I'm back as promised!
Hope everyone's been having a great start to 2019!
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight
By the time Kaname was ready the sun was setting and he was looking in the mirror trying to find any flaw in his appearance, his hair was washed and brushed, his black suit jacket and pants held no creases, his dark grey button up shirt contrasting nicely and with the top two buttons undone in his preferred style, and his black leather shoes polished with zero scuff marks, the carefully picked outfit best suited to the Ritz-Carlton's illustrious tastes and he finished it off with just a light spray of cologne with a woodsy musk that wasn't overpowering to the senses.
He knew he looked impeccable but didn't feel it, the only good thing he could feel was clean from the shower he had before he got dressed but he knew the feeling wouldn't last for long because despite the escort job being strictly platonic there was still the matter of the work afterwards at Blue Orchid that would ruin the feeling the second he entered. He put on his grey pea coat to hide his top half without arousing too much suspicion from his sister before walking out of his room to grab everything he needed such as his phone, wallet and car keys.
"I'm going to work Yuki!" Kaname called out as he was heading to the door, hearing a muffled reply from her room before leaving, only feeling a slight modicum of relief that he could leave through the garage and not have to see his landlord on the way out.
Driving through the city at night was different than Kaname's usual route to Blue Orchid, he couldn't hear the rumbling bass of night clubs or the throngs of people gathered at the bars like he usually did. Instead it was only the sounds of traffic breaking through the silence.
The difference wasn't bad per say, in all honesty Kaname found it much more calming in comparison the club scene he was familiar with due to his job's location. It had been so long since he had driven to the more eloquent parts of the city that he forgot how peaceful it was at night with the towering skyscrapers with their mirrored windows reflecting the passing lights as he traversed uptown.
As he was approaching the Ritz-Carlton hotel he pulled over a couple buildings before the illustrious hotel, he was trying to level his breathing and was looking in his mirror to make sure his mask was infallible, rehearsing the subtle lowering of his eyes and practiced smile that he knew off by heart that usually worked when he was placed in the 'dating' part of his job, not that he considered it dating since in his experience dating involved knowing and having a genuine interest in the person he was with rather than getting paid for dinner and sex before heading to Blue Orchid for his shift.
"You can do this." He whispered to himself as he looked at himself once more in the mirror, the only good thing he could get from this escort job was the fact that he didn't have to sleep with the client before going to the club "Just smile, listen and remember to breathe." He nodded in confirmation before straightening his mirror back into place, taking off his pea coat and was placing it in the back seat when something caught his eye on the floor in the back of the car. He put his coat on the seat and reached over to pick up the unfamiliar item on the floor that was almost hidden underneath the passenger front seat and could only frown in confusion at what he found.
It was a men's Henley shirt that Kaname knew didn't belong to him because not only was it two sizes bigger than him, it also smelt of both cologne and coffee with the latter being obvious when he saw the coffee stain along the front of the shirt. It was puzzling as he knew that if Yuki bumped into someone and spilt coffee on them she wouldn't take their shirt with her unless she knew him personally, he tried thinking back to this afternoon to try and recall if she mentioned bumping into any guy they knew but the only males he could think of his sister possibly bumping into was his cousin Senri and his Uncle Rido and he knew it couldn't be either of them since to his knowledge Senri was out of town for the next couple of days for work and Rido's casual wear was nothing less than Chanel.
This made Kaname suspicious as to whether Yuki was hiding something from him because he always tried to assure Yuki that she could talk to him about anything, including whether she gained someone new in her life so he couldn't understand why she didn't mention anything about this to him.
He knew he couldn't dwell on the matter tonight but pinned it to the back of his mind before putting the shirt on the seat opposite his jacket before driving to the front of the hotel and stepping out of his car as the valet came to give him his ticket and he handed over his keys, he was certain nothing would happen to his car since he had his wallet and phone on him so after placing the ticket inside his jacket pocket he headed into the hotel.
Upon entering the gilded entrance of the Ritz-Carlton, Kaname felt a little overwhelmed at the expensive décor surrounding him as his shoes clicked against the marble floor. He slowly traversed through the lobby and headed past the front desk, trying not to feel inadequate as he was passing by all the fancily dressed guests before he reached the entrance to the restaurant and bar.
