I was only six when I felt my first betrayal. I was returning from kindergarten with my butler on a sunny day. I remember being so excited to tell my mother what I did today at school and the flowers I painted for her. I ran up to her room with fast light steps when I heard noises coming from her room. 

I've never heard my mother make such noises ever in my life; she sounded like she was in pain. But of course, being so young, I didn't know what that noise even meant. 

I remember feeling so worried when I thought she was in pain, so I grabbed the door knob and opened the door. I didn't know what was going on, but she was on top of a man...a man who was not my father. Her was facing me and the man's hands rested on her waist, helping her get in motion. They didn't seem to notice my presence as her moans seemed to have gotten louder in my ears. 

"Umma," was what I whispered and without realizing it, I had tears in my eyes. 

I remember being pulled at the arm and hearing her bedroom door shut in front of me in the blur of my tears. The person who was gripping my arm was a maid, who held a finger against her lips telling me to not speak of what I saw. 

I didn't know what happened at that time. I didn't know my mother had threaten her workers to shut up. I didn't know that she was having an affair with our family doctor. But what I did know was that I felt betrayed and this woman who I called my mom...I knew I hated her from that day onwards. 

In the midst of the affair, my father was unaware of her disloyal self. I couldn't tell him; I just couldn't. 

Everyday, my parents looked like a happy couple, but I knew very well that my mother was not feeling it. I, too, was not feeling the happiness of this family anymore. But my father never failed to give me his unchanging love and he always made me feel happy when he sensed my unhappiness. 

Slowly, I regained that sense of happiness even if it meant not having my mother in my life, but then he suddenly felt ill when I was eight. 

She knew that I knew about her affair, but she made no sort of comment about it. I remember my mother sleeping with our family doctor during the day and spending the night at the hospital with my father. 

I remember feeling my chest burn up in anger whenever I saw the family doctor enter my father's hospital room with a calm, innocent face; I remember it all. When my father went to use the restroom, my mother and doctor would fondle each other. I could only look away in disgust with more anger filling me up. 

Months later, my father passed away and that's when my world became dull. What was even worse was that he never knew the woman he loved so dearly, got away with the affair and is now married to him. 

My father passed all his money and hotels to my mother to handle. I didn't want her to take over, but it's not like I can do it considering my age at that time. I wanted nothing to do with business either. 

As the years progressed, I gave up on my life. I only graduated from high school because of money and I would've gone to college but I decided to skip out on that. I was out drinking and smoking with people I knew in the neighborhood at one of my favorite hotel that my father owned. I had a suite at the top of the hotel and since then, I never returned home. 

Every day and every night, I was with these people I called friends. They made me feel like I belonged with them even if they were ing each other every night or getting high to the point where they're knocked out cold. 

"Mina, wanna join us?" a man, I've seen but never met, asked. He and some girls were smoking in the corner of my hotel room. It was foggy and full of sweat, something I was used to. 

Laying on the couch and looking at them with half-lid eyes, I shook my head and turned to my side with my back facing them. There were so many noises going on; strangers from one end of the room to loud out roars of the drunks on the other side. This was something I'm used to. 

"Hey, Mina, can you go buy us more soju?" Joohyun, an acquaintance I knew from high school, asked while holding up an empty bottle once I turned to look at him. 

"Why can't you go yourself?" I muttered against my arms. "You've got legs, use them."

"But I'm broke," he grinned. I rolled my eyes and sat up. 

That's right. They only became my friends because of money. But even still, they never left me. 

"Fine. I'll go get some, but just this once," I firmly said and walked out the hotel room, entering silence. 

Out in the hallway, there's no one to bother me; no moans; no cursing; nothing but silence. 

I hate silence. 

A little later, I finally got soju at a nearby liquor store and headed back to the hotel. Like usual, every staff I passed by greeted me like I was the owner of the hotel; I guess being the daughter doesn't make a difference. 

I took the elevator up to the top floor and stood there, once again, in silence. The elevator dinged and the steel doors parted ways for me to exit. 

I walked down the hallway and saw a couple making out. They must have been in my room earlier, but I've never seen them. To be honest, I don't ever meet or see many of the strangers who barge into my room. 

I don't know why, but I stood there and just stared at them. I got irritated the longer I watched. 

The man noticed me and pulled himself away from the woman, who was leaning in for more. He gave me a broad grin. 

"What took you so long? We were waiting for you, Mina," he said as he wiped the bottom of his lips with his thumb. Hearing my name come out of mouth made me cringe. How can someone easily know your name when you've never met?

"I didn't think I needed to rush," I responded to him with no emotions and walked past them. Not to mention, I didn't buy enough for everyone to have one. 

Not even a step away, he grabbed my wrist and gave me a suspicious smirk. I glared at him and tried to break free. 

