Waiting Game | pjm ✓

026. Dangerous Liaisons

Clutching on the glass of wine in her right hand, Aera strolled towards the enormous swan-shaped fountain, immersed at the sound of water hitting against water. Her fingertips brushed against the warm marble.

The hotel's garden had always been her mother's favorite place. She had been insisting that the guests of the establishment would have a place they would relax without the frenetic movement of rushing through life. Mrs. Lee had designed the garden herself, leaving little signs of her delicate taste all over the place.

She had always wanted this to be their little piece of heaven.

Aera gazed down at the water absent-mindedly. Distant hazy chatter could be heard over the music. She picked up her gaze, scanning her surroundings. So many people had decided to attend the annual masquerade ball and the crowd kind of make her uneasy. She could see people chatting cheerfully, shaking hands and patting each other on the backs, glad to see each other. Each of them was wearing a mask, staying true to the theme of the party.

She wondered how many of them exactly ever put their masks down. The masks of benevolence and good will that had practically become their second skin, that was.

Movement by the bar caught her eye. There he was, her half-brother with his usual entourage of rich arrogant brats. He was laughing loudly, probably telling another one of his disgusting jokes. She hoped he would remain oblivious to the elaborate plan that had been crafted behind his back throughout the whole night.

Her heart rate rocketed once she laid eyes on a particular someone. Yoongi was strutting towards his friends, his black hair shining like the sea at night, illuminated by the dim light from the many candles scattered across the garden. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, his head swinging towards her direction. She froze. He was wearing a black Phantom of the Opera mask over his face and it prevented her from determining where exactly he was looking at. The depths of never-ending blackness in his eyes were sparkling and she felt all the air evaporate from her lungs.

It was probably just a couple of moments, but to her it felt like centuries. Aera blinked, convinced that she was being paranoid. It was hardly possible that he would be looking at her. She let out a long sigh of relief when he finally whirled around, resuming his walk towards the bar.

"You are so disarmingly beautiful."

Spinning on her heels, Aera couldn't help but set free a sharp gasp. Glowing dark chocolate orbs pierced through her, rimmed by a black and gold half-face mask. Instantly, she found herself swooning at the way his custom-made black suit hugged his frame, emphasizing his lean physique and of course, accentuating the muscular bulges swelling from underneath the fabric. This time, he was sporting a black sateen button-up shirt instead of the usual snow-white hue.

He prowled towards her, his tongue cloaking his plump lips as his orbs traced the distance from her cleavage to the edge of her black cocktail dress, the lace embroidered on the fabric matching the lace on her half-face mask.

"Thank you," Aera replied, the corners of her mouth fighting a shy smile. For an instant, her eyes meet the hungry beast underneath the surface of his collected persona. It made her shudder and she couldn't deny the burning desire that started smoldering deep inside her chest.

Jimin closed the distance between their bodies, his hand gravitating towards her waist. "I know we said we wouldn't rush things, but this dress is making me rethink my promise," he growled, his enticing fragrance flooding Aera's senses.

"It's hard for me too," she let out a flustered chuckle, feeling her cheeks grow hotter with each passing second. "Jimin, I can't focus if you keep doing this," she glanced down at his arm that had enclosed around her back, drawing small circles on the fabic of her dress.