elise | jjk ✓

vingt et un

vocab hint
maître d'hôtel means master of the house. in north american and english culture, you may be familiar with it being referred to as singularly maître d'. in this chapter, it's like an usher, head waiter, host/ess, etc.
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jeongguk has seen cinderella once before in his life. just once. and so, his knowledge on balls was very slim when it came to the things that actually happened at them. he really has no clue. and it seemed taehyung doesn't either. nor rose. who, by the way, is actually in attendance tonight, clinging to taehyung's arm as they whisper and giggle and share sweet kisses, acting as if jeongguk hadn't heard the crisp pain in taehyung's voice just days before as they talked about rose. or didn't. jeongguk didn't know anymore.

it didn't matter, however. because as they stand in front of the musée d'orsay, none of the petty stuff matters. they've made it, in high fashion, might i add. jeongguk guesses taehyung made an emergency trip down to the expensive shops like gucci and prada, because he and rose look like they've just stepped out of a catalogue. jeongguk, opted for a suit that adriana had tailored for him a long while ago, with silver beads along the lapel that he thought added a little bit of a unique look. it is paris after all, and it is a ball after all. so he couldn't resist.

"nice jewels," taehyung flicks his lapel for extra emphasis.

jeongguk scoffs as rose swats his best friend's arm. "you're the one wearing a pin."

"a broach, thank you very much," taehyung retorts indignantly.

the parisian night... jeongguk knows he'll never get tired of it. how it sparkles and twinkles, even if there's clouds in the sky that pour down rain—makes it all the more beautiful when something like that happens.

"so," rose trails after a short while of silence, watching others flood into the venue. "... should we go in?"

jeongguk clears his throat, "mhm, yes, we should." because he knows that it's now or never.

as the trio walks in, jeongguk feels like it's straight out of a movie. there's women in expensive ball gowns, no doubt hand sewn by some famous parisian or italian designer, diamonds and jewels and sequins covering miles of their skin, or none at all, some going for chic and classy looks. there's men in tuxedos, like taehyung. then there's men in tuxedos paralleling his own, with a little flare added here and there, and some even everywhere. jeongguk guesses this was a place for the masses, where anyone could be themselves. and not just the gala, but paris itself.

and soon enough, once jeongguk has feasted his eyes into all the silvers and golds and crystals his hazel irises can take, a maître d'hôtel announces himself at their side, wanting to escort them to their table.

jeongguk is a little shocked that the man hadn't asked for their names, and he knows rose can tell because she leans in and says, "you're one of the main reasons this gala was able to take place."

"i know," jeongguk says confidently, albeit the shyness still pulling through a little. it was just hard to believe.

but as the maître d'hôtel leads them further into the massive venue, past all the men and women and those who chose to be free from societies constricting labels, a smile pricks its way onto jeongguk's lips.

those are his arrangements. the ones people are conversing over, and taking pictures of, and adoring the smell of.

those are his.

and a sense of pride also swells in his chest, because for the first time in a while he feels seen.

the man eventually brings them to their table, one that's sort of at the front where all the presentations will be, and the trio takes a seat. there's another two people already at the table, two whom rose seems to know. she introduces them to the boys as people she met through work, associates or another, of the agency she works for.

once their seated, jeongguk notices how taehyung's leg fails to stop bouncing underneath the table beside his own.

"you okay?" he asks a bit worriedly. taehyung wasn't a person known to get nervous.

"yeah," taehyung answers quickly, almost too quickly for jeongguk's liking. "just... nervous, i guess, is all. first time my paintings have been auctioned off at something this big."

jeongguk nods in understanding. he'd be nervous too if it were him in taehyung's place.

"the paintings will do great," jeongguk reassures his best friend. "don't worry."

"speaking of 'don't worry'," rose pipes in, her head coming in closer to the two boys. "i may have invited someone."

jeongguk's puzzled, but not completely because he was wondering why there was an extra chair beside him. he just didn't expect it to be who it was.

he watches as rose's eyes flick to one of the marble staircases behind the covered art pieces on easels, and immediately his follow too.

like a murder of ravens, a few girls make their way down the stairs, most of the men in the room definitely ogling them. and amidst the black taffeta and sequins, is a small girl in a sleek, tulle dress adorned with the most gorgeous rhinestones. her dress was absolutely breathtaking, almost as breathtaking as the woman herself, with her dark hair and fox eyes, regality seemed to be her thing.

and there was only one person a look like that could belong to.

"you..." jeongguk looked back to rose. "you invited elise?"

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for reference on elise's dress, it can be seen at the beginning of the épigraphe :) i've had this scene planned out forever!
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