Chương 40: Invitation

Ch 40 - Invitation For a second, Evan thought he was still dreaming. He stared at Carmen in silence before reaching out and pinching her cheek.

"Ow! What was that for?" Carmen cried, slapping his hand away.

"Just checking whether I'm dreaming or not," Evan said.

"Shouldn't you pinch yourself instead?"

"Why would your father invite my brother and me?" Evan asked. As far as he knew, the Ruiz family was a massive business conglomerate specializing in technology. Like most major corporations, they had close ties to guilds, Awakeners, and the government, but that still didn't explain why they would be interested in the two of them. Carmen shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe your stunt impressed my father enough. So, are you going to accept it or not?" Frowning, Evan considered the offer. His first instinct was to refuse, but the invitation itself was too strange to ignore. Was the Ruiz family trying to curry favor with Skybreak by recruiting Reid? If so, it didn't make much sense. Reid was an A-rank Healer, but Skybreak already had one. Why would they go out of their way to invite both brothers to a Foundation Gala?

"I'll have to ask my brother first," Evan said.

"Okay. Just let me know by this afternoon. We'll be leaving this evening," Carmen replied.

"Seriously?" Evan rubbed a hand over his face. He had been looking forward to spending the academy's short break catching up on sleep after everything that had happened. He really should have known better. No rest for the wicked. With his holiday thoroughly ruined, Evan took a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes before making his way to Reid's room. After knocking on the door, it didn't take long for his brother to answer, looking as neat and well put together as ever.

"Evan? I thought you were going to sleep in today," Reid said.

"I was, but Carmen ruined that plan," Evan replied as he strolled inside and promptly threw himself onto Reid's bed. Reid simply smiled before taking a seat at the desk.

"So, what happened?"

"She said her father invited us to a Foundation Gala, though she doesn't even know why," Evan said.

"I was about to turn it down, but I figured I should ask what you think first." Reid's eyebrows rose before a thoughtful frown settled on his face.

"That is... unexpected."

"Right? What could a bunch of rich people possibly want with us?" Evan grumbled.

"Did they really like the show I put on in the arena?" Resting a hand against his chin, Reid quietly considered the invitation. Evan blinked. Was this really something that required so much thought? The only reason he hadn't turned Carmen down on the spot was because Reid had also been invited, and it would've been rude not to mention it first. As far as Evan was concerned, declining the offer and spending the rest of the break catching up on sleep sounded infinitely more appealing.

Rubbing shoulders with wealthy elites wasn't anywhere on his list of priorities. Before Reid had a chance to respond, Evan's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, saw Hiroto's name, and answered.

"Hello?"

"Evan, sorry to bother you, but... could I ask you for a favor?" Hiroto asked.

"What happened?" Evan sat up, a frown forming on his face. Don't tell me Reika couldn't accept losing and decided to take it out on Hiroto.

"I was wondering if you could accompany me to the Ruiz Foundation Gala." Evan froze. First Carmen, and now Hiroto? Why were rich kids suddenly asking him to accompany them everywhere? Since when had he become everyone's emotional support human?

"Why?" he asked.

"I unexpectedly found out I have to attend the Ruiz Foundation Gala, but I don't think I can go by myself," Hiroto admitted.

"It's completely fine if you say no. I don't want to pressure you." Evan let out a long, weary sigh. No pressure? Of course there was pressure. He was still trying to help Hiroto grow stronger, and now that the other boy was asking for his support, how was he supposed to refuse? Even if Evan wanted nothing to do with the Foundation Gala, it looked like he would be going whether he liked it or not. Sensing his annoyance, the System decided to make its presence known. [(≖ᴗ≖✿)] Shut up and go back to being silent.

"Hiroto asked you to go?" Reid asked.

"Your brother is there?" Hiroto added from the other end of the call.

"Yup and yup." Evan switched the call to speaker mode.

"Here's the thing. Carmen invited me to this Foundation Gala because her father apparently wants to meet us. I was asking Reid what he thought about it when you suddenly called asking me to go too."

"Oh... sorry?" Hiroto said apologetically.

"It's fine. I can see why you'd want me there after everything that happened," Evan replied, though part of him was beginning to wonder whether challenging Reika had really been worth all the trouble it had caused.

"We should go," Reid said after a moment.

"Think of it as a new experience." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Really?" Evan narrowed his eyes. His brother had spent far too long thinking about the invitation for there not to be something he wasn't telling him.

"Really," Reid repeated with an easy smile. Evan was tempted to press him for answers, but ultimately decided against it. There had to be a reason Reid was keeping quiet, and it wasn't as though he was dying to know. Besides, if anything troublesome happened, Reid would probably handle it before Evan even realized there was a problem.

"So... you two are coming?" Hiroto asked hopefully.

"Looks like it."

"Great!" With the decision made, Evan sent Carmen a message letting her know. She replied almost immediately with nothing more than a thumbs-up emoji. Planning to enjoy what little freedom he had left before being forced to attend a party full of wealthy socialites, Evan headed back to his room and flopped onto his bed. He hadn't even gotten comfortable before another knock sounded at the door.

"What now?!" he groaned as he yanked it open.

"Let's go," Carmen said.

"Go where? Didn't you say we're leaving this evening?"

"Yeah, but do you seriously think you're wearing that?" Her gaze swept over Evan's wrinkled hoodie and faded jeans.

"We need to get you some decent clothes." Evan's expression twisted in disgust.

