Chapter 5
Selena stared at the scene unfolding in front of her in utter disbelief. The same man who had called her nothing but an annoyance yesterday was now standing at her doorstep, holding up a bouquet of flowers like some devoted lover. Was this a prank? Some elaborate joke? She couldn't hold herself back anymore.
"What the hell?!" she blurted out, staring at Raziel, who, despite his confident stance, was clearly forcing a smile.
Raziel cleared his throat, shifting his weight awkwardly. "You should take the flowers first."
Selena squinted at him. "And why would I do that?"
"Because… the seller said no matter how angry a woman is, she will always accept flowers. So, take them."
"What kind of logic is that?!"
Still, before she could even think further, her hands acted on their own, awkwardly accepting the bouquet. The moment she did, Raziel took a step forward and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Sorry for yesterday's incident," he murmured into her hair.
Selena froze. For a moment, all her fatigue disappeared, replaced by a creeping heat spreading across her cheeks. Her brain short-circuited.
"You d—don't… you can't just…!" she stammered, struggling to form coherent words. What kind of delusional patient was she dealing with?! Before she could push him away, Raziel let her go and casually stepped inside as if he owned the place.
She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.
What just happened?
Her brain finally rebooted, and she stormed inside, still clutching the flowers. In the sitting room, she and Raziel found themselves locked in an awkward staring contest.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
"Okay, don't you know what you're supposed to do?" Raziel asked, looking impatient.
Selena frowned. "And what exactly am I supposed to do?"
Raziel let out an exaggerated sigh. "Based on the seller's advice, after I give you the flowers, I hug you and say I'm sorry. Then I sit down in your house, and you—" he gestured at her, "—serve me coffee as a sign that you have accepted my apology."
Selena gawked at him. "And what if I don't want to give you coffee?"
Raziel looked betrayed. "But that would mean my apology isn't accepted! The seller guaranteed this method works."
Selena rubbed her temples. This man wasn't just suffering from delusions—his mental state was completely critical.
With a resigned sigh, she trudged off to prepare coffee. Raziel, meanwhile, took his time observing the sitting room, nodding in approval. "Not bad. Though, of course, it's nothing compared to my castle in the Underworld."
Selena returned, handing him a cup of coffee. He accepted it like it was her duty to serve him. After taking a sip, he placed the cup down and found her staring at him, her eyes scrutinizing every detail of his face.
He arched a brow. "Okay, human, care to explain why you're staring at me like that?"
Selena shook her head wryly. "One second, you're acting like some devoted boyfriend, and the next, you're behaving like a high-and-mighty prince."
Raziel scoffed. "That's because I am a high and mighty prince. "
She exhaled sharply. "It seems you're not just delusional; your entire mental health needs urgent treatment."
"Tch. Nonsense. Anyway, let's cut to the chase. The reason I'm here is simple: I want to make amends."
Selena crossed her arms. "Then why does your tone sound completely unapologetic?"
Raziel leaned forward, his eyes meeting hers. "Because doing things the human way is too annoying. So, instead of groveling, I will grant you a wish."
Selena's eyes widened slightly. "Any wish?"
He nodded. "Any wish."
A mischievous grin spread across her lips. "Alright, then. I want to become an Angel."
Raziel's expression instantly soured. "Another wish."
"Hah! You said any wish! But fine… I want the ability to smite my enemies with lightning."
"Denied."
"I want to fly."
"No."
"I want immortality."
"Impossible."
"I want a mansion made of diamonds."
"Ridiculous."
"I want to rule the world."
"Try again."
"I want a dragon."
"Absolutely not."
Selena huffed, throwing her hands in the air. "So basically, you can't grant any of my wishes."
Raziel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This human is too much…"
Just as he stood up, ready to leave, Selena's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. The moment she read the message, her face twisted in horror.
One hour left for the date.
Panic surged through her. Her eyes darted to Raziel, who had his hand on the doorknob, about to step out.
Acting on pure instinct, she lunged forward and grabbed his wrist.
Raziel turned, raising a brow. "What is it now?"
Selena swallowed hard before forcing a smile. "I guess I do have a normal wish after all."
A few minutes later, Selena and Raziel found themselves inside an upscale clothing boutique, surrounded by racks of luxurious suits, coats, and accessories. Selena sat with her arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently as Raziel stepped out of the changing room.
He was dressed in a tailored, vibrant blue suit that perfectly accentuated his sharp features. The entire group of female workers in the store practically swooned, their faces flushing as they admired the breathtaking sight before them. Yet, Raziel himself looked utterly unimpressed as he examined his reflection in the mirror.
