He softly takes the back of my head, and leans forward to kiss me.

          This isn’t just a peck, and this is longer than our first kiss—he’s really going for it. Baekhyun keeps leaning forward, and my back gradually starts to go down against the pillows behind me. I’m nearly lying down right now.

          Baekhyun has one hand supporting himself next to my ear, and I put both of my arms around his neck. I can faintly hear the movie audio from the TV, but it slowly fades as I’m drown deeper.

          Baekhyun stops, then we look at each other for awhile. He breaks into a smile, and I laugh silently.

          “I should’ve known when you were giving me that look.” I whisper.

          Baekhyun kisses me again, and I feel like I’m getting swallowed by the feathery pillows on my back. I move my hands to his shoulders, and with one push I reverse our positions. Baekhyun is completely lying on his back, and he stares at me wide-eyed as I trap him between my arms.

          “Wow, Hong Lana.” Baekhyun raises his eyebrows. “Is it the beer?”

          I smile, and glance at the empty bottle beside the bed. “Is it?”

          I bend down to catch his lips, and Baekhyun welcomes me without any resistance. When his hands start to move to my waist, I abruptly break away and stand up at once. He looks a bit puzzled as he watches me fixing my messy hair with my fingers.

          “Quoting someone, I should get out before it gets more dangerous.”

          Baekhyun sits up, and he lets out a loud scoff. “Wow, you’re driving me insane.”

          “Good.” I smirk. I walk to the door without looking back, and see Baekhyun rising to his feet when I’m wearing my shoes. He stays near the bed, looking at me from afar.

          “You’re not going to see me off?” I smile innocently.

          “Be thankful I hold myself back here, or else I won’t let you leave.” he says as calmly as possible.

          “Whoops.” I throw him one last smile, and go outside. The short walk to my room seems long with my mind bustling fireworks, thinking of what just happened.

*

          The next day, I stay in my room during morning and not answering Baekhyun’s request for breakfast on purpose, and finally go out for brunch. I’m peacefully eating my pancakes when Baekhyun appears in front of me, and he takes a seat silently. “Did you sleep well?” he asks.

          I nod. “Did you?” I throw the question back.

          He has one side of his mouth going up, and laughs with his nose. “No, because of someone.”

          We decide take a walk in the garden since it’s sunny, and Baekhyun claims he knows a shortcut to reach the spot by going through the staff-only exit. We need to go down two levels of stairs, and Baekhyun stops halfway.

          “Why?” I ask. Baekhyun shakes his head, and takes my hands.

          “Nothing. Let’s stay here for awhile.” he says. He makes us stand on the corner between the stairs, and he’s just holding my hands, having a little smile on his face. I look at our united hands, and pout.

          “What, your fingers are prettier than me.” I’ve realized it before, but I haven’t let him know. Baekhyun laughs and presses my nails softly.

          “Yours are pretty too.” he says.

          “Come on, let’s go to the garden.” I demand, but Baekhyun stops me from walking. I look at him, and he fixes his sight on me.

          “Ah, that look again.” I mutter, unimpressed.

          Baekhyun grins, then tilts his head as he goes closer to me. I put both of my hands on his chest, blocking him. “Are you crazy? There are security cameras!”

          “Who cares?” he breathes. He places his hands on my neck, and swoops in for a kiss. I’m literally cornered in this spot, but I decide to loosen up. Well, as long as nobody comes—

          I hear the emergency door open from the top stairs, and I push Baekhyun away. Two hotel technicians go down to where we are as they talk, and they awkwardly look at us. They give us little bows as they pass by, and I feel my heart dropping to the floor.

          “As I said, we just should go outside!” I slap his upper arm after the technicians are gone, and Baekhyun just chuckles.

          “Alright, alright.” Baekhyun takes my hand again, and leads me to the exit. We come out from an access right next to the green house of the garden, a narrow path covered in grass. Between it and the hotel gate is a lush march of colorful flowers, some of them are glazed with remains of the snow. It looks warm and cold at the same time.

          “Wow.” I slowly exclaim. Baekhyun stands proudly next to me, watching me admiring the flowers.

          “Let’s go to the front side, it’s even prettier there.”

          Since the sun comes out today, a few guests are roaming the garden and visiting the green house. After I run out of things to take pictures of, Baekhyun and I walk again on the path leading to the door we came from, we’re a few feet apart since I hop here and there observing the hotel’s architecture. It keeps getting bigger as time passes by.

          “I’ll look around behind this area for a bit.” I tell Baekhyun, and he nods while stopping to check his phone. It’s actually leading to the security office behind the hotel. I hear the staff-only door being opened, and I carefully walk towards the source to see who it is.

          “Baekhyun? What are you doing here?”

          It’s Manager Byun’s voice. When I get closer, his back is facing me while he stands in front of Baekhyun, and Baekhyun takes an uneasy glance at me once. I decide to go into hiding on the wall next to the door. I silently stick my back to the wall, and make sure my shadow isn’t seen. I don’t really need to hide though, I’ll just come out naturally after some time.

          “Oh… Father.”

