I promised you I'll update as soon as all my subscribers have read chapter 14, so here it is, approx. 4 hours after!

15. The Masked Villains

Few hours later, the trio; Somin, Haera and Young Saeng stood in front of Conrad hotel, waiting in line in order to enter. It had turned dark pretty early, so it was difficult to make out who was from their university and who was not, but the two girls were looking forward to socializing once they’d be able to get in. Both had decided beforehand, that they needed to talk with others and make friends, so they could learn about people and have more acquaintances when they went to university. It could be kind of difficult to hang around East Coasters all the time, and having non-East Coasters as friends, would do only good in their lives. It’ll make them feel more normal……. More regular.

Somin was looking beautiful in her sleeveless dress, which had a pongee-made upper part and lacy neck and back, a see- through, that gave view of her smooth-looking skin. The neck-area was decorated with small pearls, whereas the lower half of the dress was made of black chiffon. She wore her hair in a cute and fluffy bow on her head, and had put on a swan-mask to perfect the look even more.

Haera’s look had required more work, especially her heavy, but dark makeup, which matched her grey and plain mask. Her dress, a mixture of red silk and black chiffon, was heavy too, and therefore very fluffy and attention- seeking. She didn’t seem to notice, but people were watching her with cruelty in eyes and evilness on their lips when she turned to fix her boyfriend’s hair. Amused eyebrows were raised when Young Saeng took off his mask and held it in his hand to give her more access in assisting his look.

Somin smiled sadly when she saw the two lovebirds laughing in front of her. She wished her boyfriend too could stand there beside her and be her date, but he had refused, so she could do nothing but try to enjoy the night without him. Although the couple was trying to include her in their weird conversations, she couldn’t help but feel lonely. I have to endure till Hyung Junie shows up, Somin thought and felt a little better after reminding herself that Hyung Jun would join them shortly.

She was almost tricked to think he had arrived when someone tapped her carefully on the shoulder. When she spun around, a man- in a vampire costume was smiling widely at her. She couldn’t help but think he had a pretty smile, since it was laced with straight, white teeth.

“Jung Jasmine right?” The guy asked, in a soft, honey-like voice. He didn’t know how he got the courage to bother the girl, but what mattered right now, was that he had finally approached her and was hoping they could engage in a little chit chat.

“Uhhmm…..Yeah…” Somin mumbled uncomfortably and shot her friends a short smile when they gave her a “who is this” kind of look.  She couldn’t give off anything, because she didn’t know who he was and how he knew her name. “Sorry, but do I know you…?”

The guy, feeling stupid, tore off his mask and bowed before preparing himself to reply. Before he could talk, she beat him to it.

“I remember you!” Somin exclaimed suddenly.

His smile lightened up his face. She remembers me!

“Haha, you do?” There was awkwardness in his tone, and he started worrying about how he could remove it and be comfortable with her instead.

“Of course I do!” Somin smiled back “We were partners for our first presentation last year.” How could she not recognize the smart guy who had approached her when she thought she was going to be without a partner for the assigned work? She couldn’t just forget him when he was the one to save her from feeling the embarrassment of not knowing anybody, since everybody else had already found their friends and fellows. Her roommate had been sick that day, and she hadn’t yet met Mira, so she had been dreadful and nervous up until he showed up. He was like a guardian angel the first day of her university-life!

She reached out her hand and smiled apologetically “But I don’t remember your name…..” Somin felt guilty for not remembering the name of such a nice guy, but he didn’t take it to his heart and grabbed her hand in his firm shake. “That’s fine, you remember me after all!”

He is still so nice! Not many handsome guys are so not-cocky, Somin applauded him in her mind.

“My name is Kang Ha Neul,”

Ah, that’s what his name was! “And I am Jung Jasmine or Somin, whichever.”

“I know” Haneul lets out a breathy laugh before letting her hand go, and she smiles embarrassed upon realizing how stupid she is for telling him her name when he obviously knows already. “You look beautiful.” He compliments- which makes her blush a deeper red.

Before she can thank him for his nice choice of words, Young Saeng- like the good friend he is, steps towards the unfamiliar guy with a blazing glare. He won’t tolerate another man hitting on his best friend’s girl! “Who are you?”

