Chapter 51

Men and women were dancing to a cheerful melody.

Karina, who was walking past them, took a drink from a passing attendant.

‘No one really recognizes me.’

Karina fiddled with the mask she had switched to and looked around.

Everyone seemed to be hiding themselves, focusing on each other’s gestures, speech, and glances.

It was a strangely exhilarating feeling. Karina brought the glass she was holding to her lips. The scent she tasted was slightly different from what she had expected as soon as she took a sip.

“……Alcohol?”

The glass she had taken without much thought turned out to contain alcohol. Karina frowned and was about to set the glass down but hesitated. Tasting it again, it didn’t seem like the alcohol scent was that strong.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

While she was contemplating, a man struck up a conversation.

A man who was clearly unfamiliar took a step closer to Karina, who was standing idly.

“A lonely butterfly, it seems.”

“Ah…… not really.”

Startled for a moment, Karina checked the man’s mask and realized her mistake. He was wearing an ornate rose mask. Upon closer inspection, his gaze was unusual. Karina instinctively stepped back.

“You seem to need a flower to land on.”

“No, I prefer standing.”

Even though she tried to avoid his gaze, the man only looked at Karina with a deep intensity. Just as she was about to say she had company, a shadow fell beside her.

A hand in white gloves lightly grasped both sides of Karina’s mask. Startled, Karina raised her hand, but the hand that had touched her mask fell away, slightly obscuring her view.

The man in the white mask glanced down and spoke.

“I claimed her first.”

“……What?”

“A while ago.”

Noah shrugged his shoulders and turned his back on the man. Karina, who naturally followed him, matched her steps with his.

‘I feel a prickling gaze on my back.’

Ignoring the faint gaze she felt from behind, Karina asked Noah.

“Why did you disappear so suddenly earlier?”

She remembered wandering the hall after he had disappeared. Though both had been busy looking around, she was curious about the reason.

Noah, who had been walking silently, finally spoke as they approached a pillar.

“Yes. Here it is.”

As Noah raised his hand, an attendant approached and placed a pair of shoes on the floor. They were low-heeled shoes. Karina, taken aback, changed into them.

“Just in case.”

Noah, kneeling on one knee, looked up and spoke.

When had he thought of this?

She even found it a little fascinating. Feeling embarrassed, Karina wiggled her toes for no reason, even though they couldn’t be seen.

Noah stood and extended his hand. At that moment, she noticed the glass in her hand.

‘No one will know it’s me anyway.’

Hearing the boisterous laughter right beside her, her body moved on its own.

Karina closed her eyes tightly and downed the glass in one go.

“I’m thirsty too…….”

“Let’s go.”

Perhaps it was her imagination, but feeling a surge of courage, Karina took Noah’s hand.

The party was just beginning.

***

Not having to care about people’s gazes was more enjoyable than she had expected. Karina danced with Noah several times, laughing loudly as if she were someone else.

‘Is it because of the alcohol?’

That thought crossed her mind occasionally, but it didn’t matter.

No one around her would think that the woman enjoying herself here was Karina Edelin.

And even if they did, it felt like it wouldn’t matter, at least for today.

“You’re not falling today.”

Because there was someone who would support her no matter what happened.

Instead of answering Noah’s comment, Karina spun while holding his hand. When he appeared in her view again, he was smiling. Following suit, Karina laughed and leaned closer to Noah to mention something she suddenly remembered.

“By the way…… don’t you have something to say to me?”

The sky-blue eyes behind the mask swirled slightly before returning to their original position.

It wouldn’t be strange if he truly didn’t know.

‘It’s enough that he remembered to attend.’

Just as she was about to give up on getting the answer she wanted, Noah stepped back in time with the music.

“I do.”

“What is it?”

Even amidst the music and the sound of people laughing, his lips were clearly visible. Noah, who had suddenly closed the distance, looked down at Karina from a distance where their foreheads and chins could almost touch.

Karina, who had been half-joking and half-serious, froze for a moment.

“Happy birthday.”

Noah spoke softly, locking eyes with Karina.

His tone and voice, which were no different from usual, made the moment even more special.

Karina continued to dance in a daze, realizing one thing. Upon reflection, it wasn’t strange at all.

Noah Velcarid—she could no longer imagine an ordinary day without him. Feeling a bit empty, Karina let herself be carried away by the buoyant mood again.

“Are you okay?”

It was much later, while she was resting on the terrace after dancing for a long time.

