Hyukjoon winked at Dahye, and she swallowed a laugh. The surrounding tables were occupied, and at the table closest to them, sat a beautiful, familiar-looking woman. Dahye tried to pinpoint how she knew her. Perhaps she was an influencer? Talk show host? Suddenly, her heart fluttered with excitement. She bowed her head, eyes darting around.
“That’s Lee Eunkyung,” she hissed.
Hyukjoon glanced over. “Oh. Yeah, it is. I didn’t realize.”
“Oh my god.” Dahye straightened up and brushed her fingers through her hair. “Oh my god. She’s so beautiful in real life. I mean, I’ve seen celebrities before, and they mostly look thesame, but—” She stopped, noticing Hyukjoon’s raised eyebrows. “What?”
“I see her around a lot,” he said. “She’s not that great. Her latest movie is terrible, and her acting is abysmal. And haven’t I told you that she’s a total bitch?” Dahye clamped her mouth shut. Shook her head, as Hyukjoon leaned in, voice low. “To tell you the truth, I went on a blind date with her a few years back.”
“You did? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “Because I’ve been on a lot of dates. If I told you about every single one, we would be here for hours. Don’t worry. I didn’t like her at all. She’s a total snob.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t be hurt. I’d pick you over her any day. I’m here with you now, aren’t I?”
Dahye didn’t respond. The dress Lee Eunkyung was wearing was almost identical to the one Hyukjoon had purchased. Of course, Dahye knew that the actress looked much better than she did. Turning to Hyukjoon, she asked, “Do you really mean that?”
“Why would I lie?”
Warmth flooded her chest. Regretting her earlier meanness, she took his hand and kissed it. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Anything for you,” he said. “Also, no pressure, but … I booked a suite at the Park Hyatt for us tonight. We don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But I thought it would be fun.”
Under the table, his hand slithered up her thigh. Goosebumps erupted along her skin. Hyukjoon watched, waiting for her response. He cocked his head, his fingers brushing against her underwear. “We can order room service and get a massage …”
Dahye thought back to earlier in the evening. Her knees had sunk into the carpet like quicksand. The tiger had stared at herwhile Hyukjoon’s hands were clamped tightly onto both sides of her head. Her jaw still hurt.
“Okay,” she said.
+
The suite was beautiful. Spacious, with a king-sized bed and full-length windows that overlooked the city. Recessed lighting bathed them in a warm yellow glow. As Dahye peered into the bathroom, inspecting the shower and the tub, Hyukjoon flopped backward onto the perfectly crisp sheets, his arms spread wide. A bottle of wine was waiting for them, along with a basket of fresh fruit and pastries from the kitchen. Hyukjoon sat up and uncorked the bottle.
“You drank so much during dinner,” she murmured, watching him. She didn’t mention the Dom Pérignon at the store.
“I only had a few glasses,” he said dismissively. “Anyway, if we don’t drink it, it’ll go to waste.” He poured, then took a sip, smacking his lips. “Try it. It’s good.”
“In a second.”
Dahye retreated into the bathroom, closing the door. Still fully clothed, she sat on the toilet, listening to the hum overhead. It was loud. She looked up at the ceiling, searching. Was it the fan? She wanted it to stop; her head was pounding. To make matters worse, she could hear the glug of wine being poured just outside the door. She leaned against the wall with her eyes closed and, feeling suddenly annoyed, climbed onto the toilet seat and peered at the fixture on the ceiling, rapping the glass with her knuckles.
“Dahye? Everything alright in there?”
“Fine, sorry,” she called. “I’ll be out shortly.” She pressed her fingers against the light. It was warm. She couldn’t tell if the sound was coming from the light or somewhere else entirely.Frowning, she turned to the vent in the wall, peering into the metal grate.
Red eyes glowed at her through the slats.
She screamed and tumbled to the floor. The door swung open, narrowly missing her head. In the doorway, Hyukjoon stood, his expression frantic with alarm.
“What happened?”
“There’s something in the vent—”
A wrinkle appeared across Hyukjoon’s forehead. “In the vent?”
“Up there.” She pointed, her finger quivering. Hyukjoon stepped over her and stood on tiptoe to look inside. “There’s nothing here.” He crouched and helped her up, still looking concerned. “Did you watch scary movies again last night?”