Somin feels the stiff air, and decides to introduce them, so Young Saeng won’t get the wrong impression. “This is Haneul guys, and these are Young Saeng and Haera.”

“Nice to meet you!” The unfamiliar says to the couple and sends them a fond smile and bow. He is happy when the two greet him politely back before turning around and moving forwards in the line.

“Who is he? He seemed a little scary” Haneul whispers in Somin’s ear, because Young Saeng’s glare didn’t go unnoticed by any of them. Haneul knows of Young Saeng’s popularity in the university, and is

 only wondering about what he is to Somin.

Somin laughs entertained and decides at that moment that Haneul is for sure friend-material. “He is my boyfriend’s friend,” She whispers back at him “And my friend’s boyfriend.”

“You have a boyfriend?”

Somin is taken back because of the sudden change in Haneul’s facial expression, which went from being happy, to a little……… upset, but ignores it and continues with a half-smile. “Y-yeah…”

Of course she has a boyfriend, the guy thinks to himself. She is so beautiful after all! He notices Somin’s flinch and fakes his happy face. “Sorry…… I was just surprised, I didn’t know.”

The girl is satisfied now that he seems fine again. “It’s fine, it’s not your fault.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, who is your boyfriend?” He presses further, because he feels a need to see who the boyfriend is and know whether he’ll get to spend time with Somin tonight or not. He has seen Somin hang out with several guys, but isn’t sure which one is the boyfriend, and he hopes it’s not some kind of possessive jerk who won’t let them spend time together and become friends. Oh boy, was he wrong…..

“I don’t mind, and his name is Hyun Joong.”

Haneul is totally familiar with that name. It lingers all over the university. The girls swoon over the mention of him. He can’t help but imagine Kim Hyun Joong as the bad guy in high school who takes the most pretty girls and knocks out a nerd, like the one he could have been. “Oh, is he here?” There goes his chance of making friends with Jung Jasmine.

“He’ll be here later.” She answers uncomfortably, the disagreement they had earlier was still somewhere in the back of her mind.

Haneul shifts his feet in dissatisfaction and starts mumbling under his breath. “And here I thought we could get to know each other better….”

“Are you here alone?”

“Yes.” He answers and moves forwards with her, soon it will be their turn to finally enter.

“Aren’t your friends coming?”  She asks out of pure curiosity, and doesn’t know that her question would put soreness on his tongue.

“I don’t have any friends in the university.” He replies truthfully and feels the embarrassment reach his face. What would she think of him now? A loner without friends, who is so desperately trying to make some?

“But I remember seeing you hang with a bunch of guys!” Somin doesn’t believe what he is saying! She clearly remembers him conversing with the whole class! And he even used to have “his group” of friends, who always waited for him outside the auditoriums.

Haneul sighed sadly. “I had three friends, but two of them dropped out and the other one transferred, and those people I talk with are only classmates, not friends.” He has no contact with them outside of university hours what so ever. They were not his kind of people, and time spent with them was forced and unsettling.

“Oh…… I didn’t know.” Somin exclaims bashfully, before a sudden smile breaks out on her face and she links his arm with her own. “But we are here now, and we can make friends together!”

“W-what?” The purpose of this ball is to get university students together, but it is difficult to make friends anyways. Most people come here with their “groups” and enjoy the night without showing an effort of making new buddies.

“Don’t worry,” She drags him along with herself “You are my friend, and my friends will be yours!”

Haneul’s heart flutters in a good way when she calls him her friend. Friend. He likes the sound of them being friends. She is beautiful, she is kind, and he is lucky to have her. But even luckier than him, is the bastard who really HAVES her, he groans inside his mind.

They were flabbergasted on how beautiful everything was arranged inside of the ball-room. The hall was dark and huge, and decorated with light balls in different neon colours, hanging from the ceiling. Long tables covered with drinks and pizza boxes were placed close to the walls of the hall and people, everyone dressed in either gowns or tuxedos were running back and forth. Some were leaving to the second floor through the royal-looking stairs, while other stood their grand and chatted amongst their own group of friends.

