Hello and welcome to Chapter 5 of Just For One Day!

I'm sorry it took a while! I became so busy and am writing bit by bit!

1 year is way too long for an update! Aaaahhhh, please forgive me.

Wow. Hefty lot of things happened last chapter! Big party, introductions, Lysandre trying to make a point and whatever the hell Siebold is doing. Whew, I hope you guys are keeping up.

I took some liberties with the Fighting Dojo because in-game it's on the 3rd Floor of an office building so please don't start throwing rocks at me for this! I just want to make it fit with the aesthetic of everything else!

Another special shoutout to TheMonsterofCute, like seriously, your reviews and your PMs keep me going.

I apologise for the super, super, super delayed update so let's just jump in!

Serena stared out of the window, her chin resting on her hand. The trees blurred as they passed. A sigh escaped her lips. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose then gazed at the man sitting across from her. The sunlight gleamed through the window, its rays hitting the large ruby adorning the top of his cane sending sparkling, red, diamond-like beams all over the car.

It made him look otherworldly.

Ethereal.

He ran a hand through his slicked-back red hair. He smirked to himself. His vibrant eyes met hers and he gave Serena a wink.

She frowned at him.

Lysandre chuckled. "And here I thought we were in a relationship."

"A fake one," Serena clarified.

"Well, it's the thought that counts," He teased. "And if I recall correctly, it was you who made up the plan. I just went along with it."

He watched her roll her eyes and stare out the window.

"Are you ashamed to be affiliated with me?" he asked. He took it as a chance to finally ask her what was bothering him since she first started working for him. She had been afraid of him in their first meeting; he could see it in her eyes. What changed?

She scoffed then looked straight into his eyes. "Yes. Yes I am."

The smirk on Lysandre's face vanished and soon it was replaced with a scowl. He turned his nose up at her then it was his turn to stare out the window while cursing the brunette silently.

Serena noticed the change in the red head's demeanour. "It's hard not to be, you know, with everything that you do," she said, justifying her answer.

"Really?" Lysandre cocked an eyebrow. "Enlighten me."

"Well, you know," She began, moving to the edge of her seat. Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "Shootouts in the street, taking money from people, arms dealing, forcing people into working for you then giving them guns and Arceus knows what else."

It was Lysandre's turn to scoff. He pointed at her with his cane. "You are a fool, Serena. A hypocrite too."

"Excuse me?" Serena exclaimed. "A fool? A hypocrite?" Her voice rose. "How?"

He moved closer to her, their faces inches apart. He gave her the same look she gave him after her confession. His eyes were fierce and harsh. "You became affiliated with me as soon as you decided to help that old four-flusher then cemented that when you walked with me to the party and sat with the big four. And if I recall correctly, you were having the time of your life last night."

"Thanks to Siebold!" She retorted.

"Who was only there because of me," He shot back. "So don't even claim moral high ground when you were reaping the benefits of what I do."

The frown on Serena's face deepened. She knew he was partly right, partly.

"As for the fool part," He continued on casually. "You see, you live in this fairytale world, Serena. You live in blissful ignorance. You accept what is right in front of you without stopping to think about what is behind what is presented to you. Your view of the world is good or bad, black and white but what happens when black and white skewers into grey? What would you do?"

Serena scoffed. "If anyone's claiming moral high ground, it's you, you brute," she grumbled.

Lysandre's brows met. "What was that?"

"Nothing, oh Great One," Serena replied as she turned away from the now smirking man. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "What's your world then?"

"My world?" He echoed. "My world is what fills the spaces between black and white. You see, Serena, when I look around me, I see the potential for perfection and I know that my abilities can steer this world into a better and more beautiful place."

Serena stared at him, her hands falling to her lap in awe. She couldn't figure him out anymore. Every time she thought she had him read, he would somehow rewrite everything and she would have to go back to the very beginning. He was an enigma to her and she hated being unable to solve puzzles.

"Tell me then," He said leaning closer to her. "Because I know that your opinion of me isn't exactly yours and please, don't make that face, I know you use the route near the cafe to get to work every morning despite all that you've seen and heard. Tell me what makes me so abhorrent to you? Hm? When everyone wants to be my friend, when everyone wants me as an ally, when half the women in this region would want me to even glance at their general direction, why?"

