To Bee and Dasom's surprise they embraced almost immediately. Any remnants of childhood rivalry had long since been left behind.
After all, they had all grown up.
There was something strangely comforting about running into people who had witnessed your awkward childhood years.
"Oh my God, look at you two!" Bee exclaimed.
"You haven't changed at all!" Sophie said.
"That's a lie," Lara replied dryly. "We're significantly taller."
Everyone laughed.
The initial awkwardness vanished within moments.
Soon the four of them were happily catching up as though no time had passed at all.
They reminisced about elementary school.
Academic competitions.
Teachers.
Class rankings.
And, of course their infamous rivalry.
"I still remember checking the rankings and seeing your name above mine every single time," Lara said dramatically.
Dasom laughed. "I'm sorry!"
"No, you're not."
"You're right. I'm not."
The twins groaned while Bee burst into laughter.
Eventually the topic shifted to university.
"So where did you two end up?" Dasom asked.
The twins exchanged a glance. "Yale."
Dasom's eyes widened immediately,
"What?!"
Both sisters nodded.
She looked genuinely thrilled.
"That's amazing! I always knew you two would go far."
Her smile brightened. "You guys motivated me to push further too."
The twins looked horrified.
"Are you kidding?" they asked at the exact same time.
The synchronized response made all four girls laugh.
Sophie pointed at Dasom. "You were always my goal."
Lara nodded.
"I used to study harder just because I wanted to take down the top dog."
She paused and grinned. "Keyword: wanted."
Dasom clutched her chest dramatically.
"You're both bullies."
"No," Lara corrected. "You were terrifying."
"Terrifying?"
"You made being first place look easy."
Dasom looked scandalised. "It wasn't easy!"
"Exactly!" Sophie exclaimed. "You worked hard and still made it look easy."
The compliment caught Dasom off guard.
For a moment, she simply smiled.
There had been competition between them.
But never malice.
Only ambition.
And perhaps a little mutual respect.
They even laughed about Finland.
About moving abroad.
About how strange adulthood felt.
Before long, promises of future dinners and exchanged contact details naturally followed.
"We should get dinner sometime."
"Absolutely."
"It's been too long."
Then, almost inevitably, the attention shifted to Bee.
The twins practically lit up.
"Your fashion shows have been incredible!" Sophie exclaimed.
"And your Milan posts!" Lara added. "I show them to my friends all the time."
Bee blinked. "Oh?"
"Of course!" Sophie said. "You're literally famous now."
Bee immediately fanned herself dramatically.
"Please continue."
Everyone laughed.
Lara pointed accusingly. "Do you remember how you'd disappear from school for modelling gigs?"
Bee groaned. "I had attendance issues."
"Attendance issues?" Dasom repeated. "You were basically a celebrity by age ten."
"Exactly!" Lara exclaimed.
Sophie nodded enthusiastically. "You were always so stylish."
She shook her head with a smile.
"Even when we were ten, I always felt like I was ten steps behind you in fashion."
Bee's expression softened.
For all her confidence and charisma, compliments from old peers still meant something.
"That's actually really sweet," she admitted.
Then she grinned. "I've spent years perfecting my craft."
"And it shows," Sophie said warmly.
For a brief moment, the powder room no longer felt like part of a nightclub.
It simply felt like four women reconnecting after years apart.
A reminder that sometimes rivalry didn't create enemies.
Sometimes it created people who quietly inspired each other to dream bigger.
Eventually, the conversation began winding down.
The four exchanged numbers, promised to arrange dinner, and laughed one last time about childhood rivalries and report cards.
As they prepared to part ways, Dasom suddenly hesitated.
"Hey."
The twins paused.
Bee noticed the shift in her tone.
Dasom looked between Lara and Sophie.
"There was actually something I wanted to thank you both for."
The twins blinked in surprise.
"Thank us?" Lara asked.
Sophie tilted her head. "For what exactly?"
Dasom's smile softened.
For a moment, the lively atmosphere of the powder room seemed to fade.
Her voice grew quieter.
"Honestly…" She looked down briefly. "I don't think I'll ever forget it."
The twins exchanged a confused glance.
Dasom met their eyes again. "When my parents died."
The room fell silent.
Bee's expression softened.
Dasom swallowed. "And my brother."
She paused, the words still caught in her throat, even after all these years.
The country had mourned the Lee family, but grief had never cared whether millions mourned with you.
It still felt lonely.
"I remember hearing afterwards that your family attended the funeral."
Her eyes glistened. "Not just your parents." She smiled faintly. "Your entire extended family."
Recognition slowly dawned across the twins' faces.
Dasom continued softly. "I know your family had reservations back then."
The Mayviews and the Four Dons had never been enemies.
But there had always been competition.
Politics.
Business.
Status.
Complicated things that adults created.
And yet at twelve years old, the twins had gone alone. And the others had followed.
The memorial had been broadcast across the entire nation. Their attendance had not gone unnoticed.
"I know it was because of you two."
The twins blinked and looked away from Dasom.
