The night falls, the moon rose. The mansion's ballroom was at use. The ballroom was designed to be flooded by the moonlight. A complete window roof that can be open and closed with a press of a button. The lights came from each corner and hung on the top of the walls.
A variety of fish dishes scattered on a long table. White ceramic plates stacked neatly. Eating utensils were placed in each respective holder. Round tables scattered with a five seats each table. Covered in pale white cloth. Black and white marble floor detailed with small dots of their negative colors.
Dan helped with setting up the tables and chairs. Laura was doing something with her mother. It was almost time for the party.
Dan was walking about the mansion, just humming to a tune of a song that popped in his head. Nothing in mind, just wandering about. He passed down a closed hall and was about to go to another hall. Like a T-junction. From his right, a blade launches out and meets his neck.
"Could you stop doing that?" Dan annoyed
"You haven't answered my question." She said
"Which?" Dan exclaimed
"Who are you?" She asked
"Be more specific. I told you my name." Dan said
"You have another soul inside you, right?" Willow assumed
"And if I say that I do have one more soul inside me, what then?" Dan asks
"It's not just one soul." She claims
"Wait, what?" Dan couldn't hide his expression of confusion
"Based on your reaction, you've just realized that."
"Well, just so you know, I'm not a threat. Even if they were." Dan claims
"I'll keep watch, Dan."
"Sure."
Willow then left him alone. She teleported away. Dan then walked around for a few more minutes until he realized he needs to go back to the ballroom. The party was about to start. Dan the starts heading for the ballroom. Thanks to his mom, he doesn't need to bring a change of clothes. Turns out it was useful after all.
Entering the ballroom, he scanned his surroundings. They all wore social-formal wear. Dresses, suits, etcetera. But, he couldn't find Laura. He was quite bummed. He found her dad and her brother though. So, he decided to join them. The party hasn't even started yet, but Taylor was already holding a drained glass of red wine.
"Hey, Dan."
"Hey. Seen Laura anywhere?"
"After playing dress-up with her mom, she's a bit shy."
"Still shy, huh?"
Dan took a deep breath and stretched his arms back. He's nervous and he doesn't know what to anticipate.
"I'm sure she'll look beautiful with whatever she wears." He exhaled
"You think so, Dan?" She replied in a quite shaky tone
Dan then flinched. He turns around and sees Laura. She wore a thin silk white dress with a lot of details on the bottom ends. She wore light make up on her face. Moon-shaped earrings dangle from the leaf of her ears. He hair was slick and shiny. She doesn't like heels so she wore her regular shoes. But new pairs.
Dan drowned in her eyes and couldn't bring himself to say a word. He was stunned. In awe. The sound of music playing, which was loud, was soon muffled to him. The world around him ablur. The only thing he saw clearly was her.
Laura spoke in front of him. He could hear her voice very clearly.
"Dan! Are you okay?"
She taps his shoulder and he suddenly "woke up". It was almost that he was hypnotized by her.
"What happened?" Dan whispered
"You look lost. Are you okay?" She ask
"Yeah, I'm fine. You look... Pretty." He compliments
"Thanks."
And so the party started. People ate, drank, talked. From 7 PM to 8.30 PM. Laura was talking with her dad, mom, brother, her family. She seemed happy. That's all Dan cared about. She's reunited with her family, that was number one to him.
He stood alone at the porch. East of the ballroom. It was small. It had thick stone fence or wall as guard. He looked up the sky to see the stars and moon. You can still see the moon from inside he just wanted to go away from the crowd. He had a plate of food. Fish and potato. All finished and placed in the corner of the porch. The doors behind him were left open. He leaned to the fence. He looked down and sighed.
"Why now?" He asked
"Hey."
Dan jumped a bit. He turned around to see Laura. "Hey." He said back. She walks closer and stand next to him. She leans her back to the fence. She looks to her right and looks at Dan's face. She could tell he was feeling uneasy.
"You can talk to me, you know." She said in a calm gentle voice
"I've nothing to talk about though." He hid
"I don't wanna pry, but it's okay to talk. I'm here for you. As your partner and friend." She smiled
There was a long pause before Dan replied. "Friend, huh?" He uttered
Then Laura hears the music stopped and changed into a song she liked. A song that she could always match with dancing. Paired dancing. A few beats into the song, a light bulb lit up inside Laura's head.