He made his way towards the bar, remembering his instructions from the phone call, and seated himself with a tall glass of ice water to help try and steady his nerves. He tried recalling the last time he had to do an escort job, he couldn't put a face to the 'date' but he remembered it was to attend some movie premiere with one of his more well paid clients with a BDSM fetish who hired him for the entire night. It wasn't a horrible experience per say but his client always managed to give him the most intense experience he had ever had compared to any other client he served.
Considering this client was not only female but not requiring any sexual services he could only assume she was looking for companionship for reasons he knew not of but it wasn't his place to question, he would simply have to listen to whatever ails her or act as a date who would be interested in her life, both things he could easily achieve once his mask was in place and his nerves hardened.
With each sip of water he reminded himself to steady himself to reduce his hand shaking each time he picked up and lowered his glass and he practiced his smile in the reflection of the black bar top, the common phrases he knew by heart echoing in his head as he vividly imagined the scenario in his head.
Kissing her hand as he greeted her with a charming smile, being seated and asking how she is, listen to what she tells him with an interested expression and answer within reason when she asks questions, and by the end of it tell her he had a lovely time and say goodbye.
It felt achievable in his mind; there should be no reason for it to fail as there was no reason for anything to be complicated in one simple dinner date.
"Kaname…" The familiar voice made an icy chill shoot through Kaname's very soul to the point of his mask shattering, he prayed he was wrong, that he was just mistaken due to the stress of today and that the woman he was to dine with wasn't who he thought it was, as he slowly turned towards the voice but could only stare at the young woman before him with a horrified expression.
Stood before him with her long amass of blonde curls pinned up in an elegant up do, her pale skin contrasting against the deep red lips and wine red off the shoulder tulle dress with her deceivingly innocent soft blue eyes lightly framed with dark eyeshadow, she was stood tall in her black heels with a dignified reverence that seemed natural to her as she held his gaze with an unflinching serene expression.
Kaname didn't want to believe it; he tried telling himself it was just his mind playing tricks on him but there was no use denying the inevitable as she approached him.
"Sara..." Kaname finally found his voice and could not hide his shock as he held eye contact with the very friend that Yuki got into an argument with only a mere few hours ago.
Kaname was constantly reminding himself to breath as the waiter led him and Sara to their table and eventually seated with glasses of water and bread left for them after they made their orders and were left alone since her arrival, the silence between them was tense and Kaname could tell that she was simply waiting for him to break it since she wasn't the one who had to explain herself.
"How long have you known?" he asked, breaking the silence and bringing up the dreaded question he was reluctant to have answered as it didn't promise anything good.
"I just found out today." She responded with a bored tone, her expression unchanging as she regarded Kaname calmly but the brunette knew better than to relax under such a gaze, Sara was elegant as she was cut throat and to lower his guard after she discovered his long kept secret put him more on edge than ever.
"How..?" Kaname felt his insides churning while he tried to keep himself composed, it would have been an easy feat if it were with a normal customer but this wasn't just some forgettable face, it was Sara, one of the few people who could read him like a book even when he was presenting his usual mask.
"I'm sure you know about Yuki and me." Kaname silently nodded at her statement as he took a sip of water "Yuki has been more irritating than she usually is and I can only deal with her for so long until I couldn't take it anymore." Sara simply looked bored but Kaname knew better than to further comment on how her method of not tolerating Yuki was apparently her 'losing it' in Yuki's words.
"So you went to Blue Orchid?" he asked with an incredulous tone but there was still a glimmer of amusement in his eyes that she was able to catch, causing her red lips to twitch upwards ever so slightly.
"Shizuku didn't want to deal with me ranting about Yuki, he suggested Blue Orchid for, in his words 'company that can deal with my issues'." Sara stated with a blasé tone, Kaname rolled his eyes at the statement as he very much believed Touma would send Sara to one of the best high end strip clubs in the city that doubled as an escort agency rather than deal with her complaints about Yuki.
"And you asked for me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as confusion leaked through his voice as she shot him a playful look.
"I was hoping for a pretty girl when I walked in; imagine my surprise when I saw your photo when I asked for the best." She stated, eyes shining with a catty elation "And in such scandalous outfits too." Sara teased with an amused smirk adorning her lips; Kaname averted his eyes from her as his cheeks turned red in embarrassment.
