Maria walked away from Hayato-sama’s table, her heart pounding.
For the first time, she had taken the lead.
She had left him waiting.
She had left him curious.
And for a man like Hayato-sama, curiosity was dangerous.
Back at the Counter
Mika stared at her, wide-eyed.
— Maria… what did you just do?
Maria smirked.
— I played his game.
Mika burst out laughing.
— Oh, this is gonna be fun to watch.
Maria felt a little shaky, but she kept her confidence up.
She had no idea what would happen next.
But one thing was certain—Hayato-sama wouldn’t ignore her now.
The Next Day
When Maria walked into the Sweet Blossom Café, she could feel it immediately.
Something was different.
The air felt charged, as if something was waiting to happen.
And when she stepped onto the floor—
There he was.
Seated at his usual table.
Waiting.
Watching.
Maria felt a shiver run down her spine.
She had won yesterday.
But today?
She wasn’t sure.
She took a breath, squared her shoulders, and approached his table slowly.
— Good afternoon, goshujin-sama, she greeted, her voice smooth.
Hayato-sama leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes studying her.
— You’re bold, Maria.
Maria kept her expression neutral.
— Oh? Why is that, goshujin-sama?
Hayato-sama tilted his head slightly.
— You sat at my table. You asked me questions. You left without waiting for answers.
He smiled.
— That’s not how this usually works.
Maria met his gaze, refusing to look away.
— I suppose I wanted to try something different.
There was a long pause.
Then—
Hayato-sama chuckled.
— I like it.
Maria froze.
That wasn’t the reaction she had expected.
She had tried to turn the game on him—but instead of being thrown off…
He was enjoying it.
Her stomach tightened.
— Tell me, Maria.
Hayato-sama leaned forward slightly, his voice low, smooth.
— What are you trying to do?
Maria kept her face calm.
— I’m just serving my customers, goshujin-sama.
Hayato-sama smirked.
— Liar.
Maria’s breath caught.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Hayato-sama reached for his cup, took a slow sip of his coffee, and placed it back down.
— Very well.
Maria blinked.
— Very well…?
— Let’s see how far you’re willing to take this game.
Maria’s pulse spiked.
Hayato-sama wasn’t backing down.
He was challenging her.
And Maria knew—
This was only the beginning.
To be continued …
