Fake Love : K-Pop romance [ English ]

Chapter 2.2

Indeed, a map was necessary to find my way in this place. The lower floors were a maze of austere tunnels and rooms stretching beneath the palace's foundations. Unlike the prestigious entrance hall, here the ceilings were low, the lighting dim, and an oppressive atmosphere hung in the air. On my way, I passed many employees. Rushed, none of them stopped to talk to me. Still moving along with hesitant steps, I recalled Mr. Park's words during our meeting this morning:

"Working at the Empire Queen Palace is an unexpected opportunity for you, Miss Choi. You can always rely on this job if your acting career doesn't take off."

To be honest, for now, I was disillusioned in the bowels of the hotel.

After a long walk, I found myself in front of a door, with no sound coming from behind it. A quick glance at my map confirmed I was in the right place. I knocked three times and waited a few seconds before a much taller woman with an imposing stature opened the door. Startled, I couldn't help but take a step back. Her dark uniform and gray hair pulled back gave her an air of authority. How old could she be? Fifty, sixty?

"What do you want?" she asked in a stern, almost aggressive tone.

I tried to hide the tension tightening my stomach and managed to answer:

"I'm Miss Choi, I'm here for..."

"Ah yes, the chambermaid position they gave you!"

Her words sounded like a reprimand. Embarrassed, I nodded. She introduced herself without waiting:

"I'm Mrs. Yun, the housekeeper!"

She opened the door wide and, with a nod, ordered me inside.

My eyes widened as I discovered several employees lined up in perfectly aligned rows inside the room. Men and women, in their work uniforms, had their backs bent, heads bowed. They remained in that position without moving, in complete silence. Next to the housekeeper, I observed them, stunned. Suddenly, Mrs. Yun's voice echoed off the walls, speaking in perfect English:

"For several weeks, you will have to adopt the customs of politeness and social behavior practiced in this establishment. You should know that in Asian countries, social codes are particularly strict! In Korea, people bow to greet, show respect, or express gratitude. The degree of the bow may vary depending on the social status of the person before you. The deeper the bow, the more respectful it is. Here, your bows must therefore be as deep as possible!"

She paused, examined the employees with a strict eye, then stepped towards them, her hands clasped behind her back while I remained in place, not understanding what was happening.

"Straighten up!" the housekeeper ordered in her unkind voice.

When the employees stood up, I immediately noticed from their facial features that they were not from Korea.

"While the Empire Queen Palace prepares to open in New York, you will follow the rules, the mandatory traditions from here, throughout your training!"

Of course! I had seen that information on the news. The palace's president had decided to create branches in several other countries, starting with New York City. A titanic project near Central Park. To save precious time, it had been decided that training for a hundred employees of the franchise would be done directly in Seoul, within the hotel.

The housekeeper's voice rose again:

"Team A, today's meeting is over for you. I will ask you to join your posts with your supervisors."

The employees bowed. They had learned the lesson of the day well. Soon, a commotion filled the room. Mrs. Yun demanded silence with authority before returning to me. Without moving, I watched the faces of those strangers twist, grumble in low voices, holding their backs. In a rush to head towards the door, few looked at me.

"Becky, Emil, Alan!" Mrs. Yun called before the room emptied. "Come over here!"

Two young men and a young woman, barely older than me, approached us.

"This is Bora Choi, your new colleague. In training too, she joins your group starting now. Give her a warm welcome, explain what's expected of her. I'm counting on you!"

The housekeeper turned to one of the young men:

"Alan, you didn't have a Bonnie until now. You will pair with Bora. She speaks English."

He nodded and then looked at me. Shy, I quickly looked away.

"You may go! Miss Choi, come an hour earlier tomorrow. You need to meet with HR and pick up your uniforms from personnel services."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied.

The four of us bowed before turning on our heels and heading for the exit in complete silence.