สลับวิวาห์ลุ้น คุณประธานขาโหด

Kiara adjusted her green cardigan nervously, feeling out of place in the throbbing energy of the club. Neon lights pulsed along the walls, syncing with the bass-heavy music that vibrated through her chest. She wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to come. She’d never been a party person, but her best friend, Lena, had been insistent.

“It’ll be fun, Kiara,” Lena had said with a mischievous grin, practically dragging her through the club’s entrance. “You need to loosen up.”

So here she was, clutching a plastic cup of soda—because alcohol wasn’t exactly her thing—while her friends surrounded her in a chaotic circle of laughter and shouts.

Kiara, a college sophomore with raven-black hair and striking green eyes, had always been the practical one. She preferred quiet evenings with a good book or sketchpad over loud clubs and wild games. But tonight, her usual resolve to avoid chaos had crumbled under the weight of peer pressure.

“Okay, Kiara, your turn!” Lena’s voice rang out, pulling her attention back to the circle.

Kiara blinked, realizing that the room had grown quieter, all eyes now fixed on her.

“My turn for what?” she asked cautiously, her fingers tightening around her cup.

“Truth or dare, obviously!” one of the guys laughed, his grin almost predatory.

“Uh…” Kiara hesitated, her gaze flickering between her friends and the strangers in the group. Something about this felt off, but she didn’t want to seem uptight.

“Dare!” Lena declared for her, clearly enjoying herself.

“Wait—” Kiara began, but it was too late.

A ripple of laughter passed through the group, and one of the guys leaned in, whispering something to Lena. Her friend’s eyes lit up with glee.

“Alright, Kiara,” Lena said, barely able to contain her laughter. “We dare you to kiss him.”

Kiara followed Lena’s pointed finger to the corner of the room. Her stomach dropped.

There he was. An older man, probably in his late fifties, sitting alone at the bar. He had a scruffy beard, a scowl that seemed permanently etched onto his face, and a habit of glaring at anyone who got too close. Kiara had noticed him earlier, muttering to himself as he nursed a glass of whiskey.

“You’re kidding,” Kiara said, her voice flat.

“Oh, come on,” Lena teased. “It’s just a harmless kiss. Look at him—he’s harmless.”

The group erupted into laughter, and Kiara felt her face heat up.

“This is stupid,” she muttered, shaking her head.

But then came the taunts. “What’s wrong? Chicken?” one of the guys jeered.

Kiara’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t going to let them label her as scared or boring. Taking a deep breath, she set her cup down and stood.

“Fine,” she said, her voice steady despite the knots twisting in her stomach.

Her friends cheered as she made her way through the crowded club toward the man. Each step felt heavier than the last. She could feel the stares, hear the whispers, but she kept moving. She didn’t know if it was courage or sheer stubbornness that propelled her forward.

The man didn’t notice her approach at first. He was too busy glaring into his drink.

“Excuse me,” Kiara said, her voice barely audible over the music.

He turned his head slowly, his bloodshot eyes narrowing as they landed on her.

“What do you want?” he grumbled, his voice rough, like gravel scraping against metal.

Kiara swallowed hard. “I, uh… I need to… kiss you.”

The man stared at her like she’d just sprouted a second head. “What?”

“It’s a dare,” she explained quickly, her cheeks burning. “I have to kiss you for a dare.”

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he let out a low, humorless laugh. “Kids these days,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Kiara wanted to disappear. This was humiliating. But she was already here, and she couldn’t back out now. Steeling herself, she leaned in.

Then, everything went black.

It wasn’t the lights dimming or her fainting. It was something else entirely—an all-encompassing darkness that swallowed her whole. The music, the laughter, the club itself—all of it vanished in an instant.

She felt weightless, as if she were floating in a void. Panic clawed at her chest. She tried to scream, but no sound came out.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started, it ended.

Kiara’s eyes snapped open, and she gasped for air. She wasn’t in the club anymore. She wasn’t even sure if she was still herself.

“What the hell just happened?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

But there was no one around to answer.