Would I?

[ It's too easy to slip into easy flirting, the stupid, meaningless way everyone does with everyone at a party, without heat or intent. It's like they don't know any other way of communicating, sometimes. Jaime knows that he can communicate better with people, better than this, but... sometimes it's just easier, isn't it? When you're playing a game like this, you don't have to be too serious. You can talk a little, laugh a little, and part without thinking about each other very much at all at the end of the day.

Of course that's not the case with someone like Ruka. He knows her. Or, rather, he knows of her. This isn't something you forget. But it's not something he intends to brag about either. ]

I'm not trying to ditch my friends. I'm mingling, [ he defends himself lightly. ] But I dunno what you mean by all that. You're the famous one here. You're the one tabloids are gonna write about slumming it.

[ He takes a small drink, then taps his chin with his finger. ]

You still haven't told me how you know me. C'mon. I'm curious.