How many hours had passed since I stood in front of the mirror? I had struggled into clothes that were difficult to put on alone, styled my hair, and even applied light makeup. The party hadn’t even started yet, but I was already drained.
“Housekeeper, I’m exhausted.”
“The party hasn’t even begun yet.”
That only made it worse. The thought of stepping into the gathering in this state, forced to smile until my face cramped, was horrifying. If I at least knew when it would end, I might be able to endure it somehow, but even that felt impossibly far away.
“Young Master, you look absolutely stunning.”
The attendants fussed as they admired my reflection in the mirror. With my looks and proportions, anything I wore naturally suited me. But today, even I had to admit it was excessive—the sheer amount of glitter was blinding.
I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the shimmering gold embellishments on my sleeves and the ornate embroidery on my cape. Sensing my dissatisfaction, the attendants anxiously gauged my reaction.
“No, it’s fine. I like it.”
Even if I didn’t, I pretended I did. I had no desire to endure this exhausting process again. And it wasn’t like they would have allowed me to dress simply, not when I was the star of the event.
“Housekeeper, bring me some medicine from the drawer.”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, not exactly.”
I felt fine for now, but I couldn’t predict when the tension might make my fever spike. It was better to be prepared. The housekeeper retrieved the medicine from the drawer and handed it to me with a worried expression.
“If you’re feeling sick, please—”
“I’ll tell you if I am. Don’t worry.”
Only after repeating the same reassurance multiple times did I finally receive the medicine. I tucked it deep into my inner pocket and took a steadying breath.
Don’t be nervous. It’s nothing. I repeated the words over and over in my mind.
“Seo-yul hyung.”
Vin, now fully dressed, opened the door and stepped inside. His pretty face was hidden behind a wig and glasses—unfortunate, but necessary to avoid drawing attention.
Feeling a tinge of regret, I gently smoothed down his tousled bangs. He smiled at me, then took my hand softly.
“Let’s go now.”
“Already?”
“Yes, everyone is waiting for you.”
Vin and I stepped out through the wide-open doors. Beyond them stretched a long hallway leading to the staircase—once we descended, there would be no turning back. With each step down, my heart sank a little further.
As soon as the protagonist made his entrance, the people in the banquet hall fell silent. The once-bustling chatter died down, leaving the grand hall eerily quiet. Every gaze in the room turned toward me as I descended the staircase with Vin.
Because of my nerves, I couldn’t even tell if I was walking or just sliding down the steps. My vision blurred slightly, and if Vin hadn’t steadied me, I might have embarrassingly tripped in front of this entire crowd.
“Seo-yul.”
A voice called out to me—one that rarely addressed me by name unless something serious was going on.
Han Jae-hoon stood before me, dressed in a ceremonial uniform he didn’t often wear. The unfamiliar way he called my name, instead of the usual “Baby,” snapped me out of my daze. I forced my stiff lips into a smile.
“Father.”
“Come on, now.”
His hand, firm yet gentle, patted my tense shoulder. The moment Vin, whom I had been gripping onto like a lifeline, stepped away, Jae-hoon took the lead, guiding me toward the center where the guests awaited.
“I greet the Lord of District 5.”
Taking their cue, people began to gather around us one by one. Jae-hoon exchanged greetings with practiced ease, while I struggled to keep my strained smile in place.
“Happy eighteenth birthday.”
“Th-thank you.”
I had lost track of how many times I repeated my thanks as congratulations poured in from every direction. My throat was dry from nerves, but with the crowd surrounding me on all sides, I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the non-alcoholic champagne.
“Jae-hoon!”
A loud voice suddenly boomed from the entrance. A towering man had just stepped into the banquet hall, calling out to Jae-hoon.
Jae-hoon turned around, and his eyes visibly wavered. The moment the man spread his arms wide, Jae-hoon rushed forward, throwing himself into the embrace.
“Latan!”
Jae-hoon wasn’t small by any means, but in the arms of the massive Latan, he looked almost delicate. After a heartfelt embrace, the two exchanged brief words before returning to where I stood.
“Seo-yul, let me introduce you. This is—”
“I can introduce myself.”
Latan interrupted Jae-hoon, taking a step closer to me. His towering height was intimidating, and I felt a flicker of apprehension. But contrary to his imposing first impression, he gave me a friendly smile and extended his hand.
“I’m Latan, Lord of District 2.”
“I greet the Lord of District 2.”
I quickly bowed deeply. Latan, caught off guard by my overly formal greeting, hesitated before lowering his hand. Then he suddenly burst into hearty laughter, his voice booming through the grand hall. Unsure if I had done something wrong, I glanced nervously at Jae-hoon, but he reassured me with a slight nod.
