ESOTERIC | ˡʰᶜ

3.2

"and the final touch" johnny said as he applied lipstick on haewon's lips.

haewon then smiled in satisfaction as she saw her reflection.

"wow, johnny, you should've styled me the last time i went to prom" she said while giving the latter a wide smile, her gummy smile showing. johnny found it cute, it was as if he has a younger sibling.

"when was the last time you went to prom?" he asked, he was curious since haewon mentioned it.

"two years ago, tenth grade. mark and i were partners since i he was the only person i was comfortable with.. well along with hyuna" she said, reminiscing as she smiles thinking about the memories they made that night, the promise mark, hyuna, and haewon made to each other.

"well, did you enjoy it?" johnny asked, styling haewon's hair a little bit more as they speak.

"of course, i was with mark and hyuna. i didn't know mark was such a good dancer" she said as she lightly laughed, making johnny chuckle a bit as well.

"well mark can do anything so i'm not questioning that"

they both went silent but the silence was broken by haewon as she faced johnny asking him a question, "by the way, johnny where did you learn this?"

"learn what?" johnny asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he focuses on the left over unstyled strand of hair on haewon's head.

"fashion"

"oh" johnny chuckled a bit and stared at haewon with a small smile as he continued his words. "mom was a stylist before she died, i took over her business for awhile before joining this gang"

"how did you end up here? in nct?" haewon asked, she was very curious with how this gang was built.

"i wanted a family. i wanted to feel loved. and when my mom died i was alone since my dad died when i was young and taeyong was the one who approached me" he said with some few tears were starting fall from his eyes but he tried to laugh it off.

"oh i'm so-"

haewon was cut off by johnny who was now giving her a genuine smile, he didn't want to ruin haewon's night. "you know what, no negative feelings for today. you're supposed to be happy!! now go to your brother"

"you're right. but please do remember that i'm right here if ever you need someone, okay? thank you johnny!!" johnny smiled at the latter as she ran off to her brother.

"okay, little one" he whispered to himself but then he saw something oddly familiar on the dressing table. "oh wait hyewon you forgot.." "you forgot your- isn't this jaemin's?"

"aeyoungie are you ready to go?" doyoung asked his sister and she nodded before looking around, it seems like she was looking for something or someone.

"yeah, but where's hyuck?"

"i don't know actually, he was leaving in a rush earlier" doyoung said as he told the truth. donghyuck has been up to a lot right now and only chenle and jisung know his plans.

"so he's really not going to prom huh?" haewon whispered to herself but it appears as if doyoung heard it too.

"it's okay aeyoungie, enjoy your night, haechan's just out there spying on enemies i guess" doyoung said, giving haewon a reassuring smile as he placed his hand on her head to give her a pat.

"okay.."

timeskip. (i don't know how your prom goes for you so i'll just use my imaginations for this one since prom in our school is actually very strict like you can't do anything against the rules).

as haewon entered she saw streaks of light and a majestic place. it was indeed beautiful and ethereal. it may not be her first time having prom but this feels surreal especially because it's her last one.

but despite that euphoric feeling, she felt there was something missing. she knew that there was something missing.

"heads up haewon, donghyuck may not be here but at least i'm here, right?" someone snuck behind haewon and tapped her from behind, causing her to look at the said direction.

"jaemin?" haewon said as she faced a boy who had a wide smile and in a tuxedo.

"uhm? duh?"

"where's renjun?" she asked, once again looking around as he searches for renjun.

"i don't know. he's with jeno i think?" jaemin said and haewon was surprised since it's just been a while since jeno got retrieved from the kidnapper.

"jeno's here? i thought he got injured?"

"of course, it's prom why wouldn't he be here? he's injured but he forced us to sneak him out" jaemin explained briefly and the only thing haewon did was shake her head.

once again searching around the crowd, jaemin became fully worried. he realized that donghyuck really is important to haewon. "then why isn't donghyuck here?"

"well, we all had a choice haewon. he chose not to go to prom. you know, it's really hard being a mafia leader. besides, i think he's spying on some enemies with chenle and jisung"

"oh.."

jaemin, wanting to make haewon smile, then thought of ideas to cheer her up. "now, enough with the straight face, care to dance?"

"okay" haewon chuckled a bit before taking jaemin's hand as they swayed to the beat of the music together.

"i didn't know you're quite the dancer lee haewon or kim aeyoung or i don't know. why do you have a lot of names?" haewon laughed at his expression. not gonna lie, she's confused with her identities as well.

"well i have my original, true name. the one that's given by my parents. then a name from mingi. and a name given by mark"

"okay i'll give you a name too" jaemin said, which made haewon's eyebrows furrowed and her head tilted.

"uhm what is it?"

"i've always wanted to call someone cal. cal as in calista" he said, giving her a wide smile.

"wow, that's a nice name"

"i know, if i have a daughte-" jaemin was then cut off as someone pulled haewon from jaemin's grip.

"haewon"

"hyu-?"

hi hi