Taeyeon sighed as she left the framed photo on the desk in front of her. After the carnival day, she hadn't been able to stop thinking in Junsu's words, and reading what he had given her the next day didn't help at all. What intrigued her the most was the unknown reason that her heart had for getting disturbed by thinking in these posibilities of an outside world. She couldn't say confidently that she hadn't thought about it in a given moment of her life, but she had always left it at the back of her mind when an uncomfortable feeling threatened to envelop her. She opened Junsu's letter, and after reading a few lines she felt a little dizzy.

Thank heavens Hwang didn't require her presence in the week, since she had the opportunity to drown in her own thoughts, for good or for worse. She was more than happy to have time for herself, even if she drowned in not so happy thoughts and feelings. Yet, she still had a bit of curiosity about the heiress who would usually stick to her like a koala. A cute koala.

Cute? What is it with me and calling her cute?

She shook her head for a moment to make the image disappear and stood up to get to her closet. She opened only one door and slipped through the opening, her eyes set on the area specifically made for multiple desginer dresses. Having always lived in a humble district, to say the least, she was used to always using simple clothing. A pair of jeans with miner boots and a white shirt whose white color had already been washed by dirt and mud. It was still hard to imagine going around in something she felt uncomfortable with, but she had no choice. Just today, she had a meeting with an important person to discuss something the latter didn't care to specifiy.

Catherine Seo.

Honestly, Taeyeon knew little of Catherine Seo aside being a popular entity in the Capitol. She had never been interested in investigating the residents of this putrid place and she wouldn't start now.

She took off her green-colored blouse and threw it at an unknown place, telling herself that she would put it in the bin destined for dirty clothing as soon as she came back. She repeated the process with the wrinkled pants, leaving her body in undergarments and her strange indelible scar at the mercy of her own scrutiny.

When a messenger suddenly rang her bell with a message from Miss Seo, Taeyeon was surprised. While she was the main attraction until the next games, she didn't expect anyone striving to meet with a cold isolated person that wasn't exactly social like people here.

She took the garment of her choice and dressed slowly, avoiding the scar in her abdomen, created in a memory she didn't have. She inserted her feet in the blue high heels that more or less blended with her dress and left the closet. She looked at her dressing table, but shook her head. She didn't know how to apply that horrendous thing called makeup and she knew that if she tried she would look worse. She shrugged. Catherine would most likely understand. Or not.

-----

When she reached the table that was at the most secluded part of the restaurant, she noticed that two women were already there, one of which would be Catherine Seo. Discomfort stabbed her belly when she thought that she hadn't been informed about the extra person, but she was already there. She couldn't leave.

"Good evening," Taeyeon said with a calm voice and a respectful bow. The raven-haired woman raised from the velvety chair and extended her hand towards Taeyeon. The latter felt rather stupid when she remembered that bowing was not a Capitol custom. She took the woman's hand and shook it firmly.

"Good evening, Taeyeon Kim. I'm sure you already know who I am," answered the poised and somewhat mysterious woman.

"With all due respect, no, I don't know who you are." The woman laughed softly and sat, indicating that Taeyeon should do the same.

"I'm surprised that someone who had been here for more than three months doesn't even know who am I. But it's not important. My name is Catherine Seo, official event planner of the Capitol." Taeyeon nodded slowly, processing the information for later purposes.

"And this is Roxanne Im, from District 2." The said redhead looked at Taeyeon, but said nothing. Taeyeon didn't see the need to greet someone who didn't mind greeting her as well, so she nodded once again. She prefered being seen as rude than to be ridiculed.

"So, Miss Seo..."

"Call me Catherine. We aren't very formal around here." Taeyeon wanted to contradict her, reminded of encounters with other officials, especially with Lord Hwang. Formality was always necessary with important people such as the person in front of her.

"Well then, Catherine, could I be informed of why have I received such nice invitation?" Catherine laughed softly again, making Taeyeon frown.

"Is your tone always so sarcastic, Taeyeon Kim?"

"I wouldn't say sarcastic, only calm," responded Taeyeon without changing her tone.

