Black Swan

2

Irene was sitting beside Yeri on the car.

The ride was quite unremarkable, to say the least. It took them around one hour to reach Hamato's mansion, an hour in which Irene did nothing else other than looking out of the window, and trying her best not to pay attention at all the irrelevant conversation her parents attempted to start between them and their children, conversations which Irene couldn't care less about.

When she spotted the massive building and the lights coming from the tall vitro windows, Irene let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, relieved and exhausted.

They have finally arrived.
Which meant that in approximately half to one hour they would have been on the road back.
Her misery would end briefly.

Their driver, Dowon, parked in front of the large double door of the mansion, where Irene noticed that Hamato was standing in front of, welcoming all of his guests, exchanging firm handshakes with the male members of the families, and softly kissing the hands of the female ones.

Irene felt nauseous with this man's hypocritical behavior. She knew quite well that half of these people Hamato utterly despised.

Her mother stepped out of the car, her shiny red ballgown making striking impressions to everyone that dared to look towards her direction.

Her father was next, his expensively-seamed suit looking incredible, as always. He offered his arm to his beautiful wife, who chuckled flattered and gently held him, looking at him with fake adoration.

Then Seulgi got out, looking everyone disparagingly, wearing a dark blue women-suit, matching her father perfectly.
She was his heir after all.

After her, Wendy made her appearance, in a small dark red velvet top and a black pair of pants, looking elegantly sexy and unreachable.

Following her, Joy made all the boys' jaws drop, with her tiny (maybe too tiny) emerald dress showing of her amazing calves, thighs and ass.
Who wouldn't want to be by her side?

Then Yeri, looking frightened and kind of miserable, got out and almost tripped over her overly long black dress, an incident which caused her family's disapproval looks. In answer to those looks, she blushed ashamed and looked down at her shoes out of embarrassment.

Finally, Irene got out last, stepping out unwillingly, and looking around, trying to locate a familiar face or a person that she knew around here, but unfortunately she failed.

All of them were wearing matching well-made masks to theit outfits.

Irene's parents walked towards the mansion's gates and, in extend, towards Hamato as well, with their five daughters following them obediently.

They greeted their dear friend warmly, and left Jihyun, their father, to talk with him further, as their mother led the way and sat with them on a big round table, assigned for "Tha Kangs" only.

Irene inspected the golden room they entered as discreetly as possible the moment her family sat down.

Discreetness is Kang's speciality, after all.

It was truly beautiful.
Hamato had done some markable improvements to it, looks like. The once hand-drawn ceiling was now made out of expensively cut glass, offering you the opportunity to star gaze the clear night sky, a wonderful sigh that Irene could never resist. The walls have been decorated with golden mirrors and diamond decorative pieces, while a colossal crystal chandelier loomed over everyone's heads brightly. All of these attested Hamato's materialistic habits, how he always relied on money to prove his importance and power to others.

Irene suddenly lost her enjoyment on the fancy upgrades.

The Kangs ordered champagne and caviar and chatted hypocritically lively, in order to foul everyone present that they consisted a bonded, happy family.

Irene wished she was dead already, as she witnessed her sisters willingly talking with a mother they hated, as she noticed all the people staring, as the expensively booked band was playing incredible parts of classical music in the background.

She closed her eyes, trying her best to isolate herself from the noises, the loud music, the cheers, the giggles, the clinging champagne glasses, everything.

Upon darkening her vision and blurring the voices, she imagined her self exiting the room and getting into the house's restroom, only to close and lock the door, slowly drowning herself in Hamato's marble bath, and escaping her own personal hell. She imagined how the water would fill her lungs redemptively, as she would lose her senses and black out, her heart slowly stoping and no longer gifting her life.

She slightly smirked at the idea.

She imagined her family's reaction.

Them crying over her now dead daughter's body, who never talked about how she truly felt, who never seeked help and was now lost, forever gone.

Irene was not one hundred percent sure whether her parents and sisters would truly be sad however.
You never knew with them.

She smiled at the thought of her finally getting away from this terribly written fate, and this fantasy of her running away, leaving all of this behind, kept her company for a while, making her feel warm and comfortable inside.

Until Hamato got in the room, and everyone started clapping, as a form of respect towards him, obliging her to unwillingly open her eyes.

He got in the middle of the, also, round ballroom and raised his glass, reciting a lengthens, tediously monotonous and draggy speach, regarding their gathering today, the long awaited advent of spring that he was eagered for, the love and respect he also beared towards every man attending today's celebration (another round of applause followed this specific statement of his) and the exciting night he had prepared for everyone in this room tonight.

Irene wished that the giant diamond chandelier would fall on his bald head during all this.