Chapter 4: Gentleman

By the time Haruhi had finished half her steak, her stomach became more content. The food is fantastic, Haruhi thought.

The glass cutlery clinked. She glanced up at him. He wasn't staring at her anymore. In fact he had picked up his fork. He unwrapped the souvenir and placed it on his lap. He picked up his knife and fork delicately and began cutting his meat. All his movements were slow, sure and full elegance. This is what you call etiquette, Haruhi watched him as if mesmerized.

He saw her watching and his eyes hardened. Do you have a problem? He seemed to say.

No. Haruhi hurriedly returned to her own eating and left the king to eat in private.

He knew how to be gentleman. Of course he did. He was brought up with all the rules, she was sure.

"Are you finished?" He asked her quietly, a moment later.

Haruhi nodded. His eyes lingered on her napkin which she had used to put her scraps on. There was a faint sense of sternness as if he was the parent and she was the child. "You've got sauce on your mouth." He tugged his own napkin out and before she could protest and touched the corner of her mouth with it.

He stood up and the chair made a dull sliding sound against the floorboards. The dinner is over now, Haruhi realized gratefully. Maybe I should say thank you.

"Thanks," she muttered. She quickly stood up and made a beeline for the exit. She half expected him to grab onto her but no hands touched her. It was strange. She thought he was the type to drag her off to something else now and demand her to converse with him. Perhaps she had misjudged him. At any rate, she was free to go home now. Thank god. But she glanced back to look at him again. He was putting her chair back to where it belonged. He finished and straightened up. Before he could see her looking, Haruhi hurriedly headed for the door.

The door was made completely out of glass. If she wasn't careful, she would have walked straight through it. Haruhi stared at her ghostly reflection and wondered where the door knob was. How did this door open? Was this even a door? It could even have been a window. She touched the glass with timid fingers. Embarrassment coiled inside her.

"Let me open it for you."

Haruhi jumped. The voice was right in her ear. He had come to stand right next to her and she involuntarily shifted away from him.

The door slid open upon the touch of his fingers on the buttons and Haruhi walked out, her cheeks burning with shame. I can't believe I didn't know how to open that door!

He followed her meekly. A car slid towards them and appeared from the darkness. He caught her hand. His fingers were large, smooth and warm. "I'll give you a lift," was all he murmured. His head was bowed sort of down, like he was some sort of servant to her.

Haruhi mind went in a blur. Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head somehow when we were in the restaurant? She wanted to say to his face. Instead she said,

"I can go home by myself alright. Thanks for the offer."

He looked up and an electric jolt struck Haruhi's heart as she saw his expression. His face was of a mixture of defeat, apology and kindness. "Look, I'm sorry about before. Please let me."

He stepped swiftly in front of her and opened the car door for her. The car had three doors. Haruhi could hardly stop herself from gasping in shock.

"I can open the door myself, thanks," she said to prevent her from exploding into the commoner's response upon seeing a rare limousine. She was almost afraid of climbing in and sitting on the smooth leather seats, but he smiled a reassuring smile and had tugged her in before she could make up an excuse.

Haruhi found she was feeling very confused. So he was a gentleman after all. He was very generous. But, her mind was dubious, this was the same man who had tricked her before. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Mr Hitachiin," she called out to the front seat. "I live at-"

"Don't bother," he cut in. "Like I let my fiancées live somewhere else other than my own house," he sneered. He turned around, and the glint was back into his yellow eyes. He had cast off his bashful, gentlemanly demeanor. It was impossible that he had ever become less than the rich, arrogant, manipulative man he was.

Haruhi felt like screaming at him.

Rich bastards were rich bastards and never anything else.

A/N: Thanks for the comments so far everyone! I'm updating quite fast since the chapter turn out to be short-ish. Hope you liked this chapter.

lu.e3