"I want to go swimsuit shopping," I announce a few days later, causing Joshua to choke on his bagel and Kyungsoo to nearly spit out his milk.

"What? Why?" Joshua splutters.

"I'm going to a party," I shrug. "And it's a pool party. So I need a swimsuit."

"A party?" Kyunsoo's eyes widen. "What party?"

"An office party."

"What kind of office party requires a swimsuit?!"

"Can you chill?" I huff. "Just come with me this afternoon to get a swimsuit. I have no friends, so you two will have to do."

"I don't know, Mimi." Kyungsoo frowns. "Are there going to be boys at this party?"

"Oh, shut up, you 25-year-old hermit," Joshua groans. "Just because you went on a date for the first time yesterday doesn't mean you have to deprive Mimi."

"Oh, how was that, by the way?" I ask Kyungsoo.

He shrugs. "I dunno. She accidentally punched me in the face and I accidentally spilled tartar sauce all over her dress. Is that how dates normally are?"

Joshua cackles as I facepalm. "I knew this eHarmony account was my best idea yet! I wish I'd been there."

"You wouldn't last 2 minutes on a date," I snicker. "Anyway, back to the issue on hand: swimsuit shopping. Today at 5."

"Why do I have to come-," Joshua begins to whine, but I call, "Okay, I'm leaving for work, bye!"

"Morning, Mihae," Fei beams. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"You seem happy," I remark.

Fei laughs. "Do I really? That's so sweet of you!"

"That wasn't a compliment," I mutter, but Fei is oblivious to my words.

"What say you and me grab some drinks after work?" She smiles. "I'll pay."

"Um, as tempting as that sounds, I have to go shopping this afternoon-,"

"I'll come with you! I give great fashion advice."

I blink. "Fei, did something happen?"

"What? Oh, not really. I just had a great date last night."

"Oh. That's... nice."

"He was a lot nicer than I thought he'd be," Fei muses. "And a lot cuter, too-,"

"Can you two move? You're blocking the way," an irritated voice mutters. Kris is standing behind us, an icy expression on his face.

Fei, who would have normally started arguing with him, simply ducks out of the way.

"Anyway, we're having our next date on Friday. He's taking me to Central Park to have a picnic-,"

"Can you keep your chatter for after work?" Kris glowers at Fei. "You're disrupting the workplace."

"What?" Fei gives him an annoyed look. "Fine. I'll see you at lunch, Mihae."

As she walks away, Kris calls after her, "I'll just be over here talking to Mihae about the party we're going to! The really fun one!" Everyone in the surrounding desks stares at him.

I sigh. "You know, you could just ask her out."

"What?! Why would I do that?"

"Never mind. Anyway, what is it? Did the party get cancelled?"

"No. I wanted to ask you about something on your employee file."

"Yeah?"

"You said your parents are Hanbin Kim and Seohyun Kim, right?"

I narrow my eyes. Those were the names Baekhyun put on my fabricated birth certificate after I moved to New York. "Yeah, and...?"

"Just out of curiosity, when's the last time you saw them?"

More than 8 years ago, I think, but I don't tell him that. Instead, I ask in a tight voice, "Is this for an employee survey or something?"

"No. Actually... every year, we have a luncheon for workers and their family. I was wondering if you'd be okay with me contacting them-,"

"Don't," I quickly say. "They're... well, we, uh, don't have the best relationship. I can bring two of my friends, instead."

"Ah. I see." Kris has a pensieve look on his face. "Sorry for disturbing you. I'll let you get back to work."

His questions have caused the hackles on the back of my neck to rise. Something's not right here.

At lunch, I ask Fei, "Do employees and their families have a luncheon here?"

"Oh, yeah." Fei shakes her head. "It's the worst event of the year. Don't even get me started. Why?"

"Kris just mentioned it to me," I say.

Fei clicks her tongue. "Yeah, don't bring your parents. Everyone will make fun of you if you do."

"Thanks for the advice."

So there really is a luncheon. Kris wasn't bullting me.

But why do I still feel so uneasy?

    Another week passes before I know it. I finally finish recording verification codes, Joshua makes his first edible sandwich, Kris is still mad about Fei’s boyfriend, and Kyungsoo has gone on another date (he almost set his date’s skirt on fire this time).

    The night before the party, Preet, Annabelle, and I meet up to go over our plan again. I cannot help but feel a jittery sensation skid through my stomach as we discuss worst-case scenarios.

    Nothing will happen, I constantly remind myself. And if something does, I’ll have backup.

    And before I know it the day is here.

    “That’s a very cute dress, but you are aware this is a pool party, right?” Kris remarks when I slide into the front seat of his car.

    “I’m wearing my swimsuit underneath,” I say drily. “I’m not going to flounce around in public wearing a bikini.”

    “Good idea.” He glances behind me for a split-second, but quickly turns away when I see him looking.

    “What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

    “Nothing. Let’s go.”

