A/N: the attached song is the closest track to what I imagined for this dance! this video is the only one I found, so the dance in the video does not correlate with the choreo Jangmi made (though a few parts are similar to what I pictured). Hope you enjoy this chap!

40 | THE WINTER SHOWCASE

Trusting them was foolish.

I knew that's what Hoseok, Jimin, and Jungkook thought. I couldn't disagree. But so long as we were all together, the Hood would not out himself, and I needed to learn more about my power so I could stand a fighting chance against him. Besides, after hearing their side of things, I failed to see how any of them could be the beast who haunted me.

Taehyung helped more than anticipated. We spent the remaining days leading up to the showcase training together, in which he taught me how to summon the essence of light inside me. He showed me how to call it forth, how to guide it to do what I wanted but only to a certain extent.

"It has a will of its own," he explained one evening as the others watched, "so you can't count on controlling it, only keeping it within a certain boundary. You are a vessel—it doesn't belong to you. But the more you practice, the more it may resonate with you and bend to your will."

"How long does it usually take for that to happen?" I asked as Taehyung's hands encircled my wrists. He focused on my glowing palms, leading me to extend my fingers. The white light grew brighter, rays seeping through invisible cracks in my skin.

"Months. Sometimes years."

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. We knew the Hood would strike only a few days from now at the masquerade dance. I wouldn't be anywhere close to prepared.

Fear devoured more ferociously than ever. But that was because this fear wasn't the same as the one I'd been fighting for so long. I won over the worry I always had for my own safety. Now, the dread deep in my blood was solely for the wellbeing of those precious to me. I knew they'd be willing to go down if it meant keeping me alive, so I had to know I could protect them... no matter what it took.

"You have nothing to worry about as long as we're with you," Namjoon said as he moved closer. His golden brown eyes latched onto mine briefly, and Taehyung stepped back so they could swap places. "Growth takes time. Strength takes time. But you're still better off than you were a few days ago, so quit worrying and show me your stance."

Yoongi and Namjoon were in charge of teaching me physical combat. They mostly covered the basics of self-defense, but they also went over a few moves and tips that were meant to specifically work against Bul-Gae. Certain herbs, like the one embedded in my necklace, repelled them and could even dull their abilities. However, they mentioned that the effect was strongest with direct contact, and it was less bothersome to Bul-Gae who used their abilities more often and were not weak—surely the reason why my necklace had never brought a noticeable rise out of anyone but Hoseok.

The two hunters also taught me about the key spots that were most vulnerable in Bul-Gae. Areas I could target if ever I needed to incapacitate one. First was the throat and jaw, both of which were needed for them to consume a Descendant's power. Next was more obvious: claws. Yoongi muttered about how helpful it had been over the years to cleave off their fingers or chop entire hands away, and I went pale at the thought. He had spared a glance before Namjoon went on to the most important weak point. The lower abdomen right above their pelvis—deep in the gut—was where the main source of their power resided, much like mine. According to the two of them, a strong enough hit from Descendant magic on that spot could rid the Bul-Gae of their abilities entirely, at least for long enough to gain the upperhand.

Hoseok, Jungkook, and Jimin attended every session, not one of them willing to release me from their sights. Jimin and Jungkook listened to every piece of advice the hunters offered, occasionally training by my side, which turned out to be a mistake.

"So when are you going to tell us about the person who's really worrying you guys?" questioned Taehyung on the eve of the winter showcase. All of us froze, and he continued before we could come up with an evasion. "You two care about her as much as Hoseok does." He eyed Jimin and Jungkook, who both were catching their breaths after a third round of fighting practice. "You wouldn't trust him to be around her as much as you do unless you fully believe he isn't a threat to her. Yet you've all been listening and training like her life depends on it. So, clearly, you know of an immediate threat that we've somehow missed."

He left the statement with no room for doubt, tone seeped in that signature cold. There would be no convincing him that he was wrong.

"He's right," Namjoon spoke up, crossing his arms as he looked between each of us. "You've all been afraid of something from the very beginning. It was clear you weren't going to let us in on what you know, so we've waited to hopefully gain some of your trust up until now—"

"But we're done waiting," Yoongi cut in, the ends of his maroon hair damp with sweat. "The showcase is tomorrow. The masquerade ball is the next night. If you know of another Bul-Gae, he's going to strike during one of the two, so you need to tell us now if you want our help."

