[CONTENTID1]The Ball[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]A SELECTION OF CHOCOLATE BOYS[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3](A/N: Hi everyone! :D Remember when I said I had another announcement to make (no, it's not a thirteenth chocolate boy! xD)? Well here it is! My sister EtherealMuffin is now co-authoring this fic with me. We're writing it together! This means, faster updates, more humour and more FLUFF! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please give EtherealMuffin a warm welcome :D)

Himchan wasn’t allowed to drive. He was squashed in the back of Heechul’s bumblebee mini-cooper, fixing his blue blazer and glaring at the two in the front like a petulant child. His chunky necklaces gleamed whenever the nightlight caught off them. Suzy was too much in a happy mood to take heed of his hindrance. So, Himchan grumbled to himself while Heechul drove like a cautious ahjumma in the car.

Suzy’s initial dread had long ago deteriorated. There was a new pillar of hope that had been erected inside her. It was strange, but Heechul’s presence brought her comfort. She often sent him beguiling expressions, wondering how someone so crazy could become so adoring in a single heartbeat. Her heart swelled at the mere sight of him. All his previous actions were forgiven somewhere in the depths of her mind.

It’s not that Suzy wished to attend the ball, but stepping into the place would hinder the Bok Choy minions’ hopes that she was dead. It occurred to her that she should tell the police but without evidence it was a lost cause. Besides, who needed the police now that she had Kim Heechul by her side?

The ball was held inside a luxurious hotel, with a glass, dome-shaped ceiling somewhere in the back, and a large fountain at the entrance. The steps leading inside the reception were polished and sparkling in the starlight. Heechul parked the car in the lounge, and his lips twisted into a wicked smirk.

“Alright, ladies,” he chuckled. “It’s time to hit that party.”

Himchan rolled his eyes in the back. He flicked at the short strands of his spiky and stepped out the same time as Suzy. The air was crisp and chilly, sending shudders throughout Suzy’s body. She heard the melodious orchestral music seeping from the walls.

“Hold her arm, jerk,” Heechul told Himchan.

“Excuse me? Stop degrading me, ahjumma. Don’t you know who I am?” Himchan retorted, shaking a fist at the older man.

“Yes, I know perfectly well who you are,” said the cat-lover,.“You were always that child who spent his lunchtimes alone. You were the boy who craved attention from your parents, and you are the waste of space who can’t even secure a proper job. Do you want me to continue?”

Himchan’s face grew darker and grimmer with each of Heechul’s words. Suzy felt a pang at her heart when she gazed at him. The pretty boy grabbed her arm, and began dragging her up the stairs, their shoes clicking against the marbled steps. Heechul looked absolutely delighted with himself and trailed after them.

There was a rather scrawny and young bouncer barring anyone from entering. He was dressed in a red swallow-tailed suit and shiny leggings that were too tight for him. He held an expression full of aversion and boredom, and Suzy could only guess that he hated his job. He wore a tag the of his suit that read ‘Ilhoon’.

His eyes lightened when he saw her; his mouth dropping open in awe.

“H-h-h-hello!” He greeted her with a bow. “Are you here for the ball?”

“What it does it look like?” Himchan scorned, and Ilhoon was crimson in the face.

He checked the clipboard in his hand. “Name please?”

“Suzy, and this is my date,” she told him after sending Himchan a sidelong glare.

Ilhoon glanced over at Heechul, who beamed with his pink chemise and hot red trousers. Ilhoon grimaced at the dastardly sight.

“Who’s the ahjumma?” The boy asked plainly,.“Isn’t she a bit too old to be partying?”

Suzy gasped while Himchan stifled a cackle. Heechul's features contorted into a face too horrific for the human eyes. Ilhoon shrivelled in his spot like a wilting flower. His lips stuttered.

“I’m Jung Taekwoon,” Heechul claimed. “Suzy’s bodyguard.”

“Oh,” said Ilhoon, slapping a hand over his forehead. “Okay, you may enter.”

As they stepped into the reception, Heechul turned to Suzy and asked, “Why do these kids keep calling me ahjumma? I don’t look that old, do I?”

Suzy stared at the flawless skin that was more softer than hers. She shook her head. “They just need to find themselves a new pair of glasses, oppa.”

Himchan snorted wildly, saliva falling out of his mouth. “This is so stupid! I’m surrounded by morons; not healthy for my sanity. Try cutting your hair for a start, freak,” he told Heechul, who glared daggers at the fake top model.

The tension between them was flaring and thick. Suzy decided to intervene.

“Uh, Heechul oppa, what will you do while we stay here?”

Heechul huffed his nostrils at Himchan but turned to Suzy and smiled sweetly at her. “Find Yifan and his pals. Oh, I’ve brought this.” He reached into his pockets and pulled a small tube of glue.

Suzy tilted her head to the side, and perked a brow. Himchan just rolled his eyes again.

“What’s the glue for?” He questioned inquisitively, scratching a spot on his chin.

Heechul simply stretched his lips into a Cheshire cat grin, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the crowd of people.

Suzy took the moment to survey the flourishing environment. The spacious hall was round in shape, with large pillars twisting at the very end of the display. The floor sparkled with polished marble. A large chandelier, in the shape of a dewdrop, hung above heads, and twinkled like stars. Students were gathered at tables adorned with linen cloths and food. Most of them were in the back, on a raised platform, listening to a band that was strangely familiar to Suzy’s ears.

“Is there any food here?” Himchan moaned beside her, “I shouldn’t have helped you out. I’m missing out on my beauty sleep! This is not what a top model should go through. This is just unacceptable.”

