Half-drunken glasses of champagne and a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries sat on the nightstand, the soft clinks of glasses and laughter filling the room. Lyra, Klay, and Jae-Sun were getting ready for the party, the air filled with anticipation and an undercurrent of tension.

Jae-Sun leaned in, concentrating as he carefully applied makeup to Lyra's face. "I can't believe my brother ghosted you like that," he huffed, shaking his head in disbelief as he continued blending eyeshadow with an expert hand. "What a jerk move."

And very unlike Kloud.

He had originally come to retrieve Klay after hearing his brother was with Lyra, but when he saw the two of them prepping for the Dragon King's party, Jae-Sun couldn't resist joining. Now, he was fully invested, his hands steady as he worked, his irritation with Kloud clear in his voice.

"Honestly, I can talk to him for you if you want," he added, his focus never leaving her eyelids as he worked.

Lyra glanced at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a strange mix of emotions. "No, no, Jae-Sun. It's fine," she replied, though her voice was more steady than she actually felt. "Your brother has his reasons, and I'll respect that."

Jae-Sun paused for a moment, then gave her a sympathetic smile. "You're too nice, you know that? But whatever his reason is, it's still a crappy thing to do. We'll have fun tonight regardless, I promise."

Klay, lounging on the bed with his phone in hand, perked up, completely oblivious to the deeper conversation. "Yeah, who cares about Kloud? You're gonna be the hottest girl at the party! Subby's going to freak when he sees you!" he exclaimed with his usual enthusiasm.

Lyra gave him a small, appreciative smile, though the anxiety still bubbled beneath the surface. The idea of meeting Subzero, the infamous Dragon Prince, was daunting. She had heard whispers about him around the academy but had yet to see him herself. 

"What is your obsession with Lyra meeting Subzero?" Jae-Sun finally asked, unable to hide his curiosity. Klay had been going on about it nonstop, and the randomness of it all was beginning to make Jae-Sun question his motives.

Klay, as carefree as ever, shrugged innocently. "Because! Don't you think it would be romantic if they ended up together? They're roommates, after all, and Dad approved it. I think he's trying to hook them up."

Jae-Sun laughed, shaking his head. "Dad approved because there were no other rooms available, silly. And Subzero is never here," he reminded Klay as he checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his soft blonde curls.

Klay, seemingly unaffected by the logic, darted into Lyra's closet. "Whatever! I'm telling you, it's fate. Just wait and see." His voice was muffled as he rummaged through her clothes, clearly searching for something to wear.

A moment later, Klay emerged from the closet, wearing a loud, patterned shirt over tiger-printed pants. He twirled in front of the mirror, his grin wide. "How do I look? Pretty cool, right?"

Jae-Sun glanced over and snorted, trying to stifle his laughter. "You look... interesting," he said, clearly amused. "But maybe lose the hat."

With exaggerated flair, Klay whipped off the oversized hat and tossed it across the room. "Better?"

"Much," Jae-Sun smirked, satisfied. He turned back to Lyra, who sat patiently as he finished the last touches of her makeup. "And you, my dear, look absolutely stunning. Nobody will be able to take their eyes off you. You'll have the men howling tonight. Or girls, if you roll that way," he teased with a wink.

Lyra smiled softly as she stood from her chair, heading over to the full body mirror. She let out a small breath and, with a flick of her wrist, used her magic to let her hair grow long and cascade down her back in glossy waves. The dark strands framed her face, flowing freely, enhancing the elegance of her look.

Her dress was a shimmering white, glittering under the light like a sea of stars. It hugged her form perfectly, the long fabric trailing behind her slightly as she moved. Paired with matching arm-length gloves, her blue heels, and the silver glitter on her eyes, she looked like she'd just stepped out of a dream.

Jae-Sun let out a low whistle. "Wow, Lyra, you look... incredible."

Klay bounded off the bed and grabbed his phone. "We need a picture. No, wait, we need several pictures," he said, his excitement contagious. 

Jae-Sun agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "We definitely do. Lyra looks incredible."