"So why did you ask for me?" Kaname asked as he could easily imagine Sara demanding for him even if the club was denying her request due to his sexuality but he also knew she wasn't someone to do things on a whim, she usually had a reason behind her actions.
"Boredom..." Sara sipped her water as her manicured nails tapped against the wood of the table, the action reminding Kaname of a predator waiting to strike at their prey "But I also felt petty." She added with a shrug as she lowered her glass.
"Why not buy the scarf Yuki wanted to get back at her?" he asked as he raised his glass to take a sip of water, knowing that Sara was well off enough that she could purchase and own designer clothes whilst owning her own apartment due to her work as a PR officer with her father's talent agency. He could easily list off the times that she did do that whenever Yuki got her especially mad to the point where she would purchase whatever it was Yuki wanted for herself just to get back at her, of course it also depended on what Yuki wanted since Sara was especially picky when it came to not only designer brands but the overall style as she wasn't going to purchase it if she thought it was hideous.
"I'm not petty enough to spend seventy five thousand yen on a scarf just to get back at her." She answered coolly with an unimpressed expression, carefully observing Kaname for his reaction to the revelation.
"What!?" Kaname choked on his water as he was going over the price in his head 'That's more than our rent! What type of scarf is worth that much? Why does it cost that much? Why did she want it?' Kaname was struggling to understand Yuki's reasoning for wanting the thing in the first place, the thoughts racing through his head only served to further confuse him as he tried understanding his sister's mentality for her actions.
"What did she tell you?" she asked with an exasperated sigh, knowing that Yuki must of omitted certain truths that were rather important in the fight they had today, most likely in an attempt to keep Kaname from siding against her in the matter.
"I heard you apparently 'lost it' because she called me." Kaname informed her as he tried to remember Yuki's rant from this afternoon, which was the most he could take from her rant since everything else wasn't something he could consider of importance.
"Did she tell you how I told her not to call you for money?" Kaname looked at her with surprise while Sara remained composed "I also might have called her a selfish little brat." She added which didn't surprise him as much.
"…Really?" Kaname asked incredulously as the waiter was approaching their table with a tray carrying two plates.
"Shizuku called her something worse." Sara responded as their appetizers were placed before them, Sara had ordered for both of them when he tried to order a small salad but he couldn't exactly fault her for her decision as before him were six baked oyster scampi with a white wine butter sauce, the aroma alone was enough to make his mouth water "Things got a little heated after she hit me with her purse." That statement was enough to pull Kaname out of his food driven thoughts and regard his friend with an apologetic look.
"Oh… Sorry." Kaname apologized genuinely, he couldn't recall a time when Yuki and Sara's arguments got physical and it wasn't like she deserved it for trying to reign in his sister's spending.
"It's okay; I pushed her into a mannequin display for it." Sara stated before she ate her first oyster, Kaname hesitantly grabbed his own oyster and had to stifle a moan of pleasure when the rich buttery sauce hit his tongue and the salty flavor of the oyster exploded when he bit into it "We're banned from the mall for a month after things escalated." She said with an amused smirk as she observed Kaname's reactions as he savored the delicious treat and seemed to be more at ease as he swallowed it.
"I'm sure your parents are happy about that." Kaname replied sarcastically before he ate his second oyster, Sara simply tittered at his sarcasm.
"Well your presence certainly made my night better." She commented with a smirk as she took a sip of her water.
"I thought you preferred the company of women with impeccable style." Kaname commented with an amused glint in his eyes as he had just grabbed his third oyster and ate the delicious morsel.
"I do, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy pleasantries with my favorite pet." Sara said before eating her second oyster, making Kaname's features scrunch up in annoyance while he was eating when she called him by her favorite nickname for him. He had long gotten used to the fact that as friends she loved him in a similar way to how an owner loves a beloved pet but that still didn't stop the nickname pushing his buttons whenever she used it to get a reaction from him.
"And you couldn't ask to talk to me over the phone because…" he trailed off, looking to her for answers but she gave him an incredulous look.