In front was a small stage, probably where the announcing was going to happen. They caught sight of some people fidgeting with the microphones, and the DJ sitting in one corner, too caught up in the system to notice anything else. The busyness put a smile on Somin’s face. She could tell this was going to be one hell of a good night, even if she didn’t get the chance to socialize with strangers or classmates! She was glad her boyfriend hadn’t managed to convince her, because this experience would sure set a good memory for the rest of her life. It would be like prom in high school, only better, without childish and cockish students.

Somin and Haneul decided to explore the area, and when they went to the second floor, they immediately understood what differed the two floors. Tables and chairs, decorated in white clothing were arranged on the second floor. It only had to mean one thing; If you were tired and wanted to sit and chat, you could walk up, but if you were in the mood to dance and participate in games, you had to go downstairs. In one word, the whole arrangement screamed PROFESSIONALISM.  

The two continued talking about different topics, and found out after a little while that they were compatible. Both were lame and silly and their humours matched one another’s. Their interests and opinions on life were also very similar, so one could almost say their personalities had clicked instantly- hadn’t it been for the small awkward silences pressing in some point of their conversations.

Screw making new friends, Somin decided, it didn’t matter anymore. She has good friends already, and now Haneul also, so she better enjoy the night with them instead of trying to talk to students who either didn’t like her or admired her too much because of her relationship with her boyfriend. Jealous es, she snorted when girls nearby ed her, and decided not to remove her mask for the entire night. It will do her good to not get recognized so easily.

“It’s wonderful!” Haera shrieked in excitement every now and then. This was a big and new experience for a girl from Busan. She earned chuckles from her boyfriend each time she clutched his arm and the duo of Somin and Haneul too couldn’t help but smile at her antics. She was so innocent; it could almost be dangerous if looked into.

The hall filled up to the point you couldn’t move two metres without bumping into another, and Hyung Jun, Kyu Jong and Jung Min arrived shortly, but their missing friend was nowhere to be seen. Somin tried standing on her toes several times, looking for him, but hadn’t spotted him yet. She sighed in disappointment when Hyung Jun spun her around.

“May I have a dance Bambi?” He offered her his hand, which she gladly took, but only after informing her friends that she was going, and making sure Haneul didn’t feel left alone.

“You look beautiful” Hyung Jun complimented when she placed her hands on his shoulders before he started swinging them in a slow motion.

“Thank you handsome.”

“I am glad you are aware of my handsomeness” He cockily replies and makes her roll her eyes. He is so full of himself!

“Your confidence could get you killed Junie.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks and tightens the grip he has around her waist, so their bodies get closer.

“Yeah, and you wouldn’t want to do this.” She bows her head, motioning for him to loosen his hold. There was a long time ago since he had flirted with her, but it looks like his player self is back again. Hyun Joong’s punch must have lost its effect.

“What? This?”

Somin is pulled even closer, her lips now small inches away from touching his adam apple. “Hyun Joong is so going to kill you.” She mutters under her breath, and actually fears for him. He’ll be dead meat in the matter of a minute if her boyfriend caught them in this position.

Hyung Jun laughs confidently, and the girl is about to kick his leg when he speaks. “Hyung is busy and in the time he comes here, I would have disappeared already.”

“Where is he?” She asks finally, unable to control her curiosity. Was he even here? He should be here since this is their marketing place right?

“He is somewhere on third floor.”

“What is he doing there?”

Hyung Jun spins her around, so that his hands are over the front of her shoulders, and her back is pressed to his chest. “Selling.”

Somin gasps audibly when she feels something hard poking her from behind. “A-are you carrying a gun?” She asks shakily.

“Yes.” He replies smugly in her ear and rocks their bodies side to side.

She panics, why is he carrying a gun?! They never carried guns to university, so why now?! “Why?”

“It’s necessary.”

Her heartbeat is raising. “What for?”

“In case some disagreements lead to difficult situations.”

She turns around forcefully and stops him from moving. “What kind of disagreements? And what if something happens to Hyun Joong, he is alone!” If it hadn’t been for the loud music, she would have had to perform in front of a huge and curious audience.

“Silly Bambi,” Hyung Jun flicked her forehead in great humour “He is not alone, we have co-workers you know.” The way he said it, as if they were legal employers, could have made her laugh, but not in this situation. “Disagreements about the prize of the stuff we trade can occur, so we have great men and power with us.”

“But why aren’t you or any of the other guys there with him?”

