Arranged Marriage

Week 2 (3)

Hey hey!!! New chapter coming throughhh

****

Fortunately, Ash doesn't hold his hand when they get into the taxi. The black cap drops them off at their destination in less than 20 minutes. Karlyle is about to pay the taxi fare, but Ash stops him and pays it. Karlyle's receiving things from Ash again. He feels a little embarrassed. He doesn't know everything about giving and receiving, but he wonders whether such one-sided favor could exist.

Since today is a private exhibition, there are far fewer people at Hayward Gallery than usual. In Waterloo, where the city is dyed in a gloomy gray color, the sculptures in this gallery are the only presences that light up the monotonous scenery.

Ash goes to the entrance of the gallery, which has one side made of glass, and walks to the closed automatic door. 'Excuse me', he says, then takes his phone out to call someone.

"Good morning, Vanessa. Uhm, I just got here. I'm at the entrance."

Perhaps that kind way of speaking is Ash's nature. He's talking on the phone with a relaxed face. Ash looks forwards, raises his hand and waves to someone.

"Ash!"

A tall woman runs to his place while waving. She's an impressive beauty with scarlet hair tied in a braid. Wearing big glasses, she gets to their place in the blink of an eye. Her eyes bulge wide when she sees him.

"Is this ridiculously handsome gentleman the one you mentioned? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Vanessa Lord, Ash's friend!"

Vanessa hurriedly introduces herself. Her eyes dash between Ash and Karlyle.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Karlyle Frost."

"Nice to meet you. It's such an honor to have a wonderful person like you at the exhibition."

Vanessa seems friendly. It makes him wonder whether everyone around Ash Jones is also the same.

"Thank you for having me."

Karlyle smiles faintly. It's the smile he wears like a mask to people he meets outside. Ash's eyes are fixed on his smile, the smile he has never shown in front of Ash. Karlyle looks up at him. Ash is staring at him with eyes bulged wide.

"I'm sorry for asking this at the first meeting, but....are you a nobleman?"

Just as Ash is about to ask him something, Vanessa asks him first. She looks very curious. It's been a while since he heard this question. When he lived abroad, there were few people who knew about nobles in England. And when he returned, he rarely met commoners.

"It's just, I have only heard about noblemen in dramas and movies. I asked because you looked so cool."

If he introduces himself as a nobleman right now, will it be too funny? He has no idea since the class system has long disappeared in the eyes of the majority of ordinary people.

"He's a noble and he's also cool. Okay, why don't we go in first?"

But Ash answers instead. Looking intently at him, Ash answers Vanessa, then he takes Karlyle's hand. Vanessa watches the scene in astonishment, then she bursts into laughter.

"I heard that you met someone last weekend. So it was a date?"

"That's right."

Ash holds Karlyle's hand and pulls Karlyle towards him. Vanessa smiles mysteriously and gestures that she's understood.

"I almost didn't recognize you, Ash Jones. Are you already on guard?"

"Vanessa."

Ash and smile always go with each other. But today, another unexpected expression appears on his face again. Ash looks gentle as usual, but he isn't really smiling. He only stares at Vanessa. Getting the hint, she nods and leads the way. She heads to the gallery, the guards at the door let Karlyle and Ash in.