"Would you have been able to keep it secret if I called?" Kaname didn't respond as he ate his fourth oyster, avoiding eye contact with Sara as he did so but it was enough to answer her question since he knew well enough that trying to keep a phone call between him and Sara discreet whilst Yuki was in proximity would be very difficult "I thought so." Sara then ate her third oyster and as she was chewing gained a relaxed composure "So how do these things usually go?" she asked after swallowing, Kaname was eating his fifth oyster when she asked and could only look at her in confusion "I'd imagine you don't usually talk about your sister during work hours." She said with a casual wave.
"It goes how a normal date usually goes." He answered nonchalantly, Sara simply raised an eyebrow as she ate her forth oyster "I'd ask about their day and usually it'd be a very one-sided conversation with me having to act interested, depending on who I'm with. Sometimes it's just the date but if it isn't then I usually take a taxi to the date to avoid them knowing the type of car I drive." Kaname said with a shrug while Sara looked disappointed at his lackluster answer.
"It sounds dull." Sara commented before eating her fifth oyster "How do you get through it?" she asked curiously.
"I got good at acting." As Kaname ate his last oyster Sara pondered at his answer as she ate her final oyster with a contemplative look.
"So do you have to act a lot?" Sara sipped her water, her eyes keeping a keen observation as Kaname shrugged in response.
"Most of the time I just go on auto-pilot, it's easier when I don't think about it." He answered with a dull tone, making Sara frown at his resignation.
"How long?" Kaname is silent as knows that the answer would not make her happy but Sara narrowed her eyes at him "How long have you done this job Kaname?" her tone firm and leaving no room for resistance.
"… Nearly five years." His answer made Sara release a heavy breath as she clasped her hands together, it was the only thing keeping her grounded as she felt so tempted to scream in frustration because of the knowledge she had learned.
"We can still fix this." Sara stated but Kaname released a sigh of disbelief, earning him a stern glare "We can, I can call my father; I can kick start your career and…" she stopped when Kaname raised his hand but the resigned expression did nothing but anger her.
"I can't accept it Sara, you know I can't." she glared at him for his answer, knowing that his response would be the same as it was in high school when her father offered him the job opportunity "It would be difficult to take care of Yuki while focusing on an idol career, especially since I've been out of practice since I graduated." It was taking all of Sara's restraint to not slam her palm on the table and cause a scene, she had watched the change in Kaname in the years they knew each other and didn't like it, she wished she could have stepped in before Yuki's presence became the center of Kaname's life. If only they knew each other before high school, maybe she could have acted as the enforcer Yuki needed in her life so that Kaname wasn't trapped to his sister's whims, it would have made things so different for the three of them but Sara knew that Kaname would have been better that way, he would have had the freedom to take other career paths and not be stuck to his sister's beck and call.
"She isn't a child anymore." She shot back bitterly, Kaname didn't speak as the waiter approached with their entrees balanced on a tray and placed them down in front them. He cleared away their empty plates then bid them a quick farewell, leaving both Sara and Kaname in a tense silence that neither knew how to break. Kaname looked down at his pasta aglio e olio with a conflicted expression; he would have preferred that his night with Sara not take this turn as she was one of the few people in his life who could see past his masks, mainly due to having similar masks herself due to her upbringing.
Kaname looked across to see Sara twirling her linguine vongole with her fork, her face composed but as she took an aggressive bite and pursed her lips as she chewed he could tell she was still upset with him and wouldn't be in the mood for talking, not unless he wanted to start an argument with her and he preferred not starting a scene with her. Kaname knew when she got like this it was best to let her cool down and allow her to break the silence when she was ready, he turned back to his food and with the first bite he tried to enjoy the simple yet flavorful dish but Sara being mad at him was leaving a sour aftertaste when he swallowed his bite and made his stomach uneasy.
The silence was only filled with cutlery hitting the plates and it only served to make the tension uncomfortably thick between them as they ate, as their pasta was dwindling Sara's posture was steadily relaxing and she looked up at her morose friend to see how the soured atmosphere was affecting him. With his avoidance of not only looking at her but also breaking the silence she knew it would have to be up to her as it was her that started the forbidden topic in the first place.
"I'm not apologizing." She stated bluntly, Kaname looked up and silently nodded in response as he knew she wasn't a person who would offer false niceties for the sake of others "It just gets so aggravating seeing you go through all this and not even tell me." Her expression was stern but her voice leaking through her anger at the situation she only recently discovered her friend was in.