“Eighteen already, huh? You’ve grown a lot.”
Latan patted my shoulder lightly with his large hand. Though the sheer weight of it made my shoulder dip slightly, I kept my expression composed and smiled. His demeanor had softened, but he was still an intimidating man.
“You take after Jae-hoon quite a bit.”
“Of course, he’s my son.”
“Though I’d say he’s more handsome than you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
While Jae-hoon and Latan carried on their friendly conversation, I discreetly slipped away into the crowd. Fortunately, their attention was focused more on Jae-hoon than on me, making my escape easier, even if it was still a bit troublesome.
“You’re Han Seo-yul, correct?”
Just as I took a sip of non-alcoholic champagne handed to me by a passing attendant, a girl around my age, dressed in an extravagant gown, suddenly blocked my path. The abrupt encounter nearly made me spit out my drink, but I barely managed to swallow it down.
“Ah, hello.”
“Happy eighteenth birthday.”
“Thank you.”
As she bowed politely, I reflexively bowed even lower in return. Was this one of those ballroom introductions like in the movies? Those usually involved finding a marriage partner. Please, let this not be one of those situations.
“The party is absolutely beautiful. I can tell a lot of effort went into it.”
“Ah, is that so? I didn’t really… plan any of it myself.”
I gave an awkward laugh while searching for a chance to escape. Unfortunately, others who had been watching from a distance began to gather one by one. By the time I came to my senses, my retreat had been completely cut off.
“Seo-yul, would you care to dance with me?”
A man to my right suddenly took my hand, making the request. I quickly pulled my hand away, flatly stating that I hated dancing. But as soon as I pushed him away, another person appeared. Then another.
Tossed around from one person to the next, I barely realized what was happening until I found myself standing in the center of the ballroom, holding someone’s hand. Just as I was about to move in time with the dancing crowd, a familiar scent brushed past my nose.
“Seo-yul hyung.”
“…What the hell.”
Vin, who had been nowhere to be found no matter how much I searched, was standing right in front of me. My face scrunched up as I fought back an unexpected wave of emotion. Seeing my reaction, Vin let out a small laugh.
“Where were you?”
“I was taking a break in the back. But you looked like you were in trouble, so I came to get you.”
Vin shot a glare at the lingering onlookers before adjusting his grip on my hand. His fingers, cool to the touch, slipped between mine, making my shoulders shiver slightly.
With one hand holding mine aloft and the other gently resting on my waist, Vin leaned in and whispered against my ear.
“You remember how to dance, right?”
I gave a small nod, and Vin began to move in time with the music. If I let my guard down even for a moment, I was bound to step on his feet, so I followed him with tense focus.
At least I had done this before, so it wasn’t a complete disaster like my first attempt. Moving to the rhythm of the music made it feel somewhat manageable.
“You’re pretty good at this.”
“I’ve always been good at dancing.”
Vin tilted his head as if he didn’t quite believe me. When I narrowed my eyes in a glare, his lips curled into a wide smile. Through the lenses of his glasses, his crimson eyes shimmered with a warmth that felt almost like they could melt.
“Those people… they’re all waiting for their turn to dance with you, aren’t they?”
“Really?”
At Vin’s words, I turned around and—sure enough—there was a line. People were actually queuing up in an orderly fashion, while others shoved at each other, trying to claim their spot at the front.
It seemed like every person around my age was standing there, eager for a turn. If I started dancing with all of them one by one, this party wouldn’t end until morning. The mere thought was horrifying.
“You made a promise with me.”
“A promise—?”
“You said you’d only dance with me.”
At Vin’s words, I finally remembered the promise we had made a few days ago and gave a small nod. Leaning in, Vin lightly pressed his lips to my forehead before pulling away.
It was barely a fleeting touch, more of a brush than a kiss, but the soft sensation was unmistakable. His scent wrapped around me, growing stronger, shaking me to my core.
“Then shall we escape?”
“Right now?”
“The heir announcement is still a long way off, so we should relax while we can.”
“And how exactly do we do that?”
“Simple. We pretend to dance, then slip away. We hide until they give up looking for us.”
Vin flashed a mischievous grin and whispered, “Just a moment.” Then he tightened his hold on my waist and spun me in a wide turn.
By the time my spinning vision settled, we were no longer at the center of the dance floor but had smoothly drifted to the outskirts.
“Shall we go?”
Vin let go of my waist, but his fingers remained firmly laced with mine as he gave a gentle tug. I stole a quick glance at the people searching for us, then turned away, following Vin out of the banquet hall.
