16

Prom Night at was initially not a prom at all. It was an annual tradition in Myungyeon High School. The legend goes that once, on an illuminated night that smelt of spring, music was twirling gently in the cool air. This occurrence repeated every year, on the same night where the moon was radiating with vivacious splendor. People started coming, beguiled by the music’s fathomless depth and comforting warmth. They knew that four hands were playing on the piano and the music flowed fondly, like lovers cooing in the night.

The people had tried arduously to find the source of the music but despite their earnest effort, they had failed each and every year. They could never trace the source of the music that was b with the warmth of love. The place was close to the clock tower. And some thought that it came from the fountain which glittered under the moonlight.

Each year, the people gathered and danced to the music laughed along with each other and clung to their partners’ shoulders. Romance sparked in the night and jubilation emanated from the area.  But one day, the music stopped. This swept the people by confusion but they came every year, spent gruesome hours under the moonlight and waited for the music that will never come.

Rumor has it that the lovers who played the piano every year had lost their love and their bliss had turned into sorrow. Five years after the music stopped, the people that gathered started making their own music and danced to their own beats. Gradually, “The Night of Music” became “Prom Night” because that was the closest thing the students could relate to at that time. Now, few knew about the story behind the Promenade.

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A thin line of yellow stretched along the horizon, colored with smudges of grey. The sun had slowly crept its way towards the west, disappearing beneath the rooftops. The navy sky had never seemed so obscure, with only a single star that had managed to strike the deep sky with its feeble light.

The light that seeped into the room was thin and flimsy, shadowing the room in solid grayness. The open window beckoned in as little to no light, making Jiyeon’s reflection in the mirror more ethereal than ever before.

She was draped in a flowy dress of a deep, midnight purple that cascaded to her knee in soft waves. Glitter was splattered on the dress, scattered like little stars against the twilight sky. The gentle material clung on Jiyeon like air, caressing her skin softly when she moved. The deep color complemented her delicately fair skin and enhanced the dark enigma of her eyes. Her hair was loose, falling down her shoulder in subtle curls.

Jiyeon gleamed with a suppressed smile as she made eye contact with her mother through the mirror. She was standing behind Jiyeon with her arms crossed and her expression mild. Her posture was somewhat relieved to have found a suitable dress. Eunjung was there too, admiring the beauty from the shadows. Then, Mrs. Park stirred from her fantasies and swiftly ushered Jiyeon out of the room.

“You are so late. Whatever possessed you to sleep at six in the afternoon?”

Jiyeon pouted before being hurriedly rushed downstairs. Truth to be told, she had not chosen to sleep so late into the afternoon, she was just so worn out from the day’s activities that she accidently fell asleep while unyieldingly figuring out what to wear that evening.

“Wait,” Eunjung suddenly said, causing them both to stop before they could even reach the bottom of the landing. Jiyeon and her mom turned to face the girl, anticipating what she had to say.

Eunjung’s face scrunched up as though trying to solve a very complicated riddle, her finger thoughtfully tapping her rounded chin.

“Who is picking her up?” It took some moments before the question finally tumbled out of her pursed lips as her legs started laying out careful steps.

Mrs. Park stopped when she reached the bottom of the steps and turned to Jiyeon. Eunjung’s spoken thought had managed to spark some fresh waves of worry in her.

“That’s true…” her voice trailed away, contemplating Eunjung’s words, “who is picking you up?”

JIyeon lifted her shoulder, hiding a small smile. Mrs. Park though, did not find this news very amusing.

“What? You don’t know who is picking you up?!” her voice was strained with urgency. And her panic was definitely unnecessary.

Jiyeon shook her head, nope.

“You could have told me earlier so that I could have told your father about it and make some fitting arrangements to get you there safely. How could a young woman walk all by herself at this time of the night? Gosh Jiyeon!”

And when Jiyeon thought that finally her mother had stopped bombarding her with her exaggerated worries, she continued rattling on. Under normal circumstances she would have gone to her mother and attempt to soothe and calm her down, but today she had only seen her mother’s panicky state as a good way to distract her of what she was going to do. Her allusive smile spread further as she went out the door to slip on her shoes. Mrs. Park eyes widened when she saw what Jiyeon was attempting to do.

“No, Jiyeon. You are not wearing these to prom.”

Mrs. Park’s voice was shaky as snatched the pair of sneakers from Jiyeon’s fingers. Her cool composure had long abandoned her.

“You are really ignorant, aren’t you?” Eunjung who was silent since just now remarked as she brought a pair of heels that matched her dress.