"You shouldn't have to deal with my problems." Kaname responded which only made Sara narrow her eyes at him.
"As your friend I see no reason why I shouldn't help you through them." She shot back "I can understand not telling Yuki but why didn't you tell me?" Kaname avoided looking her in the eye as he was finishing off his pasta; he didn't know how he could tell Sara of the work he did right after he graduated high school because it wasn't something she could completely understand when he was offered such a promising future.
How could he explain his reasons for the choice he made, it wasn't like enjoyed doing what he did but if he had to choose between the unknown angel and the devil he knew he would always choose the devil because he knew what to expect from them, especially when they could affect the lives of both him and his sister.
From the silence she received, Sara sighed and straightened herself up when it became clear she wasn't going to get an answer.
"Okay, you don't have to tell me." She said as she crossed her leg over the other and gave him a serious look "I have one thing I want to know and you better not lie to me." She spoke with a clipped tone but Kaname knew he wouldn't be able to keep silent to her this time "Did you take this job because of Yuki?" she asked, Kaname hesitated but knew lying to Sara was unachievable as she could read him too well that trying to deceive her would only serve to annoy her.
"It's more than just her." He told her both vaguely and honestly, Sara kept a keen eye on him to search for any signs of deception but once it became clear there was none she nodded in acceptance.
With their entrees finished the waiter came to them in order to clear their plates and when he asked if they would like anything else, before Kaname could get a word in Sara was quick to respond.
"We'll need two tiramisus and two glasses of Vin Santo." She said while giving Kaname a stern look "We require a pick me up." The waiter nodded and wrote down the order before leaving them alone after clearing their table as Kaname frowned with Sara's decision for dessert.
"I don't need dessert Sara." He told her but received an unimpressed look from her.
"I like spoiling you." She stated as if it were the most obvious thing "You don't treat yourself enough so let me do it for you." Kaname never truly understood this side of Sara in the years that they had been friends since she seemed to think that friendship involved taking him out to buy him things, something that had luckily calmed down as they got older but she still hadn't kicked the habit yet.
They spent the next few minutes silence until the waiter brought over their dessert accompanied by a dainty glass of golden Vin Santo wine, Sara looked pleased with the arrival and gave a quick thanks to the waiter and was quick to take a spoonful of her dessert, moaning in delight at the first bite. Kaname was more hesitant but it was a sharp look from Sara the prompted him to grab his spoon and start on his dessert, after the first bite he could see why Sara seemed so happy to order it when the bitter coffee and cocoa mixed with the rich mascarpone and cream hit his tongue.
"Still don't want dessert?" she asked coyly as she took a small sip of her wine, Kaname gave her an amused glare as he had another bite of the tiramisu "So is this night going better than you thought?" she asked before taking another bite.
"You've certainly been a highlight." He told her, the blonde preened in pride.
"I'd be insulted if I wasn't." with the mood lighter, Kaname found himself taking pleasure from this evening as both he and Sara continued to converse and enjoyed each other's company. Both felt more at ease and for once Kaname started to relax in her presence, the normalcy was pleasant and something he hadn't had the chance to enjoy nor thought he would enjoy considering he originally thought he was in for an evening with a complete stranger.
But like all good things that must come to an end, eventually their tiramisus were devoured and their wine glasses emptied, signifying the end to their dinner date and after Sara paid for the bill Kaname escorted her to the front of the Ritz-Carlton, he handed the valet his ticket and both waited for his car to arrive.
"You need a ride home?" he asked, more than happy to drive her there if it meant making sure she got home safe as well as delaying as much time as he could before heading to work.
"I've got a town car arranged." She replied in a blithe tone, Kaname tried to keep himself composed but he noticeably deflated at her answer "But for your company I'm more than happy to cancel it." She said with a smirk just as the Valet arrived with Kaname's car, after sending a quick message to cancel her arranged car she entered Kaname's car alongside him and Kaname pulled out of the hotel's driveway.
The drive was quiet yet peaceful, the atmosphere calming for both Kaname and Sara but despite that Kaname couldn't help glancing in his mirror that faced the back of his car, remembering the shirt with an unknown owner that resided in the back. He always trusted Sara to tell him if Yuki tried to hide anything serious from him but he was uncertain if she would know if Yuki met anyone new in her life let alone if she was dating.
