Three and a half years later...
"Death ?"
The calling with a little higher pitch and worry tone is finally catch my mind back from my revery.
"Yes..." I reply the call.
"Seo's bodyguard will reach your door. Actually, in a bout a minute nore," King informs me.
"Roger," I reply in short then ignoring King's next line as it is addressed to others.
I take a look of my own reflection in the mirror. I have wore a formal black trouser with formal white shirt and white vest. I have combed my hair neatly to the back and put some hair gel to help it stays there. I touch a little black button that seems to float on my neck. The button is actually not floating. Instead, it is a part of a transparent collar necklace on my neck.
Once I touched the button, my face in the reflection is changed. Actually, it didn't only change my reflection, but also the real appearance of my face. My face is now really looks alike Seo Jong So, the man that is sleeping on a bed few feet from me. The collar necklace is a new technology invented by the R&D department. It uses A.I and hologram technology to morph one's face into someone else's face. The hologram face is projected into one's face who wars the necklace. The A.I makes the hologram follows every micro movement made ny the real face. So, it looks very natural and believable.
I blink once. Top button of my shirt is fastened and also my bowtie.
Bell on my door is ringed once.
"Jamkanman (Wait a sec)," I say to one behind the door before leaving the mirror. Even my voice is imitating Seo Jong So now. While walking toward the door, I flick my finger. A black suit that draped over a chair flies toward me and a second later is already wore by me.
Once I open the door, a middle age man with muscular body hides in an all black suit has stood there and immediately bows his upper body low while greets me in respect, "Master Seo."
I just nod and walk before him after closing the door. The man and six other men wear all black immediately follow behind me. Another three men, also wearing all black walk before me. I notice the nine men are Seo Jong So bodyguards. Our entourage walks toward a room next to the room I came in.
Once we arrive in front of the room's door, the middle age man approaches the door and rings the bell with body bowing low. The door is opened, showing a young lady's half face. "Miseu Li junbi dwaessni ? (Is Miss Lee ready ?)" The middle age man polotely asks the young lady.
"Geoui. Jamsiman gidalyeojuseyo hamnida (Almost. Please wait for a moment)," The young lady replies then closes the door.
The middle age man turns his body to face me and says, "Miseu Liga god ol geos-ibnida, Seonsaengnim (Miss Lee will be coming soon, Sir)," as if I couldn't hear their previous conversation. However I just nod to respond him and glance at my watch.
Merely a minute later, the door is opened. A young lady that wears an expensive ballgown with her silver hair is up forming a difficult shape is coming.
"Gidalige haeseo mianhae (Sorry to keep you waiting)," Miss Lee says while formally bows to me then give me her hand.
"Gwaenchanh-a nae salang (It's okay, my love)" I reply to Miss Lee with gentle smile then takes her hand before leading her to walk.
Miss Lee and I, with the nine bodyguards, then walk to the elevator. The three bodyguards before me are checking the security of the elevator first before letting Miss Lee and I go inside.
"Maseukeu chag-yong ij-jimaseyo ju-innim (Do not forget to wear your mask, Master)" The middle-age man says to me with a low bow when the elevator door is about to close.
"Hmm.. gomawo (Thanks)," I shortly reply before taking out a mask from my jacket's inner pocket. My mask is a simple black mask decorated with couple of black pearls in its each corner. I glance at Miss Lee beside me that her face has been covered with mask. Contrary with mine, Miss Lee wears a bright red mask with lots of beads as decoration. It also has a peacock feather at one of its corner.
When the door is opened, there are already two men, with appearance no different with ones with us in the elevator, stand in front of the door. The only difference is their suits. While my bodyguards are wearing all black suits, these guys are wearing black tunic shirt and chino pants with some kind of sarong covering their thighs.
"We will guard you from here now on, Sir," One of the man says to me in a polite yet formal tone.
I nod and raise my hand to dismiss my men before step my foot to come out of the elevator. Outside the elevator is a long alley with dim light. Even with a dim light, yet it still able to present a luxurious feel with all the chandeliers, arts, and artifacts on display all along the alley.
