The Alchemists

"It must be the sign from the universe that I have to pay for this dinner," said Rune with a laugh. He then mentioned special champagne from a certain year, which according to his father, was one of the best champagne in the world and very rare.

"I would like to have Krug 1995 Clos D'Ambonnay," said Rune with a wink. 

Rose suddenly hiccupped when she heard what he ordered. This was one of the most expensive and popular champagne brands for a romantic dinner. 

Gosh .. this man in front of her was trying too hard to impress her.

"Ssshh .. you just won the lottery or what? Why order such expensive champagne?" whispered Rose. "I was just going to order regular Moet Chandon."

Rune nodded. "You could say that. Don't talk too loud. We just have to eat and drink. Anyway, tonight, what Rose wants, Rose gets."

Rune did feel like he just won a lottery by meeting his soul mate. The perfect girl that made him fall head over heels.

Rose shook her head and muttered. "Gosh .. how wasteful."

However, since she had already lost, the girl said no more and let the man pay. The two of them sat chatting lightly while enjoying the bread and sparkling water available on the table while waiting for the waiter to bring their food and drinks.

"Good evening, Sire and Madame. This is your bottle of champagne. Shall I pour it now?" asked the sommelier, who had just arrived with a bottle of champagne in a metal bucket filled with ice.

Rose and Rune nodded simultaneously. The sommelier showed the bottle to Rune so that the man could check the authenticity of the bottle. After Rune nodded in satisfaction, the sommelier unscrewed the cork and poured some into his glass.

Rune twirled the glass slowly, then sipped the champagne the sommelier had just poured. He nodded again. Only then did the sommelier fill his glass and Rose's glass with champagne.

"Enjoy it, Sire and Madame. Your entree and appetizer will be here soon," he said, placing the bucket of ice and champagne in the center of the table. He then excused himself back into the restaurant.

"Let's toast for our first date," said Rune, raising his glass.

Rose frowned at the man's words.

"This is not our first date," argued the girl. "You forgot we met for the first time at a cafe in the East Village for a blind date?"

"I remember," said Rune, nodding. "But that doesn't count."

"Why?"

"Because at that time I did not think I would like you. At that time, I was just .." The man went silent. He almost revealed that it was actually his niece and nephews who spoke to Rose for two weeks on the online dating app before they actually met.

Rose could get angry when she found out about that. Even though it was not too bad, she would still feel cheated or being lied to.

Ahh, Rune shouldn't take any risk.

Finally, the man shook his head. "Okay, that's the first date. But this is our serious first date."

Rose laughed at Rune's words. "It's up to you then."

They clinked glasses and sipped their respective champagne.

Ahh, it really tasted good. Rune did not regret choosing one of the most expensive champagne for tonight's dinner. For him, Rose deserved the best.

They enjoyed champagne with the bread on the table. One by one, the dishes they ordered came, and the two of them began to enjoy dinner. The atmosphere felt so pleasant, and Rose seemed more talkative that night.

Maybe it's because she drank a lot too, thought Rune. Even though the girl seemed to be smiling and chattering about everything, however, for some reason, Rune felt that Rose was actually very sad.

Her smile did not reach her eyes, and several times she seemed to be holding back her tears.

What's the matter with Rose? Rune could only wonder.

They ate and drank happily, and throughout the dinner, Rune kept an eye on Rose. She kept asking her glass to be refilled.

"Rose .. you've drunk quite a lot," Rune reminded Rose gently when the girl once again raised her glass, about to ask the waiter to refill it.

"I never get drunk in front of you, right? I always hold back and act like a lady. But tonight, I am feeling so miserable. So, please...let me be like this .. just this once," said Rose, biting her lower lip. For some reason, even though Rose looked sad, when she bit her lip, she looked very s.e.xy and inviting.

Rune gulped and finally nodded. He had a feeling that he would never be able to refuse Rose's request if this girl looked at him with those glazed puppy eyes and bit her lower lip, looking so s.e.xy and fragile at the same time.

Tonight, what Rose wants, Rose gets.

Anyway, when Rune realized Rose had drunk too much and looked like she was already tipsy, it was Rune who must hold back. He thought at least one of them should keep a clear head.

He could understand that Rose was having a problem and wanted to release her anxiety by drinking a lot, get drunk, and lose herself. However, Rune wasn't having any problems, right? So he had no reason to get drunk like her.

Finally, the man raised his hand and refused as the waiter was about to refill his glass with champagne as well.

"I will just have coffee, please," he said to the waiter.

"Yes, Sir," said the waiter respectfully. The man put the nearly empty champagne bottle in the ice bucket. He immediately went into the kitchen to bring the coffee that Rune ordered.

Soon, he returned with a cup of coffee. Rune accepted the coffee and thanked him.

"How's the food?" asked Rune after the waiters cleared their desserts.

Rose smiled broadly. "The food is so delicious. Now, I know why The Lily is so famous."

"I'm glad you like the food," said Rune. He was happy because Rose was enjoying their dinner. Rune hoped that whatever it was today that made Rose sad, would go away and she could smile again.

"Hmm ... I'm so full," said Rose, putting her glass on the table. Her eyes that were sad an hour ago now seemed to sparkle. "Let us go home."

"Okay." Rune immediately got up from her chair and helped Rose up.

"My head is dizzy," Rose whimpered as she hugged Rune and leaned her head against the man's c.h.e.s.t.

Rune's heart suddenly palpitated. Rose hugged him and clung to him just like that. He could feel the girl's soft b.r.e.a.s.ts against his c.h.e.s.t. Rune unconsciously gulped.

"Come on ... let's go home now ..." the man stammered. He pushed Rose a little to stand upright and get away from him, but the girl staggered and almost fell. "Heyy .. hey ... Ouch ..."

Rune quickly caught Rose's body before she fell. 

"Gosh .. what's wrong with you, Rose?"

"I-I'm okay," whispered Rose. But the girl closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Gosh .. Rose seemed okay earlier, and now she just slept? Was she really like this when she was drunk? Rune felt so confused.

"Do you need help?" asked the waiter to Rune. The man shook his head. 

He looked around and found other guests around them who all seemed to be from the upper classes, watching him and Rose and whispering about them.

Surely, they were gossiping that a girl like Rose who got drunk in a high-end restaurants like this must not be from the upperclass. Usually, high class people would know how to carry themselves well.

Ah, Rune really didn't care about that. He lifted Rose's body, who had fallen asleep, and took her out of the restaurant.

As he walked across the various tables to the exit, Rune heard the whispers of several people.

"Hey .. they didn't pay for the dinner?"

"Could this be their trick to avoid paying?"

"Are they scammers wanting to eat for free?"

Rune just rolled his eyes at the gossip from around him. He carried Rose in his arms and thanked the waiter, who opened the door for him.

"Gosh, Rose .. if you can't drink a lot, why did you drink all the champagne?" whispered Rune.

He remembered earlier that he only drank two small glasses, and the rest was consumed by Rose.

.

.

>>>>>

From the author:

Thank you so much for your patience. This week I got a severe stomach ulcer and the pain came and went every day. I couldn't write much, no matter how much I wanted to. I have got all the words in my head and I only need to put them into writing.

I am taking medication, but there are days when the pain came back and lasted for 10-12 hours, leaving me unable to do anything. I will do my best to keep writing every chance I get to replace the contents in the next chapter.