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INT. ASSEMBLY ROOMS - MERYTON VILLAGE - NIGHT.
The local subscription dance is in full swing. It's a rough-and-ready, though enthusiastic affair...yeoman farmers, small-time squires with their ruddy-cheeked daughters.
Fai and Yuui, with their mother, are fussing over their clothes - straightening their dresses, tidying their hair and so on.
FAI
(fussing over his outfit)
I literally can't breathe it's so tight.
YUUI
My toes hurt.
Kimihiro and Lelouch are a little apart from their family. Lelouch looks breathtaking.
KIMIHIRO
Well, if every man in this room does not end the evening completely in love with you then I am no judge of beauty.
LELOUCH
Or men.
KIMIHIRO
Oh, they are far too easy to judge.
LELOUCH
They are not all bad.
KIMIHIRO
Humorless poppycocks, in my limited experience.
LELOUCH
One of these days, Kimmy, someone will catch your eye and then you'll have to watch your tongue.
KIMIHIRO
And eat my hat.
He stops speaking. And stares. A dazzling group enters the room: Suzaku Kururugi, 25, a good hearted soul but prone to bumbling embarrassment when his enthusiasms get the better of him, his sister Anya, 23, a victim of every latest fashion, counting herself superiour to most company she encounters, and finally, Mr Shizuka Doumeki, 27, dashing, brooding with an introversion which could be misconstrued as hauteur. They are dressed in the highest fashion. Doumeki surveys the hall. He catches Kimihiro's eye. He stares, with a kind of surprised shock. Lelouch notices and looks at Doumeki. He turns away.
LELOUCH
Luckily, you are not wearing a hat.
A hush falls as the local people turn to stare. the newcomers - creatures from another world - make quite a stir.
CUT TO:
Anya Kururugi, standing next to Doumeki, gazes at the somewhat provincial gathering with distaste.
ANYA KURURUGI
We are a long way from Grosvenor Square, are we not Mr Doumeki?
He does indeed look superior to the assembled company. On the dance-floor, a young couple, staring at the newcomers, trip over each other, stumble and burst out laughing. Mr Kururugi spots Lelouch Clow. For a moment he forgets himself and openly looks at him.
MR KURURUGI
I find it very charming.
ANYA KURURUGI
(To Doumeki)
My brother is so easily pleased, is he not?
Doumeki does not answer.
CUT TO:
Kimihiro has found his great friend Chii Mihara - an intelligent, sensible woman in her late twenties. They spy through the crowd.
KIMIHIRO
So which of our painted peacocks is our Mr Kururugi?
CHII
He is on the right, and on the left is his sister.
KIMIHIRO
And the person with the disagreeable expression?
CHII
That is his good friend, Mr Doumeki.
KIMIHIRO
Poor soul.
CHII
On the contrary, he has ten thousand a year and owns half of Derbyshire.
CUT TO:
Sir Ichiro Mihara, 53, a hale but unsophisticated member of the self-made gentry, takes it upon himself to introduce Mr Kururugi and Mr Doumeki to his daughter Chii and the Clow family.
SIR ICHIRO MIHARA
(to Mr Kururugi)
My eldest daughter you know, Mrs Clow... Lelouch Clow, Kimihiro and Mokona Clow.
MRS CLOW
It is a pleasure, I have two others but they are already dancing.
MR KURURUGI
Delighted to make you acquaintance.
SIR ICHIRO MIHARA
And may I introduce Mr. Doumeki.
(Significant look)
- of Pemberly, in Derbyshire!
Moments later. Kimihiro is standing in a small group with Lelouch, Mr Kururugi, Miss Kururugi and Doumeki. Suzaku can't keep his eyes off Lelouch, but is frightfully at a loss in disguising his instant ardour.
KIMIHIRO
How do you like it here in Hertfordshire, Mr Kururugi?
MR KURURUGI
(smiling at Lelouch shyly)
Very much.
KIMIHIRO
The library at Netherfield, I've heard, is one of the finest in the country.
MR KURURUGI
Yes, it fills me with guilt.
Suzaku looks at Lelouch a little blush starts around his colloar.
SUZAKU
Not a good reader, you see. I like being out of doors. I mean, I can read, of course-
His sister steps in as the blush threatens to engulf his ears.
MISS KURURUGI
(to Doumeki)
Your library at Pemberly, Mr Doumeki, is astonishingly good.
DOUMEKI
Thank you. It is the work of many generations.
MISS KURURUGI
And then you have added so much to it yourself.
LELOUCH
I wish I read more, but there always seems so many other things to do.
SUZAKU
That's exactly what I meant.
He beams at Lelouch.
CUT TO:
Mr and Mrs Clow stand a little apart from Kimihiro and the other young people. Fai and Yuui bound up to them in a state of high excitement.
FAI
Mama! The regiment is arriving next week!
YUUI
And will be here for the whole winter! Mrs Forster told us!
FAI
They're going to be stationed in the village!
CUT TO:
Mr Kururugi turns to Lelouch.
MR KURURUGI
May I have the honour?
They leave, to dance.
KIMIHIRO
Do you dance Mr Doumeki?
DOUMEKI
Not if I can help it.
Kimihiro, Doumeki and Anya stand in silence as the over hear the following...
