Chapter fifty-eight

"Felix," he tries.

"I know."

Jisung hugs Minho's arm. "What's up, honey?"

"I...I don't know," Jisung says under his breath, "I don't feel very comfortable anymore." 

Minho puts his other hand on Jisung's hands, which were hugging his arm tightly, and caresses them, "It's okay."

"Min, it feels threatening."

Minho's hand stops his caressing act and squeezes Jisung's hands instead. She's doing this on purpose. Taunting them, he thinks.

"It's okay, Sungie," he reassures him, "Stay close to me, though, okay?"

Jisung nods in answer.

He wasn't planning to leave his side anyways. 

"Ji"

"Yes, Lix?" he answers.

"Stay cool, please, don't panic."

Jisung looks in Felix's direction, already panicking. "What? Why?"

But before Felix could answer those big doors opened. 

A very important-looking person started to climb down the stairs. 

The whole room went silent, all the music and chattering stopped at once, and everyone all at once bowed. Felix and Jisung look at each other for a split second and bow. 

"Min," Jisung whispers, "Who is she?"

Minho looks at Jisung, and back down fast. Jisung frowns at this.

"Min," he calls out, "Minho, answer," again no answer, "Minho Lee!" Why isn't he answering? "Answer! What's happening!"

Jisung sees Minho purses his lips for a second, "Jisung, quiet for a second."

Jisung, still bowing, looks both confused and shocked at Minho who's facing the floor. 

As the woman ascends the stairs, the feeling of doom nibbling on Jisung's insides keeps growing. 

"Lix, who is she? Minho isn't answering me."

"He...he's not?"

"No," Jisung admits.

"That's very unlike him."

No need to tell me that.

His back started hurting. Who was this woman? Why were we all bowing for her? Why did everyone turn so tense when she arrived? And why is she walkING SO SLOWLY?

As Jisung wanted to better my form, Minho pulled him back down.

"Don't stop bowing until she tells you to."

"Good," Jisung answers, "I got scared you forgot how to talk. Now what's happening? Who is she?"

"Kim Hyun-Joo ajumma." 

Jisung got scared that Minho'd stop talking again, without losing another second he adds, "And who exactly is Kim Hyun-Joo ajumma?"

The question hadn't quite been asked yet, or Jisung saw a shadow coming really close to them, and the bad feeling reaching some kind of a climax.

In the corner of his eyes, Jisung saw the hem of the long black dress of the woman. 

She was standing right in front of Changbin hyung. 

"Stand up," she says, clearly only to Changbin hyung, and so he does.

"It's been long, Changbin."

"A year," he answers.

"A year," she repeats, and chuckles, "A year's a long time, isn't it?"

"Most definitely," he agrees. 

She hums, "Who are the guests you brought with you?"

You didn't need to be a genius to know he was talking about Felix and Jisung. Jisung started to feel some anxiety building up deep inside him.

After the way everyone reacts to her arrival, he made up his mind that he didn't want to be the subject of her attention.

"Ji," Felix calls out, "I can hear your heartbeat speeding up. Calm down." 

Jisung nods to himself upon hearing this.

"I only brought one guest," Changbin says to the woman, "The other guest, Minho brought."

Goddamn, Jisung thinks. 

After a couple of seconds of silence, Jisung sees, in the corner of his eyes, how the woman turns around on her heels and gracefully walks up to Minho. 

"Straighten," she demands him to which Minho obeys immediately.

She puts her hand beneath Minho's chin, making him look into her eyes. "How have you been, Minho dear?"

"Good, ajumma."

"Great," she smiles at him, a smile which made chills run down his spine, "Then will you tell me, who are the guests? Changbin wasn't really cooperating, was he?"

"No, ajumma. I beg your pardon in his place. It's been a long way, Changbin must be tired of the road."

"I'm sure he is," she says, tilting her head to the side, "So, enlighten me about these two gentlemen."

"Felix Lee and Jisung Han, ajumma," Minho explains with no further uphold.

"A Lee? Family?"

"No, ajumma, I just met him this year."

She hums again, "And you still brought him along?"

"Excuse me, ajumma, for correcting you, but I haven't brought Felix along. Changbin did."

She takes a step to the side, letting go of Minho, "Jisung, it is?"

Jisung could feel his heart pounding in his throat, "Yes, ma'am," he answers while looking at the floor.

"Rise," she demands, after which Jisung too obeys her demand. 

She looks closely at the boy. Jisung sees her slowly taking a step to the side and then turning a circle around him, taking him in thoroughly. 

Once again in front of him, she looks him in the eyes, and smiles after, "Tell me, Jisung, for how long have you known these two?"

Jisung swallows carefully after which he says, "Since the beginning of the school year, miss."

Again, she hums, "And, you see yourself fit to just attend a ball as important as this? As important as the Blood Ball."

"I-" Jisung wasn't sure what to answer to this.