Gala of Mysteries Fall Ball

29 Sep 2025, 15:27

Pet Snake Present In Thread

Parseltongue & English +

" I'm a simple sort of guy" Hanako smirked, the heaviness in his throat that remained invisible to the lovely girl in front of him suggested deeper meaning. Like it was a fact he was trying to convince himself of. Things are a lot more simpler like that, after all. And it disturbed him greatly that most things with her aren't as easy as he hoped. And yet, here he was still drawn to her like bee to honey. Even if she stressed him out. But one thing that she could potentially note. The flicker of playfulness. Unconsciously he tried to match her tone. Still, he couldn't give her a clear answer. Instead, he continued with something else.

" Now please, theres no need to be so humble." he chuckled lightly, at the mention of keeping him on his toes. " We both know you can do that very well. My .. frequent absence this year isn't a reflection of that fact changing". The last sentence, he wanted to smack himself for letting slip out of his lips. Why did he even say that? Didn't that just suggest he might've been thinking of how little they've been in each others presence? Even if it was due to ..circumstances, Hanako had always noted Eun-Ji was yet aware of his situation. Not that she…cared… right?

" Well - I give credit when its due" He jested at the mention of dance. His eyes briefly glancing at her hand that was now on his, ignoring the strange urge to intertwine their hands instead. As if trying to cover every touch Pericles had on her. " While I excel and many.. many other areas, I admit that guy earlier danced like he had been born to. Honed, and practiced. A lot like you actually. Anyone could see you two looked perfect together". He grinned, though it didn't reach his eyes. " so yes, a downgrade .At least strictly in the area of dancing".

When she stepped closer, respecting just enough distance for them to be each others focus - Hanako choose to be the opposite of respectful. Deciding to be close to the point the subtle reflection of red from Eun-ji's dress could be reflected in her brown eyes. " like this is better don't you think? ", he whispered, knowing it was all he needed to ensure she heard him. He craned his neck slightly, tilting to the side as he spoke his next words too close to her ear. "Gotta stay close after all. Im not as good of a dancer as you are".

And all that… lasted for 10 seconds before he pulled away with a grin, retunring back to the safe distance Eun-ji gave him easlier. " Kidding~, but I would'nt oppose to it after I get used to the steps".

She then continued with assurance about one needing passion than skill, which …. allowed a mysterious surge of relief to sit on his chest. Was she… trying to assure him? After his tiny temper tantrum just now? A blush dusted his cheeks, feeling a bit of embarssment - almost shame. " A talent for passion… would you believe me if I never heard that before?" he jested instead, hoping the joke would distract his brain from the impact of her words.

As if reading his mind, she offered such a tantalizing opening for him to jump on. As most mention of bites would. He let out a weak laugh, surprisingly managing to hold himself back from it. " If you say it like that, then I'll be tempted" he retorted, a little tense than he originally thought. Wondering if she realised how likely it is that he may do something he shouldn't.

The music begun again, as if on a timeless loop if one was too caught up in the spell of enchanting instruments to notice time moving. Hanako though, was painfully aware of each second passing. Wondering if the next step he took was going to make him fall flat on his face, or worse - into Eun-ji. He did his best to recite the steps as he remembered all those months ago, but it was a little difficult with the whisp of lavender that keeps invading his nose like a persistent pest. His first instinct was to focus instead on how warm her hands were, or the face in front of him he had openly admired for many months now.

However, a peculiar spike of unease urged him to latch onto other things to take the tension off his shoulders. " …. ..When you.. find someone you like.. like.. actually like- and want to be with, you'll tell me right?" His tone, unusually soft. Like it was for her ears only. He paused for a moment before continuing. " ..so we can stop our arrangements, remember?"

Character Action: being an idiot

Stats

Reducio
S t a m i n a : 11

S t r e n g t h : 3

A r c a n e : 15

A c c u r a c y : 16

E v a s i o n : 6

W i s d o m : 10

Abilities

Reducio
-1st, 3rd and 5th Parselmouth Abilities

- blindvision

- perfectionist

- wandmaker, Rangarou Hair, Rose wood.

