@Hwang Tiffany If he had learned anything in his life, it was to always hope for the best, but to expect the absolute worst. Already today, the turn of events had deviated so greatly from what he had ideally intended that he was beginning to lean towards the more pessimistic outlook on what could possibly happen next. What if he caught her off guard too abruptly, what if she rejected his touch, what if this man he was trying to avoid didn’t get the message to stay away? And now who was this friend of hers he caught out of the corner of his eye? Could they be trusted not to induce any further complications? As soon as he realized that she indeed had picked up on his plot – or at least played along anyways – he made a mental note to at least thank the gods of fortune for this small victory. Truthfully however, the light sigh that fell from his lips wasn’t solely out of relief; partially it was due to the fact that… well frankly, he’d missed being like this with her, no matter what chaos it was in the midst of or how ‘fake’ his initial motives had been.
It felt like the elevator couldn’t take any longer to arrive, but nevertheless it eventually did. The two of them slipped inside and as the doors finally shut, he realized that this was indeed the first moment of significant privacy they’d had tonight. Truth be told, it took a good few seconds of herculean effort to stifle at least a chuckle for whatever exchange he had just witnessed and now between her and this friend of hers – and now her obvious discomfort and embarrassment. It was ridiculous really, how he was distraught and weighed down by so many regrets, doubts, and guilt just a moment ago, but her slightest imperfection left a slightly teasing grin pulling dangerously close on his lips. Were they back in the old days, or were the atmosphere not so heavy upon his back, he wouldn’t have let her get away with it. If he’d ever get the chance, he’d teach her a few things about bluffing. Well, not that she really needed it. Honesty and genuineness were two characteristics he’d always admired in her – two characteristics that he himself wasn’t quite exactly the champion of.
He couldn’t deny the slight disappointment that overtook him when he felt the delicate, but significant weight of her arm depart from his frame. At his height, he towered over her as he met her gaze. God damn, she softened him whenever she looked at him like that and he hadn’t decided yet whether he liked it or not. Her somewhat incoherent ramblings trailed off and the silence was suffocating. It reminded him of the unspoken secrets on both sides, the unanswered and unpresented questions as to what was next. He cleared his throat purposefully. “What makes you doubt it?” Subconsciously, he gave her hand a light squeeze, his thumb beginning to caress the soft skin that was now under it. He had just wanted to leave the public eye for once, but now that stage was completed, he was at another fork in the road. And of course, his room just happened to be the longest trip up.
With every passing second, with every additional second that she looked at him like that, he frankly stopped… caring. He tore his gaze away for a moment to glance at incrementally increasing numbers displayed above the door. Obviously the trip wouldn’t be forever, but they still had a way before something could possibly interrupt their isolation. Judging by her last few comments, it was clear that she’d figured out that his abrupt change in behavior had been initiated by alternative motives. Well in that case… there wasn’t harm in playing this game for just a bit longer, was there? Just until they’d reach his floor, he promised himself. She must have already heard all about his habits, right? The rumors already would say he was manipulative, cruel, selfish; might as well harvest the benefits of the doubt. “Of course,” he interjected, giving her a look that could completely sell the fact that everything had just been a necessary plot. All of a sudden, he turned, positioning himself so that he cornered her against the back wall of the elevator. Gently but firmly he pinned their joined hand on the wall, tilting a head a bit to the side as he blatantly stared at her in the eyes. “Shall we play a bit more? It’s only for pretend.” He leaned in just a stage closer, his gaze lowering to her tempting lips. “I promise.” More so than ever before, he was glad he could sell a lie so damn well.
@Choi Seunghyun "Just about as happy as you are, I'd suppose."
If only he realized that this “happiness” he spoke of, didn’t really exist in her life. Sure she enjoyed spending time with her family, and taking care of her younger brothers – or maybe even going to work from time to time to help her family… But she wasn’t exactly happy. There was always something nudging her in the back whenever she stood there, putting on a bright smile that many had seen before, a smile that she wasn’t sure if it was sincere or not. What was genuine about not knowing how you felt, anymore? Now that question alone, it made her look down, despite how confident she had started to become just a few seconds earlier. She was ready to tell him the truth, why she actually came, what she was going to tell him when she did come in contact with him – but she suddenly felt drained. As if all the inner strength and coaching she had inside of her soul, had lost its light. Just happy as she was, he says? Did he even realize that her happiness was a fraud? She wish that she could go back to the days when they were younger, and didn’t have to worry about the real issues going on within the world and the people that come in your life and take what you have, just to toss you away when they were done.
