chapter 3: the unbreakable trio

Both turned their heads toward the entrance.

There stood Drake, hands shoved into his pockets, his usual poker-faced expression intact.

"Drake!" Kenan stood up and greeted him with a firm hug.

"Welcome back, bro," Drake said, giving him a pat on the back.

Iris grinned, shifting to make space. "Hey, DD! Finally, you're here. I was waiting for you."

Kenan gave her a look. "You call me a reputation freak, but what about this brat?" He chuckled, nodding toward Drake.

She smirked, pressing two fingers to her lips and miming a lock. "Oh, he's my Spike bulldog. I won't say anything about him."

Kenan shook his head with an amused smile.

Drake gave them both a look before speaking flatly, "I'll grab lunch first before you two attract the whole café to us." And with that, he strode toward the reception counter.

Kenan and Iris shared a knowing glance before bursting into laughter.

They were having lunch together, enjoying their usual banter.

Iris leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"KD, those girls are literally eating you with their eyes." She winked, nudging him slightly.

Kenan didn't even bother to glance up from his plate. "Not my concern." He continued eating, unbothered.

But just as Iris smirked, a confident-looking girl approached their table, her heels clicking against the floor.

"Excuse me, can I have your number?" she asked sweetly, twirling a strand of her perfectly curled hair.

Without looking at her, Kenan simply replied, "No."

The girl hesitated but quickly regained her composure. "You won't be disappointed, I promise."

She reached out, about to touch his shoulder, but the moment her fingers neared him, Kenan's gaze snapped toward her. His sharp, ice-cold stare pierced right through her, sending an instant chill down her spine.

She froze......

Her confidence crumbled in seconds under the weight of his intimidating presence.

"Oh... it's fine. I’ll go... Sorry to bother you." She forced an awkward smile before turning on her heels and leaving in a hurry.

Kenan, as if nothing happened, went back to his meal, his expression unchanged. While Drake, who had been watching the scene, shook his head and sighed. "Women are crazy creatures."

Iris gasped dramatically, arching an eyebrow.

"Hey! I'm also a woman. How can you say that?"

Drake smirked, leaning back. "Woman? Come on, you're our bro." He smacked her back playfully.

Iris scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, that's why you only talk to me. Otherwise, you wouldn't even spare a glance at a girl who doesn't call you brother."

She chuckled.

And that was the truth.

Drake had set a strict rule for himself... he only talked to girls who called him 'brother.' In his university, most girls avoided him because who would willingly call a handsome hunk a 'brother' when they wanted something more?

Kenan smirked, taking a sip of his coffee. "Well, I agree with Drake. You are our third bro." He sighed dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. "But people either think you're our sister or my girlfriend. Poor me. Because of you, I'm still single."

Iris rolled her eyes. "Hey, Mr. Rock head..! a girl literally just approached you!"

Before Kenan could respond, Drake cut in, shaking his head. "Correction, please... a gold digger....Not a girl."

Iris scoffed, flipping her hair. "Really? Then what about me? Don't forget that you two always ruin my dates by showing up uninvited."

Kenan smirked. "Dates? Those guys are just loafers who come for flings."

Drake nodded. "Don't worry, girl, we'll find the best guy for you. We won't let you die single." He winked teasingly.

Drake leaned in slightly. "But bro, the problem is… who's going to bear this hydrogen bomb for a lifetime?" He shook his head dramatically.

Kenan clicked his tongue in a fake pity. "That's true, man. This one's a ticking time bomb."

Iris gasped, placing a hand on her chest in a mock offense. "I will have the best man in the world! In fact, you two will take tips from him to make your women happy." She flipped her hair gracefully, as if already imagining the moment.

Kenan exchanged glances with Drake before smirking, then he raised a hand. "Drake, people really started dreaming in broad daylight."

Drake grinned and smacked his palm against Kenan's in a high-five. Right in front of her face.....

Iris clenched her jaw. "Do you two seriously have nothing better to do than pull my leg?!"

Her chair scraped against the floor as she stood up angrily.

Kenan chuckled. "Hey, listen… Iris-"

But she was already stomping toward the exit. Drake, meanwhile, was still laughing. Kenan sighed and got up to follow her, knowing exactly how stubborn she could be.

Just as he was walking past the tables, a sudden force collided into him.

A girl.....

The same one who had asked for his number earlier. She had purposely stepped into his path.

"HEY, MR…!! ARE YOU BLIND?!"

she shouted, making a scene.

Iris, who had already reached the door, paused. She turned around and sighed. "This girl is gone for sure..."

Kenan's jaw clenched as his eyes darkened, his patience already running thin.

The air in the café grew tense in an instant.

Kenan just folded his arms calmly, his sharp gaze fixed on the girl in front of him.

"Why are you bumping into me like a stray dog?" She barked at him.

Drake's eyes widened in shock, while Iris clenched her fists, rage bubbling inside her.

"This bítch-" she muttered, about to storm toward them, but Drake quickly grabbed her arm.

"Cool down, bro, and let's enjoy the show," Drake whispered while smirking.

The girl was still yelling, drawing everyone's attention in the café.

But Kenan?

He stood there, unfazed, his expression as calm as ever, as if her presence barely registered.

"Maybe if you take off your shades, you'd see your surroundings clearly!" she snapped, trying to sound confident.

Kenan tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "I can see clearly with my shades too," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "But you? You can't even see your surroundings properly with those contact lenses."

Her face scrunched in confusion before she frowned.

Kenan took a small step forward, his deep voice lowering slightly, making sure she heard every word. "And that's exactly why everyone here can see that you purposely bumped into me after I refused to give you my contact number."

The girl's cheeks flushed crimson. "What?!" she stammered and was clearly embarrassed.

Iris, unable to hold back, burst into laughter, making the situation even worse for the girl.

The girl shot Kenan an angry glare before turning away in frustration. "Excuse me!" she huffed, about to leave.

Kenan unfolded his arms, his smirk vanishing in an instant..."Excused." His voice was sharp, final.

The girl gritted her teeth. "Bloody unethical man!" she cursed under her breath before stomping out of the café.

Iris wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still laughing. "Did you just see her face?"

Kenan simply shrugged his shoulders, completely unaffected.

Drake shook his head with a small chuckle. "Diplomatic woman."

Iris stretched her arms with a playful yawn. "Anyway, let's go have some ice cream."

Drake ruffled her hair. "Okay, but you're paying."

"Tsk, always saving money," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Because I'm still living on pocket money," Drake teased, pulling her hair strands in a friendly manner. "I'm not earning yet, you know."

Just then, Kenan's phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered. "Yes, Dad?" He listened for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I'll be there in a while." He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

"What happened?" Iris asked, tilting her head.

"You two can go ahead. I have an important meeting," he said, adjusting his coat.

"Okay, see you later!" Iris grinned and hopped into Drake's car.

Drake gave Kenan a nod. "See you at dinner, bro."

"Yeah." Kenan watched as they drove off before turning to his own car.

He ran a hand over the sleek surface of his Blackie before sliding into the driver's seat. "Let's go, baby," he murmured, starting the engine with a smooth roar....

To be continued

.

.

Stay tuned for FL's entry.

Xoxo

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***