Faking It

6. Ball

Jisoo paced back and forth in her room, her nerves getting the best of her. The night of the ball had finally arrived, and her anxiety was at an all-time high. Lisa walked in, her expression a mix of concern and urgency.

"The party is starting soon, Jisoo. Guests are already arriving," Lisa informed her.

Jisoo took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I know, I know. I'm just...nervous."

"You'll be fine," Lisa reassured her with a smile. "Now, let's get you out there."

Jisoo nodded, smoothing down her dark red satin dress before following Lisa out of the room. She joined her family, standing alongside them as they greeted guests and announced the start of the party.

"Is your girlfriend joining us tonight?" Her 2nd eldest sister asked in a teasing way.

Jisoo could only glare before their father spoke up.

"Welcome! Please enjoy our ball for tonight!"

Throughout the first half of the evening, Jisoo waited in a corner, nursing a glass of champagne. She scanned the room constantly, hoping to catch a glimpse of Chaeyoung. Her siblings, Soojin, Seola, Minseok, were nearby, chatting and laughing.

"Do you think Jisoo's imaginary girlfriend will show up?" Soojin whispered to Minseok, loud enough for Jisoo to overhear.

"Who knows? Maybe she's just shy," Minseok chuckled.

"Maybe Jisoo hired one of the maids for the night." Seola joked.

Jisoo clenched her jaw but chose to ignore them, focusing instead on her surroundings. She continued to wait, her hope dwindling with each passing minute. The music started to play, signaling the beginning of the dance, and Jisoo watched as her family and their partners took to the floor.

Her father approached her. "Jisoo, you should join us."

Reluctantly, Jisoo stepped into the middle of the ballroom. She felt a wave of nausea as she prepared to dance alone, but then she heard her name from behind.

"Jisoo!"

She turned around to see Chaeyoung standing there with a smile, dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and dark red tie. Relief washed over her as she took Chaeyoung's hand.

Jisoo's family and guests watched in surprise as the two began to dance. "I was worried you wouldn't come," Jisoo whispered.

"Sorry I'm late," Chaeyoung replied, leaning in close. "I got lost in this enormous mansion, but a maid—Jennie, I think—helped me out."

Jisoo smiled. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course, we can't let your siblings win." Chaeyoung says, "can we?"

Chaeyoung chuckled softly. "Let's upstage them, shall we?"

Jisoo nodded, and they moved in perfect sync, their dance effortlessly outshining everyone else on the floor. Jisoo's siblings looked on, clearly enraged by the display.

"They're mad." Jisoo says glancing over.

"Let them, I've got a hot fiancee all to myself." Chaeyoung says.

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"It got me you~"

When the dance ended, Jisoo and Chaeyoung snuck out to the front of the mansion. Away from the party. Jisoo's eyes widened in shock when she saw Chaeyoung's motorcycle parked by the fountain.

"Is this how you got here?" Jisoo asked, incredulous.

"Duh, I can't leave my baby behind." Chaeyoung says, "you wanna ditch the party?"

Jisoo glanced back at the mansion, then nodded. "Absolutely."

Chaeyoung grinned.

She grabbed Jisoo's hand, and they ran together to the motorcycle. Jisoo hitched up her dress and climbed on behind Chaeyoung. They sped off into the night, the wind whipping through Jisoo's hair as she clung to Chaeyoung.

She never felt so alive.

After a while, Chaeyoung pulled into a late-night diner, a place Jisoo had seen in movies but never visited. They walked inside, and Jisoo's eyes lit up at the retro decor and the lively atmosphere.

"This place is amazing," Jisoo said, taking it all in.

Chaeyoung smiled. "Glad you like it."

They found a booth, and Jisoo eagerly scanned the menu. When their food arrived, Jisoo couldn't contain her excitement. "This is so much better than the food at home," she said, savoring each bite.

Chaeyoung watched her with a slight smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

The waitress placed a milkshake between them with two straws. Jisoo looked at Chaeyoung, puzzled. "What's this?"

"It's a milkshake," Chaeyoung explained, sliding it over to her. "Try it."

Jisoo hesitated for a moment before taking a sip. Her eyes widened in delight. "This is delicious!"

Chaeyoung chuckled. "Told you."

As they shared the milkshake, Jisoo felt a warmth spread through her. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly happy. And it was all because of Chaeyoung.