Following a stretch of quiet, Hoseok came closer and said, "How do you know he's going to make a move?" Jungkook, Jimin, and I all snapped our heads toward him. Hoseok's gaze brushed over theirs to meet mine. "There's no point in hiding it anymore. Whether it's one of them or not, we're going to need any help we can get."

He wasn't wrong. It was scary placing our trust in them, but they'd done everything possible to help me learn more about myself, and even if one of them turned out to be the Hood, the other two would still help us... right?

"You should've talked to us first, Hoseok," Jimin muttered.

Yoongi sighed as if the confirmation of their theory bored him. "Both events take place after sundown. Both will have tons of people in attendance. Perfect conditions for them to nab Jangmi away without notice. Especially at the masquerade where everyone is wearing masks."

My mind raced as I put two and two together. "Is that why you kept pushing me to come to the masquerade? You..." I released a breath, "You wanted to use me as bait so the Bul-Gae would make his move and you could finally act."

"We still do," stated Namjoon with calm. "Only we thought before that it was Hoseok we'd be luring out. Still, our plan remains the same if there's another Bul-Gae who's been threatening you. It may not sound ideal, but it's the only sure way we can actually fight against them and actively protect you."

"And if it turns out to be one of you?" Jungkook asked stiffly.

The three of them stared back at the four of us. Yoongi was the one to respond.

"We kill them."

* * *

Each night of training had blurred together and gone too fast, and though I retained everything they taught me, I still felt completely out of my depth by the night of the winter showcase. It was impossible to feel secure when there was no way to be sure they had my best interest at heart. When it came down to it, would they prioritize saving me and my friends over killing the beast that ruined each of their lives in some way?

I had to believe their moral compasses swayed toward preserving life rather than seeking vengeance.

After we'd told them all about the Hood, the three were positive their target was Seokjin. Taehyung talked about how often Bul-Gae would date Descendants before they realized their true nature. Yoongi guessed that all the time Seokjin wasn't around us was spent strengthening his abilities, which would explain why the Hood was too strong to be visibly affected by the necklace and other measures the hunters had taken. Namjoon recounted Jin's obsessive behaviors and mood swings, as well as the moments he became forceful with me. He also theorized that the girl who went missing in Jin's past may have also been a Descendant, and that he was behind her vanishing.

The pieces fit together better than my heart was willing to admit. He was someone I had loved, and someone I always would love in one way or another. Yet it would be the least painful conclusion. If it were Hoseok, Jimin, or Jungkook, it would utterly destroy me. And if on the off chance it were one of the three hunters, everything stood to implode.

So as difficult as it was, I chose to believe Jin was our culprit.

"You ready?" Jimin's soft voice asked from beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. Music swirled all around us as dancers scattered throughout the back of the stage, getting into or out of costumes, checking their appearances in the mirror, practicing sections of their choreographies. If only the audience knew all the chaos going on behind the curtains.

I pulled my gaze from the solo dancer currently on stage and offered my best friend a barely-there smile. "No, but that won't stop me."

"Hey," he came to stand in front of me, taking my face in his gentle hands. Those kind eyes were enough to soothe some of the nerves. "There's been no sign of anything off tonight. We're all here with you. We won't let anything happen to you, so try to enjoy this. You've been looking forward to this opportunity for as long as I can remember. Don't let it go sour because you couldn't relax enough to appreciate it."

It's not my safety that concerns me.

I took a deep breath and gave a proper smile that time. "You're right. I won this. I deserve this."

"Hell yeah, you do," he laughed, patting my cheek before stepping back. "Taehyung may have convinced the rest of you that he only tried so hard in the competition to get you to win, but I still think he wanted this as much as you did."

According to Taehyung, the reason he'd challenged me so much in our class competition was to push me to focus on dance, that way I would grow stronger. He claimed that Descendants' passions kept their power controlled, while distraction and worry made it unreliable, weak, easier for Bul-Gae to consume. Hence why the Hood spent so much energy keeping my focus on him.

I granted a little laugh. "I think you're right. He almost looked like he was pouting when our professor announced that me and Jungkook won the spot."

"You won the spot. It was ultimately your choreography, Jungkook just happens to be your partner."

