Meet Lance Montgomery

After the closing ceremony, Kinrue along with other four women went to the meeting place of their group date. They go there twenty minutes earlier than the meeting time so Cassandra, Kathy and Ashley use that spare time to fix themselves in the comfort room while Camie and Kinrue sits quietly on their table.

A complete silence lingers between them, even though Camie wants to asked questions she didn't dare to open her mouth rather watch Kinrue taking a sip on the juice they ordered. She's been quiet than usual since the encounter with Raven.

Despite the ruckus and statement she left to him, she's still thinking of the man.

Camie heaves a sigh because of the thought running in her mind.

"Rue, there's really a strange atmosphere between you and Raven even before. Do you mean it?  I mean when you said, you'll break up with him? Besides, since when that bastard start hitting you?" She asked.

"He rarely hit me physically."

"You..."

"The sh*thead's too kind, it's the reason why his slap hurts so much than a thousand of punches from other man."

"Rue, don't tell me you'll accept his apology and come back to him?"

Kinrue smiles and look at the ring on her ring finger. "We tied with the Class 11-A, during the year level booth competition. I worked extra hard so I need to take my reward from him."

"What's with the reward?"

"It's a date."

"Date? There's many man around here, you don't need him so stop seeing him." Camie said as she tousle her hair out of frustration.

"It's time to sort things out between us. We've played for a long time, it's time to take a serious move. It's now or never, so I'll take the risks. You don't need to worry, everything's going as I planned."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Camie, let's just not talk about him." She said, giving her a smile and take another sip on the juice.

They didn't talk again until the rest came back.

Few minutes passed, a group of men came from behind. Kathy waves her hand to catch their attention and it took a second before they recognized each other.

They're all tall mens with an alluring face, wearing a casual clothes as if they endorsing it. All of them seems walking on a runway that made the three women jaw drop on the ground except to Camie and Kinrue who just take a single glance. There's a total of five men like Cassandra said before, but among those men, the most outstanding one is the man sitting across Kinrue. Even without taking a glance, his charisma and presence can be sense by anyone. She also noticed his gaze towards her, so she look at him straight to his eyes, but he just smile.

The other introduced themselves to each one of them so Kinrue too. But as soon as the man in front introduce himself, she flinches and stare at him.

He's Lance Montgomery, the youngest son of Montgomery family. They're the top 3 elite rank, next to Leroux family. Although they landed as a third rank, their presence, influence and power has only a little difference from the upper rank. Many people respected them on their leadership. Kinrue, even though she didn't attend an elite social gathering for almost six years, she has still a lot of information in regards of this man.

He's well-known as a hidden gem of Montgomery.

At his young age, he handles the subsidiary company of their family and later on made his own. Despite of it, he's a player. He dated a lot of woman at the age of 15 and throw them away if he's tired like a toy.

There's nothing good about his personality except to his intelligence.

Amidst reminiscing the information stuck on her mind, Kinrue startle when he suddenly grab her hand and kiss the back of it.

"It's a pleasure to meet a young lady like you, Ms. Him—I mean Ms. Cienfuegos." She flinches and take back her hand as soon as she heard him almost say Himura.

"Rue, do you know him?" Camie asked.

"H-huh? N-no... How can I know someone whom I just met? He's just weird." She said, avoiding Lance gaze.

"I'm sorry girls for my abrupt action, she looks like someone I know and it's almost six years since she left." Lance explained, chuckling.

"Anyway, since we're done with introduction we should eat then let's decide who'll date among us? Do you agree with it?" Kathy said.

"Good idea."

Kinrue glance towards the man in front again and saw him staring at her before looking to other women. A playful grin escape his mouth as he look back at her.

"It seems like there's something wrong with all of this." Lance said. It made the rest of them look at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, man?"

"I'm not sure if I can lie any longer, but all these ladies seems a good one so I wonder why do you need to hi—"

Kinrue stands up slamming both her hands on the table that startle even those people on the nearby table. She glare towards the man who didn't even flinch rather give an annoying smile.

"Let's talk outside."

"We're not even starting, but you want to be alone with me? You're too bold."

"Stop blabbering and come with me."

"Fine. Please, excuse us for a moment."

Kinrue walk ahead of him outside the restaurant without turning back. Both fists clenched tight while her face turns dim. It's as if a black aura emits from her body.

