The day was finally here. All sorts of fancy cars were stopping in front of the red carpet as gentlemen dressed like in the magazines and ladies with elegant dresses made their way out. The flashlights of cameras were lighting up their way to the entrance. Classical music was flowing beautifully over the whole front yard. The air was filled with a flowery scent. It was exactly like a scene in the movies. Your car was waiting in the enormous line that seemed to never end.
"You look stunning tonight, sweetheart." Taehyung whispered in your ear.
"Stop. We're not here for this." You smiled.
"Might as well enjoy it while it lasts." He kissed your cheek.
The black limousine came to a standstill. The door opened, letting the chilly air touch your soft skin. You were about to step outside when Taehyung grabbed your wrist, making you fall back in your seat.
"Didn't you forget something?" He held the black mask with delicate dark glitter lines in front of you.
You snatched it from him as he chuckled. He ran out of the car and came to your side while you put it on. He adjusted his suit and posture and offered you his hand, making your heart race. You gracefully placed your hand in his and stepped out in the flashlights. They were all in awe of how beautiful you two were. You could hear them whispering to each other how you could be the king and queen of the night. You looked up at Taehyung. The mask he wore made his eyes ever more mesmerizing. Long locks of hair were at times covering them, giving him a mysterious aura. He was oozing with charm. If he was poison, you would just drink it all and let it burn your soul.
He could say the same thing about you. Dark blue lace was spreading across your arms and upper body, following your curves, leaving only your back uncovered. From your hips long waves of silk were falling to the floor like a waterfall, the train -that added to its elegance- brushing it as you moved. Locks of your hair were beautifully braided on both sides of your head and clipped on the back of it with the rest of the curls gliding freely over your shoulders, down to your waist. Your eyes were covered in strong smokey make-up, your lips were as red as wine, so tempting they were making Taehyung thirsty. He gave you a quick wink and smiled at the same time you did.
The house was enormous. You stepped in through the imposing doorway that had guards on both sides. The view was amazing. There was a big hallway that seemed to serve as a ballroom now with huge marble pylons here and there. Masked people were dancing all over the floor, looking as if they were flying, all sorts of colors blending into each other. In front, a wide flight of stairs made out of the same marble with gold decorations led to the first floor. Your lips were slightly parted as you took in the whole painting. This was what every girl wanted and even if you were trying so hard to deny it, you were one of them too. Only that this was not your fairytale, it was the layout of a theft. The words of Yoongi were reverberating in your head.
Be extra careful, there are eyes everywhere. Try to blend in as much as you can. Find Golden Pig, he has the key to his room. Find a way to pass it to Taehyung and then get out of there. Jimin and Hoseok will wait until the clock hits 12 and they will cut the power and throw smoke bombs inside. That is your ticket out. Taehyung will pretend to help the guards secure the area and knock them out one by one while Jimin and Hoseok go in from the backside. Wait until Taehyung comes out, take your car, and come back here. Show them who we are.
You took a deep breath.
"Nervous?" Taehyung asked.
"A little. What if something goes wrong?"
"Look at me. Come on, look at me." He cupped your face. "Nothing will go wrong."
"What if you get hurt?"
"It is me you're worried about?" He chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't get hurt." He placed a kiss on the top of your forehead as you closed your eyes. "Let's go."
He led you into the crows, getting lost between the dancing couples.
At the same time another car was pulling up outside. Two tall men dressed in black suits made their appearance. They got everyone excited once again. Girls were turning their heads as they made their way inside. One of them seemed to enjoy all the attention, judging by his proud smile, while the other kept a steady poker face. They were in front of the entrance, looking over the crowd.
"I still don't know what I'm doing here." Jungkook said and clenched his jaw.
"You'll see. For now, let's enjoy the party. There are plenty of beautiful girls here, try to find someone to clear your mind." Namjoon jabbed Jungkook's shoulder and disappeared in the mass of people that only seemed to grow.
So much noise and movement were making Jungkook feel sick. He found his way to the bar that was right under the stairs and ordered a drink. His eyes were roaming all over the room. He got distracted by the voice of a man that was standing on top of the staircase with a mic in his hand. He was short and chubby, dressed as fancy as possible and looked like a 30 something old bachelor with a thin, model-like woman on his right.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I wanted to say thank you for accepting my invitation. It is a pleasure having you here. I see everyone brought a mask. Very well! All these beautiful women here make me regret making the theme a masquerade. " He took a break as laughter filled the building. "I hope you will have a great time tonight. Now, should we get the party started?"
You looked up at Taehyung and smiled. Little did everyone in this room know what you were planning. The game was on. You kept your eyes on the man. He seemed like the type to fall for anything beautiful. That was making your job twice easier. The melodious waltzes the orchestra was playing so far were replaced by slow music coming from the speakers. Taehyung left your side and went to chat with some women. You saw as Golden Pig stopped by some table to chat with someone. That was it. Your feet started moving into his direction, taking a glass of wine in your way. You were getting close, heart started beating faster.
"Oh!" You screamed as you faked tripping and spilling the red liquid all over the man. "Oh my God, I am so sorry!!"
"What the-" His face showed clear signs of anger until he saw you.
"I am so sorry! It's all my fault. Here, let me help you clean it." You took a handkerchief and started to pat it against his wet shirt.
"It's alright. It was an accident." Your touches made him smile.
"We should get this cleaned. Where is the bathroom? I'll help you clean it. That's the least I can do."
"If you insist, let's go. There's an empty one on the first floor."