@Eun-Ji Lee Hunt

ꜱᴀʀᴀ ᴋᴏʜᴀɴᴀ

ʜᴀɴᴀᴋᴏ ᴛᴏɴᴇ

Mahoutokoro Headmaster I , Kotoka Sako

5 Oct 2025, 19:43

Full Outfit * Interaction: @Pericles Dralt & @Hanako Tone
“We both know you can do that very well. My .. frequent absence this year isn't a reflection of that fact changing.” A flicker of relief must have shown in Eun-ji’s expression upon hearing those words. It was too unexpected for her to stop herself in time. Luckily, the witch was pretty certain Hana didn’t mean to be so straightforward either so he couldn’t call her out without exposing himself in the process. And maybe it was okay. Maybe these kind of tiny cracks were what kept her from suffocating on her one sided feelings for him. She didn’t know how much that clarification meant to the boy and whether she might be overthinking something again but she didn’t want to follow that train of thought further. For once, she wanted to believe that he also cared. Enough to think of her once in a while. “Good…” She answered, leaving her reply intentionally vague. A veil of ambiguity to hide behind. She could have been commenting on his statement as a whole or she could be commenting on the fact that he was still not tired of her. Naturally, it was the latter but Eun-ji felt clearing that up would make things too awkward and neither of them handled awkward well.

“Well….you are not wrong. He had been born to it. Kids born to pureblood families like his have to be good dancers. I imagine he started to learn very early on.” The Ravenclaw retorted with a shrug. It was a basic skill when you had to attend posh gatherings and balls all the time. “So it’s not really fair to compare yourself to him.” She wondered why he did. Usually, Hana came across as a very confident individual yet now, despite the familiar grin gracing his face, he sounded anything but. The way he kept bringing Peri up almost made it seem like he was truly jealous however that was impossible. Surely, it was just her foolish heart twisting things and clouding her judgement again. “Besides, perfect can get boring real fast. At least I think so.” She didn’t know why she felt the need to voice out that particular sentiment. It was dangerously close to something a girl might say when coaxing her boyfriend but Hana wasn’t her anything and that was unlikely to change in the future. Still, Eun-ji felt oddly lighter after saying so, so she couldn’t bring herself to regret it too much. Not to mention the Slytherin didn’t give her time to feel that way. The moment he stepped closer, Eun-ji’s mind went completely blank.

Stupid rogue! You are just playing around but do you have any idea what you are doing to me? Eun-ji cursed inwardly. She wanted to be angry but deep down, it was just another lie she desperately tried to sell herself. Even though her whole body froze, she didn’t hate it when the familiar scent of honey and lavender hit her nose. She didn’t step away, when his breath ghosted her neck either, making her shiver all over. The ballerina barely managed to salvage her expression by the time he pulled back. “Cheeky scoundrel…” She muttered under her breath although with their proximity, he likely still caught her playful chiding. It was a small mercy she decided to wear her hair down tonight. Only one of her ears was currently visible and even that was partially obscured by an elaborate rose hairclip. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to see how its tip turned scarlet because of his actions.

“You are right. I would not.” She responded with a huff, a sparkle of mischief returning to her eye when her words managed to make Hana blush in return. Indeed, Eun-ji was not someone to go down without a fight. Even though her remark was sincere, she couldn’t help the twinge of satisfaction curling in her chest upon seeing the effect it had on him. Among the two of them, no one ever seemed to have the upper hand for too long. Maybe that’s why she managed to keep him entertained all this time. And so, when she pushed further, Hana already regained his footing and pushed back. “True, I should have known better…But be careful, little rogue. My teeth can be awfully sharp.” She warned, tone still playful though there was a hidden truth behind the jest. Eun-ji prayed he’d never come to find out exactly how sharp they could be.

When they finally started dancing, the Ravenclaw made sure to match Hana’s pace. She had no interest in making things difficult for him or show off. On the contrary, she hoped he’d have at least a little bit of fun. Enough that he’d want to do this again sometime. She ended up being grateful for going easy on him because his next words nearly made her stumble. Clearly one of them intended to make things difficult.

This time, there was no teasing smile, when she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. Somehow, she managed not to make fool of herself but only just… “Love is a luxury I can’t afford,” she replied eventually, matching his quiet tone. Her voice somehow remained steady even as her chest tightened painfully. She hated how she could never keep her walls up, whenever he sounded this sincere. It seemed to be her undoing every single time. Besides… Why would I want to let go when it’s you that I like, you cruel cruel man. Her brain added dejectedly. She was scolding him but Eun-ji was all too aware of the fact that she only had herself to blame here. “So I suppose, I’ll be waiting for you to grow tired of me.” A small smile re-appeared on her lips but she was sure at least a tiny bit of the bitterness she felt in that very moment must have shown in it. Hopefully, it was not enough to make him start asking questions. Love, it seemed, would be one of her hardest secrets to keep.

