(extremely long update ahead! this is to make up for the month i was not able to update! enjoy!)

°•°•°•°•°

Baek Ha Rim

"we're almost done with this room. glad the ones staying here seem to know how to clean up their room. others who stay here just leave the room very untidy. they have a lot of money to stay in this place but apparently lack some manners."

i glanced over to my partner as i tidied up the bedding a little bit more. this was nth room we had already cleaned up and there were more to go. i surely did not expect this.

i needed to come up with an excuse as soon as possible to make it to the anniversary celebration.

"alright, looks like we're done? let's go!" she clapped her hands together.

as soon as she attempted to turn around, i grabbed my chance.

"ah-!" i quickly held my abdomen and let a noise out as i fell to the floor.

alarmed, my partner immediately looked at me in shock and rushed to my rescue.

"are you alright?! what's wrong?" she worried.

quickly, she held me and tried to assist my body.

"i-i've been feeling ill since an hour ago.. but then i felt that i needed to help you out so i kept to myself-"

"what?! goodness! no wonder you were silent all along! you should have told me!"

"i'm sorry..." i frowned, faking the pain even more to get her to move as soon as possible.

"could you handle it a bit more? we need to seek for help-"

"i can handle myself... it was just a sudden sharp pain. i need to go, i might throw up here and i wouldn't wanna cause you some more mess to clean up.." i spoke, sounding breathy.

"oh gosh, alright. do you need me to come with you? i could bring you there." she offered.

"n-no... i really need to go now. thank you for your concern and i'm really sorry for causing you this inconvenience." i made my apology sound so sincere and conscience-filled.

"alright, please go and get some rest. i'll call on someone else to help me finish up. take care.." she led me with her to the door.

as soon as we bid our goodbyes, i walked the direction opposite to hers while limping and holding my abdomen. as much as possible, i tried to make it appear that i was struggling to keep my composure as i walked and felt the pain shoot through me.

after a few more steps, i was soon finally out of my partner's sight. hurriedly, i entered the elevator leading to the ground floor with much urgency.

i was now impatient as ever, and i'm sure changkyun was, too. i needed to get this done with and leave the hotel escaping with him.

the elevator suddenly signalled that i have successfully reached the ground floor. if my rage could be manifested physically, one could probably already see burning flames in my eyes.

taking big steps, i walked out and rushed to the direction of the grand ball room. there were some people outside, leaving the venue every now and then while enjoying their cocktails and some good company.

slowing down to appear less suspicious, i tried to get a peek inside the closed doors of the ball room. i tried to look around and wait every time the hotel boys opened the door for the guests for me to get a glimpse of what was happening inside.

from the outside, i could only hear slow music being blasted from the speakers. it looks like everyone was having a good time.

well, people, enjoy it while it lasts.

the doors once again closed, and the hotel boys and attendance checkers outside of the ball room were now eyeing me suspiciously. it was definitely because i had been walking around the place back and forth as if eager to come inside.

"excuse me, uhm, is there anything we can help you with?" a woman finally called out to me just as i had expected it to happen soon.

she was one of those checking the guest list to secure attendance for those part of chae's couture only.

boldly, i took steps towards her and tried to come up with an excuse in my mind as soon as possible.

"is mr. chae hyungwon inside this venue, ma'am?" i quickly blurted out, regretting what i said almost immediately.

taken aback, she looked at me confused. of course, why would a mere hotel maid look for the ceo of the event inside.

"you mean... the ceo? yes he is, but why are you looking for him?" she asked.

"i was tasked to clean up his hotel room this afternoon and before he came out, he specifically asked me to look for a missing item for him. he told me that i needed to come forth and inform him as soon as possible the moment i find that missing item he asked me to look for." i lied.

"oh, i see. we can surely deliver that item to him. could you please hand it over?"

"i couldn't." i immediately denied.

the woman narrowed her eyes at me, suspicious of my behavior even more.

"the ceo specifically asked me to keep it confidential and to hand it over to him personally. as soon as possible too, as he has noted." i remained firm and was confident about how i sounded sincere with my lie.

"alright sure then, just come in." the woman nodded, giving up.

soon, the hotel boys opened the door for me and let me inside.

bracing myself, i stepped inside the place and had the doors closed behind me. slowly, i slid my hands inside my outfit's pocket where my knife was hiding.

scanning my eyes around, the venue was noticeably wide and spacious. there were lots of people walking around, socializing, enjoying the music, and watching the slideshow of our company being played on the screens.

it felt almost like an impossible hunt for chae hyungwon.

noticing how i was starting from the back of the room where chae hyungwon would probably least stand in, i decided to move forward.

passing by girls and boys wearing their formal attires, i definitely seemed to be the odd one walking my way in the center wearing a hotel maid's outfit.

skipping through some judgy eyes, i focused on finding chae hyungwon's familiar face. i surely couldn't care less anymore.

it took me some more steps, looking for him among the crowd of people. soon, disappointment was now washing over me.

what if he had left the venue already?

but no, it was impossible. this was his business' celebration and he had to be somewhere in here.

stopping on my tracks, i decided to stand at where i was to scan my eyes precisely around the place instead. the sensation was getting stronger and i felt that i was soon about to find him.

finally. i hit jackpot.

i locked my eyes on my prey and made sure he wasn't going anywhere out of my sight.

there, i finally found chae hyungwon looking fine in his suit, sipping on some wine at the side while paying close attention to the other heads of the company surrounding him.

i stared at him from where i was, feeling as if i could already pierce a hole right through him anytime soon.

suddenly, chae hyungwon took his phone out as he seemed to be needing to answer a call.

observing him, i could tell he was about to excuse himself already and head far away. quickly, i started advancing and following his footsteps as they led him to the front doors of the venue.

leaving a few seconds as the gap between us, i soon followed behind him as the doors were opened for me right at the very door of which he took an exit.

when i was finally out, i took one glance of the hallway and found his presence nowhere. there was only one place where he could possibly be taking that call to disappear that soon.

looking to my left, i found the glass door leading outside to the parking lot of which i had already checked out this afternoon.

looking to my right this time, i have noticed how the woman attending to the guest list hasn't noticed me being out yet. she was guarding the other door to the far right while i walked out through the door at the left nearer to the glass door leading outside.

swiftly, i pushed the glass door and made my way out of the hotel to get chae hyungwon.

