Mirabe was juggling conversations, listening in while texting Grady. He''d already sorted out their amodations and meals.
When she heard Robert speaking, she nced up, "Professor, my family''s here to take me out for dinner. Is it okay if I get back to the hotel a bitter?”
Maybe it was Mirabe''s trustworthy vibe that reassured Robert more than the other three students. After a quick thought, he nodded, "Alright, just keep in touch, okay?"
As the professor in charge, he felt a significant responsibility for their safety.
"Of course, Professor," Mirabe replied, diving back into her messages.
ze and the others exchanged puzzled looks.
"Wait a sec, Mira, you''ve got family here?" ze asked, surprised.
Wasn''t it said that Mira came from a humble background?
"Yeah," Mirabe answered absent-mindedly, glued to her phone and missing her friends'' curious expressions.
It wasn''t until she wrapped up her texting that she noticed their odd looks.
Mirabe touched her face self-consciously, "...What''s up?"
Patrick cleared his throat awkwardly, shaking his head. He didn''t voice the group''s unspoken questions, instead, he smiled, "Nothing, Mira. Your family must be
waiting. You should get going."
Mirabe sensed something was off but decided not to push it since they weren''t sharing.
A few minutester, they found themselves at the airport arrivals area.
From afar, Mirabe spotted Grady in the crowd, his presence somanding that people kept their distance.
She made a beeline with her suitcase, "Grady."
Grady took off his sunsses, reaching out to grab her suitcase. "Long flight, must be tired?"
"Not at all. Thanks foring to pick me up," Mirabe replied warmly.
Grady smiled, then nced at Robert and the others behind her, "These must be your professor and ssmates?"
"Yep," Mirabe confirmed softly.
"Thank you all for looking after Miss Mira on the trip," Grady nodded slightly, his usual sharp demeanor softened.
All those private practices of his ''be gentle'' expression were finally paying off.
Even so, ze and the others couldn''t meet Grady''s eyes, feeling an instinctive sense of awe.
Robert, a bit moreposed, having dealt with influential figures before, kept a calm demeanor,
keptam demeanor, "
kind. It was our pleasu00
MS
ze and Patrick discreetly gave Robert a thumbs-up.
Robert, hiding his sweaty palms behind his back, barely held onto his smile.
"I''ve set up a dinner at the hotel. Please join us," Grady offered, his invitation genuine.
Miss Mira''s standing had to be acknowledged.
Robert was about to refuse, but meeting Grady''s gaze, he heard himself say, "Sure, thank you."
Robert: "!!!"
Satisfied, Grady turned to make a quick call,
giving some h
then said to the group, "The car''s outside. Let''s go."
"Oh, okay," Robert nodded.
The group trailed after Grady out of the airport, still in a daze.
When they stopped in front of a
stretched limousine, they couldn''et
of
hide their shock, their faces astonishment and disbelief.
We