by Con Template
Yoori smiled, feeling her heart warm. Despite her fears of the future whenever she thought about Soo Jin, she couldn’t deny how beautiful his words were—how beautiful a future with him could be. Perhaps she was being too paranoid. Perhaps she shouldn’t focus so much on the future, especially when she had something so wonderful in the present.
Instead of agreeing, however, she lightheartedly noted something else. “They’re watching us,” she whispered.
Tae Hyun did not even blink in concern. “No one is watching us.”
Yoori hid a smile and tilted her head in the direction of the estate. She had sensed them for a while now, perhaps a little after the two initiates ran from Tae Hyun like two scared puppies. It was only fair that she brought Tae Hyun’s attention to them as well.
“Your Serpents are watching us from the mansion.”
“No one,” he enunciated, turning around and glaring at the Serpents who were all watching from the packed mansion, “is watching us.”
As soon as the hundreds of Serpents realized he was glaring at them, they uneasily turned away and pretended they were not engrossed in watching their boss seduce his girlfriend. They awkwardly laughed with one another and looked everywhere else but at them.
Tae Hyun turned back to Yoori and when he did, she did something out of character: she kissed him.
She threw away all her inhibitions and simply kissed the one who stole her heart. What was the point of denying his efforts when she wanted him as well? There was no point. They had been through too much and they deserved this heavenly moment.
And boy was she glad she did.
The moment their lips met, she felt the synapses of her brain explode to life. The world around her jumped in vibrancy, as if coming to life from the kiss she shared with Tae Hyun.
Tae Hyun chuckled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her, sweeping his lips over hers with a passion that left her weak in the knees. His kiss was hot with intention, intoxicating by nature, and utterly mind-consuming. It was her wildest fantasy brought to life. She cursed herself for denying them this wonderful moment for so long, but she was grateful they could bask in it now.
While continuing to lock his lips with hers, he moved them deeper into the maze.
“Are you mine again?” he whispered in between their kiss, his lips nipping hers.
She nodded and gripped his powerful arms, relishing in their kiss. “Yes, baby.”
He chuckled again and lifted her up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his hips as they continued to kiss like there was no tomorrow.
“If they wrote history books about you, they would document this as the moment of your downfall,” Yoori whispered as she felt him press her back against the ivy-covered wall.
Tae Hyun grinned, moving his lips from her mouth, and drifting onto the side of her neck. His teeth scraped her skin with decadence, and he started to suckle on the sensitive skin there, earning mewls of approval from her. “I couldn’t think of a better reason to fall from the throne.”
She nodded distractedly before something else came up in her mind. Despite the immense pleasure she was receiving from Tae Hyun, she had other things to address. She knew the only way to bring it up was to catch Tae Hyun off guard.
Yoori pulled out a folded, silver invitation card from the pocket of her dress. She held it in front of him, interrupting his loving attention on her neck. “Now can you tell me what this is all about?”
She had found the card buried under a stack of mail in their apartment. It was clear that Tae Hyun had seen this invitation card. It bothered her that he didn’t mention it to her. She had been waiting for him to bring it up. When it was clear that he wasn’t planning to, she knew she had to take the lead.
A frown creased his brows as he closed his eyes in weariness and gently placed her back on the ground. Given his now dampened sexual mood, it was palpable he wasn’t happy that she found it.
“That is an invitation to Ju Won’s masquerade ball,” he said succinctly, the tone in his voice hinting that he didn’t want to have this conversation.
“Is it for his birthday?” she asked, disregarding the warning tone in his voice.
Tae Hyun shook his head. “Every year before his birthday, Ju Won throws a charity event to help raise money for his foundation. It goes to help kids with leukemia.”
“Does the money really go to that foundation?” Yoori asked skeptically. Judging by Ju Won’s morally questionable character, she had a hard time believing he would give any money away.
Tae Hyun’s next words surprised her. “Every bit of it.”
She blinked. “Really?”
He nodded.
“Why this foundation?”
“Ju Won’s only daughter died from leukemia. He throws this event in her name every year.”
A swell of sympathy streamed over Yoori when she thought about Ju Won actually loving someone other than himself. She briefly wondered if his daughter was the reason why he chose Soo Jin as his advisee. Perhaps Soo Jin reminded him of his daughter?
“I take it only people from the Underworld are invited?” she asked instead, not wanting to bother herself with thoughts of Soo Jin and Ju Won. There were more pressing matters that needed answers.
“All layers from the Underworld are invited, but it isn’t a closed event. Because it’s for a cause that has nothing to do with Underworld business, everyone is encouraged to bring dates who are not associated with the Underworld as well. It’s one of the rare occasions where enemies converse freely with enemies. Underworld businesses are not dealt with that night.” Tae Hyun smirked. “At least not in theory.”
“You didn’t even tell me about it, and the event is tomorrow. I take it we’re not going?”
“We’re not going.”
Yoori frowned at his haste answer. “Why not?”