He starts moving them around again. “I and Jung Min have done our part already, and Young Saeng hyung has left to do his now, whereas Kyu Jong hyung is only for backup tonight.”

“What have you done?”

He grins proudly “I hacked the surveillance system before coming here.”

Somin gaped at him shocked. “Exactly how many of you are here?”

Hyung Jun seems to think hard before he replies. “About 10? 15?

“Wooow…….” She falls at ease, now that she knows there are plenty of them and the five are not alone.

After a while, they leave the dance floor. Hyung Jun walks up to the second floor along with Jung Min, after Jung Min has managed to send Somin a sharp look. Somin cringes under his gaze. She can’t seem to understand what his problem is and why he always is so impolite and mean to her. His sharp and intimidating glares bother her, but her boyfriend and this guy were great friends, so she didn’t complain or reveal his inappropriate behaviour to anyone besides from Haera and Mira, who noticed too. She knew their friendship would be threatened if she opened , and therefore endured everything silently.

When Somin went back, Haneul was not in sight, so she tapped Haera- who was standing with two other girls and asked her where he was. She told him he went to get some food and then grabbed her friend’s hand, to get her in the circle of girls.

Both unfamiliar girls were wearing black and short dresses. With their long legs, topped with heels- that Somin knows she has difficulty walking in, anyone would swoon over them. They were gorgeous, stunning to be fair. She couldn’t help but compare herself to them. While they were women, with seductive aura, she and Haera were only two girls…… little and……. Nothing but cute? If anyone would put them on a scale, the two unfamiliar women would be on top.

There was something mysterious and dangerous in their gazes and Somin felt intimidated for the second time this night when they looked at her sharply. Especially the one with chubby cheeks, smokey eye makeup that made her eyes appear smaller, and red lipstick, made her squirm in nervousness. She must be one of the most alluring women Somin has seen her entire life, and her bodily gestures are so controlled and calculated, Somin can’t help but admire her. Her face is royalty, and her body bewitching. In that instant Somin knows, if she was to be a male or homoual, she’d be hit by the beauty standing in front of her face.

“Unnies, meet my bestie,” Haera hugs Somin’s side affectionately “Jasmine, or Somin, whichever you prefer, and this,” She puts her hand out, gesturing to the two unfamiliar faces. “Is Yujen unnie and Maeri unnie!”

The girl's, known as Yujen, face hardens even more, whereas Maeri’s softens and she sends Somin a goofy smile before engulfing her in a tight embrace as if they’ve been friends for long. “Finally I meet you!”

Somin’s confusion is dissolved when Haera whispers in her ear that the two girls are their boys’ partners in crime. East Coasters…. No wonder something about them seemed so off and unnatural. “Nice to meet you,” She smiles to the two, mainly to Maeri.

Maeri pinches Somin’s cheeks “I didn’t know Hyun Joong oppa’s girlfriend is so cuuuuute!”

The girlfriend’s cheeks redden at the compliment and she bites her lip in awkwardness when her friend and Maeri laugh at her in union.

“I wonder why Oppa haven’t brought you to the warehouse even once! He wants to keep you to himself, so greedy!” She continues.

Ahh….. warehouse. That’s where Haera must have met these girls. Young Saeng didn’t live on his own, so whenever Haera was spending the night over, she would go to the warehouse, where Somin surprisingly never was allowed. She remembered asking her boyfriend why she couldn’t, and he had shrugged it off each time and said that the warehouse was not a place for her to be. Now she understood why he had kept her away. He didn’t want her to see his beautiful partners, whom he for sure spent a lot of time with. No denial, she felt sick to her stomach. He had been surrounded with Lord knows how many goddesses without her knowing. 

“You guys talk, I’ll just go touch up a little bit.” Haera announces and readies herself to leave when Somin grabs her arm. She feels nervous, and doesn’t want to be left alone with two strangers, one of them who looks like she is going to kill her.

“I’ll come with you.”

Her roommate shakes her head, not understanding the situation. “No! You talk with them and socialize like you wanted while I come back, arasso?”

Somin wanted to tell her she doesn’t want to socialize anymore, but her friend has already walked away.

“Haera has told us so much about you, and I must say her talks really were true!”

“Uhh…..” She