One more time!

Those shouts were proffered the whole morning that day.

Their tiresome was ignored as they continued practicing the most daring steps they would later add into the next show's choreography that, oddly enough, almost all of the prostitutes were hired to.

The event was a mystery. Younri only texted them to go to the Pub's training studio for an important rehearsal schedule.

Night shows? Nah, the Pub was on "hiatus" or something like that. Not even the bar would work, or the prostitutes' sex services would be opened.

They were confused, but... if the boss told them the rules, they'd follow them.

Younri was as apprehensive as the dancers and prostitutes, who continued to shout, "One more time!" with every crooked step.

The music was turning repetitive and exhausting, but they continued to twist their feet to flow with the music and work their hands on the pole dances. No heels would survive that rehearsal, so they decided to train barefoot and, after finally understanding the choreography, they would start rehearsing in the pointy-toed heels that were part of the intriguing costume their boss chose for each of them.

Once, twice, three times. The music had to stop playing and repeat that same fragment. Panting, the dancers of that little piece of music sat on the smooth floor of the studio, and the other prostitutes brought water and a towel. Among them, Lydia seemed one of the most tired and lay on the floor with her arms open while Mine fanned her with a fan.

“Miss Lydia, are you ok?” Younri approached with a cold towel in his hands.

“I… am…” she gave a thumbs up to her boss and managed to sit. “Damn… Talia! Your choreography is hellish!! No wonder Mine taught you well, damn…” Lydia grumbled while Younri crouched and wiped the sweat off her forehead and neck.

“The choreography was partially made by Mine, for you to know,” Talia also panted, fanning herself with a portable fan she bought the other day. Her red-like-fire hair was tied in a high bun, but her neck was still scorching hot.

“Girls, let's have a break,” Younri clapped his hands. "Meeva, turn off the music. Let's rest, or else you'll all faint!" he worried and seemed a little anxious that day, contrary to his usual composed posture.

Younri's brow didn't seem tired from frowning so much, and his hands were as restless as the expression on his face. Even though he wore the most comfortable clothes in his wardrobe, they suffocated him somehow.

This was, indeed, unusual.

“Boss, you good?” Mine asked, approaching his boss, who aided the almost fainting Meeva.

Younri held the dancer's head and placed her on the floor, casting a chilling spell on her body. "Yes, little Star," he replied with a tense smile. "We just have a huge event coming, and I'm not anxious at all, hahaha…” he laughed feebly.

They all widened their eyes and looked at their boss.

They thought it would be an ordinary hired night event, which they would perform at a private party. Although everything seemed suspicious from Younri's first message in the Pub's message group, saying that they were supposed to prepare a choreography worthy of millions and to rest well before rehearsals.

"I'll dance too, by the way," Younri patted Meeva's cheeks.

The dancers' eyes couldn't widen more than that.

Even Meeva ressurected! A miracle was performed!

"YOU WILL PERFORM??!!" the girls shouted in one go, and poor Younri's ears twitched.

Younri covered his long ears and whined. “Ow ow girls… I use sound protectors during the night and rehearsals, but now I’m raw…” he covered his ears.

The girls' excitement was above the clouds! They started screaming in joy, and poor Younri barely had time to think before Lydia carried him in her arms, leaving her boss startled while the girls cheered and clapped their hands in joy.

The boss's performance was a myth! A true legend!

They couldn't even think their boss could wear sexy clothing one day!!

Legend says Younri was once a famous performer and was often given tons of gifts and money – which led the girls to believe that was why he was now that wealthy.

Also, they theorized and made several fanfictions about his affair with famous people back when, once they saw a very exquisite man going inside his personal room at the Pub and the same man walking with him in a very cold dawn...

... very suspicious... and that made the girls very curious!

Of course, they asked them about the fine man, but their boss only told the girls he was the guy who patronized the Pub's beverages - once they were all refined and had excellent quality.

It didn't matter how much they'd ask or even read the fan fiction for him. Younri only gave them boring answers.

Still, the dancers and prostitutes cultivated an irresistible curiosity towards the mysterious past of their beloved boss, who was still being carried in Lydia's arms while the group cheered and shouted.

"Let's pop some beer!!" Talia cheered, and Younri looked at her in disbelief.

“Let’s be fancier, a champagne!" Lydia cheered, and Mine looked at her with a face of "Can you afford it, dear? You barely pay for your plants' supplies."

“Ahhh... put me down, Miss Lydia…” Younri muttered with his ears reddish.

The dancers and prostitutes were still in an uproar, but they gave their boss the space to recover from all the emotion (and commotion). Younri took a paper from his pockets and handed the fanciest envelope to the group.

They took it feeling the paper could make them rich just by one touch - due to such opulence!

The dark red paper was smooth and very hard as if it were specific watercolor paper. The main letters were engraved in gold, and the text was written in that chic calligraphy, as well as the signature on each of the invitations followed by an ornate sticker. The entire card was worked in arabesques, especially in the golden frame - an extra touch of refinement.

It was as if the entire invitation screamed the party's theme: a mix of a masquerade ball with touches of Moulin Rouge.

"Each dancer will have their own mask, and the costumes will be provided by the party's main sponsor," Talia read an excerpt from the invitation to everyone. "My God, how chic!" she smiled, feeling adorable with such thoughtfulness from the sponsors.

