Chapter 1: Surprise, Surprise…
It was one of hottest day in June and Ciel is, as usual, having lunch at The Puzzle Pub. Scrolling down through pinterest looking at all the recipe she will never tried and the DIY tips she's too lazy to do, her phone suddenly rang.
"Ciel!"
"Don't scream through the phone, Alois. I can hear just fine."
"You don't understand, your mum's in town!"
"Come again?"
"She came to your office earlier. I told her you left for lunch and she's going to find you at The Puzzle. Listen fast, she mentioned she wanted to meet your boyfriend you been talking about - "
"But there is NO boyfriend!"
"I know, I'm going to buy you time as much as possible but you owe me big time."
"I'll do the monthly report you try to skip."
"Deal, think of a plan fast Ciel, and bye!"
"Okay..." Ciel breathe out to calm herself. Think of a plan Ciel. Think of something... Her eyes glanced at the guy in black suit sitting on the booth next to her. He doesn't really look like the type she like, but what can she says, she didn't see his face clearly and at this desperate moment, anyone can do just fine. Taking another deep breathe, she walked up to the stranger.
"Umm... Hi? "
The stranger turned to her, his Hi comes back as a whisper looking at her as if he's not sure she's really talking to him.
"Er.. Listen, this is going to be a strange request but my mum's coming to town and she's been looking forward to ... meeting my boyfriend.."
Ciel trailed off mid sentence losing her confidence as the red eyes bore into her blue ones, looking uninterested. It got worse when his eyebrow knitted together, "you've got to be kidding me."
"Please, it's just like 10 minutes and she'll leave."
"No."
"No? Have you ever needed a favor from someone? Just go along for a little while and if there's something you need help with, I'll do it for you."
"Doesn't matter, I'm just chilling here."
"I'll treat you this meal. Drink?"
The man remained silent.
"Do you need cash?"
The man glared.
"Ok, definitely doesn't need cash. You look like a businessman, I'm in marketing, I can help you if you need anything"
The man sighed in exasperation, "Look, I don't need to be dragged into any mess."
"Please." Ciel plea again and again but the nonverbal message he sent her was clear. He's not going to help her and her mother would walk in any moment now.
"CIEL!"
Ciel looked at her mother who approached to hug her fast and tight.
"You're .. here." Ciel bit her lips. "You should've called first mum."
"Like you'll welcome your own mother, I'm afraid if I wait any longer I'll be in grave before you introduce me to your boyfriend, speaking of which - "
"Meet Michael!" Ciel said, a bit louder than she intended that to be and she grab the stranger's shoulder and swirl him around so he's facing her mother.
"Oh this is Michael?" the mother question before greeting the young man with a smile and a hug, "I'm Ciel's mother, Rachel. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." He returned both the smile and the hug to the middle age, petite woman, though his eyes widen and glared at Ciel as if to say "How dare you!" when the mother's back turned on them both. Ciel felt a mountain lifted up her chest. Even if the man denied to help her at least she's grateful now he's at some level playing along not to disappoint the old mother.
They changed from the single booth to the family table near the glass mirror of the pub, as more preferable by Rachael.
"So, I've heard so much about you."
"Have you? Hope it's all good."
"Of course it is, I used to nag her a lot about not having a social life or a boyfriend, I'm happy when I learnt she's finally dating someone and oh, you guys are so sweet trying to spend time with each other even if you're busy. I heard you never really have much time to meet but at least you spend the lunch break coming to see each other so you can eat one meal at least together in a day. When I hear that, I instantly knows I need to meet you. But Ciel here never seems to have the time, so I come to see during the lunch break and there you are!
Sebastian only smiled to that and Ciel started to sweat.
"So Michael, I heard you're a cardiologist." Rachel started and Ciel wanted to hit her head at this. Of all the jobs she think of lying to her mom it has to be something technical and hardly anyone know of. The stranger looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I am a cardiologist."
"you know you also comes around the right time, I was recommended the TMR treatment but I haven't decided anything on that yet."
"I would never recommend TMR to my clients unless it's truly unavoidable." The stranger said before Ciel could divert the conversation to something that isn't so concerned with that technical stuff she know none of them understand and not wanting to make a mistake and reveal her mask.