    After some a little more idle conversation, we pull up to an enormous white skyscraper. The words Le Parker Meridian are engraved in gold plating at the front of the hotel. As Kris and I exist the car, a doorman clad in a smart green uniform wordlessly slides in and takes the car to valet parking.

Oh my god.

    This hotel is ritzy as hell. I’ve never seen so much marble in one place before. And are those real diamonds in those chandeliers? Holy crap! Another doorman hands us flutes of golden champagne as soon as we enter the building.

    “If you two are here for the private party, please go to the rooftop pool on the 42nd floor,” he says smoothly. “Enjoy.”

    “This place is incredible,” I breathe, looking around everywhere as Kris and I step into the transparent glass-elevator. “I’ve never been anywhere this fancy in my life!”

    “This is nothing,” Kris shrugs. “You should see the Ritz-Carlton.”

    “But this place has a pool on the 42nd floor!” I exclaim. “It’s literally on the rooftop! That’s incredible! Like who even-,”

    Kris chuckles. “Hey, turn around. We’re here.”

    I whirl around.

    My jaw drops.

    A lively crowd of people, clad in fashionable swimwear, mill around a wide, multi-tiered pool, sipping champagne and munching on hors d’oeuvres. The only thing separating us from the rest of New York City is a low wall of glass that encapsulates the rooftop. I lift my hands to my mouth in amazement; I am face-to-face with the imposing skyscrapers I stare up at every day- so close to them that it feels like I can reach out and touch them. New York City at night- especially from this vantage point- is a breathtaking sight.

A live band plays in the corner as couples dance in front of them, laughing and twirling with the music. There is a sleek silver bar in the corner that literally takes up the entire left side of the roof. Bartenders juggle multiple drinks to the amazement of cheering onlookers. On the right side of the roof are large, tinted black windows.

    “Those are the Presidential Suites,” Kris tells me, nodding towards the windows. “That’s where the Yohan execs are presumably staying.”

    I narrow my eyes. There must be laptops, files, information in there. Preet’s words echo in my ears:

Don’t do anything too risky.

Sneaking into there definitely falls under the category of risky.

But maybe if I can manage to somehow get into those rooms under the cover of darkness, it won’t really be risky.

Everyone is too busy having a good time. I doubt they’d pay attention if I just slipped through the door...

A pool attendant taps me on the shoulder. “Ma’am, I can show you to the locker rooms where you can keep your dress and purse.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” I say. “I’ll keep it on.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re required to keep it there.”

I turn to Kris in bewilderment. “What? Why?”

He gives me a grim look. “Swimsuits give you less space to hide... things.”

“Things? What things-,”

Realization dawns upon me. Oh.

You can’t hide a gun in a swimsuit.

And if you can’t carry a bag, you can’t have a phone, weapons, or other hidden devices, either.

My lips curl into a sneer. Well, well. Classic 4 Flames.

    But this shouldn’t pose a problem. The sky is quickly darkening. In half an hour, it’ll be easier to dodge the party lights and hide myself in the darkness. Hopefully, however, that’ll be a last resort.

    “I’ll see you on the other side,” Kris smirks.

10 minutes later, I emerge sporting a coral-pink-and-black Triangl bikini. Kyungsoo nearly had a heart attack when he saw it, and Joshua wouldn’t stop screaming about how expensive it was. I pull my hair out of a ponytail, causing my straight brown hair to cascade down my back. It’s go time.

“Wow,” Kris says, his eyebrows shooting up. “You look amazing.”

“Me, too,” I reply absentmindedly, scanning the crowd. The only familiar faces I see belong to notorious executives of large companies I have seen in the news.

No one else I know.

Good.

“Well, how about I introduce you to a few people?” Kris suggests. “The number one purpose of parties like this is networking. There are a few rising tech stars who you should meet.”

“Sure. Why not?”

And for the next hour, he drags me around to different groups of people and engages in trite conversation with them. Sadly, the most I can offer them are half-hearted smiles and pathetic answers to their questions. One kindly woman asks, “ I’ve wanted to learn how to program for so long! So what exactly do you do when you code computers?”

My answer: “You type things.”

This is pointless, I think, watching Kris chatter away with two intimidating women in stilettos (wearing stilettos in the dark at a pool party? I would never be brave enough). I haven’t learned anything new about what the 4 Flames is up to. The most I’ve garnered is that their stocks have skyrocketed during the past few years- which I already know. And it looks like these people don’t know anything about Project Cotton.

My eyes slowly slide open to the tinted black windows. I can see a tall, narrow door next to them...

The next time Kris says, “Hey, I see my friends over there!” I tell him, “You go without me.”

He shrugs. “Okay. I’ll find you later.”

Kris leaves. I glance around, making sure that no one is watching me.

And then I make my way to the door and slip inside.

A/N: YEE guys thanks for reading!! comment/upvote if u like the story heehhe ilylyly and ill prolly be double updating? maybe