2. Dinner and gazes

I spent the rest of the day with my tutor Mrs. Clara. She had to explain me complex numbers thrice. I couldn't concentrate at all. I was thinking too much of the kidnapping threat, my new bodyguard and the fact that my father is as if abandoning me. 

"Talk a bit about yourself, Eren." My dad starts up a conversation as the three of us are having dinner in the grand kitchen. "For how long have you been doing this job?"

Eren places back the spoon he was about to put in his mouth on his plate. "Um..." His tongue quickly slips out to wet his lips. "Almost two years."

"That's great." My father beams at him. "Is the training as hard as they say?"

Eren blinks twice as if the question has perplexed him. "Effectively. Euh..." He trails off, rubbing the sharp line of his jaw. "I-It was mostly about endurance." 

My father nods in fascination.

Eren is sitting in front of me and I can't take my eyes off of him. He is eating so elegantly that it's as if he is doing a commercial for the chicken fried rice. The way his lips seductively part a little as the spoon reach his mouth, the way his mouth delicately moves as he chews on the food and the way his tongue quickly swirls out to lick his lips, I can't help but think he is eating something other than food.

As he swallows, his eyes catch me drooling over him. Embarrassed, I quickly look down at my plate.

Great Hayat. Great.

"You seem to be a reliable young man Eren." My father says. Saved by him. "I should thank the inspector for sendin—"

"Oh no." Eren quickly interrupts him. "The inspector doesn't like to be disturbed. I don't think he will remember you in first place." He laughs a little. "There are so many cases during a day." 

My father shrugs. "Alright then."

As I keep distractingly swinging my legs under the table while listening to their conversation, my foot suddenly hit Eren's leg. 

Oh fish.

He looks up at me, his sea green eyes slightly wide.

My head begins throbbing. "I'm sorry." I mouth shyly, feeling my heart racing in my throat.

But he stares at me with no expression, his eyes glazing as they darken. His lips then stretch into a small smirk, mischief grinning in it. Please tell me he isn't thinking that I did that on purpose.

Throughout the whole dinner, Eren and I have been exchanging eye contact and I couldn't eat properly. I can't believe he is the same guy with whom I used to play everyday when I was little. We are now complete strangers and even a single look we give to each other is damn weird. I don't think I will be able to have a normal conversation with him one day.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" My father enquires concernedly, eyeing my plate. He must be seeing that I've barely eaten anything.

I look at him, dazed, coming back to my senses. "Y-yeah." I forcibly murmur.

He shuts his eyes briefly and sighs. "Look," he takes my hand. "I have already expl—"

"It's fine, daddy." I assure him with a small smile, knowing what he was about to say. "I understand."

He stares at me for a few seconds as if he wants to say something. But he keeps his words to himself and tells Eren instead in all seriousness.

"Take care of my daughter."

My brows bump together into a scowl. I think I can take care of myself.

Eren takes a look at me, a small incomprehensible smile at the corner of his lips.

"I will." 

( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)