Noah approached and handed her a glass of water. Karina took it and brought it to her lips. After drinking a few sips of lukewarm water and feeling the night breeze on her face, she felt her breath ease.

“Thank you.”

“Shall I bring you another glass?”

When she shook her head to indicate she was fine, Noah gave her a subtle look. Reflexively lowering her gaze, Karina blinked slowly.

“Why are your shoes…… wet?”

Noah’s shoes and the hem of his pants were dripping water. It seemed he had stepped into a puddle somewhere. Without saying much, Noah took the glass and stood beside her.

The cool night breeze cooled the heat on her cheeks. Without realizing it, Karina closed her eyes. 

She had been like that for a long time. She felt something touch the side of her head.

‘Why is his shoulder touching my head?’

Noah’s shoulder was resting against her head. She was curious, but it felt like it could wait until later.

Karina gazed blankly at the slightly tilted world and spoke.

“I just realized how fun parties can be.”

She had always thought crowded and noisy places were troublesome. In truth, her opinion hadn’t changed much, yet she was enjoying herself now.

It was both surprising and puzzling. Was it just a fleeting whim, or had something actually changed for some other reason?

“I feel the same.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. Do you have a reason, Miss Karina?”

Without thinking, Karina had thrown the question, and Noah returned it.

As she pondered, Karina shook her head slightly, feeling momentarily dizzy.

“Be careful.”

In that brief moment, the world shifted again.

Noah, who had caught Karina’s shoulder as she was about to fall forward, pulled her upright. For once, he looked genuinely flustered as he withdrew his arm.

“I think it’s best to head back. You’ve been unsteady since just a moment ago….”

Noah stopped mid-sentence when Karina’s forehead touched his chest. This time, it wasn’t because of intoxication or coincidence.

“Because of you, Noah.”

When Karina mumbled softly, Noah’s hand froze on her back.

“Because you…… keep staying by my side.”

She didn’t even know what she was saying. She just wanted to do so at that moment. That was all.

After a long silence, Noah cautiously placed his hand on Karina’s shoulder.

“Is that so?”

His lukewarm response didn’t matter because she could feel a faint vibration from where her forehead touched his chest. The vibration grew stronger until it reached Karina’s ears.

Karina stayed still with her eyes closed.

It was a warm night. A night she didn’t want to lose more than anything.

***

A man wearing a plain black mask walked quickly through the crowd. After exiting the ballroom, he entered an empty hallway and removed his mask. Heavy, deep emotions surfaced on his face, which had been hidden until now.

‘It was definitely Karina.’

It wasn’t something he needed to confirm.

No matter how many masks she wore or how many crowds she hid in, he could recognize her. And the man next to her. Noah Velcarid. Without a doubt.

Phyllis bit the inside of his cheek as he gripped the mask and turned around. The hallway he had just walked down seemed to mock him, as it was empty.

‘What am I supposed to do now? No, what can I do?’

The question lingered in his mind, unable to find an answer or be spoken aloud.

Karina leaning against Noah’s chest appeared vividly before his eyes. Her slowly lowering head and her slackened shoulders.

The emotions that surged up inside him rendered Phyllis unable to do anything.

‘We were friends. We still are.’

‘I would have done it even if it weren’t for you.’

Seeing Karina coldly push him away, he thought it was over.

‘Maybe we were never really friends to begin with.’

Convinced that he couldn’t turn back after finally admitting it, he promised himself to forget everything by delivering the hairpin in his pocket.

“What did I even come here for?”

The quiet murmur shattered the composure he had been barely holding onto.

Phyllis stared blankly at the pin in his hand. In truth, he already knew. That everything was a lie. He had said they might not have been friends, but that wasn’t true.

They were friends. They just couldn’t be anything more.

It was a feeling he had unknowingly deceived himself about. A relationship he had believed in without realizing it was a lie.

‘Karina. I really like you. As a friend, I mean.’

It was something he had said as a child, a memory now faint. He remembered the expression Karina had made when their eyes met at that moment.

A bitter laugh escaped him. Phyllis clenched the mask in his hand.

The reason he had said such things didn’t matter. He had ruined everything himself.

“Ah, geez. I said no.”

“Come on, just once….”

A man and woman who had been approaching while joking around stopped short when they saw Phyllis.

Phyllis quietly put on his mask and walked past them. He could hear their whispers behind him but paid no attention.

“Please dispose of this.”

Handing the pin to a passing attendant, he made the request, his face showing signs of hesitation. Without waiting for a response, Phyllis turned and left.