A/N: It's long and very random. Sorry, not sorry.

“Mommy! Mommy! A doggie! There’s a doggie! I want to pat the doggie! Can I? Please?”

Wheein’s body tensed and she whirled around, slamming her back onto the door with all the force her tiny body could generate. There was a slight yelp from the other side but not loud enough for anyone, aside from Wheein, to hear. She sees the mother and daughter walking up to her from the poolside. The bag the mother has around her shoulder has her gut dropping in panic and cold sweat. Brushing her sweaty palms along her skirt she puts on her best customer service smile and gives them a little wave.

“Good afternoon ma’am.” She called out in greeting, digging her heels harder against the floor when she felt the door move outward a bit. Just to be on the safe side, she held onto the doorknob, halting the other end’s attempts at wriggling it open.

“My daughter says she saw a dog here?” The mother asked, voice high in query and a brow raised at the way Wheein was leaning against the doorway. Wheein pays the questioning look no mind, letting her eyes roam to the girl shaking giddily at the prospect of giving a dog a well deserved pat.

“I assure you ma’am, there are no pets allowed in the hotel. And we strictly adhere to the rules for everyone’s safety.”

The mother nods her head at the satisfactory answer and smiles patiently at her daughter. “See, sweetie. The young lady said there are no doggies here.”

“But I saw it. I saw it come from over there.” She points to the lobby of the third floor. “It was this big. And it had black hair and everything!”

“I’m sure it did, Honey. Now let’s get you changed and go back to our room.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, but we’re currently having issues with this restroom.” Wheein quickly intercepts, hand out to stop the older woman's reaching for the door. “But you can go in through the gym and use their amenities. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and we’ll have everything sorted out soon.” The lie smoothly slips from Wheein’s lips as she held up the courteous smile. She didn’t know how many times she had lied but at this point, she was a professional. It was part of the job description.

The woman looked sceptically at her first, then to the door she was blocking. Then, probably not wanting to know whatever bull was happening behind the smile, the woman returned the smile and nodded her head. She turned and headed for the gym, her little darling, chattering excitedly about dogs, in tow.

Wheein sighed heavily in relief and rounded on the door. She cracked the door open a smidge, a reprimanding glare on as she looked up to the towering black werewolf scratching idly at its neck. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to return to your human form this second. And the next time I see you transformed I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises. It is highly illegal to be seen in anything other than your human form in front of other humans.”

The large werewolf straightened up, staring down at Wheein’s petite form for a few beats before growling lowly, turning its back to Wheein as the transformation begun. In a few seconds, a young man stood where the lumbering beast was, scratching idly at his pale stomach. Wheein, a blush starting to crawl at her face, gaze stays steadfast at his face and nothing lower than his shoulder.

“I was just fooling around. Chill out. It’s not like I killed anyone.” The young man raised both his hands mockingly.

“Sir, I must also insist you put on some swimming trunks before anyone else sees you and reports you for indecent exposure. Or before I report you.”

The young man glances down to his crotch and grins wolfishly before acquiring some trunks from his gym bag sitting nearby.

“I won’t do it again.” He says, tone bored, slinging the gym bag over his shoulder.

“I hope so. Have a good day, sir.” Wheein gripes. She was almost 100% sure the young werewolf would do it again. It wasn’t the first time she’s dealt with unruly teens, but today was a special day. Today was going to be like the beginnings of hell week, except she didn’t have deadlines she needed to chase after or exams she needed to prepare for. No, it was much worse than that.

Sighing, Wheein dragged herself back to the lift and back to the front desk where hell was going to start.

The second the lift doors dinged and slid open Wheein could feel her soul leaving her tired body. There was a long line at the front desk. Families of the hockey team that had booked weeks ago had finally arrived. And it seemed that they arrived all at once. There were children running around, waving their sticks around, which Wheein distinctively remembered their manager saying was not to be brought into the premises. Those kids were going to be too bothersome to deal with, but the parents were another level of annoyance.

Skilfully avoiding both children with hockey sticks and parents trying to grab her attention to get their keys first, Wheein made a beeline for the front desk where her favourite senior duo was being slammed with parents demanding to be served first while juggling the ringing phones. It was a miracle none of the parents had gotten into fistfights, yet.

“Byul.”

“Wheein, you God-sent!” The tallest of them nearly cried, grabbing Wheein’s wrist to get her away from the madness amidst the roars of frustration. “The guy that booked a room for the morning meeting is here, but Yong and I are slammed with the junior hockey group and let me tell you, these guys just can’t wait in a single file. You’d think, as parents, they’d be a bit more manageable… Anyway, keys. You know what to do. Oh, and afterward, tell the chef the group is here and to send the catering to the room.”

