Chapter 19: The Night of the Kings and Queens

          "So, what you’re saying is that, B2ST is invited to attend the same ball?" L said when I told him about my last visit to the bar.

          "Exactly," I said, "That's why I have to know the results of your research; who are those people?" L glanced to Gette who was sitting nearby and was silently listening to our exchange. Gette also looked at him as if they were speaking to each other.

          "Oh please, will you share what you're talking about?" I said, which called both their attention.

          "I am certain that were dealing with a gang, but the extent of their power, that I do not know." L said. "I think going there will be too risky. If we bring cops, we may alarm them and people could get hurt. It will be dangerous for girls so I'll suggest that you stay. I'll just go there with the guys and do our own surveillance, okay?"

          "What? Are you crazy?" I said. "You can't tell me what to do! Gette, look at him, he wants to go alone because he wants to meet other girls to hang out with!" and both L and I turned to her.

          "I don't!" L said.

          "Gette, please, you have to support me on this. It's not that I'm wanting to do a full scale raid. I just want to go and find Jun-hyung," I moved closer and held her hand, "please, you know what my heart truly desire."

          Gette looked at me with a pained expression on her face before she smiled and said, "Would you like some help in choosing your ball gown?"

          "What? But if things get to worst, it could be dangerous," L said.

          "It won't," Gette reached L's hand, "I know you won't let that happen."

          "Ugh, stop it will you?" I said just to end the cheesy line fest.

---o0o---

          The night of the party. A night of puffy balloon skirts which I never dreamt of wearing. I looked at myself in the mirror and traced the sparkling lines of sequins on my dress as I wait for my best friend to finish changing. It was my first time wearing that kind of dress. So sophisticated looking.

          No one in the school knew who this rich grandchild was, but almost everyone was delighted to come. Maybe because the party sounded like that of a fairy tale, or maybe just because they wanted to feel what it is like to be a real elite. Although I really don’t have an idea what it takes to be called a real elite. If there was anything I was sure about, it was the certainty that I will get to see Jun-hyung.

          “You look great in gold,” Gette said, she was wearing her hair down and a maroon colored puffy dress. “You too,” I said. “I wonder who the grandchild is. Why does she had to keep her birthday a secret?” “Her? How did you know the grandchild is a girl?” Gette said while adjusting the straps of her shoes.

          “A boy wouldn’t want a party like this,” I said.

          “You think so?” Gette said. There was a noticeable smile on her lips, as if she remembered something. “What’s up with the smile?” I said, “Share it.”

          “Never mind,” Gette said. After a few more touches, we boarded a van that was rented by Gette’s mother for the two of us, and traveled to the venue.

          It was like a place taken out of the movie world – the wooden furniture, the carpeted hallways, the sparkling chandeliers, the sophisticated carvings on the stairway, the bouquet of flowers placed on every side of the hall – all like that of a fairy tale movie.

          “Oh my God, I can’t believe he’s this rich,” Gette suddenly muttered beside me because of all the wonders. He?

          “He? You mean you think the grandchild is a guy?” I told her, but her eyes suddenly showed a hint of panic which shortly changed back to her same, bright look. “Did I say that?” she said, “You must have misheard it.” Yeah, maybe?

          We walked further to the crowd, all wearing balloon gowns and masks. “I didn’t know we’re supposed to wear masks,” I said.

          “It’s okay, only ugly people hide behind masks,” someone suddenly said behind me. I turned around to find a prince dressed in blue with a silver mask on his face. He removed the mask and soon I recognized who the prince was.

          “Yo-seob?” I said, “Why are you here? Who are you with? If Doo-joon knows~”

          “Don't worry, I’m with the gang,” he said, “Doo-joon had a last minute change of heart.”

“Have you heard anything from Jun-hyung?” I said, my eyes still scrutinizing every guy with built similar to Jun-hyung’s.

          “Unfortunately no,” he said. “We had no news about Jun-hyung. No call, no text and when we call him, his number was always unreachable.” At the corner of my eye, I saw a group coming closer to us three during our exchange.

          “I didn’t know people from other schools were invited in this party,” someone said from the other group.

          “Good to see you too, Woo-hyun,” Yo-seob said.

          “You recognized Woo-hyun just by his voice?” I said, “Wow, I never thought Infinite and B2ST had a really intimate past.”