“Rumors surrounding you have been scarce. The thing about our world is that it isn’t as connected as one might think. Information is important in this society and it isn’t shared easily. The only ones in the loop the majority of the time are the 3rd layer Kings and the Advisors because our people spread far and wide. Only a tight circle knows about you and your resemblance to An Soo Jin. An even smaller circle knows that you’re actually her and that you have amnesia. Aside from Ji Hoon, the Advisors, and myself, no one else knows the truth about you.” He eyed her. “Can you understand now why I’m not about to bring you to a party where all three layers can see you?”
“But you can’t miss an event like this,” Yoori quickly countered. “The Advisors would use this against you later and say that you’re ‘distracted’ again. You can’t be stubborn, Tae Hyun. You have to go.”
“I’m not leaving you home alone.”
“Isn’t it a masquerade ball? I can wear one of those masquerade masks. I can go with you and be invisible.”
He was stubborn. “I don’t want to chance it. If we go, I’ll be pulled away left and right. I don’t want to leave you to fend for yourself.”
“I don’t want you to endanger your position in this world anymore,” she replied just as stubbornly. “You’re being stupid if you think missing any of these events won’t harm you in the end. Plus, I’m not a damn kid. You could leave me alone for a couple of minutes. I promise I won’t get beamed up by a UFO, and I won’t let terrorists abduct me.”
He frowned at her lame attempt at a joke.
“I don’t want to go,” he stated resolutely, looking away as if that would end the conversation. “I hate masquerade balls, I hate dressing up for themed parties, and I know shit is going to go down. I can feel it.”
Acutely aware that she wasn’t going to get her way unless she got strategic, Yoori decided to use her sexuality—as limited as it may be—as her weapon of choice.
She hummed melodically and allowed her hands to roam over his chest and pecs. The steel-like muscles rippled pleasingly under her fingers, the tenseness once present in Tae Hyun’s body melting under her touch. She leaned f
orward, her long black hair moving against his chest. The silkiness of her hair grazed his skin, holding his unyielding attention as she moved her lips to his.
“I’ve never dressed up for a dance,” she whispered, feathering her lips over his.
The tactic worked when the resolution that once filled Tae Hyun’s eyes became replaced with longing desire. Unable to resist the temptation she was throwing him, a hoarse moan escaped his mouth as he lowered his head to kiss her.
“Will you deny me the opportunity?” she asked briskly, pulling away just as his lips were half an inch from hers.
Knowledge and amusement sparkled in his eyes when he noted what she was doing.
“You’re asking for trouble, baby,” he whispered huskily.
Yoori had no idea if he meant trouble with her insisting that they attend the ball or trouble with her teasing him and denying him a kiss.
“We’re already in trouble.” She concealed a smile of satisfaction that this argument was hers to win. “I’m just trying to do what’s right for us. The only thing keeping us safe is going to these stupid social events so that no one can claim their King is ‘distracted.’”
“You’re walking into the lion’s den. This event will house the Advisors, Ji Hoon, and the most prominent figures in the Underworld. I don’t know about you, but that already sounds like trouble to me.”
“Hmm, lucky for me I have the King of Serpents to watch over me.” She smiled hopefully. “So is that a ‘yes, we’re going’?”
He gave a defeated sigh, confirming that they were indeed going. “This is such a bad idea.”
“Tomorrow is going to be such an eventful night,” Yoori predicted as he started to guide her out of the maze. She insisted that they went for Tae Hyun’s protection, however, she knew damn well what type of lion’s den she was walking into.
Tae Hyun smirked as he held her hand and maneuvered them around the maze.
“Welcome to the Underworld,” he said bitterly. “Every damn second of our life is eventful.”
She smiled, her thoughts moving on to something curious.
In a world filled with so many powerful people, yet so few Gods, how could Soo Jin and Tae Hyun not have ran into each other even once?
She didn’t miss a beat in verbalizing this question. “How is it possible that you’ve never met An Soo Jin?”
Tae Hyun gave her a sideway glance. “She and I did not have the same training schedule,” he said softly.
“I know,” said Yoori. “I know that you were never introduced to each other, but what about annual gatherings like Ju Won’s party? You go every year, don’t you?”
“I missed a few when I first started my training, but yes, I do make an appearance every so often.”
“And she trained with Ju Won. I’m sure she was at most, if not all, of the gatherings. So how come you’ve never crossed paths then?”
“I told you that I’ve never met her, but I did not dismiss the possibility of our paths crossing. What you have to understand about Ju Won’s gathering is that although it is a time for all the Elders in the Underworld to network and catch up with one another, it is also a time for the younger Royals to let loose from their respective trainings. When you go, you will notice that when the younger Royals meet each other for the first time, they do not introduce themselves to one another. Unless you were introduced to an Elder by your mentor or your parents, it is a rarity for anyone to give each other their true names.” He regarded Yoori with a look of ambiguity. “I could’ve met her at one point, I could’ve met her several times, or I could’ve never met her at all. Ju Won’s masquerade ball is a time that the majority of us look forward to only because we get to become someone other than a God in training.”
Yoori’s heart warmed slightly when she realized the underlying motives in Ju Won’s party. The charity event was done in his daughter’s name, but it wasn’t kept alive to only help children with leukemia. It was also a charity for the young people of the Underworld. It was Ju Won’s gift to them. A gift of one night where they could hide behind masks, forget about their training, and be the children, teenagers, and college students they were meant to be had they not been born into the Underworld. It was the one night the young Gods could hide behind masks and be human.
