“Wait here,” said a white suited guard.

Taeyeon just hummed, feigning being not interested much in his words. In reality, she was intrigued. Why had a member of the Council summoned her? She thought that when the party finished, she would be erased from the minds of people, as she would become yesterday’s talk and new gossip would commence. She was that forgettable.

However, she had an inkling of why she was there. Even though she had no mentor, for no one had ever won the games in her district, she had someone who tried to help her navigate through the vanity-filled world that would become her world when the Victory Tour started. ‘Taeyeon, things do not end after the Victory Tour. Your role from now will be to be a puppet for the Capitol. You’ll be obligated to everyone’s shoes, do whatever they propose you, and be an example of how the Capital can and will control the population as they please.’ ‘And if I don’t comply?’ ‘I think you know the answer very well.’

She shivered involuntarily. Through all the games and ordeal of the tour, she had put a strong façade, but in reality she felt scared. She was scared for Auntie, Sunny, and for everyone at the black market. She really didn’t want to stay in this place so filled with banality and empty pleasures. But as much as it disgusted her, she had to do it and be strong, for Auntie, for Sunny.

The door opened and she put her mask again, hiding her fear and insecurity.

“Good evening, Miss Kim,” said an old, but handsome man. He wasn’t well built or very tall, but he had an imposing aura around him.

“Good evening, Lord Hwang,” she said as she bowed deeply, trying to be as respectful as she could. She knew that people in high positions tended to like that treatment. It seemed that the man was pleased by the small tugs the corner of his lips made.

“Please take a seat,” he said as he gestured the ridiculously big sofas. Taeyeon sat in the middle of one of the sofas carefully and Lord Hwang did the same.

“Would you like some tea?” he asked softly, surprising Taeyeon. The man didn’t want to lose with anything, for he barely let her sit before asking her a question.

“Yes, please, that would be lovely.”

Lord Hwang summoned a maid and asked for the tea and, in a few instants, a cup of warm tea was in her hands. She wasn’t all that thirsty, but the aroma was something she had never smelled before in a tea and felt compelled to drink it. For a little while they took little sips of the tea as Taeyeon asked herself what she should do.

“Go ahead, ask.”

“Huh?” Lord Hwang chuckled.

“I take it that you are curious about why I called you here, so I’m giving you the permission to ask.”

“Would you answer now if I asked?” Taeyeon asked carefully, not wanting to incur in the wrath of the older man.

“You’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

“Okay, then, why am I here?” Taeyeon asked and Lord Hwang gave another chuckle.

“What do you think of yourself, Miss Kim?”

“E-excuse me?” said Taeyeon, thinking that she hadn’t heard well.

“What do you think of yourself, Miss Kim?” Lord Hwang repeated the question with patience. What’s that question supposed to mean? Taeyeon thought of it for a while, feeling her indifferent façade falling, and decided to follow her mentor’s recommendation.

“Oh, um… well, I think I’m a poor girl who has received so much…”

“I asked for your real opinion, Miss Kim,” Lord Hwang said, still calmly, but with subtle undertones of sternness.

“Oh, um, erm…” Taeyeon hemmed and hawed, not really knowing what to say. She didn’t expect Lord Hwang to really care about her thoughts.

“Do you have family you’re trying to protect?” Taeyeon gave a sharp intake of breath. What is he trying to do? Does he want to hurt them?

“I take that you do,” he said as the same maid appeared and took the cups from Lord Hwang’s and Taeyeon’s hands.

“What do you want from me?” she asked, more somberly.

Immutable, Lord Hwang said: “I have a proposition for you.”