Eren arrived at The Lotus Palace. One of the many high-class establishments that catered to the elite and upper-class. Though that statement is reserved usually for an entire area.
This place was located within ward 8, colloquial known as the 'cow district'
A bizarre place for such a high-end establishment; but when you can afford nearly everything… novelty becomes the next sought-after destination.
Eren checked the time as his bike pulled out the front; 8:30 on the dot.
He was late, or in his mind he was. He hated arriving this close to starting time, either be ready to go at the specified time or don't bother. That was instilled in him from a young age by mum and dad.
So already, accumulated with a frustrated headache. Eren was a grumpy reaper… What else was new.
"Welcome to the Lotus Palace, sir." The maître d'hôtel greeted from the entrance. Although upon eye contact, he met Eren with a harsh glare.
Taken straight out of a stereotype of a snobby high-end restaurant; a tall man with slick backed hair, a pencil thin moustache, a suit that looked like it cost thousands upon thousands of yen.
Eren, in all his wilful ignorance, forgetting to get any formal clothes. Dressed in his bike leathers and nothing much else. Too busy climbing a spice covered chain to bother to look.
"I'm sorry... sir. This is the lotus palace, perhaps you are looking for... a biker bar or fast food? I believe there is such a place far down the road." The snobbery practically oozed off the man's tongue; a condescending tone that rustled Eren's neck hairs.
"Listen you pencil pricked little-" Eren went to tear this man a new one; but was thankfully interrupted by Kaori.
"Please forgive his appearance." She would have put a hand on the maître d'hôtel; but her size made it only possible to tug on his arm sleeve.
Dressed for the occasion; a red strapless dress with black lining. Her brown hair tied into a bun rather than her usual pony tail and a pair of black heels and matching purse. White gold necklace and earrings. A natural look of makeup; red lipstick, a light blush and eyeshadow.
She looked stunning. Even Eren was captivated by the shining beauty. The maître d'hôtel interrupted again.
"Is he... with you, Madame?" The man looked absolutely disgusted by the fact that a 'low class person' was allowed to stand next to a clearly belonging person such as Kaori.
"Yes, please forgive his attire. He has never been to a place like yours. We're here to enjoy your fine cuisine." She continued to smile, her mask of the prim and professional never wavering. A well-worn facade used to deal with those in the upper levels.
"Very well madame... Please, right this way." The host led them into the establishment. Although, the scowls and sneering stares of both the host and guests alike would follow Eren throughout the night. Like some sort of freak on show; a lowly peasant, a biker thug.
How dare he enter their sanctuary.
---
The Lotus Palace certainly matched the palace definition. The walls were painted in vibrant reds, whites, and golds. All the trimmings, the door frames, tables, chairs, and other furniture, were carved from a beautiful mahogany wood. Each table was lined in a white and red tablecloth. Decorated with the finest full silverware set, even the smell was upper class; if you could capture the sensation in words.
It smelled, it looked, and was snobbery at its finest.
Eren joined Kaori by the window, waiters pulling up both chairs and pushing both in. Pouring them a glass each before bowing slightly and backing away.
"Of all places... Why here?" Eren asked, a little bit of suspicion to why this place of all places. A garden of Eden in squalor?
Kaori gave a low growl to her date. "Eren... Why are you late? And why do you look so under-dressed?"
"I'm sorry. Got caught up with work. Besides, I don't own any formal clothes, but I think it suits the occasion." He motioned to the leathers. For a fancy date, this was a big no.
But the way these people glanced over to them. Why bother. Judgement of class bracket all the same formal attire or not.
"Hmmm..." Kaori looked at the man before her. Eyes scanning, taking in the leather jacket, the pants, the black shirt buttoned up underneath, and the pair of boots. She was not entirely displeased.
In fact, a certain part of her mind found it rather enticing. Like a rugged manly man had come to sweep her off her feet and take her somewhere special. A fantasy that she had; a bad boy image, something for her to get lost in. Just not here.
"Why did you want to eat here? I'm not good with places like this..." Eren admitted. His eyes scanned over the restaurant and its many people.
Women in fancy dresses, jewellery, and expensive makeup.
The men dressed in tuxedos and the fanciest of suits. Some of the jewellery on display could probably feed someone for a year.
"I've been here a couple times with previous dates. A couple of businessmen about as smart as a bag of bricks, and as interesting as a brick wall. I did bring a girl here once..."
That last line was a surprise.
