The alarm went off precisely at 7 am, although it was unnecessary since Evelyn hadn't slept at all the previous night. With her mind consumed by worries, a restful night's sleep was simply out of the question.
Feeling exhausted, Evelyn reluctantly rose from bed. ''I guess it's time to start my prescriptions again'' she mumbled and trudged her way to the bathroom.
She splashed some water on her face and exclaimed in frustration ''Ugh! I don't wanna go.''
Evelyn was amongst those who never took a leave or a day off unless the world was collapsing. She had a habit of organizing her work in advance and was always punctual in arriving at her job. She didn't like the idea of procrastinating the work.
However, she was currently facing challenges as she struggled to meet deadlines while also dealing with constant harassment from her ex and his girlfriend. That was the reason for her extreme reluctance to go to her workplace.
The only hope which motivated her to be there was the presence of Maxwell as he was the only well wisher of hers who backed her up during hard times.
She got ready and stepped outside of her apartment. While locking it, her eyes fell on the next door apartment. The door was still unlocked and the lights were on.
That seemed to be unusual as it was normally the time at which he left for work and greeted her every morning.
She instantly figured out that he must be tired after having a steamy night with Cassie. An impulsive wave of envy ran through her body. "Of course...who wakes up early after calling his girlfriend for a sleepover.."- she said to herself.
She even dropped the idea of asking him about his hand. She scoffed and thought-
EVELYN: ''why do I care if he himself is not interested in taking care of his injury and he's even acting strangely nowadays as if trying to avoid me. He must be done with me now his own girlfriend has arrived. I guess he's no different from Alan. (Sighs) Get yourself together, Eve. Don't let these stupid feelings hurt you again.''
She listened to her inner voice and turned towards the elevator.
Pressing the elevator button, she waited a few moments before the lift arrived at her floor. The doors slid open, inviting her inside.
There was an old woman in the elevator whom she had never seen before. However, she walked in.
The lady cradled a photo frame in her arms, holding it close to her chest. She seemed to be strange as she was speaking animatedly to the picture she was holding in her hands which made Evelyn uncomfortable.
She stood quietly beside her, with her gaze fixed on the lift's electric panel.
(Frowns) ''Why is the lift so slow today?'' She looked at her watch and thought to herself.
The numbers were changing slowly, but the constant hum of voices was a persistent distraction. Despite her best efforts, Evelyn found herself unable to resist listening to the lady's words.
AJUMMA: (caresses the photo frame) ....I wonder whether they serve consumable food in the army or not. My poor baby, I'm gonna cook all your favorite meals and you can have as much soju as you want. I won't utter a word. Son, you know that mom is worried about you. Just come home now.
I have a lot to tell you and a lot to listen from you. At least give me a call once a month. (Scoffs) I'll not talk back unless you tell me when you are coming bac.... (Murmur continues)
After listening to the lady's words, she developed a sense of sympathy for her. She thought in her mind, ''what kind of son is he who couldn't call his mother even once. Is it such a big deal to serve in the army? It's surprising how busy someone can be that they can't spare a minute to call at home. They must understand that someone is waiting for them."
In a sudden flash of memory, she recalled the moment her brother was enlisted to serve in the military for a period of 2 years.
Each day seemed to bring a scolding from her grandmother, warning her not to contact him, yet she couldn't resist the urge to reach out to him every weekend.
Despite the strict rules, they found a unique and entertaining way to stay connected through the exchange of letters, filled with playful banter.
As a young child, she struggled to find the right words to express herself, resulting in lengthy 5 to 6 page letters detailing every aspect of her day.
She still had those cherished letters, preserved in a safe place. Each one a vessel of her deepest feelings and adoration for her brother, evoking memories of the cozy moments they shared.
"The lady's whispers continued, bringing her back to reality. She glanced at the panel, which appeared to be stuck on the 4th floor."
EVELYN: (Frowns) ''Why is the lift so slow today?'' She looked at her watch and thought to herself.
That strange lady caught her looking at her watch and turned to extend a warm greeting.
OLD LADY (AJUMMA): Oh my! What a pretty young girl. Do you live here my child?
EVELYN: uh..yes (answers politely)
OLD LADY: (frowns) That's strange. How come I have never seen you here before?
Her words seemed to be ironic as Evelyn had the same thoughts for that lady in her mind.
The lady further asked curiously-
OLD LADY: On which floor do you live?
Evelyn was hesitant to tell her but she couldn't bring herself to deny.
EVELYN: 7th.. floor (hesitant tone)
LADY: (Excitedly) Just a level below me. That's great. (Excitedly looks at the photo frame) Josh, say hello to her.
Lady cheerfully turned the photo frame towards Evelyn which had the picture of his son and waited for her response.
Evelyn took a quick look at the image featuring a man in his late twenties. She awkwardly smiled and waved her hand at the picture, not sure what she was doing.
The lady chuckled at her cute gestures and curiously asked her.
OLD LADY: (looks at Evelyn's hand) Are you engaged?
That made Evelyn more uncomfortable. She couldn't wrap her head around why that elderly woman was prying into her personal life. She wanted to evade her question but decided it to be the last one to answer.
EVELYN: No, I'm.. single. (Answers hesitantly)
The lady appeared to be very pleased after hearing her response. She eagerly gazed at the picture
OLD LADY: I think you are a perfect match for my Joshua. You both would look very good together.
