Carpe Noctem

Chapter 1

The last apartment available in the century-old lodging doesn’t seem too bad, much to the surprise of its new tenant. The furnishings are elegantly coordinated, most likely custom-made to stay consistent with the original Edwardian interiors. The bathroom is quite spacious, with an area enough to fit a shower stall and a clawfoot tub, and the French windows boast a magnificent view of Zurich.

Even the queen-sized bed is alright—the mattress is firm, the sheets are smooth to the touch, the pillows are plushy—except for the olive green duvet that covers it.

“If I am staying here for six months, then that ugly thing has to go,” Yoon Se Ri says to herself before turning on her heel and walking towards the small balcony.

She opens the giant windows, and she is immediately welcomed by the breathtaking landscape of the Old Town. For a minute, she takes in the panorama of the city that will be her temporary home, then sits on the aluminum bistro chair on the right. The sun is already setting behind her, and she soaks up the remnant golden rays of that autumn day wearing her designer aviators as though she is in some arthouse melodrama.

It is one of those rare moments of peace, a chance for her to simply shut off everything and stop the gears in her head from turning. She never had the luxury of doing that during her time in Seoul—which is basically her entire life until she boarded a plane en route to Switzerland last night. So far, every second she has spent in her reality feels like a battle for survival.

But as always, the respite is fleeting. Her phone rings, pulling her back to her transient residence and the pressing matters at hand. She fishes out the damned device from the pocket of her leather jacket, then frowns upon seeing the caller’s name. She swipes right regardless.

“What do you want, Se Hyung-ah?” she asks without masking her irritation towards her older brother.

“Se Ri-ah, I told you to call me once you arrive in Zurich,” her brother’s voice is calm, yet menacing.

She only rolls her eyes at his attempt to intimidate her.

“My flight was pleasant, thank you,” she matches his arrogance with her trademark sarcasm. “I never thought you’d be interested in my safety, though.”

“I couldn’t care less whether the plane had a dead-stick landing or not. I just need to pass the information to abeoji,” Yoon Se Hyung answers back. “Anyhow, send me the address and the contact number of the place you’ll be staying at.”

“I asked abeoji for space when I moved out. Now, why—”

“And he gave it to you. So—”

“Do you realize how ridiculous your demand sounds right now?”

“Do as I say, Yoon Se Ri,” he hisses over the phone. “Don’t make me get those details myself because once I send people there, you can expect them to be outside your door 24/7. And I doubt that you’ll appreciate that set-up.”

“Send your apologies to Gu Seung Jun-ssi too,” he quickly adds. “You were definitely being considerate when you stood him up yesterday at the gala.”

Before she can argue, he drops the call. And she is left with no other choice than to comply with the rules—Se Hyung’s rules, to be exact—if she wants her self-imposed exile to somehow feel like a vacation.

Big words coming from someone who’s being a pain in everyone’s ass, she seethes inwardly. If you think you can ruin my sabbatical by bossing me around, then you’d have to try harder, jageun oppa.

Frustrated, she lets out some steam with a loud groan.

When she has calmed down a bit and is about to rise to her feet, she hears someone clear his throat somewhere from her left, followed by a deep baritone.