What an odd date gayoung found herself being introduced to, someone who wanted her time and her company for an — auction? Now, that's something she cannot say she has ever been to in her years. It was pretty fancy too, with women and men dressed with masks covering their features, so no one can spot anyone out of the ordinary or too familiar. She figured that this was something new and she wanted to look her best, dress to impress. Gayoung was always the type of woman to be extremely fashionable, or at least she tried to be. So, when her date mentioned it'll be masquerade theme— she went ahead and got the clothing to suit along with a mask to go with the color of her sleek crimson dress.
Her frame fit the tight material just perfectly as she walked in, hanging off her date's arm. She was intrigued to say the least. Usually it's the boring dinners or going for drinks or even some suggesting doing a home "cozy" date, but in reality they just want to Netflix and chill. Now, gayoung isn't against that but — she liked excitement. So when her date suggested a mysterious auction at a hotel with food and drinks, how could she decline?
However,, as an hour and a half passes into the date, the event ongoing and there's this crazy guy up on stage..... "madhatter?" The woman mumbles to herself, sporting her nth drink for the night because she's standing ALONE. Her date wandered off saying he had to talk to some clients, leaving gayoung to simply mind her own business, explore the area and eye the antics happening on the grande stage that's provided at the underground of the hotel. Another thing that surprised the young woman immensely was that — this entire auction was taking place underground of all places.
Sighing deeply, the woman saw the weird guy leave the stage but she didn't understand if it's part of the masquerade theme going on, but he was an eccentric fellow. She didn't know where he went but she was too busy eyeing the "energy" lingering. She had been gifted with a sight that others may not have or believe in, it's fine, majority of people she encounter and explain this to, thinks she's a quack, which is a given. Not everyone seems open minded but boy — is this hotel full of entities lurking all around. Good and bad. Some even worse than bad, it makes her blood run cold and shivers tremor up her spine.
Once standing at the elevator, her hand reaches out shakily to punch the button to stop the doors from closing and she's panicking as she saw a dark figure looming closer, this one isn't friendly whatsoever. Her heart raced a little as her teeth chattered and that's when the doors open revealing a handsome man before her. Albeit, the poor guy isn't even alone. There's this — thing... woman (?) sitting close to his side and she's possessive holding onto his leg which causes her brows to shoot up but she decided to deal with a possessive woman rather than the threatening presence stalking her.
"Goodnight," she softly states, her head bowing as she squint down at the woman and shakes her head before huffing out a sigh, her back hitting the bar that's meant to be held onto when riding these metal boxes up and down— so she does just that as the doors finally closed. Giving gayoung a sense of comfort as she peeks over at the unsuspecting male curiously. She didn't see him before so it's weird he appeared out of thin air— but she doesn't think too much of it as she blurts out, "do you know what you got clinging onto your leg right now, sir?"
@โงห g. younjung As he continued to help in the kitchen, he realized that it was time for him to take a lunch break before he finished his work for the day. The young chef walked out the kitchen and headed toward the dining area to eat some lunch, he noticed that Younjung was talking to one of her co-workers at the front desk with a smile that could bright anyone’s day. That smile of hers was one of the most beautiful sight he had seen during that summer, a summer that he could never forget. Holding out his wallet as he was about to pay for his lunch, he saw the picture that was taken with Younjung when he was an intern here for culinary school when he was young. The reaction when she saw the picture again was something that would last forever in his memories, she was shocked that he still had this picture. That was the proof of how happy they were when they spent time together working for the hotel.
Hoseok waited for the waiter to bring his food to table as his eyes locked on Younjung, watching her from afar as he immersed in her smile before he pays attention to the person who brought his food to the table. He began eating as soon as waiter left the table after serving the food to him, he kept looking up at yonjung’s direction but decided to finish his lunch, so he won’t waste too much time. Soon enough, he finished his lunch as he left the plate on the table before he walked back to the kitchen. Passing the front desk once again to just try to get her attention, although she was busy with a customer, Hoseok walked past by her without disturbing her work.
The night slowly turning darker as he stayed behind a little bit longer than he should be so they would only need to finish the last portion of the preparation, looking around while he searches for some tools that he might need for tomorrow. Walking out of the kitchen as he looked at the time on his phone, he made some phone calls to the restaurant as he exited the hotel before he got back into his car and drove home.
As soon as he arrived home from the hotel, he sighed softly as he finally finished this long day at work for him. Hoseok laid on his bed after he put away everything, just wanting to sleep right at this moment but he knew he still needed to wash away all this tiredness with a hot shower. An hour had passed since he got home, his body was so tired, and his throat was so sore after talking so much to everyone. He could finally rest for the night, looking at the time on his phone one last time for the day before he put his phone on the nightstand next to the bed then passed out just minutes after that.