"Oh, I wouldn't consider that to be calm at all," she said amused, but didn't add more.

"Unnie, are we going to eat?" said the mortified redhead.

"Of course. If you don't mind, let's order before talking about important affairs."

"Yes, yes, of course," answered Taeyeon, wishing not to nod all the time. Catherine called the waiter, who took their orders and left.

"What are your impressions of the Capitol thus far?"

"Well... it's ok. There's not a lot to say."

"I suppose you haven't been to a cream party yet."

"No. I don't leave my house for the most part."

"Mhm, by looking at your appearance anyone would guess it."

"What's wrong with my appearance?"

"Nothing, it's just that you don't look like someone who lives in the Capitol. You should..."

"Be more frivolous?"

"Free yourself a little more." Catherine took a sip from the wine cup the waiter had served before Taeyeon arrived. "So," said Catherine without changing her tone, "there was something to discuss."

"I guess."

"Very well. I want to ask something of you."

"What do you need...?

"I need you to train Roxanne."

"What for?" Taeyeon asked, surprised by the request in more ways than one.

"For the Games."

"But... isn't that prohibited?" The redhead snorted, irritating Taeyeon, and Catherine's smile grew, becoming almost mocking.

"You could say that rules change a bit for people like us." The raven-haired woman put her hands on the table and joined them. "I don't know what type of payment you expect..."

"Who says I expect payment?" answered Taeyeon with a barely heard growl. She was angry at the night's events, especially when they were planning in breaking the rules, disfavoring people that lived in districts like hers. Even then, she couldn't do anything. If she made any kind of mistake, it would detrimental for her in the future.

"So our victor is a kind soul," said Catherine, apparently conscious of Taeyeon's reaction. "Excelent." Her smile reached her eyes more, but not quite to make it seem like a genuine one.

"Then--Ah, our food is here." Taeyeon looked at the plates that the waiter served and grimaced a bit. Capitol's portions were huge, and she wasn't sure that she would ever be able to get used to it. She gave a glance to Catherine.

"Go on. Eat first. Is common courtesy that the guests eats first." She took a bite without taking her eyes off the pair, knowing that such rule of ettiquete didn't exist.

"How's the food, Taeyeon Kim?

"It's delicious." Actually, she hadn't payed much attention to the flavor.

"It's always a joy to know that people enjoy my restaurant's food."

"Is this place yours?" asked Taeyeon, looking everywhere, trying to notice more details of the place she was in.

"Yes. In fact--" A beep resounded in the empty restaurant. Im took a device Taeyeon identified as a communicator.

"Yes?" The redhead said, and for the first time Taeyeon heard her voice clearly. It was quite femenine and composed, but at the same time retained some sort of roughness that reminded her of the vendors at the market she used to live close to.

"Where are you?" a masculine voice asked.

"I'm at a meeting. What do you want?"

"I need you to come. Now"

"Couldn't I go later? You know, when I finish what I'm doing."

"Now." Im sighed and hanged up. Catherine looked at her and, after a feat, signaled for her to leave. The latter gave another glance at Taeyeon before leaving.

"I'm sorry. Roxanne has another events to go to," apologized Catherine without a hint of repentance and cleaned with the silk napkin.

"It's okay," answered Taeyeon. Catherine didn't try to finish her dead sentence, her discontent being more noticeable by the second.

All in all, it was a strange meeting, from which Taeyeon didn't get anything except another stupid obligation that would keep her from tranquility. What other options did she have? She was a guest, a stranger whom others had expectations of fake smiles and gratefulness towards people that let others live in misery. They wanted her to cushion their fall by falling first and Taeyeon knew. She would never be a part of this kind of world. A world full of luxury. A world full of happiness that in other cases it would be fleeting if not for the unending material possessions here. A world in which a heiress expected her to be her lover.

--------

Again, thank you so much for reading, commenting, and subscribing to this story. I know this story is not the best, but I hope you like it. Don't forget to leave feedback! Feedback keeps me (and many fanfic writers) alive. Keep supporting our girls as they continue slaying!

BigDinosaur