Dasom's eyes shimmered. "You defied your family and attended anyway." Her voice wavered.
"Even at twelve years old." A tear slipped free before she quickly laughed and wiped it away.
"Sorry." She sniffled. "I just…"
Her smile trembled. "You two were exceptional role models."
The twins looked stunned.
Bee quietly reached for Dasom's hand.
Dasom squeezed it. "I never really had the chance to thank you."
Silence filled the powder room.
Not awkward silence.
Just the kind that came when something honest was finally spoken aloud.
Sophie blinked rapidly.
Lara looked away first, as though suddenly very interested in the marble countertop.
Then Sophie laughed softly through suspiciously glossy eyes. "We got into so much trouble for that."
Lara immediately groaned. "So much trouble."
The four girls laughed weakly.
Sophie looked back at Dasom. "But we'd do it again."
Without hesitation. Without question.
Lara nodded. "Every single time."
Her expression softened."You were our rival."
She smiled faintly. "But you were also our friend."
This time, Dasom couldn't stop the tears.
And neither, if anyone looked closely enough, could the twins.
The women all embraced.
------
For a moment, it felt as though they were twelve years old again.
Not heirs.
Not university students.
Not future leaders of powerful families.
Just girls.
Girls who had once competed over spelling tests and mathematics scores.
Through sniffles, they giggled softly.
Soon enough, all four found themselves standing shoulder to shoulder at the mirror again, touching up their makeup as if nothing had changed.
Bee handed around tissues like a seasoned veteran.
"Alright," she declared. "No more crying. We all paid too much money for these faces."
The girls laughed.
Sophie carefully reapplied her lip gloss.
"So," Bee asked casually, "who are you guys here with tonight?"
"Oh," Sophie replied. "We came with Lara's boyfriend and his friend group. Plus their girlfriends."
She counted briefly on her fingers. "I think there are about ten of us altogether."
Bee's eyes widened. "That many?!"
Sophie laughed. "Yeah. Typical club night for us."
Dasom looked horrified. "Ten people sounds exhausting."
"It is," Lara admitted. "But it's also entertaining."
She glanced at them. "How about you guys?"
Bee immediately brightened. She proudly listed their group.
"The four of us, plus Oscar Sparks, Yixing Nicia, and—"
She paused dramatically.
"The owner of Steam himself, Storm Elio."
Both twins froze.
"Wait—" Sophie's eyes widened. "You guys have met him?"
"The real estate giant?" Lara added in disbelief.
Dasom blinked. "He's really that famous?"
The twins stared at her.
"Dasom," Lara said flatly. "The man owns half of Gold City's skyline."
Sophie nodded enthusiastically. "And he's notoriously private."
Bee suddenly grinned mischievously. "Well, fun fact he's currently trying to court Daisy."
Dasom nearly dropped her lipstick. "Bee!"
The twins gasped.
"No way!"
"Seriously?!" Lara looked genuinely impressed. "Whoa. He's loaded."
"And very mysterious," Sophie added.
She pointed dramatically at Dasom. "Trust you to score that, our ace."
The girls burst into laughter.
Dasom shook her head helplessly. "It's not like that."
"Mhm."
"Sure."
"We believe you."
Their teasing expressions said otherwise.
Unable to help herself, Dasom smiled. "We actually go way back."
That sentence only made things worse.
The twins immediately gasped again.
Bee looked deighted. "It almost feels planned right?"
Dasom laughed. "No, I only found out a few hours ago!"
"Even better," Lara declared.
Sophie nodded. "This is fate."
Dasom groaned. "Please don't start."
Too late.
The teasing continued mercilessly.
By the time they finished reapplying lipstick, adjusting their hair, and spritzing perfume, Dasom's face hurt from laughing.
And for the first time since returning home, the weight she'd carried with her felt just a little lighter.
Together, the four women exited the powder room.
Perfumed.
Refreshed.
And looking as though they had never cried at all.
Just as the girls began separating and blowing kisses goodbye to one another, Lara suddenly paused.
"Oh!" She snapped her fingers as though she'd just remembered something important.
The others turned to look at her.
Lara's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Since you guys have such a nice social circle…"
Uh oh.
Dasom recognised that tone immediately.
Lara glanced at Sophie before grinning.
"If you know any eligible, hot, rich, successful, tall bachelors worthy of Sophie, do let me know."
She punctuated the sentence with an exaggerated wink.
Sophie immediately slapped her twin's arm.
"Lara!"
"What?" Lara asked innocently.
"Don't let her know…" Sophie sighed dramatically. "…without also notifying me too."
The entire group burst into laughter.
Bee clutched her chest. "Thank Heavens. I was worried you were going to say something noble."
"I've never been noble a day in my life," Sophie replied.
Lara nodded seriously. "Can confirm."
Dasom laughed. "You two are unbelievable."
Sophie shrugged. "We're twenty-four."
"Twenty-three," Lara corrected automatically.
"See?" Sophie gestured. "This is why I need a husband. I can't even keep track of my own age anymore."
