Jinsol picks up the shampoo bottle and stares at it in curiosity. 

This morning, she had no other choice but to get a closer look of the bathroom connected to ‘her’ room. She didn’t really have the mind yesterday to look around and now that she has, she realized that even though she wasn’t in her apartment, this place wasn’t missing anything. In fact, everything matched her preferences.

Surely, a coincidence. 

***

“Our boss is busy today as well.”

The young man from yesterday once more appeared at the bedroom door to notify her so. 

“I won’t meet with him today?” What a strange situation this has become. From their rushed manner of having her move in immediately yesterday, she thought there must be a reason for it. But, so far, things aren’t quite as predictable.

“No, but he told me to tell you that breakfast is prepared downstairs.”

She nods her head. Maybe she will be fine after all. After washing her face, she starts for the staircase. 

Once she was close to the bottom of the steps, she looked over the railing and found men lined up against the walls in the dining area. They make no movements to hint that they notice her presence so, she continues on her way with some carefulness. 

One glance at the dining table and her feet stagger. 

There is a full course. On the dining table. As if a special event is currently taking place. Now, with even more uncertainty, she takes a seat among the other empty seats with a watchful stare. 

“Are you all not going to sit?” she asks when she is met with stillness. 

“It was prepared for you, miss.”

“Just …me?”

They nod.

This whole meal could feed a family of twenty. “You can’t expect me to finish all of it.”

“We will toss out what you don’t finish.” 

She gapes as she lets his words register. “Don’t you think that would be a waste of food?”

She receives silence. Well, they don’t seem so scary this morning. 

“Why don’t you all take a seat?” she insists. “There’s enough for everyone.”

“That’ll be inappropriate.”

“You guys threatened me and now I’m asking you all to help eat the food, let’s call it even between us, huh?” Getting up from her chair, she starts to pull out one seat after another until they stop her. 

“Miss, you don’t have to do that.” 

“Then, grab a chair.”

And so, they quickly find their spots to remedy the situation. 

As much as she tries to take this in strides, this scene in front of her is still too unbelievable. She stares around the table. If anyone told her that she would end up at a dining table eating breakfast with a bunch of gang members, she would have thought them insane. What kind of world would that be? 

Apparently, a whole new one.

“What do I do after eating?” she asks while looking from one face to another. The question still seemed fitting since she didn’t know what is expected of her.

“Anything you would like, miss.”

“Look around the house, miss. You’ll be staying here, after all.”

“Miss, have some fruits as well.”

Unable to think of a response, she looks from one face to another while somehow hoping there would be some clarity. But, it doesn’t come. So, she focuses on how breakfast has gotten lively. As she scanned the different plates on the table, she couldn’t help but notice that all of her favorite foods were there. 

It must be a coincidence. 

***

“I have never seen so much food in my life.” 

Yongguk doesn’t respond but, Jinsol notices him listening to her every word anyway. Again, tonight, she finds him on the balcony once more and decides to share his company. She didn’t know if he wanted it but, as he didn’t ask her to leave, she’ll assume that it is mutual. 

“I ate enough for lunch and dinner,” she continues. If she really tried, maybe even enough for tomorrow and the day after. 

“So, you didn’t eat again?”

“Well, I snacked instead and this place is huge.” She lost count of how many rooms they had in the place. She spent her day exploring as the men have insisted and decided the place could be rented out as a motel if she had a say. “Do you stay here, Yongguk?”

He nods.

“So, where are you during the day?” How come they don’t run into each other? She may just feel more comfortable if that’s the case. 

“Working.”

Working. A term that should be so normal but in Yongguk’s case, felt a little ominous. She didn’t know what this ‘working’ entailed. Was it like the movies? Did Yongguk dip into unconventional activities to earn money?

“What did you do for the rest of the day?” he asks.

Jinsol thinks about it. “Nothing really.” She chuckles. It’s been a while since she could say it was a normal day. But, she couldn’t stop the sudden dread that begins to fill her once more and her smile subsides.

“What is it?