Chapter 9

Victoria smiled to herself as she listened to nothing but the waves of the sea. The Ootori was busy deciphering the word predictability. Her arms supported her as she leaned back, watching the sea while waiting for the Ootori. He wouldn't understand what she meant.

Victoria knew his head was too big. His ego was too large, and that itself was a weakness all together. His ego would make him overlook a vital component: humility. With humility came sincerity, and of course loyalty. Three things Victoria valued beyond words. Her mentor had taught her things that Victoria would never forget, and those three components were of the many things she learned.

What made Kyouya predictable was his ego. Likewise, Victoria knew her own weakness was being impulsive and her hot temper. That made her easy to read. Victoria had expected more from the Ootori this night. If he had gone up to his competitor and considered a merge, instead of flaunting his infamous Shadow King persona, it would have been a good move indeed. Victoria had contemplated telling him this.

Yet, he chose to be friends. Victoria smiled. She showed him her card, with no qualms of asking him to show his. Telling him he was predictable to her way of telling him he needed to improve. How? She was not there to answer that question. Being humble was not something to be learned overnight.

Victoria laughed. He was such a child when he was frustrated. Suddenly she felt his cold hands taking a loose strand of hair. She felt his large hand graze beside her ear while he leaned forward. What was he looking for? What was there to see? Kyouya's eyes never lost her own, not even blinking once as he leaned closer and closer.

Victoria did what she did best. Avoid eye contact. She swiftly turned her head and faced back to the sea. Her throat cleared as she changed the topic.

"Did you call Haruhi?"

Kyouya snapped out of his reverie, smoothly returning back to his old position. He too, cleared his throat to make the moment less awkward.

"No," he replied.

The woman tilted her head. "Why? Not that it was necessary, but a simple call would have sufficed."
"I didn't want to," Kyouya shrugged.

Victoria knew there was more to that reason. "If you can't talk to her, at least call her boyfriend. I heard you two were close."
"I'd rather not," he icily said.

Victoria sighed. "I'm not going to ask for an explanation. But I am going to tell you that those who worry about you sincerely are not meant to be pushed away. They care… a lot."

Kyouya stayed silent. Victoria nodded to herself after reflecting for a moment.

"I crossed the line. It was none of my business to meddle. I apologize," she whispered. "I understand that it was not my place to speak. But Haruhi does work under me, and I was concerned for both my employee and… friend." The last word was reluctantly choked out, sounding strange on her tongue. Friend. Of course Victoria had friends of her own, but to call the Ootori a friend was such an odd thing to say.

Victoria turned the Ootori who avoided her gaze. He really was like a child, being stubborn to face a petty situation. It looked like he was caught doing something worth scolding for, but didn't want to own up to his own mistake. It was hard to imagine that the same man had taken the medical industry by storm, dominating over each and every aspect. He was one of the richest men in the world but could not face his own emotions.

"You alright?" Victoria asked. "Would it help if I apologized… again? Just to boost your ego some more?" she joked.

"That's quite alright, Victoria," Kyouya gently replied in a low voice. "Your apology was not needed. I was just thinking."

Victoria's ears perked up to that word. The way he said her name. He had said it before, but… not in that way. Not in the way where she found the slightest bit of comfort. Not many called her by her first name; in fact Miss Alistair had been used more times in her daily life than her own name.

"Are you bothered by it?" Kyouya asked. He saw her drift into a state where her eyes were not focused on either the waves or his face.

"Hm?" Victoria snapped out of her train of thought.
"Calling you by your first name," he said.
"No," Victoria admitted. Not anymore. "But only while we're friends."

Kyouya raised an eyebrow. "Likewise, you may use my first name… while we're friends."

Victoria nodded with a sly smile. They sat beside each other in comfort. She genuinely enjoyed having him around. She was comfortable, not minding their silence. As long as they didn't speak, or talk about anything too remotely personal… Victoria did not mind his presence.

"You always have an imaginary line, don't you?" Kyouya noted.
Victoria turned to the man beside her. She shifted her position, tucking her legs closer to her body while facing the man instead of the water for a change. Victoria drew a line between the two in the sand as a joke.
"Not imaginary," Victoria stated. "It's real now."

Kyouya scoffed at her childish gesture, using his bare hands to brush over the sand. There was no line anymore. He watched as the woman across from him pouted.

"Lines are easy to erase," Kyouya said.
"They are," Victoria agreed. "Which is why it is vital to keep them intact."
"What is the purpose?"