"A girl? Who?" He questioned with suspiciously quickly. A curiosity to Kaori's dating past.
Something she picked up on.
"All in good time. But I have brought you here for a reason-"
However, the conversation was interrupted by the waiter.
"Hello. My name is Sam and I'll be serving you this evening." He introduced himself. Much like this entire place, imported from elsewhere in the world and placed here for the thrill of dining in Eden.
Turning only to Kaori.
"Here are your starters, Madame." Placing down the first plate; consisting of a slice of orange, accompanied by two halves of shrimp and a sprig of dill weed.
"Ah, yes. Thank you." Kaori replied, taking the fork to begin eating.
'What the fuck is this?' Eren looked down at the food. Or lack thereof. A cliché of a rich person, he really was a simple man in a sea of sharks.
"I brought you here because I wanted to play a game."
"Game?" He asked, glancing to the other tables. An incredible odd spot to play a game of any kind.
"A social deduction game. Since the first time I've been here; with boring and dull dates. I would play a little game of my own. Trying to work out everyone else's inner most secrets. These guys have all sorts of skeletons in their closets."
"I guess... I can play along. But don't you have that ability to see everyone's stats? Why even play?" He had a good point. The game was rigged from the start.
"A person's status is only a fraction of who they are. It doesn't reveal everything. Like the woman, three tables down, over my left shoulder." She pointed with her fork.
"I know the following about her: Her name is 'Yumi Kurotsuchi.' She is the daughter of a wealthy CFO of an inter gate shipping company, worth hundreds of millions of yen. But what I don't see… A spice addict who has taken her dealer to dinner; likely to buy favour or a discount on spice, perhaps she has even worse taste in men."
A choice between playing this game or looking at near empty plates or out the window.
An easy decision for Eren.
"Okay... What's the prize?" Pushing around the orange and the shrimp
"I get to see you without your shirt on."
Eren coughed into his glass. Another irate stare sent his way from the occupants of the lotus palace.
She went straight for the kill. Though a slight blush crept across her cheeks, she remained in control. The mask of the prim and professional never wavering.
"If I win?"
Leaning in closer so that only he and his demons could hear.
"Same prize; you get to see me without mine." The way she spoke matter of faculty, she had already won in her mind. This was all but a formality for her end goal.
Eren paused for a moment, fair's fair in love and war after all.
"Alright then... Who goes first?"
"You will." Craning her neck around the room to find the perfect starting point. Her shaded eyes landing on the front door:
"By the door, a group of four, three women and a man." Kaori pointed towards the entrance, where a group of socialites stood. They were a little older than the pair; dressed in some of the latest fashion trends and designer clothing.
"Which one is the ranker?" A parameter setter to start.
Eren looked to each of the people at the door. There were two women wearing white dresses and one woman in red. Then there was a man wearing the classic tuxedo; a monkey suit in the eyes of Eren. He focused on each, seeing if the world would reveal the truth.
"The woman in red is the ranker." Eren finally replied.
"Why?"
"She's got more expensive jewellery than the others. Also, the way they talk. She holds the conversation. The man looks like her personal servant and the other women are like her entourage. Bodyguards?" He deduced.
"Good boy. Correct. She's a B-ranked vanguard. The others are her bodyguards and personal assistant. A rich girl who lives off daddy's money. I doubt she would be able to clear any gate in a group let alone by herself." She confirmed with a snide remark.
These rich folk most certainly held no admiration for Eren and his kind. But Kaori held equal resentment to their kind.
But there was a glimmer in her eyes; like the game had only just begun and already Eren was proving to be quite the formidable opponent.
Was he going to be the one to best her?
"My turn... Over by the bar." Eren motioned towards the bartender. An older man, groomed and gelled hair, a well-trimmed white beard, and a white suit. A pair of thin glasses hung on the end of the man's nose, as though they were more of a prop than a needed tool.
"What's his secret?" A broad question that would likely lead Eren to a win. At least that was the plan.
Kaori scrutinised the man, looking for any hidden clues to what Eren would ask her to guess.
"He's... having an affair with the women by the table at the end." Pointing towards the end of the bar, where a woman sat alone. Dressed in a black dress, a little out of style compared with the others surrounding her, eyes that danced nervously between her drink and the bartender.
"The man by the concierge too is also in on the affair." She concluded.
"Explanation please." He waited for her to spin a story.
"This place is a breeding ground for affairs and such. Too risky to do so amongst themselves. So, the next best thing is workers paid to keep their mouths shut."
