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Ivy stood in the garden of the mansion, savoring the cool evening breeze that played with her hair, content to enjoy the peaceful solitude she found in her own company. The sky above was tinted with the fading colors of twilight, casting a soft glow over the vast estate that lay beyond her view. The peace was, however, interrupted by the arrival of a maid.
"Ma'am," the maid began respectfully, causing Ivy to turn slightly toward her, though her gaze remained distant. "The young master and sir will be returning shortly."
Ivy nodded, signaling her acknowledgment without fully breaking her contemplative mood. "Okay," she replied simply. "You can leave."
The maid, however, seemed hesitant to go, and Ivy raised an eyebrow, feeling a slight irritation that her solitude was further disturbed. But before she could inquire, the maid spoke again.
"Ma'am," she continued with a slight bow of her head, "Mr. Park Jimin will also be arriving with them."
Ivy's expression tightened at the mention of Jimin's name. She could feel a flicker of frustration shift within her as she turned her head fully to the maid. "Is that so?" Ivy replied.
The maid seemed to notice Ivy's change in demeanor and bowed slightly again before hastily adding, "If you'd like, ma'am, I can prepare your room so you can freshen up and change into something more... formal."
Ivy let out a small sigh, more to herself than the maid. Formal attire was the last thing on her mind tonight. But the thought of Jimin-no, that Jimin-arriving with the others stirred up a strange mixture of annoyance and resolve. "Fine," Ivy muttered, mostly to herself.
The maid took this as permission and bowed her head one final time before exiting, leaving Ivy alone again .
As soon as the maid disappeared, Ivy turned back to face the open air, letting out an exasperated breath. "He's coming here? That... that devil?" Her words trailed off, almost as if speaking to the cool evening air.
Resigned, Ivy pushed herself away from the terrace railing, glancing back one last time at the view before heading inside to her room. She moved with a graceful determination, her mind already preparing for the evening ahead. "I might as well get this over with," she muttered under her breath, her tone carrying a hint of defiance.
In her room, she cast a wary glance toward her closet, mentally debating on how "decent" she actually wanted to look for the arrival of her uninvited guest. "Decent clothes, they said," she scoffed quietly, rolling her eyes. "For him?"
After a brief pause, she settled on a simple but elegant outfit that would neither attract unnecessary attention nor give off the impression she'd gone out of her way. Glancing in the mirror, Ivy gave herself a final, appraising look.
There was a soft knock at Ivy's door, and before she could respond, the maid entered, her voice polite and efficient. "Ma'am, they have arrived."
Ivy nodded, taking a deep breath as she stood up, brushing down the edges of her outfit. "Alright," she replied, her tone calm, though her mind was far from peaceful. She gave herself one last glance in the mirror, then exited her room, making her way down the hallway.
