She's looking around her new neighborhood. It was definitely not a best option for her, to move out. Changes never did a good deal for her life, so far. She had to move in to this new place solely because of her mom. Mom just got divorce with her dad, and it pained her to stay at the same old house again. She let out deep sigh and begin to explore around while her mom keep unpacking stuffs from boxes inside.

The house is quite classical-looking, with white paint all over and lots of greens hovering the roof, which gave a calm vibe to the house itself. Fresher air starts filling in her lungs and she smiled. It certainly harder for her to breathe in bustling city like Seoul, and its definitely cleaner here.

Inside her head was total mess. She needs to attend new school, which worried her most. She's never a people-person, not so friendly and talkative type. Living in hell where her parents keep fighting and yelling everyday changes her joyous personality. Positive were never in her dictionary again.

A week passed by, and she's still stubborn as mule not to attend the school. Her mom starts making friends around, and she just staying home, doing all sort of hobbies. She is way too nervous to attend new school. She don't care much about the school actually, its the classmates she feared most. Being a loner all this time turned her into independent girl but she wasn't even sure why it felt different this time.

"Dear why don't you..at least going out? Meeting new people?" Mom tapped her shoulder, and smile assuringly. "I don't feel like doing so? Yes...I'm not in mood omma.." She lazily blurted it out without looking at her mom. She prayed inside that her mom wouldnt't stay at her room, nagging and talking to her for hours.

"Really? Hmmm...but its Halloween..you should go out and have some fun." mom replied. She dragged out calendar in front of her, sighing at pumpkin face on 31st of October column. "I don't even have friends omma. I can't have fun by myself, am I?" She fakes a smile, terribly wishing so that mom just leave her alone. 

"That's why you need to go to school.."

"Omma please, not again. I will go once...I'm ready."

"As you wish dear." Her voice turned wobbly. Mom is seriously exhausted with her attitude, her hard-headed decision. "But tonight I want you to attend Madam Yang's Halloween Costume Party downstreet. I promised her that you will be coming." Mom quickly stand up and walk to the door when she did the same and grabbed her mom's wrist softly.

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO! WHO THE HELL MADAM YANG ANYWAY!" 

She's getting a good pinch from her mom, which makes her grunted. "Mind your language darling. By hook or by crook I'm driving you to her house tonight. No BUTS!"

"You said she just live downstreet. And I don't have anything to wear!" She ruffles her hair, showing her dissatisfaction to mom, whom didn't pay attention at all. "Costume check. I've done something. You're gonna wear your favorite anime character!" Mom replied happily, but she still can't stop making face. "I don't know anyone here omma.."

"After this party, you will."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

"You look pretty in Kaonashi's costume my girl!" She could see spark glimmered in her mom eyes, but hers are pretty much souless now. She can't believe she will be humiliated by her own mom, as the costume basically covering her except for her nostrils and mouth for breathing. Kaonashi is character from anime Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, a spirit who wears all black from head to toe with white mask on.

She tought she's going to be..Sailormoon at least. 

"Omma, seriously? Kaonashi?? I rather be Chihiro you know!"

"You said you're way too shy to meet people, that's why I'm making these for you. You even have mask on!" Mom pointed out every details she sew on her costume, looking proud at her own work while she disgruntled with mom's bad choice.

"I will pick you up at ten. Be nice and say hello to Madam Yang for me." 

"Just kill me omma. Kill me. I will walk myself home. Don't bother picking me up."

"You sure? Don't take this seriously dear. Madam Yang is nice person. Make sure not to cause any trouble." Her mom kissed her face (literally her mask) and drove away, leaving her hanging alone at Madam Yang's.

"Here goes nothing." She greeted Madam Yang who's standing at the outside and someone ushered her inside where she starts looking for place to hide until ten.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She sat quietly in corner of Madam Yang's hall when everybody seems like partying hard. There were dancing, loud musics and weird costumes but nothing attracts her attention. Madam Yang's house is huge mansion, as her husband is successful businessman around and apparently they are hosting this party due to her son's request.

