“Kim Bum, you are the new guest, aren’t you?”

Just after she introduced herself, she asked the two men to eat with her. Just like the night before, when dinner came around, the restaurant became crowded. Her table, though, was right in the middle of the room. Yeonsuk was drinking his issues away while Bum was surprised by the attention.

“I am, yes.” He was evasive. He had no idea how to act around her and most importantly, why everyone was glancing at them from time to time. She didn’t seem to have a problem at all.

She was a perceptive woman and noticed the way he would lean back and shift under the strong gazes.

“Are you uncomfortable, Bum?” Bum’s eyes widened a little and he straightened up. She smiled under the glass of wine. Her green eyes were watching him like a fox. Yeonsuk rolled his eyes.

“Shouldn’t he be? You got him into the center of attention.” Yeonsuk’s tone was cold and raspier than before. He wasn’t comfortable either. She didn’t seem to react to his impoliteness. If anything, she looked amused.

“You’re right. I dragged you both at my table. It’s my fault.” Yeonsuk narrowed his eyes at her and asked for another drink. Her eyes moved on the victim. “Kim Bum, I’m sure you want to know why people are staring at you.” He didn’t nod but didn’t shake his head either. “For women, you represent fresh meat. They can’t wait to meet you and ravish you like animals.” He swore he saw a glint of that exact intent in her eyes. “But men want nothing- No, they want you gone.” That glint disappeared rapidly. She chuckled and took a sip from her wine. “You’re quite the threat but I’m sure you already know that.” Bum raised an eyebrow and placed his hands on the table.

“Do I give you that impression?” He sounded so innocent that it made her laugh. They both knew he was far from anything pure and kind. Kim Bum was never the prey.

“You give me a lot of impressions.” Yeonsuk scoffed. He moved his head in order to take a look around. He saw the woman standing at the table in the corner, right across the window. He saw her turn her head from time to time and looking at them; checking on them.

“Yeonsuk told me some things about this hotel.” Bum started. He wanted to change the subject. Her eyes were staring at him with so much intensity that he could feel her get into his soul. Those brown orbs had the power to make a man both brave and weak at the same time.  “From what I understand, it is quite the Devil’s den.” She glanced at Yeonsuk before she turned back to Bum.

“It is. The guests come for selfish purposes, be them rich or common people. The price for a room lowered considerably. But the hotel doesn’t accept scum.” Bum was eating when he started to choke on the meat. He grabbed a glass of water, brought by a very quick Kwangmin, and calmed down a little.

That only brought more attention on their table. Bum was worried for his friend but he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was being inspected. He his lips and leaned back. Dinner was awfully long that day.

“Yoo Yeonsuk, you should go to your room. You don’t look well.” Maybe Bum couldn’t hear the strictness in her voice or how much it sounded like a command but Yeonsuk was aware of it. He nodded and left. He patted Bum’s shoulder on the way out. “So, how do you like it here? Is it up to your necessities?” Her eyes seemed a lot brighter now that Yeonsuk was gone. He chuckled and nodded.

“This hotel is a piece of art.” She nodded. “You’re not a guest, are you?” He knew she wasn’t but he couldn’t point out what was her role in the hotel.

“No. I am this hotel and this hotel represents my life.” Bum blinked. “My father was an architect. He designed this hotel based on my mother’s expectations. She died right after she gave me life.” His eyes widened. “He built this hotel, which was a home at first. It was the Son Mansion. But a lot has happened and we were forced to make a business out of our home. That’s how the Moonflower Hotel was born.” He listened carefully to the way she was speaking. It felt like he was listening to his mother, telling him a story.  “Unfortunately, my father died as well and I had to take care of the rest.”

“Some of the pieces are very old, though.” She nodded. “It must cost a fortune to take care of this building.” She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. “Besides, you don’t have a phone at the reception.”

“That’s right. But don’t people use cell phones these days?” Bum’s eyes widened. That was right.

“So, you are the director.” He stated. She chuckled and nodded. “You are the Mistress?” It finally started to make sense. “You saved me!” She couldn’t help but smirk cockily.

“Yes. I didn’t do much, though. I saw the accident and knew that by the time an ambulance will get there, you would be dead. I took you in and Eunji nursed you back to life.” She noticed the way his eyes were blinking and moving around the table.

She only glanced at Youngmin from the corner of her eye and he got the hint. Dinner was over and everyone had to either go back to their rooms or leave.

“Kim Bum, it was a pleasure to speak with you but I’m afraid I have to leave now. I have a few things to take care of.” Bum nodded. He was flustered. He had a lot of thoughts running through his mind and most of them were efforts to remember the accident.

They departed at the stairs. As she was ascending them, she looked into the mirror. He had his back turned to her. She smirked and glanced at his reflection.

“Kim Bum, huh?” She chuckled and walked upstairs.

“Mr. Kim Bum, there is a woman who would like to speak to you.” Bum was surprised. He didn’t expect Jaejin to get up from his precious seat and tap him on the shoulder. That was the reason he took his eyes off the Mistress.

“Jaejin, you know Miss. Son, don’t you?” The younger man stared ahead at something behind Bum. “I mean, personally.”

“I know Mistress as much as anyone else working here.” Bum sighed and put his hands in his pockets.  He was just going to unveil the mystery on his own. He was curious to know everything there was about that hotel; if she was the director, she was included. “Mr. Kim-“Bum glanced at the  man over his shoulder curiously. “Everyone has a story, even us. If you find out the story, you will see it.” Bum frowned and tilted his head to the side.

“See what?” Jaejin’s eyes were locked on the mirror. He saw the reflection of a young man, glaring from a hidden place. He looked down to his hands and his lips. He already said too much. “Well?”

“Nothing.” The conversation was over.

“Weird.” The Seoul man mumbled as he walked back into the restaurant.

The lady who wanted to speak to him was none other than Jieun. Bum’s eyes started to shine brightly once he saw her. She was sitting at the bar, with a frown gracing her pretty face.

“I saw you at her table.” Well, she went straight to the subject. He sat next to her and crossed his hands on the table. 

“She invited us; Yeonsuk was there too.” She sighed and fidgeted before she took a deep breath and turned to him. “We talked about this and that; nothing big. She asked me how I like it here.”

“And what did you respond?” Bum looked up into her eyes and saw the same dark glint as he saw in Jaejin at some point. Well, it wasn’t exactly dark; it just seemed like emptiness inside their eyes. He noticed her biting her lower lip. He cracked a soft smile. She looked a lot like a squ