ASTRID sliced a piece of beef from his own plate and ate it. He glanced at the two people sitting across from him. Kiran was talking to Shir, enthusiastically telling him how good each dish was, clearly trying to make sure Shir knew he had chosen an excellent restaurant. Kiran looked visibly happy every time Shir gave him the tiniest bit of attention. Astrid also saw the corner of Shir's mouth turn up in a small smile, clearly watching Kiran with amusement.
On the surface, it looked like Kiran was simply being an attentive employee to his agency's owner. But Astrid could tell it was more than just professional courtesy. There was a distinct spark in Kiran's eyes whenever he spoke to Shir or looked his way. The more surprising detail, however, was Shir's reaction. He showed no sign of being bothered by Kiran's attention. Instead, he seemed quietly entertained by it, even encouraging it with his small smiles and patient listening.
