Freefall | Eren x OC

Chapter 21: A Dazzling Hostess

⚠️ GENERAL CW ADVISORY. PLEASE READ A/N FOR SPECIFIC CW ⚠️

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You fidget nervously as you survey the work being done in the Uzui's ballroom to get ready for the party. There are caterers setting up their booths for the waiters who will walk through the incoming crowd and offer bite-size snacks here and there. The audio-visual team are working on the lights as the DJ is setting up his own booth. Audio technicians do sound checks and the event planner Rico walks around giving last minute orders. He comes up to you, looking up and down his clipboard as he goes over his checklist.

"Alright so let's go over this one more time. Guests are arriving at 7pm and the party is expected to wind down by 1am. The upstairs is of course off limits to guests, except you of course. Uzui-sama made it known that every room on this floor is however open to everyone. We'll have security walking through and surveying to make sure there's no one causing trouble and the regular Uzui security team of course already surveys the exterior grounds so we shouldn't be expecting any unwanted guests. Do you know what time Lord Uzui-sama gets in?"

You shake your head, "No, I've sent him a few texts today, but he hasn't responded. I'm sure he's flying back as we speak." It still felt so strange to be in Tengen's manor without him even though you had been here for parties before. You had come by the property sporadically throughout the last two weeks leading up to the event, getting acquainted with the grounds as you helped the planner.

Tengen had sent you a text telling you to explore till your heart's content, that the entirety of the place was open to you. You had explored the first floor immensely and some of the offices and the library on the second floor, but you left the bedrooms alone, feeling incredibly ill at ease with going near them.

You did feel a sense of confusion as you walked through the manor one day. Tengen lived alone by himself yes and while this manor did look like it had once held people, it didn't look lived in. There were over 10 bedrooms alone but none of them look used and you just couldn't picture Tengen living somewhere that felt...kind of stuffy. It looked too "old money" for him, you knew the man well enough to know he liked flashier digs than this.

Now it's the night of the party and guests should be showing up any moment. Tengen had made it explicit to you to invite any and everyone associated with Player Beat Records so you had sent out the invite to hundreds of people. Over 500 had RSVP'd which was amazing given the short notice, but then again, who would turn down an invite to visit the affluent Uzui estate?

You know Eren will for sure show up with his band and you are looking forward to seeing him. You two had bonded any small chance you got over the past two weeks, but you hadn't seen him in the last several days. You were up and leaving while he slept and he was either out working, playing in his band, or home with company when you eventually came home. Even if he had been free, you would've gone straight to bed to crash. This party along with your regular job tasks took all the energy out of you. You couldn't wait for it to be over so you could return to having some semblance of a life outside the office.

You excuse yourself from the planner's debriefing, telling him everything's  ready to go from your point of view. You pass the security guard Tony who guards access to the upper floors and walk upstairs to what has become your favourite bathroom. It's one of the smaller bathrooms but holds onto its luxury with a marble-made bathtub and countertops, and a large stained-glass window that shines in the late evening sun and overlooks the greenery of the manor gardens.

You inspect yourself in the mirror, smoothing out your dress. You had decided to take up Tengen on his suggestion to buy a new dress for the party, and bought yourself a particularly expensive one, considering the dress in lieu of payment. It's absolutely gorgeous, a black velvet dress that hugs your body suggestively. The sweetheart neckline, which you consider the most complimentary to your frame, hangs lower on your chest, showing a fair amount of cleavage. The back is completely open, not leaving much to the imagination. The straps are thicker, made of bunched sheer ruched material and hang low around your arms. The hem runs halfway down your thighs, hugging them tightly and there's a sheer ruched tail that hangs off the curvature of your ass. You've styled your hair to sit high in a updo, with strands of curls hanging down from all parts and framing your face perfectly. You look stunning, divine. You've finished the look off with your favourite Loubitons, the ones with the red sole, adding a pop of colour.