Chapter 67 - 9.8 : Bias Overruling Rationality
The moment Al stepped inside and approached the table—before he could even sit—Clarista was already there to greet him... with a scolding.
"You... are unbelievable! Spying on us from outside?! Is your curiosity about this family really that bad? That desperate for attention? Doing something like this will only make us more uncomfortable with you."
Her voice was loud enough to make a few guests at nearby tables turn their heads. Clarista’s face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from anger.
Normally, Clarista was the calmest, most logical, and hardest-to-provoke among the siblings. But this time—Al could feel her irritation spike sharply. He replied,
"I thought you were the most rational and intelligent one in this family, but I guess you’re no different." His tone was casual.
It sounded insulting, but it was more disappointment than mockery—like a reader who had built up high expectations for a novel, only to be let down when the story failed to deliver.
Clarista bristled at his words. But hearing herself called "rational" triggered a subconscious shift. She assumed the irrational behavior Al referred to meant being impulsive in public. Glancing around, noticing curious stares, she forced herself to calm down and dropped the argument.
In truth, the "irrational" Al meant was her jumping to conclusions without even checking why he had come—instantly assuming he was spying on them.
Fani kept her head low throughout the brief clash. David wore a mask of false pity. The situation felt tangled.
But Al...
...smiled faintly, his gaze settling more on Fani.
He pulled out a chair, sat down, opened the menu, and simply said,