Bee gasped dramatically. "Oh, now we're matchmaking."
Her eyes sparkled. "Daisy, take notes."
"Why me?!"
"Because you know all the good candidates."
Dasom looked scandalised. "I absolutely do not."
The other three women stared at her in silence.
Then they all burst out laughing.
Bee pointed accusingly. "You literally grew up around the Four Dons."
"And half of Hassano's elite."
"And apparently billionaire club owners," Sophie added.
Dasom groaned. "I walked into that one myself."
"You absolutely did," Lara agreed.
Bee and Dasom raised their hands in surrender.
"Don't worry," Bee said dramatically. "We'll keep you updated."
Dasom nodded with a grin. "We'll keep an eye out."
The twins looked delighted. "Perfect."
More kisses were blown.
Promises of dinner were exchanged once again. And then, at last, the girls parted ways, each leaving with lighter hearts than when they'd entered the powder room.
----
At the VIP table…
The moment the girls disappeared toward the powder room, the atmosphere around the table shifted.
It was subtle, but there was an unspoken understanding among the men that certain conversations only happened when the women stepped away.
Jean was the first to break the silence.
He pointed accusingly at Storm. "First of all."
Storm looked up from his drink.
"That shot stunt was smooth."
Oscar nodded in agreement. "Very smooth."
Even Asher gave a small nod of approval.
"Efficient."
Storm blinked. "I just took a shot."
Jean stared at him. "You publicly claimed your date in front of her entire friend group."
Storm nearly choked on his drink. "I did not do that."
Oscar laughed. "You absolutely did, even if unintentional."
Asher leaned back comfortably. "Intentional or not, it was effective."
Storm rubbed the back of his neck. For perhaps the first time that evening, he looked genuinely embarrassed. "I just didn't want her to feel pressured."
That answer earned him several approving looks.
Jean raised his glass. "Respect. Knight in shining armour."
Oscar nodded. "Agreed."
Even Yixing, who had remained relatively quiet throughout the evening, gave a slight nod.
"That was considerate."
Storm looked mildly relieved that he wasn't being interrogated anymore.
Unfortunately for him, Jean wasn't finished.
"So."
Jean leaned forward with the expression of a man conducting important research.
"How interested are you exactly?"
Storm's answer came without hesitation.
"I'm interested enough to ask her out properly."
The table fell briefly silent.
Simple.
Direct.
Serious.
Asher smiled faintly.
Oscar looked impressed.
Jean whistled.
Even Yixing's expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
Interesting.
The conversation naturally drifted from there.
From sports, to travel, then business. The sort of topics men tended to fall into when left to their own devices.
Asher and Storm discovered they both followed mixed martial arts. Jean and Oscar debated football clubs.
Yixing remained quieter than the others but asked thoughtful questions whenever business came up.
Eventually, the conversation turned toward Steam.
Jean gestured toward the club around them.
"So, owner of Steam."
Storm chuckled. "That's one of my titles, I suppose."
"One of?" Oscar asked.
Storm nodded. "Nightlife is only one part of my portfolio."
That immediately caught everyone's attention.
He didn't elaborate on his inheritance. Nor did he speak much about how he had come into his wealth. Whatever the story was, Storm kept it private.
No one pushed.
Among people raised around old money and influential families, there was an unspoken etiquette about these things.
Instead, Storm spoke about what he'd built afterward.
His real estate ventures.
Commercial properties.
Urban redevelopment.
Hospitality projects.
As he talked, it became clear that he wasn't simply wealthy.
He was competent.
Very competent.
"I've made my fair share of mistakes," Storm admitted. "Early on especially."
Oscar nodded knowingly. "Everyone does."
Storm swirled the ice in his glass. "The expensive lessons tend to be the ones you remember most."
That earned a few chuckles.
"What kind of mistakes?" Jean asked.
Storm smiled faintly. "Trusting the wrong people."
The answer came easily. The sort of answer that sounded learned rather than rehearsed.
"I've learned to become more thorough." His voice remained calm. "And how to identify bad eggs before they become expensive problems."
Yixing, who had been quietly listening until now, finally spoke. "People management is harder than business management."
Storm looked at him then nodded. "Far harder."
The two men shared a brief look of understanding. The kind that only came from carrying responsibilities larger than oneself.
Oscar leaned back in his chair. "You sound like someone who's been burned before."
Storm's smile didn't disappear but it did become smaller. "Most successful people have."
No one disagreed.
For a brief moment, the atmosphere around the table shifted into something quieter.
More mature.
Five men at different stages of life.
All carrying expectations, responsibilities and futures larger than themselves.
Then Jean ruined the moment. "So, theoretically speaking—"
Everyone groaned immediately.
Storm sighed with an amused smile.
Oscar pinched the bridge of his nose.
Asher closed his eyes.
Yixing just looked faintly resigned.
Jean grinned. "If Daisy's future husband had to survive one of the Four Dons' family interviews…"
He looked around the table dramatically.
"Who here survives?"
And just like that, the peace was over.