Serena could feel her jaw tense and her fists clench. It took all of her might not to hit him there and then.

"Because of that!" She exclaimed. "All of that arrogance! That bravado! That objectification! What are you trying to prove? We get it! You're rich, powerful and good-looking! And yes, all right, I admit it, you are a good-looking man but that doesn't matter at all to me when you have the personality of a Gyarados! Rude and arrogant, that's what you are!"

The car screeched to a stop. Serena looked around. They were outside of the Fighting Dojo north of Prism Tower.

The door on Serena's side swung open. "Sorry to interrupt you, miss," The grunt said with slight hostility. "But we have arrived."

Now blushing, Serena nodded. "I, um, I - Thank you."

She glanced at Lysandre before getting out of the car. He looked downcast, her heart began to race. "A-Are you coming with me? W-What are we doing here?"

Lysandre looked at her and in a matter of seconds he was back to being regular ole' Lysandre. His eyes were just as cold and steely as when she had first met him.

"Follow me," he said as he got out the car. His strides were much too big for her as he walked towards the dojo. She had to jog to catch up to him.

She watched him go up to the door to knock when it threw open. It's not fair, she thought. He can't make her feel bad for expressing what she felt. He can act all down and hurt but that wouldn't affect her. He was rude and arrogant and that was the cardinal truth!

From behind the door came a tall, moustachioed older gentleman, grey-eyed and brown-grey hair disheveled. He was covered in sweat and his sleeveless undershirt was splattered with what looked like blood.

"Well," he remarked, his eyes never straining away from Serena. "It's about damn time."

He was taller than she remembered and much more toned despite his age. His arms were sculpted and bore a few scars here and there. His undershirt clung to him as if it were his second skin giving a translucent view of his equally toned torso. His pants were dirtied and scuffed and she could see through the rip that his right knee was covered in blood, some of it dried. He didn't seem to mind however.

Lysandre's voice cut through the air. "And you say I'm the rude one. Look at you, staring and all."

Serena immediately looked away; her cheeks had become so hot that she had to fan herself to keep her glasses from fogging up. In truth, she was a little scared of the older gentleman. "I-I was not!"

"You are a terrible liar," Lysandre replied.

She refused to look at him but she could feel the red-head smirking.

Louis scoffed. "If you're lucky, you'll look as good as I do when you are my age."

Serena pouted then bit her lip deciding not to dignify the man with an answer. She was stuck with two of the most arrogant and pompous men she had ever had the displeasure of meeting in her entire life.

No conversation followed for the rest of the ride down to the lower floors. . . or at least a conversation involving Serena. She disappeared into the back of the large elevator. The only source of light they had was a dim lightbulb hanging precariously from above.

'This thing could fit at least 15 people.' She thought to herself. 'Just how far down are we going?'

The conversation between Lysandre and Louis piqued none of her interests. They were talking about bets, the looming prohibition on alcohol and the Elite Four. She did notice, however, that the two men shared many similarities: arrogance, pride, boorishness, a love for rum and scotch and not to mention long elevator rides.

Out of the four, Serena guessed that Louis probably influenced Lysandre the most. If she hadn't known better, she would think that they were father and son.

After what seemed like a century, Louis finally pulled the lever. "Here we are!" he announced as he slid open the steel elevator gates before leading them through the dimly lit hallway.

She could hear loud thuds accompanied by men hollering, howling and hooting.

"You started already?" Lysandre asked Louis. "Since when did you start this early?"

"Since that," he replied as he tilted his head to Serena.

Serena frowned. "I'm right here, you know."

"I know that," both men said simultaneously, both not knowing that they had.

She had to suppress a chuckle.

They began to walk down the hallway again, the lights getting brighter and the sounds getting louder. What Serena saw when they finally reached the end of the hall elicit a loud gasp from her mouth.

A young boy stood at one end of a fairly large boxing ring his bare knuckles bloodied and bruised while he defiantly faced off an older-looking, much larger man staring him down with barely a bruise in sight.

Men and women alike were cheering the bigger man on telling him to "finish off" the boy. They waved money around while another man clad in a sleek black suit frantically collected the bills all the while jotting things down in his little notebook.