There were multiple reasons as to why she wanted to go back, but the main problems she faced were what motivated her for that need to want a change. As foolish as that might have sounded, to actually live on false hopes and dreams – made her feel as if she would have been much happier than she was now. Business was increasing, money was rolling in from left to right – her life in general, was growing while she sat there watching… waiting for the right moment to take control of it.
Snapping out of the daze she put herself in, she gazed up at him after finally figuring out just exactly what she wanted to tell him. But she was met with a gaze that she had seen a few times before in her life, causing her to glance around in curiosity – and soon, swallow the lump in after hearing him mutter “baby”. It took everything in her power not to respond in a way that would probably shock the person he was trying to push away, and maybe even herself. She knew Seunghyun well enough to know that he was doing this for reasons of his own, not that a part of her minded, despite his reasoning. It was another sick and dirty confession of hers that she would never declare or speak of out loud.
Finally slipping one arm around his tall frame loosely, she put on a bright smile – since she was used to doing so, and made her way towards the elevator with him. Locking eyes with her friend who gawked at the two of them in skepticism – she slowly started pointing her finger towards where the two stood so close and snuggled up together; which in return, caused Tiffany to make a face and put her hand up, pressing her finger against her plump, pink lips as if she was telling her to keep quiet about this from her family. With a quick smile soon appearing afterwards, she placed her hand down and quickly stepped forward when she saw her friend trying to make her way through the crowd, and off towards there the two of them were escaping. After pressing the button a few more times, she watched as the doors closed, and kept her gaze on the ground, slightly embarrassed that he had to witness that. Smoothing out her dress, she cleared and looked elsewhere; making a small comment about how nice the elevator was while trying to play everything off smoothly.
“Are we really going to your room?”
Tiffany finally asked, soon turning to face him while unenthusiastically pulling her arm away, her fingers unknowingly lacing with his own. If he wanted her to continue to pretend, she knew she wouldn’t mind doing that – even if they weren’t exactly being seen by anyone. “S-So, he won’t follow you, of course.” Tiffany quickly mumbled softly as she realized that she was staring at him again. But she couldn’t look away. Her gaze had a little pleading look in them as well, that had screamed; ‘We should continue this’—despite what she had said next. “And… bother you.”
@Hwang Tiffany Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a business client of his approaching and frankly, Seunghyun wasn't in any sort of mood for greetings, fake smiles, or small talk. Well here it was, another life motto of his being put into action: The ends justify the means. He began acting before his voice of reason would make it impossible for him to do so. The usual sharpness returning to his gaze, he finally met her eyes again before suddenly leaning in towards her ear to whisper what was his encrypted version of 'I need to get out of here. But I can't leave you here right now.'
"Baby, let's go to my room. Now."
He watched as the client hesitated on his path over now. Giving her hand a light tug, he coyly wrapped his other arm around her waist and began to lead her towards the elevator. The only reason he was surviving the sudden spike in physical contact was the fact he was trying to act natural and of course act like he hadn't seen his client blatantly coming towards him. It wasn't a rarity that people saw Choi Seunghyun take a woman away for a night and he had needed something decisive to tell his guests goodnight and goodbye. Impatiently mashing the elevator button a few times, the wait felt like forever as internally, he prayed she wouldn't push him away or blow his cover. Selfish? Perhaps. Another lie yet again? Sure. He just hoped she wouldn't be too disappointed in his monopoly of actions.
@Hwang Tiffany “That’s where you went in the wrong direction in terms of thinking."
Wrong, she had said with those pretty lips of hers. She'd shocked him with every little thing she did tonight, from her habitual lip bite to the way she looked in that red dress and the way she made him feel... human again. Nervousness, anxiety, thrill - he'd almost forgotten how those emotions felt for his body. Not to mention, he couldn't even comprehend what she did to him with that smile of hers that finally decided to peak through the tension of the situation again; it had forever been one his favorite sights in the world, never failing to erase all his woes and worries, no matter how momentary it was. He couldn't even count the number of times she'd unintentionally gave him grace with nothing but that iconic smile of hers, forcing his own lips. But tonight, right at that moment, not even her radiant smile could make things okay.
