✓ UNLIKELY MATCH | HEESEUNG

51 - Midnight Panic

SENA'S POV

Paparazzi follow us around Tokyo's biggest streets, snapping pictures as if we're the hottest scandal of the season. Despite the flashing cameras and prying eyes, Heeseung holds my hand tighter, his thumb brushing soothing circles on the back of my hand. I try to ignore the stares and whispers, focusing on the warmth of his touch and the steadiness of his presence.

"Ignore them," Heeseung murmurs, his lips close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine. "They don't matter. Only we do." But that's the thing he doesn't get. I'm not wary of them, I'm concerned that the moment the two of us are alone, my father will find a way to harm us. I'm afraid he'd get his way and ruin this fragile peace we've found. I try to push the thought away, to focus on the moment and the man beside me, but the fear lingers like a dark shadow in the back of my mind.

"I don't mind them," I smile softly at him while we step inside a Yves Saint Laurent boutique I've wanted to visit since I arrived. The event I've been invited to is in two days and I still have no outfit to wear. My mind had been filled with trauma and uncertainty that I hadn't had the energy to shop. But now, with Heeseung by my side, I feel a bit of that weight lift, even if just temporarily. "I will try some dresses for an upcoming event I'm invited to. Do you mind if you help me choose?"

Steph is usually the one who picks my outfits for me, but her period started and she's been out of commission, cuddled up in bed with a hot water bottle and a stack of fashion magazines. Heeseung's eyes light up at my request and he smiles, a smile that could ignite galaxies, that could thaw frozen oceans, that could coax life from barren deserts. It's a smile that holds the weight of a thousand suns, a smile that promises warmth and safety, a smile that whispers of a love so profound it defies the laws of physics. And in this moment, as it curves his lips, I feel a warmth seep into my bones, a warmth as familiar as my own heartbeat.

"Of course, my love," He whispers, his voice a warm, velvet caress. "I would be honored." 

The boutique is a gilded cage, a prison of desire and excess. Rows of dresses, like silent sentinels, stand at attention, their fabrics whispering promises of transformation. But amid the luxury, I feel calm. Perhaps it's the familiar weight of Heeseung's hand on my back or the quiet confidence in his eyes.

"What about this one?" I say, pulling out a black gown with intricate silver embroidery. It clung to the mannequin like a second skin, promising a dangerous allure. "What do you think?"

I watch as he studies the gown, his eyes narrowing in concentration. There's a flicker of something in his gaze, a spark of recognition, perhaps. Then, it's gone, replaced by a slow, appreciative smile. "Femme fatale," A predatory smile creeps across his face. "Very you."

A blush creeps up my neck. I turn to face the full-length mirror, imagining myself in the dress. The fabric seems to mold to my body, accentuating curves I didn't know I had. A dangerous thrill courses through me. I glance back at Heeseung, seeking his approval. His eyes are fixed on me and it almost feels like nothing could ever come between us. Almost.

"I'll try it on," I can't even stop the smile from spreading across my face. Anticipation bubbles in my chest as I slip into the dressing room, the black gown heavy in my hands. It's a transformation chamber, this small, enclosed space. As I pull the dress over my head, I feel a shift, a metamorphosis. The woman staring back at me in the mirror is alluring and undeniably confident. Just how I want to be.

When I step outside and find Heeseung leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips, my heart skips a beat. "Well, hello there," He purrs, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I'm acutely aware of every inch of exposed skin, every curve the dress accentuates. "Fuck, Sena, you're stunning. Like a siren luring me to my doom."