GUNS & ROSES | ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴ

viii. ✓

𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊.

Edited.

The Springfest continued as if the shocking revelation had never occurred. Laughter, music, and conversation filled the air as people danced, indulged in delicious food, and enjoyed the festivities.

Feeling suffocated by the presence of the Kings, especially the High King, I sought refuge on the second-floor balcony. The stuffiness of the crowded hall had become unbearable, and my mind struggled to find clarity amidst the chaos.

An involuntary twitch formed at the corner of my mouth, a mix of annoyance and frustration directed at the High King. The image of him callously breaking my necklace and flinging it across the hall replayed in my mind, fueling my ire.

"He's outrageously mean," I muttered under my breath, unable to shake off the bitterness that lingered within me.

The weight of the revelation that the woman, Haruka Kuran-Choi, had spoken still pressed heavily upon my heart. The memories of receiving the admission letter from the Sakura Foundation, and my mother's vehement rejection of the opportunity, flooded back to me.

"Sakura Foundation? Why would this wretched school want to recruit you?" my mother had questioned, her hands trembling as she read the letter.

"Mom, everyone knows how good the Sakura Schools are! This would be a good opportunityㅡ"

"No!" Mom snapped, tearing the letter in half. I gasped at her impulsive reaction. "I would never allow you to go to that school. My decision is final!"

Confusion consumed me as I watched her disappear into her room, slamming the door shut. Her actions were out of character, leaving me bewildered.

Days later, she confronted me with a tired expression, her emotions concealed behind a mask of weariness.

"You may go," she had uttered, her voice devoid of its usual warmth. "But you are banned from calling me or texting me. You are not allowed to reach out to me, no matter what happens to you there. I'll block you from my life until you graduate."

I had been left dumbfounded, frustration and anger surging within me. Why was she shutting me out? What was her problem?

"Kim Dani."

Lost in my thoughts, I was brought back to reality by the deep voice of Wonwoo. He stood before me, extending his palm with the pendant from my broken necklace. "This is yours, right?"

"Thank you!" Tears welled up in my eyes as Wonwoo carefully placed them onto my palms, grateful that ithad been found.

I cherish the necklace so much as it was the only thing that connects me to my mom at the moment. Mom won't accept my calls or reply to my texts. She was just... gone.

"The Director wants to see you, in private," Wonwoo informed me, after a brief silence. "I've been ordered to escort you to the VIP room."

I gazed at him, wiping the excess tears from the corner of my eyes. "What does she want?"

Wonwoo shrugged. "I don't particularly know."

I let out a tired sigh, gazing up at the dark night sky. The absence of stars filled me with a sense of emptiness. Where were they hiding?

Turning my attention back to Wonwoo, I mustered a weary smile. "Show me the way."

Wonwoo nodded once before turning around and leading the way around the second floor. The hall was built like a cylinder and the roof was hemispherical, forming like a dome.