"Madam Dasom, welcome home!"
The Lee family's longtime butler, Mao Bei, greeted warmly as Dasom stepped into the grand foyer.
"Uncle Mabi!" Dasom smiled brightly, immediately pulling him into a hug. "Where are Grandma, Grandpa, Gyu… and the puppies?"
Mao Bei chuckled fondly.
"Unfortunately, your grandparents and Young Master Mingyu had urgent business in Japan and flew out yesterday. They won't be able to attend the banquet tonight, but they'll return early the morning after tomorrow." He paused. "As for the puppies, they're with their caretaker."
"Oh…" Dasom deflated slightly.
"However," Mao Bei continued smoothly, "as an apology for missing your arrival, your grandparents prepared several dresses for tonight's banquet and promised to bring back your favourite Japanese desserts."
That immediately brightened her mood.
"Now that you mention food…" Dasom sighed dramatically. "I'm starving."
"Then let's fix that first," Mao Bei suggested as he guided her toward the dining hall. "You can get ready afterward."
"Mmm. Now that's the language I understand," she grinned before narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Wait… are the dresses actually nice?"
Mao Bei looked deeply offended.
"Of course they are. We only provide the very best for the princess of our empire."
Dasom burst into laughter as they continued down the hallway together.
For Jean's birthday banquet, Dasom eventually chose a navy-blue couture gown.
The floor-length dress rested elegantly off her shoulders, accentuating her collarbones and fair skin while hugging her figure perfectly. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back in loose curls like black silk.
Diamond earrings shimmered softly beside her face, while silver heels completed the look.
By the time she finished getting ready, she looked less like a university student and more like royalty.
Satisfied at last, Dasom gave herself one final glance in the mirror.
But her eyes slowly drifted toward the framed family portrait sitting atop her dresser.
Her smile faded slightly.
I promise I'll make them pay, she thought quietly.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed loudly against the bed behind her.
Dasom walked over and discovered her group chat flooded with messages from her friends. Smiling to herself, she began reading them while heading downstairs toward the waiting car.
The Zeffari Hotel
One of the many luxury hotels owned by the Zhang family, the Zeffari glowed brilliantly beneath the city lights.
The moment Dasom stepped inside, staff members immediately bowed respectfully.
"Young Madam Lee."
"Welcome back, Young Madam."
Dasom smiled politely as she made her way through the grand lobby toward the elevators.
Then a familiar deep voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Dasom dongsaeng?"
She spun around instantly.
"MINGYU!"
Without hesitation, she ran toward her brother and practically launched herself into his arms.
"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" she squealed happily. "I thought you went to Japan?!"
Mingyu laughed as he held her securely against him.
"I missed you too, Bunny." His eyes softened warmly at the sight of her. "I was at the company all day. I wanted to surprise you."
The siblings smiled so widely their eyes curved into matching crescents.
Nearby guests watched the interaction curiously.
Many women at the banquet had been eyeing Mingyu Lee all evening — the famous young vice president of Shiwei and one of Hassano's most eligible bachelors. Seeing him affectionately embracing an unfamiliar young woman instantly sparked jealousy throughout the room.
That jealousy disappeared the moment they overheard him introducing her as his younger sister.
So this was the infamous Dasom Lee.
Relief spread quickly among the women present.
What none of them realised, however, was that Mingyu had long since stopped caring about any of them.
Because he had already found the woman he intended to spend his life with.
"There's someone I want you to meet," Mingyu said as he gently guided Dasom deeper into the banquet hall. "I've told you about her before."
Dasom immediately became curious.
After catching up for a while, Mingyu finally introduced her to the woman he had earlier described as his soulmate.
The moment Dasom saw her, recognition struck instantly.
The internationally famous actress and model known in Hollywood as Zoe Cheung — and in China as Cheung Xiaoqing.
Wait… my brother is dating Zoe Cheung?
Dasom discreetly observed the pair.
They looked natural together.
Comfortable.
Happy.
And Mingyu looked genuinely in love.
That alone surprised her more than anything.
Xiaoqing carried herself with warmth and grace, lacking the arrogance Dasom had expected from someone of her status. She wasn't demanding or overly attention-seeking, yet Mingyu openly adored her in every subtle gesture.
Their relationship was obvious without being performative.
Dasom liked her immediately.
Earlier, Mingyu had admitted they'd been together for eight months and quietly confessed that he truly believed Xiaoqing might be the one.
The thought alone made Dasom emotional.
A sudden buzz from her phone pulled her attention away.
Her group chat was exploding again.
Where are you?!
Dasom looked around the ballroom and instantly spotted a shimmering champagne-pink gown sparkling beneath the lights.
Bee.
Of course.
Dasom immediately looked toward Mingyu with pleading eyes.
He sighed dramatically.
"You see them all the time," he complained jokingly. "And yet you'd still rather abandon me?"
Xiaoqing laughed softly beside him.
"Let her go," she said warmly. "She's still young. We'll have plenty of time to talk later."
The pleading in Dasom's eyes intensified.
Mingyu rolled his eyes.
Girls.
"Fine," he sighed. "Go have fun. But text me before you leave."
Then he kissed her forehead gently.
"I will!" Dasom grinned brightly before turning toward Xiaoqing. "It was so nice meeting you! We should all get dinner sometime."
And just like that, she disappeared into the crowd at lightning speed.
Focused entirely on reaching Bee, Dasom failed to notice someone suddenly pushing their chair back behind her.
She stumbled sideways from the impact and lost her footing completely — colliding directly into someone else.
Strong arms immediately caught her before she could fall.
Unfortunately, the champagne glass in his hand spilled across the lower front of her navy dress near her thigh.
"Ah— sorry!" Dasom laughed awkwardly. "Good thing my dress is dark."
