The silence is unbearable. Emma was being her bratty self in front of world-class leaders. Sensing Emma's frustration, Hani decides it is not the time to gawk at Stella. She closes her eyes, facing the floor, and zips her mouth shut, feeling her mouth go dry.
Howard clears his throat. "Miss Wang, it's nothing like that. I just thought maybe you wanted to become friends with my daughter. I recently heard from your father that you go to the same school as her, and I thought it would be great for you to get to know each other." Acting humble and respectful, Howard makes his case to Emma.
Stella, realising the situation her father had put her in, is not happy. She did not want to suck up to Emma. Since she is the girl Stella has been slightly going against for Hani's attention.
It's bad enough I have to flirt and pretend with Leo, and now I have to do the same with her... I just want to hang out with my friends... but I guess if I want to befriend Hani, I must tolerate Emma. She sighs at this situation thankfully, her strict father was too busy to notice.
"Mr, are you saying coming to dine in my family's establishment and camping out for me is not you trying to get to me?" Emma had her brows furrowed, displeased.
"Miss Wang, believe me, we were invited." With a business smile, he beamed towards Emma, nervously laughing.
Hani's eyes widen hearing what Emma just said, darting them at her, unblinking. What?... Emma's family owns this restaurant?!
Emma, who could feel Hani's glare drilling a hole into her face, started to sweat. She decided to avoid any eye contact with her for now, not wanting to be confronted by her in this situation.
"Well then. I have seen her. I know her. This little meeting is over." she slides her chair back in one quick motion, standing up, "Let's go, Hani." Grabbing Hani's hand, she drags her out.
Hani, who has been dragged around like a doll back and forth in this unbelievable situation, darts her eyes to Howard, then towards Stella and back to Emma. Sad that she did not even get to talk to Stella, she pouts as she gets dragged away. Even in the craziest moments like this, Hani can't seem to divert all her attention towards Stella.
Hani pouted as she bit her lip. Should I say bye? But I am a bit scared to. If only her family were not there.
Stella watched Hani as she looked like a puppy whose favourite toy had been stolen. She could not help it this time, as Hani and Emma disappeared around the corner, she let out a burst of laughter. Tears were literally streaming down her face, unable to stop. Her father, furious, attempted to discipline her.
"Calm down, Father." She said, looking at him, wiping away a tear. "While you don't know, I am well acquainted with Emma and her best friend, who is very close to me." She adjusts herself calmly, "Please do not interfere this time. I am already following your orders to befriend the Randell family's youngest son, Leo."
Stella gets up, grabs her coat and bag, and walks towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Howard demands.
"Exactly what you want, Father. I am going to enjoy dinner with my friend," happy to be able to leave her father and her dreadful family behind she asks a waiter to take her to Emma's dining room.
---
[Emma's Dining Room]
"Emma! You— What — How—." Drowning in a bucketful of information, Hani did not know what to say.
"Hahaha!" Emma laughs at Hani, who sits there dumbfounded, "Well, you never asked." She gives a cheeky grin to Hani.
Letting out a huff, she sits down. "So this is what you meant by a great offer. Because it's your family's. Oh—will probably give you a big discount, right?" Hani, who was thankful about this fact, realised that her money is not gonna to vanish again.
"What do you mean by a discount?" Emma looks at Hani's face, which falls at this question, "It's free!"
This turns her face from mournful to blissful. Hani carries a goofy face, mouth wide open in a smile, watering, thinking about all the food she will be able to sample today.
"Ahhh! I saw some of the food people were eating... Mapo tofu, Xiao Long Bao, Zui Xia, Bazhen Ya...." Drooling and practically choking on it, she turns to Emma, grabbing her hands and bringing it close to her, "Emma, have I ever told you? You are a saint! My best friend!"
Since she is willing to give me so much food, she is probably my best friend! Her friendship towards me must be real! Who gives casual friends this much good food! Hani decided that Emma had earned her best friend status.
Hearing this, Emma turns her face away, flustered and smug, "Of course I am amazing, aren't I? This much is nothing, order whatever you like!"
She finally admitted that I am her best friend! Emma was getting infected by Hani's excitement.
Hani had never heard such blissful words in her whole life. Ah, this must be what it means to be high on life!
She starts to run her eyes through the menu, checking every single page, making sure she looks through all her options. Ranking them in her head, she decided to order her top 5 dishes.
As this was happening, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Emma, who was expecting a waiter, was displeased at the person who opened the door and entered the room.
"Hi Hani... Emma." It was Stella who had decided to barge into Emma's territory. It was only when Stella sat next to Hani, who had her head on the menu, that she noticed that someone had entered the room.
Hani turned her head towards Stella. "Hey Stella," she turned her head back to her menu, leaving Stella a bit shellshocked by this reaction, which in turn brought pleasure to Emma. Stella had never seen Hani be so casual around her.
Then Hani, who had not taken in the whole situation, did a double-take to see Stella sitting next to her. She had not fully registered that it's Stella, whom she always crushed on, who was sitting next to her. "Stella?! I, I... I did not realise you were here," she partially hides her face behind the menu. "Ummm, are you joining us for dinner? Emma says it's all free!" In her excitement, she blurted out to Stella.
"NO!"
"Yes!"
Both Emma and Stella reply at the same time. Confused and taken aback, Hani looks at Emma, then at Stella and back at Hani again. A lot of conflict today...
Hani, who can't seem to focus on one person and does not want to take sides, sits down quietly.
Stella, who was determined not to leave, clasps her hands together, gets her game face on and starts to pout. "Emma, you are not gonna make me leave, are you? Hani seems to be happy that I am here, too. Also, as our fathers said, we should get along well because we will be seeing each other more often in the future." Stella, who strikes out one of her angelic smiles, laced with greed.
Hani was too happy to see through Stella and her tactic, or maybe it was just Hani who was crushing so hard on her that she could not see through this facade.
Emma, who had been driven to the corner, ended up letting Stella stay.
Thankfully, before any other commotion could start, the waiter walked in with the water and drinks. They were pretty efficient as they had already prepared a third for Stella.
The three girls sat in silence as the waiter poured water for them and placed the rest of the drinks down. "What would you like to order, miss?" He leans towards Emma.
Hani, who wanted to place the order, stared at Emma with puppy dog eyes, still gripping onto the menu she had studied so thoroughly. Emma stared at the waiter, who clearly ignored Hani and asked her just because she's the owner's daughter, despite not even having a menu with her.
"Does it look like I have a menu?" A little pissed by this situation, she points at Hani, "Get the order from her."
Like a child who had just been told they can pick any sweet from a shop, she started to list the items she wanted in a beat. After the waiter left the room, the door closed, and they were alone again with an awkward silence. Enough to hear a pin drop.
While Emma and Stella had an internal battle with each other, Hani, who was obsessed with eating food, was oblivious to this.
I can't wait for the food to arrive! She swings her legs, drooling at the thought.