Play Pretend

Play III

Alyssa didn't know whether hiring a pretender to be her fake boyfriend will work on her family, whom are known for their discerning eyes on things. Her mother knew all of her tricks, so she wasn't sure if she could pull that trick on her. It wasn't worth trying if Alyssa wasn't fully prepared, and it will only make things worse if she got found out. In the end, Alyssa pushed the issue out of her mind and focused on things at hand. For example, acquiring another talent for their agency.

"I've called them. They're on the way." Jin respectfully informed, with a straight face and even voice. Alyssa nodded at him and stared at the tactiturn secretary.

Jin, feeling the burning stare of his boss, stiffened. His lips twitched. "Is there anything I could help you with?"

Alyssa shrugged, asking in calm tone. "You're gay aren't you? I remember you're engaged to your boyfriend."

Jin paused, as something flashed in his eyes. "I am, Miss. We are set to get married on August this year."

Alyssa nodded. She was well are of her secretary's s****l orientation. He never tried to cover up it either, which Alyssa approved of. Jin usually don't mix his personal life with his work, which is something worth praising, however, some details would slip out here and there. Like when he invited Alyssa on his wedding with his long-term boyfriend. Somehow, Alyssa envied them. She had met Jin's fiance before, he was a gentle and artistic man. If Alyssa wasn't mistaken, he was a well known author of a book that sold millions of copies.

She often wondered how these two met, or how did they fall in love. To be precise, how did they manage to stay together in a society that looked down on them. She probably wouldn't know.

"...What does it feel like?" She asked in a low voice.

"Feel like what?"

"Faling in love? Cohabitating?"

Jin looked at her for a second, then looked away as if embarrassed. Seeing his rare show of reaction, Alyssa waved her hand. "Forget it, take is as my nonsen—"

"It's a mixture of ups and downs," Jin cuts her off, with a rare emotion in his tone. "Sometimes we quarrel so hard we almost kill each other, but after that we solve the problem together. Sometimes it's all happiness and pleasure. A never-ending cycle."

As Alyssa was about to speak, someone knocked on the door of her office. Shaking away all those trivial thoughts, she gave a deep sigh. Signalling Jin with her eyes, she shouted.

"Come in, it's open."

"Good morning, Miss Gomez." Two people entered the room and greeted Alyssa. Both of the vistors are men, one tall and handsome, while the other one was small and had beer belly. Alyssa looked at them piercingly, exerting all efforts to intimated the two people, especially the tall man.

"Good morning, Mr. Lucas. Is this Mr. Ferrer?" She asked, offering them to take a sit.

"Yes, Miss. This is Gale Ferrer, the new talent I told you about." Mr. Lucas introduced enthusiastically.

Mr. Lucas is a agent in Alyssa's company. He was also the one who handled Nita when she was just starting in the showbiz world. Not only does Alyssa trust his ability to find talents, he also admired his wit in grabbing resources for the artists he handles. Almost all artist that Mr. Lucas brought up was blown big, making him a golden agent in Alyssa's company.

Looking at this freshmeat, Alyssa wondered what Mr. Lucas saw in him aside from his good appearance. She looked at him from bottom to up and happened to bump on the man's eyes that was looking at her fervently. Weird. Why does he looks at me like that? Does he want to engage unspoken rule with me?!

Clearing her throat, Alyssa gave the man a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ferrer. I'm Alyssa Gomez, the chairperson. Let's talk about the contract?"

Since it was Mr. Lucas, she knew the agent already did a thorough check on the man's background. That's why she no longer asked anything. However, when Mr. Lucas and the freshmeat left the office, Alyssa beckoned Jin over.

"Check everything about that man, be sure to gather all information you can get. Also arrange some suitable ways for him to debut. Perhaps you can try including him in Nita's upcoming MV."

"Understood, Miss."

"Thank you, Jin. You can go." She smiled gratefully at the man which Jin returned with a nod. the door of the office closed and the room was reigned by silence. With a sigh, she leaned on the backrest of her swivel chair and closed her eyes.

The day of Gideon's arrival came, and it would be a lie if Alyssa denies being excited. She's finally meeting a close friend after all, and it's been years. Even though Alyssa can't find any reason as to why Gideon asked her to be the one to fetch him at the airport, she just shrugged it off. She had long given up guessing what's going on with Gideon's mind, and just followed his arrangements. Not only was he a good friend to Alyssa, he was also her mentor when she was just founding her company.

That's why following him like a servant for a day wouldn't hurt that much.

Thinking of these, Alyssa smiled. When it was already 7 PM in the evening, she took her Audi r8 to the airport, anticipating the arrival of a man she hadn't seen for a long time. Feeling giddy that she couldn't explain why, she stood at the waiting area, watching the people walking out the aisle with their luggages. Some found their own families on the waiting area, and some seems to have no one to fetch them from the airport. Alyssa ignored this and seriously watched the aisle.

When she saw a familiar yet also unfamiliar figure of a man, her heart unconsciously jumped. Starting from his shining black shoes to the man's outstanding face. The man was too handsome to go unnoticed, and like Alyssa, all the people that looked at the man looked dumbfounded.

