Shin Hye and Shi Yoon have been standing a few meters away from Reveille for around fifteen minutes now. Shi Yoon kept glancing at Shin Hye while she studied the people who flocked by the entrance intently. He wondered why they were still standing outside and not attempting to go in, themselves.

The bouncers were vicious. Shin Hye gathered that out of everyone who arrived at the club since they’d been standing there, approximately ten people have been let in, and that’s barely twenty percent of the people who tried. The line was getting longer and longer. Most of those outside were on their phones, probably calling people they knew who could get them in.

Shin Hye let out a sigh and started walking to the opposite direction of the club. When Shi Yoon turned to glance at her again again, he was startled that Shin Hye was already a considerable distance away.

“Y-ya! Where are you going?!” Shi Yoon yelled as he stumbled to follow.

“We can’t get in there,” she said as soon as Shi Yoon caught up with her.

“Don’t worry about it, I already put us in the guest list,” Shi Yoon gestured to his phone. “It was actually really easy.”

Shin Hye ignored him and kept walking, looking left and right, as if scanning the stores. Shi Yoon just followed her, speculating what was running through her mind. After a few minutes of walking, Shin Hye stopped in front of a store and looked inside. Shi Yoon was about to ask, but then without warning, she made her way through the door.

Shi Yoon groaned and hung his head low. “This brat really doesn’t tell me anything,” he mumbled before entering as well.

Shi Yoon walked to Shin Hye who was giving the display mannequin a stare down. “Uhm. What are you doing?” He asked, his eyes scanning the racks and racks of clothes inside the shop.

“Shopping,” Shin Hye replied without looking at him. “Did you see the people there? If we want to get into that club, we have to look… different. You should probably start picking stuff, too.” She pointed to the men’s section before moving on to a rack of dresses, running her hands through them one by one. She honestly didn’t know what she was looking for. But she’s always been told that red was a y color, so she’ll start with that.

“But I said I already put us in the guest list. We should be able to go in just fine.”

“Not with these clothes.”

“What’s wrong with what we’re wearing?” He gave her a once over. She was wearing her usual all-black ensemble: shirt, leather jacket and tight jeans. She looked okay. Great, even. Like a hot biker chick. He looked down at himself and winced. Yeah, maybe he needed to change clothes, but not her.

“What do you think?”

Shi Yoon looked up and saw Shin Hye hold a dress against her body. It was strapless and way too short. Not to mention, it was dipped at the middle to show cleavage.

He shook his head. “No freaking way,” he snatched the dress from her forcefully, but before she can protest, he already removed a hanger from the rack and pushed it in front of her.

Shin Hye examined it, her eyebrows creased with doubt. “It’s not red.”

“Yes, Shin Hye. It’s not red. It’s called green. Emerald green to be exact,” he spoke slowly, like he was lecturing a five-year old.

She scowled but took it from him anyway. “Are you sure? I think the other dress is better.”

Shi Yoon crossed his arms. “Remember that e you met at Mr. Shin’s hotel room? Yeah, I bet she has that dress in five different colors.”

“Stop being a smart mouth,” she hit his arm and gave the dress she was holding more thought. “But this has holes on the side though.” She looked at him doubtfully.

“I’ve seen your waist. I’d rather you flaunt that rather than your…” Shi Yoon trailed off and looked away consciously. “Just try it, okay?” He cleared his throat. “By the way, how are we going to pay for clothes? I already told you, we’re running out of funds.”

“You pay for it.” Shin Hye smiled and headed to the dressing area.

“WHAT? HOW? YA!”

“You’re the genius, figure it out. Maybe punch some buttons on your phone and make money appear,” she replied before disappearing into one of the stalls.

“Meo? Punch some what? Are you making fun of what I do now? Aish this girl CHINCHA!” Shi Yoon scratched his head. He did have some personal money saved up, and God knows he’s been wanting to buy Shin Hye some proper clothes. Everything in her closet was either black, gray, or white. He was saving money for some tech upgrades but this was more urgent.

He groaned again, accepting his impoverished fate, and headed over to pick his own clothes. He was on his way to change when Shin Hye burst out from the dressing room.

