THE MANAGER NIM

43. AMBER CRESCENT

After successfully binding the ropes, you tug your attention from the ropes and shift it towards your position, only to realize the dangerously close state you're seated in, inches apart the fragrance of his musky cologne pervades your nostrils and arouses your unfathomable senses.

He continues to gaze into the dark abyss of your eyes as the heavy mask mantled the rest of your features and you could still notice the pain flickering in his sharp eyes. Momentarily, your old fan-girl self-lifts the veil with which you covered her and throws various, potentially dangerous ideas into your brain.

A loud knock at your window hauls both of you back to your conscious state, also to your respective seats in a jiffy. The security guard stands there, trying his best to figure out who you two are. Jungkook quickly pulls out the invitation and hands it over to the guard. He then escorts your car towards the parking lot.

Internally thanking the mask for concealing your crimson face, you walk alongside Jungkook. As you both enter the royal chamber, he offers you his hand to hold on to, despite knowing the fact that he already dived into his role, still your heart feels a bit elated by his considerably sweet gesture.

Amidst the infinite pool of masked faces, none of them seems to identify each other. But to prove you wrong that very moment an elderly pair approaches you both from behind. The lady has an eye mask supported by a sheeny stick and the old guy resembles Robin hood with that eye mask, secured over his nose bridge.

"Halmoni!" Jungkook whispers under his breath.

Grandma? Then why does this anomalous aura continue to linger on between them?

Strangely, they didn't exchange any greetings like how usual families do, if it were your grandparents, your body would've been lying down like a dead cockroach near their feet in reflex, seeking their blessings.

They both continue to gaze at their grandson, with masks on making it hard for you to decipher their expressions. Jungkook's other hand slowly creeps over your hand which is tightened around his bicep and grasps it with a faint force, causing you to divert your whole attention towards him.

He is still staring at the old couple, but the elderly couple's attention is completely on you, the granny scans you from top to bottom and plants her unwavering gaze at your masked face. Out of the blue, she takes one of your hands in hers, causing you to jolt up in surprise. Closing her eyes, she continues to chant some verse, escalating your anxiety.

The tension enveloping the wrinkly skin around her eyes loosens and promptly those heavy lids lifts, revealing her brown irises.

"She will be the perfect sacrifice for our goddess tonight" she announces in a gravelly tone.

Her English sounds so natural, but the context of her words rooted you to the ground.

"Sa...sac...sacrifice?!" your voice quivers in terror.

"Yes, our goddess will love you, you're going to be an absolute feast for her!" she says colourlessly.

Your eyes enlarge in double measure, "listen, I won't be, I'm not a sweet person, just a heap of salt, your goddess might choke on the saline taste and end up cursing you people, so don't take the risk!" shaking your head vigorously, you cross your arms in x gesture, emphasizing to cancel their ideas.

After a minute of solid silence, all three of them break into laughter, driving you to an even more baffled state. The said old lady pulls your hand towards her and smothers you with a warm embrace. "Please accept the apologies of this mad lady for scaring you out of a year's growth,"

she pulls apart, her hands still stiffly seizing both your shoulders, "aigo, look at you trembling like a leaf, sorry sweetie!" she says with a genuine frown.

"You ruined her mood Soon-he-ya!" for the first time since you met, the old man opens his mouth in your defence.

"But I just wanted to play with her a little, I guess I overstepped the boundary!" she says with an apologetic expression, allowing you to scan her entire face. At first glance itself, you cognize the ethereal beauty concealed beneath those squiggly wrinkles all over her face, in her salad days she must've broken least a ton of hearts.

"You look so pretty!" you blurt out in fascination, inducing yet another roar of laughter.

"I'm flattered, my child. You reminded this old man, something which he forgot decades ago." She nudges her husband's shoulder skittishly. You could clearly witness, from where Jungkook inherited his drama queen mannerisms.

The soothing track starts to ooze out of the speakers and infuse the entire hall, promptly people start to get in their positions and begin to dance with delicate moves.

"Alright, it's dance time, you two go and join them quickly!" she urges you and Jungkook.

"But I need to meet appa and eomma, where are they?" Jungkook intercepts her excitement to witness you both on the dance floor.

"They're yet to arrive, till then have a great time kids!" this time she steers you both by your shoulders, towards the dance floor, where already several pairs are moving in sync with the tune.

"Mr Jeon, if there is something I will be able to do, only if I sell my soul to a devil, that would be dancing. I cannot dance for the life of me!" you whisper yell at his face which is unusually close to yours.

Letting out an inaudible sigh, his hands snake around your partially revealing waist due to the deep v adorning the back of your dress. He grabs your hand and places it over his shoulder and eventually proceeds to clasp his hand with your other hand which is freely dangling down. He inclines towards your ears and his raspy whisper glides into your ear, sending chills down your spine,

"Just sway with me."