With the keys shoved into her hand Wheein is quickly shooed to the one man who looked entirely out of place with the hockey group with the mother’s nice floral patterned clothes, and the father’s shorts and polo shirt smart casual combo.

He stood awkwardly to one side with a laptop bag and business suit pressed and buttoned all the way up with a navy blue sleek tie that just screamed intern. Wheein put on her best smile, heading straight towards the fidgeting man without sparing the group a glance.

“Hello! Sorry about this. We’re getting everything sorted as quickly as we can. You’re meeting room will be through the corridor here so your meeting shouldn’t be bothered.” A child whizzes behind her, screaming for the other child that had hit them. Wheein grits her teeth and musters up a sheepish smile at the man. “It’s hockey season.” She offers a simple explanation. The man nods his head, portraying a sort of understanding before ducking away as a random hockey stick swings over his head.

“We’ll get it sorted.” Wheein restated, smile a lot more tense as she motioned towards the corridor that was, fortunately, child free at the moment. “Through here please.”

20 minutes later Wheein drops down onto the backless chair, leaning against the wall for support. Still clattering on the computer were her two seniors, not speaking to each other per se, but silently communicating through raised eyebrows, subtle shifts in their faces, and a few pinches and slaps here and there. Wheein could almost say she envied the ease of how both seem to communicate nonverbally, but those same unspoken cues sometimes get overlooked and simple problems blow up in their faces which, more often than not, resulted in one or both sulking away and refusing to acknowledge each other’s presence. Wheein thinks it’s the most ridiculous thing she’s witnessed and it ruffled her feathers how they could fight over the silliest matter in the most inopportune time. Maybe it was because they were both a type of shape-shifter that they worked well with each other yet clashed like two bucks during mating season.

Except they weren’t bucks.

They were both way cuter in their other form. Wheein could still remember the one time she found an otter and a seal brooding on opposite sides of the small staff room they had. It had taken some urging and a few treats dangling in their faces for the conflict to resolve, fortunately, before the regular, non-paranormal staff walked in on the odd sight.

“Oh, you’re back.” The Selkie grins over her shoulder. Wheein smiles tiredly, wriggling her fingers in greeting.

“That’s great. Everything went alright then?” The Kushtaka follows up, twirling around so she could lift herself up onto the table. The Selkie wasn’t pleased and it showed clearly in the way her face scrunched in her typical expressive way.

“Byulyi, get off the table.” She gives out a warning tap to the side of the Kushtaka’s waist. If Yongsun was anything she was always fair, even to the mischievous bunch she had, in her own words, the unfortunate fate to work with.

“Relax, Yong. There’s no one here but us. We deserve a break after all of that nonsense.” Byulyi waves a hand dismissively, making no move to follow the order which, fortunately, only incites a long sigh and roll of the eyes.

“Anyway, Byulyi and I need to get to the manager’s meeting in a bit. There’s a group coming in later for the wedding tomorrow. Hopefully, it shouldn’t be as crazy as the ones just now. They’re all booked on the 9th to the 11th floors. Room service has cleared it all out save for 2 rooms on the 9th, but they’ll be signing out before noon. Am I forgetting anything?” The last part is directed at Byulyi, who looks as if she hadn’t been listening and stared blankly back when her knees are prodded.

“Sorry, what?”

“Nevermind. Hyejin will be in for the second shift so you’ll have to hang in there until then.” Yongsun ends her sentence with a deep exhale and two thumbs up.

Wheein grins toothily, responding with two thumbs up of her own. “I’ll be fine. You two should go.”

“Great! We’ll try to be back before the rush really starts. We’ve already told the parents to keep the hockey stick in their cars, but there might be a few kids who’d try to sneak it in.” Yongsun’s brows dip, showing her worry lines as her expression gradually darkens as she lists off all the potential mishaps. “Or the parents might, I wouldn’t put it past them… Hopefully, the parents will behave, though from what I’ve overheard, they’re going to be drinking around the pool. I just hope none of the guests drowns.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound too bad.” Byulyi pipes up. The joke’s met with a reprimand and a stern whack to the arm. She stifles a giggle as she hops off the table, pulling the plug of the tablet that was connected with one of the cpu’s. She also swipes the car keys before Yongsun could make a grab for it, twirling it in one finger like a victory flag and a gleeful, “I’m driving!” cheer.

“If it starts getting too out of control, call us.” Yongsun says sternly as she’s being pulled by the arm by an impatient Kushtaka.

“She’s not a child, Yong.” Byulyi throws Wheein a thumb up and a wink. “Call us when you need to.. Or if you’re bored cause I sure as hell will be.”