Knowing that she was helpless in going against her friend and her mother, Jiyeon grudgingly slipped the heels on.

“You’re not even bringing a purse!” Jiyeon could hear her friend’s voice from somewhere inside the house before her head peeked out of the threshold.

Eunjung presented her with a purse that Jiyeon swore upon her life that whoever sees it could turn blind just by the amount of glitter that was sprinkled on it. As if the glitter was not enough, the designer had decided to put more ‘blings’ than normal. And by that, she really meant it. Jiyeon honestly thought that the thing could reflect enough light to brighten up the whole hall. Oh no, it was definitely a no. No way was going to school with that purse! Before Eunjung could even walk another step, Jiyeon took off. She did not know how she had managed to run in those heels, but she did.

“JIYEON!” She could vividly her mother’s infuriated scream booming through the silence of the night as she ran.

The night was a warm one. Clouds draped the sky, the threat of rain blotched all over the heavy clouds. Jiyeon felt the wind rush through her ears as she ran (rather awkwardly) in those heels. A superior feeling fluttered in her and before long, it rippled into felicity.

She spun her head around, looking back at her home that was lit by a merry orange light. She imagined her mother, red and fuming with anger, ordering Eunjung to chase after her. This awareness compelled her to run faster. Her strength boosted as her legs stretched further and she turned forward with a smile outlining her lips.

But just as she was about to run further, she knocked herself right onto a man. It took her a moment to notice that she was somewhat hugging him. He was a lean man of a decent height. If it was at any other circumstances, she would have found his built quite attractive. But this was an exception. Awkwardness was rising from the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes and cursed herself for her carelessness. Someone save her, please.

“Do you like me so much?”

The question tumbled out of his mouth so breezily; so carelessly that she felt a sudden surge of blood rushed up her face. Jiyeon extricated herself from the hug, her cheeks coloring.  She presented the man a thousand bows of apology without ever looking up at him.  She bit her lip, hoping that the bows were enough, before advancing forward, still somewhat embarrassed. She had no sufficient practice walking in these pair of shoes so she was sure she looked horrendous right now. Jiyeon strode on, aware that the person’s gaze was following her. And it made her feel more conscious than ever.

“Hey, your heels…” The man started.

What? What was wrong with her heels? Did it break? Was that why she was having difficulties walking? Alarmed, Jiyeon looked down to her feet. She lifted her right foot to examine the shoe. It was fine. She raised her left one. Nothing was wrong with that one either. So why did he…?

“I like them.”

Jiyeon inhaled sharply. His statement had managed to wash away all those awkwardness she had felt earlier and replaced it with something else entirely.  This man was unbelievable. He had humiliated her by appearing in front of her out of nowhere, made her panic for nothing, and now, he was attempting to flirt with her? Jiyeon turned around, contemplating to give him a punch right on his pretty little nose or a good slap on his flawless cheek.

But as soon as she faced him, she stopped abruptly. There stood in front of her grinning was none other than Kim Myungsoo. She was too consumed by her own embarrassment moments ago that it did not occur to her at all that the deep voice was somewhat familiar.

Jiyeon stared at the man with no visible reaction on her face. She did not know what to feel. Should she be thankful to him for saving her from an undeniable humiliation in front of a stranger or mad at him for putting her through all those things he did a while ago?

Biting her lips, Jiyeon narrowed her eyes at him, trying her best to intimidate him. But to her surprise (and chagrin), Myungsoo laughed: a sound that radiated with playfulness. The laughter fell out of his mouth and it took all she could not to fall along with the joyful sound.

Jiyeon flicked a glance at him and started walking, feigning annoyance that her attempt to threaten him had failed miserably.

His smiles still kempt on his lips, he said, “Hey, wait up!”

Jiyeon heard Myungsoo’s steps rang every time it touched the ground as he ran to catch up with her. And before long, it fell in rhythm with hers, acting as guide through the eerie stillness of the night. They were draped in a silence so paradoxically comfortable. Accompanied by the warmth that penetrated through even the deepest of their hearts, they both immersed themselves in their endless thoughts.

As if defying the laws of the world, the streets were thickening with people as the skies turned deeper. The streets were lit with an array of colorful lights; spots of orange, pink and red decorated the shops, enthusiastically beckoned the customers. Orange light flooded the pathway, illuminating it in loftiness that even the moon could not overcome.

The clouds were being whisked away by the zealous south east winds. The clouds dissipated, revealing the moon that glinted silver in the ebony sky.

