"Look over here!"

click.

"Perfect!"

click.

They all wave in front of me in some weird gestural way in ought to carry my attention to their camera lenses. Thousands of lights flashed to me and I grimaced at the occasional scream heard. I mustered the best celebrity smile I could, giving them what they want while walking as quickly as possible inside the big entrance. Away from a lot of them.

The annual Gala is start-studded like usual, a few known artists and models tagging along each other. The main reason Adam brought me here is for exposure, perhaps meet a couple of labels and strengthen my foothold in the industry. I walked in wearing a white suit, contradictory to my usual clothes that always play between black, grey and navy.

Multiple eyes drew towards me and they widened, gawking at my presence which I didn't mind. It should be something to get used to, especially when you're that someone whose face is posted everywhere internationally.

I offered them small smiles and that was enough to bring them all gathering around me. Woman, mostly.

"You're Sebastian, right? I can't believe that I will be able to see you in person!" She talked quite quickly, of course in a usual annoying tone. I'd never smack her for it though, but I already did in my head.

"Yes, are you having a great time?" An evident flush reddened her cheeks. I don't get how simple question can make them so...head over heels, I guess? And they call me a ladies' man when they are the one to pull every man into them.

"Y-yes." I observed her features and she did look familiar, like a Victoria Secret model or some kind. I greeted her again and moved away just to be greeted by yet again another irritating individual - a reporter at that.

"Oh! Welcome back to our lately night show and don't forget to send your requests to the BBC radio station first..." She introduced first and I let her, knowing that her target is me. I glued my infamous smirk the best I could.

"We have Sebastian Michaelis here as you can see. So how is the night?" She brought the mic instantly in front of me.

"I just arrived but good so far." The brunette giggled and a hint of mischief in her fairly brown eyes. I knew right away that she's got another scandalous question ready for me and I groaned internally; not like I couldn't answer it, but it has always been the same one.

"Rumors said that you've got an eye on Leilah tonight, where is she?" I needed so much restriction before I could keep my eyes from rolling.

"No, I don't even know who she is."

"You were speaking to her just a while ago, weren't you?" She persisted.

"Oh...that was her? Sorry, I didn't know. We just met." I wanted to rub it into her face but I don't want to be rude. I don't jump from one girl to another, well, not always. It's not like I'm with them all at the same time, it just happens that we always break up a week after and that's how it works.

"I see. But what do you feel getting any girl you want?" I cringed at her choice of her words.

"I don't."

"Really? But how come you've got all those 'just for the season' girls all the time?" A grin formed on my lips, trying to hold myself from rudely telling her to back off in the most slaying manner. What's with all these rumors? Being blessed with good looks doesn't come with a free and automatic 'womanizer' trait. The media just love asking for the most ignorant and nonsensical issues ever written.

"Not on purpose." I say with a certain offended tone, walking away to get lost in the crowd. She didn't follow me any further and she jumped to the next model, whom if I not mistaken goes with the name Cara. I've worked with her a couple of times before ans she's decent.

Some paparazzi took a few more pictures of me, and I greeted some of the guests including those who I consider friends with. I scanned the crowd and there's a familiar young blonde clinging to an older model, I guess his name was William, and I groaned when he noticed me.

"Sebastian! Thank God you're here." The boy pulled the four-eyes man along with him, wearing an shorts of the most inappropriate length as he practically jumped to get to me. A scowl made it's way to the older man's lips.

"Alois." I greeted.

"It's so hot! So many people are too damn sneaky to mind your own business. You've met William, haven't you?"

"Yes." I said, throwing the raven-clothed male with the popular smile.

"I'm going." He glared.

"Come on! Forget about the rivalry for a moment!"

"No, Grell is waiting for me." Grell? So they are together after all? He deniedit so many times.

"Someone is jealous that he's losing to his boyfriend's first love." Alois pouted. I almost choked on my drink as William turned sharply at the shorter teen.

He fumed, and you could tell a thick vein popping on his forehead already, "I'm better than you, just for the record." He fixed his glasses and headed to a red-haired male, which is without doubt fake and grabbed him by the waist. We may act like that but I presume that's how we get along. We've known each other since forever, and our circle consists of Alois, William and Grell who is a pop singer. I can't believe he made it this far after he slammed Justin. How did he do that?

