Alden, still immersed in the breathtaking view from the balcony, couldn't shake the surreal feeling. In an attempt to ground himself in reality, he impulsively slapped his own face, half-expecting to awaken from an extraordinary dream.
"Come on, Alden, face reality," he muttered, the luxurious surroundings and the expansive cityscape below challenging his sense of disbelief. Suppressing the rising panic, he decided to gather his thoughts and piece together the events leading to his current situation.
Recalling the preceding night, Alden vividly remembered Choi's invitation to the red-light district—a proposition he found more of a nuisance than an enticement. Choi, with his characteristic arrogance and relentless pursuit of extravagance, was not someone Alden held in high regard.
"Hey Alden, we're going out to the red-light district; you are coming, right?" Choi's voice echoed in his memory.
Alden, feeling uncomfortably out of place, hesitated, questioning the logic of revisiting the red-light district after their recent escapade.
"The red-light district? Didn't we go there already last weekend?" Alden raised an eyebrow, casting a disdainful glance at Choi and his companions.
"Yes, so what? It's called the red-light district for a reason," Choi responded arrogantly. "Let me tell you something, Alden, ever since you got your promotion, you did nothing but hoard all your money in your bank account and did nothing with it."
Choi's words resonated, deliberately meant for others to hear about Alden's financial situation. Alden, well aware of Choi's dangerous nature, had always aimed to avoid him.
"What's wrong with saving money?" Alden defended himself, recalling Choi's upbringing and the burden placed upon him by his own parents.
This led Alden to delve into a recount of their shared history, from their days in a private school to their current jobs. Choi's millionaire father, the pressure to stick with Choi, and the relentless manipulation Alden endured over the years.
"Sigh," Alden sighed audibly, feeling the heat rise within him. "What does saving my money have to do with you? And you don't exactly lack money anyway, especially with your family owning half of this company."
Choi fired back passionately, explaining his upcoming marriage and his perception of Alden's continued lavish lifestyle.
Watching Choi describe his set-in-stone life, Alden could only shake his head in disbelief. Choi's engagement, an arranged marriage to a wealthy beauty, seemed like a predestined path for someone of his status.
"His life is set in stone, a life of luxury and politics," Alden murmured, realizing the stark contrast between their paths. He smiled mischievously, reflecting on their shared history and the compromises he made to climb the corporate ladder.
As Alden continued to gaze over Summer City from the balcony, memories of the night at the red-light district flooded back. He remembered being excessively drunk, demanding more drinks, singing at the karaoke, and ignoring the chaos unfolding around him, courtesy of Choi's flunkies. The vivid details of that night played like a hazy reel in his mind, leaving Alden to wonder how this seemingly ordinary evening had transformed into waking up in an opulent tower overlooking the city.