“Jiyeon-ah.” Myungsoo suddenly called out, breaking her train of thoughts. His tone was neither firm nor soft, yet it was light with a little hint of humor.

Jiyeon turned at the mention of her name, her brows arched; her looks questioning, but Myungsoo did not turn to face her. He kept walking on, calling her name yet again with his senseless voice, “Jiyeon-ah.”

By now Myungsoo could well imagine Jiyeon’s furrowed brows as she tried to identify his reason for calling and he could not help a smile from inching up his lips as he pictured her face. Jiyeon waited patiently for him to continue. But he let the silence hung in the air and they both continued walking. Missing the sound of her name on his tongue, he called her again moments later, “Jiyeon-ah,” but still, he did not continue.

 Jiyeon halted, obviously unsatisfied with his actions. She crossed her arms to show her unhappiness and watched as he sauntered on lazily. When Jiyeon thought that he was seriously leaving her behind, Myungsoo stopped and faced her, flashing his lopsided smile that gave everything away. Jiyeon rolled her eyes, frowning at the unnecessary alarm that his calls had caused her. He was doing it out of boredom.

Unconsciously, an easy silence crept between them as they walked through the night’s dimness. Jiyeon kept glancing at Myungsoo, all the while trying to suppress the tumultuous feeling inside of her. As if sensing her constant scrutiny, he turned every time and never failed to miss her cheeks color every time he caught her gaze.

Somewhere along their long walk, Jiyeon stopped abruptly. Fatigue seemed to scream through her veins and her knees felt like they were buckling under her. She glanced at her watch. She distinctively remembered that it had been thirty minutes since they started walking. She heaved sharply.

Tired?  It was Myungsoo. He had stopped and was standing directly in front of her.

When are we going to—Jiyeon paused. Why was she replying Myungsoo through sign language? It took a while for everything to process in her exhausted brain and when everything fell in place, she gasped. Myungsoo was using sign language.

Stupefied, she gaped at Myungsoo. A thousand questions ran in her head but astonishment kept her hands frozen. They hung motionless by her side, too dumbfounded to reply.

“Let’s go, I think we’re late.” He said; his voice overlapped with light humor as he fervently tried to change the topic.

When he turned his heels and began walking again, Jiyeon finally snapped out from her daze. She pulled Myungsoo’s sleeve. Myungsoo spun.

When did you learn it? She signed.

A smile graced Myungsoo’s lips and it revealed nothing. The fact that he had learnt sign language for her was still a secret hidden under his façade. Jiyeon twitched her nose, unappeased that he remained wordless. But when he started walking again, she was dragged along, since her fingers were still twined with his sleeve. Jiyeon unclamped her grip from the fabric, she signed.

Where are we going?

“To prom.”

The way he answered made it seemed that Jiyeon had asked the stupidest question ever.

I mean, where’s the car?

“What car?”

Your car.

“I told the guy to send it back home.” Myungsoo said, referring to his chauffer.

Jiyeon stopped and look at Myungsoo’s casual back, incredulous. Myungsoo turned to face her. Seeing her disbelief, his eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

Are you saying that we are walking to school?

“Why not?”

In that case, we will reach school by tomorrow.

Jiyeon doubted that Myungsoo even had any sense of time. They were already unbelievably late for prom and how could he even think of walking to school?

Myungsoo on the other hand, was already distracted by something else. His eyes were fixed on the ice cream shop nearby.

“Hey, do you want to grab an—“

Jiyeon stopped him. Sure, the vanilla with the luscious strawberry syrup looked tempting but there was no time. She pulled him to the edge of the road and since luck was on their side—more or less—a cab appeared and Jiyeon hailed it. Myungsoo slipped into the car after Jiyeon. The driver turned, inquiring their destination. Reverting to his senses, Myungsoo said, “Kyurim High.”

The car whirled into motion and they were finally on their way to the prom. It was soundless throughout the journey, except for the whirring of the engine and the occasional screeching of the tires. They both had their eyes fixed on the windows, watching the small yellow lights blur into a line as they tore across the road. Anyone who saw them would infer that they were estranged; hostile. But they could not be more comfortable with each other in this silence. They could sit together wordlessly, oblivious of the time that elapsed and part ways, thinking that they just had the best conversation in their life. 

The car stopped directly in front of the school. If in the day, this place boasted of its unceasing grandeur, at night, it just looked ominously dull. But tonight, and specifically tonight, a banner was draped across the building. Painted over it were the huge words ‘The Night of Music’ and in smaller font ‘Please proceed to the blue fountain’. The person who organized this—the prefect of course—must have tried in vain to re-live the legend.