"Dam, you really like playing sherlock, don't you?" He questioned, a little annoyed by how easily she came to the correct conclusion. It was uncanny.
"Yeah, I've always liked playing the detective. It's fun to see people's deepest and darkest secrets." She let out a small giggle to such an ominous phrase.
"Either way, I'm on 4 points you're on two."
"How do you figure that?" Eren questioned.
"I got double points for the double deduction of the affair."
Eren had to hand it to her. She may have been a perverted pragmatist of a woman; but she knew exactly how to play the game; to get her goal through any means.
---
The evening went as well as could. Between lacklustre courses and glares of sneering judgment. The pair had a nice time; enjoying a game of social chess amongst each other.
"Here is your main course, sir." Sam placed a plate on the table, a sliver of beef with a sprig of coriander, a slice of aubergine, a small tower of mash potato and a brown sauce drizzled all around the plate.
"Thanks... I guess." Eren was still not quite used to the whole fine dining experience. He took a knife and began to shovel the food into his mouth.
"Eren..." Kaori stared with a look of disappointment. The man looked back at her, confused as to what he had done wrong this time.
A sigh of defeat escaped the woman's lips, taking the appropriate knife and fork. She began to cut a small piece of the meat, using the fork to place it into her mouth.
"How about our dear waiter, Sam?" Eren who had already finished eating off his plate in record time. Looked towards Kaori.
"Alright then. What is Sam's dirty little secret?" She questioned.
"Sam is..."
"Sam is...?"
"Gay." He said with a strange bit of pride.
"Gay? I think you're mistaken. He might just be acting for a big tip. I don't think that-" Kaori was cut off with Eren's shacking off the head.
"Nope. He swings that way. I can tell from the way he walks and talks, well-groomed and that pleasant smell of cologne."
"Eren, that could just be that's how these people are. I doubt that-"
"He also left me this note."
Eren showed Kaori the piece of paper.
'If short stack doesn't work out, give me a call sometime. Sam. XXX-XXX-XXX.'
"Short stack?" Kaori asked, a little annoyed.
The only difference between being called small and being small was that she was in fact small. No one else was allowed to make that distinction.
"That's worth at least three points." A moment of victory, before Kaori snatched it back.
"One point." She said firmly. A weak point was poked; a jealous little monster reared its ugly head from under the mask.
"I'm on 22, and you're still on 21."
"How about one more then? Double or nothing. We both get a crack at their secret." Eren thought for a moment, as the waiter took away his empty plate.
"Alright then... One last person. May the best secret win." She looked around. Trying to pick someone different from the horde. Someone who would be harder to deduce. Something that would confirm her victory and secure her converted prize.
However, this was a trap. Eren had enough of the underdog…
'Saku...' Eren whispered into the shadows.
'Yes... Megi is on standby. Awaiting the signal.'
Eren wanted to win; no matter how many times the world liked to remined him he was no longer human, he was still a man.
He still had desires to see the body of a beautiful woman; Kaori was just that, a very small woman, but a woman.
"Her." She pointed to a tall woman who walked into the restaurant.
Dressed in a flowing black dress. A silver necklace and earrings; her hair tied in a loose ponytail. Azure eyes contacted the pair; walking deeper into the restaurant, taking a seat at the bar.
"Easy... She's a ranker." Eren deduced quickly.
"Rank B, sword user and a member of a larger guild. Probably the favourite of the leader." Eren felt a little tingle from the ring. The protests of Megi being called the favourite earned a silent protest from the shadows.
However, Kaori was silent. She looked, she examined, she searched.
Nothing.
Her checks went red from the effort of trying to find anything. Nothing. There was nothing to deduce off this one.
She lost.
"You cheated... I can't... How did you..." She began to pout like a child, not wanting to admit defeat at the game she had created and had been the sole champion of.
"I guess, I'll get to see the small stack without the dress then?" Eren asked with a cocky brashness rarely felt by him.
"Ummm..." She wasn't so willing to give up the goods, at least not yet. Her eyes showed hesitation.
*Sigh*
"You don't have to show me, I'm only teasing."
Eren wasn't let down at all by Kaori's reluctance. Nothing better than giving consent in all circumstances.
Besides what is the saying? The thrill of the chase is greater than the final kill?
Kaori had unknowingly built upon what was already mounting.
Or this was all to her grand plan. It was hard to tell with that girl.
