The Alchemists

Their lunch date was warm. Rose looked so relaxed and happy. If he had not seen for himself how sad yesterday Rose looked and how she wept bitterly when she was drunk, Rune would not have believed that this was the same girl.

Ah, Rose, why are you so good at acting? thought Rune.

During lunch, Rune tried to dig up a little about Rose's past. He hoped to get information about Rose's life before meeting him, and who Leon really was.

"Have you always wanted to be a painter?" asked Rune, taking a sip of the juice. "When did you know what you wanted, and become convinced that you want to go after it?"

Rose, who was enjoying her tea after finishing lunch, seemed to think for a moment.

"I've been into arts for a long time. But I think I just found out that I wanted to be an artist when I came to George's mother's painting exhibition. You know, George is one of my best friends. I really admire her works. That's when I decided to pursue art."

"Oh, I see?" Rune nodded in understanding. "Then, what about your family? Do they support you to become a painter?"

Rose nodded. "My parents really love me, and they let me do whatever I want."

"Hm .. is that so?"

Rune was also grateful that his family is very understanding and always supported him in doing whatever he wanted. He was not interested in business, just like his uncle Aldebar. That was why he was delighted to have Terry and Rune in charge of the family business.

Rune decided to dig a little deeper. He was determined to know who Leon really was.

"You're always talking about George, don't you have any other friends?" asked Rune casually. "I want to meet your friends."

"Oh, take it easy, you'll see them in a few days. I told you that Helene is going to visit New York from Paris, so I invited my other friends to come here so we can all have fun," Rose replied. Her face immediately became cheerful when talking about her friends. "Shhh .. it's a secret, by the way, Helene doesn't know this, but her boyfriend, Peter will propose to her after our dinner."

"Oh, really?" asked Rune. "Don't you think they're too young to get married? They are like 22, right?"

Rose just shrugged. "Now that's the trend, right? Many people marry young. Many celebrities and influencers promote it, and it has become a popular trend."

Rune furrowed his brows and tried to remember something. Ahh, Rose was right. Trends often change, and maybe now was the time for couples to marry young. 

Decades ago, people didn't like the idea of getting married and have children. Women especially would wait until they got to the late thirties to get married, after they had accomplished success in their careers.

However, recently, younger people started to promote the idea of getting married young. The proof was, the prince from Medion and the princess from Moravia would soon get married even though the girl was only 20 years old and the man was 24.

Aih .. times had indeed changed. Rune had lived for forty years without paying any attention to such things.

"Ah, you're right. I didn't think that way before," said Rune. "Yesterday, I just read the news about a royal couple from two European kingdoms. If I'm not mistaken, the girl is from Moravia. She is only 20 years old but already engaged to a prince from their neighboring kingdom."

Rose looked away and nodded. Her voice was trembling as she replied, 

"I told you I am always right .. haha."

Rune frowned in surprise. Rose was showing a smile on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes, and somehow, Rune felt like she saw her eyes were gleaming in tears that she was trying hard to hold back.

Why was she sad again? Did I say something wrong?

Rune tried to remember what he had said that made Rose sad.

Ahh .. is it something to do with marriage?

Was... Rose sad because she was reminded of Leon? Was Leon also getting married? Or maybe Leon was already married and broke Rose's heart, so the conversation about marriage brought back the painful memory?

Ah, if that was the case, then Rune could understand why the girl was so sad last night that she drowned herself in alcohol.

Rune decided to stop talking about matters related to marriage. He didn't want to make Rose think of his ex-boyfriend since the topic would only make her hurt again.

They better focused on themselves. Ah, by the way, it reminded Rune that before he went to Amazon with Lauriel, he was working on a new machine. This was a machine he planned for his nieces.

Rune really loved Lily and Summer, and as a gift for their 16th birthday, he decided to give them a machine that could make them laugh. No matter what the situation, if they want a good laugh, they would get it.

"How about you?" asked Rose suddenly. She looked at Rune with a look of concern. "Does your family support you in pursuing your dream?"

Rune nodded. "They are very supportive. Whatever I want to do with my life, they will all support me. For them, the most important thing is my happiness."

"Sounds wonderful," said Rose, nodding. "You're very lucky. A lot of people I know don't get that kind of freedom. George, for example, he has to continue his family's business. So even though he really liked interior design, he can only do it as a hobby. He still has to go to business school and manage his family's company."

"Well, I guess we are both lucky then. I'm actually very different from my siblings. Since the beginning, I am only interested in science and the world. Oh by the way... you have never met my biological siblings, right? If you look at them, you too will think I was adopted... hahahaha ... We don't have the same interest nor personality. We don't even look related."

" Ahh .. that's right. You have never shown me their photos at all. Hmm .. but I've seen your nephews. Do they not look like their mother?"

"No. They look like my mother. My mother is half Asian. The boys don't look like their parents at all." The Rune hastily added. "By the way, later, when you meet Ireland and Scotland's parents, please don't discuss why they don't look like their father, okay?"

"Eh .. why is that?" asked Rose. She was baffled when she was Rune's expression suddenly turn worried. So what if she talked about it? What if she didn't do it on purpose?

"Uhm .. just don't. My brother-in-law is s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e," said Rune, shaking his head vigorously.

Rose's mind flashed back to the past few weeks when she met Rune's nephews in Central Park. The two boys said that they were always followed by bodyguards everywhere because their family had many enemies.

Ahh ... that's right. At that time, Rose had guessed that Rune's brother-in-law's family must have ties to the mafia or the underworld. That's why they have a fairly tight security protocol.

Now she could understand Rune's worry, or rather, Rune's fear of his brother-in-law. Maybe Rune was scared of offending his brother-in-law because the man was from the underworld and could easily kill people.

Ah, that's right. Rune must know his own family best. Rose better follow his words and not look for trouble. She must not make enemies.

"I understand," said Rose. "I'm not going to discuss it."

Rose didn't want to die in New York for offending someone from the mafia.

"By the way, in a few days we'll have been living together for a month," Rose said suddenly. "Do you still remember my promise at that time?"

Rune shook his head. He didn't remember anymore. "Which Promise?"

"Hahaha.. I have only promised you one thing. When we met for the first time in person, and you accepted my offer to be my fake boyfriend, I said that I will tell you who I really am after one month. Do you remember?"

"Oh ... that one. Yes, you promised to tell me why you need a fake boyfriend, and you will also tell me about your identity." Rune's face immediately brightened. Gosh ... time flew by so fast.

It seemed like he really enjoyed his life with Rose. He did not even realize that it had been almost one month.