CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 9.8 : BIAS OVERRULING RATIONALITY

The moment Al stepped inside and approached the table—before he could even sit—Clarista was already there to greet him... with a scolding.

"You... are unbelievable! Spying on us from outside?! Is your curiosity about this family really that bad? That desperate for attention? Doing something like this will only make us more uncomfortable with you."

Her voice was loud enough to make a few guests at nearby tables turn their heads. Clarista’s face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from anger.

Normally, Clarista was the calmest, most logical, and hardest-to-provoke among the siblings. But this time—Al could feel her irritation spike sharply. He replied,

"I thought you were the most rational and intelligent one in this family, but I guess you’re no different." His tone was casual.

It sounded insulting, but it was more disappointment than mockery—like a reader who had built up high expectations for a novel, only to be let down when the story failed to deliver.

Clarista bristled at his words. But hearing herself called "rational" triggered a subconscious shift. She assumed the irrational behavior Al referred to meant being impulsive in public. Glancing around, noticing curious stares, she forced herself to calm down and dropped the argument.

In truth, the "irrational" Al meant was her jumping to conclusions without even checking why he had come—instantly assuming he was spying on them.

Fani kept her head low throughout the brief clash. David wore a mask of false pity. The situation felt tangled.

But Al...

...smiled faintly, his gaze settling more on Fani.

He pulled out a chair, sat down, opened the menu, and simply said,

"If there’s no more scolding, I’ll order something." His tone made it seem as if nothing had happened.

Clarista let out a loud sigh, turning her face away to regain composure—but inside, the irritation still lingered.

And quietly, from across the table, Fani glanced at Al for just a second. A quick, loaded look—like she realized there was meaning behind his gaze.

It made her... slightly tense.

Finally, Al was seated among them.

David sat with a small, satisfied smile. Fani maintained her polite demeanor. Clarista still looked annoyed, though she kept it in check.

After placing his order with the waiter, Al’s eyes returned to Fani. This time, his look was more serious—not directly piercing, but intense enough to make her fidget. She lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers on the tablecloth.

Clarista noticed and immediately read the situation... the wrong way.

"Al," she warned, voice low but sharp. "Watch your eyes. Don’t get any ideas about Fani. She’s my friend, not... not your toy."

Al froze for a moment, surprised by the misinterpretation. But honestly, anyone watching might have thought the same—especially those already convinced he was some predatory creep.

"Hah? I think you’re being irrational again," he said flatly.

David, of course, saw this as a golden opportunity.

"Sis Clarista, don’t be so harsh," he said in a sweet, provocative tone. "Maybe this is just the first time Al’s seen such a beautiful girl up close. It’s natural he’d be... interested."

Fani blushed—but not out of flattery. She felt uncomfortable. The air was thick with veiled jabs wrapped in fake politeness.

Hearing David, Clarista nodded and turned to Fani before speaking.

"Don’t mind him. He’s a kid who’s used to living on the streets. He’s not accustomed to looking at a girl as beautiful as you. But be careful—he’s a bit..."

Fani nodded, trying not to make the situation any bigger.

Meanwhile, Al stayed silent, glancing around so he wouldn’t be accused again of staring inappropriately—though curiosity still made him steal the occasional glance at Fani.

Soon, Al’s food arrived.

The sight of it was enough to shift his attention from Fani. He began eating, clearly enjoying each bite.

The other three looked at him with mild disgust. But none dared to speak—still wary of his sharp tongue.

Feeling their stares, Al slowly twirled his spoon before setting it down and breaking the pointless silence with a little mischief.

"I wasn’t staring at Fani because I’m interested," he murmured. "I was just curious... because I could swear I’ve seen her holding hands with a guy I know."

Clink.

Clarista’s spoon hit her plate. David and Fani stiffened, thinking he might have caught them. The possibility that Al had been watching them from the start now seemed real—and troublesome if Clarista found out.

"What?!" David blurted, unable to stop himself. "What did you see?!"

"Strange... you’re actually interested in what I have to say," Al replied coolly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Clarista glared at Al, suspicious.

"No way! This is your first time meeting Fani! You’ve never seen her before tonight! How could you know her? Let alone see her holding hands?!" Then she turned to Fani. "Right, Fani?"

Fani nodded. "Yes, this is our first time talking."

"And anyway..." Clarista added, half-angry, "Fani’s a good girl. You think she’d be holding hands with one of your acquaintances? What kind of people do you even know? Probably just trashy guys. There’s no way she’d be interested in someone like that."

Al stayed silent, mildly amused.

David looked at Clarista with mild disappointment.

Al gave the slightest nod—barely noticeable—before dropping a cold line.

"Right. No way a trashy guy would dare flirt with Fani... Guess I was mistaken." His tone was clipped, and his eyes flicked sharply toward David.

David stiffened. He knew he was being jabbed, but couldn’t fight back. Even Fani looked uneasy—her face flushed, unsure if it was from anger... or fear of her secret being exposed.

Al looked away. He didn’t push further. Picking up his spoon again, he resumed eating, calm and detached as if nothing had happened.

Clarista, still confused by his earlier response, began to feel that Al was playing with everyone. Not wanting to ruin the evening further, she exhaled heavily and said,

"Enough. Stop throwing baseless accusations. If you’re here to eat, then eat. But please, don’t bother Fani anymore. You’ve embarrassed this family enough."

"I don’t know why this suddenly became about family," Al said, "but fine. My apologies for the discomfort, Miss Fani." He gave a small nod in her direction.

Without looking at anyone else, he kept eating, savoring the soft texture of the food before him.

And just like that, the night dragged on. Conversation faded. Plates emptied—except Al’s, which he enjoyed like a man fresh from war. The tension, however, lingered in the air.

Before long, David, Clarista, and Fani left, leaving Al alone at the table.

Just before they walked away, Al murmured,

"Be careful. Playing with a girl is bad enough... but playing with something you don’t even realize is dangerous? That’s worse."

All three heard it. They turned back—David bristling at the jab, Fani struck by a sudden suspicion that Al knew something. But no... impossible. Al was just a normal human.

They exchanged glances, chose not to respond, and walked away.

Al... watched their retreating backs with a sharp gaze. Then he calmly finished his meal, down to the last bite. Quiet. Cold. But composed.

Until...

A chair was pulled out across from him.

A poised, elegant woman sat down. Long, wavy hair, a dark purple dress paired with a sleek black blazer, and a luxury branded bag on her arm. Her eyes were sharp, but deep—her mature aura clearly not from an ordinary life.

"I didn’t expect you to come today," she said.

Al glanced at her, a small, lazy but meaningful smile on his lips.

"Add another plate. I’m still hungry."

The woman chuckled softly and reached into her bag.

And so, after the long events of the day, Al’s dinner continued in unexpected company.

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