The night was perfect, I couldn´t even imagine better. It was raining the whole day, making the falling leaves descend faster and drown in big puddles of rainwater. The sky didn´t stop crying until just now and I smiled at the perfect timing. My guests arrived.

My name is Eunhyuk and I´m well-known around for the most extravagant parties I hold. Only one every season of the year. Only the most famous guests arrive into my mansion to be greatly spoilt by my mannered personnel and delicious food. I don´t really like showing off my wealth but it´s expected from me to continue my father´s tradition. And four parties a year is not that much.

Hearing the enchanting music, I walked out of my private rooms in a light silver and leather armour. Original Chinese sword was tied to my hips and I stopped to look down from the stairwell. Everything was as I ordered. Dark curtains in the windows, waiters wearing white masks and the most horrible decorations and food styling. Today we would play, we would play like monsters, ghosts and freaks. Today is Halloween.

I touched the railing with my black leather glove and it was the cue for the music to stop. My guests looked up to watch their host descend from the stairs. I was slim but the armour made from the thinnest silver plates enabled me to look like a real warrior. Although my sword was made in China, tonight I was dressed as a samurai.

But my guests as expected looked fancier. With my sharp eyes I was scanning the crowd that was returning my stare with small bows or smiles. I saw charming witches, bulky werewolves and sleazy vampires. I smiled a little at the water sprite in the corner, her eyes were as blue as the sea. When my shoes touched the floor, I squatted and picked up a Venetian mask that somebody dropped. Smiling I bowed deeply to my guests in honest respect. The politicians, rich developers, those with blue blood in their veins, they all returned the bow.

“Enjoy yourselves to the fullest, the best wine and the best food is prepared for your delicate tastes. My waiters will tend to all your needs and my musicians will sooth your ears. I myself am here to be of assistance, in case any of the ladies dreaded a dance or gentlemen wanted to share a bottle with cognac. Tonight use this humble house to satiate your demand of having fun. Everyone, happy Halloween!”

I raised the glass of champagne that was swiftly offered to me. I smiled and the music began playing again. Smooth start, I thought for myself. Diving into the colourful flow of designer dresses and extravagantly decorated suits, I joined my guests by the champagne shower. We were just talking about my cousin living abroad, when more guests arrived. I excused myself and as a good host went to welcome them.

But when I arrived to the main hall, I was a little surprised. I´ve never met this person. Standing in the busy room, I was looking at the man that just walked in. He was dressed differently, compared to others, he was only wearing a suit. He wasn´t wearing any mask, nothing that could help me identify him. Maybe he felt embarrassed? But it´s Halloween and he arrived at my party ignoring the dress code. Way to catch my attention.

He noticed me and our eyes met. The young man began walking towards me with curiosity written all over his chocolate orbs. He was slightly shorter than me but probably around the same age. Although he was dressed in a modern black suit, he was still charming. His hair was dyed brown and styled, his skin fair but not pale. I was actually looking forward to speaking to him.

“Good evening,” I greeted with a smile, my eyes fixed on the man.

“Hello, it´s really honour to meet you, Eunhyuk,” the brunette smiled back at me so brightly that I couldn´t deny anymore how greatly was my interest rising.

“May I know to whom this honour return?” I asked and gestured to a waiter to give Donghae a glass of champagne.

“Well, I´m the mysterious kind but you are free to call me Donghae,” he answered and instead of taking the champagne, he asked the waiter for cognac. Charming.

“Mysterious, hm,” I smirked, “amuse me, please.” I liked his confidence, coming to my party uninvited and even making me guess. Who could it be? He doesn´t look like a foreigner but I´ve certainly never seen him in this house.

“I´m this person that lingers around until the sunrise, I like to sleep late,” Donghae raised his low glass with dark liquor for toast. The fragile rims of our glasses clung and the quiet sound kept ringing in my ears for a long minute after. What is this feeling?

“I see, I´m not the morning person either,” I joked, although I worked quite well during the day.

