“Can’t you tell by looking?”
“Why did you come to Sovereign?”
“I have some remaining business.”
Seeing how his complexion hardened, it clearly wasn’t good business. It didn’t seem like he’d tell him even if he asked more, so Kang Siwon closed his mouth.
Ju Xiang parked in the customer area instead of the employee-only area and turned off the engine.
“Get out.”
“Me too?”
“Yeah. Grab your suitcase.”
Something was considerably strange. But even if he tried to guess what Ju Xiang’s intentions were, nothing particular came to mind.
If he’d planned to harm him, he would have taken him to a mountain or a deserted beach, not a high-class resort like this. So even if Ju Xiang had some scheme, it probably wouldn’t be fatal to him. Kang Siwon tried to soothe his anxiety like that as he got out with his suitcase.
“Follow me.”
Instead of going to the main entrance, Ju Xiang entered a corridor located in one corner of the lobby. It was a path that even Kang Siwon, who had come and gone from Sovereign Resort dozens of times, had never been on.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you following?”
“Isn’t this a restricted area?”
“Just shut up and follow. Would I go somewhere I shouldn’t?”
“…….”
He didn’t trust him at all, but he had no choice but to follow. Kang Siwon moved his steps over the dark blue carpet. The carpet absorbed noise so well that even the sound of the suitcase wheels dragging couldn’t be heard.
Unlike the main floor, which was always bustling with crowds, this corridor was only quiet. For Kang Siwon, who had only seen noisy scenes since coming to Sovereign, that silence was rather more uncomfortable.
At the end of the corridor was a golden door. Ju Xiang showed his card key to the security staff standing guard at the door.
“Confirmed.”
When the staff pressed a button on the wall, the golden door smoothly opened, revealing the interior. Only then did Kang Siwon realize that beyond the door was an elevator.
“Get in.”
“…….”
He got on the elevator with Ju Xiang. Pressing the floor button was also the staff’s job. Kang Siwon paid close attention to the button he pressed.
35th floor. Sovereign’s top floor.
Soon the door closed, and the elevator carrying Kang Siwon and Ju Xiang rapidly ascended. The air pressure suddenly changed, making his ears feel stuffy. Kang Siwon swallowed his dry saliva and turned his head.
He’d definitely been taught that from the 30th floor up were VIP-only guest rooms that general guests couldn’t even access. Then what he was using now must be the VIP-only elevator he’d only heard about. The problem was why someone like him, having resigned, was going up to such a luxurious place.
“Where is this?”
When Kang Siwon asked, Ju Xiang replied without even turning around.
“Sovereign Resort.”
“That’s not why I’m asking.”
Ding-.
Just then the elevator arrived at the 35th floor, so Kang Siwon paused his questioning for a moment.
When the door opened, a short corridor was revealed. There was only one guest room door. Somehow he had a strong premonition that he shouldn’t enter beyond that door. It was an intuition closer to certainty rather than a premonition.
However, Ju Xiang pushed his back, so Kang Siwon had no choice but to force his steps forward.
“I don’t think this is a place we should be……. Wait a moment. What are you doing right now?”
Ju Xiang, who had already passed him and reached the front of the guest room, knocked on the door. Kang Siwon, shocked, tried to stop him, but the door opening was faster.
“…….”
Beyond the open door stood a tall man. Kang Siwon’s eyes widened as he unconsciously checked his face.
A man who shouldn’t be here.
Also a man he thought he might never meet again in his lifetime.
“Welcome.”
Ray Jun greeted him with a bright smile. That face was as casual as when he welcomed Kang Siwon returning to the dormitory after work.
“……Why are you here…….”
“Don’t be like that and come in to talk. Give me your suitcase.”
Ray Jun, who flung the guest room door wide open, carried in Kang Siwon’s suitcase. It wasn’t an atmosphere where he’d get a proper answer. Kang Siwon whipped around to Ju Xiang and demanded.
“What is all this? Why did you bring me here? Was it because he was here that you asked about Ray Jun?”
“……You’ll need to stay here for a month. I’ll come pick you up when it’s time, so don’t worry too much.”
“Sunbae!”
The moment he moved his steps in anger, a large hand grabbed Kang Siwon’s shoulder.
“Where are you going? Trying to follow Ju Xiang?”
“What does it matter where I go?”
“You’re saying hurtful things.”
Ray Jun’s fingers dug subtly into his shoulder. Was his body temperature always this cool? Having only ever received warm touches, it felt eerie, as if he’d encountered a stranger.
