Chapter 190: Between Barbecue And Blushes

Kane nearly choked on his coffee.

What was Cyrus doing here? He’d explicitly told him to stay at Veyr Corp with the dragon egg.

Kane left the cafeteria and burst through the BSA’s glass doors.

The afternoon sun hit his eyes as he scanned the parking lot, spotting Cyrus’s familiar silhouette against the black BMW.

"What are you doing here?" Kane jogged over, noting how Cyrus’s expensive suit looked completely out of place among the government vehicles.

"I missed you." Cyrus’s confession cut through Kane’s lecture. "Too much. I couldn’t wait until after work."

Kane blinked. "You... missed me? It’s been like three hours."

"The dragon egg missed you too." Cyrus’s lips twitched with barely contained amusement. "He’s been restless all morning."

"Oh, so now you’re using our hypothetical dragon child to guilt-trip me?"

"I’m ensuring you’re properly fed." Cyrus opened the passenger door. "Not with cold sandwiches and stale coffee from whatever passes for nutrition in that building."

"Cyrus, I can’t just disappear in the middle of—" Kane glanced back at the BSA headquarters.

"Lunch break." Cyrus’s tone brooked no argument. "You’re entitled to actual food."

The caffeine jitters from his morning coffee mixed with something warmer as Kane looked at Cyrus’s expectant expression. Dragons, apparently, were territorial about meal schedules too.

Kane slid into the passenger seat, buckling his seatbelt with a resigned sigh.

"Alright, what did you have in mind?"

"I was hoping you’d have recommendations." Cyrus pulled out of the parking lot with fluid precision. "Something nearby."

Kane rubbed his temple. "There’s pretty good tacos around the corner. Hole-in-the-wall place, but they make everything fresh."

"I’m craving something more substantial." Cyrus’s fingers drummed against the steering wheel.

"Okay..." Kane tried again. "There’s also this Sichuan restaurant about ten minutes away. Amazing mapo tofu, dan dan noodles—"

"Not in the mood for spicy."

Kane’s eye twitched. For someone who breathed literal fire, Cyrus was being remarkably picky about heat levels.

"Fine." Kane’s voice carried an edge of irritation.

"There’s this Korean barbecue spot where I, Rina, and Ginsei used to go after particularly brutal cases. Good galbi, decent banchan, and they don’t ask questions when agents show up looking like they’ve been through a meat grinder."

Cyrus’s expression brightened. "Korean barbecue sounds perfect. I’ve been craving meat all morning."

"Of course you are." Kane muttered, then louder, "It’s called K-pop Kitchen. Take the next left, then go straight for about six blocks."

Cyrus navigated the BMW through midday traffic.

Kane watched familiar neighborhoods blur past, remembering late-night dinners with his colleagues, sharing war stories over sizzling beef and too much soju.

"Something wrong?" Cyrus glanced at him.

"Just thinking about the old days. Before..." Kane gestured vaguely between them. "Before everything got complicated."

"Complicated how?"

Kane’s amber eyes met Cyrus’s in the rearview mirror.

"Before I fell for a dragon who shows up at my workplace because he missed me after three hours."

Cyrus’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Kane groaned, covering his face with his hands. "You’re impossible."

"And yet, here you are."

They pulled into the parking lot of K-pop Kitchen, where neon signs blazed in Korean and English, advertising

"Seoul-style BBQ" and "BTS Burger Special." The building’s exterior was painted in hot pink and electric blue, with larger-than-life posters of K-pop idols plastered across the windows.

Cyrus stared at the facade, his expression carefully neutral. "This is... vibrant."

"Don’t judge." Kane unbuckled his seatbelt. "The bulgogi will change your life."

The interior assault of color and sound hit them immediately. K-pop music thumped from hidden speakers while flat screens played music videos on loop.

Every table had built-in grills, and the walls were covered in autographed photos of various idol groups.

"I feel like I’ve entered an alternate dimension," Cyrus muttered, dodging a life-sized cardboard cutout of a boy band.

"The food is amazing, I promise—" Kane stopped mid-sentence.

At a corner booth, Isabelle sat across from Rina, their heads bent close together in intimate conversation.

Isabelle’s usual severe bun had been loosened, silver hair framing her face softly. Rina laughed at something Isabelle said, her hand briefly covering Isabelle’s on the table.

Kane’s mouth fell open. "Oh."

"What?" Cyrus followed his gaze, then understanding dawned.

"They’re..." Kane is lost for words.

"On a date." Cyrus finished the sentence; his voice held warmth. "Good for them."

A server approached with menus, completely oblivious to Kane’s stunned expression as he processed this unexpected development.

Kane glanced toward Isabelle and Rina’s table, then back to Cyrus. "Should we go say hi? I mean, it’s polite, right?"

"Best not to." Cyrus’s voice was firm but quiet. "They’re clearly enjoying themselves without workplace interruptions."

The server waited patiently with menus clutched in her hands.

"Do you have any private rooms available?" Cyrus asked her, pulling out his wallet. "Something... quieter?"

"Of course! Right this way—"

"Mr. Drakhal?"

Isabelle’s voice cut through the music. Kane turned to see her standing beside their table, her usual composed expression replaced by something almost flustered.

"What a... surprise." Isabelle’s pale eyes darted between them. "I didn’t expect to see you here."

Behind her, Rina approached with obvious reluctance, her face flushed. "Kane. Hi." ℴ

The awkwardness was palpable. Rina fidgeted with her purse strap, avoiding direct eye contact, while Isabelle maintained her professional mask despite the casual setting.

"We were just grabbing lunch," Kane said lamely. Of all the restaurants in Feilun, they had to walk into this one.

"As were we." Isabelle’s tone was carefully neutral. "Just... catching up."

Rina’s face grew redder.

The server looked between all four of them, clearly confused by the tension.

Rina cleared her throat, her cheeks still burning.

"You know what? We’re not strangers here." Rina’s words tumbled out before she could stop them. She gestured toward the empty seats at their booth.

"Korean barbecue is always better with more people to share the grilling duties."

"Rina’s right," Isabelle said, her voice carefully measured. "The portions here are quite generous for sharing."

She gestured toward the booth, though Kane caught the slight tension in her shoulders.

"It would be... efficient to combine our orders." Isabelle’s pale eyes met Cyrus’s briefly.

"If you don’t mind the company."