2:55 PM, downtown Seoul.
Yeoju stood in the designated position again today.
Front desk.
On the counter were neatly arranged check-in forms, hotel coupons, and a set of room card keys.
Each and every detail was perfectly aligned. Within it, the heroine blinked exactly twice.
And then I found a familiar name.
“Minho Choi, check-in is scheduled for 3 PM today.”
It's a common name, but in this hotel, 'that name' meant only one person.
Choi Minho.
He was actually Choi Yeonjun.
The first time I saw that name was half a year ago, in an internal information window that I accidentally opened while organizing the system.
I thought I was getting preferential treatment because I was a VIP customer, but it turned out I was a celebrity.
A fairly famous person, known even to the heroine who had no interest in that world.
A former idol who is well-known despite being active in a low-key manner.
Now, he occasionally appears on entertainment programs, does commercials, and has many fans.
But in this hotel…
He showed up with all that stuff off.
Wear your hat, speak little, and be polite.
Every time he came quietly, stayed quietly, and left.
He never once caused any problems or said anything uncomfortable.
A person who says only what is necessary and only as much as is necessary.
And the room he stayed in was always 1205.
The request also contained only that phrase.
“If possible, please share a room.”
Today, too, he opened the hotel door and came in at the scheduled time.
Black hat, hoodie, sneakers. In hand was a cup of coffee and a cell phone.
The heroine put down the pen she was holding and raised her head.
Their gazes met exactly.
“…Welcome.”
"hello."
He laughed quietly.
A very calm face that shows neither joy nor fatigue.
The woman said while checking the documents.
“I’ll help you check in. Your room is 1205.”
He nodded.
“You remember.”
"Same time, same room, same requests. Easy to remember."
"That's right," Yeonjun laughed. "That's why I like this hotel. Nothing's changed."
The woman said, handing over the card key.
"Check-out is two days later at 11:00 AM. If you have any questions, please let me know at any time..."
“Can I talk to you?”
It was a word that came out of the blue.
The heroine hesitated.
"…yes?"
“No, just. You’re always here when I come.”
“…”
"But, you always say the same thing. Sometimes I feel like trying something different."
The heroine took a deep breath in her mind.
In my profession, keeping a distance from customers is a basic requirement.
Especially if the other person is ‘that person’.
“We, by rule… can’t be too friendly.”
“I guess so.”
The Fed laughed quietly.
“But I’m… speaking as a customer.”
He said, lifting the coffee in his hand.
“I’ll buy another one of these next time. Do you like coffee?”
The heroine was speechless for a moment.
“I like it, but… I like keeping a certain distance from customers more than coffee.”
"All right."
The Fed nodded and smiled.
“I’ll keep that distance today too.”
He took the card key and turned toward the elevator.
The heroine watched him walk away and nodded.
Just that distance.
Because that was the beginning and it should be the end.
That evening, Yeoju, who had started working the night shift, took a moment to open the system again.
And then I clicked on his name on the VIP customer list.
Now a familiar page.
Room 1205. Regular visitor. Pseudonym used. Special requests.
Beneath it, an administrator's note caught my eye.
This was updated a few days ago.
[Note: This customer strongly demands privacy. Please be courteous when responding.]
[Exception: Employee ‘Yeoju’ remains in charge of responding to customers’ requests.]
The heroine stared at the screen quietly.
Someone's setting, someone's intention.
And the fact that he was included in it.
Something much hotter than coffee slid down my throat.
It was like a warning, or a signal.
“I’ll buy another one of these next time.”
.
.
.
Continued in the next episode >>>>