DIRTY RHYTHM

DIRTY CAFE

3:AM. The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. The occasional barking of faraway dogs broke the silence of the night. Their casa manor stood in a private subdivision settled in the mountain where the big cities down await. Clair woke up and yawned, stretching her body from side to side. She got out of the bed and walk towards the casa's terrace and the night's aroma pervades the air welcoming her. Clair look down at the city, the air is filled with sweltering moisture, like a fog, she smelled the autumn breeze air while looking up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity. Her eyes cruise up the chaste moon sails through the vast West horizon and about to set beyond the mighty mountains. The gleaming moon in the autumn night aligns perfectly in the sky. The nocturnal crickets started to bid their humming byes as the morning comes. With her disheveled morning appearance, Clair went to her bathroom elegantly designed in silver embellishments.

After taking her morning bath, Clair got out, fresh from the bathroom wearing her luscious red robe. Clair quickly puts on the piece of the earphone on her right ear and puts the music on. She dancingly walks into the kitchen counter and makes herself a plain black coffee with no cream and sugar using her favorite cup, it was a gift from her favorite grandma during her 18th birthday. She sauntered back to her room where her piles of paperwork waiting for her.

Suddenly, a phone rang that distract her from dancing, Clair quickly took her cellphone to see the caller's name, "Sumire..."

Clair frowned, wondering why her cousin calls very early in the morning but she still picks up the phone and answers it.

"Hi, cou~~"

"CLAAAAIIIRRRRRRR!!!!!"

Sumire screamed at the top of her lungs on the other side of the line that Clair quickly throw her earphone away from her ears.

"Clair! hey? Clai~"

"What the f**k is wrong with you!"

Clair hissed at her cousin who seems to be so spirited in early 3 am. What is she up to this time? Her cousin looks so excited out of nowhere that she calls her at this hour.

"Who is that guy??!!"

Sumire exclaimed in delight, but a hint of tease can be heard in her voice made Clair's eyebrow meet once more. 'Who is she referring to?'

"What guy?"

Clair answered calmly and sip on her glass of black coffee. She began to scan and peruse the paperwork and other important documents that were piled for a week in her office.

"That one guy who picks up your phone when I call your second phone number..."

Sumire began to cry out again in delight as if something naughty is spinning in her imagination.

"From that manly and husky tone, I can tell he's pretty handsome! aaaaAAAHHHH!!!"

Clair spits the coffee in her mouth to the documents arranged on her table. She quickly took the proposal that was showered by her coffee and looked at it as the ink slowly dropped on the sheet. "s**t!"

"Ah, yeah! Him. I'll tell you who is but not for now."

Clair tidy up her table and quickly throw the soaked papers in the near trashbag.

"Meet me at the Czergh cafeè today. 7 am sharp. Don't be late."

Clair would have answered her when Sumire quickly dropped off the call without letting her say another word, leaving her mouth hanging open. Clair unbelievably looks at her phone. She has no choice but to go there. Knowing her cousin, Sumire has a habit of arriving late for everything, even if she, Sumire herself, sets up the time. Clair knew Sumire will be late, and always will be. 'Oh, well, never mind.'

Clair just sighed heavily as she sipped her black coffee which was even darker than her mood now. She really has no plans to go out today because her schedule is full but it was Sumire who said that they will meet, her cousin, the actress. If she doesn't have the time to spare and come out to unwind herself from the piles of works in her company, how else could her cousin spare time when both of its big projects are always in the line, waiting for her every day? Sumire rarely asks for such a meet-up. Her cousin is one of the highest paid actresses in the entertainment industry of all time. All the movies and series she stars in are best-selling and market-leading. Even the products she advertised were sold out. She is always on the cover page of magazines. Sumire also models at big fashion shows. She almost has no time to rest and have fun, so when Sumire comes saying that they will meet, Clair has no choice but to agree with her. All of them, her, Sumire, and Blanche are successful in their respective career and profession.

Clair clear her schedule this morning until noon. She will cancel all her morning meetings and move them to the afternoon. Clair immediately emailed her secretary, she have to triple her work on the piles of documents on her table. She sighed looking at the bundles of paper. 'Time to work on...' She will try to do 1/4 of the task until 6 am and prepare to go to the private cafe Sumire was referring to.

Less than 7 am, Clair, arrived at Czergh Cafe, wearing her scarlet scarf, she peruses the place, the brilliant shafts of sunlight caress the carpet of reds and golden leaves. Autumn season has finally come, she sashayed while playing with her boots on the pile of leaves laid out like a carpet. The air is cooling the place that made Clair slightly quivers. Moments after, Blanche, her other cousin with an open secret, arrived almost at the same time with her in the place. This man looks more feminine than her. Sumire and she are even taller than him and they are the same age while Sumire was younger than them in one year. They went inside together.