"Yeah, but everyone helped me—"

"Don't sell yourself short, Jangmi. Help or not, you still managed to create a dance that tells a story that means something to you. And I can't wait to see you perform it." He winked, and all I could do was yank him into a hug.

"Thank you. I'm glad you're here to watch it," I whispered.

"So am I." His hold on me tightened, then he leaned back and kissed my nose, which I scrunched in response.

The current track began to slow down, and I glanced past the curtains to see the performer on her last few steps of the dance. I tried to find Jungkook all the way across the stage but couldn't spot him. He was supposed to be behind the curtains like I was.

"Where is he?"

"I saw him just before I came to check on you. He was all dressed and ready," Jimin said with a frown. When his eyes found mine, they glazed over with realization.

The nerves returned in full force. Did the Hood already make a move? "What if—"

"I'll run over and check on him," Jimin said, rushing off before I could say more.

Training my attention upon the dancer, I watched her elegantly make work of the last swell of the music. The final notes began to play, and still there was no sign of my partner from beyond the stage. Even after she made her final pose, even as she curtsied and walked off, he didn't show.

Then our song—the track Namjoon and Yoongi composed for us—started to play.

I acted without thinking, stepping past the curtain and moving lightly with the first few notes toward center stage, face casted downward as I'd practiced. My heart was ready to burst, but right as I neared the center, at the edge of my vision appeared a pair of black dance shoes, black slacks, black vest, and a burgundy button-up that matched my flowing dress. I caught sight of his masked face a second before our palms connected at our chests.

Hoseok.

Lost in complete astonishment, I felt the familiar melt that came with staring into that deep amber. My eyes flickered to the edge of the stage, and there was Jungkook doused in the curtains' shadows, a somber smile settled on his lips. The dull ache of gratitude coursed through my chest, and I mouthed a thank you to him. He nodded before slipping away.

Hoseok interlocked out fingers, whispering, "Dance with me like you did in the opera house. Like it's only us."

And I did.

The pair of us performed an encore of our first dance together, as our magic was the same though the choreography was different. Better, because it was our story—the friendship, the loss, the eventual return to one another's arms. A rising, radiant love. The music wove seamlessly into every move, supplementing the emotion, the shattering and the healing of two hearts.

Our dance carried through our beginning—intimate, tender steps where we leaned against each other, where he carried me and I held onto him dearly. Where we spun and swayed with the kiss of freedom.

Our heartbreak—frantic, abrupt steps where we broke apart, where we tried to reach for the other but ended with our backs turned. Where both crumbled toward the ground on opposite sides of the stage, lost and searching.

Our reunion—slow, steady steps where we came nearer. Where there was a pause, a linking of eyes, then a sprint and a leap into his arms. Where his grip on my waist held tight and my hold around him brought us closer. Where his lift lowered until my toes touched the ground.

Our potential ending—meek, timid breaths that connected our chests, our spirits. An unsure embrace that wished to bind forever. Then, delicate fingers skimming the borders of his obsidian mask.

The song had one swell remaining, and as we took time dancing as only lovers would, I heard the murmur that brightened everything, everything.

"Take it off, Sunshine. Please."

With hushed tears, I carefully slid the mask off, holding it to my chest. While the crowd rippled in whispers, Hoseok smiled down at me so broadly, so vibrantly that I knew true sunlight came from him alone.

It was only as I rested my head on his chest and we started to slow that my focus began to slip from the magic and listen—really listen to the track, which had been altered slightly. The few last notes were all it took to send me back in time.

I watched his fingers roam the piano in a daydream. They moved effortlessly, with the power to convince me there was nothing more beautiful in all the world. Each note was planned out beforehand, crafted to be a honeyed whisper in my ear.

"I love you, my beautiful rose," I knew it said. Because it had fallen from his own lips more than once before.

He went on playing, me latching onto his arm and resting my head on his shoulder, continuing to watch his hands as they played the first and only love song anyone had ever written for me.

The same song which filled the theatre now.

Those hands in the flashback were of someone younger, looked a little different, but it was the same memory I'd briefly seen once before. The flash I had when I was with the three hunters and they were composing my song.

The flash that came to me as I watched Yoongi play the piano.

• • •

xoxo

-Kat 🥰

December 5, 2021