"Hey…" he spoke quietly, breaking the silence and gaining Sara's attention "…You'd tell me if Yuki started dating, right?" he asked, getting a pensive look from the blonde.
"I'd give you hints to talk to her but if she's not telling you then yeah, probably." She replied softly while Kaname considered her words "Honestly I'd congratulate the guy who can put up with her enough to date her." He rolled his eyes at the comment as he mulled over the idea of his sister possibly having a boyfriend, he had met a few she had gained through school but this seemed different compared to her previous passing interests since she never seemed to hold any reservations in introducing them to him so he couldn't understand why she felt the need to not mention anything to him.
"Do you know if she has a boyfriend?" he asked and Sara shook her head in response.
"I don't really concern myself with her personal life." She replied in a bored tone but could see the distress in Kaname's features from her reply "But she seems to be more scatter brained than she usually is." She added, thinking back on Yuki's behavior over the past week to recall if there was any change in her whether it was big or small.
"Really?" Kaname tried to recall if Yuki was like that lately, it might be due to their sporadic timetables since she was usually at school during weekdays but since she was on break she was out more often while he usually slept in till noon due to his work hours so he couldn't completely tell if she was going through any changes, something he felt admittedly guilty for and Sara could read it just from the one word reply.
"Don't worry…" she offered, placing her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him "…Unlike some sucker that caught her attention, you're irreplaceable." Her words were reassuring and while they offered a slight comfort for him he didn't completely relax, especially when he pulled up several feet from Sara's apartment building and knew he'd have to get to work as soon as she left his car.
"Glad we could talk." Sara said as she unbuckled her seat belt and Kaname sagged against his seat.
"Yeah…" He replied quietly before opening his door and stepping out as she followed suit, the night air was refreshing upon his face with the cool breeze brushing his hair back.
"When are you free?" she asked, getting an incredulous look from him "Just to hang out, you're overdue for a shopping trip." That only served to make Sara follow with a giggle when she saw Kaname look at her with an annoyed expression, his cheeks puffed out and lips pouting as he did so. Kaname hated shopping with Sara as it mainly involved being forced into dressing rooms and trying on countless outfits she picked out for him before buying only a few articles of clothing after he fights tooth and nail to get her not to buy out an entire store for him, it still remains a trying experience but the only thing he enjoyed from those days was at the end of it when they would go to a café to sit and chat. Those moments he preferred most as he didn't feel like he was rushing from place to place, he wished he could have more of those moments but their timetables hadn't been able to click due to her focusing on promoting an idol's new album for her father's company for the past month and only recently having free time.
"I don't need anything." He told her in a disgruntled tone as she walked around his car and stepped onto the sidewalk.
"But I like spoiling my pet." She shot back with a smirk; Kaname rolled his eyes as she hooked her arm around his and they both started walking towards her apartment building.
"If you feel like spoiling me just take me out for coffee." He suggested, earning him a light giggle from Sara as they stopped in front of her door and she let go of him to step onto the first step.
"You can be selfish every once in a while." Sara said, giving him a slight smile and serious look in her eyes that made Kaname smile slightly, it was rare to see her in such a state as she was often sporting a soft amused smile with calculating eyes but this was possibly one of the few times he truly caught her off guard in all the years they knew each other.
"No, I can't." he said calmly, his smile melancholic as Sara considered his words with calm regard before they bid each other good night and she entered her apartment building while Kaname walked back to his car.
Hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter!
I had to do some research in order to get this one down, I also worked with what I know and believe it or not but Italian restaurants are pretty popular in Japan so I worked with that and looked up good foods for Sara and Kaname to eat.
I haven't tried oyster scampi but I've tried oysters and white wine butter sauce and I reckon those two would pair together so well, Pasta Aglio e Olio is a simple pasta dish that is really good with only six ingredients at most, for context it's the pasta dish seen in 'Chef', and Linguine Vongole is a pasta dish with clams and white wine sauce, I tried when I visited Japan and it's really good.
I'm going to start on the next chapter soon but I have the plot written out for it so I know what I'm working with, I'm possibly going to finish the next chapter when I can, the best I can assume is in less than three months if I'm not too busy.
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