Alex stirred on the soft and comfortable bed of his apartment in the city. Still lying face down, he turned to the side, and looked at the morning light through the moving curtains. It was warm, because it was coming from a sun just beginning its daily tour, and it was even more hazy, after passing through the curtains with a simple design.
Alex blinked, then yawned, before he pushed himself up, then got off the bed. He threw a glance at the french window which, despite what happened two nights ago, had a small gap to let in the air which was less polluted at that height.
Like an act of defiance that dared what happened two nights ago to happen again.
Alex's gaze lingered on the gap letting the wind in to ruffle the curtains, then he went into the bathroom. He didn't take long inside, coming out soon to make a beeline for the kitchen. He prepared himself a breakfast for lazy people, one that needed little to no effort, and very little time, then went to the balcony connected to the living room with his bowl of cereal swimming in milk and his bright red, juicy apple.
He ate while feeling the warmth of the nascent sun on his skin. Alone up in the sky, he enjoyed the peaceful feeling from the calm vitality preceding the harsh heat that would characterize the day. He didn't eat too fast, finishing just as the sun's vigor started showing. He took a deep breath as he faced the burning celestial body, feeling his body getting a share of its vigor, then stood up to return inside.
Half an hour later, he came out of the elevator casually dressed, and walked into the underground parking lot of the apartment building. He drove out soon after, the gold-framed sunglasses in his breast pocket earlier now perched on his nose, perfectly bringing out his charm as a playboy.
Unfortunately, it was too early, and there were not many beauties to charm along the way, so he did not lower his window to avoid getting drunk on smog.
The traffic was just getting filled up when Alex arrived at a huge building that looked like a football stadium, one of the biggest kind, but only in shape. Moreover, it was taller, its facade shining softly with the reflected sunlight, and looking like a jewel.
Passing by the building, its entrance in front was huge, with, atop it, words big enough to be seen from afar reading 'K World Mall'. He turned around, took a sideroad, and drove inside the belly of the building, before taking the elevator, and coming out on the second floor.
The shops around were already open, and traffic was already picking up. After a short walk and a few turns, Alex arrived at a sports center, and walked inside.
The male and the female receptionists at the desk stood up, and bowed:
"Good morning Mr Lenner. Welcome to 'K World Sports Center'." × 2
"Morning, guys."
Alex paused in his steps, and immediately changed his direction. He went to lean on the reception desk with his elbow, facing the female receptionist, and took off his sunglasses, before replying with a smile:
"Ah, Stephany! You are as beautiful as always."
Alex's eyes roamed over the body of the young woman, lingering on the cleavage exposed through the v-shaped collar of the t-shirt of the sports center during her bow.
Stephany stood up, trying to hide her shy smile, as well as the light blush taking over her cheeks. She breathed in to keep her composure and try to keep the warmth rising inside her body in check:
"Mr Lenner, please don't tease me."
Alex raised an eyebrow, and his smile deepened, before he said with appreciation in his eyes:
"Who said I'm teasing you? You are the only reason I keep coming here! How was your weekend without me?"
Stephany's blush darkened, and she averted her eyes. Only then did she mustered enough strength to reply:
"I was on rest this weekend, and I mostly stayed at home."
Alex eyes showed a slight shock, then he seemed overcome with regret, because he sighed in the next moment:
"Sigh… Now I regret going on a trip this weekend. Had I known, I would have invited you out. At worst you could have with me. Sigh, what a pity…"
Stephany struggled to contain her smile as her heart pounded fiercely under the heat of the gaze on her. Alex's smile deepened, with a hint of roguish charm that was the prelude for something more than simple teasing. But before he could speak, he was interrupted by the voice of the male receptionist who he had been depriving of his attention:
"Good morning Dr Cullman. Welcome to 'K World Sports Center'."
Startled, Stephany worked to hurriedly regain her composure and do her job.
"Welcome to 'K World Sports Center', Dr Cullman."
"Good morning, Kyle, Stephany."
Alex rolled his eyes at the voice that came from behind him. The young woman's attention shifted away from him, but he didn't forget to follow her movement with his eyes, and catch the hidden, difficult to see scenery that appeared again. It was only when she straightened her upper body again and took back the magnet that he turned to look back.
He glared at the almost thirty years old owner of the sun-like blond hair who had broken the atmosphere he had carefully weaved, before he turned around while making his displeasure obvious:
"Gawain Cullman, from now on, we are not friends anymore."
He glared at Kyle, then winked at Stephany and he wore his sunglasses again while mouthing a 'see you later' at her, before he left with a dashing look.
The blond doctor seemed used to Alex's antics. He followed him inside, and caught up in a few steps:
"Do you really have to flirt with every woman you see?"
Alex replied without missing a beat:
"Only with the beautiful ones."
"Is it really that interesting to focus on the opposite sex?"
Alex glanced sideways at Gawain:
"Not everyone is a monk like you. Moreover, aren't you a doctor? Don't you know the instinct of all living beings to reproduce?"
Gawain looked at Alex, then shook his head:
"And despite how proactive you are, I have yet to see you have a son or a daughter. Are you sure you are doing it for reproduction?"
Alex rolled his eyes:
"It is because I am too young for that. I have to enjoy my life first. Moreover, I'm only the third child in the family. The first two can give mother grandchildren to play with."
Gawain gave Alex a look of mild disdain:
"Do you need women to enjoy life?"
Alex wasn't fazed. He replied with a smile:
"Yes, we all know that Dr Cullman is serious, and only needs his job to be happy. Women will only slow down the speed of your brain, and lower the dexterity of your fingers, so you have decided to remain single for life."
Gawain turned his head away:
"So what if I remain single all my life?"
Alex simply smiled.