Wrong. To be honest, anything she said afterwards ran through one ear and out the other like a rushing current. The word echoed in his head like a gruesome wakeup alarm after a night of excessive amounts of alcohol and stupid people, or one of those stupid police sirens that kept him up in the middle of the night. He hadn't been told he was wrong for such a long while now. He knew very well it was conceited and hardheaded of him to assume, but he'd crafted a world for himself in which even when he was so blatantly wrong, nothing ever came back to sting him. Nobody corrected him, nobody dared to. Not even the damn justice system could tell him he was wrong in his criminal associations, corrupt dealings, or his entire gambling stint to be honest. He tried so hard to make sure he was always right; in a way, it was the exact reason he'd left in the first place. He'd gotten so sick to the stomach of hearing how he was wrong, ever since he could remember. He could still picture those people from the dark, hopeless streets of his origin shunning him, telling his he was "wrong" for thinking he deserved any better than the rest of them. Now he could see it so vividly, various others along the way who sat at the poker table against him in his early gambling days; they'd told him he was "wrong" for thinking he could become anything more than the nobody he started as. For them, and perhaps somewhat for the very woman in front of him, he'd perfected that unfaltering, unyielding act of his that he played for the public. Wealth, power, influence, he'd all materialized out of nothing other than his ghastly ability to convince people he was right. And what was this? She had just told him he was wrong, with what seemed like such ease at that. The words knocked the wind out of him.
Wrong. Could it be that he'd been ing wrong this entire time? It made his head spin just to consider the possibility. No, there was no way all his efforts were useless. His gaze faltered, perhaps for the first time that night and the first time in a long time in general, shifting abruptly away from her onto the surrounding roar of the party around them. All these people enjoying /his/ doings without a care in the world... Why couldn't he do the same? Or better yet, why couldn't she do the same? It was funny how he thought he knew her so well, yet he couldn't make things right between them. Never did he expect the task to be easy, but it just now occurred to him that he'd been blind the entire time. She was never like him, or any of the happy fools in the building. She wouldn't be impressed by his extravagance, his valor, nor his polished image. Wrong... God damn, he couldn't have been more wrong.
He was ready to fold his hand and admit defeat. He would have done it too if she didn't claim all in at the same moment. She clutched his hand in her soft ones and claimed she worried about him. His ears questioned whether he had heard her last question right. Was he happy? Was she reading right through him or something? He couldn't even begin to form coherent answers, let alone verbalize them. "Just about as happy as you are, I'd suppose."
It was sick, how he wanted so dearly to hear those words from her countless times before, but now it just added salt to the wound of his realization of failure and stupidity. It'd sting less to know she'd forgotten his existence. To the physical contact, his body reacted ahead of his composure, and he flinched but refused to withdraw from her hold. She was breaking him, or at least the facade he faced the world through, much too quickly for his liking. In fact, he refused to risk the growing possibility of cracking. Bless his stubborn soul, he'd rather drop dead before being exposed in the slightest in public. And to do so, he'd have to act now and do it decisively.
@Choi Seunghyun "Disappoint? Tiffany, you are... and never were a disappointment.”
If he was planning on making her flustered, or causing her to choke up right in front of him – he had won that battle with no difficulty. She couldn’t speak, think, or nor did she want to say anything in fear of looking like a blabbering, conflicted fool. Those words had continued to replay themselves inside her mind that was in distress at this point; her mind that had recently took in consideration of what could have been between them – and how the both of them had missed out because of her parents and now, her current situation. It felt good hearing that, after so long of being apart from him. Everyday, she had heard something less appealing from her own mother – or the man she was supposed to /love/ and cater to. To put it simply, she thought of herself as a failure at some point in her life. She had lost the two men that were very important to her, one being her father and the other – being the past lover that stood in front of her in all his glory. She lost him, physically, maybe not emotionally or mentally – but she knew for sure something was different about him. The way he was, the things she heard about, what she saw on television and in the tabloids.
He couldn’t have been the man she fell in love with, if what she was hearing was true.
And instead of assuming and cutting off connections from him based off poor assumptions and beliefs – she wanted to see it for herself. Hear it, feel it, and pray that he didn’t walk down the wrong path. How could she figure it out like this? He looked so confident, as if her arrival didn’t tug on a string that was shielding his heart. She was positive that he could see it in her eyes, her body language, the way her cheeks turned a tinge of pink whenever they made eye-contact or whenever she spoke to him—how edgy she was. This was wrong, what she was thinking – how she was feeling, and how she didn’t care about the /thoughts/ that could possibly ruin a supposedly “happy” home whenever she went back to her dungeon. This was the first time, out of a long time, that she truly felt alive. Maybe it was the dress, the heels, the light makeup that had covered her lips and eyebrows that gave her that courage she hadn’t felt in a long time to step outside of her home; not a child, but a woman. Maybe it was even him?