“No.. Don’t.. No, don’t do that.” Yongsun sputters, shaking her head in between her two grinning colleagues.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do..” Byulyi says, shoving the tablet and a few pages of papers against Yongsun’s chest to stop whatever she wanted to say “or, well, don’t do anything I would consider doing… be good.” By that time Byulyi was pushing the flustered woman towards the exit. Wheein grins as she waves the two away. She was sure the Kushtaka would be complaining of maltreatment and workplace violence once Yongsun’s hands would be free. All the best that she has the car keys. It would, at the very least, extend the time before Byulyi is on the receiving end of the Selkie’s wrath.

She settled down the chair, crossing her legs for comfort. She was going to enjoy the next few minutes of calm. Just the thought of a hotel full of children and drunken adults was already going to give her a migraine, but add on to that the other non-human residents that do tend to get bored very easily- they were on another level of trouble. Wheein glanced over to the clock on the computer screen, sighing long and hard at the time.

It was going to be a long day.

Hyejin normally kept a pretty good authoritative aura, mostly thanks to her resting face and the deadpan she would often give out to stupid questions. The darker, more mature style of make-up she loved to put on also contributed heavily to this, often getting misidentified as a manager or senior staff instead of their actual senior colleagues, not that she’s ever rectified this.

Normally, Hyejin would have on a crooked smile, looking more like a smirk when stationed at the front desk. However, that day Hyejin did not look pleased.

Already three hours in Wheein was trying to keep the weariness out of her smile as she lightly nudges her friend’s elbow. The icy edge to her expression stayed, but Hyejin’s shoulders seem to slacken a little bit as she regarded Wheein with the universal ‘what’ look.

“You’re shift just started less than an hour ago. Why the long face?”

“My shift started less than an hour ago, that’s what.” Is the grumbled reply as her steely gaze follows after two children hurriedly walking through the foyer and to the double doors. Wheein looks after the two, snorting softly when she meets eyes of the elderly security guard giving her a knowing glance.

“A whole hockey crazed group and an entourage for tomorrow’s wedding in a four star hotel.” The sides of Hyejin’s lips finally quirk up to a sneer as her hands grips the edge of the table. Wheein is amazed the acrylic long nails hadn’t popped up from the force of it. “What could go wrong, I wonder?”

“Well, at least the wedding group is trickling in slowly. You should have seen the crazy mob our two favourite seniors had to handle. Byulyi was this close to crying,” she shoves her fisted hand onto Hyejin’s face, showing her the miniscule distance between her thumb and forefinger. “I could literally see tears in her eyes. It was glorious.”

“Heh. I’d pay to see her actually breaking down.”

“It would be well worth your money. She’d go full sulking otter-mode. I saw her in the tub one time splashing around like a lunatic.”

“I’m still mad you didn’t take a video.”

“I wasn’t expecting to walk in on an otter having a meltdown. Also, I left my phone.”

“You barbarian.” Hyejin’s eyes crinkle as she breaks out into one of her dazzling smiles. Wheein grinned, fighting down the blush crawling up her neck.

Despite her attitude Wheein saw her more than just the chaotic façade she liked to put on. Having known the woman for a good decade Wheein had watched the once awkward girl to the selfassured woman she was now. She knew of the days the little girl ran to her room to cry after being called names. She’s seen the teen that finally had enough sitting down and stood up to her bullies. She was there when her powers began to manifest and the very first thing she did was to learn how to cast a jinx on her former tormentors with none of them the wiser.

She was also there when Hyejin first fell in love, gushing like the school girl she was, prettying herself up and going on dates. She was there when they broke up and Hyejin, for a moment, lost her drive to do anything other than skulk. She had brought them movies and snacks to gorge on, telling stupid jokes to bring a smile to the face that young Wheein was beginning to feel her heart flutter for.

Wheein didn’t intend to, but through the years the platonic feelings she had for Hyejin began to branch out into something more, and before she knew it she had fallen deep and hard. The problem was she doubts Hyejin felt anything more than a sisterly bond for her.

She was taken out of her thoughts by arms circling around her shoulder and a familiar weight pressing against her back. It was followed by a long, low groan and she reaches up to pat the Kushtaka’s arm, giving them a firm squeeze. She put on a large, welcoming grin, turning to see the Selkie plod into the back room, likely to fall onto the couch like a boneless heap.

“Welcome back, boss!” Wheein chirps, following after Yongsun with Byulyi still clinging to her, dragging her feet along. “You guys did good surviving that.”

“I can’t wait to get off work.” Byulyi pulls away, reaching to give Hyejin, who had followed after them, a quick side hug of welcome before plodding her skinny over the Selkie’s lap. There was a sharp squeal as Yongsun slapped and tried to push off Byulyi, complaining of her sharp digging onto her lap. A playful grin lifts the corners of the Kushtaka’s lips and her entire body falls limp, lying horizontally over the Selkie.

“That bad, huh?” Hyejin laughs, leaning against the doorway, one eye on the outside in case anything happened.