The man holding her had already been in a terrible mood before she crashed into him. His cold glare immediately snapped toward the person responsible for knocking her over.
If looks could kill, the poor man would've died instantly.
Meanwhile, Dasom attempted to brush the champagne from her dress using the handkerchief he handed her.
A warm hand settled gently against the small of her back to steady her.
"Thanks," she smiled brightly as she finally looked up at him—
—and froze.
His eyes were stunning.
Dark chocolate brown, deep and consuming enough to swallow her whole.
For a second, Dasom genuinely forgot how to breathe.
The man himself had initially expected an apology.
He had assumed she'd be like every other socialite desperate for his attention.
After the day he'd endured, this inconvenience had nearly pushed him over the edge.
You better have a good explanation, he had thought irritably.
Then she smiled at him.
And every coherent thought vanished from his brain.
How can someone be this beautiful?
Neither of them realised they were staring.
Not until a familiar voice called loudly across the ballroom.
"Bunny!"
The nickname snapped Dasom back to reality.
Only now did she properly take in the man before her.
Tall — even taller than her while she wore heels.
Broad shoulders.
Sharp features.
An expensive one-of-a-kind tuxedo.
And somehow… strangely familiar.
"Bunny!" the voice called again.
Before Dasom could step away, the man lightly squeezed her arm.
"Wait," he asked carefully, "you're Bunny?"
Dasom blinked.
"Uh… yeah?"
Only the Don families ever called her that.
The man stared at her for another long second before nervously gesturing toward himself.
"Do you… remember me?"
Remember him? Since when have I known someone this handsome?
Dasom tilted her head honestly, confusion written all over her face.
The man chuckled softly at her expression before finally putting her out of her misery.
"It's me," he said. "Yixing Wang."
Dasom gasped loudly.
Yixing Wang?!
Her childhood crush.
The same Yixing Wang she hadn't seen since leaving Hassano nearly nine years ago.
"Oh my God," she blurted. "I should've recognised you! Honestly, I probably would've if you weren't way more handsome now."
The words escaped before her brain could stop them.
Immediately, she wanted to disappear.
Yixing laughed warmly.
"Same here," he replied smoothly. "I almost couldn't recognise you under all that beauty."
Dasom instantly blushed.
Realising how cheesy he sounded, Yixing internally cringed at himself.
Who even am I right now?
"I mean," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "it's been years since we last saw each other…"
But Dasom barely heard him.
She had always loved his dimples growing up.
Before she realised what she was doing, her finger gently pressed against the dimple on the left side of his face.
Yixing visibly flinched in surprise.
Dasom immediately snatched her hand back.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I don't know why I did that."
Yixing only smiled.
"Some things never change," he said softly. "You used to do that when we were little too."
Too bad you're engaged, Dasom thought sadly.
At some point, his hand had settled against her waist again, and suddenly she became hyperaware of how warm his touch felt through the fabric of her dress.
"Bunny! It's Aunty Fei!"
Jean's mother called out again from across the ballroom.
Dasom finally forced herself to look away from Yixing and smiled brightly toward her.
But Yixing couldn't stop staring at Dasom.
There it is, he thought helplessly. That sunshine smile.
When Dasom glanced back at him, she froze slightly.
There was something unreadable swirling within his gaze now.
Desire.
Longing.
Something far more dangerous.
Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward his lips.
Being this close to him suddenly felt overwhelmingly intimate.
Dasom nervously bit her lower lip.
"Sorry," she whispered softly as she stepped back from his grasp. "I should go. Aunty Fei's waiting."
Yixing could only manage a quiet hum in response.
Dasom smiled one last time.
"It was really good seeing you again," she said warmly. "We should catch up sometime. I hope I see you again soon."
Then she disappeared back into the crowd.
Yixing stood frozen in place long after she left.
"Me too," he murmured quietly to himself.
Already, his mind was searching for excuses to see her smile again.
After greeting Mr. and Mrs. Nicia, the banquet program officially began and guests gradually found their seats.
Dasom immediately made a beeline toward Bee.
"There you are!" Hee scolded dramatically. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Dasom grabbed her hands seriously.
"Bee," she whispered. "I think I just met my future husband."
Hee burst into laughter.
"Forget husbands," she teased before pulling her into a tight hug. "I missed you!"
The two hugged tightly for several long seconds like they were recharging each other's energy.
They always did this after long separations.
Soon, Asher joined them, smiling warmly before hugging Dasom as well. Jean arrived moments later, and suddenly the four of them felt complete again.
The rest of the evening passed in laughter, stories, and endless conversation about everything awaiting them in the coming months.
Toward the end of the banquet, an enormous three-tiered cake decorated in gold flakes was rolled into the ballroom for Jean.
Massive sparklers lit up the room as the staff began singing.
"Happy birthday to you~"
Soon the entire ballroom joined in.
Thunderous applause erupted once Jean thanked everyone for attending, and the celebration slowly began winding down.
Guests gathered in the hotel lobby waiting for their cars while laughter and conversation filled the air.
The four friends exited the hotel together after saying goodbye to family friends and acquaintances.
The second the doors opened, icy winter air slammed into them.
All four instantly shivered.
"You girls care more about fashion than your health," Asher scolded as he shook his head.
Jean immediately draped his coat over Bee's shoulders.
Asher was just about to cover Dasom with his own coat—
—but someone beat him to it.
A warm heavy coat settled gently around her shoulders.
The group exchanged curious glances.
Feeling the warmth surround her, Dasom smirked without looking back.
"It's about time you learned some manners."
She turned, fully expecting to see Asher—
Only to find herself once again staring into a familiar pair of dark chocolate eyes.
Yixing smiled lazily down at her.