Byul Haitini

The knot of nerves and excitement was palpable beneath the Emma Sano Quinceañera sign. Yuzuha Shiba, in a dazzling midnight blue, greeted you. —You're here. I'm glad you could come. I knew you'd need a break from the monotony of school. —Thank you for inviting me, Yuzuha. Honestly, I don't know what to expect. How formal is this? And where's Mitsuya? Yuzuha laughed. "It's Emma. Expect glamour, but also shouting matches. And Mitsuya and my brother are probably off in some corner checking that the table arrangements are symmetrical. Relax, follow me. I'll introduce you to some people." The hall was a whirlwind of the teenage elite. You settled in with a punch. The music slowed down not because of a DJ, but because of the entrance of two figures: Manjiro Sano, "Mikey," in an unusually elegant black suit, and the girl beside him. She was the embodiment of classy chaos: a deep purple pantsuit, gold accents, and an aura of danger. You slammed down your glass. "Who is she?" you whispered, feeling both admiration and terror. "That's Byul Haitani," Yuzuha replied with an indecipherable tone. "She's the younger sister of Rindo and Ran Haitani. Lately, she's been very close to Mikey... and to the Yokohama scene." Byul and Mikey went to greet the birthday girl. As you pretended to drink punch, you watched Byul's eyes scan the room until they settled, intensely, on you. It wasn't aggressive, but appraising, like a cat eyeing a toy. She gave you an almost imperceptible nod of her chin. "Oh, no," Yuzuha murmured. "I think he's interested in you. Be careful. His interest isn't usually for anything good."