Chapter 1-3
The Night When We...
(END)

     A woman wearing a white blouse was sitting on the office chair, repeatedly glancing at three women that had just came a while ago. She looked at her watch, wondering about the last person that had not yet made her appearance. If only her father didn’t ask her personally about this thing, she wouldn’t agree.

      She has a brilliant career that even men was envious to her because of her achievement, yet she was asked to do something that was threatening her career and reputation.

      Kang Hyewon, Choi Yena, and Ahn Yujin... she wondered how in the world that the old man got those beautiful women as his successors. She didn’t even remember that the old man is a , but she should agree that he indeed had a good eyes for choosing those women...

      Kim Chaewon was standing outside a small office building while looking at her watch. It was already late, yet she went to a place she never been before instead of going home. Despite her cool and reserved manner, the neurologist was nervous. She wasn’t sure that she got the place right, since she never had any business in this district, despite the district was known to be a business district with a hundred, or even thousands offices.

      The young neurologist encouraged herself to take a step inside the office. Similar to another small office building, the lobby was empty and there was no receptionist there. It was something that usually spotted in Japan, since there was no one willing to work as a receptionist, and the building management didn’t have any budget to hire one.

      The building was relatively new or had just been renovated, since the smell of paint was lingering inside the lobby. Other than that, there was nothing that worth noting in there. Chaewon pushed the elevator button, and the elevator quickly opened. She then pushed the highest button inside the elevator.

      The elevator speed was fast enough to bring her to the 6^th floor, the highest floor in this building. When the elevator door opened, a lone glass door with a name plate beside it greeted her.

      Chaewon pressed the bell button under the name plate. Soon, a woman in a white blouse and pleated skirt came out to open the door for her. The woman was no taller than Chaewon and seemed to be older. Was she the one who sent that letter?

“Oh, you finally here. Everyone’s already waiting for you.” The woman smiled at her and guided the doctor inside.

      The office was small, even smaller than Chaewon’s mansion. Inside, Chaewon found three women sitting on the sofa. One of them, the one that wore a leather bomber jacket, was staring at her intently, then scoffed. The woman with a long jet black hair smiled at her politely, while a woman that seemed to be taller and younger compared to the other two was looking at her with mouth opened. The woman that greeted Chaewon at the front door asked the latter to take a seat.

      The woman left the four of them. Guess she wasn’t the one who sent that letter... Chaewon assumed. The woman in the leather bomber jacket seemed to try intimidates the young doctor with her glare, but instead of being intimidated, Chaewon found that the woman was making an interesting face. She decided to take a seat beside the woman with straight jet-black hair, avoiding making any confrontation with the glaring woman.

      Chaewon heard footsteps sound getting closer, approaching them. She turned her head back, trying to find who was that person. Oh, it was the woman that greeted her, bringing a tray of cups with her.

“Please wait for a while. She’ll meet all of you soon,” the woman said, while serving the tea she had just brought.

She?

      Chaewon was looking at the woman for a while. She was shorter and seemed to be older than the neurologist. Chaewon threw her gaze around, looking at the other three. The woman beside her was staring at the cookies that were served along the tea, while the other two were staring at her.

      Another footsteps were getting closer, but it sounded different from before. Chaewon knew that this time, it must be a different person.

      She was right.

      A lady... young lady to be more appropriate, was standing still in front of the four women. Smile was all over her face, showing her cute teeth. Her cheeks that resembling a creampuff made her seem to be cuter.

“Thanks for coming.” She thanked the women in front of her. Only the tallest one who responded to her words. The other three, including Chaewon, weren’t that happy to find that this young lady was the one who sent them the letters.

“Hmm... no enthusiasm, huh? Maybe we can get know to each other if we introduce ourselves, right?” She said, still in her smile, “Okay, starting from me... I’m Honda Hitomi, the one who sent you that letters. I was surprised that all of you could solve the riddle and made your way here.”

“It was too easy,” the woman in a straight jet-black hair responded.

“Yeah, when I was asked to find all of you, the riddles were also too easy. Maybe my father wasn’t that smart to make a more interesting puzzles and riddles...” Hitomi shrugged, slightly dissing her own father. “Ah, please introduce yourself to the others.”

The woman let out a chuckle. Then, she stood up, eyeing every woman in the room.

“Kang Hyewon. I got a letter with the suit of club printed on it. I’m sure all of you have different suits printed on yours.” She glanced at Chaewon before continuing her words. “Occupation? I don’t want to tell you that because it’d just make me feel small compared to the person beside me.”

      Finishing her introduction, Hyewon took her seat back once again. Chaewon couldn’t help but to feel annoyed and disturbed by Hyewon’s words. Perhaps she meant no harm, but Chaewon did realize that everyone in the room was already knew who she was.

“Don’t worry, I know yours already. And I also think that all of you will know each other’s background soon,” Hitomi clapped her hands, then looking at the tall woman who started to be nervous after Hyewon’s introduction.

“How about you?” Hitomi finally asked. Questioned, the tall woman stood up clumsily, and tried to open .

“A-ah, I’m Yujin. Ahn Yujin. I have a letter with the suit of heart on it...” She was stuttering. She kept standing there even though no more words came out from .

“You can sit down, Yujin,” Hitomi said.

      The woman in the leather bomber jacket suddenly stood up without any cue from Hitomi.

“Choi Yena. Diamond,” She quickly sat down back after finishing her introduction that was too short to be considered as an introduction. Hitomi laughed awkwardly at Yena’s attitude.

