Author's Note: Chapter 5 here. I know it's been two months, I was busy and I made a new layout for my site. Now, onto the two masquerading couple…
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Deceive Me NotChapter 5: ARE YOU GOING TO KISS ME?
Pan crossed her arms in front of her and resumed her pacing. When she passed the telephone, she glared at it.
Then, she went to her small kitchen and opened her refrigerator to grab the ice cream carton. As she ate, she was still frowning and pouting like a child, one must assume the ice cream did not taste good.
It was a week after her lunch with Trunks and he did not call her again. As in zero. Nil. Nada.
And it was slowly driving her insane.
After they'd finished eating their lunch, which lasted for three long hours, he escorted her back to her hotel room and forced her to check out.
He reasoned out that staying in a hotel for months would be impractical and expensive. Instead, he suggested she rent a condo unit for the time being.
He even helped her search for a good one that is not so expensive, calling his contact person from his phone, and helped her unpack her things. He did not stay long, however, and left his number at her in case she needed someone and in case of emergency.
But now, seven long days had passed and she had not heard a word from the jerk.
And after she had agreed to try to seduce him!
She finished her ice cream and sighed. She looked for a job and she was still waiting for the result of her final interview.
Trunks had suggested that she work at Capsule Corporation, after all, they compensate their employees well, according to him.
But she didn't want to lose her freedom. If she ends up marrying Mr. Briefs, he can monitor her actions all the time, worse, he might even ask her to stop working.
What, then, would be the use of her hard work in college?
So, she declined.
She groaned in irritation and after finishing her ice cream, stomped towards the phone.
*-*
"If it's my mom, tell her I'm busy," Trunks said at the intercom as he looked at the pending contracts he needed to close, when his secretary called him from the intercom.
"It was your cellular phone that's ringing, sir," Rycah said, correcting her employer's assumption. He didn't like it when his mom visits his office because she was always lecturing him. So, he often asks his secretary to tell his mom that he's busy.
"Was it?"
"You left it on my table when you picked up your papers," she informed him.
"Bring it in," Trunks said and answered the phone when she handed it to him while reading another contract, as Rycah went out of his office again.
"Err, hello?" a woman hesitantly said.
"Who is this?" he asked.
"It's Pan."
"Pan? Oh, hi!" he greeted as soon as he remembered her. He smiled at himself.
"Well, hi yourself!"
"Not really cheerful today, huh?" he teased and he swore Pan rolled her eyes.
"Well, do you remember our deal?"
"Of course, I do," he said cheerfully, giving up trying to read the contract. Pan was more interesting than that paper, anyway.
"So, why didn't you call?"
"I was busy –"
"Aren't you going to apologize?"
"And I was waiting for your call."
"You were waiting for my call?" Pan asked incredulously on the other line.
"Didn't I say I was?"
"You deliberately tricked me into calling –"
He interrupted her. "Rule number one. If you want a man to notice you, you should make the first move."
Pan frowned and sat down on the couch. "What?! Are you for real?"
"I sure am."
"Okay," Pan said, rolling her eyes. Now, she couldn't even remember the craziness that entered her mind to make her agree to his proposal.
"Look, I'm so sorry but I'm so busy right now. I'll pick you up at, um, let's say, six?"
"Why?" she asked, confused.
"Why, we're going out to dinner, of course."
Pan shifted in her seat. "I don't think –"
"Rule number two, don't turn down a man's invitation," he interrupted that Pan sighed.
"Oh, alright," she said and smiled to herself.
"So, I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, sure," Pan chirped happily, she didn't know what came over her. "Bye!"
*-*
"Sneaking off again?" Bulma asked when Trunks emerged from his office, carrying his briefcase.
"Uh, hi mom," Trunks greeted nervously and fought the urge to groan.
"Going on another date?" Bulma asked and raised an eyebrow at him.
"No. Goten and I are going to get some drinks," Trunks lied. Yeah, though he's old enough to be a father, his mother still intimidates him.
"Really, huh?"
This time, Trunks groaned. "Mom, I'm thirty. I need to date. I'm out there to get a wife, you know."
"You're out there to get a wife?" Bulma repeated and smirked at her son.
She's been around with my dad for a long time now, Trunks realized, she can even copy that trademark smirk perfectly.
"But I haven't seen you getting serious on anybody," Bulma said and shook her head at her son, obviously disappointed.
