the music box killer | bang chan

11. the masquerade ball

JIYEON'S POV:

"Can you please stop hogging the blow dryer, Chan? No one's even going to bother looking at your hair when you have a face like that," Minho tells off Chan as I walk into the room. It was just one hour before the masquerade ball and I was going to the other room to go over some last moment details again. Despite the circumstances under which we were here for, I had to admit it felt nice dressing up a little for once. If only I could feel nicer by catching hold of Jisung tonight.

As I step into the room, the sound of the two men bickering ceases. I look around nervously and wonder if something was wrong with my appearance. I never really got the time to be conscious of how I looked, but now that I did all my makeup and styled my hair, I felt like someone else. Whether in a good way or not, I couldn't tell.

"Forget Han, every damn man in that ballroom is going to be floored by you," Minho gives me a look of admiration, as if he genuinely didn't believe I knew how to dress myself in anything other than my work clothes.

"You uh- you are...you look beautiful," Chan unexpectedly stutters as he pays me the compliment, which I take with a furious flush of the cheeks. I try my best to fight back the smile that threatens to betray my lips.

"If Jisung doesn't get seduced by you, I know someone else who definitely will," Minho whispers to me with a wink and I stare at him open-mouthed. Chan snaps back into reality and remembers a problem he's been dealing with for the past one hour.

"How do you tie a bow?" He asks, fiddling with the piece of fabric around his neck. Minho scoffs as if to poke fun at him.

"I told you a million times that you should get a just normal necktie. Why did your extravagant ass need to buy something you don't even know how to use?" Minho shakes his head at him. Chan frowns at him.

"Hey! What if I ended up looking like one of the waiters or something?" He defends himself. Minho and I laugh at his argument.

"Please, Chan. You're going to wear a dark green blazer. I don't think any waiter would wear something nearly as fancy," I say. He had his brown locks slicked back to reveal his forehead, giving him a more princely look. The waistcoat hugged his figure just right to accentuate the muscles hiding underneath his dress shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing the veins on his arms. Part of me wanted to tell him to just not wear the blazer because he already looked perfect.

"Just go without it. We don't have the time to go shopping for a new tie. I don't know how to tie it either," Minho shrugs. An idea suddenly pings in my head.

"Wait, I can do it!" I say, getting up on feet. I felt like I was born for this moment. I internally thank Hyunjin for being the reason I had this skill that was totally useless for me up till now.

"You? How would you know how to do it?" Minho asks in surprise. Chan mirrors his expression.

"Well, I learnt it to help out Hyunjin," I explain, tucking the black cloth of the bow into the collar of Chan's shirt. Yet again, I was unexpectedly just inches away from his face. It was dangerous for me to keep staying this close to him.

Hearing Hyunjin's name, Minho's ears perk up with newfound interest in what I'm saying. He motions me to continue.

"It's not such an entertaining story," I say, rolling my eyes. "He injured his hand pretty badly a few months back, just around the time his closest cousin was getting married. I learnt how to tie it for him because he couldn't do it himself, that's all."

"Wow, you're not as mean as you look," Minho sarcastically gives me a round of applause, which echoes off the walls of the otherwise silent hotel room. I get back to tying the bow for Chan, finishing it up quickly before I can let any more unwanted thoughts consume my mind.