On her toes, Serena whispered, "Isn't this illegal?"

"It certainly is, yes," replied Lysandre, unfazed by everything around him. "Is this your first time at an underground prizefight?"

Serena nodded.

Louis seemed to hear their conversation for seconds later he was in the middle of the ring announcing the arrival of a "first-timer". The two fighters in the ring went to their corners and sat on a small wooden stool.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my good friends," he began. His arms were outstretched and his chin was raised high up in the air. "It would be a crime if we didn't let her first show be a great one, so I say, good people, let us make this an experience she will remember forever!"

The small crowd cheered. Their eyes were filled with excitement.

'What in Arceus' name is he doing?'

"I volunteer myself to fight," They greying man proclaimed. "But who shall be brave enough to face me?"

The old man scanned the room his piercing grey eyes meeting the averting gazes in the crowd. . . but that did not matter. Serena could see it in his eyes; he already knew who he wanted to fight even before he asked.

His head turned to where she and Lysandre had been standing.

"You must be joking," Lysandre said.

The crowd began to murmur. The room had gone electric and the energy was palpable. They all wanted to see the self-proclaimed "King of Kalos" go head to head with one of the region's best (and oldest) fighters.

Louis' scoffed as he placed his hands on his hips. "Why? Are you afraid of losing to an old man?"

Lysandre shook his head. "Please, I'm simply unprepared."

The old man brushed off Lysandre's statement and soon he was encouraging the crowd to chant Lysandre's name over and over.

"See how they cheer for you, boy?!" Louis shouted over the chanting of the room. "Come on, give Serena a sneak peek of what she could potentially become."

Serena looked back and forth between both men. Was Louis implying what she thought he was implying?

Lysandre persisted. "No thank you. I work hard every morning to look this way. I'll pass."

"Really? You should work harder then," Serena voiced. Her eyes widened at the sudden realisation of what she had just said. "I-I mean-"

Louis burst out laughing. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the red-head glaring at her. Truth be told, she was a little proud of herself and she allowed a smirk to appear on her face.

Lysandre, removing his jacket hastily, shoved his cane to her hand. "Hold this," he said giving her the cane and the jacket. The long cane was much heavier than she had initially thought. He must have spent a fortune getting it made. Next he took off his shoes, handed the pair to her then quickly made his way up and into the ring.

"Is that all you've got, boy? Have I taught you nothing?!"

Lysandre wiped the blood from the side of his mouth as he stared down the older gentleman. He was tired, much more tired than he expected. Well, granted he hadn't had the time to maintain his skills and keep up with his training regimen but still, he was much younger than Louis and he shouldn't be tired, at least not this early into the match.

His slicked-back red hair had gone damp from his sweat, framing his face. His undershirt hugged his torso, exposing the result of all his hard work. Blood dripped down his mouth from receiving a few blows to the stomach only one of which knocked the wind out of him. He had to make Louis swear he would not hit him on the face.

The crowd had grown wilder as they lingered in the ring. It was the fight of the century as he heard someone cry. Some bills had made their way to the ring from the crowd carelessly throwing money about.

BAM.

Another hit, this time square on his chest. He was sent tumbling backwards.

"You are disappointing me, Lysandre," Louis said shaking his head. Beads of sweat rolled down his wrinkled face. "Truly, I feel as though I wasted my time on you. Are you not man?"

Lysandre scowled at the older gentleman. He tried to keep himself in check but looking around at the crowd and Serena's slightly horrified and slightly worried expression, his pride overcame him.

He came at Louis landing hits on the older man in succession. Louis was then forced to go on the defensive. He blocked each blow with equal strength and determination.

After a minute or so of constant attacks, Louis tripped and stumbled letting his arms fall just enough for Lysandre to land one breathtaking jab to the abdomen.

The greying man was sent reeling backwards, coughing as he grasped for air. The crowd erupted in cheers. All Lysandre had to do now was finish him off with one last blow.

Lysandre charged towards Louis who was now leaning on the ropes still coughing. Clearly he had not expected the jab to his abdomen. His brown-grey hair had gone unruly as rested his hands on his knees unaware of the red head looming over him.

