Dominate Showbiz: Media Tycoon Discovered My Talent-Chapter 112: I Swear I Do

"Birdie, that is... my anti-sickness pills for the flight," Karl said at last. His voice trembled slightly, though he tried hard to keep it even.

He quickly snatched the bottle from Kaija’s hand along with his jacket, shrugging into it and slipping the bottle back into its pocket.

"Didn’t know you get motion sickness," she commented flatly, pulling on her coat. "Which brand are they?"

"They’re..." Karl stammered, nearly biting his tongue.

His mind scrambled for a name, but the moment Kaija turned to face him, all his clumsy attempts at covering himself dissolved into thin air.

The blue eyes that had looked at him with affection just moments ago were ice cold now, stripped of all warmth as they stared up at him blankly.

His throat went dry. "I... I can’t remember."

"Really?" She raised a brow, arms folding tightly across her chest. "Well then, let me remind you. Did you happen to get this stuff somewhere near the Art Building?"

Karl’s face drained of color. "How did you... how did you know?"

"Oh, by accident," Kaija replied with a small shrug. Then she walked past him. "Shall we get out of here?"

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm, pulling her back to face him. "Tell me how you knew about that stuff. Don’t tell me you also—"

"I don’t use them," she cut in flatly. "But I know what they are. And if you’re actually thinking of bringing that through airport security, then you’ve gone completely insane, Karl."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. As relieved as he was that she didn’t use them, he had no idea how to explain himself anymore.

"Listen," he said, reaching for her hand, "it’s not what it looks like. I’m actually trying to quit. I am. I just... I brought them in case... I don’t know. I get lonely and depressed during tours, and I know damn well this shit helps with that, so I just... slipped it into my jacket this morning without thinking."

Her expression didn’t change. "Did you not lie to me just now?"

"I did!" he snapped. "I was just... scared. I didn’t want you thinking I was one of those drug addicts."

"But you are," she replied coldly.

The words hit him like a knife to the chest. His hand fell back to his side.

"I... I don’t know how to explain it to you, birdie," he murmured, voice small and strained. "I didn’t even want to get into it in the first place. This fucking career, this fucking celebrity life, this fucking label.

"Once you’re in it, maybe you’ll understand. And that’s exactly why I don’t want you debuting when you’re not even three months in..."

He grabbed his hat and slipped on his sunglasses in silence. Behind him, Kaija stood still, turning his words over in her mind.

As disappointed as she was, the sincerity in his voice was unmistakable.

"Will you actually quit?" she asked quietly.

Karl turned to her, stunned. He quickly wrapped both arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, his voice trembling against her ear. "Yes. Of course. I promise I’ll quit. No, actually, if I don’t quit this shit, you have every right to stop seeing me. I swear I do. I still want to see you... for a long time."

"You’d better keep your word," she said, her face buried against his chest.

As hard as it was to believe him right now, ever since Karl had pressed his lips to hers earlier, before their passionate encounter, Kaija had begun to wonder whether she was already catching feelings for him, the way her lips had responded to his so naturally, so effortlessly.

The white bottle was tossed into a trash can in the empty alley behind the building, right in front of her, as if he wanted to prove he meant it.

"I’ll head to the airport from here," he said, his face already heavy with regret.

"You’re not going back to campus for your luggage?" she asked.

"My manager will take care of it. I just need to show up," he shrugged. "Should I call you a cab?"

"No need," she replied. "I’ll take one later. I need to go back to Boba World to get a boba tea for Charles. You go."

Karl’s brows knit together at the mention of Charles Kosonen, the way she was only calling him by his first name. His lips were already pouting as he pulled her into his arms.

"Don’t you dare have too much fun going on dates with AK or whoever else while I’m away," he warned, his voice sulky. "I’m heading back the moment the tour’s done. Answer your phone whenever I call or text you, alright?"

A soft chuckle slipped from her as she wrapped an arm around his back. "I’ll try, though I might get busy pretty soon. I’ll need to catch up to your superstar status anyway."

He tugged her mask down along with his, before pressing his lips to hers one good last time.

When Kaija reached Boba World, it was around 5 PM. The shop was crowded, office workers and students flowing in and out nonstop.

The moment she stepped outside with a boba tea in hand, her footsteps faltered.

On the bench directly across from the entrance sat the short man in the flowery shirt from earlier that afternoon. He leaned back against the wooden slats, legs crossed, lips curled into a faint smirk as he tilted his face up toward her, camera sunglasses still hiding his eyes.

The man hadn’t been following Karl.

He’d been after her the entire time.

Seeing Kaija emerge at last, the man rose from the bench and approached her with unhurried steps.

"Ms. Sepala?" he asked, his voice breathy.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Why are you following me? Are you paparazzi?"

A brittle laugh escaped him. "No, I’m definitely not paparazzi," he said. "Though I understand why you’d think that. You have no idea how long I waited outside that building. But you see, I was sent here today to deliver you an invitation."

"An invitation?" Her brow furrowed. "From whom?"

"From a very powerful man," he replied smoothly. "I assure you, it’s extended out of admiration, a gesture of goodwill. He wishes to be your friend, not your foe."

"Look," she muttered, "you won’t even tell me who this guy is, and you’re saying he wants to be my friend. Sorry, but I’m going to have to decline."

She turned on her heels, and four tall, broad-shouldered men in civilian clothing closed in from four directions, their expressions rigid.

"Well, unfortunately," the man in the flowery shirt continued, his smirk turning sharp, "I should mention that his invitation isn’t something you can refuse, Ms. Sepala. Let’s avoid making a scene, we have more folks waiting for you around every corner."

Dark thoughts flickered through her mind.

Great, hopefully not another stupid kidnapping scheme, right before she even got to debut. Whoever this powerful man was, his idea of admiration and friendship was clearly twisted.

"So," she said coolly, "where exactly am I being invited?"

"An exquisite place," he answered smoothly, "for an exquisite lady like yourself. Now please, this way. Our car is waiting just down the road."

Her feet moved in the direction he indicated, the four men falling into step behind her at a careful distance.

Her gaze dropped to the cup in her hand. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Good thing she’d ordered the tea without ice, so it wouldn’t melt before she got back to campus. Judging by how things were unfolding, it might take longer than expected before Charles received his long-awaited boba tea.