Crescent // ATEEZ ✔

43 [suite]

With the leader behind him posing as his bodyguard, Jongho knocks on the door of the hotel suite, pulling the cashmere scarf around his neck closely, avoiding from looking nervous as he presents his face through the peephole. The slices of watermelon he had suddenly don't sit well in his stomach, and he takes one large gulp as the door opens to a hallway heading to the inside of the hotel room lined with burly bodyguards. He takes one step inside before one bodyguard with an earpiece attached and a man bun blocks his way, looking down at him.

"The weather is nice tonight," the bodyguard says with a low tone, making it fully obvious that the weather is not what he's referring to.

Jongho tries to take a look beyond the hallways but his view is blocked as the bodyguard is a few centimetres taller than him. He replies with a steady voice, "Are you kidding me? There's a storm brewing outside."

The man pauses as he looks behind, eyes travelling down the hallway and to the large window beyond the foyer. Whatever that came out of Jongho's mouth is the opposite of the weather outside; the sky is calm and there is definitely no storm cooking up. Despite that, he presses down the button on his earpiece, relaying to the people on the other end.

"Madam, it is him." He concetrates as he listens to the reply, and nods once sharply. He turns to Jongho before instructing in a monotonous voice, "You may wait at the main area before madam comes out to meet you. Remember that all your movements are observed, don't step out of line or we will be right at your throat."

"Lovely," Jongho chirps. "We won't do that now, will we Rome?" he looks to Hongjoong, in which had been decided that his fake name would be Rome - Min Gunhoo's bodyguard.

Hongjoong gives no verbal reply, merely shrugging as he keeps to his act.

Madam Tang's bodyguard eyes Hongjoong up and down before snorting. "I assume you would choose a much... taller and bigger bodyguard if you have the money. He looks like he would be knocked over once I flick him."

Jongho offers no reaction and the bodyguard takes none before ushering them to the main area, where he takes a spot beside Hongjoong, standing behind a sitting Jongho as they observe the meeting that is about to take place.

Hongjoong takes the opportunity while waiting for Madam Tang and Sir Edin to discern the current situation inside the luxurious hotel suite. He gives the message to the people behind the hidden camera at the pin on the lapel of his coat that they are outnumbered.

So if something ever goes wrong, only the two of them going against them is barely an option, to which they may only hope that the dealers will not notice anything amiss. He also realizes that the bodyguard with the man bun has been eyeing him up and down while smirking from the side, knowing that the latter is scoffing at his size and height, but he steels himself, not wanting to bring unnecessary attention towards himself.

If he can do what he wants, you bet that he will punch the bodyguard in the guts and finish off with an uppercut to his chin for making fun of his size and height. But for the sake of this mission, he's holding it in.

The person they'll be dealing with does emerge not long after, but the amount of information they have on Madam Tang has not prepared both Jongho and Hongjoong for the first impression that the woman will give them. It makes them the only people in the living room to react to it impulsively, as to her bodyguard, it seems like it's a normal everyday thing that brings no surprise to him.

It seems silly of them to think that the madam will be dressing up for the party held in the ballroom twenty floors below, when the meeting is only held in a hotel room, which would be more convenient for her to dress however she likes.