[EMY]
"Ah . . . such a sweet goddess," I muttered, wiping the last of my tears with the back of my hand as V.V's voice faded from the giant billboard.
"I'm saved! I'm healed! I'm reborn! Alright, time to go home and plan another way to storm Star Entertainment like the queen of comebacks!"
That was the plan. Go home, lock myself in, and brainstorm like a madwoman on caffeine. But fate, apparently, had other ideas.
"Excuse me."
My ear twitched at the most lethargic, sleep-deprived voice I'd ever heard in my life. It wasn't just lazy—it was like this guy had been dragged out of bed, forced to walk ten miles, and then told to recite poetry for a crowd he hated. That level of drained.
I turned, and there he was.
Tall. Lean. Dressed entirely in black from hoodie to sneakers. His hair was almost silvery white, brushing against his neck in a messy-but-expensive way. He wore sunglasses despite it being night and a mask that covered half his face.
But aura? Oh, boy. His aura screamed good-looking. Like, unfairly good-looking.
Of course, I was immune.
My heart only raced for AUREA, and no mere mortal with good bone structure could shake me.
"What is it?" I asked, trying not to sound too snappy.
"Um . . ." He shifted awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Do you know where Heaven's Bar is?"
I blinked. Then blinked again.
Sir. Seriously?
I turned my head ever so slowly and gestured at the massive neon sign glowing two feet from him. Heaven's Bar, written in giant, sparkling gold letters, with an arrow pointing at the entrance.
There was literally no way anyone with functioning eyes could miss it.
"This building. Right beside you," I said flatly, pointing with my whole hand because maybe his eyesight wasn't great. Or maybe it's those sunglasses.
"Oh . . ." He tilted his head, peering at the building as if it had just magically spawned there. Then he looked back at me and gave a little nod. "Ah. Thanks."
I stared at him for a moment longer. Nope. Couldn't figure it out. Either he was the biggest ditz alive, or he couldn't read or just bad at directions. Or maybe all.
"Don't mention it. Anyway, I'll be going now."
I turned on my heel and strutted off, mentally labeling him as Weird Random Stranger #7.
Except—
"Ah, wait, you dropped this . . . ," he called.
His voice was drowned out by the honking cars, the loud chatter, and the bar's music spilling into the street. I didn't hear a thing. I just kept walking, waving down the first taxi I could find.
Sliding into the cab, I glanced back one last time.
Weird Random Stranger #7 wasn't alone anymore. Another man had joined him—also tall, also masked, also dripping with the kind of aura that made you think, Yep, they're hot even if I can't see their faces.
The two leaned close, talking like they knew each other well. And something about the sight tugged at me. That subtle familiarity. Like I should've known who they were. Like I had seen them before.
But that didn't make sense. Did it?
I narrowed my eyes, trying to place the feeling.
Then—
"Hoi! You riding or not?!" the taxi driver barked, jerking me out of my thoughts.
"Ah, coming, coming!" I scrambled fully inside the cab and slammed the door shut.
As the taxi pulled away, I twisted in my seat to sneak one last glance at the two men. But they were already gone, swallowed up by the crowd like shadows.
My chest gave a strange little thump.
Familiar or not, handsome or not—it didn't matter.
I had bigger things to worry about.
Eric.
AUREA.
My mission.
Still . . . for some reason, I couldn't get that lazy voice out of my head.
And that's when it hit me . . .
"Ah! My folder! My song!" I had lost it somewhere!