Charles leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin as if choosing his words. "You must have found my request rather sudden, but as I said, I have an offer for you."
"Right," she nodded. "You did say that."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "What do you think about quitting your job and working for me instead?"
Needless to say, Kaija froze in place.
Good thing she had set the tea aside. Otherwise, she might have choked on the boba.
"Me? Working for you?" Her brow drew together. "Like… how?"
"KE is always in need of rising talent," he explained slowly. "Musical talent, specifically. We manage many successful solo artists as well as idol groups. You might have heard."
"But, Mr. Kosonen," she said, raising a brow, "may I remind you that I'm not qualified for anything related to the entertainment industry?"
His lips curved into a faint smile, his tone as serious as ever. "But we both know that isn't entirely true, don't we?"
For a moment, Kaija didn't respond.
She simply stared at him, blue eyes wide with shock.
"Mr. Kosonen," she said at last, "you've been to one of my gigs?"
"I have," he confirmed. "And you were sensational."
Silence settled over the table once more, and the two of them exchanging nothing but that equally intense look.
After a long while, the intensity in her eyes faded, replaced by boredom, and an obvious loss of interest.
"Listen, Mr. Kosonen," she said flatly. "I only did those singing gigs to cover my living expenses during my college years, and for fun, not as a serious career.
"My mom always told me my singing was average at best, and truth be told, I have no desire to compete with all the insanely gorgeous, talented people in the entertainment industry.
"I appreciate your high regard for me, but I'm afraid I must decline your kind offer."
Charles smile faded at her response.
Not only was he confident that the label he had managed for the past ten years was reputable enough to persuade her with its name alone, he also knew for certain that every artist out there would die to be signed under it, given how many successful artists it had produced over the years.
"Why don't we forget about it for now and just enjoy the food, and this amazing boba tea?" he said, lifting his glass again.
"Ah, yeah, of course," she nodded coolly, taking another sip of her five-star hotel boba tea.
The rest of the dinner passed in awkward silence, with Kaija quietly chewing the duck, while Charles enthusiastically worked his way through the boba.
As much as he wanted to push, hearing the disinterest in her voice made him know better than to test his luck.
He would rather make a good impression during this long-awaited dinner first, then wait for a second one, learn what she liked, what she disliked, and gradually find his way to changing her mind.
When dinner was over and he walked her out, that uncomfortable silence still settled heavily between them.
They were standing side by side at the hotel entrance now, and the chauffeur should arrive within a few minutes to take her home.
"I don't mind," Kaija said lightly. "My boyfriend smokes all the time."
Though she had already broken up with Niklas, given how she had just rejected Charles's offer and the awkward air between them, she felt no reason to explain the whole situation to the man she might never meet again further.
No expression showed on Charles's face at her reply, though inside, that sour feeling began gnawing at him again.
"Would your boyfriend mind if he found out you went to dinner with me?" Charles asked, lighting his cigarette.
"I don't think he would," she said with a small shrug. Then her gaze turned to him. "Would your girlfriend mind?"
The cigarette stiffened in his hand. "I think you must be mistaken," he said flatly. "I'm not in a relationship with anyone right now."
"Oh." She glanced away. "Sorry. It's just… whenever I read the news, I always see you with some model, singer, or actress. I had no idea you weren't with anyone."
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
What an ironic feeling it was, being the man behind one of the biggest news outlets in the country, yet having it filled with nothing but rumors about his love life.
"What else does the news say about me?" he pressed, taking a slow drag.
"Well…" she drawled, recalling what she'd heard, "I often hear that you're one of the most sought-after bachelors in the country.
"That you're already thirty-eight, rich, successful, and yet still unmarried.
"Some say your standards are so high that no woman could ever meet them.
"Others say you just enjoy being single too much to even think about settling down."
Now, Charles's expression began to twitch more visibly.
It turned out the impression she had of him was far worse than he had initially imagined.
After a long exhale into the night air, he turned to her and asked, "Ms. Sepala, will you be on flight STAR420 on Monday next week?"
She pulled out her phone and checked her schedule. "Yes, Mr. Kosonen. I will. Why?"
He stepped a little closer. "When I see you on that flight, I hope you'll change your mind."
She gave him no reply.
The limousine arrived just as he finished speaking.
"Goodbye, Mr. Kosonen," she said, slipping inside without another glance back.
The limousine drove away.
At the hotel's entrance, Charles Kosonen stood watching as the vehicle drove the girl away.
He took another drag of his cigarette and released it unhurriedly, savoring it. The white exhale drifted into the cool night air.
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
The girl had openly declined his offer. Not once, but twice. A stronger, more deliberate approach must be taken into consideration.
The call was picked up immediately.
"Listen up," he said, taking another drag, "there's a play I have in mind, and I need you to find someone who can act it well."
"What sort of play, boss?" the person on the other end asked.
His lips curled into a mischievous smirk, voice low. "One that involves an emergency exit… and might cause an airline a tiny bit of damage."