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It was a bustling evening in the Myoui Manor, as there was an engagement party arranged by King Myoui for his lovely daughter and soon-to-be queen, Mina Myoui.
The theme was a masquerade, it was outside in their spacious garden, simple yet elegant Mina requested (she knows her father would've done something too extravagant), there were a lot of guests invited, mostly were dukes, aristocrats, and even people Mina didn't even know– not that she cared anyway.
Mina is with her cousins (technically just childhood friends of hers- they weren't blood-related but royalty-related) Jihyo and Sana, they were talking near the front of the small stage with wine on their hands looking expensive with their diamond jewelry, elegant dresses, and eyes masks were worn on their face.
"I'm I bit surprised you convinced your dad to have this simple set-up," Jihyo said looking around the area, there were fairly lights attached to pillars, surrounding them with a dim but calm feeling, carters were on the side with a whole line of food, and a small orchestra playing classical music to set the light mood.
Mina rolled her eyes and took a sip of her wine. "It took me a week to stop him from bringing a whole circus, it wasn't that easy" She shook her head. It made the two laugh. "At least it wasn't another jousting thing again, that wasn't the most appropriate event for a birthday I'm afraid," Sana said and giggled. "Oh tell me about it," Mina groaned. "My little cousins were traumatized," She added.
Their talk was interrupted when Mina's father walked towards them. "Hi, princess, where's your husband? He's running a bit late"
"Dad for the last time, he isn't my husband," Mina said annoyed. "I don't know where he is, probably taking his time to 'beautify' himself," Mina said sarcastically.
"He'll be your husband soon, either way, Mina" He stated. "Why don't you entertain our guest while you wait for–" His sentence was cut off when someone called his name.
"Oi, Akira!" It was the King's best friend. The three girls hid their laughter knowing they won't be disturbed for a few hours. "Excuse me, ladies, let me borrow him for a while," As the said best friend pulled the King away from the ladies without finishing his sentence.
"Saved by the bell," Sana said, the three chuckled.
"Mina," Jihyo called out, the said girl hummed in response. "You don't seem too happy with this aren't you?" It made Mina stiffen and raise her guard a bit. "What do you mean?" She feigned ignorance. "I like the set-up"
"Not that Mina," Jihyo said. "You're not your usual happy self, aren't you supposed to be happy at your engagement party?" Jihyo and Sana looked at her with concerned eyes.
"I am happy," Mina said with a forced smile, which felt like throwing up a huge brick.
I'll be the happiest if I die at this moment than be married to that man I don't even give zero fucks about.
"Are you sure about this?" Sana held her hand. "I think your dad will understand if you don't really like him at all" What Sana said made her scoff. "He can understand my needs but not my wants," Mina said bitterly, chugging down the last bit of wine in her glass and standing up from her seat.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll go entertain my guest like the good daughter I am," Mina left without another word, making her two best friends look at each other with worry.
~~~
Mina went around the area talking to the guests her father invited even if she didn't know them. 'It's out of politeness' Mina's father once said.
As she was talking to the strangers, a hand slowly wrapped around her waist and kissed her cheek, hugging her from behind. A strong scent of the perfume she grew to hate.
"Hey, Wifey," The voice said, it made mina want to vomit out the wine she drank earlier.
"Hey, Bam," She faked a sweet voice and smile, she can't act rude in front of her guests can she?
"Oh, the other love bird is here," The middle-aged lady Mina was talking to said, and the men beside her sent teasing looks. "We'll leave you two alone to have some private time," The lady wiggled her fingers goodbye with a teasing smirk.
After the guests were out of earshot, Mina removed his– gross –hands from her waist and looked at him. "What took you so long?" She asked irritably. BamBam raised both of his arms. "Calm down," He said which made Mina even madder. "I have to look good too y'know, it's our engagement party after all," He said with a cocky smile, Mina swore her hand twitched and wanted to punch his dumb smile on his face.
Mina exhaled to calm her nerves. "Let's just get this over with, I can't stand this place any longer"
~~~
Once Mina was reunited with her father, they officially started the party, saying their opening speeches, thanks, special remarks, and a toast of celebration.
Yet Mina feels like she falling deeper to the ground. Something in her made her unpleasant, a feeling like this day will be the best and worst day of her life.
Mina hasn't seen her the whole day. She, the real love of her life, is nowhere to be seen at the moment which makes her feel anxious, scared. Where is she?
The orchestra started playing The Second Waltz by Dmitri Shostakovich. The night has gone darker as time has passed, the moon is out bright, partners coming to the center to dance to the music.
Mina has noticed BamBam was out of her sight, but she didn't care at all, what she does care about– is the small figure with long blonde hair in front of her wearing a dashing tuxedo, holding out her hand with a smile towards Mina.
"May I have this dance with you m'lady?" The voice was sweet, soft, familiar to her ears. Her heart was beating in a happy rhythm once again.
"I'd love to," Mina said as she takes the soft hand that leads them to the center of the dance floor.
Mina placed her hand on the other's shoulder while the blonde gently placed her hand on Mina's waist, their other hands intertwined with each other, fitting to each other's palms perfectly like a glove. They swayed to the rhythm, moving as one.
Their surrounding was dimmer but that didn't stop Mina from falling more in love with the big brown eyes staring at her.
"Where have you been? I missed you" Mina asked softly, avoiding people to hear their conversation, she knows they're being watched right now. "I had to take care of some things, I'm sorry, my love, I missed you too"
Mina hummed. "It's okay, you're here now that's all that matters" They both smiled as they look at each other's eyes. "Look more attractive with that mask on, Chaeng" The latter chuckled at her statement. "You look gorgeous as always, Mina" Chaeyoung said, Mina felt like she'll melt with the simple compliment.