Victoria drew the line again, like she was demonstrating a simple science experiment to a student.

"It keeps things less complicated, similar to how borders between countries are used. If suddenly one was erased, chaos would ensue and war would take place. Peaceful, impersonal relations are much easier to deal with. Likewise, this line that separates us will keep us in our own place. Occasionally crossing it with feelings of animosity can be beneficial. However, the line must not blur lest things get complicated and turn into a grey area."

Kyouya watched as the woman explained with the clever analogy. She made sense. Perfect sense that he could not argue against. He nodded in agreement. A spark of admiration was felt for her. He couldn't help but to feel that… shift. He didn't know how to describe it. Perhaps a connection of some sort, an admiration, but nothing more. He understood her better, hearing her reasoning made him feel relieved. But relieved from what? That perhaps, he was not as hated as he thought?

"I would have never wanted you even remotely close to this line," Victoria admitted. "I hated you with a passion."
"Did you?" he chuckled. Of course he knew that he was hated. A part of him took it as a compliment.

Kyouya never liked that uncanny ability of hers to read his mind with ease. She didn't even look like she tried. It was just a purely natural talent.

"I didn't think there would be anything beneath your ego," she admitted. Victoria did not say anything more, as much as Kyouya wanted her to. What did she see? How did she know? What did she think of it? The woman always stopped speaking at the most crucial times. But that was who she was. Kyouya didn't like it; however he did learn to accept it.

That was her charm.

Victoria knew just what to say, and how much to say before placing him on a hook, having him follow her around like a lost puppy waiting to be fed a treat. Kyouya could no longer tell if it was intentional, whether it was he did not care. He was trapped. Victoria Alistair was irresistible.

The moonlight shined brightly in the sky, illuminating the beach and the waves. Kyouya still could not stop looking at the woman, no matter how beautiful the view was. She shined the brightest, like a star that could not be missed. Her large eyes stared back into his, waiting curiously to hear what he had to say.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, wanting to learn forward again. But that line… even in the sand, it had its effect.

"You just noticed?" she cheekily replied. She did not blush, or flinch at his confession. She had been told that she was beautiful plenty of times. "You would think much differently if you knew me better."

She watched as his eyebrows furrowed at her statement. "You've had surgery?" A logical explanation.

"Nope," Victoria said. "Never."

Kyouya could not think of any other explanation. He had seen her with minimal make up; even so she was quite stunning. Of course, the woman could have been lying about not having surgery either. If only he had photos of her from before…

"I've said too much about myself tonight," she realized.
"Quite the opposite," he disagreed.

She shook her head. "You should feel honoured."
"I do," Kyouya replied.

Victoria rolled her eyes. What a lie, she thought. Why would he even care about what she had said?

"Prove it," she challenged.
"How?"
"You figure it out," Victoria shrugged. "Make me believe your words."

Kyouya was stumped. The woman asked for too much, yet it was simple. How was he meant to make her believe his words? He sat there dumbly, feeling the woman's gaze on him. She smirked. She never expected him to figure anything out. Kyouya felt like he was treated like a child who didn't know any better. Ironically, that was what he was tonight. He truly did not know anything when she was around. Her questions were open-ended, strange and perplexing.

And that was what made her so… magnificent in her own way.

"Close your eyes," she softly said. Her melodious voice hypnotized him into doing what was told.

"Listen," Victoria murmured. "The sea is so calming, and wondrous on its own, even without the sight. Listen to the breeze and the waves that roar and soothe you all at the same time."

His ears perked up, he found himself relaxing in the cold weather. He could imagine the beach without having to see it. Just listening was enough. A wave of peace rushed through his body, his heart rate slowed while his lungs were filled with the cool fresh air.

"Now breathe, Kyouya," she whispered, closely to his ear.

Kyouya understood why the woman was so captured by the beach. He had begun to love the feeling of the sand underneath his feet, the small grains that slipped from his hands, the cool breeze and the sounds that engulfed his ears. After what seemed like forever, Kyouya pried his eyes open to see if Victoria had been following along. He wanted that glimpse of her smiling while having that gentle stare towards the sea.

But she was gone.

She disappeared into thin air without a goodbye.

She left him with the last word.

Kyouya.

Victoria wasn't stupid.

