"Hotel Lee, how may I be of service?" I asked, my voice as polite as I could make it, despite the ty mood I was in.

"Yes, I'd like to make a reservation." A young female voice said on the other line. I listened as I typed their information into the computer. Working as a hotel receptionist was such a tedious job. I only needed to welcome guests as they came in and answer the phone every few minutes for people making reservations or calling for help in their rooms. It was good enough for the money I got, plus the benefits and extra hour's payments. I barely finished high school, so there weren't too many places that paid well enough that would take me. It wasn't too much, but I was able to live off it. 

When I had finished saving the information into the hotel's system, I leaned forward onto the desk, staring absently at the lobby. It was just like any other hotel lobby, employees everywhere with obviously fake smiles plastered across their faces. Obvious to me, at least. I had worked here for almost two years now and I could never manage to fake a smile as well as all of them. The hotel's revolving doors spun and a young couple that checked in last night walked in. They smiled at me and I smiled back, watching as the boy wrapped his arm protectively around his girlfriend's shoulder and they made their way to the elevator. They looked so unbelievably happy with each other. I wondered what that felt like to be in love like that. I'd never been in a relationship and I'd never been on more than three dates in my entire life. Two were with girls, both equally as annoying, and the most recent with a boy who's life was duller than mine. It's pretty pathetic, yeah, but I don't have time to waste on anyone else but me and my brother. 

When the elevator door closed, I looked back to the lobby, staring blankly at the baby blue walls with golden ts. The floor was marbled, the dark and light spots shining enough so children could see their reflections if they looked straight down. For such an expensive hotel, the furniture was a bit ugly, though. 

The lobby wasn't as busy as usual this morning, so I sat down and leaned back in my chair, staring up at the high ceiling. The huge chandelier hung by six thick gold cords. It was lit by 10 bulbs on every tier encased in fake candles. 

"Taekwoon!" I recognized the voice immediately. I stood up to see Alison leaning over the counter in front of me. The way she called my name so cutely always made me cringe, but I never said anything about it. She smiled at me, leaning over the counter even more, her s almost spilling out from her blouse. 

"You're gonna punch someone's eyes out with those one day." She chuckled and rolled her eyes as she buttoned another button on her blouse. 

"They're not that big. Calm down." 

"Alison. You have eight pound balloons hanging from your chest." 

"Whatever." She said, pulling her long hair up to the front to hang over her chest. "Listen, I was thinking we could go to the movies tonight."

"Ali, I don't think that's a good idea." Sanghyuk had disappeared only two weeks ago. I could barely manage coming to work since then, and I only came today because sitting alone at home made everything worse.

"Come on. You need something to get your mind off of this. Something to cheer you up, just a little bit." She stared at me with her head tilted slightly, her grayish blue eyes filled with concern.

"I really don't want to..." To avoid eye-contact with her, I looked over at the small photo I had framed on my desk. It was a picture of me and Sanghyuk on my 18th birthday. My face was red from embarrassment as he held a small cake to my face. He was smiling, eyes crinkled, with one arm wrapped around my waist. I was able to crack a smile and almost felt a tear slip when Alison's soft voice caught me.

"Taek? Please? Just try at least...for me?" Her lower lip stuck out and she leaned down to rest her chin on her hands in front of me. 

"Alright, I'll go." I finally said, regretting it immediately. Alison grinned widely and reached over to pinch my cheek before she blew a kiss and skipped away.

Ali was Mr. Lee's assistant. It was thanks to her that I even got this job in the first place. We became great friends in high school and, about a year after we graduated, she helped me get this job to pay my rent and other living expenses so I wouldn't be living off my brother's money forever. Yeah, I was 21 and still a , but at least I wasn't broke. That counts for something, right? I looked down and began twiddling my thumbs, waiting for something else to catch my attention. I didn't have to wait too long for that.

"Did it hurt, baby?" A male's voice came from over the desk. 

I looked up and immediately rolled my eyes when I noticed who it was. It was Jaehwan, Mr.Lee's son. He wore a thick white sweater and white lense-less glasses to match. His newly dyed purple hair was combed and parted neatly to the side, as usual. He was absolutely beautiful. His rather large nose suited his face and complimented his naturally full lips perfectly. His dark eyes shone at me as he smirked, awaiting my response.

"What?" I asked, not really remembering his question.

"Did it hurt?" He asked again.

"Did what hurt?" I replied with a long sigh.

"When you fell from heaven."

"Really? That's the best you can do?"

"What? I thought it was cute. Not as cute as you though." He bit his lip and winked at me.

"Get lost, Jaehwan." Of course, he did the exact opposite, leaning against the counter to stare into my eyes.

