Reassurance

"Callie? It's been a long time, you're getting more beautiful than before." Lance said, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"L-Lance? What are you doing in this place? When did you come here? Do you have any business here and why are you with that woman?"

"We're in a blind date. A group blind date for exact, but we just need to talk some stuff privately, so we came out for a second."

"Do you know each other?" Callie asked in confusion.

"Of cours—" before he can finish his words, Kinrue jab his stomach using her elbow and glare to him. "I mean this is the first time we've met, I guess she caught an interest on m—" Kinrue stomp on his foot without any warning.

"You talk nonsense, man." She whisper, frowning to him.

"Argh! It hurts."

"Lance?" Kinrue and Lance attention turn back in front of them again, but Kinrue look away to avoid triggering herself to turn into a madwoman.

"Well, I mean I got interested on her at first sight. I called out to her to talk. What about you? The man you're with seems familiar to me."

Callie look beside her before looking back to Lance with an angelic smile. "This is Raven Auclair, you've met a lot of time before. He's known as a prodigal son of Auclair family. Does it ring a bell?"

"Raven? So, it's you. It's nice to met you." Lance offer his hand to him for a handshake, but Raven ignore it and look away. "Well, I think the rumors about you hating to socialize with other elites isn't just a baseless rumor. Okay, it's fine. I'll introduce myself instead, I'm Lance Montgomery."

"Let's go back, I hated the air here."

Kinrue's about to grab Lance hand and head back inside the restaurant, but Raven stop her.

They look at each other straight to their eyes. He has a sorry look on his face while Kinrue just stare at him emotionless. People keep walking passed by them, hearing their laugh and conversation, the vehicles engines and the loud music from other stores that reaches their area. It's the only thing that lessens the tension between them in the midst of silence.

"Let's talk." Raven broke the silence, tightening the grip on her wrist.

"Talk. Didn't you hear him before? We're in a middle of a date so don't waste our time." She said.

"Raven..." Callie mumbles, tugging the helm of his uniform. He turns to her direction with worried look that made Kinrue chuckles.

His grips on her wrist loosen up so she gaze towards them. She saw the two staring at each other as if they're talking with only their eyes. A slight smile left in her mouth vanished while looking down.

It's the big difference between her and Callie.

The gentleness on his eyes that he always give to Callie isn't something out of obligation unlike to Kinrue. All the genuine feelings he has always meant for Callie and not her. She's just a responsibility. He's obligated to take care of her and watch over her. The unknown feelings he have isn't stronger than the feelings he have for Callie.

They more on a complicated state.

If she decided to draw a line between them, then Raven's standing in front of that line with a complicated feelings. They're staring at each other from opposite sides, watching who's the one to take a step back or the one who'll move forward. Nevertheless, both of them know once they cross that line there's no taking back.

Despite the complicated thought running in her mind, she can't take away her eyes from the two. Until Raven let go of her hand and take a step back, letting Callie cling into his arm. She let out a force laugh before looking to the woman's direction. Callie's insulting smile tells her that she can't win against her.

"It looks like Raven didn't need to waste his time for you. We're going now, see you later Lance." Callie said and was about to walk when Kinrue talks.

"Sh*thead, are you happy? If you're happy, I'll make you more happy in the future. You didn't need to notice everything, I just want to repay the kindness you show to a woman like me." She said with head bows down. "So, for the last time, I want you to choose."

"What the hell are you talking about? Do you stil want to cling to the man you dumped because of your childishness?" Callie snap, glaring at her out of anger. But Kinrue gaze straight to Raven's eyes as if he's the only one she can see. "Hey,"

"Kiss me, if you want to continue this play and leave if you want to be happy."

A moment of silence lingers between the four—waiting for someone to break it. Few seconds passed, until it turns to a minute, but no one dares to talk. Kinrue and Raven just stare on each other in the entire minute. She just watch him on his next move, but there's no sign of choosing her over the woman he likes. She take a deep breathe before smiling to him.

