Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

33 Ball

The ballroom that is empty for most of the time, is now busy with a flurry of activities. There is only one hour until they will open their doors to the public, and the occupants are working together to make sure the event can be carried out with no problems.

Wooyoung is standing on a chair, busy directing some of the workers to correctly place the banner for this year's annual public ball, creasing his forehead as he feels that the banner is not at the exact place he wants it to be. He orders them to lower it down, before asking them to put it to the right, biting his lower lip in concentration as he finally sees the right spot. He gives an 'ok' sign as they hook the banner, and he had never looked so proud. San and Yeosang are busy joining the servants bringing in their spread, resisting the urge to have a taste of every dish they prepared. As the maids throw on the table cloth along the 10-metre table, they set down the dishes. San takes a step back to take in the whole scene, and at the same time his mouth is busy instructing them to arrange the spread in a presentable manner. Yeosang helps to make last minute touches to the whole table, with San nodding in approval as he finishes.

Jongho spends the time he has to practice, warming up his voice as he checks the condition of his guitar. He doesn't want anything to go wrong tonight, especially since Hongjoong said he would be coming. Mingi helps in the selection of the music he's going to be singing and arranging a playlist that would be played throughout the dance. Satisfied with his own choices, he then leans back against his chair, hooking his fingers behind his head.

Meanwhile, Akira, Yunho and Seonghwa are busy discussing on which flowers would look good at certain areas. They agree that creeping flowers would look good being wrapped around the staircase railings on both sides of the ballroom, so that is where they go. Seonghwa already has a rough idea on where each type of flowers should go, but he finds it amusing to hear Akira and Yunho bickering over them. He doesn't even feel the jealousy anymore; to him, they seem more like siblings rather than a pair of lovers.

"I'm telling you, the petals of those red roses should be spread along the floor."

"I think blue would look better."

"Akira, you can't even see the colours."

"Well then, fuck you too, Jeong Yunho."

Seonghwa laughs at their squabble before putting up both hands to calm them down. "I think both would look good, so we can spread both the red and blue petals on the floor."

"See? It's not that hard," Yunho sticks his tongue out to her.

"You just fought for the red ones like there was no other colour in this world," she rolls her eyes, but then ends up smiling.

Their preparation for the venue has finally come to an end, but it's now time for them to dress themselves up. They file out of the ballroom, each accompanied by several maids that will be helping them to get ready. Even San, Mingi, Jongho and Yeosang who say they won't need anyone's help is ushered out of the ballroom, with Wooyoung insisting that the representatives of the palace should be presentable. Seonghwa and Hongjoong are also a bit reluctant to have any maids help them dress up, but Akira and Yunho are a different case. They seem to be the most excited at the thought of having someone actually helping them to get ready for the ball.

"Can you believe this," Yunho whispers to Akira. "We're actually being treated like royalty. At this rate, all of them seem like they could be the king, couldn't they?"

Their conversation is cut short as they are escorted into different rooms, each with their own convoy of maids. Akira is lead into a room with the purple lace dress already hung, ready to be put over her. She feels weird being strip naked, the maids keeping an emotionless face as their hands brush against her body scars, fitting her into the dress and zipping it up. The dress falls just past her knees, and although this is the most exposed she has ever been, she feels comfortable in it. She knows that this occassion calls for heels, but the only heels she has ever tried on are the ones under her boots. So she opts to only go for flats, so she doesn't have to worry about falling flat on her face.