Act natural, she kept telling herself as she walked into work that morning. Haneul knew Howon would be working with her that day and after the previous night’s incident she was feeling uneasy about speaking to him. Howon and Haneul had been good friends for a few years and without him Haneul probably would not be working at the bank. She trusted him more than most people and although she refused to believe that he would ever do something to betray that trust, Haneul knew that there was no guarantee of being friends for life. She wanted to think that their bond was strong enough to last many more years to come but sometimes she couldn’t control the cynic that festered inside.

     Once Haneul was settled in her seat she took a moment to enjoy the peace inside the bank. The scent of freshly made coffee filled the open room, the silence sat comfortably in the air; this was why Haneul loved the mornings, but naturally nothing perfect could last forever. Just as she was checking her phone for emails or texts her serene demeanor was disrupted by the person she wanted to see the least. It was only a tap on the shoulder but after last night, anything could put Haneul on edge.

     “Ah, Howon! You scared me,” she said breathlessly.

     Howon laughed. “Sorry, I just wanted to wish you a good morning. You look tired, want some coffee?”

     She nodded and got up to follow him to the back. The last thing her nerves needed was caffeine but it was better to pretend everything was normal than suspect Howon was indeed associated closely with that suspicious guy she met.

     “Sorry, Howon, I just didn’t sleep well last night,” she explained as she took the mug from him, “Getting more money is nice but sometimes I think the other job is too much.”

     “Well, just drink coffee and don’t push yourself too hard today, OK? I don’t want to see you sick. Do you have to work there tonight?”

     “No, I’m off tonight.”

     He smiled gently. “Good, you can relax, then.” Howon patted her on the back and gave her a gentle smile before leaving the room and going back to the front.

     There was something about the way Howon spoke to her that made her relaxed, even if it was him who was giving her a reason to worry. He didn’t have to say much to make her feel better, but perhaps that was because he was the only one who really said anything to her. It wasn’t the responsibility of her coworkers to make sure she was well and she knew that in this world you had to look out for yourself, but sometimes it was nice to have someone to lean on in the workplace.

     The rest of the day went by surprisingly smooth and Haneul almost completely forgot about her worries. Howon hadn’t said or done anything out of the ordinary and she was beginning to wonder if that guy from last night just wanted to cause trouble for her. Perhaps he had come to her booth one day and she wasn’t very nice to him. Haneul remembered people well but there were some days where she didn’t pay any attention to her customers. Haneul smiled to herself as she collected her things and got ready to go home. See? He’s the same as ever! You need to stop worrying so much and stop listening to stupid punk kids. As soon as Haneul grabbed her bag from the backroom the door opened and in came Howon.

     “Oh, I’m glad you’re still here, Haneul, I wanted to talk to you.” Howon put his hands in his pockets and gave her a gentle look. When Haneul encouraged him to continue he cleared his throat. “I know I said you should relax tonight, but if you were up to it would you want to grab a drink with me later? My treat.”

     Haneul chuckled. “Oh? Why are you suddenly asking?”

     He smiled. “I just feel bad that you work so much and don’t get out a lot. Plus, if I’m there I can ward off all the creeps who love to hit on you.”

     “You make a convincing argument so I guess I’ll take your offer,” Haneul teased.

     “Great, so let’s go to Paradise at 9. You remember where that is, right?”

     Haneul nodded. “Of course. I’m going to get out of here, I need some fresh air. But I’ll see you later!” She smiled at him as she walked out of the backroom and left no time for him to respond. Truthfully she was excited for seeing him in a more relaxed setting as it had been a while since they were able to talk freely. Chatting at work could be difficult with the other nosy coworkers always wanting to get involved, so this would give Haneul the perfect opportunity to stop feeling anxious over him and enjoy his company as a friend again.

     When the backroom door clicked shut and Howon was sure she made her exit he took out his cellphone and quickly punched in a number. With a sigh he brought it to his ear and waited.

     “Yes?”

     “She agreed.”

     “Good. Paradise, correct?”

     “Correct.”

     “You really never fail me, Hoya. We’ll be there by 10:30 so do what you can to keep her there. Do not let her go home. Am I clear?”

     Internally he sighed and his stomach churned with worry but he had no choice but to agree. “Crystal clear.”

     “Thank you. If all goes well tonight you’ll get your promised reward.”

     Click.

     He shoved his phone back in his pocket and stared blankly at the wall. For the past year Howon began to doubt everything he was doing for Sunggyu, the double life he had to lead in order to achieve Sunggyu’s goals, but what could be done about it at that point? He couldn’t back out or it would cost him his life and probably the lives of everyone he loved.  And now that Sunggyu was putting all of his planning into action, each member of the gang carrying out the designated tasks without thought or question, Hoya had to comply and act as if he still supported Infinite, the gang he created with Sunggyu to take down an empire.

     To take down Haneul.

     He truly hoped Haneul was smart enough to sense something was wrong and that she was ready for the night ahead, because for all she knew it could be her last.