But unfortunately, she was human. As any human, she made mistakes that she was not proud of. Victoria lay in bed with the moonlight seeping through her curtains. She could not sleep. The clock read 1:18 AM in the morning. Normally, Victoria would go back to work, but it was already an hour into Sunday. The firm was closed on Sunday, and Victoria was always on top of her workload. There was no rush.

The Fight or Flight instinct was a normal biological feature that every human possessed. Yet Victoria, no matter how persistent her mind was in putting up a fight, her instinct was always to run. She left Kyouya on the beach and quietly slipped away. It had been three weeks since then.

But her mind could not stop replaying the image in her head.

Any normal person would have interpreted the man's gesture as affection and attraction. The way he leaned in with his dark, mesmerizing eyes and how he coolly sat back into his own position like nothing had happened. He called her beautiful, sincerely. He followed her instructions without any objection. Victoria had the Ootori under her thumb.

And she couldn't bring herself to do anything with it. She couldn't bring herself to manipulate him in any way. It just didn't feel right. Her conscience did not allow her to. Victoria did not understand if the heavy feeling on her chest was due to fear or regret.

Fearful, for the fact that Victoria knew she had revealed too much about herself. Ironically, the man didn't seem to catch onto her hints. Perhaps he would analyze her words later and make deductions from it in due time. However, the regret she felt was the opportunity to finally use the Ootori to her advantage and yet nothing happened. She had him under her thumb, but she had no motive. All her life, she lived in fear of the Ootori, only dreaming of the opportunity to crush his ego and exhibit her skills from the very bottom of the food chain to the top. What had driven her to the top was bitterness, and what she gained was nothing.

At this stage, many would call it a waste of time. A waste of time to gain nothing from it.

Victoria had plunged herself into the cut throat high society, not even knowing what she had been looking for. Success? Sure, it was gained. People knew her name and her profession was certainly not overlooked by many. Wealth? She had plenty of money to spare. Happiness? It felt more like emptiness.

The woman rolled over in her bed groaning. She finally sat up and looked to the closet where the door was used as a mirror. Victoria looked at herself with her fingers raking though her soft auburn hair that stopped midway down her back.

If her father had seen her, he would comment on how beautiful she looked. How she looked just like her mother. Only her father said so. Only her father thought so. Only her father.

She never understood why he always seen it. Everyone said she looked like her father. Nothing except her natural hair colour was similar to her mother.

But the thought of her mother always angered her.

It took Victoria years to piece together her family history. She was always kept in the dark, being exchanged through continents without being told a word. When she was five, Victoria woke up one day without her mother in the house. Divorce was not a familiar word, and neither was separation.

She found Michael, her half-brother sitting beside their father who only sat in the living room chair with lifeless eyes. Neither Michael nor Victoria knew what to say, or what had happened. Only that their mother had disappeared. Her father took up a habit of drinking, and lost custody of both of them until he sobered up when Victoria was sixteen.

Victoria was shipped to Japan by the age of seven, just like a package without any value. Her mother didn't want to look at her, touch her, or even say hello. Michael had gone back to live with his biological mother. Despite the distance, the siblings never lost touch. If it weren't for Michael, Victoria probably would not have been alive.

Her time in Japan was lonely and isolated.

You are a disappointment. Make yourself worth something, were her mother's words.

So Victoria did. She fulfilled her mother's wishes in the best ways she could. Victoria danced, played instruments and was a linguist. Her blistered feet, swollen ankles and excruciating pain were steps to success. Successful auditions and praise from her dance instructors or music teachers were nothing more than a nod. High marks in class were not impressive. First place violin competitions meant nothing.

Nothing she did could satisfy her mother. Her mother said nothing to her unless it was degrading. Victoria could not eat with the family or do anything remotely close to them. In fact, Victoria probably did not even exist in the eyes of her younger half-siblings. At the age of sixteen, she did what she did best: run away.

She did not expect her mother to come running after her. Legally, Victoria could be under the custody of her father if he sobered up, which he did and if all parties agreed. It was not a surprise that her mother was more than willing to flick her away from the country.

You are a disappointment. Nothing will change. You will never be a star, or have any value. No one will know your name, no one will see you. You are average.

Victoria was average. That was the word she would have wanted to erase from the dictionary if she could. Along with it came mediocre, or useless. Victoria wanted nothing more than to prove that she was everything and more.

But not through ballet.

Victoria could imagine the words of her mother.

Because you were good at nothing else but ballet. It is too bad your time is up.