          “More than you can imagine,” someone muttered beside me. “Hello Mae, if your prince is not around, I can be your prince for tonight.” It was L, and he wasn’t masked like the others.

          “Yeah right,” I said. “A prince for two princesses? Are you looking forward to starting a war?”

          “Not really,” he told me before averting his eyes to the group, smiling broadly.

           “Ah, the face of Infinite, you sure are really proud of your face,” the guy from the other group said. He removed his mask, revealing his pretty face.

          “Of course,” L said, “Why Dong-woon sshi? Do you feel threatened?”

          “Of course not,” the pretty guy Dong-woon said.

          “So Infinite’s here. Aren’t you supposed to be performing in the bar?” The masked prince who approached our group said. “Where’s your leader?”

          “He’s not like you, Doo-joon. Parties aren’t his thing,” Another masked prince spoke from our side whom I recognized to be Sung-jong. He approached Gette and held her hand. Suddenly a thought flashed in my mind. Did I miss something?

          “He spent his time at the bar, performing ballads to the guests. It’s romantic night anyway,” a voice from the tall prince behind L said whom I recognized to be Sung-yeol’s. Heat was already building up between the two groups, suddenly, a masked prince with the red hair stepped between the groups.

          “Chill guys! Isn’t this a party? Why don’t we just forget our differences for now and have fun?” he said.

          “Hyun-seung’s right. Why don’t you just enjoy the night?” another prince said after hanging his arm around Doo-joon’s neck.

“Let go or I’ll give you a piece of my mind?” Doo-joon told him who in turn quickly removed his arm. “Calm down leader. All Gi-kwang wanted to say is that why don’t we enjoy the party like those two over there?” We all turned to the direction Hyun-seung said.

          Near the group of musicians were Dong-woo and Hoya, dancing to classical music with unusual yet complementary moves. People were starting to notice them and soon a crowd was already surrounding the two.

           “Dance something else! Something… fast!” someone in the pool of audience said. With that Hoya and Dong-woo stopped and looked quickly to our direction. When Hoya got a view of B2ST, his face suddenly revealed a wide grin.

          “Everyone, you see, we’re actually members of a song and dance group. In fact, there are two song and dance boy groups here, at this very moment,” Hoya stated which startled the members of Infinite. “Would you like to see us perform and give our tribute to the birthday celebrant tonight?” he said and everybody in the audience cheered.

          “Why not?” Doo-joon said which was commonly supported by Hyun-seung, Dong-woon and Gi-kwang. Yo-seob looked at them with a surprised to confused expression and said, “Hey, what happened with temporarily forgetting our differences?”

          “Hey, it’s okay, look at them,” Dong-woon said before motioning to the group beside me. I followed his view to find Sung-yeol, Sun-jong, Woo-hyun and L smiling differently, as if a plan already conceived itself without them even talking about it. “They wanted it too,” Dong-woon continued.

          “Too bad your leader isn’t around,” Gi-kwang said. “He’s your main vocal, isn’t he?”

          “Oh, don’t worry,” Woo-hyun said, “we already practiced our pieces for emergencies like this. How about you? Can you manage without your rapper?”

          “Oh yes, dear Woo-hyun. We can… we. Very much. Can.”

          The musicians were split to two groups. Infinite and B2ST then went to each group and handed them music sheets which were surprisingly with them the whole time. “Is this planned?” I said, failing to hide my curiosity.

          “Not sure,” Gette muttered beside me, “but if there is one thing we’ll be sure about, that will be the fact that soon there will be a heated showdown between the two.”

          After the performance, everybody gave each group a round of applause and people even gathered around to better know them, but it was short lived.

          An emcee came and called everyone’s attention before introducing someone they called the President named Yong Im-ho. When the spotlight was moved and focused to an intellectual-looking old man. “It’s him,” Gette muttered beside me.

          “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to have your company in this very special night, a night when I present a very special person in my life. Please welcome the legacy of my beloved son, my grandson, Jason.” When the special grand son was revealed, I was very much sure that like mine, everybody’s heart stopped.

There he was, standing at the top of the staircase, dazzling in his black prince costume, a silver scepter on his left hand and a very familiar princess on his right. But he felt... Different.

"Jun-hyung? No, he can't be," Doo-joon said on my left.

"Is that hyung?" Yeo-seob said after standing beside Doo-joon.

"So that's why they didn't hurt him," L said on my other side.

"Congratulations ice prince," Gi-kwang said, "apparently you got it right."