CUT TO:
FAI
Officers! Lots of officers!
YUUI
How will we meet them?
FAI
It's easy. You just walk up and down in front of them and drop something.
Fai pantomimes the actions for Yuui.
FAI
They pick it up. You say 'Oh thank you sir' and blush prettily and then you're introduced!
MR CLOW
I have long suspected that we have two of the silliest boys in the country.
MRS CLOW
Oh Mr Clow! I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself, and if a smart young colonel with six thousand a year should want one of my boys I shall not say nay to him.
Mr Doumeki overhear this. Profoundly embarrassed, Kimmy moves away.
CUT TO:
The dance floor. Mr Kururugi is dancing with Lelouch. His ears blushing with thrilled embarrassment. Mrs Clow, with a group of other mothers, watches the young couple with rather too obvious satisfaction.
MRS CLOW
That dress becomes him, does it not. Though of course my Lelouch needs little help from couturiers.
Kimihiro wanders through the throng. He looks at Suzaku and Lelouh ending the dance - Lelouch is coy and demure, Suzaku is clearly smitten -
CUT TO:
Doumeki is joined by Suzaku exhilarated by the dance.
SUZAKU
Come Doumeki, I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing by yourself in this stupid manner.
DOUMEKI
(shakes his head)
You know how I detest it.
MR KURURUGI
Upon my word, I've never seen so many pretty faces in my life.
DOUMEKI
You are dancing with the only handsome one in the room.
SUZAKU
Oh, he is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld, but his brother Kimihiro is very agreeable.
They have stopped at the edge of the dance-floor and have not seen Kimihiro and Chii who are standing close behind them. Kimihiro smirks as he overhears their conversation.
DOUMEKI
Perfectly tolerable, I dare say, but not handsome enough to tempt me.
Kimihiro's smile drops.
DOUMEKI (CONT'D)
You had better return to your partner and enjoy his smiles, for your are wasting your time with me.
Suzaku goes off.
CUT TO:
Kimihiro and Chii, who have overheard Doumeki and Suzaku's exchange.
CHII
Ignore him Kimmy, he is such a disagreeable man it would be a misfortune to be like by him.
KIMIHIRO
Don't worry. I would not dance with him for half of Derbyshire.
CUT TO:
Later. Suzaku politely dancing with Chii. As he does, he catches sight of Lelouch dancing with somebody else. A look or pure longing, but he cannot dance every dance with him. Kimmy too is dancing and clocks this.
Fai and Yuui are exuberantly dancing too, laughing and chatting. Doumeki stands watching, a look of infinitely superior boredom on his fine features.
CUT TO:
Suzaku is standing with Lelouch, Kimihiro, Mrs Clow and Doumeki.
SUZAKU
(to Kimmy)
Your friend Miss Chii is a most amusing young woman.
KIMIHIRO
Yes! I adore her.
MRS CLOW
It is a pity she is not more handsome.
KIMIHIRO
Mama!
MRS CLOW
But Kimmy will never admit she is plain.
(to Suzaku)
Of course it's my Lelouch who's considered the beauty of the county.
LELOUCH
Oh, Mama, please!
MRS CLOW
When he was only fifteen there was a gentleman so much in love with him that I was sure he would make him an offer. However, he did write him some very pretty verses.
KIMIHIRO
(impatiently)
And so ended their affection. I wonder who first discovered the power of poetry in driving away love?
DOUMEKI
I though that poetry was the food of love.
KIMIHIRO
Of a fine, stout love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it is only a thin, slight sort of inclination, I'm convinced that one good sonnet will starve it away entirely.
Doumeki looks at Kimihiro with surprise. A glimmering of interest.
DOUMEKI
So what do you recommend, to encourage affection?
KIMIHIRO
Oh dancing, of course. Even if ones partner is barely tolerable.
Kimihiro gives him a dazzling smile. Doumeki looks startled. He has no idea Kimihiro heard him. He blushes.
CUT TO:
Kimihiro is dancing happily in a round, Lelouch and Suzaku are also in the same dance. At the edge of the dance-floor Doumeki is watching.
INT. BEDROOM - LONGBOURN - NIGHT.
Kimihiro and Lelouch are both tucked up in the same bed, but are too excited to sleep.
LELOUCH
Mr Kururugi is just what a young man out to be. Sensible, good humoured -
KIMIHIRO
(completing the list)
Handsome, conveniently rich -
LELOUCH
You know perfectly well I do not believe marriage should be driven by thoughts of money.
KIMIHIRO
I agree entirely, only the deepest love will persuade me into matrimony, which is why I will end up an old maid.
LELOUCH
Do you really believe he liked me, Kimmy?
KIMIHIRO
Lelouch, he danced with you most of the night.
LELOUCH
I was flattered, I must admit. I did not expect such a compliment.
KIMIHIRO
That is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise. Well, Mr Kururugi is certainly very amiable, and I give you leave to like him. You've liked many a stupider person.
LELOUCH
Kimmy!
KIMIHIRO
You're a great deal too apt to like people in general, you know. All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes.
LELOUCH
Not his friend. I still cannot believe what he said about you.
KIMIHIRO
Mr Doumeki? I could more easily forgive his vanity had he not wounded mine. But no matter. I doubt we shall ever speak again.
Kimihiro blows out the candle.