Normally, whenever Hyoyeon visits the base office of the Hollows, she is very confident and much assured that they will be impressed by her works, but now as she ventures the same eerie hallway down the club’s basement she can’t help it but feel fear.

“Hyo, just relax, I will do all the talking. I am sure they will just confuse you, knowing how that ‘King’ interrogates, he will make sure you admit the sin you even didn’t commit,” Kyoung Jae tapped her shoulder as she follows him on the open door.

The room is still the same. Three enormous chandeliers are hanging above the long table. Four vases from different countries of varying expenses adorn the four corners of the room. Although she can’t see it, she knows that every corner of this room bears a small CCTV camera.

“So the ‘Apple’ is back. How’s the vacation?” Hyuna, a cousin of hers and the reigning ‘Queen’ of the Hollows purred. She has her blue Persian cat in her lap, patting its fur.

“You are not anymore the favorite since you had disobeyed the King’s rule,” Kibum or Key, seconded with that malicious grin.

These two were siblings and when we say siblings, they share some common traits. They are the so-called twin trouble of the Hollows. Not that they cause the trouble but once you decided to punch the other one, expect the two of them to retaliate back at you.

“Not now you two. Everybody knows how you despise Hyoyeon so just shut up in there,” another member of the Hollows, another Kibum, hushed the two. Hyoyeon likes him since she deems shim to be cool and nice. Besides, he is her older brother’s bestfriend.

The last member of the Hollows, the King, Sooro, is on the head of the table, leaning on his chair, his expression unreadable.

“You don’t plan on standing there all day, right?” he stated, startling Hyoyeon. She moved and took the seat beside her older brother.

“Now that everybody is here, where are your home works?” Sooro leaned forward, eyeing the four members of the Hollows.

“The deals with the Russians had been fixed. I will meet them someday this week. They had given me the pre arranged terms,” Kibum pulled a black attaché case beside him and opened it revealing bags of white matter almost all Mafia members know.

“Good. You always impress me,” Sooro pulled the case and closed it before putting it beside him.

“I had got the shipments done. The import will soon arrive. I will inform you once I am already on the deck with it,” Kyoung Jae slid a folder on the table straight to Sooro.

“And we had acquired the key to Mister Cha’s transactions and accounts,” Hyuna motioned Key to hand over the spade shaped locket.

“I presume your newly appointed Reaper is a very good one. Must be hard to find someone like him eh,” Sooro grabs the item, letting it shine on the showered light from the chandeliers above.

“He is young and that is a good thing. Besides, he just finished and mastered every training he needs to know in two years, isn’t that impressive?” Key smirked at Hyoyeon.

“And within two years, he had reaped useless souls twice the number of Hyo’s record. I would not mind if you would let him replace Hyoyeon as the Hollows special agent,” Hyuna did the same to Hyoyeon.

This is how their meetings work. You give subtle details about your ‘home works’ because no one in this table is deemed to be trustworthy; whether he is your bestfriend or sibling, excluding the Twin Trouble. You never know who will sabotage every transaction you will have in the future. And being part of the Hollows means you have to learn how to tolerate blunt insults being thrown to you straight in the face.

After that very short meeting, everyone left, except for Hyoyeon, Kyoung Jae and Sooro.

“I don’t normally do private meetings like this, but since you had been of great help before I would like to ask you personally why did you left?” Sooro crossed his arms and leaned on his chair.

“I would be very glad to answer that, but since it is something private, I would like to apologize,” she replied, the formality bringing a smile on the older one.

“Then why did you quit your job employment under the Empire?” Sooro asked again.

Kyoung Jae allowed himself to just watch them exchange words.

“Their job assignments are getting personal already. I have already told you before that I would quit my job if it gets too personal,” she replied.

“But then, that’s the reason why we sent you on training. And it’s quite clear that your job disregards any personal attachments, no matter how close you are to the subject, your job is still your job.”

Those words silenced her as she bows down her head.

“And don’t linger around that Chinese guy. I know how the Empire works. I am sure they will find ways to trail the two of you, especially that both of you happens to be a ‘hot topic’ on the underground world,” Sooro warned.

The two sibling looked up at him, “What?” Kyoung Jae reacted.

“Yes. The two of them is a hot item. Everyone wants to hire them, but since you had made a record and that the photos of you together leaked, they thought that you two plan anything regarding the Empire. You know that the Empire holds much power right now,” Sooro noted.

“And since his employer is the very target of the Empire, you probably know what will happen. I think you are brilliant enough to patch up things, right?” he looked at the flabbergasted Hyoyeon and Kyoung Jae.

That is something she likes about Sooro. Despite his power and attitude over them as the head, he is somehow someone she treats like a father. After all, her father and Sooro are brothers.