Suddenly, I Am Rich

”She really said that out loud, huh...”

Gray pressed a hand to his face as he sighed. He shook his head in embarrassment. He wanted to go to the living room and scold Lily for what she said, but that would mean admitting that he was listening to their conversation.

He didn’t even need to look at the living room to know that Lily should be grinning like a troublemaker by now.

”You’re embarrassing me already, and it hasn’t even been ten minutes,” he mumbled and let out a sigh.

Still, he smiled a little.

At least Lily has someone to talk to. He was happy to see that she was happy.

From the living room, Selina’s voice sounded in to answer. It was clear enough that it made Gray pause what he was doing.

”Lily, you’re something, you know that?” she said with a light laugh, ”But your brother and I are just friends. Don’t go teasing him too much.”

”But you two look cute together!” Lily replied without missing a chance.

Gray nearly dropped the pan he was holding.

He groaned under his breath and shook his head.

”I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that...”

In the other room, Lily giggled and leaned closer to Selina. ”But do you like my brother, Sister?”

Selina let out a small, surprised laugh.

”You really don’t hold back, do you?”

”Nope,” Lily said proudly.

Gray gave up listening to them. He’d heard enough. He would just be more embarrassed if he continued listening to them. So instead of putting his attention to it, he just returned his gaze to the stove and tried to finish what he was cooking.

He shook his head.

At least they were getting along.

Even if it was at his expense.

The oil sizzled beneath the diced tofu as he stirred it into the pan with the rest of the beef and vegetables. A bit of steam rose up, carrying the scent of garlic, soy, and something slightly sweet.

He hadn’t followed any real recipe; he just cooked by instinct. It was the kind of meal meant to be comforting and filling rather than impressive.

Behind him, the occasional sound of laughter still drifted from the living room, but Gray no longer tried to follow what they were saying. If anything, he deliberately ignored them now.

He moved quietly, setting out three bowls, filling them neatly with food and arranging them on the small dining table in the kitchen nook. It was different from the main dining table that they have.

Once everything was set, he wiped his hands on a dish towel and turned his head toward the living room.

”Lily! Selina! Dinner’s ready,” he called out. ”Come eat before it gets cold.”

Almost instantly, a pair of light footsteps came rushing from the other room. Lily peeked her head around the corner first before stepping out fully. She was smiling widely like she hadn’t just spent the last thirty minutes trying to sabotage Gray’s peace of mind.

”Finally! I’m starving!” she said cheerfully as she made her way to the table.

Selina followed him at a more relaxed pace. She was smiling as she took in the scent of the meal. ”Wow... this smells amazing, Gray.”

”It’s not much,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat across from them. ”But it should be edible.”

”It’s more than enough,” she said, taking her seat next to Lily. ”Thank you for it.”

The three of them sat down, and for a moment, it was quiet. The sound that filled their space was just the clinking of utensils and the warm comfort of shared food.

Thankfully, Lily didn’t bring up anything from earlier. There was no teasing, no boyfriend questions, or anything weird.

Instead, she and Selina naturally drifted into light conversation, like they’d already settled into a world of their own.

”What’s your favorite food, Sister?” Lily asked in between bites.

Selina paused to think.

”Hmm... ramen, probably. Not the instant kind like, the real one with broth that takes hours to make.”

”Oooh, I’ve only had the instant one!” Lily exclaimed. ”Do you have a favorite place?”

”There’s a shop I love downtown,” Selina said, her eyes lighting up. ”It’s tiny, but they make everything from scratch. I used to go there with my grandfather.”

”Can you take me there?” Lily asked without hesitation. ”I want to eat the long-hour soup too!”

Selina laughed, glancing briefly at Gray as if to check his reaction. ”Of course I’ll take you. How about next weekend?”

”Yes!” Lily pumped her fist like she’d just won a prize. ”Brother, she said yes. Did you hear that?”

Gray, who was still chewing, gave her a nod. ”Of course, Lily. I’m right here.”

Lily grinned and returned to her food, clearly already daydreaming about the trip.

Dinner continued that way. It was light, easy, and full of chatter. Most of it was between Lily and Selina, but Gray didn’t mind it. If anything, he preferred it that way. He got to listen, and for once, relax while they were talking.

Even if Lily embarrassed him sometimes, he couldn’t deny that the atmosphere tonight felt good. He took another bite, glanced up at the two of them, and quietly smiled to himself.

Yeah.

This wasn’t a bad way to end the day.

As they continued their dinner, Lily also continued talking, of course. She always had a reserve of energy no one else seemed to match.

Selina sat beside her, arms resting on the table. She had removed her coat earlier, leaving only the dark turtleneck underneath. She looked more relaxed now. Her posture looked a little looser, and her smile was softer.

She was honestly enjoying her time more than she thought.

Her fingers occasionally played with the edge of her glass as she listened to Lily talk about school and her friends, and a new project where she would sing.

After eating, Lily was the one to get all the plates to put it in the sink.

A few more minutes passed, then Selina glanced at the time on her phone. ”It’s getting late,” she said gently. ”I should probably let you guys rest.”

”Aww... already?” Lily pouted.

Selina leaned over and ruffled her hair. ”Don’t worry. We’ll see each other again. I promised you ramen, remember?”

Lily lit up again. ”Yes, Sister! You better not forget!”

”This big sister won’t.” Selina smiled at her.

Gray dried his hands and walked over.

”You want me to walk you to your unit?”

Selina smiled as she got to her feet, slipping her coat back on. ”It’s literally ten steps away.”

”I know,” Gray shrugged. But still.”

Selina chuckled, and after a while, shook her head. ”I’m fine. Just walk me out of the door.”

She turned to Lily and offered her a little wave. ”Thanks for hanging out with me tonight.”

”Come again, Sister!” Lily beamed. ”Anytime!”

”Yes, Lily. I will.” Selina smiled warmly before her gaze turned to Gray.

”Thanks for tonight, Gray.”

”No problem,” he replied and smiled back at her.

Selina gave a small nod and turned to leave. Gray opened the door for her without a word.

He watched as she stepped into the hallway and disappeared behind her door. Then, with a soft click, he shut his own.

The apartment was now quiet again.

Dinner was done, and the dishes were washed by Lily.

Gray exhaled, leaning back slightly against the closed door.

This calm wouldn’t last. After all, he knew for sure that the next days would be troublesome for him.

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A/N: The Chapters got mixed up. Please read the last one again.