After the whole situation—which ended with Ren practically swearing a blood oath that he was, in fact, still interested in women, thank you very much—we finally reached the fifth course of dinner. I say we, but really, I barely touched courses two through four. A tactical blunder, really.
The others were still talking. Or, in Ava's case, stirring the conversation like a pot she had no intention of eating from.
"Personally," Ava said as she sliced through a piece of synth-scallop, "I think the real scandal is that Seol-ah didn't reject a single dance invitation last year."
Seol-ah, composed as ever, paused only long enough to say, "I accept invitations. I don't promise enjoyment."
Ian choked on laughter. Ren muttered something about manners. Lucifer just smiled.
And I was thinking.
