"Don't you want to come inside?"
the voice of a young girl reached out to me. I gazed up to the balcony. Indeed, a petite female was staring down on me.
"e.....Excuse me?" I replied. currently, I was out on watch, since there had been a warning of akuma activity around a certain family, attending this party.
"Whatever you're doing, can't you do it inside? snooping around like this'll only make you suspicious." she leaned on her elbows, looking cheeky. "Besides, it's going to rain soon.
This girl, was she an aristocrat? she looked familiar... maybe I've seen her in the newspaper once?
"Come inside." She urged again.

I smiled and took her invitation. refusing might hurt her pride, I realized.
She left the balcony to meet me inside.
Unusual, I walked in, surrounded by many people of high importance.
A little oddly, I was stared at. No wonder, it had rained outside and I was wearing a long black cape with a hood.
But among the crowd, I saw the petite girl. I made my way to her, until I was in front of her. She smiled up to me, as though we had been friends for years. I replied her smile and said ' hello'.
She giggled as reply. "you look silly."
I lost my cool for a little. "h-hey, that's rude! you were the one inviting me in!" I blushed.
she just smiled, seeming overly happy and dragged me along. She pulled the cape from my shoulders and threw it over a chair, probably not hers.
Underneath it, I wore Johny's newest outfit. it didn't seem to be wet from the rain.
She nodded, satisfied. "That's better."

A short silence fell. I'm honestly not used to activities like this...
Then, she made a curtsy. I noticed the band had started to play a new song.
A little clumsy and more out of reflex, I bowed back at her.
She showed me something more of a grin then a smile and pulled me along to something that seemed like the exact center of attention.
I don't really have much experience in dancing, but I did my best in guiding her.
she giggled and her voice ringed: "That's so like you."
Can I conclude from that that she knows me? or is it that I'm that type of person.
I knew I knew her... She seemed so familiar. But also so fresh and innocent. She seemed like the war hadn't effected her for a bit.
Just a young girl enjoying her first ball, in the company of a boy having a similar experience.
"Have we.... met before?" I decided to ask.
"Hoh~? That sounds like you're hitting on me.."
"ah! no! no, that's not it at all!" I stuttered. "You see, just, err... You seem so familiar, but I just can't lay my finger on it." I looked off, trying to hide my red face.
"W-well, err.... how should I call you?"
again she giggled. "How does Juliet sound?"
"That's not your real name, is it?"
"So?"
The song ended.

Magically, we had moved from the middle of the group towards away from everyone. I sighed.
"Then might I be Romeo?"
"Ow, you can decide that for yourself." she let go of my hand, turned off and walked away a little further from the crowd.
"But if you're Romeo.... hn.." She seemed to consider her words.
"We're not suppose to be together... is what you're trying to say?" I joked.
"Uhuh...."
"Now now... it's only a fairy tale after all..."
This girl, using this metaphor.... was it?...nah.
I didn't really believe so.. or looking back on it later, maybe I didn't want to believe it.
She turned on her heels, facing me again. "Whom was the bad guy, though?" She looked up, looking a little nosy and spoiled, like demanding a satisfying answer.
I chuckled a little uncomfortable.
"Neither of them was really wrong, were they?"
"hehhh..... I see.."

I felt scared. So scared I wanted to run away. But at the same time, I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to ask her things which had troubled me for years. Like I knew she had the answer.
Still I didn't knew who she was. I tried to know, but it was like she was preventing me somehow. She knew I'd run when I'd know.
"I love you." She simply popped out of her mouth.
I woke up from my thoughts. She smiled brightly.
"I always wanted to say that!" As if it had been a joke, she laughed at herself.
I didn't really knew what to do with it.
"Err....I..."
"eh? silly, you thought I was serious?" She laughed again, leaving me a little perplexed.
"..................." I bowed again, pulling my face serious.
for a second, I caught her. She was of guard. And it felt strangely satisfying.
She coughed a little, her cheeks cherry colored and made a curtsy.
Again, we danced, more properly this time.
faster faster....closer closer.... away from everything.
Enemies. friends. concurrence. comrades. strangers. lovers.
All at the same time. Together with Juliet, for just a while, the world was Juliet's and Romeo's.
Close, so close.....
Our lips met.

"Road-chan! Road-chan, where are you?" A frantic voice sounded. I pulled away.
I saw the man I was ordered to protect.
I lost her hand. eyes meeting a last time.
She disappeared in the crowd.
"Good night, Allen."

"A-Allen-kun?" I found Miranda in the garden as I had found my cape and left. Lavi and Lenalee arrived at about the same time.
"Where were you squirt?" Lavi bumped my head.
"Itteh!"
"Ah! Lavi, you shouldn't-" Lenalee started. I smiled though.

"I was with Juliet..."