"Did you have a good dream last night, my love?" Chaeyoung asked. Mina nodded. "I was thinking of you, of course, I had a nice dream"
"That's good" Chaeyoung smiled.
"Chaeyoung?" The said girl hummed in response. Mina closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on Chaeyoung's.
"Can we stay in this moment? 'Til the day dawns" Chaeyoung nodded.
"Let's dance, It will be over soon"
The two danced, like they practiced before this, Chaeyoung spinning Mina, and pulling her back into her arms, everyone's eyes on them but they didn't care. The moonlight shining on them, being their spotlight.
It will be the happiest and most beautiful
Of all the sad endings
Could it be more perfect than this?
~~~
After a splendid performance in the middle of the song, it became more relaxed as it approaches the end of the piece, Mina and Chaeyoung can hear light applause. The two slowly swayed to the music.
Mina smiled. "Since when did you learn The Waltz?" She was kind of awestruck Chaeyoung knew the steps when the blonde proclaimed she doesn't know how to dance.
"I know this is your favorite piece, so I learned it," Chaeyoung said boastfully.
"You learned it by yourself? Without a partner?"
"Nope, I learned it with Dahyun, despite her having two left feet as well" The two laughed, Mina already picturing how the learning went.
"You're crazy," Mina chuckled. "You could've asked me to teach you," She added.
"What can I say, I'm a happiness seeker, Dahyun even called me a psycho for forcing her to practice with me" Mina smiled as Chaeyoung chuckled. "Well it's not the first time she called me that"
"Hmm? When did she say it the first time then?"
"When I said we're in a relationship" Chaeyoung shrugged. Mina felt a wave of happiness and sadness at the same time. "Before you get mad, I know we promised to keep it a secret, I'm sorry it slipped out of my mind" Chaeyoung quickly added. "But it's Dahyun, I trust her, her mouth is locked shut" The blonde smiled.
Mina felt a sense of relief, but her sorrow stays.
"Hey," Chaeyoung said and gently held Mina's chin to look at her. "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time, please don't be mad" Chaeyoung can see Mina's eyes are filled with emotion.
"I'm not mad, Chaeng, just... sad" Mina sighed. "I just imagined... we never die even if we're greedy, that would be nice, y'know?" Mina said in a dispirited tone. Chaeyoung stayed quiet.
"Chaeyoung," Mina sighed. "Do you still remember the rules we made?" She had a lopsided smile.
I'm about to say goodbye.
With the look on Mina's face, Chaeyoung felt her heartbreak into thousands of pieces, it hurts more than anything else she has done.
"Yes, I remember it since the day I knew we're doing a big... fault" Chaeyoung took in a deep breath, trying to compose herself not to cry.
"Chaeyoung, always remember that everything we've done, us being together, our secret dates, all of it, it meant everything to me, it was the happiest days of my life," The two have tears welling up, their smiles earlier quickly replaced with a frown. "I love you, I really do, I'm sorry my love" Mina sniffs, a few tears running down her face. Chaeyoung wipes them away even if she is crying too.
"You don't know how much I love you, Mina, It pains me to do this to you" Chaeyoung frowns. "But rules are rules, and we've broken a ton already" The two forced smiles.
"Kiss me goodbye," Mina said as she closed her eyes. Without a word, Chaeyoung captured Mina's lips with a soft kiss, everyone around them gasped and was unable to move.
The kiss was so bitter yet so sweet.
During the kiss, in Chaeyoung's mouth, was a cyanide tablet small enough for Mina to swallow. When the two moved away, Chaeyoung could already see Mina breathing heavily and slowly falling down to the ground but Chaeyoung had a tight grip to keep her up for a while.
"Mina, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry" Chaeyoung gritted her teeth, she can't bear to look at the love of her life suffering something she caused. "It's al-right- Chaeng..." Mina can't stand up anymore. "Our love was- true" Yet she still gave the sweetest smile.
Chaeyoung gently laid her down on the ground and quickly ran away as the people around her ran towards them.
"Princess!"
"Mina! Oh my goodness, SOMEONE CALL A DOCTOR! GUARDS!"
"Somebody catch that woman!!"
"Where's BamBam?!" Mina's father said he roamed around the area until he saw two people running towards him. It was BamBam with a woman beside him.
"King Myoui what's going on??" BamBam asked. The old man observed the two in front of him, and it doesn't take a genius to know why BamBam's tuxedo was wrinkled and the woman next to him had a bit of frizzled hair and smudged lipstick.
"The engagement's canceled, that's what," He said in a daunting voice and left without another word.
People were having a commotion, others chasing the masked mystery girl while the others tend to Mina's care with terror.
But alas, they didn't catch Chaeyoung as the woman was too slick and also because she is an assassin after all.
However, assassins have emotions too.
Once Chaeyoung was out of sight from the castle, and into a nearby dark forest only the moon giving her light, her breathing was heavy from all the running, adrenaline, aching of her broken heart. She slumped and sat down by a tree, and there it dawned on to her what happened.
Chaeyoung threw her mask and broke down into tears. It all happened too fast, one second they were laughing then suddenly replaced with pain and suffering.
Let's laugh a lot
Smile more brightly
Even the sadness
Without knowing that today will be the last
I'll be far away anyway
Let's go all the way to the end
We'll never come back
A few minutes into crying, Chaeyoung saw a beautiful mint green butterfly fluttering around her and landing on her knee.
It will be the happiest and most beautiful
Of all the sad endings
Could it be more perfect than this?