Serena's slightly horrified expression grew. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She thought Lysandre heartless and pleaded with him silently.

The crowd had gone wild, each one of them screaming at Lysandre to finish the fight.

He towered over Louis, his shadow casting over him. Then, suddenly, he pulled Louis up and rested him on his shoulder.

The cries and screams of the crowd began to die down and disappointed groans filled the room.

"Do. . . not f-fear. . .!" exclaimed Louis weakly; he coughed many times during so. "I-It was a m. . .mere misstep!"

'Boy, he doesn't quit does he,' Serena remarked in her head.

Louis snapped his fingers at the fighters from earlier, the big, burly man and the young, skinny youth - who sitting on benches at the sides of the ring - stood up and took the place of Lysandre and their injured boss.

The crowd slowly began to get rowdy and soon the room sparked to life once again like nothing ever happened.

Lysandre sat Louis down on one of the benches and sighed.

"Old man, you need to stop doing this to yourself," he said.

Louis took a deep breath. "Doing what?"

"This."

"Oh pish-posh, I'll rest when I die."

Lysandre shook his head. He sat next to his mentor and patted him on the back. "You'll never get any rest at this rate then."

The old man let out a chuckle. "This is all I live for, son. This excitement. . . it makes me feel alive. The feeling of blood pumping in my veins keeps me young."

"Maybe tone the excitement down just a little," Lysandre suggested. "Let's face it, Louis, you're not as young as I am."

Louis clicked his tongue. "All right, boy," he conceded. "Who knew you cared about me that much?"

Serena stared at the two men. She couldn't understand it; they were supposed to be ferocious gang bosses out to drain the region's resources dry but they acted so. . . bizarrely, for lack of better word. They were uncharacteristic of the image she had in her head of bloodthirsty, merciless thugs. She wondered if the other three were the same but judging from their interaction from the night before, the other three were perhaps even more uncharacteristic. She just didn't get it.

"Well now, enough about that!" Louis said standing up. "I am supposed to be mentoring once again, aren't I?"

He looked to Serena while she looked to Lysandre who nodded at her then she looked back at Louis and gave him a nod.

"Am I. . ." Serena began. "Um, am I. . . going to be-"

"Doing this as well?" Louis finished for her. "Half of what I'll be teaching you is how to fight to defend yourself and the other half I'll teach you all about the dynamics of power and such. Shifting power and taking hold of it and then using it to your advantage. You'll most likely be getting the same lesson Lysandre got years ago."

"Which means the same treatment, isn't that right, Louis?" Lysandre cut in.

Louis nodded. "Oh yes. Don't think that because you are a young lady I'll refrain from cracking the whip if needed. Fighting takes discipline, respect and patience all of which we need to work on."

Lysandre nodded along in approval with a smug look on his face. Serena wanted to punch him then and there.

"Come," Louis said gesturing for Serena to follow. "I will show you to my office just beyond here. I will change first and then we can begin."

Lysandre took his clothes and his staff from Serena's grasp and moved to leave. She grabbed his arm feeling how hard and warm it was under her touch.

"What?" He questioned.

Her outstretched arm dropped to her side. "I was just wondering if you'll be coming back. . . um later? After I finish here? You know, to pick me up?" She felt so awkward asking him that.

The red head laughed aloud. "No I will not be picking you up. Hah, I am not a taxi service. I'm sure you can make your own way home."

Serena frowned. "Fine! It wasn't like I wanted you to anyway!"

"Then why did you ask?"

"I was just wondering! It would be rude of me to keep your chauffeur waiting!"

"Oh so now you are concerned with being rude? It is his job to wait, you know."

Serena's blood began to boil. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She stomped her foot in frustration before turning her heels to leave.

"Why do I even bother with. . ." she grumbled as she followed Louis.

Lysandre felt a smirk appear on his face. It gave him a kind of satisfaction to know that he had an effect on Serena. It gave him entertainment, something to look forward to. Was he a little brutish? Maybe. Did he sometimes wish he had a different kind of effect on her? Sometimes but only because he found her interesting. He wanted to know how she would react to his, dare he say, masterful touch. To see her writhing in pleasure beneath him, to hear her moan his name.

He sighed.

