40 A Door Closed and a New One Opened 1

Would Leonel finally advance to adulthood? Ren thought, stunned and astonished at the same time.

Leonel stood to his feet when Lira was just meters away from him and stammered.

"I-I'm!"

However, before Leonel could finish his sentence, Lira took a turn and went to the table just beside theirs. Sitting on that table was a dark-skinned boy with violet hair and an older woman in his forties.

They were eating their food in peace and silence before Lira's high-pitched voice stunned Leonel and Ren.

"This table is already reserved for me. Why the fuck is someone eating here?"

"Shh . . . Lira, mind your manners. Where in a public place. Someone might take a video of you," whispered her manager.

Lira just sneered. "This is a private reservation-only restaurant were taking videos and photos aren't allowed. And besides . . ."

Lira looked over at the people who were minding their business.

"All the people here are rich and don't give a damn."

"M-manners," uttered her manager, eyes shifting around if someone heard and saw Lira acting brazenly.

Lira flipped her hair and looked down at the dark-skinned boy. "What are you still waiting for? I said that's my table."

The dark-skinned boy frowned. "Your table? We have made a reservation here."

"Roz," the old lady nudged Roz. "It's fine. Don't speak like that to a girl. We've finished anyway."

Roz faced her mother, canines baring. "Mom. That's not a girl. It's an uncultured swine."

Ren smirked and nodded his head. The boy had guts. He must be around sixteen years old.

While Leonel was turned into a statue. He was too stunned that her idol's character was so . . . unmannered? She was like a Goddess on screen and felt like an angel when she talked on camera.

Since the unfortunate event was happening just a table next to them, Ren and Leonel had the front row seat of the drama.

Lira's beautiful face was smudged with angry veins. "What did you say, you little squirt?"

Lira squinted her eyes and leaned forward at Roz. "Don't you know who I am? I can make your fucking life miserable with a snap of a hand until you can no longer go out in the streets and anywhere else without being mobbed for the rest of your fucking miserable life. You'd rather wish that you'd never been born, and your future descendants would scorn at your grave for making their life miserable too."

She then straightened her back and crossed her arms with tilting hips. "Unless you scram the fuck away from my table. Right now."

Roz rolled his eyes. "I don't care who you are. You're rude and crazy. Go away before I call security."

"Wha–!" Lira's face fumed red.

"What seemed to be the problem here?"

Finally, a manager with a perfectly practiced smile intervened.

Lira jabbed a finger at Roz and snarled. "This kid is sitting on my table. Does this restaurant's prestige drop so low that it would accept anybody? I had made reservations here, and how dare you give my table to . . . to . . ."

Lira was thinking of words that were eluding her. ". . . Nobody . . . ," she uttered when a second passed, and she couldn't find the right words due to anger clouding her brain.

The manager's smile remained plastered on her face as she swiped on her tablet. "Yes. Miss Lira did make a reservation at our restaurant. However, you're fifteen minutes early from your reserved time, and they have made their reservation prior to yours."

Lira shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean fifteen minutes early? Do you mean to say that I should come in late? It should be normal for a high-class restaurant to reserve their guests' tables an hour before they arrive! What kind of a Michelin awarded restaurant is this?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Lira," said the manager, "If you could wait for your table–"

"NO," Lira said with an edge. "Don't ask me to wait."

She then leaned closer to the manager with one brow raised. "Do you know how many millions of followers I have? One bad review from me, and you can say goodbye to your awards."

The manager's smile faltered from her face, and there was now a sheen of sweat coating her cheeks. "How about another table Miss Lira?" she bargained, eyeing Ren and Leonel's table since the two men were already finished.

Lira shook her head. "No. I want this table. I always made a reservation at this table. It's near the window, and I can view the landscape while I'm eating. It wouldn't be the same from any other angle!"

Our table is just meters from the window too. Ren thought. Though Ren had an inkling that Lira just didn't want to back down anymore after the commotion she started. He had a feeling that she just wanted to make it difficult for Roz.

Not my problem. Ren emptied his glass of water and tapped Leonel's shoulder. "We should go."

The scene that Lira created was already garnering attention.

"B-but . . ." Leonel's brows were crumpling. "Shouldn't we do something?"

Leonel was torn. He didn't know if he should do something about the situation or not. Clearly, Lira was over the line for just a table, and Roz and his mother also made a reservation prior to her.

"That's not our problem, Leo. Let's go. Your girl Lira might reconsider eating at our table if we leave."

"Egh . . ." Leonel was feeling dejected. He was still not over at Lira's true character. He didn't know what was more heartbreaking — finding out his idol's true persona or the shattered image he had for her. She was so different when she was playing live online.

He felt betrayed all of a sudden.

Ren was about to speak again when he heard the manager's voice.

The manager looked over at Roz and his mother with an apologetic face. "Excuse me. I'm sorry to ask this, but can you vacate your table now?"

"What do you mean vacate?" Roz's face couldn't be painted when he heard the manager took Lira's side all because she was a famous person. Where's the dignity of this restaurant? "Can't you see that we haven't finished eating yet?"

"Yes. I can see it. We can find you another table if you want," the manager said again, impatience in her tone this time.

Roz and his mother weren't garbed in branded clothes and didn't order the expensive meals. The manager would rather keep their good reviews than accommodate nobodies like them.

Roz's face darkened, and he opened his mouth to retort but was stopped by his mother.

"It's fine, Roz. Let's just go. We've finished anyway."

"Mom, what do you mean finished?" Roz eyed the half-eaten dessert.

"It's fine," said his mother with finality and took to her feet. "Let's just get the bill and go." She then looked at her son with smiling lips but sad eyes. "We don't belong here."

". . ." Roz couldn't refute anymore when his mother already stood to her feet. He shot one last glare at Lira, who had a condescending smirk on her face, before going after her mother.

"Tata." Lira snorted and took her seat at the table. She then brought out her phone and focused all her attention on it.

"Oh, my god. I can't believe it, you guys. I just met the rudest kid ever . . ."

Ren shook his head as he stared at Roz and his mother's retreating figures.

He couldn't help but take a large breath of air. Watching them reminded him of his parents.

He took another breath before he pinched Leonel's shoulder. "Let's go. Let's not waste any more time here."

Leonel shifted his eyes on Lira and Ren before looking down at his fingers.

"I guess that selfie with her would have to take a rain check," uttered Leonel with a gloomy face.

Ren was about to drag Leonel to his feet when he was stopped by a familiar deep throaty voice calling his name.

"Ren!"