“I figured that it was time to do something else for a change. And to maybe even see what all the commotion was about. I am impressed, however. You really do know how to make your presence known...” She started, finding herself pausing the moment he took her by surprise yet again. Was he doing this on purpose? She gave him a knowing look, her eyes softening as she once again, bit down on her bottom lip out of habit. That habit would only transpire whenever she was anxious or ended up overthinking every little issue that popped up in her life. He’s been waiting for this moment, why? She of course had wanted to see him over the years that went by, but had never heard anything about him until recently.
“That’s where you went in the wrong direction in terms of thinking. You wouldn’t have needed guards to come bring me to you. I came here because I was genuinely interested in seeing you again, to see how you were doing, to see if… you were honestly doing alright? You know, not everything is what it appears to be. And you know me… how I worry.”
At this point, she had taken another step closer to him this time, surprising even herself. Would this be the best place to talk about how they’ve been, what they’ve been into, whom – they’ve been into? Taking his hand vigilantly, in case he would deny her touch, she finally broke out into a smile – ignoring the shivers that had erupted down her spine from touching him again after so long. That was another thing between the two of them that she couldn’t help but value. Never did the two of them have to be ual with one another, to be able to prove how much they cared about one another. Though he was the first to take her ity, she knew she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her touch was meant to be sentimental, and she could only hope that he didn’t mind it. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, she finally felt the rest of her walls breaking down the longer she stood beside him, and gazed up at him appreciatively. “I don’t know if this is the right place to catch up, but I want you to tell me face to face, heart to heart. Are you really doing well? Are you… happy, Seunghyun?”
@Hwang Tiffany There it was. The moment he removed the mask from her face, his discerning gaze swept over her features and the porcelain skin he'd denied himself of for what he now realized was far too long. And now that he had her entire being within his sight, he wanted her so dearly under his fingertips. However, even if every bit of his dormant heart shouted out in desire, every ounce of logic and reason in him advised against impatience. He'd waited all these years to face her again and he utterly refused to blow his chance. Of course he himself was nearly debilitated by the knife's edge on which the entire situation balanced itself. Not surprisingly, from what he could see in her precious brown orbs, she might as well have been worse off than he was in terms of stability. He was nearly certain that she would fold first as the fluttering in his own stomach seemed to be settling quite admirably.
Well, that was at least what he thought until she confronted his gaze with her own. God damn, why did she have to look at him like that? He realized his own unforgiving gaze now grew softer and then she progressed to only throw him off furthermore. As soon as he heard his own name fall from her soft lips, he internally flinched, wondering if that was even necessary when no more words followed afterwards. Her voice when she said it, he'd already heard before countless times both in reality and in his imagination but now it was so foreign, yet inviting, encouraging him to spill the facts on why he hosted the party that night, why he had her brought to his feet. God damn, he thought he had everything thought out beforehand but in the moment, he felt like a challenger stranded in the midst of an unforgiving desert. His soul burned under the tension but without any sense of direction. Even the momentary silences between them were incredibly bothersome to his ears. Fortunately before he had to open his mouth to produce some coherent statement, she had already continued with her next remark. His own gaze was now fixated upon her pink lips, watching them move as she spoke. He'd noticed how she looked away now and by all means, it was relieving but in a sick way, he yearned for it to return soon no matter how suffocating it would be.
Now they say three strikes and you're out and it was clear that she was quite aware of that mantra. He'd survived the intense gazes, the whispering of his name, but the moment her skin brushed momentarily against his, an electrifying sensation shot through his system, ridding him of any remaining passivity or conservatism. Something inside sprung alive, reminding him of his original purpose for confronting her. He was no longer the younger version of himself that she had known. People would say in his younger days that he had "potential", but he saw it as uncertainty. They'd say he was "young and new" but he saw it as insignificance. They said he was "motivated", but he knew it was desperation. Coincidentally, all three were parts of the reason he had ever left her. The aspects of his character that made him unworthy, he vowed to fix and until this moment, was so assured he did. Was his purpose not to claim her heart back once he felt ready? Surely he had changed, but now as he stood before her, he wondered if he'd done so for the better, wondered how many rumors about him she'd heard over the years, some of which were more true than others. Perhaps he had picked up more bad habits than he'd dropped. But she didn't have to know did she? She wouldn't be able to tell? Or at least he hoped.
"Disappoint? Tiffany, you are... and never were a disappointment."