"I'm going home."

"What? Spend more time with us! You barely hangout with me." He faked a pout and brought both his palms on his hips.

"I'm tired. I have no energy for this." Alois clung to me, and there was a sudden crash beside me and when I looked up I was surprised it was Grey. He munched most of the food there, and then Snake, a small time actor who preferred to be called as a circus exhibitor, came along and pulled him away. Drunk perhaps? I sighed, so much things to expect for a simple and elegant ball.

I heard the mic pick up, and a tan-skinned male suddenly spoke through slurred words,

"Agni doesn't like washing his feet." His eyes drooped, and a couple of guards went to get him A couple laughed and some just shrugged it off. I was sure that he's Indian based on his features, I just can't point a finger who he is exactly. Well, that's it.

"I'm going home." Rather than an exhausted adult saying it, I sounded like a five-year old who hates socializing in kid's parties.

I drove through the night without thinking. My gaze landed on the blinking light that read 8:30 p.m in the evening. I cleared my throat, wracking my head for somewhere to to kill time that's not my apartment where Adam will be. A lot of familiar places came into view and all the feisty lights were on just like every night in London. Although there were so many I was a regular in there's only one place that's been bugging my mind to come visit.

I parked right outside of the small, Victorian-like cafe, shrugging off the suit and replacing it with a plain black t-shirt from the trunk of my car. Just like I hoped, the restaurant is still packed with customers and things seem busy. Sally gave me a silent greeting when I came in and I immediately scanned the crowd for a certain young boy.

"He's not here."

"Oh, why not?"

"Ciel only comes here from Tuesdays to Saturdays." She says, noting my usual orders down on her tiny pad paper.

"He works here?"

"Sort of? He helps out. His mom used to work here but she got sick, so Ciel said he wanted to take his mom's place. Don't underestimate him though, he knows what he's doing." She smiled which I reciprocated. Even though I am careful around him due to his playfulness and tendency to act like a toddler, I knew that there's a side of him that understands his environment. He may not act like it but he does his best to adjust and grow in his own way. Most people just don't notice that, or rather, Ciel doesn't intend them to notice either.

"Besides, he's at the doctor." I choked on my water, all possibilities training in my head.

"What happened?" Sally took notice of the worry on my face and she shook her head.

"Just the general check up thing they do. Some therapy as well." I stayed silent, my own thoughts calming down. Though, just as I was begin to gulp all my questions down along with the drink, my curiosity got the best of me.

"They can afford it? I-I mean...I don't mean to-"

"It's fine. His father sends money even though...even though things are complicated." A sympathtic smile curved on her lips and I nodded. She must be thinking that I don't know anything about his own father leaving him, so I thought it's also not my place to talk about it. Well, the thought of his father leaving his mother crying on the floor with a young, teary-eyed Ciel is a way to ruin my mood.

"Be back in a minute." Sally left. I sank on my chair, all alone without the tiny sun-child to cheer me up and bother me every second.

I glanced at my phone, seeing a text message from Alois, missed calls from Adam and my ex-girlfriend and one from Claude. I couldn't fight the smile on my face.

It's been a while after all.

I dialled his number and after three rings I heard him pick up, a deep voice greeting me from the other line.

"Sebastian? You're calling me."

"Why can't I?"

"Well you never do, sometimes you do it for a prank or when you're frantically convincing yourself you're about to die from a single scratch. So, what is this about?"

"You called me. What is it that you're about?" I emphasized.

"Must've clicked it accidentally." He said seriously.

"Come to Margaret's."

"Why?"

"Do I have to give a reason for everything all the time? Just get your smart butt over here. I'm alone."

He sighed dramatically, "Fine." The line went dead

After exactly twenty minutes the entrance bell rang, and a tall lad with features similar to mine walked in. He walked over me with a scowl, crossing his arms in his white, doctor coat.

"You should've left your coat in the car. That's from the hospital and it's dirty, you know?"

"I have my own clinic and all I do there is basically make people learn how to walk again and therapy. It's not like people die there."

