Blue in English, Red in Korean

Thankfully, the topic of marriage was dropped rather quickly after Charles explained some of the details. Eun-ji really didn’t want to dive into it any deeper than they already did. This whole thing was extremely complicated and she didn’t want to worry her friend.

For once, interacting with a kid turned out to be a welcome distraction. Willow was definitely a lot to handle but it seemed like she found a way to communicate with the little one just fine. How she managed to understand children like this was totally beyond her although she suspected it had something...or everything to do with her hospital experiences. Unfortunately, patients came in all shapes and sizes. “Has she now?” The Ravenclaw asked as she turned to look at her friend. “It’s good to hear I have some good influence on you.” She said with a smile only hoping that Lucia did so because she wanted to not because she felt like she had to catch up with her. Dance was meant to be enjoyed. Of course, it would never be for everyone. Clearly Willow was one of those people. “I see…well don’t worry about it too much. You’ll find your own thing eventually.” Indeed, the girl had plenty of energy and enthusiasm about her. She’ll be fine.

“Keeps is a bit of an exaggeration...” Eun-ji shifted her attention to the Hufflepuff once more. She seemed somewhat embarrassed though Eun-ji failed to see why. “Well, any room is fine as long as you want to dance. I used to practise in mine too.” She wouldn’t say that she had her own ballroom now. That could lead to some more unpleasant explanations so she decided to keep it to herself. Thankfully Charles obviously didn’t intend to speak for her either unless it involved him directly so no more would be said on the subject. Besides, Willow was there to successfully distract everyone once again. “Sure, have fun.” The witch nodded at the young girl, watching her disappear in the crowd. “Don’t worry, she’ll be just fine. There are plenty staff around to help if anything happens. My grandmother is great at keeping the guests entertained and happy.” Not because she was caring but because she couldn’t handle anything else other than perfection. Lucia didn’t need to know this however. The result would be the same no matter the intention.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” At least her friend wasn’t forced to come here. She’d feel awful if that was the case. Perhaps she could even enjoy the evening. Looking at her mother once more, the girl nodded. “Yes, she is.” Perhaps too nice. Her brain supplied unhelpfully. It was true. Her being nice often resulted in hesitance to take a stand. She still thought everything could be dealt with peacefully even when it was painfully obvious such was not the case. The fact that her father wasn't here was one of many proofs of this. Well, at least he doesn't have to witness all this.

Discarding the unpleasant thoughts, Eun-ji glanced at the boy next to her. He was probably waiting to talk to Kim. It has been some time since the two best friends saw each other. “You can go and look for him if you want while I talk to Lucia.” She offered quietly. Charles seemed to consider her offer for a brief moment before noticing the hosts lingering nearby. “No, I better stick around. We’ll have plenty time to find him later.” He looked somewhat guilty after saying so, probably fully aware that the two girls would rather talk alone but Eun-ji wasn’t mad. His parents and her grandparents wanted them to attend the evening together to make a statement. They wouldn’t be pleased to see them separate so soon.

Lucia gave Eun-ji a little smile. It was definitely true that the Ravenclaw had a positive influence on her, and Lucia's dancing had improved immensely as a result. No longer was Lucia just moving in a fluid manner; now, her actions were purposeful and she had learnt how to use dance as a way to really communicate to the audience, rather than just following the music. Of course, it wasn't as if Lucia often performed in front of other people like Eun-ji did. It wasn't only the fact that Ebony had disliked Lucia moving the kitchen table that had made Lucia start practicing in her bedroom instead, but also the fact that Ebony made her feel... uncomfortable. When she was younger, dancing had seemed natural to Lucia and she hadn't minded who watched her. As she grew up, though, she became more conscious of her ability in dance. She was naturally good at it, but no amount of talent could reach Eun-ji's level without appropriate practise. Whenever Ebony watched her dance now, the only thing Lucia could think about was the mistakes she might make, and had made, and was making, until practise became less for fun and more for performing to her mother. At least in her bedroom the only person who could see her was Briar, and Briar didn't mind her mistakes. Neither did Ebony, outwardly, but every time Lucia stumbled she noticed the woman flinch, or wince, or sigh, and it felt like she was just disappointing her. Weirdly, it never felt like that with Eun-ji, even though Eun-ji was a thousand times better than Ebony could ever be at dance. When Lucia made mistakes in the Hogwarts ballroom, or the Room of Requirement, or whatever empty space the girls had commandeered, she knew she could do it better next time. Without realising it, Lucia had hit the biggest point where Ebony and Eun-ji differed: Ebony subconsciously put people down, whereas Eun-ji lifted them up.