She was so fearless against him, something he never experienced from someone. It excited him, kept him at the tips of his toes. It did, however, annoy him at times like it did earlier. He appreciated her fearlessness but cursed her disrespect towards him. He didn't work himself to the bone all these years just for some immature girl to disregard all that.

He couldn't understand her.

Lysandre worked his way through the crowd surrounding the ring. The two fighters were exchanging blows and dodging blows. He reached for his wallet in his jacket and threw some money towards the small, thin boy before making his way to the elevator.

Later in his home, he would receive an envelope containing some amount of money from Louis congratulating him on placing a bet on the winner. He would give more than half of his money to the winner's family.

Serena stretched, a groan escaping her lips. She was tired and cold. To be more accurate, she was tired, shivering, hungry, annoyed and generally angry at Lysandre for having to make her walk in the cold especially after working a sweat.

It wasn't too late out. It was only eight in the evening but the temperature had gone down drastically.

Louis gave her a tour of where she would be spending most of her days for an indefinite amount of time. Compared to Lysandre's ultra modern and regal base of operations, Louis' was more old-fashioned and rustic with simple computers powering their archaic machines. The biggest difference Serena noticed about Louis' and Lysandre's bases was that in Louis' everything was kept clean, utterly and entire spotless.

Serena recalled seeing a ball of dust and dirt in one of Lysandre's elevators, remarking in her head that that tiny ball would never exist in Louis' headquarters.

The greying man had changed from his sweat and blood-covered fighting attire to a more business-ready suit. Just like his base, his suit was immaculately clean and had no trace of any kind of creases or wrinkles. It was a crisp three-piece olive green pinstripe suit which complimented his brown-grey hair. He curled the tips of moustache which had initially made Serena giggle but when he asked her what was comedic enough about him to incite laughter, she quickly shut her mouth.

The first half of their lesson consisted of greeting everyone in his base. He told her to observe him and how he talked and interacted with his people.

"Just watch and take note, all right?" He told her before turning a corner and walking towards the common area which served as a place where people could eat and participate in brawls in a simple, unsophisticated ring in the middle of the room.

As soon as he entered, all the commotion in the room, the buzz, ceased. They all gave him standard military salutes and stood still until Louis gave them a small nod and what seemed like a room full of statues sparked to life.

'Not really anything new here,' Serena thought. Lysandre's people did the same thing. . . somewhat. The only difference is that Lysandre's people don't stand like statues, instead they give their boss a salute and then continue what they were doing on their own volition.

Louis approached a table of one man who was, Serena guessed, in his mid-thirties, early-forties. He ate his food and watched the brawl with uninterested eyes.

"Have you done as I asked you?" Louis asked pulling up a seat across from the man.

Serena didn't know whether to sit or to remain standing. She chose the stand behind Louis, twiddling her thumbs and avoiding the gaze of the man who was wondering who the hell she was and what her business there was.

Louis took note of the exchange. "Go ahead, Damien, Serena here will be with us for sometime as my new protégé."

The man, Damien, now avoided Louis' eyes. "I-I. . . sir, it's-it's. . . see it's just-"

"Just what, Damien?" Louis questioned. "And look into my eyes, Damien. I think you owe me at least that much."

Damien swallowed. He forced himself to look straight into his boss' piercing eyes. "It's just, I apologise wholeheartedly, sir, but I need the money to feed and clothe my family. I haven't even paid the rent at our apartment for three months now."

Louis listened with a straight face but had an intense gaze in his eyes. His arms were crossed just as his legs were.

"You must-" Damien continued then subsequently shut himself up.

"Must?" Louis prodded.

"I beg only for forgiveness, sir," Damien said with his head bowed.

Louis pursed his lips. He nodded. "I see, so you are asking me to forgive you when you haven't even fulfilled your end. May I remind you that what you did was completely disrespectful? It shows how much you value the trust I placed in you. Not to mention how ungrateful you are being when I pay you regularly, approve your cash advances and even give you bonuses. How selfish. How disrespectful. What should we do about this situation, Damien? Should I pay a visit to your family? I heard your wife makes excellent brioche. I quite feel like having some."

Damien turned pale. He began to sweat. He bowed his head even lower. All he could say was, "it was all my fault, please have mercy, sir."

