The Reve - Part 1

Chapter 6: Lady's Room

A week had passed since Hyori's second outing at the commercial venue. Her regular would see her in the evening and she half-heartedly dreaded the encounter. Once the liner was applied to the corners of her mouth, she put on sandals with floral ornaments that matched her new slilky dress.

Bliss was still lying on the couch when the violet walked inside the living room.

"Already leaving?"

"Yes. He asked me to arrive before him and order dinner."

"You still have forty minutes ahead. The dinner will be cold when he'll arrive. Unless you warm it for him. The suites are equipped with induction stoves and ovens. But that's wife duties, not a girlfriend thing."

Hyori was hesitant but she decided to climb into room 302. The man had ordered sushi last time, meaning she could pick something similar for dinner. She missed the meals she enjoyed in her previous home.

Her thoughts then drifted towards her Mother. She wanted to tell the woman how she was doing and had secured a regular. She wanted to show the fashionable dress she chose for herself with everything she purchased. More than anything, she wanted her mother to tell her how proud she was, with affection glistening in her hazel eyes.

The beeping sound of the elevator woke her from her thoughts. The suite was dark when she entered. Her hand searched for the light switch on the wall but nothing happened when she changed its position.

Unsure, she texted her oldest roommate who instructed her to put her card inside a slot by the door if she wanted to power on the suite. The girl did as told not without feeling stupid and thanked Bliss before hanging up.

Hyori put her instrument case on the bedroom's salon table before calling the room service.

"Can I order three servings of smoked salmon with two sides of surimi gyoza and one serving of red beans mochi?... Thank you. And I will have a carafe of grapefruit-flavoured water with some tea to brew, please. Thank you."

She idly walked back inside the living room, eager for dinner delivery. Bliss said there was a stove somewhere in the area and upon looking closely at the countertops, she found almost invisible circles. Deducing the oven to be underneath, she opened what looked like drawers and found an oven was hidden behind cabinet panels.

She was still looking at the closed oven when the suite's door opened and a hotel worker pushed a rolling tray inside. They greeted and the petite middle-aged man put the plates and carafe on the table before leaving.

The worker had avoided looking at her. She noticed the older ones were the most uncomfortable when they served in the hotel rooms or the basement. Embarrassment mixed with distaste when they were anywhere near the hosts.

She arranged the plates on opposite sides of the table, the dessert on her side and two servings of salmon on the other side. Her regular texted his cooking preferences. He didn't enjoy sweets but loved fish. She wondered if she could keep the plates warm inside the oven.

The worker was probably too far away and she called room service again. The receptionist guided her through setting the oven to keep plates warm for half an hour without overcooking.

Looking around for a fridge, she found it hidden similarly to the oven. The inside wasn't cold when she put the carafe there. The drink should remain cool without freezing. She finally put the tea set on the countertop beside the oven to brew some tea after dinner. Satisfied, she walked to the suite's salon and sat on the couch.

After a dozen minutes, the door opened and her guest entered with a rolling suitcase. She got on her feet and nervously arranged herself before walking to the man who had just arrived. Once she reached his level, she summoned everything she had in herself to enact a scene she often caught on the drama shows Bliss watched.