“Byulyi wasn’t even completely listening!” Yongsun complains, pushing the face nuzzling into her neck. She looks like she had given up pushing off the woman and was has given her the annoying dog treatment.

Wheein figured it was the otter's inherent instinct to cuddle that made Byulyi the big cuddler that she is. Wheein loved when Byulyi got into one of her moods and wrapped her up into a warm embrace. Being in one of Byulyi’s famous cuddles reminded Wheein of rainy days when she was a child, all bundled up in her favourite blanket tucked in between her mother’s arms as she sang her a lullaby. Wheein wasn’t sure if there was some mystical mojo or lingering American voodoo that caused the feeling of familiarity and nostalgia but if there was one thing she was sure of it was that it felt fantastic.

“For something that’s feared in America, Byulyi sure is nothing like the monster the legends say she is.”

“All misinterpretation. We’re simply fiercely protective of what’s ours and don’t like it if anything threatens our place.” Byulyi answers tersely, firmly wedging her knee into the small crevice between Yongsun’s body and the couch, snuggling tighter as Yongsun gripped and groaned complaints at her. “I’d say it’s the same for everyone. People are just… eh.. very dense.”

Wheein narrows her eyes at the duo. She wanted to spit out about how equally dense the two shapeshifters were but chose to bite back her tongue. She gives them a smile, reaching back to grab Hyejin’s wrist before the witch could begin voicing out her thoughts. The two made a very cute couple but she had a feeling bringing it up would only cause unnecessary tension in their dynamics. It was best to leave it to fate, and maybe a little nudge in the right direction here and there.

“Wel, Hyejin and I will leave you two to relax a little. Debriefing later?”

Byulyi vigorously nods her head, as well as she could with one cheek pressed up against Yongsun’s collar bone. The Selkie throws Byuyi a withering stare but shoos the younger duo away with a lazy wave of her hand, her eyes fluttering to a close.

“I don’t know what I'd do without you Wheein.” Hyejin groans, leaning her weight against her friend as they retake their positions at the front. Wheein, trying to keep still, hums as an answer. She was sure Hyejin would be fine on her own. Wheein wasn’t anything really special, nothing like on Hyejin’s level. If one day they go their separate ways Wheein was sure Hyejin would have no trouble adapting to whatever was around her. For now, Wheein would take what she could get and enjoy the time she has with her best friend.

Wheein had been staring at the clock for the past 5 minutes and 23 seconds. 5 minutes and 23 seconds of pure agony waiting for the hour hand to reach the large number 2.

As if the hockey group and their “special” guests weren’t a hassle enough, add onto that the insane entourage of the wedding that was set for tomorrow and Wheein was on her last, fraying nerves. She wondered why her two managers thought the both of them taking overtime to make sure everything was settled in this disaster of a day was a good idea, but as long as they don’t push Wheein over the edge and induce a panic attack Wheein frankly didn’t care too much.

Hyejin had been called to another disaster at the pool after Wheein returned from mitigating a possible fight between the young werewolf from the pool and the vampire who had been staying with them for so long he might as well be a resident of the building. Quelling the atmosphere between supernatural creatures was taxing work, the negative energy around them was unlike anything humans could produce and it left Wheein wound up so tightly she felt like one more problem and she was going to burst like a loaded gun. Upon her arrival at the front desk she found that the two managers had disappeared from the back and Wheein didn’t have the mental capacity to type out a question on her phone.

It had been a long day and all Wheein wanted was to go home. She had bought a bath bomb some time ago, one of those multi-coloured swirled spheres that looked like unicorn someone put a price tag on. Her plan was to draw a long, hot bath, have some saltine crackers and whatever cheese she had left in the fridge and pop open a bottle of rose. She could put on her favourite playlist and light some scented candles over the sink to put her in the mood. Until Hyejin came to crash her evening she was going to kick back and enjoy a long deserved rest and relaxation.

A hand on her shoulder jolts her out of her thoughts and she owlishly blinks at the concerned face coming into her view. The tension in her shoulders slackens as the frowning Kushtaka takes her face into her cool hands, resting their foreheads together to feel her temperature. Wheein was used to the elder’s blatant disregard for personal space and let her be.

“Have you taken your break?” Byulyi pulled away, satisfied with her temperature check.

Wheein thought back to the tea break she had that was cut short due to the call about the werewolf trying to pick a fight with the vampire and sighed, “Yeah, I kinda did.”

“Kinda? Like you kinda forgot to take your lunch break the other day? Or you kinda made rice and forgot to switch the rice cooker on?” Byulyi’s fingers firmly rubbing circles close to her temples further eased the tension from her muscles and Wheein was ready to just fall back then and there and let the elder pamper her. She had no doubt Byulyi would be happy to baby her, but as tempting as it sounded she really didn’t want to trouble her senior any more than what the day is going to bring her. Anyway, Wheein rather someone else pampered her instead.

