Vultures filled the ballroom. Their gold beaked masks seemed intimidating. Their eyes moved left to right, waiting for new prey. It was a mistake to be here, she concluded. The ones who left their masks glittering in the dark were forced to wear the ones with beaks. There was no avoiding it. And they might have been beautiful people, but their eyes were narrowed, their bodies scanned for someone to die. It was a mistake to be here. Minhee fiddled with her lace mask. The mask painted with silver and fairy dust that she stole from Neverland. The others stared at her with a scoff. Her dark hair was put to one side, her strapless white evening gown had tints of glitter and her high heels were painted as white as snow. Others had chosen a more passionate color, red for lust, purple for mystery, sapphire for sadness and silver for the mundane. They glared at her, she was the first to go. She would be the first to go. It was obvious. She didn't belong with the others. Her legs were scarred from circus shows and terrors from others. Their legs were dipped in gold, they had no blemishes on those legs, they were perfect. She wasn't sure why she was here again. She was forced. Her fingers were damaged and someone else would damage her lungs. 

"And you are?"

It was a curious question from someone with long brunette hair. Her eyes were bright with questions. It was naive for Minhee to believe that she was actually interested in her. Her mask only covered her left eye, the red swirls beyond those eyes juxtaposed with her pale skin. Her lips twisted into a faint smile and most humans would take it as an invitation to speak. Most humans would. It was a question she knew the answer to. But her silence confused the woman in front of her. Her dress was red. Long, there were flames emitting from the dress. If anyone enraged her, burnt flesh would haunt them. Her red lips opened and the words she spewed burned Minhee's inside. 

"A mute, are you? How pathetic."

Even the color burned her eyes. A smirk appeared on the woman's face and Minhee wasn't one to let strangers judge. Biting back the malicious words that would escape her lips, she smiled. 

"And yet the flames of your dress engulfed your humanity. How pathetic." 

It was a game of copycat.

The woman in front of her glared. There was fire coming from her mask and Minhee would be one to explain that it wasn't a beautiful look for her. The broken smile on her lips did her no justice. The wires in Minhee's brain became listless, her being became excited, she forgot that she didn't belong, but she watched as the woman opened her lips a little. 

"Ryu Hye Ju." 

And a smile appeared on her lips, but Minhee erased the lips from her vision. Hye Ju's eyes told stories of murders and breaking confident spines in others. It was calculated. There was logic in every word she spoke. Each note formed a screech of arrogance and quiet mocks. There weren't any more words spoken. The conversation became quiet and Minhee's eyes fell on someone else of interest. One in black, drinking from wine glasses and scarlette lips. She was so familiar, and it was as though the woman felt someone's gaze. Her eyes sparkled. There was an interest in her eyes. A smile pressed onto her lips. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be allowed. It wasn't perfect. She was a hurricane. The words that could leave from her lips were poisonous. 

"Minhee, I didn't think you would be here!" 

The exclaimation burned her ears and there was something artificial in her words. It was a mistake to come. Of course, that woman was here. In her age, men would fall for her and the invitation was bound to get to her. An aristocrat like herself lived for men to come sweep her away. Park Sora was fine wine and those who drank her, drank her beauty. It was devestating. 

"Where's Hanyoung?"

Sora knew her weak points. She knew the in's and out's of her soul. It was her breaking point. The smile on her lips were dangerous. Her figure swayed and Sora waited for Minhee to break down. It wasn't necessary. 

"Are you stuck in time?" 

Her eyes narrowed a little. Hye Ju, who stood next to Sora, giggled under her breath. It was a strange affair. The two seemed to know each other. They tried to neglect the other. But their eyes narrowed when they made eye contact and what happened next was a tsunami trapped in a tornado. They were curt. Their lips tightened. The war of insults started to soar.

"You aren't the type to show up to such lavish parties, Hye Ju," Sora started, twirling her black hair around her finger. It was childish. Watching the two exchange words was like watching the Capulets and the Montagues. They were the same but their limbs told a different tale. Sora was confident, her violet mask only accentuated her limbs of strength and cunning abilities. She set the cards down first. They were vultures, fighting for their prey.