Ballet dancers never had life-long careers, many moved onto being choreographers or teachers. Aging happened no matter what. Victoria did not want that as much as she loved to dance. She did not want to hear or see her mother scoff at her short-lived success. Her mother would see her shine into a star, somewhere else. Her mother would see her succeed for years to come.

Ironically, everything led back to her mother. The woman she hated the most was the woman who had driven her to be who she was today. It was a never ending cycle. Victoria was no longer living for herself, but for her mother.

It was sad. Pathetic, actually. Victoria knew better, but she couldn't stop. Not when she had gone too deep. Victoria wondered what her mother would have thought of the Ootori. They did do business together, indirectly anyway.

Victoria wondered what the Ootori was motivated by. What led him to build such an empire, even if the odds were against him? The odds were against Victoria in being as successful as she was today. Back to the Ootori it was, again as her mind replayed him leaning forward under the moonlight on the beach.

It was romantic, of course. Everything seemed right, and if he had just kissed her…

It would have felt so wrong. It was wrong. Victoria made it clear, as clear as she could. With the line, with the analogy, with… running away. They were nothing more than business partners and perhaps even occasional friends when the time called for it. Yet Victoria could not believe that the Ootori was as soft hearted to show such affection.

Was he even capable of doing so? His friendships were based on benefits, the same eyes she stared into made people cower in fear, the perfectly angled face was used to deceive and manipulate each person the Ootori came across... he was dangerous. Kyouya was not meant to be trusted.

Victoria knew her mistake. She made herself too vulnerable and she hated herself for it.

Kyouya impatiently drummed his hands on the desk. His foot restlessly moved underneath his desk while he tried to get some paperwork done. Physically, he had been exhausted with the time zone shifts and the constant travelling. Sitting back in the Japanese Headquarters did not give him a sense of home at all.

His brain was overworking, dealing with the stress upon his physical body in keeping him awake while balancing his alertness with company matters. It only made more room for mistakes. Of course, being an Ootori the man refused to believe that any mistakes were going to be made.

He couldn't concentrate. His mind kept deviating towards other tasks on the side, thinking of other solutions. It was not a good day for the Ootori.

Of course, it had already been after hours. Many people had gone home, it was already 5:43 PM according to his computer and the skies were getting dark. The Ootori could not help but to go over time, feeling the need to always do more. Always be distracted by work, to focus on the company and nothing else.

It was worse when he stopped working as Kyouya would unconsciously contemplate and replay the events of that one night. The sound of the seas, the dark sky and the bright moon. That face, the pale skin and thin pointed nose. Those dark brown eyes and the auburn hair that was swept messily but perfectly to the side.

She knew exactly what to say.

Exactly how much to say.

And exactly how to drive him up the wall with questions and his insatiable curiosity.

He could not tell what was worse. Being sleep deprived, exhausted, busy and distracted or restful, at peace with questions that continuously bothered him to no end. Neither was a good option, but Kyouya opted to keep himself busy over wasting time. After all, time is money.

He slammed the pen down onto his desk.

A deafening sound resonated through the empty office. It would not have been surprising to have his glass desk scratched by the force. The frustration that built up within himself could not be bottled up any longer. That intense desire, that longing to know more, to hear more, to see more of her was beginning to become much too difficult to repress.

He just wanted an excuse.

To see her, to speak with her. Yet there was none.

That invisible line, that stupid, ridiculous imaginary line never left his mind. Kyouya did not want to cross the line, or erase the line purely out of romantic interest. No, their relationship was platonic. He agreed, and her analogy made sense. Yet his subconscious refused to listen. His subconscious, or rather his curiosity could not listen to the reasoning.

One simple search. A few keywords into the keyboard. He could dig more information up, besides the usual background info. As much as Kyouya was tempted to do so, he knew not to. A part of him had developed a large sense of respect for the woman. That line he did not want to cross. He did not want to anger her more than he already had. Kyouya did not want to lose this valuable relationship.

Yet what made it particularly valuable besides business could not be understood. What made this woman so important that the Ootori would firmly stand by his morals for? She was replaceable. There were plenty of good reputable lawyers in the world.

But none would understand him the way she did. No one else would see eye to eye with him. No one would tell him he was wrong, or if he was making a mistake. No one would care more than she did.

She cared.

Kyouya's face scrunched up at the thought of caring. It was such a foreign word to him. As was the word friend or anything to do with emotions. It was too complicated for his mind to comprehend. Sure they were friends, and both had their own perks business-wise for being associated with each other. What irked Kyouya was whether she cared enough. If she cared just as much as he did, for reasons unknown. Whether she reciprocated the same feelings he did, even if he didn't know what to describe them as.

