“No, thanks.”

His smile dropped as soon as she denied him. “Ah, why not?” He sounded desperate and cute.

Yoon Min was having uncountable thoughts inside her mind as she responded, “I don't know how to! I just said the facts I read in a book. Why do you want to test it?”

“Hey, it's just for a few minutes. We'll dance like them and try to see if we really feel like what you said. It's simple.” he crossed his arms and leaned back on the chair.

Her cheeks were blushing pink as she tried to hand-fan herself. He did not just ask her to dance with him!

“Oh, come on, Yoon Min~ Please? With a cherry on top?” Seokjin was practically begging her by acting cute. He was even hugging her arm.

“Seonbae, what's gotten into you? If you really want to test it, then do it with someone else. There are tons of girls who are crazy to dance with you.” She was one of them too.

“But they are not like you~”

Like her?

Yoon Min glanced at him, “Where is Guardian Min Aera? She was your partner, right? Go test it with her!” she pushed his hand away from her.

Seokjin pouted again and was about to speak. But suddenly, his thoughts changed with another as he widened his eyes dramatically and said,

“Now I get it! You want to keep dancing with Choi Beomgyu!”

She furrowed her eyebrows, “I did not say that.”

“Well, you meant it. I strongly think you want to test the couple dance with him.”

Yoon Min scoffed at his childish answer and tried to explain, “Why is Beomgyu suddenly in the topic? I simply said we cannot dance together just to test whether we get those type of feelings or not.”

“Why not~ we make a good team~~” Seokjin's cuteness was making her soft repeatedly.

She didn’t reply him anymore. As much as she wanted to dance with him from the start; now the thought of her pain in her heart would increase being close to him, she denied it. Though she wholeheartedly wanted to be with him, but she was afraid her dead heart might pain her so much that their beautiful moment might break.

Seokjin didn’t give up either. He kept on trying every logical way to make her agree why they should dance together. He could be a kid sometimes too, Yoon Min just found it now.

“Aish, I never whined so much in my life before. Can't you just say yes?”

“Nope.”

“Song Yoon Min, you cannot say No to this handsome, cute man.”

Yoon Min found it very funny and enjoyable to see him begging her like this. Seokjin was a master when it came to make people agree with him. He then directly said just to annoy her,

“You like Choi Beomgyu, right? Is that why you're afraid to dance with me since he's watching you from somewhere like a sniper?”

She widened her eyes and her jaw dropped in shock. How could HE say that!

“Senior Guardian Kim Seok Jin, You Are Crossing The Line. I Do Not L-like h-him.” she herself didn’t know why she stuttered at the end.

“Then prove it. Dance with me.” He smirked.

Yoon Min then rolled her eyes and yelled at him, “Fine! I will dance with you! Happy?!”

“Yayy!” he cheered in joy.

-----------

“Princess Aereum--” Baekhyun cleared his throat to grab her attention.

Aereum had nothing much to do inside the party. Sure she could dance and have fun. But somehow, happy things remindes her of someone who betrayed her and was now considered to be dead. So she came out of the castle and was sitting beside a lake.

Her secretary knew her whereabouts really good so he didn’t have a hard time finding her.

She hummed simply in answer.

Baekhyun licked his lower lip, thought twice before speaking, “Senior Guardian Jin and Guardian Yoon Min are--” his words were stopped when the Princess glanced at him.

“They what?”

He again hesitated to speak. He was given a job to always keep an eye on both of them. He had no idea why the Princess was interested in their businesse, and she didn’t tell him any reason either.

“I-I think they're gonna d-dance together.” he shut his eyes and mouth after finishing the sentence.

Aereum was staring at him in silence for some time. That's the fact he always feared. When she directly stares at someone without any reason and in complete silence. It's creepy.

But to his surprise, she smiled faintly and let out, “Let them be.”

He opened his eyes and widened them. “Let them be? You said you wa--”

Aereum cut him shortly, “I know what I said, Secretary Baekhyun. Do not worry. It's their night after all. Let them be on their own.”

Baekhyun scratched the back of his neck in confusion, tilted them sideways. Well, he couldn’t say anything against her so he just remained quiet and left her to be alone after some minutes.

-------------

“What?”

Seokjin asked as soon as he saw Yoon Min's eyes circling everywhere.

“What if people think us weird? We both have partners and we don't know where they are. And now we are gonna dance together. Isn’t that supposed to be...illegal?” she blurted out some nonsenses since she was extremely nervous.

He chuckled softly, “I don't see any reason to think like that, Yoon Min. Everyone knows we are close.”

Whenever he said something like that so casually and easily, it made her whole body shiver and submitted to him. Her stomach was filling with tiny butterflies, all teasing her. She looked at him and nodded hesitantly.

He smiled again and then lowered his head to meet her eyes, “Ready?”

Yoon Min was surprised when he didn’t wait for her response and took her right hand, intertwining it with his. She gasped a little when he wrapped his other arm around the back of her waist, her hand automatically rested on his shoulder; holding her really close to him. She didn’t realize her face was all red and showing a tiny amount of agitation.

The blue spotlight changed into white and somehow fell on them only. They weren’t standing in the centre though. The others were continuing their dances without even noticing them. The music also changed; it changed into something touching and melodic. The atmosphere helped Yoon Min to relax down a bit.

And Seokjin took the first step by moving his foot in rhythm with the music. Somehow he knew she doesn’t know how to dance like this so he helped her in every way, whispering every steps to notify her. And with them sometimes being a mess, Yoon Min finally was able to keep up the pace with both the music and him. She didn’t dare to look at him. So she all the time kept her eyes on the floor, with the excuse that she's weak with the footsteps.