He shifted his feet ever so slightly, inhaling a deep breath before continuing. "I'm glad you showed up tonight for the occasion." Little did she know that this occasion he spoke of, was her. Discreetly, he waved away the remaining guards from the area. "I apologize for any inconveniences my men may have caused you. Hopefully you realize that I didn't have much of a choice. There wasn't a way for me to know whether you too, would want to see me again." He paused, the intentional silence between them intended to serve as the last moment to catch his breath before he'd finally uncover the first bits of his entire plot.
"I on the other hand, have been waiting for some time now."
@Choi Seunghyun It would be a lie to say that Tiffany wasn’t overwhelmed when Seunghyun turned around to face her wholly, which had caused her to bite on the inside of ; lightly chewing at her inner cheek as she watched him – since she really didn’t have anywhere else to gaze upon at that moment. He had blocked the one view that did keep her rational; along with making her feel as if she was yet again, back to the first day the two of them met. The day that had absolutely changed her life and his very own, while leaving behind a handful of adoring yet venomous memories that haunts her daily. She was starting to become pessimistic with each step he took, her quizzical eyes soon making contact with his black dress shoes – that were polished and still stepping close towards where she stood, contemplating where this was going to go, and what she was going to do when it went too far. But that was the question - what /was/ she going to do? For a woman that would put together a schedule of what she was going to do from the moment she awoken and until it was time for her to go to sleep – she felt lost at this point. She knew that she didn’t come this far just for her to give up… But the look of defeat appeared on her features when she realized how close he was. Could he hear it? How strident her heart was thumping against her chest yet again? Could he see it? The way her lips had parted for a quick intake of air, as his fingertips brushed along the edges of her concealment.
As silly as it sounded, to her, that mask he was so keen to pull away - was her shield from the rest of the world; and mainly him for tonight. She didn’t want to be seen, she didn’t want to be discovered as well – since this was against the rules that was set in her household. She was to be accompanied at all times by her guards and her “husband” whenever she went out to places such as these. Yet there stood, utterly defenseless for the first time in months – in front of a man she had not seen in years… A man she had loved and possibly still love within that timeframe of being apart. “Seunghyun,” she whispered his name tenderly, with a hint of desperation in her voice. She didn’t want to run away from him ceaselessly, but to see him fully like this – to be able to verbally communicate with him after so many years of being apart, was surreal.
God, how dare he? How dare he look so enticing after all this time of being away? How dare he… bite his lip and gaze down at her as if he genuinely cared about her hiding herself away! H…How dare he? How dare he make her feel like this, as if she was a teenager again, ready to run away from the world and the troubles that had thrown themselves at her, with him accompanying her? Why did she want it again? Wanted… to go back to those years again? Her bottom lip quivered the moment she reached up to slowly break him of his disguise, her brown orbs finally staring unfathomable into the eyes that had always found a way in making her feel weak. The same eyes she would gaze into at night, whenever he held her close. The same eyes she had to painfully meet when her parents didn’t approve of him, and tossed a bunch of unnecessary curses and words of hatred. Those very same eyes that had to witness her crying, screaming, and begging for him to stay, the moment they had to bid farewell to one another. It had all hit her at once that they were finally back together again after being apart for so long. She could only imagine what a High School reunion would have turned out to be.
If she wasn’t sure about anything else when it came to him, she was convinced that his eyes had remained the same. He still had the gaze she had fallen for… Despite the rumors she heard of him being “bitter” and “hardnosed”, she knew her Seunghyun—. What was she saying? He wasn’t hers anymore. And what was she doing? Finally finding the courage to blink and look away, she held his mask, and gently reached for her own – her fingertips brushing along his hand in the process. It sent shivers down her spine as another surge of memories rushed through her core, causing her to bite down on her bottom lip. “I hope I haven’t disappointed you and your reading?”
@Hwang Tiffany Twenty seconds. That was all that it was supposed to take until the woman who was the gem of his life would finally be brought forth to him. There had been years of preparation and perseverance leading up to tonight and he had learned to shove away his ferocious desires to see her again for all this time; on the countless nights when his mind always would wander back to her, he somehow contained himself, not once even calling, visiting, or even inquiring acquaintances about her. He was cruel and stubborn like that. He'd suffered through all of it, but now it was this twenty second interval that would certainly be the death of him. He counted down the remaining time in his head, questionably clearing his throat and blinking hard in efforts to cut himself out from this volatile mental state he kept threatening to slip into. Regardless of the occasion, he reminded himself that he was still within the public view and he was never one to falter in composure, especially not in front of hundreds of people who all secretly wanted a glimpse of Choi Seunghyun's 'humanly' side, to see someone throw a dent into that glossy mask of his. One that wasn't menacingly charming and dominant in every situation.
