"I don't know about this..." You croaked out quietly but your best friend simply tugged your white mask on that covered your eyes perfectly with your vision still clear. "Trust me on this. You've been dying to come."
 

You then bit your lower lip, "That was before I knew we had to sneak out of the house!"
 

He plastered a hand over your mouth carefully - to not ruin your light lipstick. "C'mon, they practically don't know and we'll be back before they know it - trust me."
 

Today was supposingly the end year's most well known masquerade ball - the fanciest balls of them all in your high school that you've been dying to attend ever since they made announcements before your finals were over. Now finals were over, you had a few months before college and you already made a mental note thinking you couldn't go considering your parents would probably lock you up in a cage faster than you could tell them about this masquerade ball.
 

Little did they know (they probably know already but you just decide to hope they don't), your best friend yet the guy you'd like to kick in the face, Xiumin, had come over for a sleepover. He was one of your closest friends yet and your parents knew him well enough to let him come over whenever he wants and for him to choose this day to come over with an 'unmysterious' bag along with him, definitely your parents didn't care.
 

Just when he reached your room, he had locked the door shut with the sign on the door 'Do Not Disturb' like how he'd always do whenever he came over for sleepovers and he magically pulled out a white sleeveless dress - it looked like the perfect dress yet and he had forced you to wear it, saying that he just wanted to see how you'd look in it.
 

Right after that?
 

Of course, he had talked you into sneaking out of your house with the help of your other close friend, Tao - the guy who had volunteered to take part in this little scheme just to let you experience the best masquerade ball you could.
 

Sighing deeply, you shook your head, "I... I don't know."
 

"There'll be a soft alarm from your watch and when it sounds, make your way out and get in the car - Tao will fetch us back."
 

"But-"
 

"No more buts. Come here." With that, he had linked arms with you as he tugged his black mask on - in contrast with your attire as he had a black tuxedo along with a black mask that fitted on his face perfectly. You had this white sleeveless dress with the length the covered up to your feet where it was flowy yet puffed up just a little - giving this princess-like look to you especially with your hair swept to the side.
 

The moment you two entered, of course, the spotlight had shined down on the two of you, causing you to to link your arm tighter around Xiumin's, "X-Xiumin... They're staring..."
 

"They're supposed to." He chuckled, tugging you forward so you two could enter without much awkwardness when people were just staring at you in awe. The two of you made your way towards the corner where you reunited with your other friends who were grinng at you two from ear to ear.
 

"Hey guys." Xiumin greeted and a few of them laughed, "We knew it was you."
 

"How did you know?" You questioned Sulli who was in this red mask with this black dress with red roses on them - she looked perfect. "Instincts." Minho answered for her, having this spiking red tuxedo on with a black mask to be in contrast with his girlfriend's outfit - even idiots could know who they were.
 

"Hey," Sulli tugged you over when Xiumin moved to stand beside Minho, sparking up a conversation when Sulli had her arm linked with yours, "There's Kai." She pointed over your shoulder and you gulped - indeed, it was him.
 

How did you know?
 

-inserts scoff-
 

How could you not know?
 

That was definitely him. That jawline, his body structure that worked that tuxedo effortlessly with his feet tapping with the background music in sync - you were too busy analyzing his features that you failed to realize, he had his eyes on you. Your head tilted to the side with a sigh, "Sulli, this feels so Cinderella-like."
 

"Because it is." Sulli chuckled, patting your shoulder, "He's walking this way."
 

Your eyes widened as you stumbled backwards, head looking over your shoulder to blink at her, "I-I can't! I'm afraid!"
 

It was practically too late considering he was just a few steps away from you and it didn't help either that Xiumin, Minho and Sulli were inching away from you each step Kai took towards you.
 

Man... where do you even begin with Kai?
 

He was always this heartthrob, making girls swoon head over heels just for him. He had the looks and fortunately, he had the heart but thankfully, he wasn't one of those playboys - as fairytale like that may seem, it was all fact and no fiction. He could easily get a girlfriend but he chose to remain single, the odds, huh? Many couldn't understand why, but he definitely chose not to care what other people think.
 