While dancing, Yoon Min realized they've never been this close to each other. There was an unknown desire in her to hear his heartbeat. Maybe if they were humans, she could. Her eyes eventually shifted upwards to intentionally meet his eyes. Like an unbreakable bond, absorbed emotions tied their eyes locked; it enabled to see them their eyes perfectly for the first time. His eyes were uniquely created, they contained hidden scars. And hers were beautifully curved, which had desires for the unknown and pain for the past. Were their dead hearts bear something which would had the answers to all questions, asked to destiny?

Seokjin removed his eyes from hers for a split second and smiled wittily for a second. It made her curious. He then looked back at her and gestured her to look at someone. She turned her neck to his pointed direction. Her lips also curved a warm smile when she saw their reflections on the wide mirror on the walls.

They looked amazingly beautiful. How each step, each stare, each breath, each touch moved in rhythm along with the serene music. It made her confident and proud of herself for once. Because she was looking different from everyone else. Not in beauty or character; because she was the one who was dancing with him.

She smiled and looked back at him. Curiosity grew in her more so she decided to start a conversation,

“Why are you wearing glasses today?”

Seokjin answered quickly, “Someone once told me I look extra-handsome when I wear glasses.”

She chuckled and said, “Well, whoever it was, he wasn’t wrong.”

He smiled in response.

Then he occupied himself in examining her face. He couldn’t ever get her this close to him. This might be his last chance to actually see her properly from this close.

“What?” she had to ask when he was looking at her for too long, with a straight face.

Seokjin titled his head slightly in confusion. He chuckled softly to blow the matter away but her sharp stare didn’t let him.

“It's just...whenever I'm with you, I see these tears in your eyes. I'm sure I'm wrong. But I can see them right now as well.”

Yoon Min stopped in place. Her halt made Seokjin confused. Her lips were trembling as her eyes were continuously blinking. He noticed. Goddamn it he saw her tears!

She removed her hand from his shoulder and wiped her eyes real quickly. Flashing a fake smile, she said, “Oh, I'm sure you're mistaken. These lights are affecting me, I guess.” She didn’t exactly think if he would catch her lie. There’s no way she could confess that her dead heart still achex madly and tears fell down whenever she's with him!

“Are you sure though?” to avoid this topic, she immediately placed her hand back on his shoulder and tried to distract him away by telling other things. Fortunately, he didn’t ask anything anymore. Though she knew he would always remember that she didn’t answer him truthfully.

There was not a single second she felt tired. Rather, she was getting energetic, stronger with him. He spun her around along with the others, causing her to giggle. Why was he different? He was like her strength. She didn’t feel any awkwardness or distress. Just happiness, power, maybe attraction.

Yoon Min always thought she will be the one to cause a trouble between their dancing moment. But she was proven wrong when suddenly, the electricity or the lights that were keeping the darkness away, disappeared.

All residents panicked a bit. They feared the worst in one of their joyful nights. They stopped their activities and shouted for help. Seokjin also stopped the dance and his lovely hold on her changed; he pulled her closer so that if she wanted, she could rest his forehead on his chest. He was protecting her, that's all. Yoon Min however was worried of what was going on.

There seemed to be only one guardian who understood what happened and frowned.

Guardian Koushi.

“Everyone, don't panic! The lights just went off, that's all. I know where the problem is. Wait for some time. No need to be worried.” she announced it to everyone, so fortunately they calmed down. She then took some people with her to the main source of electricity to check the problem.

The whole party hall was dark, not so quiet though. But they weren’t worried. They just hoped the lights should come back on as soon as possible.

Yoon Min tried to wiggle inside his half embracing position. He can let her go, right? There wasn’t any evil force from which he should protect her. He was being dramatic and extra. Though she didn’t fully complain. His scent, warmth was mesmerizing.

They remained still in their position while the others were moving even in the dark. They wre so restless! Couldn't even stand quietly for a second!

Yoon Min could feel him patting her head adorably. What, was she a baby? His actions always touched her heart. He's so caring, protective. He's everything a woman is weak for.

When some more minutes passed in the dark, everyone could hear Koushi yelling again, “The lights are gonna come in a minute! Everything is okay.”

That's when a miracle happened...

Yoon Min felt someone's lips.....

On her forehead.

Yoon Min's heart stopped aching and went back to normal. There was no pain inside her chest nor there was any urge to cry. She pulled herself away from Seokjin's embrace and looked at him with the most shocking feelings and expression. There was no movement seen on her, her eyes showed that she was neither happy or upset at his action. Her lips were parted and countless thoughts ran inside her.

Why did he kiss her? Does he like her? Does he know her broken feelings? Why does he make her feel so special? Why can't he see she too has something for him? Why did he act so recklessly yet so brave at the same time? What should she do now?

The lights came back on. She saw his face appearing with light guilts. His face proved he himself was mad for doing something like that. Seokjin didn’t break their eye-contact as he tried to approach her and explain,

“Y-Yoon Min, I-I--”

But words didn’t come out from his mouth.

Yoon Min didn’t know what type of emotions she was feeling right now. She was just kissed on the forehead by him. It wasn’t just a normal kiss friends would give. Beomgyu never kissed her. Nor did her friends. Then why did he? Was he trying to be unique to her? She was too shocked to believe the moment they were in a few minutes ago and too confused to know what she should do now. Unable to come an answer, she turned her back and began walking away in a fast speed.

“No! Yoon Min, wait!” he tried to grab her arm but she was quick enough to pull it back. Without giving him any glances, she left the castle with many unanswered questions and unjudicial feelings.

What the heck was wrong with him?