"Hey, I've an idea. Let's dance!"
"Dance? Hmm... I dunno about that."
She wrapped her hands on his right hand and pulls him inside the ballroom. "Come on! I've a feeling you're a good dancer."
"Okay, okay, stop pulling me."
The two ended up in the middle of the ballroom. His right hand on her waist and he held her right hand with his left. She puts her left hand on his right shoulder. Their heads a few inches away. They swayed right and left to the beat of the music. She had a gentle smile on her face, while he had a worried look on his face.
"I'm sorry." He shied away from her face
"What for?" She looks confused
"I'm dancing with you and I don't look happy."
"Well, I can't force you to smile, can't I?"
Dan chuckled. Then he had a faint smile on his face. Barely anything.
"I hadn't gotten the chance earlier so I'll say it now. Thank you. You stepped out of line a bit, but it worked out well for me. So, thank you."
Dan lets go of her waist and spreads his other arm and lifts up. Laura spins and comes back to him. They switched arms. A few more steps and they did the same.
The beat of the song then came to its low pace. It got slower, with a heavier melancholic melody. What was accompanying the song was the piano, then it switched to become the main instrument. Without a word said, Dan lets go of Laura's arm and lowers it to her waist. She raises her arm to his other shoulder. Then she interlock her fingers behind his neck. Their foreheads gently touching each other. They swayed slowly, following the tune.
Their foreheads touched, their noses too. The two closed their eyes and all they felt was each other.
Then the music came to an end. And the two stopped. The two opened their eyes and looked at each other. Their faces only an inch away from each other.
"So, that's how it is." Dan said in his head. He realizes what he was truly feeling. He wasn't exactly suppressing it or denying it. He just didn't want it to come down to it. Dan then felt cramped, he felt clausterphobic. He lets go of Laura and walked back to the porch. He left Laura in the ballroom.
She stayed for a full thirty seconds. "That dummy." She said
She follows him to the porch and closed the doors behind her. The same way as before, the two leaning to the fence.
His mouth then starts to twitch. He looks at her and said "The moon's beautiful, isn't it?"
She then nods. She paused for a few seconds and sighed. She then leaned more over the fence and looked out to the sky.
Dan then reached out with his hand and held the side of her head. He pulls her close slowly and gently. He brings himself forward. He closes his eyes and tilted his head. His lips nearly touching hers. Only by a hair away. Then he stopped. He pulled back and lets go of her. Then he turns away and leans back to the fence.
"It was obvious, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, it kinda was for me."
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm flattered, really. I like you a lot, Dan. Care a lot about you too. But, I don't know if I feel that way."
Dan then frowned and bashfully grits his teeth. He twitches a bit.
"I'm sorry."
He takes a deep breath before speaking. "No, it's okay. I was being selfish, I think. I didn't consider your feelings."
"You're mad."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"I'm not mad, Laura. Just a little disappointed."
"Dan, please don't let this change anything. Okay?"
She looks at him and pecked her lips onto his cheek. His dour face then lit up and gushed with red.
She pulls back and then skips forward.
"I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
Laura then leaves Dan alone. As the party was being wrapped up. Plates were being piled and so on.
BLACK ROOM
"A little disappointed? Yeah, right! You're heartbroken! Your heart's in pieces!"
"Oh, shut up." He said aloud
An hour and a half after the party, Dan was sitting in the lounge where Laura's dad approached him. Arthur sat across from him and held a gentle smile.
"Thank you for being here for my daughter."
"Yeah, no problem."
"Now about the informant. She is here in Libra. She usually sets up the meetings after you request her help."
"How do I get in contact?"
"A middleman. He's a kid. Your age I think. A sorcerer too."
"What does he look like?"
"Orange hair, red hoodie. Looks mean."
"Where can I find him?"
"I asked her to find something a year back, and the middle man for the informant was a rumor in Libra. My men found him and set up a meeting for me and him."
"What are you saying?"
"I don't know how to find the middleman. No one has seen him since a few months ago."
Dan then sighed. He started to think for a moment. He was given an informant that he couldn't find on his own. He only gained one name really.
"Thanks, for your help Arthur."