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

6 Oct 2025, 12:45

Pet Snake Present In Thread

Parseltongue & English +

Despite all the overthinking from his inner thoughts escaping to the outside world, Eun-ji thankfully did not reply much apart from okay. Except it wasn't entirely okay. Because what she said wasn't just okay- it was good. Good. As in - indicating she thought it was nice to hear that. Instead of just passively noting it, like Hanako thought she would - she went ahead and actually admitted she was glad. That…. that- did not make him feel any better. The familiar creep of uneasy crawled up from the pit of his stomatch. Was what it? Guilt? No, couldn't be. What could he be guilty for? They both knew how the arrangements went. They didn't owe each other anything. He had claimed no responsibility over her thoughts on Jack's sudden appereance. But… if so… why did he feel a little sick about it? To save himself from further unease, he choose to simply ignore what she said. As if he didn't hear it loud and clear. Or as if the answer didn't undo him as much as it did.

" Like you? Born into it and all" Hanako asked, the curiosity not being able to be fully concealed at the mention of purebloods. Could this perhaps just be an attempt to further along the conversation and stop talking about Pericles? Still, it was interesting to think that they've known each other for so long. And yet, Hanako had yet to know the reason for her interest in dance. Expecting her to answer that yes, she indeed was born into it.

There was a flash of tension in his eyes as Eun-ji mentioned comparing. "….you might be right" he retorted back, cooly. Oddly dry, as if to signal this peculiar conversation was over. Hints of his usual personality only returning when the other mention perfection. A smile graced his features - maybe a hint of relief as well. " I disagree. You haven't been boring me. You're still perfect." he replied, this time a tone that hinted an expectaiton of familiartiy. As if sharing an inside joke. Hanako was referring to their many moments together, of course. The meal sharing, the tea brewing, the drawing, the kisses despite Hanako being a sore loser about duels, the texts messages they share during summer. Whether or not she got that hint was up to her.

Suddenly he was urged to tease her further, as if a tiny revenge for making him so uneasy through the whole night. Which worked… so well. He didn't hide his amusement, his teeth gently biting down his lips so he wouldn't laugh to loud. But it was evident he seemed to be in a much better mood despite her mumbled words. " You love it" he teased back.

She loved it, of course. Not him. It. Like the things he could provide for her. The momentary distractions they both sought for in this relationship. Blissfully unaware of the flush of red on his dance partners ears.

Eun-ji however, would have the next laugh. Rendering Hanako momentarily speechless that he too obviously had to cling onto a last minute jest just to calm himself down. The thrill of it was Hanako's favourite. Well- one of his favourite things about interacting with Eun-ji. To see someone he thought before to be stoic and almost cold - to be here now dancing and joking with him. Even with the joke, she always had some sort of elegance to her words. Which only encouraged Hanako to keep going. " I think I'll take my chances when it may or may not happen" he smirked. " Haven't you seen my duels? I can handle a hit or two. Bites? Even more so"

Now that their talk was slowing down to a still as they danced, the conversation shifted. No longer were they having this lighthearted air around them. If anything, he felt like they were hiking a dangerous cliff, watching each others steps - and words -, to ensure they could safely return to a distant stable land.

Unfortunately for Eun-ji, Hanako wasn't a good hiker. Not when he had spent most of tonight just clinging onto whatever entertainment he could just to forget about the source of his stress in the first place. The source which ironically, was right in front of him now.

" Can't or wont?" he swiftly asked back, a hint of impatience in his tone as he watched her carefully. Half aware that it was ridiculous that he of all people asked her to clarify. Even when he thought the same. And yet, it was like the earlier frustration clawed back in his brain for dominance. As if answers would soothe it back to it's depths. "…luxury.." he mumbled out, processing the word as if it was the key to something great. " doesn't that imply it's something good that you want?"

It was her next sentence - more important the way she said it, that almost made him freze midway during the dance. But nothing could prepare him to hide the surprise on his face. The evident proof that Hanako Tone was thinking. Thinking. A word he used so much energy to never associate with himself. And yet, it was Eun-ji's words that seemed to unlock it before he had the chance to hide it.

Hanako was a shameless liar, who liked to tell people oversaturated truths as long as it helped his situation in the end. He was distraught to say the least- to remember that Eun-ji … was not like that. And that would always be his undoing, really. Someone truthful. But what unraveled him was how it was far from the full truth. The soft bitterness of it all said just enough. As if she was making it known that there was more to her sentence.

The scary thing was what. So vague, so many implications, so many questions he could ask he knew he would regret. So instead, he forced himself out of his freeze state by a light, dry laugh. Like it was forced out of him on primal instinct. The grin on his face remained, but the light pressure on wherever he was holding her indicated it was not the amused lighthearted grin he had. " Hahah.. Precious…" he said gently, as if she was a child who did something silly. " You're cute. But do you maybe think that you might not be answering my question?" he smiled, though it seemed strained. " I was looking for .. more like a yes or no answer. But that's fine" he continued, his voice steady but gentle again. Almost like a whisper. " We can restart. Lee-Hunt … if you find someone you like - no .. love, will you tell me? So we can respectfully, and cleanly, cut this arrangement we're having?"

