The house smelled faintly of brewed coffee and something warm Yui had left simmering in the kitchen. She was sitting on the couch, flipping through her textbooks preparing for upcoming midterms, when the sound of a zipper and shuffling footsteps broke the quiet.

Yuki emerged from his room, tugging on his jacket. His hair was slightly tousled, a deliberate kind of messy, and his silver wedding band caught the light as he adjusted his watch.

“Going somewhere?” she asked without looking up, though her tone carried the faintest bite.

“Yeah,” he replied casually, slipping his wallet into his pocket. “Meeting up with some friends. Don’t wait up.”

Yui raised a brow. Friends. The word felt vague, and from Yuki, that was practically a confession to an armed robbery. “Since when do you have friends you go out with at night?”

He shot her a flat look, but there was the ghost of a smirk in it. “Since always. You just don’t pay attention.”

“I pay plenty of attention,” she muttered, sitting up straighter. “What’s the occasion? Funeral? Secret poker game?

Yuki didn’t answer—just slipped his keys into his pocket and said, "I'm going.”

The door clicked shut behind him.

For a long moment, Yui stared at the door, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. If he was out, that meant she didn’t have to invent an excuse to leave. Perfect.

She rose from the couch and padded toward her room, heart picking up speed as she opened the wardrobe. She got dressed, took her ring off and put it inside the drawer.

------

The ballroom was a dizzying blend of crystal chandeliers and masked elegance. A live quartet played near the grand staircase, the sound weaving through the low hum of expensive gossip.

Yuki had barely stepped inside when a soft, familiar voice called from across the room.

“Yuki?”

He turned, blinking. A girl stood there in a pale lilac dress that shimmered like in the light, A neat hairstyle with half open hair giving off an innocent look, framing a smile that was far too warm for the chill that settled in his chest.

“You.” he said slowly. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

She took a step closer, the scent of her perfume brushing the air between them. “It's been a long time since I last saw you~”

He arched a brow. 

She slipped her arm through his and laughed softly, as though he had told a joke, and guided him toward the marble floor where the crowd swayed to the music.

Around half an hour after the arrival of Yuki, Yui came. She looked here and there as if she was searching for someone.

Her breath caught.

Yuki.

What on earth was he doing here?

He was dressed sharply in a dark suit, his mask simple, his posture effortlessly composed. Their eyes met across the crowd—just for a second—but something passed between them, a flicker of recognition and… surprise?

Before she could even take a step toward him, her focus snagged on the woman at his side. Tall, graceful, dressed in a lilac gown that clung in all the right places—an unfamiliar woman, smiling far too easily as she held onto Yuki’s arm.

A strange, unwelcome heat rose in Yui’s chest. She told herself it was nothing, that she didn’t care, but the sudden tightness in her throat betrayed her.

"What is he doing here!? And who is that WOMAN!? I can't believe he is already CHEATING!" 

Meanwhile from behind, 

“Yui.” His voice was smooth, warm… and just a little too pleased. Emerging from the crowd in a perfectly tailored black suit, Louis bowed with exaggerated charm. “I was hoping you’d come. It wouldn’t feel like a celebration without you.”

"You-" 

Before she could answer, he extended his hand. “Dance with me.”

Yui hesitated, glancing toward the growing crowd on the dance floor. “You have plenty of other partners, I’m sure.”

“Perhaps,” he murmured, “but none who interest me quite as much.” His smile held that faint, unreadable edge she could never fully place.

Reluctantly, she let him lead her into the waltz.

For the first few measures, they danced in silence—her steps light but guarded, his confident and practiced. Then his voice dipped just enough for only her to hear.

Louis’s smile sharpened. “ Funny, isn’t it? How some families polish their image so well the world forgets the dirt beneath.”

Yui’s grip on his shoulder tightened fractionally. “What do you mean?" 

He replied, leaning closer, “The Sanada Heir.”

"You seem to know quite a lot about them. Is this the reason why you forced me to come here? I dont see how sanada family matters are related to me?" 

"Not really. I know them enough to despise them." His smile sharpened. Hatred clear in his eyes. 

The music swelled, but his words seemed to echo louder in her head. She didn’t have time to press further—as the music had ended and he walked away.

--------

Yui slipped away from the dance floor the moment the music ended, her pulse still uneven from Louis’s loaded words. She needed air—just a second to think. The air on the balcony was cooler, laced with the faint perfume of roses from the garden below. Yui leaned against the ornate railing, fingers tightening unconsciously around the stem of her glass as Louis’s words echoed in her head.

"The Sanada Heir." "I know them enough to despise them."

Her brows furrowed. Louis had always carried himself with that easy charm, a magnetic pull that others found difficult to resist. But tonight, for the first time, she’d seen the cracks. His smile hadn’t reached his eyes. His grip on her hand had been too firm, his words too deliberate.

And the way he had looked at Yuki across the room—sharp, calculating, almost predatory.

Was it really coincidence that he had come back from abroad now, of all times? That he had sought her out at every opportunity?

"Did he come back for me?" she wondered. "Or was I only ever a piece in whatever game he’s playing with Yuki… with the Sanada family?"

The thought sent a ripple of unease down her spine.

"I already though it was weird for him to approach someone he had only known for a few days and as KIDS at that! But...why me? I hate to point this out but....does he actually know about our relationship...?" 

Her gaze drifted toward the glittering chandeliers inside, catching sight of Louis mingling effortlessly among the crowd again, his laugh smooth, his posture relaxed—as though their dance had been nothing but a passing moment. As though he hadn’t just peeled open a secret resentment with a few well-placed words.