"God...their costumes are horrible..." She complained while sipping on her orange juice even she knows, hers was horrible. Her eyes was glued to enormous clock hanging on the wall instead of lavish buffets prepared by the host. She can't wait to leave this horrible party. Her ears might go deaf any minutes. "...and I thought Halloween should be scary...not loud."

"Hey..Kaonashi?" She almost spilled her juice when someone patted her shoulder. She never expects someone to know her costume's name because as far as she remembered, her friends are not into anime and mangas. "You knew?" Her eyes bulged when a guy in front of her nodded. "I've watched anime too." His thin lips slowly curved into smile, and he's wearing some sort of Phantom of the Opera costume, neat tux with black bowtie complete with mantle hanging on this shoulders. His hair was covered in hat and the half of his face hides behind large white eye mask.  

He cleared his throat before begin talking again. "You're alone?" She examined the person in front of her secretly behind her mask. He seems nice. He look nice. But she decided not to be too friendly with stranger.

"You've seen anyone besides me? If no, yes I am alone and if yes, I better run now." He chuckled at her lame answers, showing his perfect white teeth. What a sight, she exclaimed. "I'm alone too, so why don't you join me? I saw you sitting here for two hours." He extended his hand towards her. "I'm Phantom." 

She stares at his hand for awhile, thinking whether she should accept it or not. "I'm Kaonashi, nice to meet you..Phantom." She decided to loosen up a little bit, and did handshake with the man she just met. Unfortunately her costume covered everything include her hands so he obviously handshaked her hand which covered with black cloth. "Hi Kaonashi. You want something to eat?"

"My mask is pretty...disturbing so no thanks. You better greet Catwoman over there, she's being eyeing on you for quite sometimes you know?" She  shrugged her shoulder when she saw the Catwoman gave her deadly stare, literally warning her with 'don't-you-even-dare-to-talk-to-my-man' face. "Not interested." He dragged a chair and sit next to her with crossed legs. "After all, Phantom looks good with Catwoman haha." She proclaimed.

Of course he looks better standing to that y Catwoman instead of me.

"Catwoman is too normal. Yours is...rare." He smiled again and re-aligned back his eye mask slowly. "Thanks. My mom's picked it up." She put her juice glass when he suddenly grabbed her wrist and lead her to dance floor.

"What are you doing? I can't dance! Look at my costume!" She shrieked and luckily the music was louder than her voice.  "Shh, just follow my lead okay?" He put his finger across her lips to shut her from screaming again. He hugged her closely and she gasped. "Gosh this is embarassing! You don't want to be seen with me, trust me!"

What's more humilitating when fully-covered anime character dance with phantom of the opera? We looked like couple from kindergarten..oh my!

She suddenly a starlet that night. Every female guests start staring at her. She gulped again in torment of those women's vicious eyes. The phantom guy pulled her to face him instead of looking around the dance floor, feeling scared and insecure. "Ignore them." 

"How can I? Who are you actually?" She whispered. "Nobody." Image of his smile flashing brightly on her eyes excites her a lil bit and she can't help herself from studying the figure in front of her again. He has quite broad shoulder, and firm arms. He's not bulky. Quite tall. And slight view of his deep brown eyes melted her down.

"Phantom?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think you need to hug me...we are not dancing to ballad or something..they're playing Rock.."

Darn this is awkward, she thought.

"Who said we can't hug and dance on Rock song?" His arms are getting tighter around her waist, and she's way too speechless to say anything. Scent of his cologne rushed against her sense when they're getting much closer. She can't believe herself for letting a stranger to hug her. Probably she would've died if the phantom is serial killer. 

But he's different, she think. 

This man don't even know her name, her face...anything about her. The only thing he knew is her costume's original character, which she finds it amusing. The world feels like revolving around them when he holds her, and she leaned on his shoulder unknowingly just for minute of blissful night.