Dr. Soo-ji, a 26-year-old overworked medical resident barely clinging to her position, had never won any award, let alone "Employee of the Month." She was the kind of woman people's eyes slid over, invisible in crowded hallways. Her once-bright dreams had dulled under the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital, and today, the exhaustion clinging to her was impossible to hide.
Dragging herself through the hospital doors, she sank into the couch in the staff lounge with a heavy sigh, her exhaustion palpable.
"Rough day?" Seo-jun asked, appearing beside her with his usual calm demeanor, a cup of coffee in hand.
"More like a rough life," Soo-ji muttered, taking the cup gratefully. "Thank you."
He gave her a slight nod. "Anything unusual today?"
"Not that I know of," she replied, nursing her coffee.
"There might be something soon," Seo-jun said, his voice laced with a cryptic tone. "You might be expecting... guests."
Soo-ji's brows furrowed as she looked up at him. "Guests?"
He hesitated, studying her for a moment. Then, his question landed like a sharp scalpel. "Did you... get involved with anyone?"
"No," she said quickly, her voice firm but her mind searching for clarity as a yawn slipped out of her.
"Hmm." Seo-jun leaned back, arms crossed, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You look exhausted, though. Did you..." He paused deliberately.
Soo-ji froze, the cup trembling slightly in her hands. Her breath hitched. "How did you..."
"I always know," Seo-jun interrupted softly, his words cutting through her defenses like a surgeon's blade. "Let's just hope professor Jung doesn't find out, he would make a big mess of it" Seo-jun said and relaxed.
"I might have just dug my grave" Soo-ji said with an exhale as she sank deeper into the couch.
Not long after Soo-ji found herself stuck in an office, it grew cold and eerily silent, the only sound was her uneven breathing, loud against the oppressive quiet. The tension clung to the air, thick and foreboding, making her feel as though she were on trial for a crime she didn't even know she'd committed. She scanned the room nervously, her eyes darting over the men in sleek black suits. Who were they? And why were they looking at her as if she held all the answers? Her thoughts spiraled until the man at the center of it all, Do-yoon, offered a faint, calculated smile.
"You must be wondering why we're here," he began, his voice smooth yet laced with authority.
"No," Soo-ji shot back, masking her anxiety with defiance. "I'm wondering why I'm here."
Do-yoon's smile widened, his calm demeanor unwavering. "We're from Velvet Loft Hotel. Does that name ring a bell?"
Soo-ji's stomach flipped. "Yes. If this is about what happened yesterday...listen, I'm sorry if I caused a disturbance. It wasn't intentional."
Do-yoon raised a brow. "Thankfully, you didn't die. That would've been... inconvenient for all of us."
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There's no need for apologies," he said, his tone deceptively light. "But I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you."
Soo-ji blinked. "Something? Like what?"
"A hairpin," Do-yoon said pointedly, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through her facade.
"Oh, that," Soo-ji said, letting out a nervous laugh. "Why didn't you just say so?"
"Do you have it with you?" he asked, his calm tone doing nothing to mask the curiosity in his eyes.
"Nope! Threw it out the moment I left the hotel, I didn't think it was important" she quipped, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.
Do-yoon's smile faltered ever so slightly, the corners of his lips tightening. "You threw it out?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
Soo-ji's grin faded as she realized the weight of her words. "I...I was joking! I'm sorry" She fumbled in her bag, pulling out the hairpin and offering it with a sulky face.
Do-yoon took it without a word, examining it briefly before passing it to the man beside him Mr. Jun, who handled it with the care of a priceless artifact, placing it in an intricately designed box.
"Thank you," Do-yoon said, his tone neutral yet final. "I shudder to think what we might have done had you misplaced it."
"Me too," Soo-ji muttered under her breath.
Do-yoon rose to his feet, straightening his suit with effortless precision. "Ms. Kim, your time is appreciated. Let's hope our paths don't cross again."
"I'll make sure of it—unless you decide to cross mine," Soo-ji said, offering a small, mock bow.
Do-yoon smirked at her audacity before returning the bow with perfect politeness. Then, with a silent command, he and his team filed out, leaving Soo-ji alone in the now-empty room.
As she stepped outside, she found Seo-jun leaning casually against the wall, waiting for her with a suspicious smile.
"What was that about?" he asked, his arms crossed...
"Nothing," Soo-ji said curtly, her expression sour.
"You took something from them, didn't you?" Seo-jun pressed, his tone low but insistent.
Soo-ji's hand shot up, covering his mouth. "Are you trying to get me fired?" she hissed, glancing around.
"Sorry," Seo-jun said, muffled behind her hand.
She sighed and released him, frustration seeping into her voice. "They came all the way here for a stupid hairpin."
"Thank goodness it wasn't something worse. What were you thinking, going to Velvet Loft?" Seo-jun asked, exasperated.
"it was just a hair pin, why is everyone being so dramatic?" Soo-ji pouted, her indignation clear.
"I know you didn't mean trouble, but do you even know who Hee Tae-hyun is? Rumor has it he's Seoul's anonymous Batman," Seo-jun said, his tone tinged with excitement.
"Whatever," Soo-ji mumbled. "I just don't want anything to do with them again." she said brushing past him.