      The only one who had not introduced herself was Chaewon. After Hyewon’s introduction, she thought there was no need to do it since everyone was already know about her identity... well, maybe except Choi Yena. Hitomi gave the neurologist a cue to introduce herself, and Chaewon had no other choice but to do it so she stood up.

“Kim Chaewon. I think you should know already about the suit on my letter,” Chaewon sat down again.

      A wide smile was plastered on Hitomi’s face, she must be really excited seeing the four women her father had chosen. Reviving the legacy  of her father’s alter-ego was already making her blood boils. What made it more interesting was the fact that everyone that her father chose were young and attractive.

      The woman in a white blouse appeared again, whispering something to Hitomi’s ears. The young lady nodded as a response of her words.

“Ah, I just remember to introduce this pretty lady!” Hitomi exclaimed. “This is Eunbi, Kwon Eunbi. She will help us from now on.”

Eunbi bowed politely. Stiff, Chaewon thought.

“This is a prosecutor’s office, right? Are you fighting against crime while being an accomplice of a criminal at the same time, Eunbi?” Hyewon asked, her body was leaning forward, staring intently at Eunbi.

“Criminal?” Yujin was confused with Hyewon’s question.

“I remember this insignia,” Hyewon showed her letter, pointing at the broken wax seal. “This is the insignia of YU, right? I remember seeing it on television during my childhood.”

“Oh, you realized it already! Marvelous!” Hitomi was clapping again, happy that someone still remembers about her father’s alter-ego.

“W-what are you saying? Criminals? What will we do?” Yujin couldn’t hide her confusion, she was looking at Hyewon.

“... Stealing stuff. Is that what you want us to do?” Yena entered the conversation, glaring at Hitomi.

      Hitomi’s face was still smiling, but it gradually changed to a smirk. On the other hand, Eunbi averted her gaze away, looking at a potted cactus on the corner of the room.

“I don’t have a time for such child’s play,” Yena stood up, then walked towards the front door.

“Whatever we do, it won’t change your status, right?” Hitomi mocked. “Or are you not skilled enough to do it by yourself? Well, it’s possible since you can’t even kill someone with your own hand.”

      Yena stopped on midway. She turned back, showing her flustered face upon Hitomi’s remark.

“What? So I was right after all?” Hitomi grinned widely, amused that her words was a perfect home-run. Overwhelmed with anger, Yena approached the young lady and grabbed the collar of the latter’s shirt. Eunbi and Yujin gasped at Yena’s action, while Hyewon and Chaewon remained calm, witnessing everything of it.

“Hamada Joji, a manager from a small talent company was found at Shiohama. His head was found at the shore, while his body went missing,” Hitomi said calmly while staring at Yena. The taller girl gulped, feeling slightly nauseous after hearing it. Still, her pride wouldn’t let her admit her weakness.

“Let’s prove it here, right now,” Yena snarled. Her eyes were burning with anger. She raised her fist, ready to beat the Japanese woman.

“Who was the name of that girl again? The one with a wheelchair? Jo Yuri?” Hitomi asked calmly, no fear was heard from her voice. On the contrary, she seemed to be enjoying seeing Yena’s flustered face at close distance.

      Yena’s eyes widened and her grip on the collar of Hitomi’s shirt loosened after she heard that name.

“H-how did you know her?” Yena’s voice was trembling. That moment, Hitomi learned that she hit another home-run.

“I already said that I know anything about all of you,” Hitomi chuckled, slapping Yena’s hand away from the collar of her shirt.

      The only Japanese in the office threw her gaze at the other three that were drowned in silence.

“D-do you know about my housemate too?” Yujin asked, breaking the silence.

“Of course, I know anything about her,” Hitomi glanced at Chaewon, her eyes met the latter’s. “Including the person whom she is interested to.”

      Chaewon frowned at Hitomi’s words. She didn’t even know who was Ahn Yujin to begin with, moreover her housemate.

“Then? Do you have something to offer to us? Like payment or anything? You know, I don’t like doing things for free,” Hyewon asked, smiling at Hitomi. Chaewon looked at Hyewon, thinking that her smile was charming.

“Well, let’s think this as a game. If all of you are able to finish the main storyline, I’ll give you a reward,” Hitomi said. “The reward will be more than anything all of you can imagine. Interesting, right?”

“You should know already that I like to play a game,” Hyewon chuckled, interested with Hitomi’s offer. “Count me in, then.”

      Yujin, confused as ever, was looking at Chaewon. She was hoping to hear an opinion from the celebrity doctor. Feeling disturbed by Yujin’s stare, Chaewon finally opened .

“You’re not offering another choices, right? It’s not like we can refuse it from the beginning,” Chaewon said.

“Ping pong! You’re correct! As expected from the famous neurologist!” Hitomi clapped her hands happily while walking to the far side of the office, distancing herself from the four women.

“So I should accept this?” Yujin asked again. Hitomi just responded her with a happy nod.

“Ah, I also think it’ll be better for your housemate. She’s precious to you, right? Hmm, is she? Whatever. Anyway, I can guarantee her safety,” Hitomi added.

“You... you can do that for Yuri too, right?” Yena asked, her voice was still trembling, not out of fear but shame instead.

“Of course, I can even cover for all of her treatment. Is that what you need after all, right, Choi Yena?” Hitomi happily skipped her way back approaching the four women.

“So, it’s settled?” Hitomi said with the cutest smile on that night.

End of Chapter 1.