Even when the person he likes is someone people consider as a 'nobody'. It didn't matter because that person, was everything to him - even if he never shown it.
 

Just as you turned around...
 

"Hey." A small voice came behind you, causing you to gulp as you looked over your shoulder.
 

Dear God, someone just shoot you right now - you couldn't even breathe having him this close. Having him sitting beside you during experiments in the science lab was bad enough. Having you to tutor him in Math was times two has horrible but this close when there were no barriers - it was impossible to stay alive.
 

"M-Me?" You croaked out softly and he chuckled, nodding his head as he extended his hand. You gulped, turning back to face him with an awkward lip bite as you delicately placed your hand in his. Your breath hitched when he brought your hand to his lips where he kissed the back of your hand lovingly, eyes sparkling up to meet yours with a childish smirk, "Dance with me."
 

You didn't even notice it - but you had nodded your head, allowing him to reel you in as he had lead you towards the dancefloor where he had his hand on your waist - your heart skipped a beat. The background music welcomed you in, pulling you into a trance to follow his movements as he led the way with this simple ballroom dance as he had his other hand holding onto yours. Your hand gently placed on his shoulder as he smiled down on you, "You look beautiful." His husky voice entered your ears, causing you to melt inside - how could someone sound so gorgeous even without you looking at his eyes properly?
 

"T-Thank you..." You muttered quietly, head hanging low as he used the hand on your waist to move up to tilt your chin up.
 

"Chin up, beautiful. I want to see you." He demanded quietly, causing your cheeks to heat up - the need to just bury your head into the ground was dangerously high. You let out an awkward laugh with a small nod, regaining conscience as your eyes moved to look over his shoulder where you could see Minho and Sulli grinning at you playfully. "You go, girl!" Minho mouthed the words, causing you to look to the side, earning a small 'tsk' from the boy dancing with you.
 

You looked back at him with a small frown, "S-Sorry."
 

He broke out into a grin. How could someone so shy like you, be so endearing to him?
 

"Do you know who I am?" There, he had asked the obvious, earning a small laugh from you. "I think the whole school knows who you are."
 

He was rather amused as he raised an eyebrow (which you couldn't see), "Really? Who am I?"
 

"You're Kai - Kim Jong In. The school's most popular guy out here."
 

He then let out a shy chuckle, "That's what everyone thinks, but I don't think so."
 

You found yourself being able to let loose - as if you could talk however you'd want with him and honestly, it felt nice. "Of course you don't, you're just being humble."
 

He snickered, "You think I'm being humble?" You shrugged, "Probably."
 

He then shook his head with a wide grin, "How true."
 

This was the start of a very magical night.
 

"So, tell me," He breathed out as you two walked down the path - it was all too cliche. The sparkling lights above you as you walked down this path towards the school's garden, away from the ball just to be with him. It all felt so unreal - but all, very extraordinary for you just to be by his side. To think that he had accompanied you through it all during your first masquerade ball. To think that he didn't leave your side as well as telling you the things you'd never thought you'd hear him tell you.

 

It felt like a dream.

 

A dream you'd never want to wake up from.

 

"Who are you?" 

 

His words made you laugh softly instead, glancing at him who greeted you with a small frown. "C'mon. You know who I am - but I don't know who you are. Is that even fair?"

 

You shrugged, biting the inside of your cheek, "Maybe it's best you didn't know."

 

And indeed, he could sense the sadness in your voice. You had this deep insecurity that he was just talking to you, dancing with you, showing this side of him he's never shown anyone else just because he doesn't know who are you are. Just because of this mask that broke down the barriers between the two of you...

 

You were just afraid that once this mask was off, it would build up the barriers again - it was horrifying.

 

"Give me a few hints?" 

 

You snickered and nodded slowly as you hummed quietly, choosing your words while he had his hands behind his back clasped together as he stared at you attentively - he could never take his eyes off you.

 

"I'm just someone who isn't important?" You started off unsurely and you sighed, shaking your head at your own self-pity. But was it wrong to begin with in the first place?