The two mean are walking behind me and Miss Lee. Our movement in the alley actually is rather slow. It is understandable since at the end of the alley they perform a procedure to check the guests validity. After five more minutes, it is finally our turn to do the procedure.
The first post is just a metal detector gate that we need to pass through. I lead Miss Lee to enter the gate before I let my self across. Nothing is happened here since I don't bring and wear any metal.
"Your token, please, Sir," A heavy bearded man asks me in polite.
I grope inner pocket of my suit and taking out two golden tokens. "The young lady here is my guest," I say to the man, pointing at Miss Lee.
"Your name, Miss ?" The man asks to Miss Lee beside me.
"Ahem.." Miss Lee clears her throat before answering, "Lee Ji Eun."
The man enters her name on the tab he carries on. "Miss Lee Ji Eun, eighth daughter of Lee Ying Sek," he reads what the information shown by his tab. Miss Lee nods to confirm. "Please, step to the next checking point, Miss," he then asks the young lady before turning again to the tab he carries.
"Welcome, Young Master Seo Jong So," The beard man then greets me with full of politeness. I respond his greeting with nothing, not even a change of a single face muscle.
"Please step to the next checking point, Sir," He says again, showing me a way to the machine with a little bow.
I step toward the next checking point, which is voice and retina recognition machine. Another man showing me the point where I should stand.
"Please introduce your self to the machine, Sir," the man says in politeness.
"I'm Seo Jong So, the second generation of Seo technology industry..."
"Voice validated," Voice of a machine confirms my voice as Seo Jong So makes me cut my introduction to the machine.
The man then asks me to step forward fo couple of feet. Once I stand on the point, a laser starts to move down from an inch above my hair to scan my face. But when reaches the base of my hair, it suddenly stops and disappears.
The man that in charge on that machine approaches his errand who sits behind a monitor. "What's wrong ?" He asks his errand.
"The system is suddenly crashed, Sir" His errand reports.
"How come ?"
"I... I don't know, Sir. This is the first time..."
"Can't you do something about it ?"
"Permission to restart the system, Sir..."
"Accepted," the man says with a snort.
"Is something wrong ?" I ask as if I didn't know it already from reading their lips.
"Oh... it's just a little trouble, Sir," He says, changing his voice into calmer tone. "Please wait for a moment."
"Okay," I say shortly then glance to my watch.
Another minute has passed. The man, still pretends to be calm, approaching his errand again.
"Well ?" he asks.
"It is still reconnecting to the server, Sir."
"How many more time it needs ?"
"Hmm.. I... actually... it never been this long."
The man frowns. "Have you check your connection ?"
"Yes, Sir. The connection is fine as usual, but..."
"Hey.. how many more hour I need to wait ?" I raise my voice, deliberately putting so much impatience and cut their conversation.
The man quickly approaches me. "Pardon me, Sir. The system still needs ..."
"What's wrong, Barley ?" This time the beard man is one who cuts his words.
The man then whispering to the beard man, informing the condition.
"Are you trying to waste our time here ?" I raise my voice again. "The auction is about to start and there is quite a long queue behind me, thanks to you. Are you trying to make us miss the auction ?"
My words make most of people that queueing behind me uneasy. This is an exclusive auction that will auction off valuable and rare items, some even considered illegals. More over, they only invite a handful of most rich and famous people all over the world that, of course, interested in those items.
"I... I'm.. Forgive me, Sir..."
"Hey... What's going on ?! Why is it so long ?!" Some people in the queue start protesting.
"Calm down, Ladies and Gentlemen... I promise you, the auction won't start before all of you come," the beard man is quickly responding the protest. He then approaches the man again and whisper, "Just let the Young Master Seo in."
"But, Sir.."
"It's an order," he hisses.
"Yes, Sir," the man says before turning his already smiling face to me. "Please accept my apology for your inconvenient, Young Master Seo. Please just come in," he says politely. with a little bow, his hand showing me a path to the gate.
I snort and waggle my suit before steps out from the point and approach Miss Lee who has waited for me in front of the gate. When I reach her hand to lead her entering the gate, I hear the errand exclaiming to the man, "Sir, it is finally connecter to the server."