The music in the background, as if responding to the tension from the conversation - started to pick up. A slow crescendo, its pace picking up. Mimicking the heart that beats in Hanako's chest as the anticipation rised, awaiting Eun-ji's answer.

Character Action: being an idiot

Stats

Reducio
S t a m i n a : 11

S t r e n g t h : 3

A r c a n e : 15

A c c u r a c y : 16

E v a s i o n : 6

W i s d o m : 10

Abilities

Reducio
-1st, 3rd and 5th Parselmouth Abilities

- blindvision

- perfectionist

- wandmaker, Rangarou Hair, Rose wood.

ꜱᴀʀᴀ ᴋᴏʜᴀɴᴀ

ʜᴀɴᴀᴋᴏ ᴛᴏɴᴇ

Mahoutokoro Headmaster I , Kotoka Sako

7 Oct 2025, 11:52

Full Outfit * Interaction: @Pericles Dralt & @Hanako Tone
“Like you? Born into it and all” Something dark flashed through her dark eyes upon hearing that question. Something even Hana wouldn't have recognized. It was a reaction that was craved into her very soul but specifically associated with the Hunts so he would have been delightfully oblivious to it. Like many others, he also decided she was a pureblood witch raised in riches and superiority. Exactly what her grandparents wished them to believe. But of all people...he shouldn't think of me that way. It feels wrong. She hated it. But what she hated even more, was the fact that she was the cause of it. Eun-ji could not blame Hana for the things unsaid...not that he ever cared to ask.

“I'm not the same. I wasn't born into it.” The “I was dragged in later” remained trapped behind her red lips. It was too telling. This was not the time nor the place for such raw admissions. She paused, considering how much more she wanted to reveal before swiftly reminding herself that this was no secret. It was not meant to be one. “I'm not even pureblood. People just assume I am one.” She shrugged. It was true. None of the people that thought her to be one actually asked if she was. Just put her in that box based on her looks. Had they asked, she would have corrected them like she was doing now. Although maybe this was not just about the truth, maybe she was being a little bit selfish as well. Because he was finally curious enough to ask.

Alas, she must have said something wrong because soo after, Hana’s voice shifted. Much colder now. As if he suddenly lost interest entirely. She couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly but she could certainly feel it. Luckily, her next comment seemed to make him relax a bit so she allowed herself to breathe once more. Perfect. She hated that word describing her. That's what they wanted her to be. A perfect porcelain doll. Polished, obedient…hollow. And yet, with the way he said it, she couldn't be mad. For once, it actually sounded like an compliment. “Well...if this is your definition of perfect, then I'm grateful.” Perhaps his definition of perfect was not her shiny appearance and refined presentation. Perhaps it was all that they had, when she didn’t have to pretend. After all, she never tried to be the perfect doll in front of Hana. She knew how many times her mask slipped due to his actions, how many times she teased him and let him throw her off. Then surely, what he liked, must have been the real her too…at least to some extent. “You never gave me a chance to feel bored either. Doesn't that make us both perfect in your eyes then?” She questioned playfully though her statement was nothing but true.

His challenge after her chiding was yet another proof of that. Did she love it? Maybe. But there was no way Eun-ji would actually admit as much and he definitely knew that. “See...there is that confidence. And to think you pretended to be worried about dancing.” She clicked her tongue in feigned disapproval. Teasing as a form of deflection. “Maybe too confident though.” She purred when he kept insisting about her bite. “Well...don't say I didn’t warn you, master duellist.”

When their conversation left the safe shores of their usual teasing banter, Eun-ji felt herself grow more unsteady. Not with her feet. Never with her feet. Those may have been the only steady part of her body right about then. It was her insides that were being shaken, like a drowning sailor in the middle of an ocean. She hoped against hope that there would be no more surprises. That a few more words might be said and then they would regain their footing once more. But no. Hana didn't seem to agree with that plan and Eun-ji immediately regretted her honestly. The laugh that crawled out of his throat sounded nothing like his usual one. At that moment, everything about him seemed to be forced and yet somehow more real than ever.

“Can’t….” The witch insisted. He of all people should know she hardly ever said things she didn’t mean. Not when she was being sincere at least. “Well, I’m allowed to hope, aren’t I? But luxury implies that it’s something that might cost you dearly and I for one cannot afford to pay the price that was set for me.” She clarified calmly despite her mounting irritation. It didn’t irk her that he questioned her but it did bother her how he went about it. He talked to her as if she was a child, when he was the one currently behaving as one and she couldn’t phantom why. It reminded her of the way Mr. Hunt talked to her and it made her shiver all over again for an entirely different reason. Her grip on his shoulder tightened even when her brain screamed at her to push him away. She found that she simply couldn’t. She may have not been a child but she was certainly a fool. Eun-ji couldn’t comprehend whether he was acting this way because he cared or because he did not. Neither options seemed believable enough to settle on.

