Dicentra
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Sorellia was late, but that was nothing unusual. In fact, she was consistently behind schedule. Her itinerary was packed to the brim, with acting lessons, fan meetups, and movie shoots demanding her time. Yet the most time-consuming of all was her obsession with Instaham, the bane of her productivity. It seemed she could hardly tear her eyes away from it. Whether she was seeking real-time public opinion or simply indulging in her vanity was difficult to distinguish, but either way, the screen of her smartphone seemed to hold an irresistible allure, keeping her glued to it incessantly. Tonight, on the evening of the highly anticipated Zodiac New Year's Celebration, was no exception.
"They said WHAT about me?" Sorellia's voice erupted in the confines of her tinted car, startling the driver with a jolt. Her eyes blazed with fury as her fingers flew across her phone's keyboard at an astonishing speed. She was evidently crafting a swift and scathing response to a derogatory comment left on her most recent social media post.
"Now, now, Miss Sorellia, we've discussed this before. Engaging with the hate comments only gives them more power, and it often exacerbates the situation. They're just trolls—" Sorellia's manager, alarmed by her reaction, spoke with a sense of urgency in his voice, attempting to reach for the phone in a desperate effort to prevent further escalation.
"Oh my stars, you're right! And... you... look... like... a troll. And sent." Sorellia said with a mischievous grin of pride, having sent her scathing response. Her manager, feeling utterly defeated, sighed and slumped back into his seat, uncharacteristically quiet. Normally, he would have given her an earful about handling comments, emphasizing the importance of public relations and preserving her image. But tonight, there was an unusual silence in the car.
Sorellia gazed out of the car window as they neared their destination, a peculiar unease settling in her heart. Something about this night felt different, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
As the car eased into the driveway of the venue, her manager offered a hand to help her out, and to her surprise, he gave her a brief, uncharacteristic hug. He lingered by the car instead of following her inside, a departure from their usual routine. She arched an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued, but decided not to press the matter. Perhaps he wasn't feeling well, or maybe he felt slightly intimidated by the Zodiac members, as some people were.
With a slight, quizzical tilt of her head, Sorellia shrugged off her momentary confusion and continued toward the venue's entrance on her own. An odd night indeed.
In her efforts to avoid the scolding of the servants due to her tardiness, Sorellia tiptoed her way up the grand staircase at the main gate. She made every attempt to minimize the clinking of her heels against the stairs, gripping the hem of her dress to prevent it from brushing against the ground. Her gaze remained fixed on the steps to ensure she didn't miss a single one.
Suddnely, Sorellia's steps halted, and she pressed her ears against the door, having heard unsettling words due to her untimeliness. The unexpected utterances had shattered the hushed atmosphere of the entrance. Her eyes widened with apprehension as the words sank in. Three months until they become animals? What did they mean by that? It ignited a sense of foreboding in her. Was another term of confinement looming in the near future? Sorellia's question was soon answered, and the unusual behavior of her manager that evening began to make sense. The puzzle pieces of this mysterious night were slowly falling into place, and the revelations were undoubtedly distressing.
Sorellia had sensed something was amiss, but what she discovered was beyond her wildest expectations. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lower lip trembled as she gazed up at the night sky, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Upset and frustrated, she allowed herself to feel both emotions, given the circumstances.
With a look of anger etched on her face, Sorellia couldn't contain her emotions any longer. She began to kick over the decorative vases that adorned the staircase, the sound of shattering glass echoing through her surroundings. Her frustration mounted, culminating in an exasperated scream. In the midst of her emotional outburst, her dress caught on something, and she fell to her knees with a thud, adding to the cacophony of chaos that now enveloped the scene.
"What a joke," Sorellia mumbled under her breath, her voice barely audible as she remained seated on the ground, her knees marred with broken skin and blood. She couldn't bring herself to look up, to confront the reality of the situation that now surrounded her. Not in this state, not like this.
As Sorellia's gaze remained fixed on the ground, she caught sight of a faint, distant light in the background. A soft, red glow and the scent of cigarettes wafted through the air, a dangerous comfort. She had a hunch about the identity of the individual approaching. Among the Zodiac members, there were only a few who could handle unsettling news with such a calm temperament.
Quickly wiping away her tears to conceal any sign of her distress, Sorellia rose to her feet. Even with her knees marked by traces of stain, she lowered her gown to hide the evidence, giving the impression that her earlier outburst had never happened. It was as if she had seamlessly regained her composure - a talent of acting.
Sorellia walked toward the source of the fate glow and the familiar scent of tobacco, her posture straightened and her gaze locked on her target. As she neared the area, it didn't take long for her to recognize the location. It was a place they had frequented, their favorite spot—a hidden space filled with joy, happiness, and laughter. But it was also here that she had learned something that had shattered her heart.
The conflicting emotions swirled within her as she approached, a mix of nostalgia and unease. The memories of this place weighed heavily on her, a reminder of both the joy and sorrow she had experienced here.
There he sat, a gentle flame casting a soft glow on his features. As Sorellia approached, her heart clenched, bracing for the ache of old wounds to resurface. Keeping her emotions hidden behind a composed facade, she wordlessly settled beside him. Her gaze was deliberately averted, directed to the left so as not to face him directly. After the way their last conversation had ended, she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.
For a moment, silence enveloped them. The corner of her eyes caught a glimpse of his soullet, and she couldn't help but notice how he had grown since they had last seen each other. His delicate features seemed almost too fragile for her to stare at for too long.