Alyssa sighed. "...Damn you, Gid. You're even more good-looking than before. How is this fair?"

The man's upturned eyes deeply compliments the shape of his pointed nose and thin lips. His well-defined jaws added even more appeal. He looked like he walked out from a painting.

The young woman complained internally on how God was unfair. Gideon was indeed loved by the Gods, not only they have gifted him a face and figure of a greek god, they also gave him a temperament like no other. Just looking at the aura he's emitting, he's no doubt a high-standing elite.

When Alyssa and Gideon's eyes met, Alyssa swore seeing the corner of Gideon's lips ticking up. Alyssa's cheeks burned, and she's entirely sure it's red. Alyssa couldn't blame Mei, Gideon is indeed too attractive for his own good.

"It's been a long time, Lys. Good to see you." Gideon greeted, his coldness lessened like an ice that have melted. Alyssa's hands inside her pocket clenched as she tried to appear not to stunned in front of a friend she hadn't seen for a long time.

"Likewise, Gid. Let me help you with your luggage?"

Gideon's sharp and mesmerizing eyes looked at her ears and noticed it's unusual redness then smiled meaningfully. "No, I only have one luggage and it doesn't have much inside."

Alyssa, who was again struck by the man's smile, was stunned. He even learned to smile?!

She turned around, trying not to appear flustered. Wait, why I am reacting like this? This is so weird.

"What are you thinking?" Gideon suddenly aske, his lips close on Alyssa's ear. Somehow, he had leaned towards Alyssa's head for some reason.

Shocked on how close Gideon was to her to the point that his breath was blowing on her ears, Alyssa jumped away, electrified. She looked at Gideon like the man was a stranger and desperately shook her head. "N-n-nothing! Anyway, l-let's go?"

Alyssa heard Gideon chuckle at the back and her ears burned even more. The tickling sensation in her ear didn't disappear immediately, making Alyssa's heart race even more. She was in shock because she was deeply unfamiliar with Gideon's personality right now. This Gideon is too unfamiliar. He have changed...someway, somehow. She could not explain it, but she instinctively knew Gideon was teasing her.

When they reached her Audi, Alyssa wanted to open the door of the driver seat, but when she was about to open the door, Gideon suddenly held her hand and spoke. "Let me drive?"

The hand that was held by Gideon tingled and Alyssa immediately shook her head, "No, I'll drive. You're tired and probably suffering jet lag right now so it isn't advisable for you to drive." After speaking, she remembered that Gideon was still holding her hand so she pulled her hand away without looking at the man. Deep inside, she was in turmoil.

Something is wrong. Gideon in Alyssa's memories was someone with slight mysophobia. If possible, he doesn't like making physical interactions with others, much less hold hands of others in his own initiative. This time, Alyssa began to doubt. Looking at Gideon opening the door of the passenger seat, scrutinizing him up and down to make sure she didn't pick a counterfeit one.

Gideon and his extraordinary senses noticed her scrutinizing gaze right away. With c****d eyebrow, he asked. "Why are you staring at me?"

"You're not a counterfeit, are you?" she interrogated with a slight frown.

Looking at her serious face as if really doubting he's fake, Gideon's throat bobbed. Trying to stifle his laughter, he shook his head. "Here I thought you have changed, turns out you're still as stupid as before. Can someone even copy someone like me?"

Furrowing her brow, Alyssa rolled her eyes at the man. "Who told you to change so much and become a complete another person? I was just making sure. You've...changed so much I was caught off-guard, that's all."

Gideon's upturned eyes looked at Alyssa with unknown meaning, "There's plenty of time to get to know me again, don't worry. Drive."

Not understanding the underlying meaning in his voice, Alyssa just hummed and drove away from the airport.

The journey was uneventful, it was mostly them telling each other the events that had occurred in their lives during the time Gideon was away from the country. One thing that Alyssa had determined is that Gideon, somehow, had improved his social skills. He can now talked in long sentences and could even laugh – far from the Gideon before that had nothing on his face but indifference. What had catalyzed this change, Alyssa didn't know.

"Honestly, I was surprised that you suddenly wanted to go home. You were doing really well in abroad that's why I thought it's unlikely for you to ever come back." Alyssa uttered as she was driving, looking beside her from time to time.

"Why wouldn't I come back? I was born here, my family is here. I'm bound to go home sooner or later," Gideon replied, looking at the streetlights they were passing by. "It seems to me that you were paying attention to my well-being abroad?"

There's something in his question that Alyssa couldn't explain but feel flustered about. Forcing herself not to think about it, she responded: "Who told you to run away against your parents' wishes? I was worried you'll die there so I kept a tab on you. It's futile though, a genius like you are bound to soar high sooner or later. I was right, wasn't I? You're a big shot now."

"You're doing well yourself, so you're not the one to talk." Gideon retorted with a smile, as if pleased for some reason.

"Well, definitely cannot be compared to you."