"That's always a good quality in a hostess," Lucia ventured, referring to Mrs Hunt's ability to provide for her guests. "Is she nice?" The moment she'd said it Lucia was sure it was the wrong thing to say. Maybe Mrs Hunt was lovely but naive of Eun-ji's real feelings, or maybe she was horrible, but it wasn't really Lucia's business if the Ravenclaw didn't want to tell her. "I'm sorry, that was nosy." A pause. "But, Eun-ji... you can talk to me, you know. If you need to. Or even if you don't need to." That was what friendship was, after all: being there for each other. Not that Lucia told Eun-ji about her own problems beyond little things at school, but the sentiment was there, and Lucia was under exceptional circumstances.

Lucia had almost forgotten that Charles was there. For a moment, she wondered if he was refusing to leave so he could keep an eye on Eun-ji, but his 'fiancé's expression suggested she didn't mind. "...who?"

When there was a lull in the conversation, Lucia would speak again. "Eun-ji, would you be up for a dance?" Not only would it be lovely to dance with her friend, but it would also convince Ebony that she did actually have friends. But then Lucia thought about it a little more. "I don't know if it's the done thing..." she admitted, "but it wouldn't be romantic or anything. Just a dance between friends. And you'd be able to go find your friend, Charles." Lucia didn't know about the so-called 'couple's motivations for staying by each others' side. It would be a shame if Lucia went through this whole evening in this lovely dress without at least one dance with someone who knew what they were doing! "It's okay if you don't want to," she tacked on, just in case.

Blue in English, Red in Korean

“Is she nice?” Eun-ji froze momentarily. Her face remained calm but she was clearly thinking about it. Truth be told, she knew the answer to that question. Her maternal grandparents were shitty people and she despised them with every fibre of her being. That however was not something she could tell her friend. Thankfully, just as she was about to give some made up diplomatic answer, Lucia backpedalled, inherently saving her the trouble. The Ravenclaw smiled opting to comment on the second part of her remark. “I know.” She confirmed gratefully. Stubborn as she was, she would most likely not take her up on the offer but she appreciated the sentiment. “And I hope you do too.” Lucia was one of the few close friends she still had so if she needed help, Eun-ji would be there for her no question asked. And then came October and she fucked it all up

Charles stayed out of their business until he was addressed by Eun-ji. Her suggestion clearly piqued his interest but after considering everything, he refused. It was Lucia that eventually managed to shake his resolve again. He knew how much his fiancée loved to dance so he was obviously hesitant to refuse. He also probably really wanted to talk to Kim. “Lucia is right, there is no need to wait. Kim could use your company and I will join you soon.” The Ravenclaw encouraged her partner for the evening. At last, the boy nodded. “Alright. I’ll see you later then.” He then turned to Lucia. “It was nice to meet you. Perhaps we’ll get to talk again.” His tone was pleasant and friendly, truly nothing like his parents. Eun-ji waved the boy off before giving all her attention to her friend.

“I always want to dance,” she reminded the girl with a smile. It was true. Even in the worst of moods, she felt like dancing. The purpose would be different then but nevertheless she would do so. It was hard to tell whether their grandparents would be displeased with her choice of partner but Lucia came from a pureblood family so they would probably let it go. In any case, they could always find something else to be displeased about. “So…let’s go.” The witch said suddenly feeling much lighter than before. Dancing was the only fun activity she could do here and it also saved her from mingling and uncomfortable conversations with strangers. She’d have to do it eventually but for a few moments, she didn’t need to think about that.

The expression on Eun-ji's face told Lucia that her grandmother was definitely not nice. If she was, surely the Ravenclaw wouldn't have to think about it! But Eun-ji's words made Lucia think too. She was keeping secrets from her friend just as surely as Eun-ji had been keeping secrets from her - she must have been, for Lucia to not hear a thing about the engagement until now. "Of course," Lucia replied, and she was surprised to discover that she was being sincere. Some part of her wanted to disregard everything her mother had taught her and tell Eun-ji everything... but not now. When the time was right, then she would let her guard down. But here, surrounded by the rich and famous (and room-fillers) of the pureblood community? It was a no-brainer to stay quiet.

The offer of a dance appeared to be the deal-breaker, and Lucia wasn't entirely suprised. The first time she'd met Eun-ji, the Ravenclaw had been dancing, and they'd barely had any interactions where dancing wasn't involved. Eun-ji seemed to Lucia to be just one of those people who loved a thing so much that it had practically become her life, in a good way. After all, without dancing, Lucia and Eun-ji would never have become friends. Now, Lucia said her goodbyes to Charles - "It was nice meeting you." - and was confused to discover, just as she had a minute ago, that she meant her words. Yes, this boy's presence was a threat to Lucia's friend's happiness, but that wasn't his fault. And he did seem to be a nice guy whom Eun-ji got along with, so he had that going for him at least.