          “What are you doing here alone? A smoke?”

          “…yes.” Baekhyun impulsively answers.

          “Thought you’re with that Lana kid again.” I hear the sound of lighter clicking, then a scoff. “Why do you hang out with her so much? I don’t like her. She looks arrogant, a typical rich kid… No wonder she got hit that time.”

          I blink twice. Manager Byun’s voice changes into something I’ve never heard before—I’m used to listen to his reserved, business voice, but this harsh and judgmental tone quite surprises me. Baekhyun doesn’t say a word. Why isn’t he saying anything?

          “She’s not like that.” Baekhyun is finally heard.

          “She won’t be too different from her aunt.” Manager Byun says. “An unempathetic, bossy fox… No wonder she’s not married. Because she’s unmarried, she has no sense at all—remember when you met me before that meeting? She called Manager Ryu again to the office so she needed to bring her baby. Good job for handling it, son. Hong Lana wasn’t even doing anything.”

          “That—”

          “Manager Ryu is just as troublesome, though. If she can’t handle being a working mom, she should’ve hired a babysitter or just stayed at home.” Manager Byun spits to the ground. “I’ve had quite a few headaches working with those women.”

          I’m staring emptily at the hollow grass yard in front of me.

          “Hong Jinhee doesn’t know how having a family feels so she tortures us with those overtime hours. I really don’t know why the board chose her to be the GM over me—I think I did better in the assessment. Probably something happened behind the stage, hah. Maybe slept her way up. Gosh, she’s old, though, she should know her place.”

          I’m this close to reveal myself when suddenly a phone rings, and Manager Byun answers it. “Hello? Oh, sure thing. Have you signed the supporting documents? Alright, I’m coming.” He hangs up, and groans irritably. “I have to go.”

          Baekhyun and I wait until he’s completely gone as we stay still on our spots for a full minute, then I hear his steps approaching me. Our eyes instantly meet, and he appears anxious to me.

          I take a step away from the wall, and audibly exhale. Both of us seem to have something to say.

          “So that’s what your father thinks about my aunt.” I begin, trying to be rational.

          “Lana…”

          “He also apparently doesn’t like me. Well, that’s okay… I’m used to it. Like that time with the senior, even though I basically didn’t do anything.” I press my lips together. “But the things he said about Aunt…” I clench my jaw.

          I can see Baekhyun’s shoulders going up and down in heavy breaths, and nothing is said between us.

          “I don’t think I can spend the time with you now.” I feel the need to leave before I get angrier. I glance at the flowers behind him, and it doesn’t look as pretty as it did when I first saw them. “I need some time for myself.”

          “Lana, it doesn’t mean I have the same views!”

          “I know, but it’s still uncomfortable!” my voice goes up a pitch, and my heart starts drumming. I hate this feeling. “I can’t play and laugh with you here, with the knowledge I heard earlier!”

          I try to control my breathing. I walk past him, and decide to go inside the hotel from the front by passing the garden. It also doesn’t look as beautiful as before.

          I go to Aunt’s office, and she’s going through a document behind her desk when I come inside. “Lana, my dear! What are you doing here?”

          I swallow, and attempt to normally smile. “I miss Aunt.”

          “Aw.” she squeals. “I’m going to check this for a bit—there, next to the TV, I store some snacks. Go eat them.”

          “Okay.” I take a pack of crackers with no intention to eat it, then sit on the sofa to watch Aunt work, examining her focused image.

          My aunt, who I look up to because of her perseverance and independence… Someone that her big family is so proud of, someone who proves that one’s hard work will always pay off. The elders sometimes pressure her because of her single status, but she’s not bothered at all. My aunt, who loves her family members so much… She might be busy with her job but she makes sure her heart reaches us with calls, presents or simple take-care texts.

          My vision blurs, and I grit my teeth. And someone dared to talk about my aunt like that… Not on my watch.

          “Lana, have you eaten lunch?” she asks, breaking my thoughts. She’s still looking at the papers, and I take the chance to wipe my eyes.

          “Oh—I had brunch, I’m not hungry. But I’ll go to lunch with you if you haven’t.”

          “I think I’ll eat here. Do you want some light meals? I’ll ring the kitchen in a bit.”

          “Sure. I’ll think about it.”

          “By the way, you’re not with Manager Byun’s son?”

          I curl my toes. “No, he has something else to do.”

          Aunt just bobs her head. I lean to the sofa and close my eyes, with my heart still uneasy.

*

          In the evening, I plan to sleep in Aunt’s penthouse and I’m going back to my room to bring a few things. I pass by Baekhyun’s room, and stare at the door.

          I take a deep breath, and look at the ceiling. Shall we just meet first?

          I have my hand in front of the bell, but I hesitate. He hasn’t contacted me as well.

          I take out my phone from my pocket when it lights up, and for a millisecond my heart rises in anticipation. The call is not who I thought it would be though—it’s Aunt.

          “Lana, where are you?”

          “I’m… I’m in my room.”

          “Listen, Manager Byun’s mother just passed away. Let’s go to the funeral with me.”