"Yah! What the hell do you think you're doing? Let me go," I said pulling my wrist away, but his grip was too tight on me to break free. He came closer to me and pushed me against the wall. 

"Wanna ditch the others and join me and my lady?" he whispered against my ear, sending chills down my back. I glanced at the woman who seemed to like his idea. "We can go to my place and drink all of that ourselves. Besides, I'd like to get to you know more, Mina."

His lips lightly brushed against my bare neck and I dropped the drinks out of shock. Thank goodness I didn't buy the glass bottles and got cans instead; glass bottles would have shattered and my money would've gone to waste. 

I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed him away, which he willingly stepped back with a wry smile. 

"Go to hell," I muttered and tried to walk away, but he grabbed my arm with a firm grip that hurt me. 

"Ah!" I winced in pain and glared at him. 

"Don't walk away from me, that's rude," he said. His determination was no joke and the woman pretty much got bored of what was happening; she was chewing gum and looking at her phone. 

"I promise you'll have a good time," he said with a seductive voice that made my stomach clench in disgust. "I heard you're pretty good in bed."

" off!" I shouted and right then, I heard a door open. I looked to the door of my suite, but it wasn't that door. 

"Geez, I just got here and you're already causing a disturbance," I heard an unfamiliar voice and came out a man in the room just a few doors down. His hair was a mess; he was in a plain white tee with grey joggers. 

I looked at him with wide eyes, in shock. No one is supposed to use these rooms on the top level; this level is reserved to me and only me. I know there are plenty of available rooms on the other floors, so why this one?

"Can you please quiet down," he said with narrow, tired eyes. "I really need to sleep. I've got things going on in the morning."

"Don't worry, we were just leaving," the man, whom I still don't know his name, called out. 

"Finally," the woman groaned and pushed herself off the wall. I looked at the two in disbelief and twisted my arm to loosen his grip. 

"Let me go," I said and the man didn't seem to care anymore, so he dragged me behind him with the woman leading the way. "I said ing let me go!"

I felt him pull me forward and he was now standing behind me. I tried to turn around, but his hand covered my mouth to shut me up and his other hand was wrapped around my stomach. 

"Shut up and go with the flow," he muttered, irritated. I, myself, was irritated. 

"Hey!" I heard that other man's voice and we all turned around. Unexpectedly, he was right behind us and he punched the man who was holding me. It must have been a hard punch, considering that he fell backwards and hit the ground. 

"What the man!" he shouted while covering the area that was impacted. 

"Can't you tell? She obviously doesn't want to go," the man besides me said. "Now leave before I call security."

The two glared at each other and the one who fell, got up leaving with his girl while cursing under his breath. I just stood there, watching the two disappear around the corner. 

I didn't bother to look at the man and my heels, walking away to pick up the soju I had dropped earlier. 

"Yah! Aren't you going to thank me?" he called out when I was walking away with the soju now in my hands. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

I still said no word and just kept walking when I heard his footsteps come after me. He grabbed me by the arm that was gripped on earlier. 

"Ow," I winced in pain and he immediately released me with a shocked expression. 

"Ah, sorry," he apologized and looked at my arm. "Y-your arm! It's bruised!"

I glared at him and stepped away. 

"Mind your own business and get back to your precious sleep," I growled and turned away, continuing to walk to my suite. I heard him sigh followed by his hotel room door opening then closing. I slowed down my stride and glanced back; he was gone. 

I let out a soft sigh and returned to my room. Once I entered, everyone was knocked out. I rolled my eyes at the sight and literally threw the soju onto the table. I was about to leave the room and enter the one next door when I heard a door open. I turned my attention to the tiny hallway and walked out Joohyun; he must have showered before going out to work. He works as a DJ at a night club in Hongdae. 

"You just got back?" he asked with his brows furrowed. 

"I ran into some trouble," I quietly said and headed to the fridge to find water; no luck. 

I heard him walking towards me and he stopped right behind me. His arms wrapped around me and he rested his chin on my shoulder. The warmth I felt on my back brought a sense of calmness to me. 

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" he asked with his gentle voice; when his voice gets that gentle, he's really worried. I was hesitant when I shook my head. 

"Liar," he breathed out against my neck. He released me and slowly spun me around. His eyes met mine then traveled down to my arm. 

"You're bruised," he said and a hand my arm. "I know you bruise easily."

"It's nothing," I said and removed his hand, my gaze hung low. He sighed loudly and hugged me. 

"I'll pretend it's nothing, but be careful next time," he said and patted my back. "Thanks for the soju, I'll pay you back."

I didn't say anything and he let me go. He grabbed his backpack that was sitting in the corner and reached into it, pulling out a water bottle. He walked up to me and handed me the water bottle. 

"I saved this for you," he genuinely smiled and left. I looked at the water bottle in my hand and opened it, taking a sip. It was refreshing, even if it was warm.