The driver turned again and stated the price. Jiyeon grinned sheepishly towards Myungsoo and signed that she would be waiting outside. She opened the door and slipped out, leaving the confused Myungsoo in the car. Myungsoo was caught off guard. He was utterly unknowledgeable about all these things and how was he supposed to know how much he had to pay for this ride?

Myungsoo dug his pockets and nearly collapsed in relief when he found wallet neatly tucked in one of them. He took it out, fished out a note and gave it to the driver. He was supposed to wait for his change, but seeing Jiyeon already abandoning him in this web of deceit (and confusion), he left the cab. In a flurry, the driver turned and wind down his window.

“Your change!” He called to where Myungsoo and Jiyeon stood, waving a few notes at them. Myungsoo waved him off, signaling him to keep the change. The driver could not hide his shock. What not? That amount was what he received in a day and now, someone was giving it away just like that?

There was a moment of hesitance before he finally pulled away. Jiyeon and Myungsoo proceeded to the venue, brushing off the fact that they were so, very late. It was probably reaching the end of the event. They took the back route from there to the clock tower and when they finally stepped out, they could hear soft music flowing in the night.

Upon reaching the clock tower, Jiyeon stopped and so did Myungsoo. The actual event was going on just on the other side of the clock tower, but they did not show any sign that they were going to proceed. And instead Myungsoo smiled at Jiyeon and took a seat on the ground, leaning against the wall. Jiyeon followed, filling the vacant space beside him. They both leaned into the solace of their silence and listened to the song that melted into the night air. Somehow, deep down in their hearts, they understood that they each had not come because of the prom. And the fact had managed to carve genuine smiles on their lips.

After another song ended, the host took charge of the microphone and an anticipating silence hung in the air.  It was the event they were waiting for: the highlight of the night where two people will be throned with the title ‘King’ and ‘Queen’. Kyurim High had long abandoned the voting system to issue the King or Queen. They replaced the system with a lucky draw, so everyone had an equal chance to win the title. All names of the students in the school will be printed in a small piece of paper and folded away into a box. The host will then pick a paper from the box and whoever’s name was written on the paper will granted the title King or Queen.   There were two boxes, one for the guys and the other for the girls.

Jiyeon craned her neck to get a glimpse of what was happening on stage but she soon gave up after her attempts were proven to be futile. Sighing, she leaned back onto the cold, solid wall. It had seemed as if everyone had held their breath in and only the sound of trickling water flowed was heard. Jiyeon could very well imagine the host spinning the transparent box and opening the lid after a few turns. Her hands would then dig into the box containing papers and once she picked one, she would purposely let the suspense gnaw on the audience before excitedly displaying it to the crowd.

 There was a literal hush as everyone waited for the name to be called.

Myungsoo stood up abruptly.

“I have to go.”

Jiyeon smirked. Why? You know that you’re winning already?

Myungsoo shrugged. Why not?

He walked on and before turning around the corner, he spun towards Jiyeon and gave her that elusive smile. He turned and continued his stride before his figure disappeared around the corner.

Jiyeon could hear the crumpling of paper as the host opened the folded sheet. The announcer let out a short squeal as her eyes scanned the name, making the audience lean forward, their faces aloof with curiosity. She brought the microphone to her lips and announced who the person who will be named ‘King’ for the night was.

“Kim Myungsoo!” She called, excitement bleeding through her voice.

Jiyeon scoffed at his name.

The crowd roared, recognizing the name instantly. The cheers seemed to go on forever. But only when they cease, Kim Myungsoo was seen, lazily stepping onto the stage. He had seen everything. How the announcer's face fell when she unfolded the paper. She had disguised her disappointment with a short squeal but had failed to mask the strain in her voice as she said his name. She had crumpled the little piece of paper and dropped it on the floor while everyone else was cheering. It was so obvious that she was lying. He was not the one that was ought to be called.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your King for the night!"

Her exceedingly enthusiastic voice flooded into his ears, breaking his train of thoughts. Catching something in the periphery of his view he bent down to pick it up. In a swift movement, he scooped up the crumpled piece of paper that she dropped earlier. It would be interesting to know who the real king was.

As he rose, the crowd went berserk. They had misinterpreted his actions as a graceful bow. While this insanity was going on, the host beckoned him to choose a paper from the box.

"Well, Mr. Kim. Let us see who the Queen of your heart is."