"Let's go Lance. I don't have any words to spare with them any more."

"O-okay, see you around, guys." Lance waves his hands to them before following Kinrue back in the restaurant.

***

It's already late night when they finished their night date. Lance pursue to walk her home so Kinrue didn't talk back anymore and let him do whatever he wants. She's not in the mood and not feeling well as it is, but luckily she didn't fainted.

Now, they're on their way to her rented apartment, walking on the streetside with only people passing by them. The chilling breeze of air made her hug herself, despite of it, she keeps walking ahead looking at nowhere, thinking nothing. Amidst the silence, she got startled when someone put a jacket around his shoulder. She's about to take it off, but Lance stop her.

"You don't look fine, besides it's cold so better wear it or else I'll warm you with my body." He grin towards her that gives goosebumps in her body.

"No thanks. I'm fine with this jacket." She rolled her eyes and continue to walk in silence.

Another deafening silence came in between them.

"We had a date at our first meeting, we separate with the others because you said, you want to go somewhere, but it bores me. You did nothing, but nod your head, walk straight ahead and eat nonstop." He broke the silence, looking at her back. "There's something inside your mind, right? Is it the man from before?"

"Shut up."

"I'm a man too, do you want to know my opinion?"

"Take it to yourself,"

"How rude?!" He said before letting out a sigh. "Anyway, I'll do whatever I want."

Lance waited for her reaction, but she didn't even flinch rather continue to walk.

"He likes you, I mean that man. But at that moment, he's in a dilemma. I don't know the full details on everything about the connection you have, but I've encounter a lot of people."

"I told you to shut u—"

"You're already aware of it. His feelings for you and Callie. You did everything in purpose by using his weakness to sue him away. What the hell are you planning?" He asked that made Kinrue stop and turn to his direction.

"This is the reason I hate being tangled with a smartass people, they can easily read the situation." She mumbles. "Tsk. If you're eager to know about my plan then I'll tell you. I'm cutting all my ties to every person I've met in this country."

"Cut ties with everyone even in your friends?"

"Friends? An elite like me, can't be friends with a lower rank. If my family caught me having connection with them, it's those people who'll suffer the most. Only those who got approval of them has the rights to stay by my side. It's a rule they inflicted on me."

"This is the reason, why I didn't see you talking with anyone during the annual gathering of elites way back then."

"Let's stop talking about it. I'm getting tired of all this so..." She startled when Lance tousles her hair while smiling. "What are you doing?"

"It's looks like you're carrying a lot of burden more than what I expect, so I want to reassure you about something to lessen that burden."

"What are you talking about? Did you caught a cold? You're being a creep."

"You really like calling me something I didn't expect someone will say to me. I praise you for having an ability to piss off someone, but let me clear something to you so listen well." He heaves a sigh and hold her face. "I'm not going to marry you, even though I'm a player who didn't settle to anyone for so long I still want to spend the rest of my life with someone I love. Until then, let's pretend we're getting along."

"You... Tell me, what did you f*cking eat? I think, I'm hearing things."

Lance let out a short laugh before squishing her face and tousling her hair again. "Don't mock at me, I like a unique woman. I might end up falling in love with your foul-mouthed mouth."

"Argh! Don't you dare, you're not even my type." She slap his hands away and continue to walk.

She just heard him laugh, but still following her.

After a few minutes of walks, they reach the entrance of the apartment building. She turn behind and saw him frowning while scanning the place. It's the reaction she expected to see.

"An elite like you spending your rest time in this shabby old building? What the hell's Maru doing? I should inform him."

"Stop the crap. Don't worsen the situation anymore and go home. I'm fine here, more comfortable than an elegant, shining room."

"Well, if you say so then I'll see you around. You should sleep and take a medicine. I already give you my number before so contact me or else I'll buy this building and turn it to a hotel."

"You..."

"Goodnight." He turn his back, waving his hands while walking away. Kinrue just watch him until he vanished from her line of sight.