DANCE WITH THE DEVIL

CHAPTER 11

Areum was overwhelmed by the warmth of her father and older brother's treatment over the past few hours, so much so that she almost forgot where she was. After the nurse asked the boss for permission, she was allowed to explore, and now she wandered freely, her eyes darting to every corner and closed door, her feet lightly tapping the floor as she memorized each path.

Suddenly, a voice broke her reverie. "I haven't seen you before."

Startled, Areum spun around, her heart racing. A shadowy figure emerged from the corner.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Who are you?" he retorted playfully.

"Are you a ghost or something?"

"I'm an assassin."

"Oh, like the ninja ones who silently kill and disappear like the wind? Alright, I get it."

The man arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by her calm demeanor. "Your face looks familiar, though."

"Let me guess, Marcus Lee?" she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yep, I'm his sister."

His eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, you're the guest."

"And this is the right moment for you to tell me your name."

"Haechan."

"Alright, Haechan, you're not going to kill me and toss me out of this pretty window, right?"

He shook his head. "The opposite. Sir Na wants us to ensure your safety here."

Her brows furrowed. "And by ensuring my safety, you mean?"

"You can't go out."

Areum's jaw dropped. She glanced around at the thick, dark walls, feeling a rush of panic. "Am I a prisoner?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You're a guest."

"Who restricts a guest from going out? Did Marcus tell you to ground me?"

"Sir Na's orders."

Areum felt her shoulders slump in disbelief as she absorbed Haechan's serious demeanor.

She approached the large, open window and pointed out at the height. "Is this a deadly drop?"

"You're on the third floor, not in a tower, Rapunzel. But yeah, you could break a couple of bones if you jumped."

Goosebumps raced down her spine. She stepped back from the window, her lips paling.

"Seriously, you won't push me out if I get annoying, right, Mister Haechan?" She forced a wide smile.

"No, Sir Na would kill me himself," he replied dryly.

Areum laughed nervously. "Right, killing is just a regular Tuesday for you guys." She made accidental eye contact with him and waved. "Bye!"

Haechan watched her flee, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Cute."

After a frantic tour around the unfamiliar place, Areum found herself short of breath. Encountering numerous unknown faces had made her shy away from being too social.