He watched as she, accompanied by his men, finally emerged from the crowd into his line of sight. He noticed his breath hitch a bit and for the moment, none of the other busy noise and movement in the room seemed to matter to him. Frankly, the moment he saw her, both hopeful and fearful thoughts fled out from his head. In the years since he'd last laid sight on her beautiful figure, he had changed so much, perhaps even undergone rebirth. There was absolutely nothing to assure that she hadn't done the same as well. And yet in what, a few seconds? A few seconds was all he needed to fall into her world again. Though his nonchalant stance and stalking gaze seemed to indicate otherwise, he felt an exhilarating sensation flood through his veins. God damn, he wondered if she felt the same. The world wouldn't be fair if she didn't.
The only thing that broke him from her trance was the melodious voice of the woman herself, one that he'd only heard in his dreams funnily enough, more and more often since he left her. Secretly he held his breath as she came closer, only to stop right by his side. For godsake, she was within arms reach now; quite literally he could simply reach out and grasp what once had been everything he ever wanted and more. It took all the discipline in the world not to. Hearing her first slick comment, his lips cracked an ever so slight smile. Though her last remark left him slightly puzzled and significantly bothered. 'Or at least, it looks like you're doing well.' Now what was she trying to imply? Did he not seem happy in her eyes? Could she still see right through him, through the poker face that tricked thousands of others, just like before?
He finally his heels to fully face her. For a few moments, he just blatantly stared, not with his usual predatory glare but with a softer gaze of amazement that she was indeed present before him in reality - however, probably still as crippling as ever. She'd always been beautiful, demanding eyes and attention wherever she went, but tonight especially... had she dressed to impressed? He supposed about now would be an appropriate time to actually reply to her words but despite the number of times he had rehearsed this moment in his head, he was at a loss for anything too impressive to say back with that deep voice of his. "I would say the same for yourself. Though masks make it hard to read people, don't they?" Afterwards he paused for a brief moment, hesitating in conflict with himself, before slowly raising both hands towards her delicate, masked face. He bit down slightly on his lower lip in concentration before not really giving her a fair chance to react, beginning suddenly to carefully lift the single, remaining device that stood between him and the face that he had studied and grown so familiar with once upon a time.
@Choi Seunghyun “I’m sure all of Seoul can hear your party,” she finally spoke up, making sure her voice was loud and firm – despite how anxious she was. After counseling herself for a few minutes, she started to leisurely walk by his side, doing her best to disregard how fast the pounding of her heart had unexpectedly increased. She wanted to be able to come off as a composed and passive individual like he was being. Shifting her gaze out towards the foreign faces on the ballroom floor, her teeth had sunk into her bottom lip as she finally stood beside him, her mask covering what she was fearful of him witnessing. That was her real horror right there. What if she broke down and cried? What if she gave away what she was really feeling at that moment? There were so many “what ifs” and questions she wanted to ask him, but then again at the same time, not think about them. “It’s been awhile, Seunghyun. I’m glad to see you’re doing well…” She really wasn’t interested in the luxury lifestyle he had flourished himself in. “Or at least, it looks like you're doing well."
@Choi Seunghyun ‘Not again.’ Was the first that came to her mind when she was approached yet again, by another man asking her if she came here all alone. All Tiffany knew was that the moment she finally caught up with her “date” that did ditch her for a tall man with some cheap shades on, she for one, wouldn’t like the words leaving Tiffany’s mouth. With another forced smile slipping along those lush, pastel lips of hers, she quickly dismissed the man by saying that her date was getting her something to drink. That was the fourth man she turned down, and knowing that she was running out of excuses to tell them or to even think about, a small sigh of exasperation filled the boisterous room. She had told herself that she wouldn’t mind waiting five more minutes to see something – which was discreetly him, but she played that thought… well, want, off serenely and continued to take small steps around the ball room. It was very spacious, and had reminded her of the conversations she used to have with the host himself, about her ideal prom, wedding, and future home. It was almost as if it was all coming back to her… The way he used to gaze up at her whenever she spoke, giving her all of the attention she didn’t even need to ask for; or the way his lips had pressed against hers when she puckered her own for more, or would try to deny him any access to them.
