“Hum… hum… hum ~🎶 the stars shine bright… the shine be on me. The spotlight is on me… and loved I will be ~”
Under the neon lights of the bright cityscape, a figure stood by the deck of a cruise ship docked in the river flowing to the East Sea, swirling a glass of red liquid in their hand while humming a song to themselves. From inside the cabin, music and laughter could be heard vaguely, like a backdrop to the moonless night. The figure turned around and leaned their back onto the railings, every move was done with precise, calculated grace.
“I am the moon in the night, the sun in the sky ~ 🎶 And I am a name written in every woman's hea~aart…. shall I be your angel… or a devil is what you wish me to be ~🎵?”
The lamps suddenly lit up, their illuminating light cascading down the figure on the deck. A lazy smile adorned their perfectly sculpted androgynous face as their half-lidded eyes fixed on the glass of red liquid, murmuring softly with a poise reminiscent of an enchanting beauty, “I am your Adonis, Narcissus, and Aphrodite… and I can be your Asmodeus and Jophiel ~ 🎶 dear, your heart can't help but be drawn to me~”
They drew the glass close to their lips and tilted it, allowing the liquid to flow down and —
THWACK!!
“Gah! It hurts…!!”
A loud cry escaped their mouth in both surprise and irritation at the sudden interruption of their private musing. They raised their head to the sight of a tall man dressed in a black suit, wearing an aloof and indifferent expression emanating inherent coldness that could chill one to the bone. A little far behind him, separated by a few steps, were three men in black suits with sunglasses covering their eyes.
“I don't recall having ever taught you to drink wine in middle school,” the man said coolly.
“Is your nose even working?!” they exclaimed angrily, eyes glaring at the man before them with the fierceness of a wild beast. “Even a fool would know it’s a cherry juice!!”
Hearing that they weren't drinking wine, his coldness dissipated, though his indifference remained. “I see. That's good. Continue with what you're doing, then.”
They scowled. Who would be in the mood to continue anything after being interrupted?
But soon, the man, often becoming fickle in odd, unpredictable times, suddenly observed them carefully before letting out a sigh that was incongruous to his appearance.
“... I thought you cut your hair. Turns out it's a wig,” he muttered, making another sigh as his gaze fell on their hair once again. “At this point, can I even hope that you’ll act like a real girl for once?”
Their — no, her lips twitched, annoyed by his incessant complaints. She had been listening to them too many times until she now remembered the sequences for each word perfectly. His next words should be…
‘... you're a girl, Ianna Valence. A minor, even.’
“You're a girl, Ianna Valence. A minor, even!”
‘What is wrong with your head? Acting like a world-class playboy.’
“What is wrong with your head?! Acting like a world-class playboy...”
‘... are you even —’
“... what kind of outrageous song were you even singing?!”
‘Oh? There’s a new one today.’
“It's not an outrageous song. It's the anthem of enchanting beauty I composed myself,” Ianna defended, carrying a boundless confidence who knew came from.
"Anthem of what...?! Never mind," the man sighed heavily as if resigned. "Come inside. Father has been looking for you since a while ago."
Ianna clicked her tongue, wishing she could ignore the not-so-subtle command behind the man's words. She let out a small sigh. Who told her to be such an obedient little sister...
"You're not."
"Huh?" Ianna blinked in confusion.
"Whatever you're thinking, the answer is negative," the man said, scoffing. Although he couldn't read her thoughts, Ianna's brain running haywire was a definite result. She wouldn't be the younger sister he knew if she stopped thinking so many outrageous things.
"Bro... you're cursing me inside your head now, right?!! Right?!!"
"Me? Why should I bother... gahh!! Ianna Valence! Stop pulling my hair!!"
As their voice echoed throughout the deck, the ship began to set sail, cruising through the wide river, drenched under the city lights.
The night had just begun.