Her heart picked up pace. Her hands were sweaty, and her nerves acted up. She was lost in a sea of nameless faces.

-

Upon noticing her friends at the table, she walked towards them, arms linked with Himchan. He groaned in defeat.

“Is it almost midnight?” he asked in an infantile tone.  

Much to Suzy’s surprise, Joonmyun and Jieun were sitting closely with each other and exchanged nervous, timid glances at each other; they both looked exquisitely cute. It was difficult to recognise the latter without her thick-framed glasses which were replaced by clear contact lenses, enhancing her large pupils. They chatted amicably with each other, almost oblivious to their surroundings.

Next, she noticed that Krystal had seated herself next to Myungsoo, who sat idly with his arms folded, and eyes staring at the table resembling a mute doll. His pallid complexion was a stark contrast to the phosphorescent lighting that glittered the wall. The lights flickered downward, throwing weird shadows upon his face, making the sunken hollows of his eyes look cavernous. Had she not seen him walking around college in the bright sunshine of the lazy, afternoon days; Suzy could have sworn that that man was indeed a vampire.

Beside them at the round table were Nana and Sungyeol. The dress her best friend adorned screamed ‘Nana’. It was bright red, bold and conspicuous, accentuating her curves that caused men to ogle at her with licentious intentions. It pleased Suzy to finally see her friend making progress, although Sungyeol’s behaviour had recently left her feeling oddly mesmerised and uncomfortable.

Sungyeol poured glasses of wine across the table, grinning broadly to reveal his pearly white teeth. His eyes darted from the couples to Baekhyun, who was seated alone, and then to Suzy. clenched when their eyes met and her heart beat was a cacophonous, thrumming rhythm.

“Suzy!” he exclaimed, breathless by her appearance.

Sungyeol stood from his seat in haste and his knee slammed against the edge of the board. He let out an exaggerated yowl as he tripped through his shoe laces towards her. By then, the others turned to face her too, bewilderment lined their physiognomy.

“Oh my God, like, we thought you dished on us!” Nana pulled Suzy into a tight embrace, squeezing the breath out her lungs.

“It’s a long story-“ she croaked, heaving when released from cuddle.

“Yeah, Taekwoon came by and said that you won’t be coming to the ball,” Krystal explained; her obsidian, black dress shimmered iridescently under the artificial lights.

“Taekwoon?” Suzy tilted her head, confused.

It was Myungsoo who cleared the pandemonium that obscured her thoughts.

“Not your bodyguard but Yifan, pretending to be Taekwoon,” he mumbled albeit incoherently. “I saw through the pathetic disguise…but I’m surrounded by idiots.”

Two hours ago.

Myungsoo made his way through the thronging mass of people with his arms linked to Krystal. He uttered a few sarcastic remarks when she endeavoured to speak with him. She had been glancing around her frantically, as if in search of someone else the moment they entered the lavish hotel.

When they had assembled with their friends, Yifan approached the Sweety gang wearing a pair of sunglasses and mimicking Taekwoon’s authoritative strut. His lips were pressed into a taut line and his expression was inscrutable, much like reading a blank sheet of paper.

Sungyeol scratched his ear. “Who’re you?”

“Taekwoon,” he answered in a guttural tone.

Joonmyun opened his mouth to protest but Krystal intervened.

“You weren’t that tall before.”

Yifan then muttered something about wearing insoles in his shoes to appear more intimidating and informed them that Suzy would not be at the ball. He then favoured them with a perfunctory nod to dismiss himself and scurried into the crowd surreptitiously, vanishing from their view.

“Didn’t he like, lose some weight?” Nana wondered, swirling her glass.

Myungsoo, however, shook his head in disapproval.

He was indeed, surrounded by idiots.

Suzy sighed, but it was not in disbelief. Yifan had stooped low since the day Bok Choy and Kimchi had clashed, and became mortal enemies. He even went as far as impersonating her bodyguard. She remembered how he had torn her to shreds by abandoning her in the woods, how he had wormed his way through life just to punish her bitterly and now he had the privilege of making a fool of her friends.

She thoroughly explained how the terrifying ordeal had unfolded then and there, but decided to omit the details of Luhan’s ascetic mood that threw daggers at her heart and the wolf encounter that caused her to shrivel in fear.

Yifan’s sadistic sense of humour was enough for Krystal to clench her fists into tight balls and burst out expletives.

“Wait till I get my hands on that b*****d!” she vowed.

“I can’t believe they would stoop down so low,” added Jieun, frowning.

Suzy was quick to ease the tension and informed them that Heechul had hatched a plan that was already underway.  

It was then she noticed that Sungyeol was pouting and leering at Himchan, who was impervious to his stares and preoccupied scrutinising his face in a clear glass.

“I still can’t believe that you chose him. He’s too hooked up with his own reflection to even notice you.” He took her hands with restive fingers. “You look really fabulous,” he complemented dreamily.

Suzy slipped her fingers through his grasp. “That’s none of your business, Sungyeol.”

Despite the vanity that Himchan displaced, she knew that however deep down, there was a hidden, magnanimous gentleman that lurked within his soul…or maybe she had just grown awkward around Sungyeol.

Joonmyun’s lips flipped into a rapt smile. “We’re glad that you’re alright, Suzy,” he commented, breaking the rising tension between the two.

“Yeah! Don’t mind those stupid people that always try to hurt you. Why don’t you and I go the police or something about it, you know?” Sungyeol said quickly.

“Who needs the police if there’s Heechul?” Suzy turned around to find Tao walking over to them with a girl at his side. The boy’s face lightened into a grin, and he patted her head. She was overjoyed to see him.

“Tao, you’re here?”

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