“I didn’t finish my break, but I don’t really have the stomach to finish my snack anyway.”

“At least take a breather. Go on out the back and take as long as you want. I’m sure we can hold the front while you’re gone.”

“It’s almost home time for me anyway and-” A finger to her lips stop her reasoning, and the firm look on Byulyi’s face is all she needs to hang her head in defeat.

“Good girl.” Byulyi’s signature grin returns to her face. She gives Wheein’s hair a light ruffling before forcing the woman around, pushing her towards the staff exit. “I’ll go take care of our more troublesome guests. Now go, before I kick you out myself.” She ends with a parting smack to Wheein’s .

Wheein yelps at the sting, rubbing her bottom while throwing appalled looks at the chortling senior. She grins soon enough, lifting a hand for a half-hearted wave, exiting without a fuss.

Of course, Wheein thought a calm 15 minute break was too much to ask in their line of business. Just as she was beginning to peacefully zone out the urgent ringing of her phone snapped her back to the present. She blinked at the graffitied brick wall, pulling her phone out of her pocket to have Yongsun’s caller ID flash up at her.

Before she could say a hello Yongsun’s frantic voice could be heard over the line. “Oh, Wheein! Thank God. Are you okay? I couldn’t find you anywhere.” Wheein winces at the shrill feedback; Yongsun’s voice proved to be far louder than any measly microphone could easily transmit. She held the device away from her ear, pulling at her earlobe to ease the ringing in her ear, Yongsun’s “hello? Wheein, hello?” becoming a bit more frantic than the first.

“Easy. I’m at the back. Just taking a short breather.” Wheein finally replies, rising from the stacked up crates she had used as her seat. Hopping down to the landing of the emergency exit she looks up and down the alleyway, just a precaution she has picked up over the years, sliding past the heavy door she had jammed open, making sure to firmly shut it before leaving back to the front desk.

“Oh, good. Oh, my, I’m sorry to cut your break short, but we’re having a bit of a crisis.”

“Yeah, I can hear it in your voice.” Wheein chuckled, hoping to quell her senior’s anxiety, even just a little bit. “Relax, Yongsun, we’ve can get this sorted out. So, what is it this time? Bathroom leak? Systems down?”

“I’ve just had a report of a man in jeans, a black hood, and a dark blue hat somewhere on the property. He’d just attacked one of the housekeepers and slipped away.” All thoughts of poking fun at her senior vanished from Wheein’s mind as her back straightened and she hastened her pace. “Police are on their way, but we need to track him down before he comes across one of our guests.”

“We’ve divided the people we currently have on deck to take two levels at a time for a sweep. Can you make your way to the second floor and up to third and fourth. Hyejin will meet you on the second floor. Byul and I will make a sweep of all the common areas on the first floor then the parking area.”

“I’m on my way.” Wheein replies, urgently swinging into the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. “How did this happen?”

“It’s my fault. I asked Mr Jo to help calm the dispute with our troublesome guests. Left the front open for a couple of minutes. I swear, I thought someone was at the front desk. I didn’t check properly.” Yongsun’s guilty voice comes through clearly in the deafening silence of the stairwell. Wheein almost wants to turn back and give her a hug but she knew it wasn’t the time for that. Yongsun needed them all to work as a team and resolve the problem as quickly as they could, for the safety of all and the reputation they’ve all worked hard on earning for their beloved hotel.

“It’s okay, Yongsun. We’ll find him soon.” Wheein huffs as she pushes past the doors into the second floor. She spots Hyejin’s figure from the middle of the floor, waving at her then motioning to the phone. “I’ve just spotted Hyejin. We’ll make a quick sweep along second then work our way up.”

“You two be careful. Don’t engage unless you’re threatened, you hear me?”

“I hear you. You take care too. Don’t bite him.” Wheein ends the call with a chuckle. A distracted hum was all she gets.

“One hell of a day, huh?” Hyejin shakes her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I can’t wait to get off work and have that movie night with you.”

“Slow down tiger. We’ve got a possibly dangerous man to corner.” They share a chuckle as they make their way back to the stairway, checking each door to see if it was unlocked or damaged. Any possible hiding place was checked, anything that can be opened was inspected. They finish their rounds quickly enough and move on to the third, then the fourth floors.

A few guests poke their heads out at the duo, Wheein being better at placating visitors dealt quickly with them, urging them to enjoy their resting time while reciting all the amenities they were free to make use of. Hyejin pays little mind as she continues her inspection. Once the last of the guest’s queries has been answered, all suspicion deflected, and Hyejin satisfied with her rounds the duo makes their way to the lift with Wheein quickly typing in a message to their two seniors for their peace of mind.