“This place is interesting,” Donghae was looking around, his eyes falling upon the dark curtains and colourful guests.

“I would take you around but I think you are a little underdressed,” I remarked with a small smirk. For the first time my confident guest looked flustered.

“Ah, really? This suit was pretty expensive, though,” he chuckled touching the hem of his blazer.

“I didn´t mean that,” I chuckled slightly and Donghae realised I was teasing him, “but I would like you to use this.” For some reason I was still holding the carved mask that I picked up earlier and offered it to him.

“If that is your wish,” Donghae bowed lightly and put on the mask. “I can of course be even more mysterious.” I laughed at that, he was being cheeky again.

We went to the main room and Donghae praised my taste in music. It was a little gloomy in times but it´s Halloween so it fits the atmosphere. A few people asked for my attention and I had to send Donghae to the dining room. As I was talking with powerful men and their beautiful wives, my eyes kept darting to the door heading to the next room. I was afraid to lose my precious guest.

When I finally managed to excuse myself without creating a wrong impression of the host, I rushed to the dining room. It could have been my armour, it could have been my charisma too, but everyone seemed to respectfully let me through and I quickly found the man I was looking for.

“I´m sorry,” I apologized.

“Why? It´s your party, of course you have to entertain your guests,” Donghae was picking at his small plate with the silver fork.

“Is the food not to your liking?” I asked him right away. The disappointment might have been too apparent on my face because Donghae grinned.

“It´s delicious, I don´t know which food to try next,” then he looked behind himself, “your cooks are, indeed, creative.”

“Is it off putting?” I thought the table looked cool. Everything was Halloween themed, including snacks and deserts. The most frequented colours were red, orange and green. Black tablecloth and ancient looking candlesticks were supposed to set the right mood but maybe it wasn´t up to Donghae´s tastes.

“No, it´s just that usually those Halloween foods look cute but these are as if real spiders and blood. But when I gather some courage and taste it, it´s really delicious, I mean it!” Donghae did his best to assure me but I felt already bad. The last one I wanted to disappoint was him.

“I will try something else for the next time,” I sighed and accepted a glass from Donghae. After another sweet toast I felt much better. “Where do I send an invitation anyway, if I want you to come again?”

“Rather than sending, it´s a place where you should walk by yourself. But you could be afraid to even ring the bell, my house might be living in Halloween the whole year,” instead of an address I got another evasive answer.

“And yet you don´t like my decorations,” I joked feeling at ease.

“I´m sorry but we can´t really compare,” Donghae chuckled, “mountains grow whenever my hands touch the shelves and shadows regularly play hide and seek in my study.”

“It feels like I´m humbled by a really extraordinary guest,” I hummed for myself. My eyes got lost in the chocolate and I kept wondering, who this person is. The way he talks, the way he reacts and his thoughts are as if from another world.

“Although not as extraordinary as my host,” Donghae flirted and the dark liquor in his glass swirled as he smiled for himself. I felt my face heat up, this has to stop, it doesn´t suit my dress at all!

“I´m sorry but I´m being called to the dancefloor,” I bowed and abandoned the charming man in Venetian mask in the dining room.

It was a mistake I greatly regretted. No matter how much I tried to find him later, I couldn´t. Donghae disappeared, as if swallowed by the Halloween darkness. All I found was his mask, casually left on the stairwell heading upstairs to my private rooms. Holding the expensive item, I was once again pondering. When I put down the armour tonight I will stop being the busy host but what happened when Donghae put down this mask? There was something unearthly about him, because who else would dare to come uninvited to my house? Who was this Donghae?

And most importantly, will he ever come again?

Good evening! First of all, after reading it after myself, I realised one thing - it sounds quite similarly to Cinderella - which wasn´t my intention. The story isn´t supposed to be Haehyuk but also Hyukhae, because this time it´s not rated and thus it doesn´t matter. Oh and so the question is, who is Donghae? Until the very end, the story will be from Hyukjae´s pov and he will find out in the last chapter! Thank you for reading and don´t catch a cold! - PandaHero***