Chapter fifty-eight

"Silas," he tries.

"I know."

Jiwon hugs Minseok's arm. "What's up, honey?"

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

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

"Min, it feels threatening."

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

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

Jiwon nods in answer.

He wasn't planning to leave his side anyways. 

"Ji"

"Yes, Si?" he answers.

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

Jiwon looks in Silas's direction, already panicking. "What? Why?"

But before Silas 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. Silas and Jiwon look at each other for a split second and bow. 

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

Minseok looks at Jiwon, and backs down fast. Jiwon frowns at this.

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

Jiwon sees Minseok pursing his lips for a second, "Jiwon, quiet for a second."

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

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

"Si, who is she? Minseok isn't answering me."

"He...he's not?"

"No," Jiwon confesses.

"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 Jiwon wanted to improve his form, Minseok pulled him back down.

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

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

"Kim Haeun ajumma." 

Jiwon got scared that Minseok'd stop talking again, without losing another second he adds, "And who exactly is Kim Haeun ajumma?"

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

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

She was standing right in front of Raphael hyung. 

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

"It's been long, Raphael."

"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 Silas and Jiwon. Jiwon 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," Silas calls out, "I can hear your heartbeat speeding up. Calm down."

Jiwon nods to himself upon hearing this.

"I only brought one guest," Raphael says to the woman, "The other guest, Minseok brought."

Goddamn, Jiwon thinks. 

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

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

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

"Good, ajumma."

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

"No, ajumma. I beg your pardon in his place. It's been a long way, Raphael 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."

"Silas Ahn and Jiwon Yoong, ajumma," Minseok explains with no further uphold.

"Ahn? Family?"

"No, ajumma, I met him this year, we just happen to have the same last name."

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

"Excuse me, ajumma, for daring to correct you, but I haven't brought Silas along. Raphael did."

She takes a step to the side, letting go of Minseok , "Jiwon, it is?"

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

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

She looks closely at the boy. Jiwon 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, Jiwon, for how long have you known these two?"

Jiwon 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-" Jiwon wasn't sure what to answer to this.