Fake Love : K-Pop romance [ English ]

Chapter 5.3

The temperature in that place must have been close to hell. Despite the heat, the employees in that department weren't slacking off. They didn't even look up at us, which suited me just fine. The space was large and noisy, filled with the sound of the machines. People were crossing paths everywhere. As I pushed my cart, I looked up at the ceiling and saw that daylight had been replaced by neon lighting.

When we reached the drop-off point, Alan exchanged just a few words with the staff members who collected our laundry bags. The language barrier made communication difficult for him. Fortunately, I was there now. The lady behind the counter handed us clean sheets and towels.

"Ask her if the dress from suite 116-02 is ready," Alan asked me.

I translated for the employee, whose name tag read "Nancho."

"No," she replied curtly, barely paying us any attention. "Tell your Clyde to bring these kinds of garments earlier, the day before, if he wants them ready by the morning."

Alan clenched his jaw when he heard her response.

"We need to pick up that dress in two hours. It's for a gala tonight. Tell her it's urgent."

Of course, I rephrased it so it wouldn't sound... aggressive. People from outside Korea often forget that language and respect are the foundation of human interaction here. Nancho, irritated, nodded.

Once our carts were restocked, we headed back to the elevators. Suddenly, as we passed an open break room door, my gaze caught on the TV screen mounted on the wall. I saw, stunned, the first images of Mr. Baek's arrest—the father of Danbi—in front of his company. I slowed down and then stopped entirely at the room's entrance. Employees rushed inside to catch the latest breaking news. The commotion grew.

"Who's that?" Alan asked.

"Mr. Baek, the president of the country's largest telecommunications company. He's just been arrested for embezzlement. He's a very important figure in South Korea."

"It looks like they're arresting a terrorist. All this fuss—it's crazy."

Without taking my eyes off the screen, I answered, "In our culture, public image and integrity are highly valued. A person in a position of power, like a company president, is expected to be exemplary. Acts of dishonesty like embezzlement are seen as a betrayal of that trust, damaging not only the individual's reputation but also that of the company and the country. There's a growing frustration with the privileges and impunity of economic elites, which amplifies the media impact of these kinds of scandals."

"What will happen to him? A fine?"

I turned back to my cart and began pushing it.

"Probably prison. South Korea has strengthened its anti-corruption laws to restore its image and encourage a culture of integrity. Justice no longer lets anything slide."

And neither did the citizens. That was why Eliel couldn't be seen with Danbi right now.

It was now hard to move through the corridors. Everyone had stopped their tasks to gossip, phones in hand. A major earthquake had just shaken the country. A wave of panic twisted my stomach again. I wasn't sure I would survive this tremor.