The air on the school balcony was biting, yet Winter sat beside Sonata, leaving a deliberate space between them. To his question, "The sky is beautiful, isn't it?" she finally replied after a long silence.
"It is... but it's too far away," she whispered. "To me, the sky feels like it's on the other side of a glass wall."
Sonata turned to look at her. She could hear the faint hum of music from his headphones. "Glass can crack, Winter," he said calmly. "You're just afraid to be the one to start the fracture."
His words cut through her like a blade. She couldn't tell if he was encouraging her or challenging her. After a moment of heavy silence, he stood up. "Good luck for tonight. I hope you find your own voice," he said before walking away.
Those words were exactly what echoed in Winter's ears at the Gala tonight.
Inside the Grand Ballroom of the Diamond Hotel, the heat from a thousand golden chandeliers was stifling. Winter stood at the entrance, her reflection in the tall mirrors unrecognizable. She was draped in a silk gown that cost more than most people earned in a year, her hair pinned back so tightly it was a constant, dull ache.
"Smile, Winter," her father whispered, his hand gripping her shoulder. It wasn't an affectionate gesture; it was a warning. "The Chairman of the Investment Group is watching. Don't ruin this for me."
Winter didn't look at him. She simply adjusted her mask of cold perfection. "I know my cues, Father," she replied, her voice as hollow as the room was full.
To everyone else, Winter was the shining star of the night. But to Winter, every compliment felt like another brick in the wall. She stood on the stage, the spotlight blinding her as she began her rehearsed speech. "Success is not just about wealth..." she recited, her voice steady but robotic.
Suddenly, her eyes drifted to the back of the hall. Standing among the waitstaff, half-hidden in the shadows, was Sonata.
He wasn't wearing a tuxedo. He was just there, leaning against a pillar, watching her with that same calm, knowing gaze.
"Glass can crack..." his voice rang in her mind. For a moment, the rehearsed words died in Winter's throat.