The red car sped through the glittering nighttime streets until it finally stopped in front of a warm, elegant, modern restaurant. Inside, their choice table was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of delicious food.
Anggun slowly sipped her orange juice before setting the glass down on the table. She propped her chin up with one hand, staring at the young guy across from her as he busily devoured his steak.
“So... you just moved from Bandung to Jakarta?” Anggun asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Dafa paused his chewing for a moment, obediently swallowed his food, then nodded with a faint smile.
“Yeah, Auntie. Dad told me to attend college here so I could learn about the company at the same time,” Dafa replied casually.
“Sis Anggun, Dafa... Sis Anggun!” Anggun cut in, glaring sharply in annoyance and warning him about the “Auntie” that had reflexively slipped out of his mouth again.
“Oh, right... sorry, Sis,” Dafa chuckled, scratching his perfectly fine eyebrow. “I keep slipping up whenever I see your slightly mature face, Sis.”
Anggun snorted in amusement, but her eyes narrowed with interest at what Dafa had said earlier. “You’re learning about the company? What company? And why’d you have to move to Jakarta? There are plenty of good universities in Bandung.”
“Dad said the Jakarta branch needs a lot of direct supervision right now, and it’d be good mental training for me,” Dafa explained, his normally casual voice suddenly taking on a slightly more mature tone. “Besides... I wanted a change of scenery, Sis. But honestly, I never expected my first day in Jakarta to involve pushing a girl into a drainage ditch.”
Thud!
Anggun threw her used tissue straight at Dafa’s chest. “Don’t bring that up again! My dignity as an independent woman practically flew away, you know!”
Dafa burst out laughing, his rich, clear laugh making his handsome eyes crinkle. “I surrender, Sis. But seriously, I’m glad I got to meet Ivan... and, ‘by accident,’ got to meet Sis Anggun too.”
“Yeah, right,” Anggun muttered, though the corners of her lips couldn’t lie about how entertained she was. She scooped up another bite of food. “So where are you living now?”
“An apartment, Sis,” Dafa answered casually, scooping up his own food.
Anggun nodded in understanding. Dafa’s face and style clearly showed he came from a wealthy family, so it wasn’t surprising that he’d immediately rented a unit of his own. “Oh, which apartment? What area is it in?”
“Grand Swiss,” Dafa answered lightly, as if he’d just named some ordinary rental.
Anggun’s hand stopped in midair as she was about to take a bite. Her eyes went wide as she stared at Dafa in disbelief.
“Huh? Are you serious?! You’re lying, right?!” Anggun cried so loudly that several people at the next table turned to look.
“No, Sis... Grand Swiss, for real,” Dafa chuckled, amused by Anggun’s wildly dramatic reaction. “Why?”
“Why do you think?!” Anggun snapped, setting her spoon down with a sharp clink against the plate. “You’re insane! That’s an ultra-private luxury residence in the heart of the city! Even the cheapest unit there costs enough to give you a stomachache, and that’s before you even talk about rent! Seriously... your lifestyle is the real deal, Kid!”
Dafa frowned slightly at the nickname again. “I already told you not to call me Kid, Sis... I’m Dafa. Besides, Dad was the one who picked it out so I’d be close to the branch office too.”
Anggun shook her head and rubbed her chest, still in shock. “Seriously... I work my butt off from morning till night, and all I can do is window-shop by looking at the building from outside, while you actually live there.”
“Well, if Sis Anggun wants to come over sometime, she can. An open house just for you,” Dafa teased with a mischievous wink.
“No way! I might have a sudden heart attack when I see how luxurious your place is,” Anggun shot back, though her face suddenly flushed faintly as she held back a laugh.
“You sure, Sis? You should visit a rich person’s place once in a while,” Dafa teased with a wicked grin, deliberately trying to rile up the woman in front of him.
Anggun glared at him, setting her fork down hard enough to make it clink. “What’s that supposed to mean?! You think I’m some kind of hillbilly?!”
Dafa panicked instantly, waving both hands with an apologetic look on his face. “N-no! That’s not what I meant, Sis! You’re always so sensitive!”
He sighed and leaned his body slightly forward over the table.
“Maybe you don’t believe what I told you earlier. That’s why I want to prove it by taking you over there. If you want, we can go now. It’s fine. I live alone. You can see the city lights from upstairs too, Sis... they’re really beautiful,” Dafa continued, his voice turning gentler as he gazed at her hopefully.
Anggun folded her arms over her chest and looked Dafa up and down, weighing his offer. Her thoughts suddenly drifted—after a long, exhausting day at work, the view of the city lights from one of the units in Jakarta’s most luxurious skyscrapers was certainly tempting.
“Hmm... the city lights, huh?” Anggun murmured, pretending to play hard to get even though her eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Fine, I guess... but you’d better not try anything. I guarantee you’ll wake up tomorrow morning with one of your eyebrows missing!”
Dafa laughed brightly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes, Sis! One hundred percent safe, guaranteed! I won’t try anything!”