping and would love to have a drink with me.”

Huh?

”Y-You…” Ah, Yanee gave up. This man was just too charming. She just kept getting K.Oed by his sudden attacks. ”Whatever,” she muttered as she took a sip from the cup.

The cool liquid was surprisingly sweet and sour in taste but it trailed down her throat smoothly. Yanee was not a drinker. But she could recognize good quality alcohol and type of alcohol due to her family background. Her eyes wide, she turned to Tohru who was grinning at her as if he already had an idea that she would be surprised.

”It's good, huh?” he asked.

”It's not sake…” she said in wonder. ”Umeshu?” she asked and Tohru nodded.

Umeshu was a type of wine made of sugar and plums. Yanee was surprised because it's normally a drink favored by women. Also…

Someone had told her at an interview before that he's not fond of sweets. At the same time, she recalled she had mentioned liking this type of drink in passing.

Yanee blushed again. Tohru James remembered! He prepared umeshu instead of the normal sake for her.

”What were you planning to do if I was sleeping then, boss?” she asked with a helpless look.

Tohru grinned. ”Then I will be making enough ruckus to wake you up and make you come here.”

”You…”Yanee started but stopped.

She should have known how shameless this potato could be. Already back at the party in South Korea didn't he unabashedly flaunted how good he looked he stunned everyone at the place?

”Boss, you're a cheat.”

”Ha? In what way?” Tohru asked.

”Yanee Lee, I have no other women and never had anyone before either. I only have you, okay?”

HA?

Yanee had no idea how the conversation ended up like this. But then she realized she used the wrong words and the potato misunderstood. She shook her head.

”Boss, I— ”

”Tohru,” the potato interrupted with a stubborn expression that Yanee sighed but she's more stubborn than him.

”Boss, I don't mean cheat like cheating with other women, okay?” she said, refusing to call him by his name.

”Tohru,” he insisted stubbornly again. ”And what do you mean by cheat then?”

”I mean you appear very quiet and strict but you really aren't, boss,” Yanee retorted totally not giving in.

”It's because I'm quiet and strict. I'm just not like that with you because you're special,” he answered with a voice laced with frustration. ”And if you don't call me by my name I will stand up,” he threatened just as he placed the cup down on the rock and proceeded to stand up.

Yanee panicked. She's not ready to see him nȧkėd!

”Tohru! Tohru! Tohru! Happy?” Yanee hurriedly complied making the potato put on a triumphant smile as he settled back down in the water.