“Wake up, boys, wake up!”

I hollered at the top of my voice, ignoring the horrific yet impressed expressions on the two managers as they looked on from the front door.

“You, girl, are amazing.” One of them praised, both thumbs up and I shot him a patronising smile. “We’ll be back to get them later, so make sure they’re dressed and fed.”  I nodded, and gestured for them to leave. “And, thank you. Really." With an enthusiastic wave, they left and the door clicked shut softly.

My smile dropped. “Alright, back to work.”

That’s right. ‘Back to work’ since this is my job now.

“I swear, I live under a rock.”

The three men seated in front of me gaped and I mentally rolled my eyes at their shocked expressions.

“I really, really, really don’t know who those boys waiting outside are.”

I tore my eyes away from theirs, darting to my reddened wrists instead as my fingers rubbed them gently. There are slight abrasions but they don’t hurt unless I press on them. Whoever tied the ropes around my wrists and ankles sure know their knots and how they affect one’s threshold of pain.

I highly suspect that person in question to be the kidnapper with a dinosaur-looking face. He seems knowledgeable enough to do so. Not to mention, his face looks cunning and playful.

I have to watch out for that one.

“She’s not joking.” The one seated directly in front of me spoke, his wizened yet amused eyes still gazing at me. “Hearing from the boys at how she screamed at them the moment she awoke is plenty of proof.”

“Told you, I don’t know them. Not at all.” I glanced up from my paling wrists. “Now can someone tell me why I woke up in a chair when the last thing I remembered was walking down the streets of Seoul.”

The old man cleared his throat as the other two middle-aged men looked at him expectedly, their hands clasped together. The pair of wizened eyes caught my orbs and strangely, I felt compelled to maintain the contact for reasons unknown.

“I… have a job proposition for you.”

Kicking down a door (okay no, I exaggerate), I barged into the dark room and immediately swung my spatula against the metal basin I was holding onto. Like a drum, I beat the basin repeatedly and once again yelled at the top of my voice.

Over the din of my incessant hollering, I heard rustles of blankets and groans asking for me to shut up. I switched on the light for the room and my eyes searched for signs of life within the incredibly messy space.

“How can anyone even live in this filth, god.” I gingerly stepped onto a comforter, breathing a sigh of relief for I heard no bones cracking under my weight. “These boys are seriously…”

I continued to venture deeper into the room, as more comforters greeted my feet and fortunately, silence (no bones cracked) as well. Even though scores of clothes were strewn everywhere, the room surprisingly doesn’t smell. Just when I thought it was some form of miracle, my eyes spied a large can of aromatic spray placed prominently on a cupboard.

Miracle? Who the am I kidding.

Rolling my eyes, I stepped forward and if it wasn’t for the hand that covered my mouth (it was shielding my nose actually), I would have screamed.

For I had ing stepped on something soft.

A loud grunt came from my left and before I could register anything, I found myself being stumbling forward as a long arm appeared out of nowhere. My body landed on something warm and a bed of hair greeted me. I moved my fingers, only to find that my spatula had flew out of my hand when I fell forward. I hoped that it hit a head, thereby ensuring an awakened boy, so as to lessen my workload of calling them to get up.

“I should have gathered the comforters first instead of walking around.” I chided myself as I tried to lift myself off the unmoving body, but found the arm wrapped around my waist. “God, now I’m freaking stuck to someone.”

“Do you talk to yourself often, mother?” A deep voice travelled to my ears and I froze almost immediately. My fingers gripped the metal basin tightly, ready to slam it on the head of the boy who slurred sleepily. “You’re really amusing, you know that?”

A head and half-opened eyes came into view as a hand pulled the comforter down. A smile soon followed and the urge to whack the basin on the boy’s head was very tempting right then as my waist felt his arm's grip on it tighten.

“Good morning.” I shot him an extremely patronising smile as my free hand brushed his hair away from his eyes, ignoring their dilation. “Now, could you kindly release me…” My brows furrowed as my mind whirred, trying to remember the boy’s name after having being introduced the night before everyone headed