You reached for his arm and let him lead the way. You were walking up the stairs, holding your dress with one hand, when you looked over your shoulder to the crowd in search for Taehyung. There was no sign of him. You felt someone staring at you and was planning on ignoring but instead found yourself locking eyes with a man sitting at the bar. He was playing with his drink while his attention was focused on you. You felt the time moving in slow motion. His eyes were cold and empty as if a great storm washed away his happiness and will to live. You felt shivers going down your spine.
When he saw you, Jungkook felt this power that kept his eyes glued to yours. He could not fight it. What was it? He was not the type to flirt with just anyone and with the news of your death, it was less probable. His chest felt tighter for some reason. He saw your lips part as if you were feeling the same thing and could not explain it. Everything started moving at normal pace again when you turned your face, breaking the contact. Jungkook was still in awe. He looked down at his glass, mind going blank. The sudden touch of someone startled him.
"What happened to you? You look as if you've seen a ghost."
"Hyung...I-I'm fine."
"So, did you find someone interesting?" Namjoon asked him.
"N-no."
His answer was delayed by something in his head. He looked up again but nobody was there anymore. He took the whole drink from his glass in one gulp and stood up from his seat. Namjoon's eyes followed the same trace.
"What exactly did you see, kiddo?" He whispered and then ordered a drink for himself.
The first floor was a bit smaller than the ground one, with one big hallway leading so several different rooms on both sides. There was one that captured your attention in particular. It was again guarded by two muscular men and had a two door entrance with golden handles. It was on the other side of the hallway.
"Here it is." He made way for you to enter first. "Hey, you! Yeah, you. Bring me another shirt." He shouted at one of the waiters and then started unbuttoning the one he was wearing.
"Let me give you a hand with that."
Your fingers were sneakingly feeling his body for any sign of the keys. You were at the last button when you felt something in the pocket of his pants. Bingo! You got rid of the shirt and threw it in the sink. The smile he had on his face was making you feel highly uncomfortable but you hat to go with it. He brought a finger to your cheek and caressed it.
"You are so beautiful."
In a flash he threw his other arm around your waist and pulled you next to his body, his face buried in your neck. It was the perfect opportunity. You slipped your hand carefully into his pocket and felt the cold metal of the keys against your skin. You tried to pull them out but he was too close and the rushed, gross kisses he was giving you were not helping either.
"Sir, here is your shirt." The voice of the waiter made him stop and look back, giving you the chance to get the keys out. You held them tightly behind your back, sighing softly in relief.
"Sorry for that, where were we?" He was getting closer again but you took a step back.
"You had a taste. It is enough for now. If you want more, you'll have to dance with me first."
"You're so beautiful. How could I refuse you? Dance floor, it is." He got dressed and gave you his right arm. "Shall we?"
You passed the key into the other hand and linked your left arm with his. From the top of the stairs you saw Taehyung talking to some girls on one side of the room. He saw you going down and started moving through the crowd to get closer to you. Adrenaline was pumping in your veins. Taehyung was now in front of you, waiting for your move. When you walked by him, your hand brushed against his, secretly passing him the key as you gave him a quick wink. You could tell by his expression that he was proud of you. His eyes followed you until you and the man were in the center of the room and then vanished.
Golden Pig signaled for the music to stop and the orchestra to play again. The waltz that tickled your ears had a darker feel to it. It sounded almost tragic. Your feet were gliding across the floor, making everyone stop for a second and look at the two of you. He was clearly a bad dancer but you were doing your best to compensate. At one point he spun you around and you stretched your arms on both sides like a ballerina, looking ahead with the glimpses of a smile on your lips. It was then that you saw him again. He was leaning against one of the pillars, his arms crossed as he watched you. Since when has he been there? Your smile faded as you were once again captivated by him. But soon the crowd started moving, making you lose his sight.
When the owner of the mansion pulled you back in his arms, you kept looking around, trying to find the mysterious man. It was so difficult with so many people around. The song came to an end and Golden Pig went to get some drinks. As another song was starting, you felt someone staring from behind. You turned around in a flash, pulse already going up. But there was no one. When you turned again, your heart almost exploded. A tall man was hovering over you so close you almost stained his white shirt with your lipstick.
"Missed me?" You heard a familiar voice.
"Taehyung-ah!"
"Why are you so surprised? Were you waiting for someone else?"
"You came out of nowhere!"
"We're at a party, there's still time until midnight, it's only normal for me to want to dance with my girl, right?" He smiled.
"You..." Laughter was mixed with a scoff as you spoke.
He took your right hand in his and you placed the other on his shoulder, feet moving in perfect sync with the music. Your heart was finally at ease. You brought your body closer to his, resting your head on his chest as you swung slowly between other couples. You closed your eyes and let yourself be carried away by the moment.
"It's almost time." Taehyung whispered.
"Already?"
"Yeah. You did great today, sweetheart. Wish me luck."
You looked at him, chest aching again at the thought that he might get hurt. You placed your hand on his cheek and pushed yourself on your toes before pressing your lips on his. You felt his warm fingers move up and down your spine as your mouths danced together. When you parted, the clock was a minute away from hitting 12. You nodded at him and watched his back as he made his way to the staircase, waiting for Jimin and Hoseok to cut off the power.
You grabbed your dress and started making your way out, like Yoongi told you. You were a few steps away from the door when someone yanked your hand, almost making you fall as your body turned into their direction. You saw the figure of a man dressed in a black suit. The grip around your wrist was so tight it felt like he was about to break it. It didn't take you long to figure out it was the same man who was sitting at the bar a couple of hours earlier. Your eyes were moving up when you heard him speak, his voice a mixture of anger and frustration.
"Who are you?"