Evelyn pulled out an eyeshadow palette, blush, and lipstick, redoing all of my makeup from scratch.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, a little surprised.
Vivienne had chosen a pink eyeshadow for me, one with glittering specks. With every blink, my eyes shimmered, like sunlight dancing on a rippling lake.
The blush was heavier than before, and the lipstick? She replaced it with a glimmering rose-red that sparkled.
Looking at myself, I felt like a Barbie doll.
“Perfect. This is it,” Evelyn said, stepping back to admire her work. “Let’s go, Seraph. Trust me, you’ll steal the show tonight. You’ll surely attract plenty of admirers.”
Soon, we set off for the Iron Fist Club.
On the way, we met up with Judy.
Judy, as always, rocked her signature cool style, matching Evelyn’s vibe perfectly. When the two of them stood together, it was obvious they were a pair.
I, however, stood out awkwardly in my current getup.
Judy glanced at me and let out a whistle. “Seraphina, you look downright sweet tonight-like a delicious piece of cake.”
Hearing such a sugary description made my heart tremble.
Kael’s words crept into my mind-his talk about the things drawn to me because of my sweetness. They couldn’t resist the scent I supposedly carried, though I couldn’t smell it myself.
Thankfully, ever since Kael applied that strange ointment on me, things seemed to have improved. At least, there hadn’t been any more ominous rumors circulating around town.
Still, unease lingered.
I had no idea why those things were drawn to me in the first place, and I needed answers fast.
The Iron Fist Club was located on the outskirts of town, its design a stark contrast to the Soaring Eagle Club.
From the outside, a massive fist loomed over the center of the club’s signboard, radiating an imposing energy.
By the time we arrived, the entrance was already bustling with people waiting to get in.
Joining the line, Evelyn, Judy, and I stood among the crowd.
I could feel eyes on me.
The attention made me uncomfortable, as it always did when I dressed provocatively. Being stared at like that left me uneasy.
Not far away, a group of young men whistled in our direction.
“Hey, gorgeous, can I have your IG handle?” One of them, a man with wavy long hair, approached me with an eager gaze.
The intensity in his eyes was impossible to ignore.
I forced a smile. “Sure…”
After I gave him my username, more people suddenly wanted to follow me.
I was stunned.
“Honestly, there’s not much on my IG,” I said, half-apologetically. “Just random snapshots of things I find interesting. It’s pretty boring, really.”
Most of my followers were just classmates, and the interactions were minimal.
“Boring? No way! You’re gorgeous. Just share more fun stuff.”
“Yeah, maybe upload more selfies. We’d love that.”
“You’ll definitely gain more fans if you post more, trust me.”
Their comments made my cheeks burn. I was sure my face was bright red by now.
I’d never been in a situation like this before.
Back in school, boys used to tease me for being a bookworm. They found joy in making fun of me, and I hated it.
That’s why I always dressed modestly later on and avoided any social activities.
Aside from Evelyn, my relationships with others were distant and polite at best.
Hearing Evelyn laugh beside me, I turned to see her and Judy trying to suppress their smiles.
“Seraph, you’re amazing,” Evelyn said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “Look at you, effortlessly turning heads!”
She grinned mischievously. “I wonder how Kael will react when he sees you like this.”
I shrugged her off and walked ahead. “There are plenty of sexy women in there who like him. I’m nothing special.”
Vivienne and countless other stunning ladies were there. Even now, as we entered the venue, I saw many beautiful women around.
“Oh, stop being modest, Seraph,” Evelyn said with a laugh.
We made our way into the VIP section.
“Seraph, thank you! Without you, Judy and I wouldn’t have gotten such amazing seats.”
The spot was incredible-just a few meters from the ring. We could see the fighters’ every move without needing the big screens.
Looking at their grateful faces, I sighed internally.
Who would’ve thought Kael would go out of his way to give Evelyn the tickets-and such prime seats at that?
Suddenly, my heartbeat quickened, pounding so fiercely it felt like it might leap out of my chest.
At the same time, a faint buzzing sound filled my ears.
I frowned, unsettled by the sensation, and instinctively looked up.
Not far away, I saw him-Kael.
I didn’t know when he’d arrived, but he was now standing near the stage.
He wore a black robe, the emblem of the Soaring Eagle Club embroidered on his chest.
The simple robe accentuated his lean, muscular frame. His presence was wild, untamed-like a lion surveying its territory.
Kael’s eyes locked onto mine.
The moment he appeared, the crowd erupted into frenzied screams from the women.
The sudden wave of noise made me wince, my brows knitting together.
Kael didn’t approach me. He stayed where he was, his gaze fixed on me, a smile tugging at his lips.
His already handsome face became even more dazzling with that smile, his eyes crinkling with amusement.
The girls in the crowd screamed even louder.
Evelyn leaned over, whispering into my ear, “Kael is looking at you, Seraph. I’m so jealous. The man every girl dreams about only has eyes for you. This is like a romance novel come to life!”
My heart thudded wildly, almost painfully.
Then, I saw Kael pull out his phone and start typing.
A moment later, I received his message:
“Seraphina, you’ll cheer for me, won’t you?”
“Oh my God, Kael’s texting someone!”
“Maybe it’s a friend or a family member. He must be nervous before the match.”
“This is the first time he’s shown up before a fight. Maybe tonight’s match is special.”
The girls around me were buzzing with speculation.
None of them knew the truth-that Kael was texting me.
It felt like we were sharing a secret, a private connection in the midst of the crowd.
God, it was as if I’d been placed on a pedestal, high above everyone else.
They had no idea.
Kael and I were talking.