"I never knew you were interested in princes, it must be nice to be a leech," Hye Ju rebutted. Her bangs covered her eyebrows and while she appeared to be dainty and fragile from her tiny hands, she was anything than delicate. Her smile felt like she was a child and others would fall in love with her in one look. It was innocent, but she was a lie from the beginningn. Her mask only covered her left eye. She left only one miniscule part of her face to disappear. She left others knowing her masquerade and her puppet like ways. Minhee swore she heard someone scream. Someone left their prey wanting more. There was nothing artifical in her act. She wasn't afraid of being an antagonist. 

"Oh drop dead, you annoying little princess!" Sora shouted after some time. Minhee jumped. Her analysis was interrupted by Sora's overdramatic shouts. Their tirades were interesting to those who knew of their statuses. The two sounded like trivial children. Their voices bounced back and forth. It was child's play. 

"Why don't you do that first?!" Ryu Hye Ju exclaimed. It was nothing like her physical appearance. Her knuckles turned white. There was anger in her ears and it became boring to watch. Humans like these weren't time or effort. And so Minhee's legs ran off into the crowd of vultures, one after another, golden beaks stared her way and they were waiting for her to decompose. The music that rang throughout the ballroom did nothing to her broken bones. Her body was trying to find the hideaways. And before her arms were being torn off by claws and feathers, her eyes fell upon the outside. The opening to the balcony was waiting for her. 

Running towards the balcony, her breath slowed, her body exhaled and inhaled. Her body was in love with the cripness in the air. Her fears dissipated from her back, and words that burned, evaporated as she counted her breaths. There was silence. There were no flesh detached from her body. It was safe. It was safe. It was safe. Her eyes stared at the black sky, how the houses below illuminated softly, and the lights were dimming. It was calm, it was warm, it was beautiful. Her arms grasped tightly onto the white marble railing, her eyes closed and she smelled the air. It was trembling. Her bones were trembling. 

"You shouldn't be out here."

Her figure turned around. The scent of cigarettes broke her peace. His white mask brought out his amber eyes, his lanky figure leaned against the balcony and a smile apepared on his lips. The tobacco smoke piercedd her nose. Opium was sweeter than this. Opium would always be her addiction of choice. 

"Opium is a kinder fate." 

It was that statement that raised his eyebrows. He was a few feet away from her. It was strange. He came closer and she had to hold her breath. He was another vulture waiting to eat the skin off her face. 

"Say that again," he whispered, he smelled like vanilla mixed with tobacco. There was tar inbetween his fingers. There was something almost begging to claw its way out of his mouth. "Please," he mumbled. The cigarette in his hands were worth taking. Her voice got lost in the smoke and before she could realize it, her lips were on his cigarette. The smoke rings spun into the air. Vapor danced and her lips never craved such miserable ambrosia. 

"Opium..." Minhee stated, her fingers running up to his mask, pausing when her manicured fingers lifted the mask a little. His mask was like the others. Vulturelike, but underneath were eyes that weren't empty. His eyes bore holes into her body, but she didn't mind. "Is kinder..." she continued, her right hand slowly taking off the white beaked mask. Pure white like the snow, he was innocent, he was a mockingbird, one would say. And her fingers started to run through his hair. It was quiet. "Than tobacco," she breathed. It was only the Beast. And the Beast was kinder than Vultures. Jiho looked lovely in his garments. A black jacket, a white button downed shirt, his pants were in order and there was a smile right on his face. 

"We meet again, Fairy," he whispered into her ears. She hadn't heard that term in years. It ran chills down her body and while others would be jealous of this proximity, she found herself uncomfortable. It was strange that he even remembered her name. It was strange that the Beast had a strange fascination with her. She was a commoner. Her wings wouldn't glisten in the vultures' cave. It was then he pulled her closer and closer, his lips were going to touch hers. They were going to. And they pressed. His arms cupped her face, there was a yearning in those kisses of his. His hands listlessly found their way around her body. He was desperate. She never felt such lips crave someone as he did. It was ridiculous, his lips breathed lust into hers and it was tragic. It was a withdrawal symptom, but she was not euphoria of choice. 

