“Yoo Youngjae. It’s a pleasure.” He held out his hand and I shook it. “I’m supposed to be checking on your wounds.” Jongup had left when Youngjae came back, saying that he had ”arrangements to make”.

I gave him a wary look as he gestured for me to lie down. “Are you a doctor?”

“The closest to a doctor in this place.” Seeing the disbelief in my eyes, he sighed. “I was the one who treated your wounds, okay?”

Seeing as I wasn’t dead yet, I guess he knows what he’s doing. I lay back down to let him probe around the bandages. “If you’re worried about your modesty, we had one of the waitresses dress you. And I’m not into unconscious women, so you can relax regarding that part.” I tried to snort in contempt but ended up wincing when he touched a sore spot.

“You’re lucky that Jongup found you when he did, you know,” he mused as he worked. “Things would have gone fatal if he was any later.”

“Yeah. So lucky.” I stared at the plain white ceiling. How had Jongup known where to find me? And what did he mean by him having ‘a veiled interest’ in me? A cold shiver ran down my back and I shuddered.

“Then again, how can people find the heart to shoot a beautiful lady like you?” Youngjae straightened up and smiled winningly at me. I noticed that his eyes were mesmerizing; light brown with hints of gray. “You’ll live. Your wounds are healing up well; you should be able to be up and about in no time, as long as you stay in bed and rest for these few days. “

“I wish I could hang around, but I have to attend to some other matters.” He started heading for the door. “If you need anything, call for Jun Hong. He’s the kid who was here earlier.”

“Thanks.” I watched as he nodded politely and exited the room. The moment he left, I gingerly sat up. Staying still wasn’t part of my plan. Wincing as I moved, I slipped on the pair of slippers someone had kindly left at the bedside and padded quietly to the door. Turning the doorknob carefully and pulling the door open, I peered out from the thin slit. There was no one in sight.

Taking a deep breath, I cautiously opened the door wide and stepped out into what seemed like a lounge, equipped with a comfy couch and a glass table. There was a drink can on the table and a bowl of snacks: there was someone here not long ago. I took another step, glancing around the place. There were a few other doors, some presumably leading to rooms like the one I was in. There was another door that seemed like it led out of the lounge and I inched towards it. Just a few metres…

“Hey!” I jumped as the door on the other end of the room opened and the kid with the blonde hair emerged. “You’re not supposed to be outside.”

I held up both hands and gave him a sheepish look. “Sorry. I needed some water but there wasn't any in the room.” The kid may look innocent, but when he moved I could see the bulge of a gun against his hip. Child or not, he was armed and I wasn’t taking chances.

Junhong scratched his head and frowned. “You could have just called. I’ll get you some water.”

“I didn’t want to trouble anyone.” I tried to look hesitant. “I mean, I’ve already intruded on you guys enough.”

“Ah…don’t worry about it.” Seeming taken in by my act, he waved at the couch. “Take a seat! I’ll go get some water.”

I stared at his retreating back as he went through another door. He actually fell for it.

Shaking my head, I quickly headed to the other door and slipped through. Closing it quietly, I found myself in another area that was not unlike the previous lounge. This time, it had a huge TV in the middle of the room. I ran my fingers over the edge of the screen. Spotless. This place was well maintained.

Spotting a small bookshelf in the corner of the room, I decided to examine it. Maybe there would be some information about this place, and the people who occupied it. There was a leather bound book and I flipped through it. It’s blank? I bought it closer to my face and sniffed. Invisible ink? But there was no scent. I closed it and put it back. Nothing here. Surveying the room, I wondered if there were any hidden cameras. But then again, someone would have come by now if they saw me sneaking around.

I was about to open the other door in the room when I heard voices approaching; I glanced around for a hiding spot. Moving quickly, I clambered behind one of the armchairs in the room and tensed. There was a slam as someone stomped in. “Hey, I told you to get the money ready by the end of this week, didn’t I?”

Peering out from the side, I could see a young man talking on the phone. He seemed angry, one arm on the hip and his legs wide apart. “I already told you that it would be the last time I would listen to your requests. If you keep delaying, both parties aren’t going to be happy.” His tone got more impatient as the other person replied. “I don’t care if you don’t have the cash. If you ordered something, you jolly well pay for it. If not, don’t bother buying!”

This guy was probably one of Jongup’s friends as well. I grimaced as pain stabbed through my body and touched my wound, my hand coming up red.

“Don’t make me go down there myself to make you pay. Tomorrow, by 12pm, I better see the agreed amount in the bank account. You should be thankful that I’m your middleman. If you had dealt with him directly in such a manner, you should really start watching your back.” The man hung up and sighed loudly.

“I need a drink,” he grumbled, slapping a hand over his forehead. The room was starting to spin and I tried to steady myself but ended up accidentally shifting the chair with a loud screech.

He whirled around, gun in hand. “Who’s there?” His eyes fell on me. “Yah! Who are you?”

I tried to get up to explain but another wave of nausea hit me.  A wave of darkness overtook as I slid to the ground.