Shi Yoon’s jaw literally dropped upon seeing her. One of the attendants obviously did something with her hair because from a ponytail, her long locks now cascaded down her shoulders – and the saleslady was still trying to fix it while she beamed quite proudly behind. He slowly took in everything he saw.

“Wow.”

Shin Hye looked down at herself. “You don’t think I look too… green?”

Shi Yoon shook his head. “You look amazing.”

Her expression brightened. “Amazing enough to catch the attention of a chaebol?”

“Amazing enough to catch any man’s attention,” he answered like a zombie – still staring at her. “Wow I can’t believe it. I’ve got great taste. What can I not do?” He shook his head. “Don’t you agree, Miss?” He smiled briefly at the attendant who looked down and blushed.

Shin Hye let out a half-hearted laugh and frowned. “Alright, alright. Change. I’ll be over there. This lady thinks I need new shoes.”

“YA! WE’RE BROKE!”

She kicked his shin and he writhed in pain, muttering curses before heading to the dressing room to change, too.

Shin Hye sat down on the shop’s stool while the saleslady picked out a pair of shoes for her. She crouched down excitedly to help Shin Hye wear them.

“Your friend is right, you really do look amazing,” the young woman remarked as she looked up at her.

Shin Hye smiled awkwardly in response. She wasn’t used to other women giving her compliments. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t used to other women at all.

“Do you plan to go to a salon after this?” She asked brightly.

“Me?” Shin Hye pointed at herself. “Aniyo, I’m just going to a club.”

The woman looked at her vacantly before giggling. Shin Hye ran a hand through her hair, wondering what her deal was.

“You don’t shop much, do you? And is this your first time clubbing?” The young woman asked as she approached the cashier’s table.

“Eh? Ahh, yeah,” Shin Hye mumbled, watching her get her bag from behind the counter. The woman took out a black box and laid it on another stool. What the hell is this woman doing?

“Do you mind?” She asked, holding up a tube of lipstick.

Shin Hye widened her eyes, alarmed. “Is this part of your job?”

The woman laughed again. “No, it’s not. But us girls have to have each others’ backs, right?”

Shin Hye opened to speak, but she didn’t really know what to say. The last time she put make up on was when she was still in college.

“I’ll just enhance your features a bit,” she continued, lowering her face to Shin Hye’s. “But you’re already really beautiful. This will just add that dash of magic.” She smiled as she started applying lipstick on her lips. “Aigoo, I can imagine those poor men’s faces now. You’re going to break hearts tonight,” she winked.

Shin Hye just sat there unmoving and kept quiet as the woman did things to her face. She even took out a brush from her bag and started combing Shin Hye’s hair. When she was done, she stepped back to admire her work. “Keut!” She excitedly pulled Shin Hye up from the stool and pushed her gently in front of the huge mirror by the shop’s entrance. “What do you think?”

Shin Hye took a look and wondered who the stranger looking back at her was. She doesn’t know what the woman did but it was damn good. Her eyes were so well-defined they popped out; her lashes looked even longer than they already were. Her lips were a light shade of pink and for some reason, looked good with the green dress that hugged her body. Lastly, her strappy heels made her legs look really tall. Even her hair was shinier.

“What sorcery is this?” Shi Yoon’s voice made Shin Hye jump.

She whirled around to see her best friend looking so handsome and dapper wearing a navy blue blazer over a striped dress shirt and fitted jeans. He even had a swanky necktie to complete the whole look. She squinted her eyes to make sure it was Shi Yoon she was looking at.

Shin Hye shook her head. “Wow you look…”

“Right? Amazing, right?” Shi Yoon twirled around playfully and put his hands on his waist as if striking a pose. Shin Hye rolled her eyes. “And look at you!” He continued, “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“I was going to say you look like you’re going to be a lot poorer after paying for all these clothes but, sure, you look amazing, too,” she shrugged.

Shi Yoon’s face fell after the realization dawned on him that he had yet to pay for the clothes. He gloomily looked at the young woman who helped Shin Hye out as she let out another hearty chuckle. “If it helps, you both look great. The money’s worth it.”