"You know you want me, Taekwoon. You can't get enough of me." I used two of my fingers to push him away from my face as far as I could. 

"I'm not into people like you."

"Ah! You're always hurting my feelings, baby." He put his hand on his heart and squinted his eyes, faking in the most obvious way.

"Don't ever call me that again." I snapped back at him and he finally shut up. I took the sticky note his father left early this morning and laid it out in front of him. He read it and rolled his eyes before walking away, but not before he could come back to annoy me one last time.

"At least let me take you out tonight." He said smoothly, the flirtatious smirk returning to his face. 

"I already have plans." He scoffed at my reply and began walking away, lingering a bit.

"If you're gonna reject me all the time, at least come up with a different excuse."

"I can give you whatever excuse I want, Jaehwan." It wasn't an excuse though. For the first time, I actually had something to do with my boring life. 

"Unbelievable." That was his final word before walking away. I stared up at him as he walked, his broad shoulders always caught my attention. He was beautiful, I couldn't deny. If only he weren't such a ty person. Right before he walked into his fathers office, I saw him look over and blow a kiss at a young woman walking into the door. That was just like him, going after any man or woman he saw. 

After leaving the hotel for the day, I began walking home. Once I opened the door, the cold, crisp wind hit me directly in my eyes. I pulled up the hood on my sweater and pulled up the zipper to my coat as much as I could before stuffing my hands in my pockets. December was coming to an end which meant Christmas was coming, the streets were already decorated with Christmas lights and other festive decorations. I could see into the windows of the different apartments as people were preparing for dinner with their families, something I'd be doing on my own now that Sanghyuk was gone. 

When I got to my building, I ran into the warmth of the elevator, leaning against the back wall and staring at my reflection in the mirror across me. I looked like I had been through three world wars, which really made me wonder what it was that Jaehwan found so attractive. My hair looked like it hadn't been combed or washed in a few weeks and the bags under my eyes were more prominent than ever. I definitely needed a shower and a nap before I went out with Ali tonight. 

Suddenly, the lights went out and the elevator came to a stop. I almost screamed in frustration. I was tired and hungry and now I was stuck for who knows how long in this elevator. I reached blindly for the panel of buttons and found the emergency one. I pressed it, hoping to hear some sort of noise, but nothing happened. I began to panic. No one knew I was in here and that was the only way for anyone to know. I slammed the button over and over, hoping for something to happen.

"What the is going on here?!" I slammed the wall nearest to me frustrated.

"Didn't your mother teach you that you shouldn't swear?" The familiar voice echoed in my ears. The same voice I heard a few nights before. The night my brother disappeared. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the sound of the voice, hoping I was just imagining it. 

"Do not be afraid. I won't hurt you...that bad." I could almost hear him smiling in that last part. 

"Where are you?"

"Turn around." I know I didn't want to, but I did. I saw him, clear as day, in the back mirror if the elevator. It looked like he had been standing right beside me, but I knew he wasn't. He was inside the mirror. I wanted to run away, but there was no escaping this. 

"W-Where's my brother?" I knew I wasn't doing too well of a job at hiding how afraid of him I was. 

"I don't have time for questions today. Come here." 

"No." There was no way I was getting any closer to him. 

"The more you resist, the more you'll suffer, Taekwoon." 

I watched in horror as he slowly began flowing out of mirror. I backed away as far as I could, my back pressing against the elevator doors. When he smiled, his sharp white teeth were very visible. I turned around and began slamming my fists against the door in hopes that someone would hear me.

"Help me! I'm stuck in here! Please, somebody! Help! Plea—" 

His hand covered my mouth and he pulled me into his chest. I tried kicking the elevator doors, but he restricted my legs as well. He shushed me, his breath freezing cold against my ear. He ped my jacket and his hand pressed against my bare chest from under my shirt. His hand went from freezing to burning hot as he curled them downwards, scratching my chest. He sank all five of his nails into the middle of my chest. I screamed as loud as I thought was possible. The pain was absolutely unbearable now. The burning in my chest made me feel like I could die right there. I could feel my blood dripping down my body. This was it. I was going to die.

"Your fears," his voice was colder than ever against my neck, "Your pain, your life, are all mine." With that he ripped his hand from my chest and threw me out of the now open elevator doors. I hit my head against the wall and landed on my hip. I was on my hands and knees now, wheezing and coughing up blood. My chest was burning and I felt like my lungs would give out any second. I couldn't take it anymore. I looked down at my blood dripping to the floor in a huge puddle. I felt my eyes close, no matter how hard I fought to keep them open, and I fell forward, blacking out once I hit the floor.