"in that first kiss I felt it all"
— Anonymous

After subconsciously speeding down the highway, parking the Maserati, and taking the elevator to the 54th floor, Byun Baekhyun found himself standing in front of their apartment unit, frozen on the spot. He somehow had the sudden urge to see Ara, and left Chaeyoung in a hurry, but now that his senses had come back to him, he was unsure of how to proceed.

"What the hell am I doing?" Baekhyun mumbled as he stared at their slate-colored door and debated his next move.

He could turn around now, but he was too lazy to drive all the way back to the Four Seasons. He also he knew he wouldn't have the energy to argue with, then pacify, an upset mistress so…it was better to just go in and sleep the rest of the night away.

With a tired sigh, Baekhyun pressed his thumb on the sensor and deactivated the locks. He pulled open the metal door, tossed his keys in its designated bowl, and quietly made his way to the dining room where he discovered Ara in her pajamas, holding her pale pink mug with both hands.

With one look, the desire he had earlier—back at the club, then at the hotel—resurrected, and he felt himself becoming physically drawn to her.

"You're home early," Ara greeted as she set her cup on the glass table and glanced at the clock, "I thought you were—"

Before she could finish her sentence, she found both her husband's hands cupping her neck, his thumbs lifting her chin, and his lips pressing against her own.

They were soft and warm with a lingering taste of whiskey.

Ara had always been mentally prepared for the Lothario's teases and empty threats of physical affection—because she was confident he would never follow through—but now that he had, she was frozen in shock. Speechless. Her mind empty beyond belief.

Though his lips craved more, Baekhyun eventually regained control of his desires. His wife didn't show any sign of resistance, but nevertheless, he released her slowly and took a step back. He may be a player, but he wasn't a monster—he would never force himself on anyone.

Raising his head, he met his wife's slightly widened gaze, yet her pair of dark brown eyes told him nothing. He knew the kiss caught her off guard, but he couldn't tell if her current expression was that of curiosity, lividness, or disgust.

He hated how he couldn't read her.

A long, awkward silence that was impossible to break ensued soon after.

Unable to summon any word from his vast vocabulary, Baekhyun simply lowered his head in apology, turned around, then headed for his room, but as he got closer to the hallway, Ara surprisingly called out to him.

"Chaeyoung," she started with a calm and collected voice, "she may not admit it…but she's fallen in love with you. Please, don’t hurt her."

|| Hell Week ||

Convention Week—dubbed Hell Week—was the busiest time of the year for The Lux Hotel. It was a two-week long event where multiple organizations and agencies from both the public and private sectors gathered to reveal upcoming ventures, discuss future projects, and expand their network.

Thanks to meticulous preparations, the first week of this hectic period was smooth sailing…but when the sun dawned on the eight day, all hell broke loose behind the heavy curtains.

|| Convention: Day 12 of 14 ||

The 1000-room property buzzed with the hustle and bustle of each department tending to their collective clients and guests.

They were on the last three days of Hell Week—barely surviving the previous four—but the end felt like it was nowhere in sight.