"You're too early."

Blanche greeted her with a warm smile as he sat in their favorite lounge area in the Czergh cafe. They are seated at the very end at the side with its exterior transparent glass that walled them from the outside. They can clearly see the outside but they cannot be seen inside. Only a few selected customers can enter that exclusive Cafe.

"Ah-huh."

Clair simply replied that she even tapped Blanche on his right shoulder before she sat down next to him.

"How's the teaching?"

Clair asked as the Cafe maid served her right away. Blanche is a professor at a famous prestigious Academy and has been teaching there for 4 years. He was only 20 when he applied and was accepted by that academy that was exclusive to the elites.

Blanche sighs deeply at Clair's question which is quite new to her. Clair knew that Blanche never had a problem with teaching he really likes to teach and her cousin loves teaching. So now Clair's mind is filled with wonders why he seems to be burdening the whole world and looks like he wants to give up. Clair frowned as she stared at her cousin with his shoulder dramatically dropping.

"Tell me ..."

Clair added when Blanche still didn't respond.

"I have this man who found out my secret and I also found out his secret too. What's worse is that he's my student at the academy. And lately, we always cross paths even outside the campus. Ha .... and. "

Blanche's response was so low that he couldn't even finish what he was saying. Clair's eyes widened. It was a big problem. Because her cousin's secret would definitely ruin the profession he had kept for so long.

"We can make silence that student of yours if he is harassing you."

Clair's serious suggestion made Blanche swallow hard. Looking at his cousin in the eye, she was not kidding at all. Blanche slightly shivers with her idea.

"Now tell me that what I have in mind right now is not what you've m-meant?"

Blanche's voice began to tremble as he gulped one after another. Clair's lips curled into a wicked smirk.

"Depends on what you want to happen."

Clair said that Blanche quickly narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're not helping me at all!"

Blanche exclaimed as Clair laughed softly. While they were talking happily, a black Rolls-Royce Ghost came in front of them. Clair and Blanche looked at each other. Their cousin Sumire doesn't have such a sumptuous car as she only has one car and their cousin also has no inclination to collect cars. And if Sumire happens to collect it, they will know their cousin's taste of cars right away, even if it is expensive. The car that parks near them show obvious signs of tremendous wealth, luxe, and comfort.

"Another big shot visitor to this Cafe?"

Blanche guessed that Clair suddenly had an idea.

"Let's have a deal, whether man or woman owns that car."

Clair challenge him and pointed the car parked outside, making Blanche smile. Blanche confidently knew he will win.

"It's definitely a man. If I win, you'll give me $1 million."

Blanche replied that Clair immediately nodded.

"Agreed. If the woman was the owner of that car, you will triple the $1Million."

Clair smiled and then shook hands with her cousin as a sign of accord.

A few minutes later, a striking hot man came out from the luxurious car with a simple yet fitted black shirt that hugged his muscled arms and broad chest with a black eyeglass put on. His face was perfectly sculpted, with a thick eyebrow that slightly narrowed and a strong jaw that he looks dangerously cold. He has an earring on his left ear. His hair was sexily disheveled by the autumn cold wind.

The man stands so tall and formidable big in the place, he takes off that glass revealing his pair of mesmerizing emerald eyes and eyeing the Cafe's name. Clair and Blanche who are on the inside can help but mesmerize and awe him at the same time. The man was surrounded by an air of mystery. He was magnetically attractive that some women from the outside drooled and swooned over him. He possessed a latent, leonine power that commands authority. Blanche triumphantly smiled and was about to celebrate when the man have gone to the left side of the car in the front seat and opened the door. The two of them were stunned when their cousin Sumire, who was still being carefully supported by the man, that his arms encircled in her waist, spat there.

"You gotta be kidding me. Who the f**k is he?"

Clair and Blanche were about to meet Sumire outside the Cafe but Clair pulled Blanche back into their chair.

"We should just be acting like normal cousins. Just behave, keep our cool. Let's show the guy with Sumire that we have the decency and proper etiquette. Let's not embarrass our cousin in front of her soon-to-be husband."

Smiling, Clair stared into Blanche's eyes and her cousin just nodded in agreement.

"Okay."