She took a deep breath. "No, I can't be hasty I have to think about this calmly. But what if Yuki is in danger...? My GOD ever since I married that arrogant fool my life has become a living HELL! But.....I think have lost this battle now...." 

As she turned around, He stood there. In the dim light, drink in hand, expression unreadable. 

“Why are you here?” she said flatly.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Why are you?”

She lifted her chin. “I thought you were with your friends tonight.”

“And I thought you were staying home.”

“Change of plans,” she said lightly, brushing past him.

His gaze followed her, lingering. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

Yui gave a small, mocking laugh. “Oh? You mean the dancing? Louis is… charming company.”

“Too charming,” Yuki muttered, setting his glass down. “He had his hand on your back the entire time.”

“Funny, I didn’t notice you looking away from that woman glued to your side,” she shot back. “What was her name again? Or did you not bother to ask?”

“She’s just someone I know,” he said.

“Mmh. Someone you know, someone who clings, someone who makes you smile… must be hard keeping track.” Her tone was sugary, but the bite underneath was unmistakable.

Yuki’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk. “Are you jealous?”

She turned to face him fully, masking the small spike in her heartbeat. “Of her? Please. I don’t have the energy. Plus you dont mean anything to me in the first place.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“And you’re a terrible dance critic,” she replied, brushing imaginary lint off her dress. “Not that you’d know—you were too busy playing escort.”

Yui broke their staring contest first, scoffing as she turned toward the balcony doors.

“I don’t have time for this. Enjoy your mystery date.”

She stepped past him, chin high, heels clicking against the marble. But the moment her foot hit the polished edge near the balcony’s step, her ankle twisted.

“Ah—!”

Before she could fall, strong arms caught her, pulling her back against a chest.

“Careful,” Yuki murmured, his breath warm against her ear. 

Their eyes met—closer than they’d ever dared before. The faint glow from the ballroom spilled over his features, highlighting the sharp lines of his face, the intensity in his gaze. His hand still pressed at her waist, firm, protective, almost possessive.

For a moment, neither spoke. The laughter and music from inside seemed like another world. Here, it was just them—and the dangerous awareness humming between their locked gazes.

Yui swallowed, trying to steady her voice. “You can let go now.”

Yuki didn’t move. His sapphire blue eyes searched hers, lingering, as if reading all the words she’d never said. His lips curved—barely.

“…What if I don’t want to?”

Yui’s breath caught, her sarcasm deserting her for once. The balcony, the glittering night sky, the muffled sound of the party—it all blurred, leaving only the heat of his hand and the pull in his voice.

Her pulse thundered in her ears. And yet, before she could reply—

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Louis’s voice rang from the ballroom, commanding silence. “If I may have your attention—”

The spell shattered like glass. Yui jerked back, forcing space between them, though her skin burned where his hand had been. Yuki let her go slowly, eyes narrowing, unreadable.

Yui’s stomach twisted. She smoothed her dress quickly, trying to erase the heat from her cheeks as she and Yuki slipped back inside from the balcony. The hum of anticipation prickled her skin.

“Tonight, on my birthday,” Louis began, pausing just long enough for dramatic effect, “I wish to share more than gratitude. I wish to share… my heart."

And then, Louis turned—his gaze locking squarely on her.

“I am in love with Yui Sanada.”

The ballroom froze including Yui. Then chaos erupted.

Then, as if a dam had broken, whispers erupted around her.

Yui’s knuckles whitened as she gripped her dress. Her chest tightened, with something sharper—anger. She forced herself to straighten, smile faint and brittle, trying to maintain composure in the storm of judgment.

Somewhere in the chaos, she felt Yuki’s hand slip into hers, steady and protective, grounding her against the flurry of flashes and whispered venom.

“Come with me,” Yuki murmured, his voice low, sharp, commanding.

Yui’s breath caught. Without waiting for her to answer, he tugged her toward the nearest exit.

She glanced at him. His jaw was tight, eyes dark as storm clouds, muscles tense beneath the crisp suit. He didn’t speak again, just kept walking, pulling her toward the door.

--------

Outside, the cold night hit her like a slap. The roar of the city beyond was distant compared to her pounding heartbeat. Yuki’s gaze flicked to hers for a moment—silent, calculating—and then he tossed a helmet to her.

“…A bike? You—have a bike?” Her voice wavered between disbelief and exasperation.

His eyes narrowed. “Do you want to stand here and discuss it, or do you want to get away?”

The unspoken words—Louis, the cameras, the scandal—hung between them. Yui didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. She climbed onto the back, gripping his waist instinctively. The heat of him under her palms made her pulse spike.

He swung his leg over the seat, started the engine—and the growl of it sliced through the night.

“Hold on tight,” Yuki warned.

The bike lunged forward. Wind ripped at her hair and dress, whipping around them like angry fingers. The city lights smeared into streaks of gold and silver as they tore down empty streets. Yui pressed closer, heart hammering, mind spinning.

Every curve of the road, every sudden acceleration made her feel the tension radiating off him—anger, protectiveness, something she couldn’t name—all directed at her.

Her voice trembled over the roar of the engine. “...Thank you..."

She pressed her cheek against his back instinctively, letting the speed and the night wash over them. Safe… but so close it’s terrifying.

"I knew it. I shouldn't have gone. He pulled me into a trap. But now atleast I know something is going on here and it seems like Yuki is his main target."