Why was she suddenly having those images run through her head? It wouldn’t have been a big deal if she didn’t feel her heart abruptly thumping rapidly at the memories dancing throughout her body. It was almost as if she could feel his hands slipping along her waist, along with his lips pressing against the weak spot behind her ear. The whispers… God, was she dreaming right now? How was this even possible? How could he be haunting her like this?
Running her fingers through her hair and heading towards the double doors she had entered this unfamiliar world in, she was blocked seconds later by two men clad in black suits; who soon held out their hands in order for her to take. Blankly she stared at them, wondering if this was some sort of prank that was going to end up going viral if she went along with it. All she wanted to do was leave the party scene, and get some fresh air. Her entire body was flustered from the images her thoughts had created, and the fact that the man she was recalling these memories about – was somewhere in the building, was just as embarrassing. Since when did Hwang Miyoung become inattentive? Seunghyun wasn’t even beside her, and yet, she was already breaking. She could only imagine what it would be like if she actually stood face to face with him. And as if the two guards had read her mind, they gently took her hands and escorted her through the crowd that was wrapped up in their own world. She didn’t blame them. To have drinks, food, and men and women around them that were all free – would be a good motive to mind your business and stick to yourself.
“Where are you taking me?” Tiffany finally asked, frivolously snatching her hands away from the both of them, sending them a harsh glare through the mask she had worn. She wasn’t too far from the crowd now, but she was far enough so she could have access to the plenty of bodies that had pushed against one another on purpose, or on accident. Before she could even open and speak again, she was met with silence when caught sight of another figure standing there in all his glory. A figure that she knew right away, just from those lips she had recalled kissing and upon many times before in the past. They say a lot of things change the older you get, but she for one knew that her memories never died – despite the development of her body and mentality. Why was she so nervous again? The feeling she had gotten when she finally decided to attend this party, was coming back to her the more she stared up at where he stood. This was it. Wasn’t this the moment she was waiting for? Should she take off her mask? Or would he already know that it was her? The longer she stood there, the more she felt herself ready to run away from him. As if they were reading her mind, the guards had quickly stood in front of her the moment she turned away – causing her to groan and turn back towards the man she was so desperately trying to run away from.
@Hwang Tiffany Standing at the top of the grand marble staircase, Choi Seunghyun overlooked the elaborate hotel ballroom in a manner that some would say resembled a king surveying his kingdom. And in a way, it was. The extravagant wealth, the high profile guests soon to arrive, the mass of workers all scurrying to prepare the site for the night's event - it was all technically representative of his kingdom. He'd built it in what seemed like a blink of an eye and though his means weren't traditional, they had worked out quite fabulously.
The funny thing was that tonight, the very means through which he made his fortune seemed to be faltering like no other time before. His constant facade, unreadable poker face, and cruel penchant for manipulating others all seemed to be functioning at sub-par efficiency. His piercing, dark eyes swept over every little movement of the preparations on the floor below as if only expecting for something to go wrong at sometime eventually. Somewhere behind him he knew his personal assistants and hotel manager were probably murmuring discreetly to each other about how... different their boss was tonight. It wasn't like crowds of people or illustrious events ever unsettled the man; nothing ever did. His set, jet black hair and the fit of his perfectly tailored designer tux screamed everything but 'nervous wreck' but there was a certain dangerous and discordant energy that radiated off his tall figure, something strong enough to even make witnesses stiffen in anxiety. Like just now, he noticed how they elbowed each other and shifted their feet nervously before finally forcing the youngest member to pipe up, "Sir, for tonight would you like us to prepare the regular full course meal, or the --"
"Open the doors at eight," Seunghyun cut the young man off, his voice devoid of any human sympathy before turning swiftly on his heels for the door. Before he left the room though, he motioned two of the suited, obedient men towards him. "You two come with me. I have a few special tasks at hand."
Each passing hour towards eight accompanied a greater level of... what was this sensation? Stress? So he would call it. He couldn't actually recall the last time he'd been so at unease. If he had to guess, it probably had to do something with /her/ as well. But all that was years ago. It was hardly an exaggeration to say that he'd undergone rebirth in that period of time, and this was precisely why he couldn't grasp why the hell he was still felt so... 'human' with her, around her, and now before even seeing her. He hastily checked the time, stepping on the elevator that would lead him down to the ballroom from his penthouse suite. Every free moment he got, his mind wandered back to the whole ordeal. What was so wrong? He'd planned and waited for freaking years now, just to approach her again. He'd made sure everything was flawless, ensured himself that the plot was foolproof, crafted himself to be irresistible, both in manner and appearance. He'd even practiced saying her sweet name for godsake, accustoming the way it came off his tongue since it felt so foreign now. He was so damn close to having her in his arms again, but the remaining distance felt greater than the entire journey he'd been on thus so far. Yet now as he inspected the mask provided to all the guests by the event staff, he realized that the reason he was so uncertain for tonight was the fact that he was completely clueless about the most critical centerpiece of his entire envisioned plan - her. Were this a game of poker, it just occurred to Choi Seunghyun that he had lost the gamble, perhaps even before his turn.
