The chandelier above Aira sparkled like a sky full of stars, casting reflections across the marble floor as the party came alive with laughter, music, and clinking glasses.
But Aira couldn't hear any of it.
Her stomach growled softly.
She had worked since dawn, eaten nothing since noon, and the heels she had borrowed were cutting into her skin with every step. Still, she moved with grace, offering drinks and smiles to guests who never even glanced her way.
Then came the moment she had been waiting for—her 5-minute break.
She slipped through the crowded hall and into a long, golden hallway. At the end of it was the restroom. Quiet. Empty. Safe.
She entered and leaned against the wall, breathing slowly, wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt.
"Just five minutes," she whispered to herself.
She moved toward the sink, splashing cool water on her face. As she looked at her reflection, she flinched.
Her eyes looked… tired. Too tired for someone so young.
Suddenly—
CRASH.
The door flew open.
Aira turned, startled. A tall man staggered in, panting. His black suit was half torn at the sleeve. His skin was pale, his jaw clenched, and his eyes…
They were not human.
Bright, glowing gold.
Like a wild animal.
No.
Like a wolf.
She gasped and took a step back, her tray clattering to the floor.
"Y-you… this is the ladies'—"
But he didn't hear her.
He fell to his knees, growling lowly, his body trembling. Something under his skin was shifting. His back arched unnaturally. His hands clenched the sink. Claws were breaking through his fingers.
He was transforming.
Aira's breath hitched. She should have run. Screamed. Done anything.
But she didn't.
Because in the middle of his monstrous rage, she saw something in his eyes—
Pain.
Not just physical… but something deeper.
Like a curse tearing him apart.
Her instincts screamed at her to escape.
But her heart… it pulled her closer.
She knelt in front of him. "Hey… are you okay?"
His golden eyes flickered to her—confused, animalistic, and broken.
And then suddenly—he lunged.
His lips crashed onto hers.
Aira froze. His hands gripped her waist, trembling. Not violent—just desperate. His body burned with fever.
Then… something strange happened.
His breathing slowed.
His claws retracted.
His muscles stopped shaking.
And the golden in his eyes slowly faded… back into brown.
He collapsed into her arms.
Aira stared, stunned, heart racing.
What just happened?
She touched her lips with trembling fingers. She could still feel the warmth. Still hear the growl dying in his throat.
---
Within seconds, he passed out.
His forehead burned like fire, and he was whispering something in his sleep.
"...princess… don't go… again..."
She didn't understand. She couldn't.
All she knew was—he was not just a man.
He was something… else.
But strangely, she wasn't afraid anymore.
She wrapped her arms around his heavy frame and whispered, "It's okay… I'll take you somewhere safe."
---
And just like that…
The past had found its way back.
In the arms of a girl who still believed in kindness.
And a beast who never forgot love.