"An anniversary party?" Taec repeated.
"Yep." Taeyeon threw his invitation on his lap and flumped on the couch. She flipped her own invitation and quickly read. "So Wooyoung's family owned an airline business, huh?" she asked.
"Yes." Taec set his invitation aside without bothering to look at it. "I'm not going."
"Big surprise." she muttered.
"I heard that!"
"It's set on April 30." Taeyeon continued.
"Oh ."
"Why?" she tilted her head in confusion.
"That's his birthday. He really made sure that I'm coming." Taec replied.

Taeyeon chuckled. "Well, I have to congratulate him then for a trick well done. So! Got any suit yet?"

***

The grand hall of Resorts World was packed with known faces of models and some celebrities, businessmen, high school and college friends, and of course, the press.

Taec and Taeyeon entered the hall with linked arms, just like what they did back on Chance's exhibit. Taeyeon smile at the camera while Taec's face remained blank. Then, Taec felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Nichkhun smiling at him.

"I knew you'd come. Come here, our friends are there."

Taec and Taeyeon followed him at their table. Everyone was already present. They waved at their arrival except for Amber, who averted his gaze from the two of them.

"Excuse me." she said. "Rest room."

Taec followed her walking away from them until she disappeared around the corner.

"Where's our birthday boy?" Minjun asked.
"Maybe he's busy from accomodating his guests. Look at these people around here." Junho said.
"I prefer celebrating Wooyoung's birthday in my bar or in his house. Just a few drinks would do right?"
"Definitely agreed." Nichkhun toasted. He leaned back from his chair and smiled. "Look at us. Just years ago, we're teenagers who only knew how to model, drink and have fun. But now? Wooyoung's the CEO of PH Airlines; Minjun owned a record studio; Junho was now a composer and choreographer of JYPE; Taec's the next-in-line of Lee Firms -"
"I'm not." Taec interrupted. "I will never be."

Everyone stared at him. Finally, Nichkhun shrugged.

"Okay, so he's not. But look at our Chance! The famous, world-reknowned artist, Painter X!"

Taeyeon almost spilled her drink. She coughed a few times and stared wide-eyed from Nichkhun to Chance.

"What?!" she looked at Chance. "Is it true? You're Painter X?" She and Chance never really had an actual conversation with each other, but now the tables have turned. She wanted to talk to his idol. So bad.

Chance smiled at her.

"Yes." he answered.
"OH MY GOD." she exclaimed. "I- I'm your fan! I always attend your exhibits, and my most favorite one was on Boston. Oh.. Wow.. just wow."

Minjun snickered at her reaction. "I think Taeyeon wants your autograoh Chance." he said which made Taeyeon blush.
"N-no,.." she said defensively.

Everyone laughed at her. Meanwhile, Taec slowly stood from his seat and walked away, following Amber's steps earlier. 

He leaned beside the door of girls' rest room and waited for Amber. Finally, Amber went outside and was surprised to see Taec beside her.

"Hey."

Amber immediately turned her back from him, but Taec caught her wrist. "Amber, wait." he felt her stiffened and recoiled his hand. "Please listen to me for a moment" he pleaded.

Amber faced him reluctantly.

"What do you want?"
"I'm sorry for what happened on that day." he said sincerely. He saw Amber's shoulders relaxed and he took the cue. "I really am."

Amber studied his face for a long time before sighing. "What's done is done Taec. Let's move on." she gave him a brief smile and turned her back again.
"Wait!"

She faced him for the second time and raised her eyebrows.

"Why?"

Taec rummaged something from his coat pocket and pulled a long thin box from it.

"Please accept this apology gift." he picked the golden bracelet from the box and reached for her wrist.
"What? No, there's no need." she said, trying to move her arm away from him.
"I insist." he carefully locked the bracelet around her wrist and smiled. "It looks beautiful on you. If you're worried about Chansung, then let me handle it. I'll explain."

Amber looked at her bracelet and found herself nodding.

"Thank you." and with that she walked away again, Taec behind her heels.

The first thing that Taeyeon noticed was Amber joining them with Taec following closely behind her. She knitted her eyebrows in annoyance. Her feeling aroused more when she saw the shining bracelet in Amber's wrist.

Taeyeon bit her lower lip. She pursed her lips until it formed the thinnest line and looked away to hide her pissed expression.

Fortunately Wooyoung came in. They all stood up and applauded, finally distracting Taeyeon for a while.

Wooyoung smiled at everyone as the cameramen flashed their lenses madly. When the applause finally faded, Wooyoung leaned closer to the mic.

