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Mr. Iero is lounged on the couch. He asks for a maid to make two cups of coffee. "Mr. Way, it's been quite a while. How are you doing at the Sparrow Hall?"

"Not great..." I admit, scratching the back of my head. "But no one seems to notice. Besides, I must rehearse every day... It's not my strong suit."

"It's hard for anyone, take it slow." Mr. Iero frowns. His words warm my heart.

Knowing that he is the only one who can help me now, I tell Mr. Iero everything that happened. Maybe it's because I have no one else to talk to, but I end up telling him a lot. He patiently listens and waits for me to be done.

"You have been doing quite alright, it seems," Mr. Iero concludes. "Now, tell me more about what you mentioned on the phone."

Talking really took a weight off my shoulders. I sip my coffee while leaning back on the armchair I'm sitting.

"Spots on stage are rare. I can't go. Of course, I think I will at some point, and I will get an opportunity. I've seen Solazzo several times, but I never managed to catch his eye. I... I figured I had to be flirty with him. Was I wrong?"

The corners of Mr. Iero's mouth slightly lift. "You were not. I knew you were a smart one. Now tell me, what did you do?"

"Well, I acted flirty...and I tripped on purpose a couple of times."

"...That's what I thought..." Mr. Iero shakes his head.

"Am I doing it wrong?" I inquire. "Obviously, I am not... skilled for these things."

"But you can learn, and I can help you."

Pete introduces a woman with short, wavy, brown hair. Mr. Iero greets her. "Elizabeth, this is your student."

Elizabeth nods, then she takes my hand and leads me to the room next door. She tells me how she worked in a club for ten years. She has a lot of experience. She teaches me some moves and how to behave with men I want to seduce. Let's be fair, I wasn't very well-aware of those kinds of things... I have never seen this. It's all new for me and it makes me a little bit shy.

I take some notes – literally, I write down what she says – and I rehearse a few times with her help. After I am done, she drags me excitedly to a changing room. I am puzzled. Why should I get changed?

I put on a very well-cut velvet suit. It feels so nice to the touch and fits me like a glove. Elizabeth claps and we go back to the living room. I scan it and notice Pete and Mr. Iero. I have never seen the latter dressed so casually, I have to say. Instead of the usual trench coat, leather gloves and suit, Mr. Iero is simply wearing a suit jacket over a white shirt with rolled up sleeves.

"Pete! We need someone so he can practice his flirting, and I think you'll do," Elizabeth calls and the man looks up.

"What? Practice with him?" I blink confusedly.

"Of course! You must try with a partner to practice what you've learnt! I was told that your target is a man, so off you go."

Pete looks at Mr. Iero, droplets of sweat forming on his forehead. Mr. Iero stays passive, and his right-hand man stands up hesitantly, walking towards Elizabeth and I.

"I have to..." he trails off.

"There are only two men besides Gerard in this room. You're not expecting the boss to do the job, are you?" Elizabeth frowns.

I look at Mr. Iero, who seems to remain just as detached. He noticed my gaze and looks at me as well. At the moment our eyes meet, I hastily look down.

"Come on, don't be shy! Try on Pete the smile I taught you!" Elizabeth encourages, patting my back.

I am feeling embarrassed, but I give it a try anyway. What a shame, the smile I have repeated for hours doesn't seem to work on Pete. He says as passive and stiff as a broomstick.

"Pete! We need your help to check this young man's progress. Don't stand there like a statue!" Elizabeth scolds. Pete awkwardly scratches the back of his head, steps forward and bends down a little.

"Boss! I- I think that I have a funny stomachache," he whines.

Mr. Iero readjusts his tie and waves at him. "If you must go, then go."

Pete looks blessed and rushes out of the room.

"What is wrong with him..." Elizabeth rolls her eyes.

Mr. Iero stands up and casually walks to me, his big hazel eyes indifferently looking at me. "As Pete is in no state to carry on, I will let you practice on me."

"What?" I reply.
"What?" Elizabeth comments nearly at the same time.

She and I both are shocked by the unexpected proposal. "Uh, are you sure, boss? Well, alright!"

Elizabeth steps aside. I look at Mr. Iero in the eye, my heart beating hard in my chest.

"Please proceed, Mr. Way." Mr. Iero gives me a kind smile. Wow, am I really about to rehearse with Mr. Iero?! Alright Gerard, calm down... It's only practice. There is no reason to be nervous!

I am still processing the situation when Elizabeth speaks up. "We should recreate the club's ambiance, boss! You could pretend to be a client on the couch, and he would be one of the dancers. He will have to catch your attention at all costs... What do you think?"

"That... That is not a good idea," I babble.

But Mr. Iero gives it a quick thought and concludes, "that sounds like an excellent idea."

He heads for the couch and sits down comfortably. I stare at him as Elizabeth chuckles slyly. "Mr. Way, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Mr. Iero looks at me, calmly and intensely. Our gazes meet in flight. The idea of rehearsing all this on him... makes my cheeks flush.
Mr. Iero is comfortably nestled on the couch and wearing an encouraging, benevolent smile.

Should I...? I glance back at Elizabeth who nods with a large smile.

"If you need help, I am at your service," Mr. Iero offers. He didn't even protest. Why am I acting like this?

I take out the notes I took and read them quickly.