Another unofficial tradition of Kyurim High is that the announcement of the King and Queen is viewed as a matchmaking session more than anything else. This started when some of the pairs of 'royalty' had officially started dating each other.

The announcer’s words had an impact on the audience. They were silent when Myungsoo started spinning the box. They waited in the tormented stillness as Myungsoo opened the lid and picked a paper. He ignored the faces in front of him that were agog with sheer curiosity and let the silence stretch on for those gruesome seconds.

When he finally looked up from the paper, all of them held their breath. When he slowly brought the microphone to his lips, someone wailed. But the 'lucky' girl was unfortunate after all. Since the announcer herself had deceived them all, so would he.

"Park Jiyeon."

When his deep voice fill the area, many of them exhaled in disappointment, groaning out loud at the disheartening news that they were not chosen. No one cheered and Jiyeon did not appear.

"Park Jiyeon." The announcer's voice choked as she said her name, "Please come up the stage."

The audience was hushed as Jiyeon crept up the stage. There were despicable murmurs but Jiyeon walked on, rolling her eyes at Myungsoo. When she reached his side, he leaned in and whispered, “Hi.”

“Well,” the announcer whom Jiyeon recognized as Yemie (one of Choi Yeseul’s gang mates), broke in, intercepting their small conversation. It was obvious that she was trying to rush things, making this end as soon as possible.

“Kim Myungsoo and Park Jiyeon. Please make a short speech.”

She gave Jiyeon the sweetest smile, laced with jeering venom. Jiyeon turned, flustered at this interjection. She did not know whether to receive or reject the microphone that Yemie was shoving into her face. But what would she say into the microphone if she took it?

The crowd was getting restless with every second. Jiyeon could feel the heat rushing to her face and she bit her lips. Yemie was cleverer than she ever thought. Her thoughts swerved back to Myungsoo. She looked at the man standing next to her. His face was set, masked in that usual ‘mask of steel’. He was acting like nothing was happening at all and Jiyeon did not know whether to feel thankful or enraged at his nonchalance. But his calmness seeped into her and her alarm gradually faded away.

Myungsoo looked at her and his expression softened. Then, his gaze fell on the microphone that the host was trying to hand to them. He managed to smile at Jiyeon before nonchalantly striding out of the stage, pulling Jiyeon along.

The crowd cleaved cleanly as Myungsoo walked past and for the next few seconds, Jiyeon put on a deaf ear and a blind eye on the audience’s reaction. She kept her head down as Myungsoo guided her, thankful that his grip was firm on her wrist. She focused on Myungsoo’s footfalls and did her best to disregard whatever insanity that was unfurling around them. Then, finally, they turned around the corner and relief washed over her once they were no longer in the line of view of those people.

It was deadly silent on the other side. Then, the music started playing again, shattering the stillness that hung in the air. Myungsoo and Jiyeon laughed. The notes that the musicians played faltered and the hesitance between them was apparent. Myungsoo found the alcove of the wall of the clock tower and faced Jiyeon.

“Shall we?”

Jiyeon nodded and they both stepped in the cavity of the clock tower, letting the comfortable darkness enfold around them.

The musicians stopped playing when a different song sounded into the air. Smooth notes flowed into the night flowing gracefully and caressed their ears. It resonated in the darkness, increasing with intensity at every turn, and then gracefully descending, as if they were lovers cooing to each other. The notes themselves sung and weaved their stories, heightened with overwhelming emotions. 

The prefect stopped in her tracks, the sudden music that fluttered had caught her off guard. It was just like the legend. Her shock had caused her to loosen her grip on the papers she was holding and they escaped her grip, flying with the night breeze.

Realizing that the papers were slipping away and dancing freely in the breath of the humid night, she hastily caught them and her gaze automatically fell on the last paper that was picked up. Voiceless Cries. The notes matched the fluttering song perfectly and at once she knew whose four hands were behind the beguiling sound that cascaded and embraced the magical night, b the listeners’ hearts with a kind of contentment and joy never felt before. The corner of her lips lifted subtly to reveal a ghost of a smile. She knew right then and felt proud that the once forgotten legend was relived under her guidance. 

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A/N:

I am so so so so so so so very very very very very very sorry. :( 

But hey, I wrote a chapter specially for you guys. And I love you guys so much for sticking with me like super glue(lol) and please don't forget me and my story. :)

Hope you enjoy and hope to see you guys soon!! Don't forget to comment and I WILL REPLY TO ALL OF THEM HEEEEE. :)

SUSCRIBE TOO!!

Thank you, *bows*

-Faith