"Good evening." he started in a manly and serious tone. Minjun, Junho, Taec, Nichkhun and Chance all snorted in unison. They felt bad goosebumps from hearing Wooyoung's different side. No one but them knew who the real Wooyoung was. "First of all, I thank everyone for celebrating PH Airlines' 25th anniversary, as well as sharing this night with me for my 24th birthday. Thank you."

There was another applause from the guests and he waited it to stop before continuing again.

"PH Airlines' had been a family business since my father's success...." he narrated,but his friends were barely listening. The speech was boring and to cap it all, so was Wooyoung's droning voice. After 10 minutes his speech was finally done, and there was another round of applause while Wooyoung went down the stage and shook hands with everyone.

At last Wooyoung reached his friends' table. When he finally joined them, he rolled his eyes and slumped down beside Junho.

"That was such a bother." he muttered, loosening his tie.
"You look good back there. So business-like." Minjun snickered.
"Ohh shut up Minjun." Wooyoung said, pouting his lips.

After their dinner arrived, they all chatted and ate, laughing at Wooyoung's joke and making fun of Taec for whatever reason they can see. Soon, Wooyoung left them to attend to his other guests. 

There was video presentation shortly after their dinner. Then the guests stood from their chairs and started chatting with each other, be it friends or not.

"Heeey Junho! Minjun! Taec! Chance!" someone called.

The boys turned around and saw their former classmates. They grinned at them and waved. They made brief introductions to Torrey, Amber and Taeyeon, but one particular man focused on Amber.

"I saw you on TV before. You're Painter X's girlfriend right?"
"Yes, that's me." she said, squeezing Chance's hand at the same time.
"Woaaah. Nice to meet you then. I'm Suho."
"Amy." she replied.

Suho shook hands with her and turned to look at Torrey. "And you're a writer from Sparks Mag right?"
"Yes." Torrey said proudly. "Victoria. But you can call me Torrey."

Suho entertained everyone, except for one.

Taeyeon was left on the sideline, who was introduced just once and asked nothing more. She watched Amber and Torrey laughed with Taec's schoolmates, and her other friends joining their jokes.

"Hey, I'll just get something to drink." she said to no one in particular, and no one paid attention. She shook her head and picked a glass of champagne, drinking it with three large gulps. Then she took another one and went back to their table, but her friends were already on their schoolmates' table.

*They left. Again.* she thought sourly.

She sat alone on their now deserted table, burning with bitterness and rejection. She placed her palms on her forehead and breathed, feeling her shifting mood.

*Not now Taeyeon. Control yourself!* she mentally said.

But sour memories came back to her.

 

The night on the Ferris Wheel when Taec said why he loved Amber...

Taec buying Amber gifts...

Taec confessing to her that he kissed Amber...

Her friends leaving her on the Amber's hut alone...

The bracelet on Amber's wrist....

And her friends leaving her again...
 

Everything was coming at the same time.

"And now let's give a toast to our birthday boy." the emcee said. They all stood up again and picked their glasses.
"Happy birthday Wooyoung!" they chorused and lifted their glasses.
"Taeyeon?" Amber approached Taeyeon and looked concernedly at her. "Hey, are you okay?" she placed a soft hand on Taeyeon's shoulder but she slapped it away. She glared at Amber and felt the burning snake from inside her, her mind getting cloudy for holding her feelings straight.
"I'm not okay." she hissed. Amber stepped backwards and blinked. "I. AM. NOT. OK." Taeyeon repeated.

Taec had just noticed Taeyeon's missing presence. He searched the hall and found Taeyeon glaring at Amber, who was looking concernedly at her.

He bulged his eyes, suddenly aware of Taeyeon's tantrum. He pushed his schoolmate aside and half-ran.

"Do I look like okay? HUH?!" Taeyeon said, her voice rising at every second.
"What's happening to you?" Amber asked. She tried to approach her again but Taeyeon took a step back. "Don't come near me." she warned.

But Amber did not listen. She reached for Taeyeon's shoulders then -

"I SAID DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Taeyeon shrieked. She pushed Amber forcefully, making Amber stagger backwards and tripping on her dress.

And just like in slow motion, Amber fell backwards, crashing on the numerous glasses of champagne that were neatly aligned on a pyramid, and finally banged her head on the hard, marble floor.

The sound of hundreds of breaking china alerted everyone on the hall, earning a number of shrieks from girls too.

"AMBER!!!" Chance, Minjun, and the rest shouted in horror, running towards her. Taec immediately grabbed Taeyeon's arm and pulled her out of the crowd. 
"N-no..." Taeyeon breathed, looking fearfully at Amber's blood-covered body.
 

I just want to post this update before our midterms next week. Hehe. Good night everyone! Don't forget to comment.. Wahaha.

Thank you BlackPearl96 for your poster!! <3  This chapter is dedicated for you. :*