1 if the context allows it, take the initiative of taking a seat next to your target. Keep some distance : have a certain contact but don't be too close

2 start a conversation, try giving a few compliments, look at your target in the eye when you talk, try to look natural but still a bit sexy

3 use alcohol as an excuse to lean forward / get closer

4 pretend to be tipsy to reveal your sensuality, and use that to get even closer

5 once the fish is starting to take his bait, recede slightly for more effect

I put the notebook aside, I head for the couch and sit down next to Mr. Iero. Following Elizabeth's instructions, I keep a bit of distance between him and I. Leaning my legs in his direction, I press them against his. His legs are tense, but he doesn't seem to mind the contact. I force myself to remain calm and follow the instructions.

"Alright, now try to put some charm in your conversation," Elizabeth says.

Conversation? Are we going to pretend to... have a chat?

"What's your name?" Mr. Iero asks me, frowning a little. He is playing along? That's unexpected...

"...Oh, sir, you can call me Arthur. It's not your first day here, is it? I have seem you around before," I answer casually. I see the man next to me nod slightly, encouraging me. "In fact, I started working here quite recently, and I am still new."

I give him a genuine smile, looking at Mr. Iero in the eye, those eyes that seem calm as always like an untroubled lake – a lake of gold that is. I scoot a bit closer and identify a faint smell of coffee mixed with that of tobacco. I remember what Elizabeth said about compliments and I hesitantly give it a try.

"I have never met a man like you..." I say in a mellow voice.

Mr. Iero tilts his head a bit. "Oh? What makes you say so?"

I flash a smile at him. "So handsome, so distinguished. You must have a lot of admirers."

At this point, according to Elizabeth's technique, I should get a bit more intimate, but... I can't do this to Mr. Iero. He is already kind enough to help me.

The hand I was about to touch him with goes back on my lap. Mr. Iero perceives my hesitation.

He takes my hand and leads it back to him. I take this encouragement as the signal to hold onto his arm and gently lean on him. I am not applyinh much pressure, but I can still feel the rippling muscles of his biceps.

Embarrassed, I look away and notice that Elizabeth has left. We must keep rehearsing nonetheless.

I look back at my partner. "In- in fact, I admire you a lot... What do you think of me?"

Mr. Iero slowly turns his head to me. We are so close to one another that I can feel his breathing. His usual composure seems disrupted. Is he really upset? Or is he that good at acting?

He regains composure so quickly that I wonder if I am not imagining things.

"I have met a lot of men like you." He takes a sip of coffee in a porcelain teacup. Mr. Iero then delicately sets it on the coffee table and looks back at me, unphased.

I am quite surprised by his attitude, though I imagine that Solazzo would act the same. I suppose that Mr. Iero knows what he is doing. Maybe I should use method 3, from my notes.

I grab Mr. Iero's cup and take a sip, leaving a bit of tinted lip balm where his lips touched the cup – what? I have dry lips.

Mr. Iero is observing. I raise my chin to show him my neck and jawline. Then, I lick the tinted edge of the cup where both our lips touched, and I slowly bat my eyelashes at Mr. Iero before putting the cup back on its saucer.

"If you really knew me, you would know that I am not like all the others," I say while Mr. Iero frowns, his eyes reflecting an intense cogitation. "I will give you my heart. Will you not give me a chance?"

Mr. Iero severely looks back at me, as if he were both resisting my offer and supporting my acting at the same time.

"If you do not," I resume, "then pretend that I never existed. I am but a lonely showman. And maybe, one day, I will be gone..."

I give him a sad pout and stand up to leave. I take a step and pretend to trip like I did at the Sparrow Hall during the shows. Except that I mess up and truly fall, this time.

Mr. Iero grabs me and yanks me back by reflex ; we both collapse on the couch. His back hits the cushions and I fall on top of him, my knees on either sides of him. One of my hands lands on his chest.

Mr. Iero's usually slicked hair is now framing his face with wispy strands of black hair, straying on his forehead a little. We can feel each other's breathing. It's incredibly intimate. And surreal.

My heart is drumming and I feel like it's about to bounce out of my chest. I sense his large hand on the small of my back. We stare at each other, unable to look away as if in a daze. I see myself in his hazel eyes. I seem agitated, and... confused?

What is happening? What is wrong with me...?

Mr. Iero is silent. His expression is fathomless. He is still holding me close ; we are too abashed to not drown in each other's eyes. An odd wave of emotions overwhelms me. Anticipation, palpitation, confusion, incertitude... If only this moment could last a little bit longer...

Mr. Iero suddenly sits up, as if he just recalled something. I quickly stand up, putting an end to the charm.

"Please excuse me, Mr. Way." Mr. Iero quickly rearranges himself.

I shake my head. "No, it's not your fault. I was careless." My heart is still beating hard. I observe him powerlessly. "This rehearsal has been very useful. Thank you. Next time, I could..."

"Sorry, I won't be able to rehearse with you anymore," he interrupts. "I can send you someone if you need a partner to rehearse."

What? Didn't he play along before? What's going on...?

"W-Why?

"Mr. Way, I am sure that rehearsing with other men will not be a problem for you."

He is right, but hearing him say this makes me oddly gloomy. I nod.

"I have a lot of work. I am sorry," he apologizes once more, unyielding. "Mr. Way, I have a lot of things to do, I will therefore leave first. If you wish to go back to the club, Pete is here for you. He will take you there."

I stand there, confused and flabbergasted. Maybe a little upset, too. That... didn't go well. Was I just imagining things? I came to the villa hoping for answers, and though I got leads and help, I am still as puzzled as before.

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