"Mom, it's different this time," he protested but her mom only snorted at him.
"Same old line, my dear. I swear, if Goten had been a girl, I would have forced you to marry him."
Trunks jaw dropped. An image of his friend, Goten, wearing a dress was enough to make him shiver in disgust.
I guess I better hide Goten from my mom for a few weeks, he thought, grimacing. Who knows what's going on in that head of hers?
"Have you got nothing to say for yourself, TV?" Bulma asked.
Trunks rolled his eyes, then kissed his mom on the cheek. "I'm late, mom, gotta get going," he said and ran as fast as he could to escape his mom who began screeching for him to come back.
*-*
He gulped. The fire in her eyes almost made him step backward in fear. But he held his ground.
He offered her the flowers he bought to make up for his tardiness and he was pleased that his hand didn't shake when he did.
However, his heart plummeted to his stomach when she didn't take it.
"You're late," she said coldly.
He paled. No girl had ever got mad at him for being late, especially when he's thoughtful enough to buy her some flowers.
Well, of course, that's because he was seldom late. He was early most of the time.
"Err, sorry?" he apologized meekly.
But Pan only narrowed her eyes at him. "I've been waiting for an hour. No woman would like that!"
No man would, too, Trunks woundedly thought as he remembered waiting for hours as his past girlfriends get ready for a date. But, hey, he was only half an hour late! "Do you mean to tell me that you're ready thirty minutes earlier than the time I said I will pick you up?"
Pan only glared at him and crossed her arms in front of her.
"Well, you're not supposed to be early. You're supposed to take time dressing up," Trunks argued pointlessly, he had forgotten he was still outside of his pad. Yes, his pad he secretly rented out to her, that anyone who passes by would surely witness the scene since Pan hadn't let Trunks in.
"Well, you're not supposed to be late, either," Pan countered hotly.
"That's why I brought a peace-offering gift for you," Trunks said meekly.
Pan narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't need your flowers," she said and shoved the flowers to his chest.
"Hey!" Trunks said, offended. "You shouldn't get mad at me," he said, hurt plain in his voice.
"Why? Because I'm breaking rule number three of your bloody art of seduction?" she asked sarcastically.
"No," he said and a small smile grazed his lips. "Because it lessens your beauty."
Pan blushed then rolled her eyes. "Last time I checked, I'm the one trying to seduce you, not the other way around."
"But that doesn't mean I cannot do the same," Trunks said and winked at her.
Pan rolled her eyes again then grabbed the flower from him. "I'll put this in a vase," she said and went inside the pad just to avoid the jerk's teasing.
Trunks followed her inside and smiled. Oh boy, he was going to enjoy spending time with her.
*-*
"Trunks, NO!" Pan said and stomped her feet.
"Look," Trunks said, getting impatient already. "We've been at this for twenty minutes already. If you don't want to come with me, fine! I'll go inside alone, you go home alone. Or better yet, wait for me at the car and I'll drive you home later. What will it be?"
"But how could you bring me to such a place?" Pan asked, and pouted, "I'm not even your girlfriend!"
Trunks grinned naughtily at her. "Well, if you want, you could be my girlfriend now so you won't feel awkward about it."
Pan put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"Come on, what's so bad about bringing you to a five star restaurant?" he asked and put an arm around her shoulders.
"It's so expensive here," Pan pouted again, but leaned her weight slightly on his body.
She had met the man only a week ago but she felt really comfortable and safe around him already. She loved his manly scent with a hint of spice (probably his cologne) and she loved the strength she felt underneath his body.
"It's alright. I've got a huge amount of money to spend," he teased.
"Can't we transfer to a cheaper restaurant? At least a three-star restaurant or something?" she asked hopefully, when Trunks chuckled.
"Look, if you don't want to come with me, it's alright. I'm going inside to eat, you can look for our car in the parking lot," he suggested and removed his arm from her shoulder just to scare the woman.
Pan glared at him, but held onto his arm anyway.
Trunks only grinned and said, "Shall we?" as they entered the restaurant.
"This is supposed to be a game only. It's not even practical!" Pan muttered to herself, but Trunks heard her all right.
When they were already seated (apparently, he had a reservation on the place), Trunks reached for her hand and slowly rubbed her palm with his thumb.
"Come on, relax. Don't be so tense, you should enjoy the night, instead," he said softly.