But it was too late to turn back now. The elevator bell rang and the door opened to an already jovial scene. Seunghyun pocketed the mask - why, he had his own natural one anyways and it wasn't like anyone attending wouldn't know who he was anyway - and he simply offered a reserved smile to the few guests who even noticed his discreet arrival. It was funny really, how few of people would even notice their host at these sort of parties. Indeed, he was glad that nearly everyone else was masked, for it gave him the excuse not to have to greet anyone, not tonight. He glanced over to the corner of the room where he had already stationed a few of his most trusted men, who gave him a coy thumbs up. Seunghyun couldn't help but to smirk to himself a bit. He had told them Tiffany Hwang wouldn't be hard to spot. Not even in a crowd like this, on a night like this. He gave them a simple nod and counted in his head to twenty. Just twenty seconds until her accompanying friend would detach.
@Choi Seunghyun “It’ll only take five minutes; I’m not going to even go all out. I don’t really care about this event anyway.”
Five minutes her .
And from the look she received from her friend that had been waiting there for the last two hours, had let Tiffany know that SHE knew internally, that the poor girl was suffering. On the outside, she was rather composed followed by a few strings of curses and mutters to leave her lips here and there, but overall, you wouldn’t have been able to figure out that she was in any sort of rush… right? When she finally found a dress that did fit her, and was positive that it would cause her to stand out, she smiled joviality. That only took… what, three hours? And they were already running late? After what took another long ten minutes in the bathroom, the tall, determined female had strutted her way out of the restroom effortlessly—doing a little spin for the body mirror to view the bright, red dress with a decent size slit in the back – revealing her milky skin she had kept away for months, after her engagement; in approval.
“Are you sure it’s going to be alright to leave you two alone?”
Now, Cole, her friend that had been patiently waiting for her to get done, knew about Seunghyun and Tiffany. Technically, anyone that went to their school back then would have known about the two of them. They were the “IT” couple back in the day. Despite their differences, and how “goody shoes” she was supposedly said to have been, the two of them found love. He was her first lover, he was her man, and the more she thought about it, he was her first in everything. Why was she so enthusiastic to see the man she could no longer have? Was it because of rumors she heard about him spreading throughout Seoul? She saw him flashing on television every now and then, and would even hear women at her workplace talking about him and the “nights” they supposedly spent with him. It wasn’t jealousy that was leading her here, to this party that everyone was talking about…
And when she said EVERYONE, she meant it.
Seunghyun had made quite the name for himself.
Holding the extraordinary envelope that held her invitation on the inside in her hand, she picked up her masquerade mask that she would be soon wearing throughout the night; and was escorted out of the limousine with no difficulty. Her heart was pounding against her chest at that moment, however. She knew that her soon to be husband wouldn’t have approved of this, he wouldn’t have permitted it – despite his absents in her life anyway. He knew nothing of Seunghyun, and she was terrified that when he found out about him… Shaking away the thoughts escalating in her mind, she gazed down at her red heels, not minding the looks she got from others as she made it pass the dark double doors. She was finally here. The music, the appearance, and the amount of people that had actually come became breathtaking to her. Did he really know all of them? She was snapped from her train of thought after walking through a cloud of smoke that caused her to make a face, obviously not liking how careless the group of men was being. But they had only tossed her a dirty look, eying her and her friend as they made it through the bodies moving around energetically.
After spotting a clear spot, Tiffany quickly stepped towards the foot of the stairs, looking around the room in hopes of spotting the host himself. What was she going to say to him? The more she thought about it, the more she found herself thinking that this entire ordeal was just a bad plan. “Maybe we should go,” she started, turning around to talk to her friend that had been whisked away by some strange male. Pursing her pink, glossy lips – Tiffany pulled her mask down, feeling more out of place as she watched people conversed with one another; some even dancing with drinks in their hold to entertain the crowd.
