Sunrise at Night | K.TH

Mask Dance

And then he stops, realizing what he'd said.

Looking at his eyes that instantly flicker to my features, I push back the question threatening to burst from my lips. I would've said it without hesitation if I didn't know for a fact that it would make him avoid me in embarrassment and anger.

So he is afraid of women.

Pretending like I hadn't heard the last part, I start whistling and put on a normal expression on my face.

"Dress then?" I mimic a groan, and feel slight relief when his tensed expression relaxes. "Just telling you, I don't know how to dance."

_________________________

"Are you— challenged?" He whispers rapidly, his kohl-ringed eyes sparkling dangerously at me through a silver mask as he gasps for air. "Never mind, you must be."

"I'm not!"

But when he narrowly saves me from another mistake, I blink my eyes in embarrassment and pipe up softly.

"Uh— maybe."

A smile ghosts on his lips before the music thankfully ends to a stop. He gives me a sharp look.

"Don't get lost."

Then he leaves for the Heads' meeting, leaving me alone and fiddling with my fingers and adjusting my deep violet mask. I'm about to head over to the food table when someone's voice rings in my ear.

"It takes some time to get used to."

"Lyr!" I laugh as I wrap my arms around her familiar figure, and she around mine. She looks ethereal, her deep eyes glowing underneath a dark mask. "I haven't seen you for so long."

There's a reason why he loves her so fiercely— she is as beautiful as she is alluring.

A sadness tugs at my heart when I realize that the only reason why V was so fascinated with me is because he hasn't seen how beautiful so many people were compared to me.

"You're keeping him in check." She says, smiling as she looks at the path where he'd disappeared. "He used to look so sad. Now he seems better."

"Imagination." I whisper in embarrassment, but she only laughs brightly in response and gives me a knowing look. "That can't be."

"He really does."

I'm pushing my lips together when my eyes catch on a woman. She has her stunning diamond mask in her hand, and I catch a glimpse of her face before she puts it back on.

Isn't that—

Isn't that her? That woman's daughter that wanted to marry V?

But in the split second, people swarm over the spot where she was. It's so fast I almost think I've imagined it, so I just pass it over as nothing.

Nothing good about her anyways.

"Champagne." Lyr looks curiously at the rows of colorful alcohol, before bursting into laughter. "Jungkook gets drunk on lemonade, you know that?"

"I remember." I laugh along with her, recalling the time before all this. Back then, I would've never imagined being Taehyung's Marked. "Master never liked alcohol."

I purse my lips almost like instinct.

Not Master, His voice rings out coldly in the back of my mind, and I can't help but smile at the thought. I'll make you stop calling him that.

He was so possessive.

We talk and eat for a good hour before finally hugging each other goodbye, and I tuck my hair behind my ear as I go to find V.

The meeting should be over by now.

_________________________

I'm almost there, walking down the narrow hallway. At the end, there's the conference room— and I can see the door slightly open from here.

My feet pause, and I chew on my lip.

Did it end already?

When I listen for sounds of talking, I don't hear anything. It must've ended sometime ago— otherwise there would've been some noise—

And then there is.

"Stop."

V's voice, too familiar to not recognize. My heart seizes for a second when I look towards the direction of the sound, my head pounding.

"Please."

His words are trembling, and my legs nearly give out underneath me when I hear a sweet purr of a woman.

What....?

V—

V was with a woman.