It was a never ending cycle.

"Haruhi, just because you have a ring on your finger is not any reason to fall behind," Victoria scolded. The intern had been engaged for a few months and was busy with preparations for her wedding.

"Sorry," Haruhi said breathlessly. Her arms were filled with papers and the brunette had almost been late for work. Victoria had noticed the intern's slight dip in performance. It didn't exactly bother Victoria, though she preferred having employees to be on top of their job. It wasn't pleasant having to clean up their small mistakes or messes they left behind. But then again, Victoria had been working without anyone by her side for years. Perhaps having Haruhi around was an advantage after all. The girl was competent.

"Do you need a break?" Victoria bluntly asked. She saw those dark circles under her intern's eyes.

"No," Haruhi stubbornly replied.

"I don't really need you," the lawyer admitted. "Feel free to take time off for your wedding. I'm sure you'll need it more than I do."
"Will you really be fine without me?" Haruhi toyed with the idea.
"I was fine without you for years," Victoria replied. "When is the wedding?"

Haruhi did a quick calculation. "About 3 months?"
"A summer wedding, hm."
"Yes. You're invited," the brunette informed. Haruhi watched as the lawyer looked away from the computer monitor and raised an eyebrow.
"It's in Hawaii though," Haruhi continued. "My fiancé enjoys… extravagant events. He's also a romantic, thinking that the beach and the scenery woul—" The intern stopped speaking after realizing that the lawyer stopped listening. She never listened to rambling. Victoria was good at filtering out information that was not important and never wasted time. Haruhi didn't find it rude, not anymore anyway.

Haruhi placed her pile of paper down and meekly handed over the envelope with the invitation.

Victoria exchanged a curt smile and nodded. "Thank you."
"I don't expect you to fly all the way to Hawaii but… I'd appreciate you being there."
"Alright," Victoria nodded. "Off you go to work."

The brunette smiled when the lawyer softened before chiding her as usual. Haruhi quickly walked out of the office and went back to work. Victoria eyed the pink envelope after the intern left. Her fingers were tempted to open up the invitation. She sighed and left the envelope for later.

It was no time for distraction.

Empty floor. Empty office. Everyone went home.

Victoria stared at the mountain of paperwork that sat upon her desk. She had sent Haruhi home. Victoria was fine; it wasn't like she couldn't handle this much work. The silence that resonated through the floor along with the darkening sky never made a good environment to work. The lawyer sighed and dealt with the dreary atmosphere, determined to finish the work before the weekend. She had promised to take her niece to the zoo and Victoria did not want to have to spend time with Lily while thinking about work.

Her hair was in a bun while she quickly drew up documents through her computer. Slowly, her pile of paper work began to deplete, satisfying Victoria as she worked on the last task for the night. It must've been some time after 7 and the lawyer was starving. Living on coffee was not the most pleasant experience.

A knock on her door was heard. The auburn haired woman quickly looked towards the entrance to her office, surprised at the company. It wasn't common that anyone would come back to the office.

"What are you doing here?" Victoria asked, trying to conceal her shock at the guest.
"Not even going to greet your highest-paying client?"

The lawyer only stared at the audacity of the man. "Most clients have the courtesy of making an appointment during work hours. Neither criterion met when it comes to you."

"I am not like most clients," he coolly replied.

Victoria glared at Kyouya Ootori who stood in the middle of her office, smirking at her. He knew she was irritated. He knew she was busy. He just liked to gauge reactions from her.

"Mr Ootori, if you are here because of business matters I would kindly ask that you—"
"—This isn't about business," he cut her off.

The lawyer narrowed her eyes in confusion. Regardless, she would keep her stance.

"Well if it isn't about business, please leave. This is an office. Not a place for a rendezvous," Victoria calmly said. "As well, you shouldn't have gotten past security, nor should you have even known that I was still here."

"I have ways," he shrugged.
"Ways that I will not question. I am busy. Leave."

Victoria went back to typing, ignoring the man. Perhaps he would leave if she didn't pay attention. It didn't work. In fact, the man shamelessly took a seat in front of her desk, peering over to her monitor to see what she was working on. The woman breathed in deeply, keeping herself calm. She finished typing up the document and printed it out.

