The Alchemists

The kiss could have lasted longer if only they didn't hear someone opened the door to the terrace and chirped, "Ahh.. here you are!"

Terry stood rooted in his place with his hand pressed on his lips when he realized that he was interrupting a kiss between Rune and Rose. He felt so guilty for barging in without knocking.

After he arrived back in his suite, he was looking for them everywhere. The terrace balcony was the last place he went to, thinking Rune and Rose might already leave or something.

That's why he didn't knock.

Right then, he knew he had just interrupted something special that was going on between Rune and the girl he liked.

Terry loved gossip and he was mischievous, but he would never ruin his brother's chance with a girl. So, this incident really made him feel guilty. However, it was too late to step back and close the door, pretending that he wasn't there.

"Ehehehe.. I'm so, sorry for interrupting such a beautiful moment. I didn't know you guys are here," he said with a nervous laugh. "You can go back to doing whatever it is you are doing. I will be waiting in the living room."

Rune and Rose had instantly let go of each other's lips when they heard Terry barge in. Now, both looked away in the opposite direction with blushing faces.

"Ahem.. okay, we'll see you shortly," Rune coughed and took his wine glass and downed its content.

Rose did the same. She drank so fast that she almost choked on the wine. Rune quickly put down his glass and checked on Rose.

"Yeahh... I'm fine.. hahaha.. That was awkward," she said sheepishly.

"He really didn't mean it. Pierre would never intentionally bother other people," Rune explained to Rose. "Hmm... that was indeed awkward."

They looked at each other in knowing smiles and, with a silent agreement, they took their glasses and went inside to see Terry and JM in the living room.

When they arrived, Rune and Rose saw Terry and JM sat on the couch pouring wine for themselves. They all pretended like nothing happened earlier and sat together to chat.

"How is your work today?" Rune asked Terry as he sat across from the guy. He lifted his glass and made a sign, asking for it to be refilled.

"Oh, it was great! We found many beautiful locations and inspirations came flowing in. I am really happy that I chose this city to do my project," Terry admitted. He poured wine into Rune's glass and then lifted the bottle to Rose's direction. "Would you like more wine, Your Grace?"

Rose quickly waved and corrected Terry, "My name is Rose."

She didn't like it if Terry stood on ceremony with her just because she was a noble.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't want to be presumptuous by going on a first-name basis with the country's future king's sister," Terry said. "When we met the first time, I didn't know who you are, my brother here didn't tell me anything."

"Oh, please just call me Rose," Rose shook her head, looking upset. "I will leave if you still call me by that."

Terry liked Rose even more. He thought Rose was really down-to-earth even though she was actually a girl from the high nobility. He had seen and witnessed so many other socialites, who were not even from her level, acting snobbish and annoying.

"Please, don't go.. I am sorry. I will call you Rose from now on." Terry quickly stopped Rose by pouring wine into her glass and gave it to her. "Let's cheer for our second meeting."

Finally, Rose smiled and raised her glass. "Cheers! Welcome to my country!"

The other three people followed suit. They clinked their glasses and then drank their wine merrily. After he sipped his wine, Rune told Terry and JM that he had introduced Rose to Aleksis and her family, and now Rose knew who he really was.

"Please tell her that I am really Rune Schneider from the Schneider family and that I don't have a secret wife," Rune said with a laugh. He glanced at Rose and smiled so broadly.

He remembered earlier today Rose was probing him if he really didn't have any woman back home, a girlfriend or wife. He thought it was a good sign.

If Rose didn't care about him, why would she asked about other women in his life, right?

"Oh, my god! You did???" Terry was surprised to hear Rune's explanations. Now, he really thought that Rune and Rose were a good match. Things seemed really going smoothly for them.

"Yeah..." Rose looked at Terry seriously. "I am very surprised. I thought I was the one who is good at hiding my identity... apparently, he is too."

Terry laughed when he heard her. "So, you hid your identity from him too? That's so funny. So, what did you do? Did you pretend to be poor like he did?"

Rose nodded with a sheepish smile. "Yeah. For someone like me, it's important to meet people who will appreciate my personality and character, not my wealth or status. I think you understand what I mean."

"I do, yeah..." Terry laughed internally when he heard their story. This couple was really a match made in heaven, he thought.

He decided to help Rune and confirm his statement that he was single before he met Rose and he didn't have any secret wives or girlfriends.

"Rose, Rune here is an honest man. You can trust him with your life. He never had any girlfriend and to be honest, all of us were worried that he might never be interested in any breathing human beings as his life partner. He had always been interested in science or adventures. So, when we heard that he finally found someone that made his heart flutter, we are so over the moon," he explained.

Rose pressed her lips and looked at Rune. She now believed the man completely. 

"Well.. I'm flattered," she said with a low voice. A moment later she whispered to Rune, "Thank you."

Her heart was filled with warmth. After her experience with Leon that shattered her confidence and broken her heart, today Rose finally felt her cold heart was filled with such warmth.

Not once did Rose feel rushed or pressured to accept Rune's feelings. It seemed if she kept playing this game, Rune could even do it forever.

They chatted over wine and discuss the country's history and Terry's plan for his projects.

It was such a good moment that they decided to order food from the hotel's restaurant to be delivered to the suite so they could eat inside while continuing their chat, instead of going down to dinner.

Two hours later, several servants came and delivered the dishes they ordered. 

"Hey, the food is here," Terry motioned them to move to the dining room. "Let's continue chatting over dinner."

Everyone followed him and they all sat facing delicious dishes. They talked and laughed during dinner. Terry made a lot of jokes and he shared all the Hollywood gossips he got to know firsthand.

The warm atmosphere, good food, and great conversation were truly the things that Rose needed to make her happy amidst her sad situation. She was smiling whenever she talked and she kept laughing over Terry's jokes.

Rune was glad he decided to open up his identity to Rose and then brought her to meet Terry and JM again. If he compared Rose this morning and in the evening, he could see how much she had changed. 

Slowly, the sad Rose was gone and now he could see a happy and glowing woman. By the time dinner ended, Rose's mood had been so good that she decided to invite Terry and JM to attend the royal wedding.

Terry's face was beaming when he heard the kind offer. He wanted to ask to be invited before Rose leaving, but apparently, she decided to invite them out of her own will.

"Will that be okay? I don't want you to feel forced to invite us, just because we are Rune's family," Terry said, faking a concern.

"Ahaha.. not at all. The groom is my 'brother', so of course, as his 'family' we can invite our friends to come. You just need to say yes, and I'll make it happen," Rose said.

Terry didn't stand on ceremony and quickly nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes. Thank you so much!"