"Okay, okay. So how's work?" I grinned as he took a seat across to me, grabbing my drink from me and taking a sip. His topaz eyes looked at me with defeat and possible annoyance.

"I should be the one asking you that. I don't know what you're doing and don't you ever come to me saying you have aids." He whispered with venom tricking from every letter.

"No? I'm very careful and I don't sleep with just anyone so chill out." We both laughed. It's really been a while, maybe two months since we last sat comfortably like this talking about nonsense and teasing each other with endless comebacks. It's not that easy for him to loosen up though, he's that stoic and reserved type who secretly fantasizes about fictional characters. You can't he's a nerd because definitely not, he's cool despite his out-of-style glasses.

"How's life?" He started.

"Interesting." He quirked a brow at my fond expression,

"This is weird because I've never seen you speak about anyone like this." Sally came with a plate of steak, some mashed potatos and Greek salad. Claude took the pleasure to much on the salad while I settled happily with the sizzling meat. She left with a smile and I resumed the conversation.

"Why do you say it's always about someone?"

"Isn't always the case? You never talk about anything else. Now that I think about it, you keep ranting about the different kinds of people in the world and that's just how it goes." I rolled my head back and laughed, he's right like usual.

"There's this young boy that I met. He's sweet, pure and innocent and you can say that you just wanna stick around him? Especially when I found out about all he's been through... I'm just five years older so wipe that look off your face." I laaughed at his judgemental expession with his jaw slightly agape. He narrowed his eyes and continued finishing the salad. I licked my lips before I contnued, knowing I would be carried away.

"He's always so happy and he literally seriously honestly lights up the whole room, no, world when he walks in. His eyes are so blue and bright and sometimes you just want to be lost in them forever. He speaks the truth and very sincere with what he feels and you somehow feel all tingly when you're around him? I think it's because you suddenly realize that you're such a bad person compared to him or it might also be admiration..." I spoke without a pause, he looked at me confused but he nodded, listening intently. He appeared to be registering everything and contemplating with what to think, putting the pieces together with all my loose statements. Claude wiped his lips and leaned back with his hazel eyes staring back at me.

"That was a lot of adverbs."

"I've been rambling and that's all you've got? How dumb." A look of disbelief painted his features.

"I'm not the one who got an A in Math."

"It's because you're an overachiever. A is not that bad." I defended.

"Speaking of young boy...I actually have a patient who has a kind of syndrome that makes them act young." Instantly, the image of Ciel popped in my head.

"Oh...really?"

"He's doing great than he sould. I'm pretty fond of him."

"You know what's really weird? When you've finally said something cheesy and you say it with a straight face." I laughed.

"I mean it." He said.

"Coincidence because the young boy that I was taling about also has Peter Pan Syndrome." Claudes eyes widened.

"How'd you know it's Peter Pan Sydrome?" He shook his head.

"Stupid question." We both laughed. So apparently there's this kid he's fond of that has the same disorder as Ciel. It almost sounds hilarious for both of us.

"They can meet sometime."

"'Course." He exclaimed shortly and stood up, fixing his suit and left a couple of pounds to pay the bill. I shoved it back to him and smiled.

"My treat." He smiles for the first time this evening.

When I get home, I'd probably laugh for hours about this phenomenal coincidence. I won't though, because that's not me, but I still find it ludicrous. And Claude being fond of someone? If I heard someone say that yesterday I'd be coughing my lungs out, but then I guess he's not so heartless. It's about damn time to add a spice in his life and stop being so isolated all the time. I smiled warmly at the thought of Claude smiling happy with that special someone.

"I wish you luck." I muttered when he's already a few steps away. When I thought he didn't hear it he looked back, giving me a wave and an eye roll. I don't know who got it from who, but I guess it's me because after all, I'm older.

"See you around, brother."

a/n YASSSSS DID YOU SEE THAT COMING? OH NO WHATS HAPPENING.

sorry if it's short, this is just a filler to intoduce some characters. Ciel will be on the next chapter which is I know will be longer than ever because the plot is happening. ITS HAPPENING.

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS! ALL THE FREAKING LOVE.