While many of the guests were still standing around, taking bites of food and making connections, just as many had taken to the dance floor. After all, that was what a ball was about: dancing. Not socialising, as Lucia's mother seemed to think. Lucia caught sight of the woman on the edge of a group of purebloods, seeming not contributing much. The Hufflepuff couldn't help but feel sorry for Ebony, but also felt a strange surge of anger as she watched her give up on that group and move on to another. What was this for? Why should Ebony bother wasting her time on these people, when she could be spending time with the people who loved her? Did having connections with the rich and famous really matter this much?

Forcing herself to look away from Ebony, Lucia's gaze fell instead on her younger - but not youngest - sister. She was on the outskirts of the action too, but not by herself. The girl she'd gone to see earlier (Fayre? No, Faith) was with her, and they were giggling uncontrollably as they each spun each other around, and around, and around. Lucia couldn't remember when the last time was that she saw Briar like that.

She couldn't even spot Willow.

Seeing the rest of her family go off and do their own thing prompted a strange kind of loneliness in Lucia - the kind of loneliness that came with spending most of your life with someone and now watching yourselves slowly grow apart. Still, Lucia had faith that her family would never be totally apart. Maybe, in ten years' time, Lucia would mention this feeling to her sisters and they'd laugh about her insecurities. They would always be there for her, and her for them, even if they went different ways. They had to find out who they were without anyone to watch over them, just like Lucia had in her first year at school.

And anyway, there was someone who was here with Lucia right now - Eun-ji, whom Lucia suddenly realised she'd been ignoring as she stared off into the distance. "Sorry..." she returned her attention to her dance partner. "I was looking for Willow." Lucia held her hand out in an invitation, and mimicked the older purebloods around them with a smile. "May I have this dance?"

When the pair entered the dance floor, Lucia let Eun-ji take the lead, like she generally did when they danced at school. Eun-ji was definitely the superior dancer in terms of skill, while Lucia's veela-given grace and fluidity of movement helped her to catch up if the older girl did anything unexpected, or Lucia fumbled something technical. As they glided across the floor, Lucia allowed herself to ignore everything else outside of the little bubble that was just her, Eun-ji, and the dance. Until, that is, she felt eyes watching her. Ebony. Lucia's mother wasn't doing anything but watching, but it made her uncomfortable. Ebony had never met Eun-ji before, and her watching Lucia dance with her friend felt like an intrusion. "Can we go over there?" Lucia murmured to Eun-ji, nodding her head towards a spot where a group of adults shielded them from Ebony's gaze.

Blue in English, Red in Korean

Charles was gone now but Lucia seemed momentarily distracted. Her eyes searched the crowd until they finally settled on a beautiful woman. Her mother perhaps? She was making social rounds, which was precisely what Eun-ji was supposed to be doing right now but decided to put off for as long as possible. It didn’t take long for the Hufflepuff's gaze to shift elsewhere though. It was a bit hard to tell what was going on through her head but she looked somewhat uncomfortable. As if she didn't want to be seen.

The witch let her finish her musings in peace, patiently waiting for her friend to snap out of it on her own accord. “Sorry…I was looking for Willow.” Most likely only a half-truth but Eun-ji would let it go with a smile. “Don’t worry. Wherever she wandered off to, I promise she is safe here.” It felt strange to say as much, considering how unsafe she felt here herself but it wasn’t a lie. Willow was a guest and a child from a pure-blood family. The Hunts would make sure, she didn’t get hurt or cause any unnecessary chaos. Not on their watch. Afterall, they had a reputation to keep.

At last, they both let go of their worries and it was time to dance. “You may.” The Ravenclaw played along with her friend’s charade. Although she didn’t dare to laugh, the expression on her face expressed a subtle amusement. Once on the dancefloor, Eun-ji visibly relaxed and grew more confident. This was a familiar scene to her. She had danced with Lucia many times in the past so once she managed to block out her surroundings, the evening almost seemed pleasant. The two girls worked well together and all was going fine until the Hufflepuff spotted someone in the crowd. It was the very same woman, her gaze followed just a couple minutes prior. Eun-ji wanted to ask but wasn’t sure whether she should. This looked like a complicated relationship. “Sure we can…not going to introduce me then?” The latter part was said in a teasing manner to make sure Lucia knew, she wasn’t bothered if that was the case. Although it could still happen later on if Hunts made, she would never force her friend to introduce her to anybody she’d rather not. Eun-ji wasn’t fond of small talk anyway. “Is there anything else I can do for you? Are you hungry?”