“Do not talk to me like that.” The Ravenclaw almost hissed. Unlike him, there was no attempt to even fake a smile this time. Her expression turned cold. The way it did with many but not with him. At least not after she reluctantly started tolerating his presence. How much time had passed since then? “And do not call me that, Tone.” She repaid in kind. Lee would have been fine but the Hunt was what she could not stand. It made her want to tear her own skin off. But again, the Slytherin couldn’t have known. This too, was all her own doing. By holding onto her secrets so tightly, she inadvertently created cracks in her heart that were all too easy to attack even unintentionally. She was in pain but she had no right to complain about it. A flicker of hurt shimmered in her eyes as she realized this, momentarily ruining her frosty demeanour but it was gone as fast as it appeared.

“What about you then? Will you tell me? Why are you suddenly so adamant about this when you never seemed to care before? What exactly did I do?” She did’t want to lie to him but she couldn’t possibly tell him that he was the one she liked. This meant Hana had inadvertently cornered her, which was a mistake. If there was one thing Eun-ji despised with every fibre of her being, it was being cornered. The same perpetual state of her being whenever she was at home.

When Eun-ji Lee Hunt was cornered, she instinctively bit back like a wild dog. No matter how much she loved the person that had trapped her in the first place. In fact, she was often even more vicious to those. Although to be fair, she did warn him. Didn’t she just say that her teeth were sharp? Why did he have to go and test it immediately? The ballerina just wished her tone, matched her attack. Her voice was supposed to be steady and firm, but it wavered in the middle. Weak. He had become her weakness. Hana could cut her with his words whenever he wished and she already knew she would let it go embarrassingly quickly. She would let the wounds fester and pretend she didn’t feel a thing. It was pathetic really but she couldn’t imagine the alternative. What would it be like without him around? Then again, perhaps she already ruined her chances. Hana wanted fun and she doubted she was much fun to be around right now.

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

7 Oct 2025, 13:51

Pet Snake Present In Thread

Parseltongue & English +

Eun-ji's facial reaction too quick for Hanako to noticed. Even if they had spent a considerable time together, there was something different in the air tonight. Might be the mysterious smoke around the ball room, or the stress that's accumilated through the night. But Hanako wasn't an expert of Eun-ji. On the other hand the other seemed to be able to pinpoint the tiniest flashes of expression. There were some occation when she called them out, which both thrilled and scared Hanako. But that was just the ones where she told him. What about the times when she did notice but choose not to say anything. That itself just proved how much she recognised Hanako's patterns. Knowing he could take only so much observations from someone else before getting defensive.

What he did listen loud and clear was her answer to his pureblood question. " Oh-" he managed to say, unable to hide the surprise before he returned the blunt answer with a grin. Could this be why Eun-ji seemed no issue with using a muggle phone? He also recalled Eun-ji cooking by herself, as if she didn't have multiple servents to do it for her. Some smaller things started to click for him. This sort of small information was.. okay right? It made him a lot happier than he thought, but he set the worry aside. " Well. People find it easier to assume than to ask, don't they?". Hanako lightly added. " It doesn't change anything for us anyway" Hanako said, not directly looking at her as he said this. As if it was an insignificant information. The complexities of whether or not she was a pureblood or not wasn't comprehended well by the boy. " Besides, you looked way too happy about dancing to be forced into it anyway" he offered with a small smile.

The conversation shifted to what was perfection for them, the lighthearted energy still blissfully swirling around them. As if unaware of the future tension between the two. " Definitely" he jested in return, a light laugh escaping him as he looked back to her face. Momentarily distracted by the evident playfulness in her tone. His gratefulness to be able to hear it, remained unheard. It was the same as she mentioned his confidence. Sometimes this were the moments that he hoped to be able to be captured. Frozen in time and preserved. It made him somewhat resent Jack for taking this away from him.

He couldn't entirely blame his roomate. Fully aware his and Eun-ji's relationship was as fragile as thin hair. Just enough solid to be attached, and it only takes a light pull to snap in half. She wasn't the only person Jack had stopped Hanako from seeing for a whole year. But at this moment, Hanako admitted to himself that amidst all his flings…. Eun-ji was the one he missed the most.

And that filled him with ….

Dread.