“And that is how we waste 25 minutes of our work time.” Hyejin says, stretching her arms out and yawning feeling her tension melt away slightly. “Feels like high school again. You and me, skipping classes to find a better hiding spot. Don’t you think, Wheein?”

Wheein hums a reply, waiting for Byulyi’s message to come in.

The lift jolts to life, the whirling of the old rotors creaking as the lifts stops at the third floor and the doors pull open. Byulyi’s message comes through just as Wheein feels Hyejin pushing her up against the corner of the small lift, pinning her tightly with their faces just a breath’s away from each other.

Wheein inhaled sharply, flushing quickly when it dawned on her how intimate their position would look like to others. If she was being honest, she didn’t want to pull away; it was the last thing she wanted to do when Hyejin’s full lips so close to her own was taking up a lot of mental strength not to answer to her instinct and claim them for her satisfaction. But the situation wasn’t exactly something they’d want any of their guests to walk into and she was about to push back when she sees Hyejin’s eyes stuck to the figure that had just entered the lifts.

Black hoodie, bill of the blue hat peeking from under the hood, and jeans.

“No.” Wheein breaths out.

“Shhh..” Hyejin hisses, pressing closer as the man moved to the lift’s panel, seemingly pressing buttons at random.

“He couldn’t be.. right into the ing lift?” Wheein hisses back, lifting the phone to her eyes to read Byuyli’s text message.

‘Be careful. We haven’t caught him yet.’

The lift suddenly creaks to a stop and the duo passed each other a look. The lift was old, maintained well enough to work, but it jammed after multiple uses, a fact that all the staff was well aware of. There was possible fix to the problem, as their maintenance guy had shared with the senior staffs, the problem was it needed some elbow grease and some tinkering with the lift’s buttons.

Wheein’s eyes dart back to watch the other occupant of the lift begin to shake and the hairs on her arms stood on end. That did not look good. Before Hyejin could lift a hand, Wheein had pulled Hyejin into her arms, turning them around so that her back was now exposed to the man. When an eerie chuckle starts sounding off from him Wheein growled a lowly warning, baring her dull teeth as she watched the man through her peripherals.

Hyejin wastes no time taking Wheein’s phone and ringing the first person she could find on screen. The second the call picked up Hyejin was hissing under the maniacal laughter bouncing around the small area. “We’ve found your guy, but we’ve got a problem. We’re stuck in the lift with him.”

A resounding ‘What?!’ crackles from the phone’s speakers, loud enough to catch the man’s attention. Wheein’s low growl raised an octave higher as she positioned herself, ready to attack or deflect, her eyes quickly scanning the man before them for anything he could use as a potential weapon.

They could hear Yongsun’s faint panicked voice from the receiver but it was mostly taken up by the sound of shoes clicking on the floor and of rustling fabric. “We’re coming. Don’t do anything! I’ll break the entire lift if I have to get to you two. Just stay put.”

“As opposed to what?”

“Not the time, Hyejin.” Wheein rumbles back, reaching one hand back to make sure Hyejin was within her grasp in case the man decided to lunge for them. Her head was beginning to spin and pound, she could feel a pulse of something trying to break out, battling with her increasing anxiety for dominance.

The following few minutes was like a blur for Wheein. With her more animalistic side stirring awake all her senses began to heighten and it reminded Wheein of how much she preferred the muted human senses over the sensory overload that felt like whiplash to her. Her ears pounded from the combination of the adrenaline pumping through her veins, the diminishing chortles from the man, the grating noises from the phone’s receiver, and the pounding against the lift doors. Add to that the vibrations from the pounding were making it hard for her to concentrate on which problem to address. A light bluish glow began emanating from her paling skin, her jaws aching from the forced elongation and sharpening of her teeth. It was a nightmare and Wheein struggled to keep to her senses.

The man curling into a ball at his corner of the lift made him look like an easier target, something her instincts told her she shouldn’t lay to waste. She growls threateningly, running her tongue over the now sharpened canines as her legs took a more firm stance ready to leap. Flight was now far from her thoughts as her belly rumbled asking to be fed, but Hyejin’s arms wrapping around her waist anchored her consciousness. It would have been easy to break free from Hyejin’s grip. She may be shorter but she was physically stronger than the witch thanks to the cat spirit that was now awake.

“Wheein, no!” Wheein’s growls were starting to sound more like long yowls, but Wheein remains still, her hand curling around the delicate wrists that were the only thing holding her back from mauling the possible threat in front of her.

A loud, grating creak of metal shot a sharp pain speared through Wheein’s ears and her head snapped to the source, eyes narrowing as she hissed. There was a bright flash then darkness took over her sights. Like a puppet with its strings cut the tension that kept Wheein up snapped and she collapsed.

