Chapter 2 - Hidden in plain sight

~This chapter is from Klaus' perspective~

Coming from what could be considered to be a relatively well off family, there is little I failed to obtain. Life was easy but I did not take anything for granted. I was aware that nothing which belonged to me was through my own hard work, and that few were as fortunate as I. It was not a conscious effort where I attempted to empathise with those less fortunate, nor did I feel guilty about my privilege. My undivided attention was solely on myself and those whom I cared about.

As far as I was concerned, everyone else lived in a different world, on a different plane of existence. Of course I did not regard them as lesser in any way, it was simply that our lives did not intertwine in a way that warranted interest. Does that make me a bad person? I should hope not. Everyone is the same, are they not?

Among even those who were not close to me, socialising was more than simple. The reach of the Eichel's extended far beyond the ability to purchase what our hearts desired. It was not a matter of material possessions. It may have been the novelty of a new noble family in the kingdom but I suspect it was more than that. Greed may be a better explanation. Others wished to form relationships with us in hopes of gaining support in the future. Though superficial, it was mutually beneficial so I was willing to overlook such obvious flattery.

Not all of them approached with such intentions, even I knew that much. There were some women who hoped for much more in return, a relationship I would not offer. That was not unique to me, it occurs to many in all walks of life. I consider myself to be fairly easy on the eyes, that must be have contributed to it at least partially. Well, they were simpler to please than the men. A little flattery in return did me no harm, and always made them ecstatic. I was not foolish enough to promise myself to any one woman, let alone many. That was what set me apart from quite a few men, garnering positive attention.

Men could be separated into three batches: those who liked me and would benefit from befriending me, those who abhored me for what I can only assume to be envy, and the very few who were uninterested in me - though this was generally limited to those much older than myself. None of that mattered to me. I was confident in knowing that no harm would come to me. I mean, why would it? Has everything not been going my way since the very beginning? Well, that was until I encountered Max.

Max could not be categorised into any of the above three categories. That in itself caused me discomfort. He was not uninterested, I knew that much. Irrespective of what anyone would say, the ways in which his eyes followed my every move betrayed any mask of indifference he could hide behind. But he did not attempt to appeal to me at all. Rather, he had not approached me even once, and even when I approached him the responses were blunt. Dislike? Hardly. There is no foundation for that assumption but I know within me it is not that.

Max was an anomaly, that is the most fitting word I could explain his existence. It was odd. He had his own place in society and while it was not quite as elevated as my own, he did well in his own right. People were always around him so I could not call him an outsider, and yet that is what I considered him to be. Not in the way that others held no importance to me, it was different. On the outside he appeared to engage well with people, but I could not shake the feeling that it was not of his own volition. That it was not him.

If I tried hard enough, I would hear his conversations with who I assume to be his friends, or even hear his name in the passing. Despite that, it was as if he did not exist. An existence easy to overlook, one must pay close attention to him in order to even notice his presence. Had it not been for his constant staring, I may have gone my entire life without knowing his name let alone interacting with him. He existed through others, disappearing into their shadows so that only his name would remain as it fell from their mouths.

I was intrigued by him momentarily. His attitude towards me was one I could not name, so I can only assume that this interest would fizzle out the second I figured it out. I will be the first to admit that this confusion has caused me to become short-tempered in matters involving him. At times I feel anger towards him, but I am unsure of exactly what I want from him. He is an anomaly, I must make peace with that.

Brushing the stray pieces of hair from my face, I look in the mirror to ensure I look satisfactory. Had I been preoccupied with thoughts of Max during the entire time I was getting ready? As the thought struck me, I laughed although nothing was funny. I laughed at how uncomfortable that idea was. Perhaps I was becoming too invested in this. At least I could say I was not self-absorbed, I genuinely chuckled at the thought.

Looking at the mirror once more, I felt that something was out of place. Inspecting more closely, I analysed every inch of myself. My light blue cufflinks stood out but not in a manner I liked. It no longer appealed to me, despite having worn it for the first time. Looking around the drawers I found a small black pair that would blend in well with my suit. It was a black oval gemstone, encased in a thin gold band. With my black blazer all that was visible was the gold band until light shone upon the gemstone, as if it had been hiding in plain sight. It attracted less attention but it felt right.