"Don't say that." He shook his head and frowned at you, "Is there someone you like?" He asked, hoping for an answer and to his surprise, you gave him one. A lengthy and... personal one, in fact.

"There's this guy and... he's just so perfect in every single way but, I know he's out of my reach because just being by his side is already insane enough. I got the privilege to be his science lab partner and his Math tutor but... it's like whenever he's around I can't focus."

 

He found himself being drawn into your words - entering into your world because he could relate to you in so many ways.
 

"I do very well when he's not around but when he's there I just... I mess up. My fingers tremble,"

 

Me too, he thought.

 

"I feel like I can't breathe,"

 

You... too? he quietly responded.
 

"And I feel like we're the only two people in the world." You found yourself smiling and it brought a smile to his as you turned to look at him - the two of you had stopped walking without you realizing it. You swallowed hard when he had turned you by your shoulders while you held onto your dress, lifting it up so it was easier to walk but you released it when he had bent down to level your eyes together where you inched back a little, causing him to pull you closer just to be close again.

 

The worst had come when your watch beeped, causing you to hiss softly as you looked down on your watch - you had to go now.
 

This really was... a Cinderella night for you.

 

"What's wrong?" He frowned when he could see your disheartened look. You gently brushed his hands off with a sigh. "I-I'm sorry, Kai. But I have to go."

 

He held onto your hand, "Wait, what?"

"I'm sorry." You shook it off and lifted your dress up, turning on your heels to hurriedly run - away from the ending of the night that could scar you for your life. It had your heart beating so fast that you didn't want to face it. You'd rather let the night end this way, where he didn't know who you were - where he didn't know your identity and you could actually feel like he liked you for who you are.

 

His hand remained like that where you had let go of it - he was debating really fast right now. Watching your figure disappear slowly, he felt this tug in his heart - he cannot let this chance slip away. He had reacted quick to chase after you as you made your way out of the gate.

 

Just as you reached out the gate where you'd need to walk towards the doors across the gate, your felt a tug on your wrist, spinning you back around where you gasped when he had appeared before you - panting just as much as you were as he held you in place. "Don't leave," He breathed out, clutching onto your shoulders where you tried to squrim out of his grip but he held you in place, "Please." He pleaded and you gulped, shaking your head.

 

"N-No, you can't." It was your turn to respond but he ignored your words, his hands framing your cheeks where you frowned at him as he stared into your eyes. He wanted to just rip the mask off right now, because his was gone already when he was chasing after you.
 

"If you are who I think you are," He sounded serious, he sounded so needy as his fingers inched up to your mask, "I need to do something."

 

You gulped and hesitated to move but you stayed put nevertheless, allowing him to remove your mask where he was greeted with your stunning eyes that were hidden from his view the whole time.

 

And for the umpteenth time of the night with you, he had his heart skipping his beat when he was right.
 

It was... you.

 

He let your mask slip from his hands when he framed your cheeks again - without the mask this time.

 

What was this foreign feeling?

 

It felt so magical, it felt like the time had stood still as he dipped down to brush his supple lips against yours as he whispered the two words you'd never thought you'd hear,

 

"You're her."

 

And by her, he was referring to the girl who was his Math tutor.

 

The girl who was his shy, cute science lab partner.

 

The girl who was quiet in front of him but whenever he sneaked up just to peek on her with her friends, he could see how fun she really is.

 

The girl... who stole his heart.

 

"W-Who?" You croaked out confusedly, causing him to press his forehead against yours as he took the time to explain when all he wanted to do was just crash his lips against yours, "Remember that girl that I told you about earlier tonight? The one that got me going crazy, the one that made me lose nights of sleep just thinking about her, the one that got me wrapped around her finger, the one making me lose my confidence in an instant whenever I'm around her?"

 

You bit your lower lip but nodded slowly - it felt insane just thinking this was reality.

It couldn't be.

Could it?
 

"You're that girl."

And that very night had ended with a bad scolding from your parents for sneaking out of the house, two friends (Tao and Xiumin) teasing you and panicking with you on the way home along with the start of a very special relationship.

With a very special guy.