Lucia nodded at @Eun-ji Lee Hunt's assurances. "Of course." The worst that could happen to Willow here was that she got lost, or managed to lock herself in a bathroom, but Lucia trusted her resourceful little sister to get herself out of any trouble she found herself in. "It's just... you know." Actually, Eun-ji probably didn't know. She didn't have any siblings, or even cousins as far as Lucia knew. "Willow's barely left the house. This is new to her. I guess I'm being overprotective." Lucia had been the same regarding Briar in the latter's first year at Hogwarts: they'd always been on an equal footing at home, except in lessons, and Lucia had enjoyed feeling like an older sister to Briar for once. The sisters may be a full year apart, but before Lucia left for Hogwarts they'd practically been twins. It was different for Willow, though. Lucia had always been Willow's older sister - Willow's favourite sister, she suspected - and Willow had always been the baby of the household. "She'll turn up eventually." Maybe the youngest Fox sister would even come back with a friend. Lucia would like that. She'd always had Briar and Willow at home, but with the two eldest sisters at Hogwarts now, Willow interacted with pretty much nobody (as far as Lucia knew) except Ebony and Rosa on a daily basis. It would be good for her to talk to someone she wasn't related to.

Ah. Eun-ji, ever the observant Ravenclaw, had followed Lucia's eyeline. "Oh. Um." It was clear from Eun-ji's tone that the girl didn't mind not being introduced, but Lucia still felt like an explanation was needed. "That's Ebony. You can probably tell." Lucia was remarkably similar to her mother in terms of looks, although they held themselves differently and Ebony was taller than Lucia suspected she would ever be. "I can introduce you if you want, it's just... she makes me uncomfortable," Lucia blurted out. "When she's watching me dance. She makes me worry that I'm going to trip up or miss a step and then I overthink what I'm doing and then I get something wrong and then it feels like she's noticing." She took a deep breath. "Sorry. You didn't need to hear that." A pause. "I am a little hungry, actually."

Blue in English, Red in Korean

“I see...well I suppose that's how older siblings are supposed to be, right?” Eun-ji noted with a smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much though. I used to be very protective of Ye-jun when he still lived in Chester but it turns out he did perfectly fine on his own. Five years later and he is now the one that tries to protect me. I’m sure Willow will be fine” The little girl looked full of spirit and, unlike herself and her cousin, Lucia would be able to stay by her side, looking after her. Eun-ji wasn’t too worried although she understood why her friend felt that way. The Ravenclaw was also very protective when it came to her own family.

Dancing with the Hufflepuff ended up being a small comfort during this horrendous event but it wasn’t meant to last. Eun-ji still had to go and mingle and Lucia seemed to have her own troubled thoughts. “That's Ebony. You can probably tell.” Yes, she could in fact tell. They were both similar and extremely beautiful. Considering her words however, it appeared that their relationship wasn’t exactly ideal. Eun-ji could certainly relate to that. “That’s alright then. I’m sure I’ll meet her sooner or later. There is no need to rush.” It was possible she would be introduced to the woman today anyway, there was no reason to drag Lucia there right at this moment, especially after hearing her next admission. It was one that hit far too close to home. “Ah yes, I know what you mean. My grandfather does that too…” She sighed then. “He doesn’t even like ballet...” Yet, the man still needed to make sure she did a perfect job even with skills he found useless. It was highly disconcerting but there was nothing she could do about it. Well since my friend told me something important, I guess it’s only fair I gave a little back…but it’s enough. Let’s not dwell on these things anymore.

“I am a little hungry, actually.” Thankfully, the other girl took the bait and eventually switched the topic without much effort on Eun-ji's side. “I see. I’ll take you to the buffet table then. Perhaps Willow will be there as well.” She retorted with a smile. “I have to find Charles anyway and I should greet Kim as well. You can join us later if you want.” She offered as they made their way towards the huge table filled with numerous delicious looking dishes. “Thank you for the dance by the way. I had fun.” The girl said sincerely. “See you around?” Eun-ji sure hoped she would. Her friend was one of the few things that might make this evening bearable.

After bidding goodbye to Lucia, the Ravenclaw turned around to search for the two previously mentioned boys. Luckily, she didn’t have to look for too long as they were already making their way towards her. Eun-ji smiled, deciding to meet them halfway. “Hey, Kim! You two had a good chat?” She greeted the younger boy with a smile. There was no need to greet Charles since they came here together in the first place. She could only hope the Gryffindor wasn’t too displeased that he had to be here. If nothing else, it was an opportunity for the two best friends to reunite. Surely, that was a good thing.