But Pan only pouted at him. And who could blame her? Being an only daughter and an only child, she was used to getting what she wanted. But this man had manipulated her into entering this restaurant.
When the waiter approached them to take their orders, she didn't even look at the menu.
So, Trunks, after apologizing for her moodiness, ordered for their food. And boy, did he order a lot! It was as if he ordered half of what the restaurant offered.
But Pan only continued to pout even after the waiter left.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you want me to kiss you. You've been pouting your lips at me the whole night," Trunks teased and was awarded, err, punished, when Pan snatched her hand away from his grasp.
"I really hate you, you know," she said softly.
Trunks only laughed at her. "You know, for someone who's trying to seduce me, you sure had a unique way of doing that."
"That's because you're being such a moron," Pan said and frowned, still upset.
"I'm not," Trunks stated, "you're just being too difficult."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. In fact, you should get used to this kind of places. When you marry Mr. Briefs, you shouldn't expect he'll treat you to McDonald's for a dinner date," he said.
Pan glared at him.
"I'm just being honest here, you know," he said, already ready to defend himself. "Look, if it would please you, you can pay for all the expenses I will incur when you marry Mr. Briefs."
"Hn." That's all she said and sighed.
"You can even invite me to your wedding!" Trunks said cheerfully.
This time, a small smile grazed her lips that Trunks felt more determined to win a smile from the obviously distressed woman. "Come on, Pan, a small smile. It'll be worthy of this expensive dinner," Trunks said, eyes pleading at her.
And this time, Pan smiled, awed by his desire to make her enjoy the night. "You are such a charmer," she said softly.
Trunks grinned at her, and to his wonder and amazement, he blushed. Maybe because those words, though been said to him for quite a number of times, he cannot remember it being so poignant.
"Hey, our food is here," Pan said, not noticing his blush, and smiled at him.
*-*
"—and then he told me he would buy me anything I wanted just for a second chance. I mean, can you believe that guy? After cheating on me? Why are you looking at me like that?" Pan rattled on then stopped when she noticed Trunks looking at her weirdly.
Trunks smiled at her. "Nothing," he said softly and moved towards her.
Pan arched an eyebrow at him, but did not say anything. Instead, she, too, moved closer to him and leaned on his chest.
After eating their dinner, Trunks took her to a park where they could watch the stars and be romantic.
But Pan wasn't anywhere near romantic. She didn't like the mushy-gushy kissy-kissy thing with anyone. Ever. It made her want to throw up whenever she pictured herself as a romantic.
It sickened her!
So, she spent the should-be romantic night talking about her life. She talked about her fun and misery in college, the boys she'd dated who turned out to be jerks. Even the boys who wanted to get serious with her because, to her astonishment, they had fallen for her.
Trunks had listened all the while. And he didn't feel anything near being bored. Which is quite a surprise. He had always find women talking non-stop to be boring.
But not with this girl.
Maybe because she didn't talk about the latest fashion, or why she had the perfect manicured nails.
Maybe because she talked animatedly, she made him laugh for quite a number of times. Or maybe because she was interesting.
Too interesting, in fact.
Then, Trunks' gaze fell on her lips.
She had no lipstick. Figures, he thought. She had worn only the faintest of make up for the night, he can hardly detect it.
And it made her look more beautiful. A woman shouldn't really hide what she looks like underneath those layers of masks, he admitted to himself.
But then, her lips were naturally red, and seemed to be pouting even when she wasn't. Maybe because she was always pouting, her lips got used to it, he mused.
"—and then the next day, Trunks?" he heard her say.
"Yeah?" he answered huskily. He realized that he wanted a taste of those lips. Just a kiss.
"Are you going to kiss me?" Pan asked.
He looked at her face then. But the lack of anticipation and hope on her expression, in fact she looked quite indifferent, prompted him to say, "no."
She smiled brightly at that. "Good. Because if you did, I'd have to punch you on the face and break your nose. Then it would ruin your handsome face."
Trunks was too astonished to react. After a full minute, though, he got his good senses back and smirked at her, "I'm seriously wondering if you could seduce me if you keep acting like that."
In his mind, though, he was seriously wondering if what he said was true or not.
Author's Note: Hehe. Now, that was fun, don't you guys think? Were you expecting a lemon? Sorry, none of that for now, it's supposed to be a funny fic. Maybe in the later chapters. Now for the second date, after a few…
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