"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
— Mark Twain

"Secretary Oh Sehun of BYN Group and Director Seo Ara from the Catering Department are dating." This was the next big thing that rattled The Lux Hotel the moment Hell Week came to a close.

What started out as an ember of curiosity held by a few, grew into a wildfire that engulfed each and every department of the 1000-room property.

Over the course of 28 days, the initial questions of "Who is the new director of catering?" and "How is she affiliated with both the chairman and the GM?"—questions originating from the Catering Department—slowly transformed into statements that slithered their way into other divisions of the hotel.

"Director Seo is Secretary Oh's girlfriend," and "Secretary Oh recommended her for the job after introducing her to the top executives," became the whispered rumors that were eventually solidified as the truth.

A handful of colleagues had shared their personal accounts of seeing the "couple" on their frequent lunch dates, and witnessing firsthand, the close interactions the two shared—especially during the past few days when Secretary Oh took temporary charge on behalf of General Manager Byun. There was no refuting that an undeniable attraction existed between them, and based on these observations, the majority agreed that the dating speculations were in fact, real.

|| The Lux Hotel: Lobby ||

His three and a half day absence didn’t lead to The Lux's demise as Ara assured him, but it did let loose a horde of gossip mongers wasting precious work hours on worthless rumors...and General Manager Byun hated every second of it.

If there was anything less productive than staring at a blank wall, it would be spreading baseless claims that impeded on the workflow of others.

"But have you heard about the way he strode into her office? It was like he was in heat," the young restaurant server walking some distance in front of him told her co-worker, whose arm was linked loosely to hers.

"I wish someone pursued me like that," the other woman replied, followed by a snicker, "But doing it at your workplace? That's too risqué even for me."

Her friend turned to her and grinned. "Exactly! I didn't think he was such a go-getter. I wouldn't mind it though, getting freaky in the office. As long as it was with a fine god like him, I'd gladly bend over and let him take me from behind," she commented playfully before letting out an envious sigh, "Ah~ what a lucky girl."

Baekhyun clenched his jaws. This was the fourth of similar dialogues he'd overheard since entering the building, and he was almost at his limit of how much more of this scandal he could tolerate. He couldn't care less if any of his employees dated, broke-up, got married, separated, got cheated on, or divorced, but for their relationship to be the talk of the whole hotel, that was a different story.

"So how long have they been together?" he nonchalantly asked his unwary staff as the three of them arrived in front of the elevators.

The more outspoken of the two laughed as she looked over her shoulder to answer. "How could I possibly know—General Manager Byun!" she exclaimed at the sight of her superior standing behind her—a sight that quickly drained the blood from her face.

Her co-worker's eyes also widened in shock. Both had the desire to fan girl in secret, but their minds only allowed them to shrink in fear. The current expression on his handsome face quickly silenced the quiet shrieks they would've surely let out if the situation was different.

Instead, the two immediately unlinked arms, turned completely around, and bowed at a respectful angle, greeting him simultaneously.

Without returning a greeting, Baekhyun simply sighed and entered the elevator that just arrived. "I don't mind if you gossip to your heart's content, but please, don't do so on the hotel's tab," he stated as the two rose from their bow. He then settled his icy gaze at both of their nametags, committing their names to memory before the metal doors closed between them. 

|| The Lux Hotel: Office of the General Manager ||

"Isn't Director Seo just so lucky? Dating someone as handsome as Secretary Oh?" Secretary Kim—the younger of Baekhyun's assistants—commented with a tilted head and heart-shaped pupils as she envisioned god's reserved yet breathtaking creation standing in front of her. Blinking away the image of the chairman's personal assistant, she turned to her sunbae with slightly wrinkled brows. "But unni, aren't your nervous?" she asked with worry.

Without taking her eyes off the file in her hand, Secretary Ji answered with disinterest, "Why? Is there a reason to be?"

"Well everyone knows Secretary Oh is basically like Chairman Byun's second grandson," Secretary Kim began as she, too, started her day, "and the way you've been treating his girlfriend hasn't been very nice, so…"

"So nothing. If they were dating, General Manager Byun would've definitely told me," the senior assistant argued with confidence, making her subordinate scoff.

"Pfft. Since when did you become the GM's confidant?" Secretary Kim countered under her breath.

"Look!" Secretary Ji yelled in frustration, slamming the hard folder on their desk, "They're not together! There is no way that woman could've ensnared—"

"Just what in the world is going on in this hotel?" Baekhyun roared as he entered the reception area of his office.

Both startled women immediately sprang to their feet with lowered heads. "Good morn—" the older of the two started, but their visibly irate boss interrupted once more.

"From the parking garage, all over the lobby, and now here…all I heard was about this damn dating rumor," he informed them with a chilling tone, "Now what the hell is going