"I hate rich people."

"Cheer up. Just enjoy the novelty while it lasts," Carmen said with a grin.

"Besides, you're getting a free designer suit out of it."

"What makes you think I even like suits?!" Despite his protests, Evan still found himself dragged away by Carmen, and Reid wasn't spared either. Unlike Evan, though, his brother accepted his fate without the slightest complaint. A sleek black sedan whisked them away from the academy before pulling up outside an exclusive luxury boutique. Large display windows showcased impeccably tailored suits beneath warm lighting.

The boutique manager was already waiting at the entrance, greeting Carmen with a respectful nod before personally escorting them through the showroom and into a spacious private fitting room, where racks of premium suits and a team of master tailors awaited them. Evan barely had time to object before he was surrounded.

One tailor wrapped a measuring tape around his shoulders while another jotted down his measurements, and a stylist cycled through jacket after jacket, scrutinizing each fit before reaching for the next.

"Stand still, please."

"Lift your arms."

"And turn around." They shuffled him around so much that Evan might as well have been a mannequin in a storefront display. Whenever one stylist seemed satisfied, another would step in to adjust his collar, smooth out a wrinkle, or swap the jacket for a different one as though he were part of an exhibit rather than an actual human being. Across the room, Reid stood patiently with his arms slightly outstretched while another tailor worked around him.

After taking his measurements, the stylists helped him into several jackets one after another. Unlike Evan's, nearly every suit fit him perfectly, needing only a few quick adjustments before the tailors nodded in satisfaction.

"The charcoal?"

"Let's compare it with the navy."

"The charcoal has the stronger look." Reid accepted every suggestion with his usual polite smile, while Evan watched in mild disbelief, silently wondering how preparing for a gala had somehow turned into a full-blown fashion show. Once they'd settled on their outfits, the tailors pinned the necessary alterations and disappeared with the suits. Just over an hour later, they returned with the freshly pressed garments, making a few final adjustments before declaring everything ready.

Evan, meanwhile, felt thoroughly exhausted despite having done almost nothing himself.

"You look good," Reid said, scanning Evan from head to toe.

"That's unfortunate," Evan replied.

"I was hoping I'd look terrible enough to get out of this." The only time Evan had ever worn a suit before was when he was desperately trying to find a job. It had been a cheap, oversized thing that barely fit him, bought purely because apparently looking "professional" was supposed to magically convince recruiters he was worth hiring.

Wearing one again only reminded him of those miserable days spent sitting through endless interviews, chasing vague promises of employment while being dragged from one recruiter to another, only to end up right back where he started.

"Stop slouching," Carmen said, giving him a light smack on the back to straighten his posture. Evan glared at her and slouched even more out of spite. Rolling her eyes, Carmen left him alone and went to speak with the stylists. After a brief exchange, they packed away their tools and garment bags before taking their leave. Catching Evan fidgeting with his collar, Carmen let out a sigh.

"Do you hate wearing suits that much?"

"It's choking me," Evan complained.

"No, it isn't. That thing was customized specifically for you, so stop being dramatic and try to be more like your brother." Carmen pointed toward Reid, who stood there looking as though he belonged on a red carpet.

"Comparing anyone to my brother is unfair, and you know it," Evan said. Reid chuckled.

"It's okay. You can take it off for now. We probably won't leave until five, right, Ms. Ruiz?"

"Just call me Carmen," she replied.

"And yes, the helicopter will pick us up at five."

"Great!" Without another word, Evan removed the suit and changed back into his comfortable clothes.

"You're impossible," Carmen said, shaking her head. When they returned to the academy, Evan dragged himself back to his room and flopped onto his bed, determined to enjoy every remaining second of freedom before being forced to attend the gala. He spent the next few hours doing absolutely nothing, letting his mind go blissfully blank for once, until his phone finally buzzed with a message from Carmen. [We're leaving in half an hour. You better be ready.] Evan groaned but eventually dragged himself out of bed and changed back into the suit he had already grown tired of wearing. He had barely finished adjusting his clothes when another knock sounded at his door. At this point, Evan was starting to wonder if removing the door entirely would be more convenient since everyone seemed determined to treat his room like a public hallway anyway. However, the moment he opened the door and saw Reid standing there, his irritation faded.

"You're already changed. I thought I might need to help you," Reid said.

"I'm not that incompetent," Evan replied. Reid stepped inside and gestured for him to come closer. He pulled out a small jar of pomade, earning a suspicious look from Evan.

"Do I really have to wear that?"

"An order from Carmen," Reid said.

"Come on, I won't use much. We just need to look a little more presentable." Grumbling under his breath, Evan eventually gave in and let Reid style his hair. The product tamed his messy waves, pushing them slightly away from his face while leaving a few loose strands around his forehead and neck. After that, Reid fixed Evan's suit one last time, straightening his collar and adjusting the fit.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you look like this," Reid said, tilting his head as he examined his work.

"Enjoy it while you can. If I have any say in it, I'm never wearing this again," Evan replied. The two brothers left Evan's room and met up with Carmen, who led them to the academy helipad. Waiting there was a luxury helicopter, its sleek metallic exterior gleaming beneath the evening light. Inside, the cabin resembled a high-end lounge more than an aircraft, no doubt driving the already ridiculous price even higher.

As the aircraft lifted into the sky and Nova Terra stretched out beneath them, Evan could only wonder what new form of suffering awaited him at the gala.