After spending a few more minutes walking through the store and checking on everything, Gray eventually returned to his office for the rest of the day. There were still numbers to review, emails to send, and vendor follow-ups to make.
However, even with his workload, he left the store an hour early.
By 4 PM, Gray was already stepping inside the elevator of his condo. He adjusted the collar of his shirt as he walked toward his unit, his bag slung loosely over one shoulder.
As he opened the door, "Lily?" he called out.
"I’m in the kitchen, Brother!" her voice rang out cheerfully.
Gray walked in and found her sitting at the table with her feet swinging off the chair. A half-eaten sandwich was in front of her, along with a glass of cold juice. She looked up at him the moment he entered.
"You’re home early, Brother!"
Gray set his bag down and leaned on the back of a chair.
"Yup," he said with a smile. "It’s because we’ve got somewhere to be."
"Where?"
"Selina’s place," he said. "Your brother has something to do."
"Something to do, Brother?" Lily eyed him cluelessly.
Gray nodded and smiled.
"Yes. Your brother got a dress fitting because I have something to attend to next week."
Lily blinked at him. She tilted her head to the side and puffed her cheeks.
"You have something to attend, Brother? What is it? Why am I not included?"
Gray pulled out a chair and sat down across from her. He loosened his collar a little bit and sighed.
"I have a party to attend, Lily. It’s for adults only so I can’t take you with me."
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Woah! A party?! You need to look your best, Brother!"
Gray let out a short laugh. He looked amused at the sudden shift in Lily’s emotions
"Don’t worry, little one. That’s the plan."
She leaned forward with her arms crossed on the table, clearly intrigued.
"Then why are you going to Sister Selina’s unit? Is she a dressmaker now?"
Gray couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. He shook his head and reached out to give her forehead a light flick.
"Drop that playful gaze of yours, stupid," he said, grinning. "No, she’s not a dressmaker. But we’re going together. She hired someone to help make our clothes."
Lily gave a dramatic little gasp as if everything suddenly made sense. But her eyes still twinkled with mischief.
"Hmmm," she hummed suspiciously, narrowing her gaze at him.
Gray raised an eyebrow in warning.
"I’m watching you," she said in a low voice, mimicking a detective.
He flicked her forehead again, a little gentler this time. "Stupid, go eat your food instead. You’re turning into a pig now because you kept on eating."
Lily’s mouth dropped open dramatically.
"How dare you, Brother!"
Gray leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with a smug look on his face. "What can you do now, piggy?"
"Brother! You’re so mean!" she cried, cheeks puffing up as she slammed her juice down like she was declaring war.
Gray just grinned, completely unfazed.
"You’re the one who keeps eating. I’m just pointing out the facts."
Lily narrowed her eyes, suspiciously quiet for a few seconds. She was thinking of how to get back to her brother. Then her expression slowly shifted into something far more dangerous.
She locked eyes with Gray with a mischievous little smirk.
"Oh no," Gray muttered under his breath. "I know that face."
And then, right there at the kitchen table, Lily suddenly broke into song.
Gray froze as her little voice filled the air with theatrical glee.
"Gray and Selina are sitting in a tree~ K-I-S-S-I-N-G~!"
Gray’s eyes widened in pure horror.
"Lily—!"
"First comes love, then there comes marriage!" she continued with full dramatic voice, even swinging her legs faster.
"Lily!" Gray said again, nearly choking on his own breath as he lunged toward her, but she was already slipping off her chair and dashing out of reach, giggling uncontrollably.
"I’m telling Selina you said that!" he called after her.
"Go ahead!" she shouted from the hallway. "Let’s see if you can say it, Brotherrr!"
Gray ran a hand down his face, groaning. He was half-laughing, feeling defeated.
"God help me," he muttered. But even then, he couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
’That little devil.’ He shook his head and proceeded to his room to change.
About an hour later, after Lily had finished her food and Gray had rested and changed into something more casual, the two of them finally made their way across the hall.
Selina’s unit was on the opposite side of the floor, so it was just a short walk away. Gray hadn’t been there once, so he didn’t know what to expect.
They stood in front of the door with Lily beside him. He took a deep breath and knocked lightly.
They didn’t have to wait long.
The door opened with a soft click, and Selina greeted them with a bright and welcoming smile.
"There you are," she said warmly. Her voice was soft, but full of light. After greeting them, she stepped aside to let them in.
"Come in, you two. You’re just in time."
Gray stepped inside with a nod, gently guiding Lily in ahead of him. "Thanks for having us."
Selina waved off the formality with a casual shake of her head. "Don’t be silly. You’re always welcome here."
She turned then, moving ahead of them into the living room. And even though she was clearly dressed plainly, there was something effortlessly graceful about the way she moved.
She wore a loose beige sweater that hung slightly off one shoulder, paired with soft lounge shorts that ended just above the knees. Her blonde hair was tied back in a simple bun, with a few strands falling loose around her face.
There was no makeup on her, no lipstick or foundation. However, despite that, her bare face was glowing, and her skin looked smooth.
Even without trying, she looked put together.
Gray glanced at her from the side as he helped Lily remove her shoes by the entrance.
There was something about Selina as he stared at her.
She looked simple, relaxed, and just... beautiful.