"Something is off." I said "Everyone here is trying to hide themselves."
"It's nothing." he said while offering me red wine in a wine glass.I took a sip.
The wine spread slowly across my tongue velvety and warm leaving a faint sweetness mixed with something sharp.
I scan the area. Everyone here looks deadly mysterious and strange, but why?
The room glittered with New Year decorations, but nothing felt joyful. Laughter sounded forced, smiles lingered too long, and conversations disappeared the moment I looked over. Something about this party felt wrong - I couldn't tell what. This wasn't a celebration at all; it was as if.... everyone is waiting for something or someone which isn't ordinary.
My gaze shifted, scanning the room again.
"Xey...?"A soft ,yet powerful voice called out sending a chill down my spine.
I looked at him, confusion written across my face.
"...Yeah?"I replied
A tiny curve appeared on his pinkish lips as I met his gaze.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked, his voice calm - but searching.
"Eh...no.."
He slowly looked away, and my gaze followed his without thinking once. But before I could fully follow him, a soft voice called out.
"Long time no see."
A warm smile curved his lips."I was kinda busy."
He offered her a handshake and arranged chairs for us to sit.
I was looking at both of them, wondering why the party felt so different - and who this woman was.
"Xey... She's my friend." He said softly, his gaze lingering on me a second to long.
I gazed at her, quietly noting every detail. She wrote a scarlet, fitted dress with black trims, sharp as warning. Her ink- black hair was tied in a half ponytail, giving her a commanding, almost predatory air, yet her almond-shaped eyes held no trace of innocence or mercy-only a quite, unreadable confidence. She looked at me, said nothing, but the weight of her gaze was deliberate, almost teasing.
I cleanly said,"Hi,I am Xeyer."my voice steady and measured. I didn't force a smile, didn't try to charm-my presence was enough. Polite, reserved, yet confident, I let my gaze meet her without flinching, showing her I was attentive, present, but not the type of overshare.
"Hi. I'm Clera. Nice to meet you, Xeyer," she said calmly as her eyes found mine.
But something changed—her way of speaking, her tone. The politeness stayed, yet it felt measured, deliberate. Her gaze lingered on me, sharp and knowing, as if she were weighing something unspoken.
She was sweet like honey to him, but for me, her words carried an edge—sharp as a dagger. Not hostile, not loud… just enough to feel like a warning. As if she were telling me, without saying it out loud, that I was standing too close to something dangerous.
"Here, have some wine," he said, holding a glass of red wine he had taken as the waiter passed by.
He offered it to her with a faint smile, and for a brief moment, their eyes met.
She accepted it and glanced at me, as if giving a silent signal. I looked at him in return. He lifted his glass, waiting.
"Cheers," we said together, raising our glasses and taking a sip.
A quiet sense of relief settled in as the wine touched my tongue.
"Anyway, how are you doing?" she asked, breaking the silence that had begun to stretch between us.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I'm doing well. It's been some time since I've seen so many familiar faces gathered together."he replied.
"Some presences draw attention without intending to… It would be wise to keep certain company close tonight," she said, her tone calm but deliberate—as if she were warning him about something beyond my reach.
He met her gaze and shifted slightly closer to me."Yeah."
I didn't know what they were talking about, but something in his voice made my chest tighten.
After a few beats of silence, I sensed someone was looking at me.
My fingers tightened around the stem of the wine glass without realizing it.
I took a silent sip, the taste lingering as I tried to trace the gaze pressing against me.
I took a silent sip, trying to figure out where the gaze was coming from.
But before I could turn, he shifted closer, his elbow brushing mine.
"You good?" he asked casually, though his eyes were fixed somewhere beyond me.
I followed his gaze for a heartbeat—and whatever I saw made my grip tighten around the glass.
I swallowed hard before turning back, staring into the depth of the wine.
I can't be wrong. I can't be wrong.
Someone was watching me.
But there was no one there.
Only darkness.
How is it even possible?
"Don't worry. That was only a dark spot," I heard Clera say calmly.
I lifted my face, forcing calm.
But my heart still ached — as if the darkness hadn't left at all.
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words died before they could form. I remained silent, lost in a moment I didn't understand.
After a few beats of silence, I hesitated, still searching for words that refused to come. Then I looked at him and said quietly, "I… want to leave."
As I said those four words, the room fell silent for a second or two.
My gaze drifted from left to right.
Golden light shimmered across the hall, laced with silver. Every decoration was flawless—too flawless.
The air was light, yet heavy with wine and perfume, as if the sweetness hid something beneath it.
Finally, my gaze settled on him. He maintained eye contact for a long second before a faint smile curved his lips.
"As you wish," he said.
He turned toward Clera, only to find she was already gone. I didn't think much of it at the time.
*
"That was a strange party," I murmured, the soft breeze from the car window cooling my flushed skin.
"That's what you always say when you're in a crowded place," he said.
I turned my face toward him, just for a brief glance, then looked away again. My eyes returned to the window, watching the silent street pass by as I let myself sink into the quiet.
Yeah, he was right. I never felt comfortable in crowded places. Whenever I went to one, something inside me tightened.
It always felt strange—as if every pair of eyes were fixed on me. As if a girl were standing there exposed and vulnerable, like she wasn't properly covered at all.
I had felt this way since childhood.
I knew it wasn't true, but the feeling never left. It clung to me, making my skin prickle beneath invisible stares.
"So… did you like the wine?" he asked, breaking the silence between us.
"Yeah, it was good," I answered slowly, thinking about the dark spot.
I couldn't be wrong. Whenever someone is looking at me, I can sense it—even if they're far away. But at the party, that was my first experience of not being able to find the person who was watching me.
After a moment,I slightly lifted my head, gazing at the azure sky trying to steady my thoughts. A full moon hung above, one corner veiled by drifting clouds, as if shyly watching me from the heavens.
"So beautiful," the words slipped out in a soft whisper.
"So… what do you think about Clera?" he asked out of nowhere.
I blinked, slightly taken aback by the sudden question. "Clera?" I repeated, turning to look at him.
The streetlights slipped across his face in passing streaks of gold and shadow, making it hard to read his expression.
"She's… nice," I said slowly. "Why?"
His fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel before relaxing again.
"No reason," he muttered, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"And sorry about her sudden change in tone," he continued. "She's like that with some people… especially new ones."
I hesitated before answering. "No… it's fine. There's no need to apologize," I said, though something still felt unsettled inside me.
He gazed at me for a second before turning his attention back to the road.
She was nice… but something about her felt different.
I sighed softly. The cool midnight breeze brushed against my face, lulling me into a gentle sleepiness.
"Why do I always feel like an outsider at New Year parties?" I asked quietly.
"Don't overthink," he replied gently, like a perfect gentleman.