Masquerade (BTS x Reader One Shot)

Gardens

You fled down the hall to the exit, flinging the door open and running out. It took a moment to realize that it wasn't the exit at all, but, in fact, the main path to the outdoor gardens. You looked over your shoulder, realizing you could see the ballroom from where you stood.

The gold-masked stranger was standing in the room, looking out the window, straight at you.

You gasped both inside and out, running deeper into the gardens so he couldn't see you. Farther and farther you went, until you ended up in the high hedges of a garden maze. You followed the path, taking random turns, only stopping once you came to a bench in a small clearing.

You sat on it, putting a hand over your heart as you tried to settle your racing heartbeat. You then laughed at yourself, shaking your head.

"Was it really so embarrassing?" you asked yourself. "They were just looking."

You sighed, your chest still vibrating as your heart beat strong. There was a canopy of vines overhead, the stars poking out between them. They were bright and soothing, calming your breath.

This was, perhaps, why you were better off in lower class. To live a life of upper class meant that all eyes were watching your every move. It seemed like too much, really.

"Off to hide, are we?" a voice asked behind you.

You turned, seeing your golden-masked stranger standing in the maze entrance. He smiled wide when your eyes met his, and he sauntered forward. You scooted to the edge of the bench.

"How on earth did you find me in a maze?" you asked. "And so quickly?"

"I followed your perfume."

You gave him a wary eye. "You memorized it so quickly?"

He cocked his head to the side with a smile, but didn't answer. Instead, he sat with you on the bench, all the way on the opposite end.

"Why did you run after me, anyways?" you asked, both confused and alarmed.

"I came to look after you," he said leaning back against the bench. "A woman who startles so easily needs someone to look after her."

You folded your arms. "That's an interesting philosophy considering you were the one to startle me."

"I know it," he said, chuckling. "And I enjoyed doing it. I should like to try doing it again."

His voice was rich as he said it, a velvet lilt in his tone. His lips curled into a proud smirk. It was strongly flirtatious, in the most enchanting of senses.

And there was something oddly familiar about it...

"Unless there's reason not to enjoy the evening with a gentleman such as myself," he added, turning away before you could identify what was familiar about him.

You turned forward as well, a sigh escaping you.

"Perhaps," you said.

"Oh?" the gentleman asked. "It sounds like the lady is nursing a broken heart of some kind?"

You laughed nervously. "That's quite an accusation."

"Am I wrong? Oh, don't mistake my intentions. There's nothing wrong with a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. After all, there are some who never speak their true thoughts and wonder if the world ever saw them."

You slumped against the back of the bench. "It's no gift, I assure you."

He scratched his chin. After a breath, he looked down at his knees and then back at you.

"You know, for every woman nursing a broken heart, there is a man wishing he could be the one to put it back together."

He held your gaze for a long moment, the whites of his eyes catching the moonlight above you. It was so stunning that you had to look away, lest the stranger knew what you were thinking.

"Would you like your heart to be put together, milady?" he whispered. "Shall I be the gentleman to attempt to put it together?"

You could hear the offer in his voice. Emotions swirled in you, trying to find the right answer. But there wasn't one. You couldn't find the strength in you to start anything new. This night was only an escape for the moment... not meant to be anything permanent.

-> Let's remain strangers (Go to STRANGERS)

-> Let's remain acquaintances (Go to AQUAINTANCES)

-> Let's remain as fond memories (Go to MEMORIES)