Yoo Kihyun

"yeah, we should definitely grab a drink sometime." i winked at the lady right in front of me.

"really? you're up for that? i didn't know you were quite laid back and down to earth as a ceo. apart from that, you're cousins with someone as reserved as ceo chae." she smiled.

"you probably did not expect this from me, didn't you? just like hyungwon, i do have my professional side. however, i know how to tell when it's time to have an amazing night. our styles are surely very different." i noted.

"i can see that. it's actually nice sharing a conversation with someone like you." she complimented.

"wow, i'm certainly glad you think so." i smirked.

"anyway, speaking of hyungwon, i think i better go and find him. we need some time to just talk and catch up as well." i excused myself.

"alright. no problem, ceo yoo."

"call me, kihyun." i whispered to her ear and smoothly left with a confident smile on my face.

leaving the look of her face to my imagination, i proceeded to walk around the venue seeking for my cousin.

"hmm, where could that guy be?" i wondered.

being unable to find him inside the ball room, i went ahead to speak to the hotel boy guarding the doors.

"have you seen ceo chae?" i asked.

"he passed right through this door just a few minutes ago, sir."

"ah, i see. which way did he go?" i asked once more.

"i believe he turned left so he probably exited the glass door, sir."

"alright, i'll come out please." i nodded and had the doors opened for me.

Baek Ha Rim

i hid behind the ceo, staying as close to the walls as much as possible. he was busy picking up a call from his fiancèe and he had his back facing me while he was oblivious to my presence.

the moment he turns around, he's dead to me.

"you could come here if you want, it's not like there's anything preventing you to do so." he sighed.

"so you know very clearly that it's for my business and employees. that's good, why don't you keep that in mind a bit more?" he spoke.

slowly, i took my knife out from my pocket and positioned it right behind me.

anytime soon now, i could attack.

"i'm hanging up. i need to get back inside." hyungwon spoke.

suddenly, i felt the knife being abruptly taken away from my hand in an instant. from that moment of surprise, i quickly let out a gasp as i turned back with widened eyes.

in front of me, i saw a man in a dashing white suit, and he was looking at me intensely.

there were no more excuses, i have clearly been caught.

he threw my knife away from me and quickly grabbed my arm.

"ah!" i struggled to free my arm from his grip.

"guards!!" he immediately yelled.

with much urgency, i quickly kicked his leg and made my way out while pushing chae hyungwon away who also attempted to catch me.

running out of the parking lot, i soon heard guards coming out of the glass door firing their gunshots at me from afar.

and as a misfortune, a bullet eventually hit my leg which made me fall down and groan in pain.

though in deep excruciating pain, i slowly stood up moments later in determination and kept limping away from the scene as some of the guards were now making their way to run after me.

Chae Hyungwon

"what was that?!" i asked kihyun in shock.

"you saw it, a hotel maid attempted to kill you!" he raised his voice.

my senses were heightened as i was in great disbelief. it was such a close call, and if kihyun wasn't here, i could have been seriously hurt.

"don't worry, our guards will catch her."

"is it still safe here? i was close to getting killed, what is going here?"

"i'm worried, too! i was in shock to find someone like her positioned right behind you ready to attack anytime. i did not know what i was thinking, grabbing that knife away from her hand." kihyun ran his fingers through his hair in much stress.

"what do we tell the rest inside? should we call their attentions to stop the celebration? we need to have everyone on high alert to investigate this as soon as possible."

"wait, hold on, that will cause mass panic. let's calm down and i'll spread the word to the guards and hotel boys immediately. for now, let's be vigilant and keep an eye out. i'll have you protected as well." kihyun let a heavy breath out.

Baek Ha Rim

"kyun-ah... please pick me up right outside the elevator." i called, my voice being shaky as i was bleeding.

"what?! what happened, are you hurt?" he worried.

"u-unfortunately, yes..."

"baek ha rim!" he raised his voice at me in concern.

"i'm walking back inside the hotel... i managed to lure the guards out as i made my way in once coast was clear... i got shot and i need you.. i-i'm coming inside the elevator." i spoke.

"look, i'm here. just calm down, i'm coming for you. i'll be waiting for you right outside the elevator and i'll see you there." he spoke.

feeling reassured, i ended the call and entered the elevator, immediately dropping to the floor in much pain. slowly lifting my leg and slightly putting it away from the ground, i did my best to avoid leaving traces of my blood stain.

it was a long day, but i had miserably failed.

_________________________________

writing this at 2am! i was determined to post this for you, guys. if you're wondering why i am quite inactive, just go check my profile announcements.

i hope you enjoyed this! i sincerely do not know when i would get to update again! i'm going to update disconnect soon to be fair!

anyway please leave me a vote and comment! i really miss you all huhu, thank you! 🥺❤