La Perle : The Luxury Hotel | Taekook

Prologue : Silent Pursuit

Words : 1956
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In the dead of night, a car pulled over to a worn-out, suspicious lodge on the outskirts of town. The headlights flickered briefly before dimming, casting shadows across the eerie structure. Inside the car, two men exchanged glances as they took in their surroundings.

"This is it... We're here, Jeon," said the elder man, parking the car on the side.

"We're going to stay here, Mr. Kim? In this crappy lodge?!" The younger man, Jeon Jungkook, looked disgusted, his nose wrinkling as he stared at the rundown building before him.

"Just follow me, Jeon," Kim Taehyung instructed as he stepped out, heading towards the reception without another word.

Kim Taehyung, an intelligent and sharp-witted private detective, was known to law enforcement as the man who solved every case, no matter how difficult. His reputation was unmatched, but he rarely worked alone. His assistant, Jeon Jungkook, was just as integral to their success. They were nothing without each other-a perfect blend of Taehyung's cocky, bold nature and Jungkook's efficiency and precision.

As Taehyung entered the lodge, he casually pulled his sunglasses down and scanned the dimly lit hall. The smell of must and cigarette smoke hit him instantly.

"Anybody here?" Taehyung called, his voice echoing as he rang the small, tarnished bell on the reception counter.

A man emerged from the shadows, slowly approaching the desk. "Yes?"

"Hello, I've booked a room for two," Taehyung said, still chewing on the toothpick dangling from his lips.

"Name?" the receptionist grunted, his eyes sharp and suspicious.

"Park Jungwoo and Lee Kyung-tae," Taehyung replied smoothly, flashing a pair of realistic fake IDs as he held them out.

Meanwhile, Jungkook, still in the car, hesitated to get out. Summoning his courage, he entered the lodge and immediately regretted it. The atmosphere was chilling-straight out of a horror movie. The receptionist, a gruff man smoking and sipping from a bottle, looked at Jungkook with a gaze that made his skin crawl.

"Yah, Jungwoo-ah!" Taehyung called out, startling Jungkook. For a moment, Jungkook looked around confused before pointing at himself. Taehyung gave him an assuring look, signaling him to play along.

Jungkook, feeling uneasy under the creepy gaze of the receptionist, stood beside Taehyung, stiff as a board. The receptionist eyed him from head to toe, a twisted smile creeping across his face.

"Keys?" Taehyung asked, raising an eyebrow as he flicked his toothpick with a smirk. The man slid the keys across the counter, his eyes still lingering uncomfortably on Jungkook.

Taehyung, noticing Jungkook's discomfort, casually draped an arm over his assistant's shoulders, pulling him closer. "Come on, honey, let's go."

Jungkook's jaw dropped in shock, his eyes wide. "Yah!" he whisper-yelled, but the receptionist's scowl told him to keep playing along.

The two made their way down the dingy hall and into their assigned room. It was worse than they had imagined. Roaches crawled along the walls, the sheets were stained, and the sink dripped constantly. The room reeked of mildew.