Perhaps that's what spurred the next few conversations to go downhill. Stressed minds encouraged loose lips. Like a snowball effect. something he perceived as small and easy to answer instead brought out a side of Eun-ji he hadn't seen. A cruel part of him instinctively wanted to push her buttons more. There was something she wasn't telling him. What could it be? Hanako could tolerate a lot of things not being said. In fact, it was the safest relationship when both people knew how to keep secrets. But he couldn't for the life of him understand why his question was hard to answer. It was the base of their whole arrangement.

Hanako had thought he made it clear enough that this arrangement was easy. No expectations to share, and be present enough to distract each other from what they wanted to be distracted by. He may not be clear that he wanted to be told when he wasn't needed. But he thought Eun-ji of all the people he had involved himself with - would respect him enough to give him the assurance he wanted. The clarity that if she were to love someone, he would be told.

When she answered his question about luxury, he didn't answer anything. The slightest furrow of his eyebrows, a mixture of curiosity and skepticism in his expression. Which in the end softened neutrally. This was… quite the big reveal. He had thought she had no interest in such things, like he had. The words she choose was interesting too. Cost. Like something bad would befall on her if she allowed such a thing to happen. Hanako wanted to say he understood that. Even if she may have hoped for love, unlike him - he knew the cost of letting someone in often outweighed the benefit. But that hadn't properly answered why she couldn't just say 'yes' to his question. To assure him that he would be told if she did fall in love.

So instead, he decided to wait for her to answer his next question, quickly realising he may have opened something he shouldnt. But when she continuously dodged his question- even asking questions of her own, Hanako almost wanted to laugh.

The irony. A strategy he knew and used often. It was like looking into a mirror of the past. Maybe even the present. He wasn't any better, afterall. But he was taken aback that Eun-ji knew this strategy too. What should he do in this situation? Laugh? Get angry? Give in to the tight clench in his chest? There wasn't one adjective that could describe what he felt. One thing for sure was that it was a lot easier to cling onto anger. It was such a broad emotion, shouldering an umbrella that hides the more complicated parts of the feeling. And Hanako instinctively knew that what he needed now wasn't the right words, but easy ones. Whatever that will drown out the growing pain in his chest.

"Of course, I will!" he hissed under his breath, as if offended she even asked that. Well, he supposed he deserved it. But if she thought turning back the question to him would make him forget she hasn't answered her own question, she was wrong. " I may be a lot of things, but I'm not pathethic enough to string someone along when I intend to get serious about someone. Even if the likelyhood of that happening is incredibly - seriously - low"

He let out a bitter laugh at her next question about why he was adamant. If only she knew that he was as clueless as her. But if there was one thing he was good at, is yapping. Chatter often gives control to the helpless. " Suddenly? Then let me clarify things for you. You're right- I don't care about most things you tell me," he lied through his teeths, " There are more questions I could ask you where I won't care if you choose to answer. But this one? It should be as easy as answering if the weathers good or not." That last bit, at least was honest.

He tried his best to control his breath, feeling a familiar fire urging him to speak more harshly but he steeled himself. Some deeper part of him was growing desperate. The more he looked at her face, the more tho desperation started to reach to his expression. A flash of guilt crossed his features. What was he even doing? To her? Right now? And yet, just as fast as it came, the frustration her last question brought made him tense again.

" What you did was not answer my question. Why is it so hard to answer? You don't think I deserve to know if you like someone? You prefer I waste time to piece the peices together myself?"

Their dynamic was in their worst predicament. One was cornered, and another barked. The dance that started out with warmth and eagerness now morphed to the early signs of argument. Seeing which one of them would be brave enough to bite hard first.

Hanako's first strike was as follows:

" For someone who said Dralt was just a 'spur of the moment' decision, you both discussed long enough to match, didn't you? " His tone was casual, but the implication was already there for Eun-ji to take if she wished.

What are you hiding, Eun-ji?

Character Action: ruining his writers day

Stats

Reducio
S t a m i n a : 11

S t r e n g t h : 3

A r c a n e : 15

A c c u r a c y : 16

E v a s i o n : 6

W i s d o m : 10

Abilities

Reducio
-1st, 3rd and 5th Parselmouth Abilities

- blindvision

- perfectionist

- wandmaker, Rangarou Hair, Rose wood.

ꜱᴀʀᴀ ᴋᴏʜᴀɴᴀ

ʜᴀɴᴀᴋᴏ ᴛᴏɴᴇ

Mahoutokoro Headmaster I , Kotoka Sako

8 Oct 2025, 17:14

Full Outfit * Interaction: @Pericles Dralt & @Hanako Tone
“Of course, I will!” It was funny. This sentence, the one thing Hana obviously needed to hear from her was in turn, the one thing she desperately wished he hadn’t said to her. She already knew her feelings were one-sided, of course she did, but that didn’t make it any less painful when he confirmed it with his own mouth. “I see…then you must think I would have no problem stringing you along.” What he didn’t know was that she’d very much rather he wasn’t so noble. He had no idea what she would trade just to keep the illusion going for a bit longer. Yes. She would be okay if he strung her along providing that he kept her in the dark. This is why their opinions crashed so violently. Because she liked him too much and he couldn’t care less. Now she was even more sure, she could never tell him.