"Of course that would be affected by other factors like your background, how long have you been infected with heart disease plus your lifestyles, so unless I have full information, I'm afraid I can't say whether or not you really need the treatment. TMR is a risky procedure and most of the time, is recommended even if not really needed. I've been doing a new research about diet that help patients to avoid critical condition that leads to heart dysfunctional and surgery actually."
"How fascinating." The mother's eyes sparkled. Their conversation was cut when the meals are delivered to their table. Silence goes on for several minutes until Rachael started to talk again.
"So how do you guys meet?"
"Ummm... That's actually a funny story.." Ciel started her brain raking for something to say but nothing comes up, "Michael should tell it. He really like to tell the story."
"We actually met at this pub." the man said without hesitation, "it's funny because I was just minding my own business when suddenly a veil of this strangely rare blue gray hair color sweep past my face. When I look up, this girl I've never seen before was leaning toward me. It was a funny story because in my whole life I've never had a girl walk up to me and offer to buy me a drink."
Well played stranger, Ciel thought to herself, I'm probably red like an apple right now. But her mother doesn't seem to notice that, she just giggles and talk about how cute that is.
"I never thought Ciel had it in her! She's always so shy she can barely talk to stranger before! I guess New York change her for the better!"
"Oh she's very intriguing. She actually doesn't have problems talking to strangers anymore, don't worry."
Ciel felt like that was intentionally said to slap her in the face.
They took their leave. The imposter boyfriend being the polite charming boyfriend he seemed to be, offer to drop the mother off at the bus stop and take Ciel back to her office."
"Ermm... thank you for helping me there."
There was no reply but the car turned left to a smaller road and comes abruptly to a stop.
"I need you to do something for me in return."
"Well, glad I can help back I guess. What do you need?"
"I need you to volunteer for my research study."
"huh?"
"I'm doing a research study about protein diet and their connection to heart functioning. So far I lack females volunteer to test out my experiments."
"Er.. Haha, very funny, you got me."
"I wasn't kidding."
"You're a real cardiologist?"
"Why would I lie to a stranger?"
"You just lied to my mum!"
"I told you I did not."
"Even if you're a real cardiologist, your name isn't Michael! Heck, I don't even know what it is."
"Sebastian Michaelis"
"..."
"I did not lie. Michael is part of my name, Michaelis anyway."
"I can't believe my fake boyfriend is real.. . "
"You're getting side track, little girl."
"I refuse to be part of it."
"I'll tell your mum."
"You don't even know how to contact her!"
"You're Ciel. You're in Marketing, judging from your choice of usual lunch break restaurant as your mother's mention, your office should be near. I'd say around 500 metre radius from that pub. So your workplace is narrowed down to the only 2 marketing and commercial centre around here - Brookfield Building, or the Central Commercial Block. Finding your information will be a piece of cake, Ciel."
Ciel looked at the man in shocked, "Ar- Are you a doctor or a yakuza?"
The man, Sebastian, reached for her chin forcing her to look at him in the eye, "Whatever fantasy you have about cardiologist is a pity. We don't choose this career to help people. We do it to get rich. Where do you think the top cardiologists manage to get heart donors for the rich patients from, hmmm?" the finger that hold her chin drop slowly to the middle of her chest. Ciel wanted to push it away but her body felt too rigid to move. She's scared.
"I'm taking you to my office right now and you'll sign the volunteer paper to test out my experiment. Either that or I hunt you down... not even for uncover your lies, but your young healthy pumping heart might come in handy for my current client. He does need a heart transplant..."
"You wouldn't!" Ciel squeaked and pushed his hand away, the red eyes looked at her scared face in amusement.
"Agree to do the experiment. I can give you my word at least you won't die from it. It's really simple."
"I - I ..." Ciel was unable to form coherent words and remain silent.
"I'll take that as a yes. I believe we have a deal, Ciel."
Deal? What deal? I said nothing!
"Noooooooooo! Can't I give you anything else in return? Wait! I got tonic. Do you need tonic, sir?"
Red eyes bore into her own orbs glaring at it like whatever she speak make no sense.
"Do I look freaking bald to you?!"