"You're done?" he asked, watching as Victoria gathered the papers in place and stuck them in a folder. She organized them neatly on her desk in piles that Kyouya didn't quite catch onto. She still continued to ignore him. Kyouya only sat back in the comfortable leather seat, amused at the sight. Victoria refused to look at the man, treating him like thin air. Her arms went up to her hair, letting the silky strands fall apart from the bun that had been there for the past 10 hours. The auburn hair was wavy in all the right places, glistening in the bright light.

Victoria put on her jacket, taking her handbag with her and picked up the mountain of paperwork in her hands.

She walked out of her office, turning off the light. Kyouya swiftly followed her out of her own office, trailing along behind her as she dropped off documents on cubicles and in other offices within the firm. The sound of paper forcefully dropped on each desk was a sound of relief to Victoria. She was done. It always felt like an achievement, keeping herself on track and giving her colleagues a surprise in the morning.

Normally, Victoria would have ridden down the elevator in a good mood, looking forward to her weekend with her niece. Only that her entire night was ruined by the presence of an obnoxious man who followed her around like a lost puppy.

"What do you want?" Victoria asked, exasperated. "How can I get rid of you?" They reached the ground floor.
"Are you hungry?" Kyouya changed the topic. "You must be."

Victoria only stayed silent, glaring at the Ootori.

"Let's have a meal together," Kyouya suggested.
"As what?"
"Friends." The word easily slipped off his tongue.

"No," Victoria refused. "I have plans."
Kyouya scoffed. "Right, like you have plans when you stay at the firm to work overtime."

The lawyer huffed. Touché, she thought. Victoria shook her head at how the man never made himself clear about what he wanted. Surely, Victoria could have taken some time to read and analyze his actions, but she was starving. Food seemed like a much better idea than standing outside with the Ootori.

She walked away without another word, leaving him standing there clueless for about a second. Victoria picked up her pace, though she could only go so far with high heels on and the crowded streets of New York. Finally, she made herself at home in a local Italian restaurant, not caring if the Ootori joined her or not. All Victoria wanted was to fill her stomach.

Victoria sat alone for a while, satisfied that the Ootori lost his way. The lawyer curtly ordered her food before peering into her handbag for her phone. She checked her e-mails and messages just in case. The pink envelope caught her eye before Victoria placed her phone down. Her hand reached for the envelope, remembering that it was Haruhi's invitation to her wedding.

"Quite rude of you to leave someone standing on the streets."

Victoria sighed while the Ootori didn't bother to ask if he could take a seat. He coolly sat across from her without her permission. The waitress came by, clearly fawning over the Ootori's good looks.

"How did you find me?" Victoria asked. "And don't say my hair, it's dark outside. You couldn't have seen the colour."

"Your phone," Kyouya shrugged. "Tracked your number through GPS."
"That's illegal, and also a breach of privacy," Victoria calmly stated.
"Oh? What are you going to do about it?" Kyouya smirked.

She rolled her eyes. The envelope was still in her hands. The lawyer ignored the Ootori and carefully opened up the invitation. She skimmed over the card, wondering if she could possibly attend. It was halfway across the world and it was much too early to book anything.

"How long have you known?" the Ootori's voice suddenly became deeper, more composed. A new mask. Victoria could sense it. The woman paused for a moment, unsure of what he meant.

"Haruhi's Engagement?" Victoria saw him nod slightly. "Two weeks...? But she told me she had been engaged for a few months…"

It suddenly clicked. Victoria wondered why she couldn't have made the connection quicker, though technically she wouldn't have known back then…

Kyouya's lips pursed as he saw the pink envelope in her thin, long fingers. Victoria watched him for a few seconds longer, looking for some type of giveaway. His question was already quite enough for Victoria's intuition to sense something.

"Have you called Haruhi?" Victoria asked, testing the waters.
"Why such a question?"
"Just asking," the lawyer shrugged. "You told me you didn't call a few months ago that night. She worries."
"It doesn't matter," he coldly replied.

Victoria nodded before placing the envelope away. Clearly it bothered him. Not just it, but Haruhi. The Ootori must have known about the engagement long before she did. Victoria sighed.

"Something the matter?" Kyouya said noticing the way she sighed.

"Have you ever heard of the Scarcity Principle?"
"Why, of course," Kyouya replied. It was the basis of economics, what businessperson did not know about the Scarcity Principle?

"It applies to you," she said.
"It applies to everyone," Kyouya scoffed.