“I gave the measurements of all of you to the people at the organization, so don't worry about whether it will fit or not,” Younri laughed softly. “It will be an all-night show, but our performance will be the main event, the climax!” he smiled and opened his fan.

A map of the residence - which looked more like a mansion - appeared in front of the dancers like a 3D map, but of mana.

"The stage is big enough, and the dressing room is very close, so don't worry. The organizer has set aside some rooms for anyone doing extra work. There are eight rooms with basically everything you will need," Younri explained and closed the fan. "Excited?"

Obviously, they were excited. They were so excited they started shouting and clapping again, one hugging the other and others already putting on their socks to continue rehearsals. Younri laughed softly and took another piece of paper from his pockets (which looked more like a bag).

"Each dancer will receive an amount of -----, " and my goodness, the amount was high.

Mine, hearing the amount of money they'd be paid, felt all kinds of old worries slowly leave his body. Maybe... maybe he would have the chance to pay off his debt much faster than he planned and, who knows, finally move on and forget the ghosts that remained in the past.

Before he could smile any more than he already was, Lydia let out a loud, happy “woohoo!!!!” throwing her arms up in the air.

“THIS!! THIS IS REAL MONEY!” Lydia laughed in joy and did a little dance of joy she always did with Mine, who laughed at her and followed her giggly steps.

“I can pay for my university scholarship!" Meeva beamed, and what once was a smile slowly turned into an ugly sobbing.

“Oh… Meeva…” Talia chuckled and stroked her friend’s back. “See? You’re not late for that! I told you!” she grinned, and Meeva also did, still wobbly, and soaked in tears.

Younri glanced at Mine and rested his fan on his chin. "With that, I'm afraid your stay here will be really over this year, am I right?" he smiled.

Mine was taken by surprise.

Yes, he had said that to his boss once, and only Younri knew what he had been through to be tied in that gruesome debt he didn't dare to speak about to any soul. So, Mine smiled, as simple as that. Finally, his plans were working the way he planned.

“I’m afraid you’re right,” Mine chuckled.

"When you go to pay your debtor, take me with you," Younri smiled. "I won't be able to rest knowing you're going after that scoundrel alone. I need to go with you even if you don't want to!" he snorted, and Mine couldn't help but laugh.

“Thank you, boss,” Mine smiled again.

"Then you can date that hottie as free as you are~" Lydia teased, and Mine flushed, slapping her forehead.

At that exact moment, Mine felt like he was in a fifth-grade classroom.

All the girls looked at him, and a characteristic smile appeared on their lips, followed by many classic provocations, such as patting the hand or poking the waist...

“Who is he?” Meeva asked - her eyes still a little bit reddish from crying.

Her pure tone of curiosity always managed to grab Mine's heart, but he hid that at all costs... but the girls were committed to taking a confession from him that day!

“Tell us, little Star~” even Talia dared to tease him.

Mine looked at them once more.

Their eyes were brimming with curiosity and teasing, of course. Mine was the Pub's best model, and he always told them he'd rather die than tie ties with someone. Also, they knew the little gremlin behind his prince/princess-looking appearance, which made his speech about ties very convincing.

Maybe spilling a little tea wouldn't hurt, especially because their eyes were too expectant, and he couldn't afford misunderstandings. Also, the girls were very good detectives of someone else's life, and he didn't want them to snoop around his things, much less find Addai and harass him! He knew them very well, so... yeah, he'd spill some tea.

"First of all, he's my friend," Mine started, and Younri opened his fan once again. "Secondly, I don’t want that!! You all know I don’t want to date anyone! Besides, he’s annoying and very stubborn! He does what he pleases, and we always end up in bickering. Yeah, he is sweet sometimes, but this does not mean he’s suitable!” he hushed his speech and barely caught his breath.

Lydia looked at him… up and down… then raised an eyebrow.

"You said you don't want to date, but then he's suddenly not suitable? So, it means you want, but you're playing hard to get…”

Mine looked at her with disbelief while Talia prepared one more tease.

"How does he look like?" she sat on the floor, and the group made a gossiping circle.

It's been a while since Mine had gossiped about boys and stuff – according to him, it was disgusting to talk like high schoolers about boys and blah blah blah… but there he was, and he had no escape route from that because even Younri made him seat in the circle.

“Enlighten us with his appearance,” Meeva brightened her eyes.

“…”

Mine sighed and took his cell phone. He scrolled down the screen and hesitated twice before turning the phone for them to witness…

… a very dubious photo of Addai.

No, it wasn't indecent, rather, it was very…

 well, he could have chosen a better one.

"!!!,” the girls shouted, gasped, and widened their eyes.

Yeah, you guys need to see that because it was a rare sightseeing Mine caught after Addai's (odd) quick recovery at his place.

While the ruckus occurred, screams and shouts of teasing, the letter on the table flipped to the side, showing its back and a big, ornamented symbol right in the middle, a watermark. It was exquisite… and oddly familiar, you might tell.

The lines in red gave an ominous and chic vibe, but what made it even more interesting was the fancy signature starting with an A.

...

...

We've seen that before, didn't we?