The faint calling of her name was the last thing Wheein remembered as she came to. Her head pounded and the white ceiling reflecting back the light wasn’t helping ease the pain. What was though was the hand softly caressing her hair and the low humming of an old lullaby she only ever heard from one person.

“Yongsun..”

“Hey, sweetie.” Her smiling face croons down at her, her fingers running gently along Wheein’s eyebrows. “Glad to see you’re awake.”

“Oh, God, my head aches.” Wheein moans as she pushed off the lap she had been resting on. Her head spins as soon as she sits up and the regret is immediate. Pulling her tongue, she held in a barf, resting both her elbows on her knees to better anchor her body, squeezing her eyes shut and clutching at her head. She could hear Yongsun giggle softly, her gentle hand coming up to run along her back.

“I’m not surprised. Your Nekomata was forcefully trying to take you over. It’s nothing short a miracle you kept enough control to hold back from going completely feral on us.”

“I wasn’t going to lose control.” Wheein grumbles, sighing like a satiated cat when Yongsun’s hand took a firm hold behind her neck and applied pressure to certain spots.

“You nearly did. Hyejin had to put you out with a spell.” A long breath escapes Wheein’s parted lips. No wonder she passed out so quickly. “Please don’t get angry at her. Byulyi managed to pry the elevator doors from outside, but all the noise must’ve distressed your Nekomata.”

Wheein straightened her back, looking over the staff room. She felt a tinge of worry and a whole lot of disappointment at the absence of a certain presence. It wasn’t like Hyejin needed to watch over her, she had her own work she needed to do, Wheein thought bitterly.

Chewing on her lower lip she considered that- as Yongsun put it- distressing event. Wheein had repressed the spirit of the Nekomata for so long that it could have saved its strength as it bides its time waiting for the perfect chance to take over. Wheein did feel that helplessness as all those muted senses blared at her, slamming into her like a runaway train, confusing her too much for her to properly distribute her attention. But as soon as she felt its desire for blood in the presence of someone who was precious to Wheein.. well, she would have fought tooth and nail to keep the cat caged if it meant keeping Hyejin away from harm.

“How’s Byulyi?”

“She’s fine.” Yongsun pulled back, her lips turning up to a frown. “She could have handled it a bit more maturely, but she handled it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She dragged a man twice her size through the lobby, in view of our very curious guests before locking him up for the police to deal with.” Wheein grinned. It was reassuring to know Byulyi, despite looking like she couldn’t even lift a sack of potatoes with her stick arms, was fiercely protective as she was loyal. It just goes to show that if push comes to shove Byulyi would deliver.

“Don’t be angry at her. Byulyi’s just protective.”

“I know. But she should have thought about how the rest of us would feel if we get found out. I mean, what if the man was actually dangerous? What if she snapped and did something much worse? What if she got hurt instead? What if this reaches the council’s ears-”

“The council will understand.” Wheein cuts Yongsun’s rant off, taking her hand into her own. Wheein tries not to smile at the slight shaking of her hands or the way the anger melted into worry. It was rare to find their normally level-headed senior show this much worry. Yongsun made as a great leader due to her capability to compartmentalise and separate her professional and private life. She was caring, yes, but she could instantly switch that part of her off when the occasion called for it.

To see Yongsun in this state, Wheein felt like she was brought into a moment that was too raw, too personal. It felt nice to be on the other side for once, to be a source of comfort instead of the recipient.

It doesn’t take long for Yongsun to snap out of it, squeezing Wheein’s hand in gratitude. Her caring, brown eyes fall back to Wheein, a soft smile on her lips. “You’re right. I’m overthinking this. It was in defence; they won’t fault Byulyi for taking out the problem efficiently. I mean, it’s also human nature.” Yongsun continues, her eyes occasionally flickering back to the doorway. “Look at me. I stayed back so I can look after you, not the other way around.”

They share a soft chuckle, the turbulence in their minds and hearts easing.

“Go home. Get some rest. We'll deal with this. Thank you for all the work you’ve done today.” Yongsun says, gently cupping one of Wheein’s cheeks. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Unless you want to take a day off?” She ends unsurely, brows raised in a way that let Wheein know it was a suggestion rather than a real question.

“I’ll be here tomorrow.” Wheein nods her head, waving Yongsun’s disproving look away.

Once Yongsun leaves the room Wheein collapses back onto the couch. The day had been long and, after all the excitement, fatigue was finally catching up to her. She couldn’t remember when the last time her muscles ached that badly or how her bones protested at every movement. She could really use that warm bath.

“Hey.” The soft rasp caught Wheein’s ears. She looked to the source, a loopy smile replacing her tiredness as she gazed at Hyejin’s form leaning against the doorway.