Shi Yoon reluctantly followed her to the counter and paid, while Shin Hye glanced at her watch. It was almost nine o’clock. She wasn’t sure what time Lee Min Ho would be at the club, or if he would be there at all. Frankly, this was the first time she was feeling a little on the edge working a job. Granted, she didn’t have to kill him yet, but this was a completely different world than she knows. She can go into an underground club full of gangsters, thugs, and murderers and she’d still feel more comfortable than going into a club full of rich kids.

“Just so you know, I’m one thousand dollars poorer,” Shi Yoon told her as they were exiting the store.

Shin Hye patted his back. “The price of pretending like chaebols. Speaking of which, are you ready?”

Shi Yoon straightened his tie and tugged the edges of his blazer. “I was born to play this role.”

The bouncer checked their names on his iPad and suspiciously gave them a once over. Shi Yoon somehow felt offended that he needed to assess their appearances out even after he’s read their names and verified their IDs. Shin Hye was right all along. If they still wore what they were wearing before their make-overs, they wouldn’t have gotten past the entrance.

“It’s probably because we’re new,” Shi Yoon whispered to Shin Hye after he noticed she had the same frown on her face.

The man eventually waved them in. There were several grunts of protests from people on the line, but the bouncer shushed them with his menacing stare. Shi Yoon lifted his chin higher, feeling a tinge of pride. A girl even winked flirtatiously at him and he tried his best not to respond like a giddy child let loose in a candy store. He gave her a half-smile like he thought a chic man would. Tonight, he was a chaebol too – so he was going to act like one.

He was still feeling high and mighty when he felt Shin Hye tap his arm. “Where do we go now?”

Shi Yoon didn’t respond right away, distracted by the way Shin Hye looked against the crowd. He couldn’t remember the last time she actually went out to have fun, and seeing her this way was making him feel both happy and sad. Happy, because she fit in like a normal young woman in a club, and not some hired assassin in a dingy warehouse fraternizing with very bad people. Sad, because he knew that for her, this was just another job.

The even sadder part was – she didn’t just blend in. She stood out for being exceptionally beautiful. In another life, she’d probably be an actress. Or a very pretty doctor, like she once dreamed she would be.

He scanned the room and noticed that a number of men were already staring at her.

“Well?” Shin Hye asked impatiently.

“Uhh…” He was still preoccupied, watching a man approaching them from the bar, carrying two drinks. His eyes were glued on Shin Hye.

“Chogiyo…” The man bent down to whisper in Shin Hye’s ear.

Before she could turn around to face him, Shi Yoon threw his arm around Shin Hye’s waist and pulled her close. Her eyes widened in surprise, while Shi Yoon gave the flustered man a scathing look. “Wae? Do you need something?” He asked, his voice low and tough.

“Ahh, no. Sorry, man. Didn’t realize she was taken,” he bowed slightly before walking away.

Shin Hye scoffed. “Meo? Taken? Ugh. These pigs think women are property,” she smoothed her dress and looked up at Shi Yoon who was still looking smug, his hand still around her waist. “Ooh, Yoon Shi Yoon, boshta! I didn’t know you had that side to you,” she elbowed his side lightly.

Shi Yoon slowly looked down and held her gaze. Shin Hye was even more surprised at how serious he looked. Seeing him in that attire, acting like a possessive man was actually kind of attractive. Even for him. She was starting to get uncomfortable under his intense stare that she cleared .

But Shi Yoon broke into a cheeky grin, his eyes reduced to excited slits. “Oh my God, did you see that? That was so much fun!” He let her go and clapped his hand over his mouth, as if he couldn’t believe himself. “Wae? Do you need something?” He mimicked his own manly voice and expression and started chuckling. “That guy was totally scared of me. Wuh. Being a chaebol is awesome,” he chirped and looked around. “Look, I think all these women are staring at me.”

Shin Hye smiled and shook her head. This was the Shi Yoon she preferred. “Slow down, player.” She looked around the club again. It wasn’t as packed as she thought it would be. Maybe because it’s early. Or because it’s exclusive? Everyone there looked posh and sophisticated. It made her feel even more out of place just thinking about how this was the life of the rich and privileged. Lounging around in a club, spending money like there’s no tomorrow, just waiting to inherit their family’s wealth while everybody else had to work hard for a living. The thought made her want to walk out of that place. She needed to find Lee Min Ho fast to get this little field trip over with.

