A Whisper from the Fourth Floor
"Ouch...
you're being too rough—be gentle!"
The voice floated through the quiet hallway of the fourth floor, just outside Room 407. It wasn't loud, but it had a sultry echo that made anyone passing by pause. Muri, the floor supervisor, heard it clearly as she made her rounds. She stopped, smirked slightly, and tilted her head.
"She's so loud again," she muttered with a sigh, though her expression hinted more amusement than annoyance.
Just then, a new staff member approached, his steps hesitant, his face flushed from what he'd just overheard. "Who… who was that? And why do you sound like you enjoy hearing it?" he asked, a mix of innocence and curiosity coloring his voice.
Muri turned to him, brushing her short brown hair behind her ear. "Ah, you're the new one," she said. "You'll get used to it. Maybe even enjoy it like I do," she added with a mischievous smile that made him look away. "I'm Muri, in charge of this floor."
"I'm Lex," he said quietly.
...
That night, Muri's room was a chaotic mess of romance novels, open manga, and scribbled notebooks. Her creative spirit thrived in the clutter. She leaned over her desk, pen in hand, finishing a steamy scene in her novel where the male lead finally kissed the heroine. As she imagined the moment, Lex's face replaced her fictional hero's. His calm voice, sharp jawline, tall frame, and those slightly wet lips from earlier—it all invaded her thoughts.
Blushing, she dropped her pen. "Why am I thinking about him?" she whispered, covering her face.
On the other side of the city, Lex sat on his bed, flipping through a book titled Daily Candy. But his mind wasn't in it. "She's… different," he muttered, thinking of Muri's teasing smile and the way she seemed to read his mind earlier. "A pervert with a devilish grin," he chuckled, shaking his head.
...