"Hey Ruby, I've arrived in front of your apartment," Jay announced.
It was now 6:50 PM, with about 10 minutes left before their scheduled meeting time. Jay patiently waited outside Ruby's apartment gate.
Blue Lake Apartments is a newly developed apartment complex near Jay's residence. It consists of three towers, with the 30th floor being the highest.
Blue Lake Apartments also has a residential area consisting of regular housing units divided into several clusters.
It's currently quite popular, but due to its relatively high price, it's selling slower than other apartment units.
"Tuk... Tuk... Tuk!" the sound of footsteps could be heard, and from the entrance gate, a beautiful woman in her early 30s with long hair and glasses was seen walking gracefully toward Jay.
At approximately 170 cm tall, with a captivating figure, she looked absolutely stunning, especially in the black midi dress she was wearing.
Making the woman's appearance even more striking.
On the other hand, Jay, who was about to meet Ruby, was dressed casually in blue jeans and a green short-sleeved shirt, paired with sporty shoes and a casual watch. Jay looked quite attractive.
"Hello... are you Jay?" A soft, gentle voice greeted Jay.
And after confirming that the voice belonged to the charming woman approaching him, Jay smiled and replied.
"Is that you, Ruby? What a surprise, you're such a charming woman," Jay replied, returning Ruby's greeting.
"Yeah, you're not bad, Jay. You seem quite sweet as a man," Ruby replied casually.
"Okay, then let's have dinner, and I'll show you where the restaurant you recommended is," Jay replied, immediately asking Ruby to tell him the location of the recommended restaurant, as they were outside the apartment gate and could attract quite a bit of attention.
So, to avoid any unnecessary hassle, Jay chose to chat with Ruby further at the recommended restaurant.
"Okay, let me show you. It's not far from the apartment, just a few hundred meters," Ruby replied.
"Then you won't mind riding my scooter, right, Ruby?" Jay then spoke teasingly.
He knew Ruby's impression of him might be slightly tarnished by picking her up on a regular scooter, but why?! Jay thought sooner or later she'd be able to afford a better car or vehicle.
But more than that, this scooter he was riding held memories that couldn't be erased easily, as it was a gift from his parents when he graduated from college.
"No problem, isn't it faster, and easier to find parking?" Ruby seemed unconcerned and gently sat on Jay's scooter.
Unexpectedly, a soft arm appeared to pinch his clothes.
Seeing this, Jay smiled and leisurely sped off towards the restaurant Ruby was headed to.
Throughout the journey, Jay and Ruby didn't speak much, only occasionally a faint scent of roses wafted into Jay's nose. The scent calmed Jay, and the atmosphere between them became more subdued.
They soon arrived in front of the restaurant Ruby had recommended. As soon as Jay saw the restaurant, he immediately realized it was quite famous in the area.
This restaurant serves a variety of specialties from Central and East Java as its main dishes.
The menu features crispy fried chicken, honey-fried duck, fragrant grilled fish, and several other mouth-watering traditional dishes.
Besides its delicious flavors, the affordable prices and excellent service have made this restaurant a favorite among locals.
After sitting at an empty table, Jay and Ruby began choosing their dishes.
"Okay, you can order first," Jay handed them the menu.
"Ummm... Okay... let me see..." Ruby soon began choosing some of the dishes.
"A portion of spiced rice, plus a portion of crispy fried chicken thigh, red chili sauce, and some fresh vegetables (meaning cucumber, lettuce, and basil, served raw and washed) would complement the meal like a salad in Western cuisine.
Another addition would be a portion of sour soup, and some fried tofu and tempeh...Okay, you can order next," Ruby said.
She handed the menu back to Jay.
"I didn't expect you to eat quite a lot, Ruby," Jay teased, seeing the food she'd ordered.
"I'm hungry... and I haven't had a substantial meal since noon, so now's the time to recharge... besides, you shouldn't mind seeing a beautiful woman like me eat so much, right?!" Ruby teased again, her tone casual and slightly embarrassed.
For some reason, Ruby felt a little embarrassed, but she also hoped to show Jay her true self.
"Of course not. I feel like women with a good appetite are those who care about themselves, so don't worry about it," Jay replied casually, though inside he was saying (I know now where that D-cup comes from... apparently it's due to good nutrition, Jay praised himself).
"I'll have the fried duck with plain rice, with green chili sauce and tempeh as a side dish, and a side of vegetables, too," Jay then finished his order.
The waiter quickly processed their orders. While waiting, Jay asked for a glass of warm orange juice, while Ruby asked for a glass of mango juice.
While waiting for their food, the two of them chatted again about various things, including the reason Ruby had come to live in his hometown.
"Ruby, didn't you say you came to my hometown to find peace? What happened to your previous residence?" Jay asked, curious.
"Well, how should I put it, it could be said that it had something to do with my family pressuring me to get married," Ruby replied.
"Ohhh... I understand that feeling." Hearing the reasoning behind it, Jay realized that there was something like that. And it seemed natural for Ruby to have to move.
"How do you know? Were you also pressured by your family?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Yes, at first, it was the same as yours. My family pressured me, but that was a few years ago, and now they don't care anymore," Jay replied again with a small smile.
"Ehhh...how can that be? Come on, tell me how to make your parents stop caring about this marriage?" Ruby asked quickly, as if she saw the solution she had been searching for.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Jay asked with a reserved smile, still keeping the secret behind his answer.
"Of course...why are you hesitating to tell me, Jay...aren't we good friends...come on, tell me..." She said pleadingly to Jay.
"Okay...I'll tell you...but let's eat first...I'm hungry," she saw the waiter who had arrived with their food.