Louis shook his head then he sighed. "You know that I am a very generous man right, Damien? I will give you until the end of next week."

The nervous man fell on his knees and took Louis' left hand that had been on his lap. He brought it to his forehead reciting multiple "thank you's".

"That is enough now, Damien," Louis said retracting his hand. "I appreciate your show of respect." He stood up and made to leave the room with Serena falling behind staring at the kneeling man, breathing hard with tears falling to the wooden floor.

"Serena!" Louis called.

Serena jumped. She ran to Louis who was waiting by the entrance to the room.

"Do you know what just happened there, Serena?" He asked her.

"Um. . . u-uh. . . I-I. . ." she stammered. She knew exactly what happened with Damien but she couldn't find any words to say. Incoherent sentences formed in her head and words jumbled around. She realised that she was terrified of the older gentleman and so she was scared to offend him and have him "pay her a visit".

Serena stared up at Louis who was patiently waiting for her answer. He looked so different. He was a lot more menacing now than when he had blood all over him with his disheveled hair flying about. She was legitimately scared of him at the moment and she despised the feeling of being scared. It made her feel like she was a weakling.

She swallowed. She had to say something. He just looked back at her.

Serena took her glasses off. She didn't want to see his face clear as day if she was going to answer him.

"D-Did Damien steal from you?" She said finally. She didn't mean to sound as shaky as she had. She hated how weak she was sounding.

Louis nodded. "Come, follow me."

He led her down a series of hallways that revealed a path to his organisation's vault.

"He stole valuable items and money from the family, Serena," said Louis.

"The family?"

Louis gestured all around him. "This. Everyone in here. He broke our trust and disrespected us even after I gave him more than enough to provide for his home."

"I-I see," was all she could say.

"Did you observe just as I told you?" He asked her. "As a person in my position, I have power. There are multiple types of power, Serena, and everyone has them or can have them. You must remember that. What I used on Damien was formal power. He had power, referent power. I trusted in his abilities and respected his work and dedication to my family but he made a choice. He chose to give up all of that."

Serena felt overwhelmed. She tried to take in what he was saying but it was all too much and Louis could see that.

He told her to think it over when she got home then proceeded to lead her back to the room where Lysandre dropped her off. Waiting there was the big, burly man from the earlier prizefight. He stood in the ring still wearing the same bloodied clothes he had on earlier.

Louis instructed her to change into the gear that he provided which consisted of ladies' trousers and a plain shirt. She had never worn anything so revealing like that but she couldn't help but feel freer than when she wore her dresses and skirts.

"Go on then," Louis said. "Up in the ring you go."

Serena took a deep breath then finally summed up all the courage she had and climbed into the ring. After her lesson, while she was lying on the ring completely exhausted, he told her to be back the next day after her regular work schedule since he didn't really need her to be there early.

"Was that really okay?" Serena asked herself as she walked home. She was still reeling over the fact that she had worn pants.

She pulled tightly on her coat. "I should have checked the temperature before leaving home this morning but then again I was expecting Lysandre to at least drop me off at my place."

She shuddered. A harsh gust of wind blew and she sank further into her coat.

"I can't believe this," she groaned.

She was too lost in her thoughts of being annoyed and cold that she hadn't noticed a tall man standing in front of her. She crashed into him and they both fell. Serena's glasses fell off her face from the force. Everything was blurry and she couldn't see clearly where anything was.

She felt an hand on her arm guide her up to her feet.

"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed. She heard a familiar chuckle and her heart jumped. She felt him put on her glasses for her and her eyes finally got a full view of just who she crashed into.

Siebold laughed. "Are you all right, Serena?"

Serena nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, are you? I'm so sorry. It was cold and I was annoyed and-"

"No, no, don't be sorry. There was no harm done really," he assured her. "May I ask what is annoying you?"

Serena bit her lip. "Well, Lysandre dropped me off at Louis' place then he just kind of told me to go home on my own in this weather."

"So the lessons are starting, huh?" Siebold remarked. "I can't believe Lysandre would leave you like that. You know, it's a little dangerous to be out here at this time especially when you're alone."

"That's exactly what I thought," agreed Serena with a smile.

