"You knew Miura-sama?"
It was a question from the Hayama father.
Images of
A certain blonde
And a stubbled man
Coursed through his mind.
Certainly, they were referring to her father.
He rarely saw him
And when he does
It was as if
Looking at a reflection
Of his older self
Yet unlike his dead-fish eyes
His were narrow and wary
Signs of a man
Tired and fed up with life
A cynic
Just like him.
He was a medical doctor
Judging from the instances
He would spot him
In an untidy white coat.
Once
He had spoken
With his friend's father
And it was revealed to him
That he was a bit of a philosopher
Albeit more hardened than him
Still a caring father.
Now to the question, what would he say?
He only saw him
No more a dozen times
And talked half those encounters.
A mysterious man.
"His daughter lent me this suit."
Perhaps a fair answer.
"Hikigaya-kun is friends with Yumiko-chan."
Of course. Take over, devil girl.
"Interesting."
All the while
The ice queen and prince
Beside each other
Quiet
But paying more attention
A pair of icy blue eyes
Peered at him.
Time seemed to drag on
Understatement
Crawl.
It is a proved scientific fact
Time dilation
A phenomenon
Occuring
In extreme presence of gravity
And in moments
When one
Is having
A hell of a time.
"What do you know?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why they know Miura-san."
"Honestly, I don't know that much. For a fact, Miyako-sama is a Miura."
He raised an eyebrow to this statement.
"Haruno. You are not telling the whole truth."
"All will be revealed in good time."
"Good time? You dragged me into this hellhole, pit me against your parents. Now's just a good time as any."
"Hush now. Changing topic, I'm impressed with the amount of confidence you are putting out tonight."
"You have no idea."
Sipping from his glass
Red wine
Trace of spirit
Quite soothing
How much time
Can alcohol kill?
Poking his fork
At the fine dish
In front of him
Perhaps it was no more than
An hour
Yet it felt like too long
And he was tired
Mentally
Even physically
Hunger was absent.
It was too much to process
Finding himself
Among the rich
He felt miserable
Yet strangely
Comfortable.
Soon
There was music
And the gentlemen of the table
Stood up
To invite their ladies
A dance.
Even more
He just stared
And let out a small smile
Seeing the prince
Ask for the hand
Of the ice queen.
Perhaps
Even the prince of masks
Have the nerve
To court a woman
An ice queen no less
For this
He respected him
If only for a bare minimum.
It was too disappointing
That it is a relationship
More likely has to do
With politics
Than true love.
Marry for love
Divorce for money.
He knew that much.
The two smelled of
Arranged marriage
Deluded assumptions
And money.
He felt sorry for the ice queen.
She was stuck up and all
Even worse
Commanded by expectation
And blind desire
To surpass her sister
Just another
Inferiority complex.
"Ne, Hikigaya-kun. Are you not going to ask me to a dance?"
He simply smirked.
"Of course, milady."
To think of it
This night would be burned
Right unto the back of his mind
The night
When he dined with the kings
And queens
Of the social kingdom
By putting on
A conniving faux
Clever mimicry
A feat he never thought possible
Yet now
Here he was
Holding a seductive beauty
Under the soft white light
As they meticulously moved
With every tempo
A motion of the foot
As they danced
Into the night.
In another light
They saw him
A strange man
Dead were his eyes
Sinister
Yet sharp
In mind and manner
A character
Befitting
Of a ruthless
Polymath.
They knew little
Of this young man
In a crisp grey suit
He certainly looked
Someone of power
On par with them
Little did they know
It was simply
A well acted
Façade.
Indeed
They were certainly impressed
Of his mannerisms
Ability to hold a conversation
All the while maintain
A cold
Calm
Demeanor.
But perhaps
He was the first man
Whom they have witnessed
Tame the heart
Of the devilish woman.
And they watched
As the two danced
Moving with grace
And elegance
Their eyes locked
Unto one another
And indeed.
It is the passion
Behind the rose
That captivates
A lady.