Lyra blushed under their praise, but agreed, allowing Klay to pull her into a selfie. He held the phone out, his wide grin bright against her elegant appearance, while Jae-Sun leaned in from the other side, all three of them beaming into the camera. 

Jae-Sun grabbed the phone, positioning it to take a picture of Lyra and Klay. Just as the flash was about to go off, Klay, with his usual enthusiasm, wrapped his arms around Lyra's waist. His grip was strong but surprisingly gentle, holding her close with a mix of excitement and innocence. There was something oddly hot about it, almost like he was showing her off proudly.

Lyra was caught off guard by his sudden shift in demeanor. For a brief moment, Klay's playful energy transformed, and he stood tall, staring into the camera with a serious, almost model-like expression. His eyes softened as he leaned down, his lips brushing against her neck in a gentle, innocent kiss. It wasn't romantic—it was just Klay being affectionate in his own way.

The flash went off again, capturing the moment perfectly. Lyra blinked, surprised by how naturally handsome Klay looked in the picture. His usual carefree attitude was still there, but there was something striking about him in that instant.

Before Lyra could process it, Klay had already grabbed the phone from Jae-Sun's hand, eagerly flipping through the photos. "Look at us! We look awesome!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement as he proudly showed Lyra the pictures. 

She couldn't help but bashfully smile.

Klay's eyes were bright with excitement. "These are going on my page right now. Everyone's gonna know I'm bringing the best date."

He wasn't wrong—within moments of posting, his phone started buzzing with notifications, comments already flooding in.

"And these are going on the family chat as well," Jae-Sun said, grabbing the phone back and sending the photos to the family group chat, a knowing smirk on his face.

————

Kloud lay sprawled on the couch, scrolling aimlessly through his phone, his AirPods in, tuning out the world. The low hum of conversation around him—his father and Tera chatting, Rain fixated on her favorite show, and Keanu reclining nearby—barely registered in his mind. From the outside, it looked like he was listening to music, but his playlist was muted. His mind was elsewhere.

The screen lit up with a new message from Klay in the family group chat. Kloud flicked the notification away without a second thought, not caring to look. He wasn't in the mood for whatever chaos Klay was up to this time.

That is, until Keanu whistled low, holding up his phone. "Damn, who's this girl Klay brought to Subzero's birthday party? She's bad as hell!"

Kloud didn't move, but his attention shifted sharply, his senses heightening. His heart rate quickened, a bad feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.

Tera's voice cut in with excitement as she leaned over to see Keanu's phone. "Luna! She looks absolutely beautiful! Oh, it's so good to see her fitting in so well with your children, Nero," she smiled, turning back to Kloud's father.

Luna?

Kloud froze. His body went rigid, a creeping sense of dread crawling up his spine. He quickly swiped open his phone and opened the family group chat, pulling up the pictures Klay had just sent. His stomach churned as his eyes scanned the photos.

There she was. Luna. With Klay. 

In the photo, Klay stood close to her, his lips gently brushing against her neck, his hands possessively resting on her hips. Luna... she didn't look uncomfortable. No, she looked like she was enjoying it. Klay, with that same glossy, faraway look in his eyes, almost emotionless, but focused. The scene made Kloud's blood run cold.

What the hell?

His thoughts spiraled, erratic and wild. Was this real? Was Luna that easy to just jump from him to Klay like that? She was supposed to be his uncle's mate, for god's sake. And now she's letting Klay—of all people—kiss her? What else was going to happen tonight? What else already did happen tonight? 

Kloud's grip tightened around his phone, his knuckles turning white as his mind spiraled further into madness. His vision blurred slightly from the adrenaline pumping through his veins, rage mixing with confusion. How could she do this to him? 

The phone screen cracked under the force of his grip. He shot up from the couch without warning, muttering a quick excuse to leave.

Keanu raised an eyebrow, his gaze following Kloud's abrupt movements. "Yo, where you going, man? Thought we were hanging here for a few days."

Kloud didn't even glance back, his voice tense. "I changed my mind. I'm going to Subzero's birthday party." And with that, he stormed out.

Until his father spoke.