Wicked Entertainment

Episode 4: Three Strikes

~EPISODE 4~

Three Strikes

HYERI
WEDNESDAY, lunchtime.

Hyeri paced outside RSA for over a minute before she finally knocked on the door. She wasn't supposed to be up on the fourth floor, let alone talking to any of the idols, but at least when she was up there with Chan and Nie she felt welcome.

Dante opened the door at an almost animatedly slow pace, poking his head out to greet her, but keeping the door more closed than open and concealing most of his body.

"Maria Han." A warm and cheeky smile stretched across his face. "What can I do for you?"

"Maria?" Hyeri asked, wracking her brain to try and remember if she had called herself Maria the day before. She must have, but she couldn't quite recall. It was all a bit of a blur.

"I have friends in marketing too, you know," Dante said. "Are you here for another run at Minkey? I think you could take him in a fight."

"N-no," Hyeri stuttered, abruptly very aware that there was nothing in the plastic bag in her hand for Dante. Maybe Minkey would think she was trying to flirt with him? This had been a bad idea. "Actually, you know what?" She smiled brightly. "It's okay—I was just coming to see if Nie—Pink was with you. Your little K-Drama moment earlier is the talk of the office."

"I see." Dante didn't look fazed.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." Hyeri turned to leave.

"He's upstairs," Dante said knowingly, tapping his nails against the door. "He's resting in dorm five. Five is his lucky number, so he's always resting there if it's free." Dante tugged at his lanyard, and it unclipped from around his neck. He held it out to Hyeri. "You won't be able to take the elevator or the stairs to the sixth floor without a swipe," he said. "Just leave it on the doorhandle here when you're done—don't knock again; I'm in the middle of a masterpiece."

"I'm not—"

"I can see the bottles of honey tea through the bag, and I know they're not for me." He flashed a pearly grin. "My voice doesn't crack."

Hyeri briefly considered protesting but then thought the better of it. "Thanks," she said, taking the lanyard from Dante's outstretched hand. "I felt bad for hurting him yesterday and thought that—"

"You don't have to justify yourself to me," Dante said, shaking his head. "He's my best friend." Dante shrugged. "He's hot, he's single, he's mostly straight. Go for it."

"I'm not interested in him like that," Hyeri spluttered. "He's not my type."

"Dorm five," Dante repeated, then shut the door in Hyeri's face without so much as a second thought.

*

NIE

"I can't quite figure out what he's at," Nie said, chewing at her thumb as her knee bounced. "But I know it can't be good."

"Maybe he just likes you." Chan's voice was cold and distant.

"I don't think that's it." Nie tried to be cool about what had happened between Chan and Dante that morning, but Chan hadn't looked at her since and was barely speaking in anything other than short, choppy sentences. "It was just coffee."

"I've never seen Dante buy coffee for anyone before," Chan said. "Not even his manager." Chan rolled back from the mixing booth on his chair and stood up stiffly. "Let alone show up at their house with one," he mumbled, grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair. "I'm going to go do some laps," he said, making for the door. "I'll see you later on."