Pulling away, Minhee only blankly stared at him. Her hands were at a state of calmness. The crave didn't find its way to her. There was no hello, there was no goodbye, she stared at the Beast. He was addicted. And perhaps this was revenge for her impulsive kisses. But it didn't matter. He was there in front of her, avoiding the crowds, avoiding the vultures, avoiding the others. 

"The Beast never changes, does he?" Jiho asked, facing the night sky. It was naive question. It was a retelling. The Beast was always kind to his captive, asking if she was well, and others were appalled by his appearance.  But he only searchced for a female companion. Jiho didn't know that. The fairytale changed throughout kingdoms. The only thing that stayed the same was the beautiful rose and the dastardly transformation. 

"He finds someone who looks beyond the grotesque physical appearance. She sees him as he is, and he asks her everyday if she'll marry him. He is in need of a companion. And while things are not favorable for his situation, he attempts and attempts. Isn't that why you have this ball? To find if someone would undo the spell?" 

She took a glimpse. His eyes were tired. There were demons parched on his shoulders, forcing him to be this miserable. Insomia plagued his ribs and even tobacco couldn't lift his spirits. 

"Was there a reason why you wanted to kiss me?" 

"You disappeared after that night. I wanted to know everything about you."

It was a strange thing to hear. It wasn't as though they had some kind of connection. It was only an evening conversation. One and a half, he stayed around to chat after the performance.  She kept her lips on his and infused her misery into someone else. It was a strange first meeting. She lost her keeper that night. And while some days were unbearable, she knew Hanyoung had bruises and cuts to heal for someone else. She was strong enough to pull herself through. 

"Is that why you invited me here?"

"Aren't you honored?" he asked with a smirk. "Others would die to be in your spot." 

"Surely there was someone who fit the criteria better than I," she muttered, shaking her head. He only invited her because of pure interest. It was not because of anything else. It wasn't as though she belonged in such a group, but she smiled quietly and he was to voice something, but someone else stopped him. 

"I'd suggest you come inside now," Jiho stated plainly after his conversation with the other vulture. He muttered one other sentence, but she couldn't remember the language of royalties and disappeared into the noise infested ballroom. 

She found herself in the front of the crowd, everyone was staring at the chandelier. It began to lower, most of the vultures weren't dazed by this. They were intrigued and others were smiling. Minhee was confused. Why would this be so simple? What was so interesting that others weren't confused?

They were ringleaders. A masked female and a masked male held onto the pole of the chandelier. With a grand smile on their lips, they caught everyone's attention. It was strange. Her eyes locked with the female who waved at her. And before they reached the ground, they started to shout like entertainers. It was like Minhee was in the circus once again. Except this one seemed more intriguing than others. 

"Thank you for attending our family's annual masquerade ball!" the female exclaimed, clapping her hands together. The male smiled simply, as though he was only for show. It wasn't as though he had any other job, the female had enough energy for the both of them. But the next sentences left their mouths were puzzling for the audience. The siblings lifted off their masks and smiled brightly to the crowd. Jiho's younger siblings were smiling widely at them all. 

"Except, we're not here for dancing. The terms have changed. We decided to take over. If you are worthy of our elder siblings, you must prove it," the male started. It was a game. It was a game of romance and lust. Others scoffed. It wasn't news to them. But  Minhee stayed put, still confused by their words, by everything. This was not a circus, but they stated it as though it was. No one was horrified. 

"Our brothers are locked in a room. Undo the lock and move onto the next obstacle. It's not that hard. I promise," the female giggled. "Well, maybe a little, but a little party never killed nobody," she stated. 

"Welcome to the Masquerade. I hope you didn't lose the broken glass from the slippers."