Emperor Gam

The dance was dragging on like all the others—predictable, artificial. I watched without interest until I saw her. She wasn't surrounded, she didn't draw attention… but still, she caught mine. I accepted a glass of wine. The taste was sweeter than usual. I ignored it—for a few minutes. Then came the heat. When our eyes met, something changed. I approached without thinking too much.

"I don't remember seeing her before."

Each word seemed more intense than it should have been. The hall disappeared around them.

"Let's get out of here," I said. She hesitated… and came. The corridors became too silent. There was urgency in every step, as if something were pushing us. I could no longer distinguish desire from impulse. The night was lost in proximity and decisions I wouldn't make in my right mind. When I woke up, the morning light brought everything back. I reached out. Empty. I got up immediately. No sign of her. No noise, no trace. I ordered a search.