“Where is he?” She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of the man. The music suddenly got louder, adding to her discomfort.

“He should be at the VVIP room. It’s like his own private clubhouse in this club. His sasaeng fans took a photo of it when one of them got into this place while it was closed.” He looked up and the tinted walls that overlooked the dance floor caught his eye. “It must be that one,” he pointed, and Shin Hye followed his gaze. “If that’s the VVIP room, I’m sure he’s there.”

Shin Hye nodded. “How do we get in? You said it’s private.”

Shi Yoon hissed. “I didn’t think this far ahead. You got any ideas?”

She pursed her lips and tried to think of a plan. Should she pretend to be an employee here instead? Nah, Shi Yoon already paid for the overpriced dress. She threw her head back and crossed her arms, stumped. She never went to clubs, and she had no idea how to play a party animal at all. If she could only get close enough to Lee Min Ho, then she’d fake flirt her way from there.

“I think our problem just got solved,” Shi Yoon leaned close and whispered.

Shin Hye creased her forehead. “What do you mean?”

“Two o’clock,” he replied.

She turned to her right and saw a tall, chic-looking man walking towards them. It wasn’t hard to spot him since most of the people in the club also turned to look. He towered over almost everyone there. Is he some kind of celebrity? He looks like a model. Not to mention, he was looking directly at her, a smirk playing at the side of his lips.

“Ahn Jae Hyun,” Shi Yoon whispered. “Second son of LG Corporation. He’s training to be the head of LG Chemical Industry, while his older brother runs LG Electronics. He’s a close friend of Lee Min Ho.”

“How can someone who looks like that run a multi-billion dollar company?” She snapped back, sounding incredulous. He was walking like some model on a runway. Most of the rich men she’s encountered before – and at some point, had to eliminate – were all slimy, old men.

“Wait til you see all of them. You’ll be--“

“Hi,” Jae Hyun’s baritone voice interrupted Shi Yoon. Shin Hye looked up to meet his eyes. He was even more strikingly handsome up close.

“Hello,” she smiled shyly, remembering Shi Yoon’s strict order that she act feminine. It wasn’t one of her best suits, but she was going to damn well try, no matter how much it made her sick to her stomach. She stole a glance at Shi Yoon beside her who was tucking his hair behind his ear repeatedly and widening his eyes. She belatedly realized he was signaling her to do the same. She let out an awkward laugh and tucked some strands of her hair behind her ear, before looking coyly at Jae Hyun again. It must have worked because his smile widened.

“I’m Ahn Jae Hyun,” he told her, trying his best to speak over the music. “And you are?”

“Lae Di,” she replied sheepishly.

“That’s a really pretty name. Unusual, but pretty,” he remarked, speaking closer to her ear. Shi Yoon rolled his eyes. “Tell me, Lae Di, do you like to drink?”

“Who doesn’t?” She said back, her tone more confident now. Shi Yoon sneakily gave her a thumbs up.

“Great! We’ve got all types of drinks upstairs. You can have your pick. It’s on me,” he said suavely. Shin Hye was impressed. He was obviously hitting on her, but he didn’t come off as sleazy. Privileged upbringing really masks the animal beneath.

“I’d love to. But would it be alright if I bring my friend with me? I hope you don’t feel offended but I don’t trust strangers easily and we just met,” she replied, smiling.

It was only then that Jae Hyun noticed Shi Yoon’s presence. Shi Yoon stood straighter and tried his best to act as smooth as the man who was now eyeing him. Jae Hyun’s expression turned sour. “Boyfriend?”

“Eh? No, of course not,” Shin Hye retorted quite strongly. “He’s… uhh… he’s gay.”

Shi Yoon widened his eyes, jerking his face to look at her. “MEO?”

“Mian, Shi Yoon-ah,” she told him hastily before turning to the tall man again. “Sorry, he doesn’t like people to know. His family is very… uhm… traditional. He’s the nephew