Kaori let out a breath of relief. Her cheeks were still a bright red; a smile crept onto her face.
"Thank you... I'll show you one day; it just needs to be the right moment." She admitted; her tone was soft and filled with a little more emotion than usual.
Her walls were beginning to crumble; and Eren's little bit of charm and humour was what did the trick.
"Besides I can get Sam for free if I asked nicely." Eren motioned to Sam at the bar. Who gave a seductive wink back.
Kaori returned to those great big cheeks puffed out. Not liking Eren's insinuation one bit.
***
Through snowing white streets, Eren and Kaori made their way along the footpath, lit by the street lamps and neon lights of ward 8.
Words unspoken, they walked closely to each other; Eren gave his jacket for her to wear, as she wore little else under the dress. It was cold and quiet, peaceful.
Although Eren felt a presence watching from nearby. Not a malice filled threat nor a friendly glance. A hidden face, observing from afar.
"Piggyback or shoulder ride?" Eren asked, breaking the gaiety silence.
"What?"
"Your feet must be hurting from walking in those high heels all night. I'm sure as hell not going to let you walk barefoot in the snow." He reasoned.
Small enough to carry, why wouldn't she get a ride on the back of the big strong reaper.
"Oh... um, shoulders then." Kaori said with a bit of embarrassment. Eren knelt, allowing for Kaori to hoist her legs around his shoulders.
She wrapped her arms around his head, her hands on top of his head, fingers running through his hair. Soft, like a cloud, and silky too. A great model he would be for any haircare commercial.
"Comfortable?" Eren asked the small woman, rising to full height. She let out a slight giggle of delight. Like a child, playing on the shoulders of a parent.
"Very."
Although she seemed to have missed out on that experience. From the way she held tight, legs that melted on his shoulders. Like she didn't want to let go.
"Eren..." A whisper caught Eren's attention.
Not Kaori's voice. It was something else. Something almost familiar, yet so far away. Like a voice calling through the darkness.
"Eren..."
Louder now. More forceful than ever before.
Eren looked around. The faces on the street more engaged with their phones, not the workers closing up shop, or the lovers out for a night of romance. Something was amiss, a strange presence that made Eren's very skin crawl.
"Eren."
A reflection to his left was the source.
What should have been expected; was Eren with Kaori above him, instead Eren's reflection stared back, black eyes with white irises. Kaori nowhere to be seen.
'Who the hell are you this?' Eren questioned the strange reflection. A sense of dread, this feeling of impending doom.
Felt only once, the day's leading up to his death. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, his skin crawled. His mind screamed to run; a fight or flight response. Get away. Now!
"I'm waiting..."
"Who are you!" He demanded from the reflection. Ready to destroy the mirror if needed.
"I'm always watching..." A sickening grin from the reflection. A cheshire cat; wide and unnatural. Ready to lead Eren down the rabbit hole and deeper into the abyss.
"Eren?!" Kaori shouted from her perch on the shoulders. Drawing the man's mind from the reflection.
"Who are you yelling at?" She questioned the man, searching around for anyone in that roused suspicion towards her date. Yet, no one seemed to catch her eye. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing untoward.
"No one; sorry. Thought I saw someone I recognized." Eren lied. He didn't know how to explain what he had seen. His imagination was the only thing that made sense. But why would his mind show him that revulsion?
'Am I just seeing things?' Eren tried to convince himself that this was the case. It couldn't have been anything else than just not getting enough sleep. These last few days he had forgone any of that drudgery in favour of dealing with the task at hand.
It had to be that, the lack of sleep. Right?
*Grrrgle* *Grrrgle*
Kaori's stomach demonstrated a whale song, drawing the two's attention away from the moment.
"Hungry?" Eren pinched the knees of his rider playfully. Fine dining clearly not filling the hunger.
"Maybe... A little..." Kaori admitted sheepishly. A little humiliated by her body's inability to keep quite during such a moment. Especially with Eren's head so close.
"Over there."
'Ranker Burger' was a fast-food joint located in almost all wards, specialising in filling the stomachs of hungry rankers after a long gate raid. A gimmick really; the same as any other burger place, except everything was based around the gates.
"Yes please." Kaori was more than ready for something fulfilling.
Tugging gently on his hair, a horse for her majesty to ride. Eren walked them to the fast-food joint.
Towering over all others; it filled Kaori with a sense of excitement; not often did she tower over all. It filled her with a sense of power, of strength and a little joy.