@โงห l. hoseok Younjung's lips formed into a wistful smile as she heard the man's answer. Her heart filled with a mixed feeling of proud yet also envy seeing someone from her past was already reaching the peak of career. It was kind of bitter for her since in the back of her mind she was always thinking about how far she could go in her career if only she had more money to get higher education. But she pushed all the bitter thoughts about it and decided to be graceful simply as an old friend. "Ah.. It's so good to see you do well in what you love," she said. "I'm doing alright. Same old, same old." she added with a chuckle, involuntarily glancing away in order to hide her previous thoughts that might've spilled through her expressions.
Yet all of her insecure thoughts were swiped away when she glanced back at him and he was showing their picture together back when they were younger. She could felt a pang in her heart as the moment in the picture flashed back into her mind as if it just happened like yesterday. She almost still could felt everything, yet she tried so hard to push all of those things aside. Exhaling a soft amused laugh through her lips, she diverted her gaze back to the man. "You still have that?" she asked in disbelief. She couldn't guess what he might feel or did he even noticed that she has completely blocked him out of her life. If he knew, why would he still save that picture? He should be hating her instead for disappearing out of nowhere like that. Everyone with common sense know he didn't deserve to get that treatment. Or he might actually hate her for real. She wouldn't know.
Younjung's mind stopped wondering as her eyes followed him when someone called his name near from the kitchen. She noticed that he was needed there. "Oh— alright. Good luck with your work. Perhaps we would see each other again soon," she replied as she flashed a more genuine and wider smile at the man, nodding at him as she watched the man walked away from her. Half of her was hoping that they could spend more time together but the other half of her was convinced that she didn't need any of wavering heart at the moment. She let out a quiet sigh as her eyes lingered for a while on Hoseok's back until he disappeared towards the kitchen before she finally turned around, heading out of the hotel to take a breather from her work environment.
@โงห g. younjung Hoseok looked at Younjung with a soft smile as he noticed her little reaction to seeing him in front of her, pulling back a little to give them a little distance in between as she listens to her." Hi Younjung, it is been awhile since we seen each other, huh? " He whisper softly with a voice only the two of them could hear as he nodded his head, paused for a moment as he thinks for a bit on to answer her question without sounding too excited." Well, I am a actual chef and a restaurant owner in the town. I got invited to help in the kitchen for the event that is coming up that is organized by the hotel." He actually wasn't expecting to see an old face either, especially Younjung. Taking another deep breath as he explained everything to her including what he had been doing since that internship summer. " How have you been, Younjung?"
The young chef was checking for people around them to make sure no one would look at them or listen to their conversations, looking back at Younjung as he rest both of his arms on top of the counter so he could lean in a little bit more. That summer was something he couldn't forget, everything was so good but when everything ended he lost all contact with her. But he knew that she blocked him out on everything including social media and all kinds of contact so she won't see him again, somewhat understood where she was coming from especially it was just someone from work that you don't want to talk to anymore. Hoseok almost didn't the same thing as he had everything tune out, not wanting hear anything about Younjung after the internship was over. Although sometime he did have some thoughts about her, and was kind of missing the time they worked together.
He took out his phone as he shows Younjung something that was on his phone, it was one of the photo he saved when they were working together. Just wanted to tell her that he still remembers, but at the same time he shouldn't show emotions nor excitement in front of her. pulling back his phone as he pocket it back in to his pocket as he looked up at the woman in front of him, not knowing what else he could say to her without showing his feeling for her. It had been years since that summer, but everything still felt real for Hoseok. It was just like yesterday that they worked together, holding all the romantic feelings back and hide them deep down in his heart. " You are still beautiful as I remembered." He whispered those words under his breath.
" You are still beautiful as I remembered." He whispered those words under his breath." Anyways, just want to say hi when I saw you. Glad to you see you again, Younjung." He said with a soft tone as he steps back a little with another smile on his face, slowly waving his hand at her before walking back to the kicthen because of the manager for the kitchen called him to take care of something just then. " See you around, Younjung. I think we will see each other a lot in the next few days." Looking back at her once more before walking away to head back to the kitchen.
@โงห l. hoseok "Alright, sir. Here's your key, and I hope you will have a great stay here," Younjung flashed the sweetest smile she could give as said to an old man in front of her while both of her hands pushing the key card with the tip of her fingers across the counter. She kept that smile on her face even until the old man stepped away from the counter, guided by the bellman that was already ready to push a trolley full of the visitor's luggages. Younjung watched as the old man who seemingly was a quite rich man accompanied by a very young and beautiful woman clinging to his side got escorted towards the elevator by her fellow workmate. She watched them disappeared in the corner before finally let her professional yet sweet smile fell and sighed quietly.