"Are you up to anything right now, Serena?" he asked. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to my restaurant. I could make you dinner if you haven't eaten yet."

Serena's eyes widened. She felt her face grow hot and she didn't feel cold at all anymore. She tossed the idea in her head, this was what she had been waiting for for some time now and yet. . . she hesitated.

"I don't know, Siebold," she replied. "I have to up early tomorrow. I have work at the lab then I have to go to Louis' again right after."

Siebold pouted then gave her a small smile. "Come on, please? No alcohol this time and I promise to drop you off no later than eleven."

Serena bit her lip again. "Um, I-" she began. "I mean, no later than eleven, right?"

"Yes, I swear," he repeated. This time with a bigger smile on his face.

"Okay," she said finally. "Let's go then."

The pair walked down the street with Siebold making sure there was enough space between them to save them from any rumours that might bubble up. There were enough people out in the city for gossip to start going around and that was the last thing he wanted.

Serena kept her hands in her pockets partly because they were cold but mostly because she felt shy and anxious around Siebold. She chanced a glance at him only to find him doing the same. She quickly looked away in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry," she mumbled. Her face felt intensely hot.

He gave her a questioning look. "What for?"

"I-"

She was cut off by the sound of screeching tires and the view of an all too familiar car suddenly at a stop near the pair. The driver's door opened and out came the man himself, the self-proclaimed King of Kalos.

He had his red hair up in his trademark hairstyle and wore his trademark suit with his trademark cane.

Lysandre looked back and forth between Serena and Siebold. "What's this? I wasn't informed that Serena had a chaperone to take her home."

"I was informed that her chaperone abandoned her," Siebold said. "What brings you out here, Lysandre? Don't you have somewhere you need to be? A party perhaps?"

"Don't you have a restaurant to look after?" Lysandre shot back.

"I was just about to take Serena there for dinner."

Lysandre had an amused glint in his eye. "Dinner? And I wasn't invited? I'm quite hungry, you know."

Serena didn't know what was unfolding right before her very eyes. First she was walking alone then along came Siebold and now Lysandre and now it seemed to her that they were parrying each other's questions.

Lysandre now turned to Serena. "Isn't it a bit late? I'm not sure it's such a good idea for you to be drinking at this hour. You have work tomorrow, don't you?"

"No," she replied. "Siebold and I weren't going to drink any alcohol. We were just going to eat dinner and he would drop me off at eleven. What are you doing out here anyway?"

"I was bored and I went out for a drive. I don't have to explain myself to you," Lysandre answered. In truth, being bored was only part of the reason he drove himself out. He wanted to see how Serena was doing after her first lesson with Louis. He remembered his from years ago; he felt overwhelmed and he wasn't sure if he would come back the next day but he did and now he was here. He also felt a small desire to spend some time alone with Serena which was the main reason why he drove the car himself.

But he wasn't willing to admit all of that. Not to himself and especially not to her. He preferred to think that the main reason he came out to see her was because he was bored and Serena challenged him thus providing some entertainment.

"Why don't I just take you both to the restaurant and we'll get our food to go?" Lysandre suggested. "Serena and I, I mean."

He actually did feel hungry.

Siebold had a frown on his face. He didn't want Lysandre there. He needed an excuse. "I wasn't expecting another guest, Lysandre, I'm not sure I can accommodate."

"What are you talking about?" Lysandre pressed. "You own the restaurant don't you? I'm sure the people won't mind. What do you say, Serena? I can drop you off later."

Serena didn't know what to do. She had already made prior arrangements with Siebold, she didn't want to be rude and Siebold asking her out had been something she had always dreamed about but at the same time she was also tired, hungry and cold, she thought that her legs would give out. She felt like lying down especially after the day she just had and being in Lysandre's warmed-up car was tempting.

She looked back and forth between Siebold's offering of his arm and Lysandre's offering of his hand and she reached her hand forward.

So sorry for not updating in so long!

I promise I have not forgotten and do intend on finishing both my stories.

Thank you all for waiting!

I appreciate all types of constructive feedback and look forward to seeing you all in Chapter 6!

If you haven't already, please read my other story All The Lonely People which I will be updating next. Thank you once again, everyone :)