Sorellia had always been late, late to every important occasion, late to save a loved one, and late to capture Takumi's heart. The memory of their last meeting and the words he had spoken to her still stung, but overwhelmed by the events of the night, she chose not to bring it up.
Instead, she extended her hand and asked, "Care for some company?" She gestured for a cigarette to be placed in her hand. Indeed, Sorellia was always late, even when it came to asking a simple question.
"They said WHAT about me?" Sorellia's voice erupted in the confines of her tinted car, startling the driver with a jolt. Her eyes blazed with fury as her fingers flew across her phone's keyboard at an astonishing speed. She was evidently crafting a swift and scathing response to a derogatory comment left on her most recent social media post.
"Now, now, Miss Sorellia, we've discussed this before. Engaging with the hate comments only gives them more power, and it often exacerbates the situation. They're just trolls—" Sorellia's manager, alarmed by her reaction, spoke with a sense of urgency in his voice, attempting to reach for the phone in a desperate effort to prevent further escalation.
"Oh my stars, you're right! And... you... look... like... a troll. And sent." Sorellia said with a mischievous grin of pride, having sent her scathing response. Her manager, feeling utterly defeated, sighed and slumped back into his seat, uncharacteristically quiet. Normally, he would have given her an earful about handling comments, emphasizing the importance of public relations and preserving her image. But tonight, there was an unusual silence in the car.
Sorellia gazed out of the car window as they neared their destination, a peculiar unease settling in her heart. Something about this night felt different, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
As the car eased into the driveway of the venue, her manager offered a hand to help her out, and to her surprise, he gave her a brief, uncharacteristic hug. He lingered by the car instead of following her inside, a departure from their usual routine. She arched an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued, but decided not to press the matter. Perhaps he wasn't feeling well, or maybe he felt slightly intimidated by the Zodiac members, as some people were.
With a slight, quizzical tilt of her head, Sorellia shrugged off her momentary confusion and continued toward the venue's entrance on her own. An odd night indeed.
In her efforts to avoid the scolding of the servants due to her tardiness, Sorellia tiptoed her way up the grand staircase at the main gate. She made every attempt to minimize the clinking of her heels against the stairs, gripping the hem of her dress to prevent it from brushing against the ground. Her gaze remained fixed on the steps to ensure she didn't miss a single one.
Suddnely, Sorellia's steps halted, and she pressed her ears against the door, having heard unsettling words due to her untimeliness. The unexpected utterances had shattered the hushed atmosphere of the entrance. Her eyes widened with apprehension as the words sank in. Three months until they become animals? What did they mean by that? It ignited a sense of foreboding in her. Was another term of confinement looming in the near future? Sorellia's question was soon answered, and the unusual behavior of her manager that evening began to make sense. The puzzle pieces of this mysterious night were slowly falling into place, and the revelations were undoubtedly distressing.
Sorellia had sensed something was amiss, but what she discovered was beyond her wildest expectations. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lower lip trembled as she gazed up at the night sky, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Upset and frustrated, she allowed herself to feel both emotions, given the circumstances.
With a look of anger etched on her face, Sorellia couldn't contain her emotions any longer. She began to kick over the decorative vases that adorned the staircase, the sound of shattering glass echoing through her surroundings. Her frustration mounted, culminating in an exasperated scream. In the midst of her emotional outburst, her dress caught on something, and she fell to her knees with a thud, adding to the cacophony of chaos that now enveloped the scene.
"What a joke," Sorellia mumbled under her breath, her voice barely audible as she remained seated on the ground, her knees marred with broken skin and blood. She couldn't bring herself to look up, to confront the reality of the situation that now surrounded her. Not in this state, not like this.
As Sorellia's gaze remained fixed on the ground, she caught sight of a faint, distant light in the background. A soft, red glow and the scent of cigarettes wafted through the air, a dangerous comfort. She had a hunch about the identity of the individual approaching. Among the Zodiac members, there were only a few who could handle unsettling news with such a calm temperament.
Quickly wiping away her tears to conceal any sign of her distress, Sorellia rose to her feet. Even with her knees marked by traces of stain, she lowered her gown to hide the evidence, giving the impression that her earlier outburst had never happened. It was as if she had seamlessly regained her composure - a talent of acting.
Sorellia walked toward the source of the fate glow and the familiar scent of tobacco, her posture straightened and her gaze locked on her target. As she neared the area, it didn't take long for her to recognize the location. It was a place they had frequented, their favorite spot—a hidden space filled with joy, happiness, and laughter. But it was also here that she had learned something that had shattered her heart.
The conflicting emotions swirled within her as she approached, a mix of nostalgia and unease. The memories of this place weighed heavily on her, a reminder of both the joy and sorrow she had experienced here.
There he sat, a gentle flame casting a soft glow on his features. As Sorellia approached, her heart clenched, bracing for the ache of old wounds to resurface. Keeping her emotions hidden behind a composed facade, she wordlessly settled beside him. Her gaze was deliberately averted, directed to the left so as not to face him directly. After the way their last conversation had ended, she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.
For a moment, silence enveloped them. The corner of her eyes caught a glimpse of his soullet, and she couldn't help but notice how he had grown since they had last seen each other. His delicate features seemed almost too fragile for her to stare at for too long.
Sorellia had always been late, late to every important occasion, late to save a loved one, and late to capture Takumi's heart. The memory of their last meeting and the words he had spoken to her still stung, but overwhelmed by the events of the night, she chose not to bring it up.
Instead, she extended her hand and asked, "Care for some company?" She gestured for a cigarette to be placed in her hand. Indeed, Sorellia was always late, even when it came to asking a simple question.