Evelyn wasn't ready for that. She didn't expect those words to be coming from such a old lady's mouth whom she had never met before. She was taken aback and wanted to escape from that situation as soon as possible.
However, the woman paid no mind to her unease and persisted in elucidating her opinions.
OLD LADY: My son is a very fine and capable man. He'll always keep you happy. He's currently in the army but once back, I'll fix a date for both of you. He'll be very happy to know that I've already selected a bride for him.
The woman appeared content in her own fantasies and was enthusiastic about fixing Evelyn's relationship with her son, disregarding her consent.
OLD LADY: You'll be a perfect bride for him. what do you think? (looks at her curiously with a flashy smile on her face)
Evelyn was on a quest to navigate her way out of that cringe-worthy scenario when, out of nowhere, the elevator chimed and its doors gracefully parted, offering her a golden opportunity.
EVELYN: I...I don't.. think so. I'm getting late. (Smiles awkwardly)
With a swift bow, she made her escape.
She hotfooted outside to hail a taxi to the subway. As she entered the cab, Dayun let out a sigh of relief and drew back the curtains of his balcony window, where he had been observing Evelyn rushing to her workplace.
Making his way to the kitchen, he retrieved a clean cloth from the drawer. Balancing a tray of breakfast in his hands, he walked towards the painting room to check upon Cassie who was being held captive by him. He took out the key from the pocket of his trousers and unlocked the door.
While dayun was busy handling Cassie, Evelyn was still on her way to her workplace. Her mind was occupied with thoughts about what kind of reviews she's gonna get on her game.
Though she had faith in her game but considering that her last project was a flop, Evelyn was afraid to expect much from it.
Entering the office with a sense of anticipation, she was fully aware that her colleagues might be engaging in some not-so-flattering chatter about her.
However, she chose to tune out the negativity and navigated her way to her designated cubicle.
As she settled in, the giggling sounds from the neighboring cubicle caught her attention. She glanced over and noticed that Alan and his new girlfriend Innah were engrossed in their affectionate conversations.
She felt nothing and paid no attention as if her heart had run out of emotions for them. It was just yesterday that she had some pity for Innah in her heart but that remaining empathy too got vanished after yesterday's events.
She decided to focus on her work. The initial task she had at hand was to review and compile a report to present to the director. However, she lacked the courage to do it by herself.
She looked around for Maxwell, but he was nowhere to be seen. Even his cubicle was vacant. She tried to call him but didn't get any response. ''Why is he not picking up the call..?''- she mumbled.
As she was figuring out the ways to know the whereabouts of Max, suddenly, her gaze landed on a small note attached to her desk and an iced Americano placed near it. Her eyebrows drew closer in curiosity.
''Isn't this Max's handwriting?'' she thought in her mind. After peeling it off, she began to read it silently.
(Slip's content): ''Hey Eve! I guess I'll be taking a day off today. Something came up at home. So, I had to go. I know this may seem a bit vague to inform you like this but I couldn't bring myself to tell you directly. So I opted for this method. I understand you're anxious about the reviews of our game and I should be there with you but I'm truly sorry. I'll try to finish my work as soon as possible. Please try to handle things until then and don't panic, Okay! I've prepared all the necessary documents. You can take them from my desk. And your iced Americano is waiting for you on your desk, less cream more syrup, right! I'm aware you need to recharge yourself before beginning your work. Think of me with every sip. Your buddy, Maxwell''
Evelyn smiled as she sipped on the Americano that Maxwell had left for her. However, she couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't answering her calls. "I hope Miami's alright," she thought to herself.
In the meantime, after entering the room, the first thing Dayun did was to silence the alarm that he had set the night before to wake Cassie up.
Cassie, bound to a chair with a gag in her mouth, was whimpering in a half-asleep state. It seemed as though she was eager to be freed but lacked the energy to do so.
Her fear and desperation only increased upon seeing Dayun enter the room. She began to cry loudly.
He slowly stepped towards her and placed the tray near her chair. With cloth still in his hand, he crouched in front of her chair and scolded her with a frown on his face.
DAYUN: ''Hey! Easy. Don't make me switch to more cruel methods. So tell me, how was your night? I bet I would have crossed your expectations. Innit. (Smirks) And yes! I have prepared breakfast just for you in case you would die out of starvation which is not a part of my plan. Would you like to have it now?"
He pretended to wait for her answer by looking at her with curious eyes even after knowing that she couldn't speak because of the gag in her mouth. He was enjoying mocking her and making fun of her pathetic condition.
DAYUN: "What happened sweetheart? Why are you so quiet today. Did cat got your tongue. (laughs) Ohh my bad! I forgot to take it out of your mouth (taking out the gag abruptly)
CASSIE: (panting heavily) Wh.. what.. do you.. want from me?
DAYUN: what do I want? (frowns) ahh..you mean reason? Lemme think... (pretending to think hardly) uhhm... do we need one? (Grins)
Dayun snickered at her and gave her a vague answer which made Cassie more restless. Out of desperation, she began to badmouth him.
CASSIE: Don't laugh, you son of a b*tch... Yo...you f*cked me up for no reason. Crazy b*stard, are you out of your f*cking mind (Screams at him)
Her words switched his mood to a more assertive one.
He firmly squeezed her cheeks under his palm and pulled her closer.
DAYUN: Save your sweet curses for later babe... cuz the show's just going to begin.