Blanche agreed and then the two sat properly in their chairs and tried to calm themselves. When they heard the opening of the sliding door of the Cafe, the beating in their chests quickened. Excited and restless on their seat and exhilarating feeling to meet the first man with Sumire in her private and personal matters. When they heard the footsteps approaching in their direction, the two of them calmed themselves even more and they plastered an uncontrollable beautiful smile on their lips but disappeared all at once when they saw only Sumire. Disappointedly, they even looked outside and the man's car was gone.

"What?"

Sumire asked in surprise as her two cousins' eyes narrowed as they looked at her badly.

"Where is he? We thought you were going to introduce him to us? Who is he? What is the status of you two?"

Clair asked one question after another. Clair is one of the so-called introverts and a woman with few words. She is not friendly and prefers to go solo but when she is with her two favorite cousins, ​​Blanche and Sumire, she becomes loquacious.

"Whoah- wait, easy there, calm down. You greeted me with tons of questions, I've just arrived. Let me breathe first."

Laughing, Sumire stopped her cousin who was now meaningfully staring at her. She first kissed them on the forehead before she sat down on the opposite side of their table.

"Let's get one question out of the way immediately. So, who is he?"

Clair asked anxiously and crossed her arms on her chest, she obviously can't wait to know her cousin's romantic affair.

"I can't tell you right now."

Sumire replied and crossed her legs under the table. "Thank you" she mouthed at the cafè maid who serve her a cup of tea and quickly sip on it.

"What do you mean by that?" Clair can't help but raise an eyebrow at her.

"We're not in that kind of relationship yet."

Clair stumbled upon her cousin's blushing answer. Seeing Sumire's cheek burning in red, Clair got a slight idea about what is going on between them.

"Well, you can at least tell us his name."

Blanche suddenly butts in and Clair agreed with him.

"Why don't we talk about yours first, Clair, before we talk about mine?"

Sumire brilliantly changes the conversation that a meaningful smile draws on her lips. Clair stared at her for a short second and release a heavy sigh.

"Does Clair have a boyfriend?"

Blanche asked in astonishment as Sumire giggled in her seat.

"That's what we'll find out right now."

Sumire smiled and then lost her smile when Clair's face suddenly became gloomy. She has never seen her looking so gloomy.

"I'll tell you everything."

Clair began to reminisce about everything that happened yesterday and the two of her cousin listened attentively. After Clair told the story, Sumire spoke.

"He's definitely a red flag. You must avoid him! No matter how handsome he is! No matter how many butterflies he sent inside your tummy down to your pure flower!"

Sumire wildly exclaimed to which Clair raised an eyebrow at her exaggeration.

"You didn't say anything about the guy you're with earlier but I can also sense that he's a walking red flag."

Clair, on the other hand, opposed that Sumire is slightly taken aback and pouted.

"You're quick to judge! This is the first time you've seen him, hmph!"

Sumire snorted as Clair rolled her eyes.

"Well, whatever, I'm gonna do what I want, maybe he still has a chance to change. I can change him."

Sumire was stunned, she couldn't believe she was hearing that from Clair's mouth.

"Clair, your brain is in your head not in your goddamn p***y! We're not in pornhub or fairytale. For f*****g sake, we're living in reality-"

Blanche was choked in the tea he was drinking at Sumire's vulgarity and dirty words. Clair rose from the table and quickly covered Sumire's mouth.

"Hey, mind your language woman! We're not at home."

Clair rebuked Sumire who just rolled her eyes and then removed her cousin's hand from her mouth. Clair rose from the chair, standing, just to cover her mouth. There are no other customers besides them but there are still staffs roaming around.

"Well, whatever, you're mature enough, you can do whatever you want as long as you just remember what I said."

Sumire said gently that she had already started drinking her tea.

"Well, I'm doing this for Dad and Creux is definitely my type, I can chase after him and stop if this doesn't work out, right?"

Clair leaned back on her seat and rest her chin on her palm which Sumire nodded at her twice in a row.

"Ah, Clair."

Blanche suddenly calls out to her, she quickly faces him.

"Yeah? What is it?"

There was a bit of hesitation on Blanche's face.

"That Golden-eyed man who helped you get into the brothel. What's his height?"

Blanche hesitantly asked that Clair had thought about it.

"More or less, 6'5."

Clair replied that the three of them were stunned at the same time when a tall man passed by their table. They feel the air of danger and coldness in his presence right away that makes the cousins nervous in their seats. They were unable to follow him with their gaze as they felt scared to death but when it sat at his chosen table next to their table, Clair saw the man's face that widened her eyes.

"He's the Golden-eyed man."

To be continued...