“I’m right here, so why do you only look at Ju Xiang? I’m getting jealous.”
Jealousy in the middle of all this—there was a limit to being calm. Kang Siwon glared at Ray Jun as if asking if he was in his right mind, then looked back at Ju Xiang. It was to demand an answer about what this situation was. However, Ju Xiang ignored this and turned around.
“I’ll contact you later.”
Ju Xiang got on the elevator as if fleeing. He’d thought he was acting suspiciously today, but he truly never dreamed he’d face a situation like this. Just when did Ju Xiang and Ray Jun join hands? Was it from the time Ju Xiang’s attitude changed strangely?
At this point, the only person who could give him answers was Ray Jun. Kang Siwon shook off the hand on his shoulder and turned to him.
“What about you? Why are you here? Were you acquainted with Ju Xiang? When you said just fine that he was suspicious and a bad guy?”
“I’m saying let’s go in and talk.”
Ray Jun was annoyingly relaxed. Even though he was so anxious his insides were tightening.
He headed to the living room with a leisurely gait. Kang Siwon glared as if to bore a hole through the back of Ray Jun’s head, then finally gritted his teeth and followed.
The interior of the guest room was more elegant than any place Kang Siwon had ever been. It wasn’t excessively fancy like the Sovereign Resort lobby, and the ivory walls and marble floor created a calm yet comfortable atmosphere. The golden lighting draped here and there also added warmth to the space.
The place was unfamiliar, and Ray Jun standing there as if it were his own home was even more unfamiliar. Kang Siwon didn’t know what to do in this situation where the most trustworthy person suddenly felt alien.
“Want to eat something? Or something to drink?”
“No.”
“I can order anything you want.”
“I said no. Isn’t it time to talk now? If you keep stalling like this, I’ll just…….”
“What, are you going to leave?”
Ray Jun sat on the sofa and gazed intently at Kang Siwon. Those hazelnut-colored eyes flashed.
Kang Siwon finally realized he was wearing his bare eyes. He always wore colored lenses when meeting Sovereign staff, but even if it was in front of Ju Xiang who had already resigned, it was quite different from his usual thorough self.
“You can leave if you want to. But, Kang Siwon.”
“……What?”
“I think I’d be too hurt if you left. Will you still leave?”
“You, that name, how did you…….”
‘Siwon’. It was even a clear pronunciation without any blur. At the thought that his identity had been discovered, it felt like all the blood in his body was draining to his toes.
“It was harder to find out than I thought. But we’re roommates, so I should at least know your name, right? Don’t you think, Kang Siwon?”
“……Was it Ju Xiang? Did Ju Xiang tell you?”
Ray Jun nodded lightly. Since he’d anticipated that there was already some kind of relationship with Ju Xiang when they had that three-way confrontation, the fact itself wasn’t surprising. However, it didn’t seem like an ordinary matter that Ju Xiang had handed over information related to his own safety.
“Just how did you make Ju Xiang spill? More than that, how did you get tangled up with Ju Xiang?”
“Ju Xiang, Ju Xiang, from earlier……. Why do you only talk about other men?”
The tone deliberately mixed with aegyo was absurd. Kang Siwon let out a hollow breath and retorted.
“Are you joking with me right now?”
However, looking at Ray Jun’s calm expression, it was clear this wasn’t a joke. Kang Siwon roughly swept back his bangs. Even though they were partners who had even slept together yesterday, he couldn’t read him at all.
“How much do you know?”
“Umm, that ‘Xie Wei’ is a cover identity prepared by the Baeksa Faction, that your real name is Kang Siwon and you’re Korean, that your debt is 3 billion won in Korean currency, that you were originally a chef working at a 4-star hotel restaurant in Seoul…… about that much?”
“……You know everything.”
It made all his desperate hiding seem futile. Kang Siwon bit down hard on his lower lip.
Until now, he’d simulated countless times the situation of Ray Jun discovering his identity. He would definitely be shocked. Maybe he’d even report him to Sovereign Resort or the Macau authorities. It seemed highly likely he’d cover for him based on his personality, but separately from that, he would feel a severe sense of betrayal.
How many people wouldn’t be shocked to learn that the roommate they believed was close had hidden everything from their name to their nationality? Even if Ray Jun’s emotions were somewhat peculiar, he thought such a reaction would be inevitable. But…….
“……Aren’t you even surprised? Why are you so calm?”
