South Balcony (1)

Cathy looked at Vincent with a look filled with all her love. She knew she loved Vincent very much, but she did not realize that her love toward her husband could no longer be measured.

This man... this is the only man she wants—the only one she ever loves.

"What Vanessa said is true."

"What?" Vincent asked curiously.

"I will never be able to forget this marriage in my entire life."

Vincent smiled broadly at that, and once again, they kissed under the rainbow that still lasted in the dark sky.

From a distance, Katie could see the happy face of her best friend. She was satisfied with the results. This way, she could leave this country without regrets again.

Katie will go back to her home country. She will also spend the rest of her life and die buried there. That way, none of her friends knew about her death, especially Cathy. Katie did not want her beloved friend to know that she only had twelve years of limited time and felt sad.

Katie took a deep breath, feeling that tears were coming out of her eyes. She won't let herself shed tears today. She did not want it to rain and spoil her friend's happy event.

The sparrows that helped her enliven the event flew around her happily. As if they all knew Katie's moody spirit, they tried to cheer her up.

One perched on her head, another rested on her shoulder with its head snuggle on her face. Katie laughed, accepting the kind gestures from the birds.

After her feelings lightened up, Katie let go of all the birds and mingled with her friends again.

***

Nearing midnight, the invited guests had begun to decrease a lot. Most had gone home, some had fallen asleep. All that's left was young people who still want to keep partying.

Now they all proceeded to the main hall in the north of the mansion to dance till they no longer could move a muscle. There was a DJ who welcomed them with disco-style music along with a twinkling giant light bulb in the middle of the ceiling. The bulb created a disco atmosphere like some club places.

At first, Katie still joined her friends and danced together while holding her glass wine.

But when many unknown young men walked toward Katie, her face paled.

Even though there was Darell, Rhys, who was among them, Katie still could not help but feel trauma and disgust if her skin touched a man. Even Steve, whom she already considered as an older brother, couldn't make her comfortable either.

Only Umbra and her father could still approach Katie without traumatizing her.

In order to avoid the suspicions and strange views of her friends, Katie decided to return to her room.

Initially, she really wanted to join the 'after party' event and have fun. She liked crowds, she would like to get together with her friends. But not anymore. Now she preferred solitude and did not know whether she will come to like a crowdedness once again.

Katie walked out of the hall and up the stairs to the room provided for her. She would sleep in the same room as Mercy, Daisy, and a girl she didn't know.

Only, Katie realized she was not feeling sleepy. So she deliberately slowed her footsteps while enjoying the unique paintings that adorned the walls along the corridor.

"Kitty? Why are you here?"

Katie smiled at Cathy and her husband, walking toward her.

"I'm looking for fresh air." came the answer.

"Then you can go to the southern balcony. You can see the starry sky there." continued Vincent.

"Thank you," Katie answered politely.

"I'm the one who should thank you. The show was lovely earlier. My wife loved sparrows very much."

"He's right. I like it very much." Cathy continued in a happy tone that she couldn't cover.

"Fireworks are your husband's idea. I didn't do anything."

"But the sparrow idea is from you. Anyway, thank you." Vincent continued to insist on interrupting Katie, who was about to argue again.

In the end, Katie sighed and gave it up.

"Are you going to bed? I thought you want to continue until the after-party end?" then Katie remembered something. "Ah, right. You can't be too tired."

Cathy smiled broadly. "Yes, I have to take care of my health. But, my husband does not want to continue his entertainment without me. You can still have fun with others, you know. I'm not a child." Cathy directs her last statement to her husband.

"You have the heart to leave me alone there? I will feel lonely."

Katie could barely contain her surprise at seeing a man sulking at his wife today. Is that really Vincent Regnz?

"Phew! It's so hot in here." Katie teased while pretending to fan herself with one hand. "I'd better go now."

"Kitty!"

Katie giggled and then ran before hearing her friend's scolding.

"You! Look at her, she was astonished to see your behavior." Cathy's nagging made her husband laugh in amusement. "By the way, why do you recommend her to go to the south balcony? The view on the East balcony is better, right?"

"..." Vincent just answered with an innocent smile.

Cathy narrowed her eyes at something.

"Isn't my brother in the south balcony? Don't tell me you tried... Aaaaa..." Cathy shrieked in surprise when Vincent carried her in bridal style without warning. Then he crushed his wife's lips as Cathy's hand circled Vincent's neck reflexively.

Vincent's passionate kiss made her forget her suspicion earlier.