It surely sounded like an exhausted sigh since it has been a rather busy week for Younjung because there would be a big event in the hotel today and a lot of people were staying in this five star hotel of Haepung only for the event. And surely it seemed like her teammate who was working on the same shift with her noticed her sigh. "Hey, go take a break now. You've been working non stop since so early," her teammate, Hwan, nudged her with a warm smile displayed on his face. "Aera will come soon, too, you know. I got this. Go eat first or something. The last thing we want is for you to get sick on our busy days," he added in a lighthearted tone, mentioning another teammate who indeed would soon clock in.
"God, Hwan. You know, you're the best, for real," she grinned as she punched the man's upper arm in a friendly appreciative way, thanking of how the man who has only been working with her for a couple of years also seemed to be the one who understands her with their work dynamics. "I'm going now," she added, carelessly tying up her hair into a messy ponytail before she grabbed her phone on the low drawer then turned around, ready to leave the front desk counter.
She completely wasn't aware of anybody who was walking towards the counter and that's why she jumped a little from suprised at the voice that suddenly greeted her. Younjung has now completely facing the very familiar man who was standing in front of the counter. Her heart dropped and she couldn't decide what she actually felt at the moment. She never thought she would see this man again right before her eyes like this. Was she happy? Maybe. All of the warm and fuzzy feelings when she spent time with him in that one intense summer was all coming back to her. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss it. Was she anxious? Possible. Because she knew she has completely blocked him out of her life. She blocked all of his socials and all messaging apps. She even changed her number to avoid him. She knew her feelings she had for him before have that much power over her. She did manage to get over it, but she never expected for her to see him again. She was never prepared to feel like this again.
Grasping her phone a little too tightly, without even her planning it as if her body moved on its own, she walked around to get out of the counter—leaving her colleague's gaze wondering what was happening—and slowly but surely took steps over towards the man like this man has some magic and magnetic effect to her. Exactly just like how it used to. "Hoseok...?" she voiced out, sounding a little cracked and weak. She didn't know what kind of expression she was having on her face. She probably looked so shocked and dumbfounded for all she care. She didn't even realise what his line or what his question was. Her eyes never left the face of the man she was once admired so much. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice came out in a higher pitch. It wasn't even crossed her mind that if the question might sound rude in any other occasions. A little funny cause she was obviously trained to be not rude to anyone for her job, but her mind and logic was all gone. She could only think out loud of a lot of whys this is happening when she has thought she has successfully escaped and got over it. She took just another step closer to the man that seemed like just flipped her life upside down only by appearing in front of her. "Why are you here..?" she added in a softer tone, yet now even sounding like she was desperate. Indeed desperately trying to figure and sort out everything.
@โงห g. younjung It was a special day for Hoseok as he was invited to the Haepung hotel to cook for some event that was organized by a company he had work with before, he told the staffs and people who work in the kitchen that he would be gone for the afternoon and they need to do everything themselves. After reminding everyone he brought all things he needs as he heads out to the hotel, looking up at the sky with a smile since he could get some work outside of the restaurant which was also someone that he worked with. The journey to the venue was a clam and quiet one, the chef didn't put on any music as he was driving to the hotel.
As soon as he arrived at the hotel someone was there to greet him, he smiled and walked into the hotel with his belonging to the kitchen where he would be put on his performance for the event. Just went he was about to walk pass by the front desk he noticed someone who look very familiar face at the front desk, someone who he hadn't seen ever since he finished his internship here at the hotel during his culinary studies in Korea. Hoseok walked pass the front desk with the staff as he smiled at everyone who passes by him, but he was glancing back at the familiar face. Remembered everything that happen during that summer as they both were working together, the name that was on his mind for the whole summer was Go Younjung. They were working together whenever there was event happening in the hotel, Hoseok in the kitchen help with cooking while Younjung was in the front helping with everything.
By the time he came back out of the back kitchen after he settled everything in the kitchen, making sure everything was ready to go before heading out to the front desk to greet a old friend. All the memories just flashed in his mind like short movie, Hoseok was holding back the feeling he had for younjung was something that was on his mind for the longest time. The whole time as they worked together he was trying so hard not to let his feeling show, but it was always on the back of his mind. After he finished his internship at the hotel he was immediately called back home to take care of the family business due to his parents passing, so he didn't have the chance to even tell Younjung about his feeling for her.
As he walked towards the front desk he looks around the lobby when he realized no one was around only he was at the desk, he lean against the counter with his smile." Hello there, have we met before? you look familiar?" Hoseok started with a small joke and pickup line to get her attention, watching Younjung's reaction as he leans closer even more.