“If it’s such an anticipated night, why are you such a party pooper?” she teased. “You won’t have to introduce yourself to anyone. You can be invisible.”
He smiled. “I am a King in the Underworld. I do not need to introduce myself to anyone. When I walk into the room, they will all know who I am.” Though his voice was light when they exited the maze, she could feel tenseness in his hold on her. Moments later, he said, “I do not want you to go.”
Yoori peered up at his profile. “Why not?”
“The wicked will never rest . . . even at a party like that. I don’t want you to be surrounded by all those people.” He swallowed tightly. “I can go alone, but I don’t want you to go . . . just in case anything happens.”
“I have to go with you,” she insisted patiently. “They see me as your distraction, remember? I have to at least show up with you to make them think that I have some sort of spine and that I can handle myself at one of their parties.” Tae Hyun was about to say something else when Yoori hastened to add, “And I’ll be wearing a mask. They will not recognize me as Soo Jin. She’s been gone for so many years. I doubt anyone would look for her at the party.” She smiled when she finally saw his hesitation. “You’re afraid that you won’t be able to protect me.”
His silence confirmed her suspicions.
“I can handle myself.”
“You shouldn’t have to.”
Yoori laughed softly. “You forget that although I do not have her memories, I still have Soo Jin’s fighting instincts. If anything were to go down, I will still have her survival instincts.”
“Those instincts only come out when you’re a breath away from death. I’d prefer for you to not gamble with such odds.”
“This world is nothing but a big game. We have to gamble . . . even if we don’t want to.”
She expelled an airy breath, doing her best to lighten the mood before they attended a party that housed all the Kings and Queens of this coldblooded society. “Come on, this is a masquerade ball. No one will know my identity. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“You are raised to rule over this world. . .”
11: The Secret of Masquerades
The masquerade ball was held a few hours outside of the city. The night was one of those perfect winter nights. There was little wind, the air was fresh, and the moon was full and blooming. The road to Ju Won’s party led up to luscious hills that surrounded the country.
While the limo drove past the overwhelming iron gates, Yoori was blessed with a breathtaking sight of Ju Won’s palatial mansion. The infrastructure resembled a white castle that was sprawled over the mountain. It stood on a mountaintop, basking under the kiss of the winter stars. Magnificence couldn’t begin to convey the wonder that this mansion emanated. It was larger than life and was definitely more beautiful than life. She would even daresay it was more beautiful than Tae Hyun’s Serpents’ estate, which was something she once thought was impossible.
“This is so amazing,” Yoori commented out loud. Her focus shifted from the mansion to the crowd. Yoori was literally pressing her face against the window to look at everything when they pulled up into the circular driveway. “I can’t believe all these people are Underworld crime lords!”
Visions of men and women, dressed respectively in tuxedos and elegant evening gowns, pleased Yoori’s awestruck eyes. She readjusted her green, glitter embellished masquerade mask over her eyes for comfort. Her voice couldn't hide her sheer amazement. “I mean, where are all the assassins? Where are the stereotypical bald old men with high-class girls on their arms? Where are all the shady looking people? Everyone looks so . . . normal.”
Their limo whirred to a stop in front of the red carpet
that led up to the prized mansion.
“They’re all shady,” Tae Hyun informed her with mild amusement. He watched her gape out of the limo like a child visiting an amusement park for the first time. “They just do a good job of masquerading it under all that glamour.”
The melodic sounds of laughter, warmth, and opulence drifted in the air. Many of the attendants, who ranged from their early twenties to early eighties, were already in the mansion. A few were outside, happily conversing with one another on the stairs leading up to the mansion. There were children running up and down the stairs, giggling as they hid behind pillars that ornamented the front half of the mansion. They wore elegant tuxedos and little princess gowns, looking utterly innocent as they accidentally bumped into some of the most powerful people in the country. The warmth of this party was blatant. It felt as though everyone was one big happy family—a big and dangerous family.
“Remember,” Tae Hyun reminded her when he stepped out of the limo, “no matter how kind they are to you, do not let your guard down. If necessary, don’t talk to them at all. And first and foremost, never—”
“Take off my mask,” Yoori finished, rolling her eyes as she allowed Tae Hyun to help her out of the black limo.
He had been reminding her of this for the umpteenth time, and she was getting tired of it. She wasn’t a child nor was she some fool who didn’t know what type of party she was attending. She wasn’t planning on speaking to any of them anyway. She was simply there to help show them that Tae Hyun wasn’t distracted with her and that his mind was still on track.
“Anyway,” Yoori started. She held a portion of her dress up to bring the hem an inch above ground, making it easier to walk. Her strappy black heels echoed on the driveway as she moved to stand on the red carpet. “I can’t believe you refused to wear a mask. Look.” She pointed at a group of young men laughing boisterously beside the water fountain. They were raising shot glasses in the air, cheering for a wonderful night with their various silver eye masks on. “Some of the guys got into it and wore masks.”