Victoria shook her head. "You're very…"
"Rich? Powerful? Almighty?" he suggested.

Her expression suddenly turned irritated. "Annoying, dense and creepy," Victoria finished with a blank face. "Also, still very much predictable."

Their food arrived before Kyouya was able to retort her sly insult. Neither of the two had eaten. Their eating schedules as well as their sleeping schedules were never consistent. They ate whenever they could, wherever they could. Their meal was eaten in silence, while Kyouya's mind was swirling with questions and thoughts. Although he was still angry by the woman's insult, he had to admit that the food was delicious. The two finished their meals without another word.

"You still don't understand what makes you predictable," Victoria stated. She did not expect an answer. Silence was deafening between the two. "I suppose that's a good thing… for me."

"Enlighten me, Victoria," Kyouya said with clenched teeth. "In what way am I so predictable to you?"

"Enlightenment comes from within, Kyouya," Victoria replied with a smile. "But today we shall focus on the Scarcity Principle."

Kyouya rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Even a high school student studying the basics in business would know what the Scarcity Principle is."

"Oh?" Victoria raised an eyebrow, mocking him. "Then let us hear your thoughts upon this fundamental idea."

"It is the never ending conundrum of unlimited wants of society that can not be fulfilled by the limited resources," Kyouya coolly explained. "One would place something that is scarce of a higher value over one that is abundant, of course. Common sense."

"Good boy," the lawyer sarcastically said. "Now, apply this on a social level."

"Social?" Kyouya was now confused. He saw her lips twitch up in triumph. "Humans… have a desire to gain what they can not have."

Her smile grew a little more. She was spoon feeding him the answers. "Good. Now think about how this applies to you."

"I always get what I want," Kyouya declared. He saw the woman tilt her head to the side; he could not read her expression. Was it of disappointment or mockery?

"You did not get Haruhi," Victoria pointed out calmly. She saw as the Ootori glaring at her with sharp eyes, his breathing became slightly more frequent. He was angry. "You want what you can not have. You long for things that are not for you. Life is a disappointment; I do not need to be the one telling you this."

"She is irrelevant," the Ootori brushed off.

"Oh, she is certainly relevant," Victoria assured. "I do not purposely do this to make you hate me, though I do not mind even if you do. But as you consider me your friend above all things, I am doing nothing more than being a good friend."

"You're being a terribl—"
"—I am being blunt. There is a difference."

The Ootori stayed silent. Victoria raised an eyebrow at the man who only stared back.

"Why did you come find me today?" Victoria asked, changing the topic.
"I can't remember," he lied. He saw her shrug.

"Will you be alright?"
"Yes," Kyouya quickly replied. "I'm fine." He knew that Victoria did not believe a word he had said, but the woman did not pry. She only gave her own opinion, her own speculations. Victoria was wise, in ways that Kyouya could not help but admire. It was not fair how she knew, how she read and observed others without a single flaw. She was able to penetrate through his wall.

"There are times when… I do not understand," Kyouya admitted.
"You never do," Victoria chuckled.

"Do you know why I do not understand?"
"Why of course. I do not preach what I have not learned, nor do I enjoy playing the role of a hypocrite."
"Then tell me why," Kyouya pressed.
"No," Victoria refused. "The purpose is to make you understand; telling you the answer without having you apply the equation will do no good."

The man sighed in frustration. "So what is the point?"
"Of this conversation?"
"Yes," Kyouya said.

Victoria sat back, smiling at her friend. "I'm not sure if you can handle it," she challenged.
"Try me," Kyouya growled.

"I'm asking you to get your shit together," Victoria snapped.
"Excuse me?" Kyouya sat there stunned.

"You want what you can't have. You sulk around like a lost puppy with no home. Grow up, Kyouya. Life is a disappointment; the whole world does not serve to please you. So get off your high horse and swallow your enormous pride."

Victoria stopped for a moment, realizing that she had said too much. The Ootori was not angry, but surely he felt offended. Kyouya did not know what to say.

She always left him speechless.

A/N: I said I wouldn't update for a while, and clearly I've been procrastinating on my work. Apologies if this was not as up to par as usual, I do write late at night (strangely, it is when my brain works best). Finals are next week for me, and I'm more or less screwed haha. Anyway, regardless I do hope this chapter was enjoyable. Thank you for your lovely words last chapter, and all your continued support. :) All your amazing reviews make me happy each time. I hope all of you are having a fantastic week, and best of luck to those who also have finals as well.