"Too... pretentious," he muttered before turning on his heel and vanishing back into the changing room.
Moments later, he stepped out in a long, flowing white overcoat. The pristine garment gave him an almost ethereal appearance, like a divine being who had descended from the heavens.
"Absolutely not. I look like some kind of saint," he declared, shaking his head before disappearing once again.
The cycle continued.
A dark green robe? "Too wizard-like. I'm not some ancient sorcerer."
A sleek black turtleneck with a fitted blazer? "Too sophisticated. It makes me look like a cunning businessman."
A casual yet stylish leather jacket? "Too rebellious. I am not a biker."
A high-collared navy coat? "I feel like a general leading an army into battle."
A golden-embroidered cape? "Do I look like I'm attending a royal ball?"
One by one, he rejected every single outfit for the most absurd reasons. The pile of discarded clothing grew higher, while Selena's patience dwindled rapidly.
After what felt like an eternity, Raziel rejected yet another outfit—a deep green dress shirt with matching slacks—muttering something about how he refused to look like a "walking forest." That was the final straw.
Selena pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long sigh. "Raziel, I spent so much effort convincing you to be my one-day boyfriend. I didn't think picking an outfit would be harder than getting you to agree!"
Raziel, meanwhile, ignored her frustration, retreating back into the changing room. But instead of picking another set of clothes, he snapped his fingers. In an instant, his attire transformed back into his usual black overcoat, adorned with the insignia of a dragon on its back.
He stared at his reflection, a deep scowl settling on his face. "This is infuriating. The throne is about to be seized, and here I am wasting time on a date."
Just as he was about to step out, a peculiar scent wafted into his nostrils—an eerie, foreign presence. His expression sharpened. Catching a glimpse of a shadowy, black fog slithering past the boutique's window, his instincts flared. Without hesitation, he phased through the walls at supernatural speed, chasing after the entity.
Back in the boutique, Selena sat with her arms crossed, staring at the changing room door. Minutes passed, and yet Raziel did not emerge. Her patience wore thin.
"Hey! Aren't you done yet? We're already late!" she called out.
Silence.
Frowning, she stood up and marched toward the changing room. When she yanked the door open, her eyes widened in shock.
Empty.
"What the—?" She spun around, scanning the room. "Where the hell did he go?! How did he even leave without me noticing?!" Her hands clutched her head, disbelief washing over her.
A sharp honk interrupted her thoughts.
Turning toward the entrance, she saw a sleek, matte-black Bugatti La Voiture Noire—one of the most expensive cars in the world—pull up in front of the boutique. From the driver's seat emerged an unbelievably handsome man with golden hair, his posture exuding grace and confidence. As he approached her, he bowed deeply.
"My lady, the lord is waiting," he announced smoothly.
Selena's mind barely registered his words. This was Chris, the personal assistant of her so-called "date." A small part of her mused that if she had to go on a date, she'd rather it be with Chris himself—at least he was polite and well-mannered, unlike his arrogant employer.
Chris raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking about?"
Selena snapped out of her thoughts and sighed. "Nothing." She turned one last time to the changing room, silently hoping Raziel would miraculously reappear.
No luck.
Resigned, she begrudgingly followed Chris.
Minutes later, she stood before a man with short black hair and piercing eyes gleaming with mischief. Mark Dwargon—the young master of the richest family in the entire Sotheen Region and the third richest man in the world. Yet, despite his wealth and status, all Selena could see was a self-absorbed playboy who had ruined countless lives for his own amusement.
"So, Dr. Vale," Mark drawled, his lips curling into a smirk. "Have you finally accepted the inevitable? Will you be mine?"
Selena's stomach churned with disgust. This man had been pursuing her relentlessly for years. Their arrangement had been simple—if she could find a boyfriend before their next meeting, he would leave her alone. But every man she had trusted had turned out to be a disappointment, betraying her one by one.
Now, with Raziel missing, her final hope was slipping away.
Mark reached out, his hand moving toward her cheek. Her breath hitched, her pulse racing as his fingers drew closer—
A sudden, iron-tight grip halted his movement.
"Haven't you been taught that you shouldn't touch another man's woman?" A sharp, familiar voice rang in her ears.
Selena's heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
She turned her head, and there he stood.
Raziel.
Dressed in a sleek red overcoat with intricate golden dragon designs, a pair of stylish glasses resting on his nose, he looked impossibly refined. The sight of him sent her pulse racing in an entirely different way.
"Isn't that right, love?" He said turning to Selena.
To be continued.