The Masked Ball Murders

1

On January 1st, a masked ball will be held at SB Hotel, arguably Korea's most famous hotel, to celebrate the New Year. Everyone must wear masks and remain anonymous. Every year, reporters flock to this ball, and this year, top star A has announced her attendance, so even more reporters are flocking to find her. Kim Yeo-ju, a reporter in her third year, has also decided to attend.

Let me briefly explain this ball. It takes place over three days. On the first day, December 31st, a ball is held to welcome the new year. The second day, January 1st, is the highlight of the ball, particularly the New Year's countdown. At midnight, a spectacular fireworks display and the ringing of bells signal the arrival of the new year. The final day, January 2nd, is the voting for the most beautiful person. Of course, since it's a masked event, the selection is based on factors such as voice, figure, hairstyle, clothing, and accessories. Anyone can participate, and the most beautiful person of the year receives a pure gold rose as a prize. This event attracts around 200 people to the SB Hotel every year. About 30 of them are journalists, and the rest are wealthy celebrities. Of these, the 20 most affluent gather for an after-party after the ball. All of this is organized by Choi Soo-bin, the owner of the SB Hotel.

***

The last day of 2020 dawned. Kim Yeo-ju, ready to head to the SB Hotel, donned a flashy dress she never wore before, high heels, and sparkly jewelry. She sprayed on elegant and sophisticated perfume and headed out. She was worried that anyone would find out she was a reporter, so she dressed up as much as possible. Seeing her, it was impossible not to fall in love. Drawing everyone's attention, Yeo-ju took a taxi to the SB Hotel. Although it was also in Seoul, traffic was heavy, perhaps due to the upcoming New Year, and it took an hour and a half to get there. Yeo-ju went to the front desk, got her room key, and checked into room 1308. She planned to stay for three days, so she unpacked her luggage and took off her high heels. Perhaps because they were new, the heels were worn down.

“Ahh... I guess I should put a band-aid on it.”

The heroine put the bandage she had brought just in case on her heel, took her phone out of her handbag, and dialed the number saved as 'Boyfriend❤️'. After about 20 seconds, the owner of that number answered the phone.

“Honey, what are you doing now? Are you at work?”

"Yeah. I'm at work. Let's call later. I'm busy right now."

“Oh, okay. I’ll contact you later.”

The man, called "Honey," answered in an annoyed tone. The woman, thinking he was tired, hung up. She tried not to show it, but her last words were tinged with disappointment.

At 11 p.m., people donned masks and headed to the ballroom to attend the ball. Yeoju, too, donned a lavishly decorated mask and entered the ballroom. The walls and ceiling were gilded with gold, the huge chandeliers seemed inlaid with diamonds, and the wine and desserts looked luxurious to anyone who saw them. Yeoju thought it was a real rip-off. People in various dresses and one-pieces were chattering away. Only idle chatter, like, "Oh, is this your first time here?" and "Your mask is beautiful," flowed out. Yeoju, who disliked noise, should have been reporting, but she retreated to a quieter corner, drinking wine alone. Then, someone approached her and spoke. She was very tall and wore relatively simple clothing and a mask.

“I guess this is your first time here.”

“Ah... how did you know? It was obvious. lol”

"A bit much? It's okay. It didn't really show that I was a reporter."

"yes?"

"But if you're going to report, don't you have to be close to people? Why are you in the corner..."

“It’s noisy. Haha, I’m off now.”

Perhaps because she'd been caught being a reporter, the female protagonist barked with an uneasy expression. Just as she was about to move to another location, a gunshot rang out, and silence fell. And then, someone's scream broke the silence.