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Giant crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling—created by merging two floors—scattered brilliant light into every corner of the hall. Heavy marble columns in the Colonial style supported the four corners, and the ceiling and walls were elegantly decorated with artistic boiserie.
In this classic and grand space, it wasn't hard to imagine a ballroom filled with nobles dressed in lavish gowns and tailcoats. However, the young ladies and gentlemen gathered here were twelve, thirteen at most.
A theater-style mezzanine balcony occupying one wall served as a VIP area, offering a bird's-eye view of the dance floor. Currently, that narrow space was crowded with parents from Upper East Side private schools who had come to observe the first cotillion class.
Instead of extravagant gowns, they wore Loro Piana, and instead of fans, they held smartphones. Yet, they seemed not much different from the socialites of two hundred years ago, who would have gathered in small groups, half-covering their mouths with fans while watching their children's debuts.
Roughly a hundred children filled the chairs arranged in a 'U' shape along the edge of the hall. Girls in dresses and white satin gloves sat paired randomly with boys in formal suits.
Jiyu scanned the line from the far left to the far right. There wasn't a single empty seat. Flustered and hesitant, she turned around, but Ae-jeong had already gone up to the balcony.
Her skin prickled under the gaze of the crowd pouring onto the latecomer lingering at the entrance. The heat that started in her ears spread to her cheeks.
'Should I run away?'
Just then, an elderly gentleman, who had been leaning against the grand piano on the dais chatting with the pianist, spotted her and pointed to the right.
[Go and sit at the end.]
He then instructed an assistant standing below the dais to bring another chair.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Jiyu glanced toward where the elderly gentleman had pointed. At the right end of the U-shaped formation, Rex and Hunter were sitting side by side. While the other children were paired as boy and girl, these two were the only pair of boys.
As Jiyu lowered her head and walked briskly across the front of the dais, the elderly gentleman gave another instruction into the microphone.
[Mr. Hamilton. Please stand up and give your seat to the lady.]
Startled, she stopped and looked up.
Hunter stood up slowly, his face clearly etched with annoyance and boredom. As the chair slid back, it made a spine-chilling screech against the polished marble floor.
Their eyes met. Those deep blue eyes scanned Jiyu, who had come dressed up for the occasion. Watching her with that crooked gaze, Hunter stepped back and stood beside the chair.
'Of all people, Hunter...'
Jiyu bit her lip, avoiding his gaze.
The sense of hierarchy, ingrained and internalized in her since childhood, made her restless. She had no memory of Hunter ever yielding something of his to anyone. Nor was there anyone who dared to force him to do so.
To yield his seat and stand waiting for someone as insignificant as 'Jewel Parker.' It was unthinkable.
'What if he uses this as an excuse to be difficult when we're alone?'
A sigh escaped her involuntarily.
She wanted to say that she would stand and wait instead of Hunter until the extra chair arrived. However, under the watch of so many eyes, the words caught in her throat and wouldn't come out.
Hunter looked impeccably neat, wearing a dark navy blazer, light blue trousers, and a properly tightened tie. Seeing him dressed so formally felt strangely unfamiliar.
Usually, he wore a short-sleeved t-shirt with the school logo under a button-down shirt. And he left all the buttons undone so he could throw it off at any moment. He also wore his tie with the knot hanging down to his solar plexus, making it easy to pull over his head in one go.
His school blazer usually rolled around in his tennis bag, tangled with spare athletic wear, and she had rarely seen him wear it except for official school events or on the day of Yearbook photos.
At some point, the children who hung around him began to imitate the 'Hunter look.' The trend spread instantly. The fact that the sixth graders of Alton School were exceptionally untidy in their uniforms compared to other grades was largely due to Hunter's influence.
As Jiyu hesitated, glancing around nervously, Hunter frowned. He then gestured with his head toward the empty chair beside him. It was a signal to hurry up and get over there. She reluctantly moved her stiff, frozen legs.
Then, the elderly gentleman spoke into the microphone.
[Mr. Hamilton, go behind the chair, hold the backrest, and gently push the chair in as the lady sits.]
Every eye shifted toward them simultaneously.
Jiyu froze in an awkward position just as she was about to sit. Her complexion turned pale and then flushed bright red. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them in frustration, but the children's gazes were still fixed on them. An internal scream, unable to burst out, filled her head.
Then, Hunter pushed the chair in abruptly from behind. The edge hit the back of her knees. Staggering, Jiyu flailed her arms ridiculously to regain her balance before flopping down into the seat. A few children giggled at the sight.
Before she could even regain her composure, Rex nudged her shoulder with his own.
[Hi, Liv.]
Jiyu tilted to the opposite side, then straightened herself and glared at Rex from the corner of her eye.
He brushed back his wavy brown hair that reached his jawline and smiled mischievously. His odd-colored eyes—one deep green and one light brown—shone like sea glass pushed onto a midsummer beach by the waves.
Jiyu stared at him, momentarily entranced. Rex was far prettier than the children rumored to be beautiful at Aster School. When they were younger, one could have believed he was a girl.
Recently, as he grew taller, his shoulders broadened and his facial lines sharpened, so he no longer had that childhood feel, which was a bit of a shame.
[Hi, Rex.]
During their Lower School days, Jiyu had become close with Rex while attending Korean language classes together every Saturday.
He was similar to Hunter, yet different. If she had to pick someone who was relatively easier to deal with, it was Rex over Hunter.
Like Hunter, Rex was indifferent to others and self-centered. Because of that, it had taken some time to become close. However, despite being rumored as the most notorious troublemaker on the Upper East Side, Rex was kind by nature and treated her quite well once they became friends.
When Rex smiled playfully with his messy hair and sparkling odd eyes, he looked so innocent that she would relax, thinking the rumors were exaggerated—only for him to inevitably play a mischievous prank. Regardless, he had never caused a problem by bullying children weaker than himself.
Whenever an event was held at Hunter's house on weekends, the location for the Korean class changed to Rex's house. The Lafayette residence was more like a small European museum than a home. Compared to that, the classic Hamilton residence looked modern.
Andre de Lafayette, Rex's father, whom she had encountered a few times there, was the most terrifying person Jiyu had ever met. He had never once raised his voice at her, but she had seen him call the troublemaking Rex into the study with a coldly frozen face. In those moments, even an accidental lock of eyes felt suffocating.
The mere thought of defying or rebelling against such a father made her knees tremble. While she wondered if Rex was slightly crazy, she sometimes envied that courage.
Ae-jeong called Rex, who continued to cause trouble despite being scolded every single day, a 'rebel.' Jiyu didn't know exactly what a rebel was, but she intuited that it meant a powerless person standing up to someone powerful.
Once, Rex's mother had come for tea with Lauren. For reasons unknown, Rex called her 'Ms. Miran' in a disrespectful manner.
Exhausted by Hunter and Rex fighting over her as if playing a game of land-grab, Jiyu escaped the playroom and huddled in a corner of the living room to read a book. Because she was so quiet, Lauren and Miran forgot she was there and chatted over beautiful teacups.
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