“…I don't care about most things you tell me.” Ah… The fight momentarily left her body. Those few words left Hana’s lips so carelessly but they landed like a blow. Of all the things he could have said, why did it have to be this? It was not the first time Hanako Tone rendered Eun-ji speechless, but this was different. This one made something inside her shatter and she wouldn’t be surprised if it showed. The Ravenclaw may have been excellent when it came to hiding her emotions most of the time, but she was still only a human. Her heart was not actually carved of stone...no matter how she wished otherwise. Embarrassingly enough, if she wasn’t so hurt, she might have tried to rationalize his words. Perhaps it was just an overreaction to her sudden defensiveness. After all, Eun-ji was also snarling his way without thinking too much but still, she was careful not to cut too deep. That’s why, even if she liked him, or perhaps precisely because she did, Eun-ji could not do it. She could not find a good enough excuse for him this time.

“Yes! Sometimes, questions that seem easiest to answer to you, might be difficult for the other person.” She argued against the boy’s insistence that the question was simple. Of course, she wasn’t about to explain why. Not now, when she knew what answer she’d get. Even if he spat in her face, she would not shed light on her own foolishness. And so, the only thing left to do was the exact thing she wanted to avoid in the first place. Lie. “Fine…since it’s the only thing you care to hear from me then yes, I will tell you if I fall in love with someone. Happy?” Idiot! …you utterly heartless bastard. The words burned in her throat but she swallowed them. She couldn’t possibly curse him out when he had no idea what he was doing to her. No, she should be cursing herself. For being delusional, pathetic and despicable. For wanting him to understand something she wasn’t willing to explain. “As if you would waste your precious time on me…” That one slipped out without permission. Quiet and unwarranted. She had reminded herself countless times that she had no right to be jealous. He never made any promises or pretended she was special. It was no secret that she was just one of many. And yet…since that was the case, what right did he have to make her feel like she mattered, like she’d have such a big impact on his precious time? As if he wouldn’t simply move on the moment he’d get bored?

“For someone who said Dralt was just a 'spur of the moment' decision, you both discussed long enough to match, didn't you?” Aha! Now that one was unfair. At last, the fault did not lie with her. Eun-ji was willing to take the blame for her own transgressions but he didn’t get to stab her heart and then expect her to twist his knife deeper for no reason at all. “Well, perhaps we talked longer because he cared about what I had to say.” Eun-ji’s tone was sharper now, anger steady and righteous as she returned his bloody weapon to him. “Also, we did not ‘match’, I only got to choose my own dress for the ball once and it was not this time.” Why was she still justifying herself to him? Where was her pride? And we were talking about you, you halfwit! As if he had any way of knowing that. How? How did it come to this? She was so happy, genuinely stupidly happy, when he asked her to dance. Now she couldn’t help wondering if this would be the last time he spoke to her.

Taking a deep breath, Eun-ji stilled her feet. The music went on but it felt distant, irrelevant. Still, she didn’t let go just yet. Despite the suffocating tension, her heart was still unwilling to release him. She could only hope he wouldn’t notice her hesitation. “Well…I’m not being much fun, am I?” Finally, she seemed to be able to steady her voice, now it was dripping with self-deprecation. “I’m sorry if I ruined your evening.” With that, her fingers finally loosened their grip on his body and she took a step back. In some perfect world, this is where they would fix things, but Eun-ji was stuck in the real world with no mercy and no fairytale endings. It was the first time, the conversation between the two of them became so heated and she worried they would only make things worse if she lingered on. Besides, this was not the place to do this. Too many eyes watching. Too many mouths ready to twist the scene into something dangerous. The witch was not joking when she said her price for love would be steep, there was no way she was going to drag Hana into her messy life for no reason whatsoever. “Thank you for asking me to dance but maybe… we should call it a night.” Her heart was sore and trembling but she didn’t want to run away without saying goodbye. Despite her her residual frustration, her voice turned softer. Fragile, yet still trying to hold some dignity.