As soon as they reach outside, she looks for a place that has few people. They end up walking in an alleyway between the restaurant they're in and a fast-food chain. It's dark and narrow place, but they can hear less noise from outside besides no one's there to interrupt or eavesdrop on them.

"We can just talk inside, why did you bring me on this stinky place? It smells like a rotten garbage." The man said.

"Shut the crap. Who told you to go here? You already know I'm Shenrue Himura, right? Did Maru told you to come meet me? Watch over me?" She turn to his direction, giving him a death glare. But the man chuckles and look away. "F*ck! Tell me, what the hell's you're up to? A high rank elite like you, who has nothing to do in this country won't come here and waste time for nothing. Do you take me for a fool?"

She couldn't restrain herself anymore and grab his collar, pinning him on the wall. Both their gazes met, but no one dares to look away. One's full of anger and confusion and the other is full of excitement and expectation.

"It seems like Maru's right, his pet has a bad temper and always bursting out in front of others." He said, chuckling. It made Kinrue annoyed and tighten the grip on his collar.

"Why did you come here?" She asked again in a low stern tone.

"I came here to see my fiancee to be, I'm sure your sister mention it already when you'd met. Don't be mad and calm down, Maru didn't break any of his words. I'm the one who insists to see you here."

He grab both her hand, putting it down as she tries to analyze the words he blurted out.

After a few seconds, a forced laugh escape from Kinrue's mouth as she take a two step backward while the man still holding her hand.

"F-Fiance? It's right, Ruen mention it before. A man from the 3rd high ranking elite, so it's you?"

"I didn't expect this lame reaction from you. You change to a cat from being a tiger unlike before."

Kinrue heaves a sigh, turning her look away. "It's nonsense to react about this ridiculous situation, either I'm mad or regret it, I don't have such rights to go against my family. Besides, sooner or later we're still bound to meet each other."

"You're right. The Himura Family hides your situation well, we're all got fooled that you're focused on studying abroad so you insist to take a hiatus in the industry. In the second quarter of this year, we received an invitation from your family and told us they want to arrange our marriage. I was dumbfounded, but it sounds thrilling to be a member of a 1st ranking elite. You sure live in different world."

"Only a fool will take a step on that golden ladder, the more you move forward, the more you leave some piece of yourself. You're a smartass so you get what I mean, right?" She hissed before pulling her hands away from his grip.

"I wonder, why Maru strictly told me not to listen in any words you say? But I guess you have a dangerous mouth and always blurting out something you shouldn't say to anyone." He said. "You know the rule of elite, right? You mustn't speak something about the situation behind the curtain. Every elite has a secret and caught up situation, a dirty tricks that only a member of the family knows. For the purpose of protecting themselves, they made these rules mandatory."

"Why? You'll tell it to Maru? Go on and do your job as a watcher."

Lance let out a short laugh before tucking a strand of hair behind her ears and raise up her chin to match their gazes. "It's true Maru's one of the reason I'm here, but my only job is to get along with you."

"Liar."

"He told me to say this words to you, Catch the rats sneaking around you, I'm losing my patience." She flinches upon hearing the words he said. "Do you still think I'm a liar? He said, once I deliver those words, you'll know what to do next."

"I'm aware so stop touching me with your filthy hands."

"Well, if we're done clearing everything up between us then let's go back. I'm hungry."

Kinrue take a heavy breathe as she watch the man walk back inside the restaurant. Lance seems not lying on his words before, but she still need to be extra careful.

"Hey, are you not coming? Let's go back."

"Shut up!"

"Oh, I remember Maru told me about your situation here. You're hiding your true identity to everyone even to your so-called friends. They seemed kind and trusted person."

"Don't try to tell anyone about my identity, Maru will kill me if I tainted the reputation of Himura and you can't escape from it."

"Why would I get drag to it?"

"It's because you're a fool."

"What did you say?"

"A fool." She said and walk passed by him.

"Come back here. No one ever called me a fool before, even my family. How dare you?!"

"I don't want to talk with yo—"

Before she can finish those words, she accidentally bumps into someone, who passed by at the entrance of the alleyway. She thought, she'll fall down, but Lance support her back from behind. It only tooks a few seconds before she realize their situation.

Without a word, she distance herself to him and look in front to see the person she got bumped. But her eyes widened in surprise as their gazes met.