“Hey.” She responded back, lifting a hand out, opening and closing it like a baby asking to be held. It doesn’t take a lot for Hyejin to respond to the request, closing the distance between them to take Wheein’s hand into hers, slipping onto the empty space beside her tired friend.

“How are you feeling?”

Wheein hums, closing her eyes as Hyejin kneaded her hand. “Better now” Now that you’re here, she wanted to add. She her lips, kind of wishing she was a little bit bolder when it comes to her feelings.

“That’s good.”

They fell into silence, Hyejin carefully massaging Wheein’s hand while the latter took in Hyejin’s appearance. Wheein admired the way Hyejin looked effortlessly beautiful with the way her tanned skin shone under the yellow lighting of their break room or the way her hair looked silky to the touch. If Wheein didn’t know Hyejin she would have thought the witch had the blood of a deity or was of nymph decent. She reminisced the times Hyejin and her shared the comfort of the couch, the younger woman lying parallel to Wheein’s front as they cuddled in one of their movie marathons.

“I was worried.” Hyejin’s soft confession popped Wheein’s daydreaming. She turned a confused look to her best friend,  furrowing her brows, silently urging her to continue. “Of you losing control. I was worried back there. That you might..” Hyejin stopped, her lips quivering too much for her to continue. She pulled back, her eyes rolling up in an attempt to stop the tears that was glossing over her eyes.

“Hyejin..” Watching her best friend on the verge of tears stung Wheein’s heart. She scooted close to the younger woman carefully placing a comforting arm around Hyejin’s shoulder. She lets Hyejin tuck her head under her chin, arms wrapping around her waist. The soft quivering and the wet patch rapidly growing on her shoulder brought out Wheein’s own tears, something she sniffed back refusing to let fall. If she started crying it’ll only worsen Hyejin’s and they'll have a hard time ending it. “Don’t cry. What are you crying for? We made it out alright.”

“I thought I was going to lose you.” Hyejin sniffed, voice cracking. “I was so worried. So scared.”

“Hey,” Wheein lowered her voice, nudging Hyejin by her chin. She reached up, drying the falling tears as best as she could “hey, look at me. You’re not going to lose me, okay? I’m not going down that easily. Especially not to a cat.”

Hyejin sniffed, doing her best to regain her control. She dabbed away under her eyes, trying to mirror the smile Wheein was giving her. “It’s a demon cat.”

“Demon cat. Ghost cat. Lucky cat. Whatever. It’s just a cat. I have something that keeps me beating that cat down.”

“And what’s that?”

Wheein looked over the pretty face that she had been dreaming of for what felt like forever. She reached for Hyejin’s hand, intertwining their fingers together, marvelling at how it just felt right to her holding Hyejin like that. She wondered how long they had kept up the blurred line between their long term friendship and that intimacy that they’ve grown comfortable with yet still remained unspoken.

Wheein flashed Hyejin a grin, letting a soft snort at how ridiculous their set up was relatable to a clichéd romcom. Her, the coward who thinks too much but never acts on her impulse, and Hyejin, her sweet Hyejin, the love interest who Wheein was sure she’d never find another person to love as much as she loved Ahn Hyejin.

“I wouldn’t know what I’d do without you, Hyejin.” The statement was said in a whisper, partially because of the doubts and fears Wheein kept close to her heart. When Hyejin’s eyes flick up to her Wheein finally sees the tenderness in how Hyejin regards her and the pure adoration in her smile. She almost chuckles at her obliviousness. “And I think I might be the dumbest coward in this whole world, but can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes?” Hyejin prompts, just as softly as Wheein’s voice, like they had a secret they didn’t want to share with the world.

Wheein swallowed, pushing aside her fear aside for one more feat of bravery. “Can I kiss you?”

Her answer was the soft press of Hyejin’s lips on her. The way they slotted together made Wheein’s heart beat ten times faster than when they were stuck in the lift, made her gut flutter like beyond what gravity could comprehend, and made her head spin but in a good way. It made Wheein realise just how deeply in love she was and she let her eyes flutter to a close, holding Hyejin by the jaw as she reciprocated the kiss.

“Hyeji- OH MY GOD!” Hyejin was the first to break the kiss, started by the loud exclamation by the door.

Wheein didn’t mind too much since she had forgotten how to breathe and took the chance to catch her breath. She looked over to Yongsun, her hands over her eyes as she stayed rooted to her spot, blushing furiously.

“You really have horrible timing Yongsun.” Hyejin sighed, leaning tiredly against Wheein’s arm. Wheein received her happily, placing a soft peck over the thick bush of her hair.

“I’m sorry!” Yongsun squeaked, “but I just needed help putting out a dumpster fire.”

Hyejin sighs, pinching the giggling Wheein by her elbow. There's never a dull moment at the front desk.