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

1 Nov 2025, 15:24

Pet Snake Present In Thread

Parseltongue & English +

"I used to think so, but now Im not so sure" he retorted back immediately to her claim that he felt like she would be the type to string along. A tinge of…pain in his tone as he said it too fast. It felt so wrong to say, but what came to his mind much clearer was the image of seeing Eun-ji come together with Pericles, instead of their own memories that were cultivated together. Like a seed of doubt that spread like a parasite. Making him wonder if any of those memories were as he thought happened. Or was he being played like a fool. An experience he wouldn't have minded. He wouldn't mind playing a fool, and yet.. it hurt to know if it was Eun-ji that was playing him. Had he.. accidentally cherished their memories a lot more than he meant it to? Then maybe… maybe.. is that why he was.. chasing her to answer this question? The realisation made him pause, further rendered speechless by her next words.

His face faltered from irritation and insistence to ..almost quiet. Which was absurd - really. Hanako Tone , quiet. Two words that shouldn't be together in a sentence. Yet here he was. When Eun-ji snapped- asking if he was angry, he paused for a while. Hesitating. " ….yes" he said almost in a mutter. " Im happy". Another lie. How many could he do tonight?

As if you would waste your precious time on me…”

If he was less turbulent with his emotions at the moment, maybe he would've caught on that was such an unnatural thing for Eun-ji to say. Like a hint behind the mask they usually wore. But instead, he was too focused on the fact that it was him that should be saying that. He opened his mouth to express just that, but snapped them shut, his eyes furrowing in frustration. Telling himself that it was him frustrated with her, but deep down he knew who really was the reason of frustration. Him. Himself. And his own incompetence that would even urge Eun-ji to spend her precious time with some posh Ravenclaw boy. Jealousy blinding his own thoughts.

Which caused him to say that unnecessary tid bit about Pericles, which -… naturally , riled up the other. Hanako felt like he should be happy but he couldn't… for the life of him… find the energy to fake the joy. He stayed quiet. His mind coming to a blank at her words. He…. hadn't…realised she could use that voice. She had a way of being sharp with her tone, but … angry? Part of him expected her to act like he was the childish one, for blabbering about not caring and yet he had slipped out just how annoyed he was at Dralt.

Before he could figure out how exactly he should fell, he felt Eun-ji halt in her steps. Automatically making him mimic her. And then she… pulled another move that was a little more familiar to him. So much so that it ached his heart before he could even stop it. This seemed to be exactly what he had done last time, when they were in the hallways. Except this time, it was her that was pulling away first.

More importantly… he recalled she could still assure him that his presence wouldn't have been too much of a trouble for her. He suddenly recalled how sincere she sounded that it caught him off guard. But now? By his own law, he should know he should lie. Tell her that she hadn't ruined his night, and that he was just frustrated by other things. That he wanted to spend another dance with her, and didn't want to leave her on her own right now. Especially with how she sounded so…wounded.

But he couldn't bring himself to lie. How funny- when he had always prided himself on how he could just about say anything if it meant he protected himself. Yet now, he felt if he lied - it would lead to a more uncomfortable truth he wasn't ready to admit.

Instead of asking the question he wanted to ask the most, he nodded. Took a step back. He bowed politely, as a thank you for the dance even when the loudest thing in his head right now was sorry, instead of thank you.

^{Sorry for ruining your night. Sorry for being a jealous prat. Sorry for being too much of a coward to be able to ask you to stay. Sorry for feeling so vulnerable that I wanted to cling to space and separate our time together. Sorry for being a hypocrite, despite remembering that you are far kinder than him the last time something similar happened.}

"…. Good idea" , he said in a mumble, not really meeting her gaze as he stopped bowing. Not even able to tell her goodnight when he knew he had been an unpleasant memory to her tonight. Those jest and bickering, and flushed faced they had earlier only seemed like a distant memory now. How long until it starts to become the same with the memories of their time spent together? Hanako didn't really know. For now, he felt like damage control was needed. Even if it felt painful just doing so.

" ….. Eun-ji I -" he spoke up, his voice faltering but he stopped. Sighing, he continued. " … never mind. Night" he said a bit too curtly before he would turn around to leave. He didn't think he could see her walking away. Knowing that some part of him would want to do something stupid like reach out for her hand if he did so.

Damage control. This was all that it was. They both needed to cool down. Eventually, things will go back to the way it used to be.

….hopefully

Character Action: leavin the dance floor

Stats

Reducio
S t a m i n a : 11

S t r e n g t h : 3

A r c a n e : 15

A c c u r a c y : 16

E v a s i o n : 6

W i s d o m : 10

Abilities

Reducio
-1st, 3rd and 5th Parselmouth Abilities

- blindvision

- perfectionist

- wandmaker, Rangarou Hair, Rose wood.

ꜱᴀʀᴀ ᴋᴏʜᴀɴᴀ

ʜᴀɴᴀᴋᴏ ᴛᴏɴᴇ

Mahoutokoro Headmaster I , Kotoka Sako