Fake Love : K-Pop romance [ English ]

Chapter 2.3

"It's so cool to have a new one on the team," said the girl with straight black hair down to her shoulders.

As soon as we left the room, she positioned herself next to me while the two young men walked in front of us at a brisk pace. All excited, she called out to one of the boys:

"You finally have a Bonnie, Alan, and I have a comrade. Being the only girl in this group was really boring. I hope we become good friends."

With a forced smile, I turned my head towards her. Her dark eyes sparkled with curiosity about me.

"What's a Bonnie?" I asked, still following them through the underground corridors.

It was Emil who answered my question without turning around:

"You don't know Bonnie and Clyde? One of the most famous criminal couples in the United States. They robbed banks and loved defying authorities. They died together. Their love became legendary."

The young woman clarified:

"All Empire Queen Palace employees work in pairs. No one moves alone. You must always be accompanied by your Clyde."

"Why?" I asked, a bit surprised.

Alan slowed down and came to my right. Tall, with short brown hair and a slightly tanned complexion, he looked a lot like actors from American TV shows.

"We were told it's to prevent sexual harassment cases from clients. Some men and even some women can behave inappropriately towards staff. Being in pairs prevents them from acting badly."

"There are some drawbacks," Becky said with a pouty expression. "Having to always work with your Clyde can be exhausting sometimes. Especially when he's craving nicotine!"

She shot a glare at Emil's back, who responded immediately in a reproachful tone:

"And I'd love a Bonnie who doesn't need to go to the bathroom every thirty minutes!"

Alan burst into laughter. My neighbor rolled her eyes.

We finally reached the elevators. Emil pressed one of the buttons, and we waited.

"Where are all the employees from New York staying?" I asked.

"Here, just like those from Seoul," Becky sighed. "In the gilded basement. The conditions are really tough. The air is humid, and there's this smell I hate. The dorms are really small for eight people. Women and men are separated. Hot water is a rare luxury, and the old pipes cause frequent outages. I hope the new palace in New York will spare us from that."

Alan added:

"Employees who sleep here are all single. Couples have to move out, but they keep their jobs."

"Many of them are in relationships but hide it from management," Emil said. "Life outside is expensive."

The elevator arrived at that moment. As we stepped inside, I asked:

"Where are we going now?"

"To the top floor," Alan replied. "We're meeting our team leaders."