Chapter 12- Downstairs Chaos, Upstairs Deal.
She tucked her hands into the pockets of her coat and let the night wrap around her. The city breathed on-the hum of life far from the raw edges of that stolen money, far from the mean calculus of people who barter love for coins. For Pari, revenge was not the final scene; it was a beginning. The boy who had been wronged could now turn a corner. She had made sure of it.
And somewhere, in the slow quiet that followed, Pari allowed herself one small, private victory-a laugh that tasted like relief and the sharp, particular sweetness of justice served.
Back to the Present
The faint hum of the hotel lobby snapped Pari back to the present. Her heartbeat steadied as the fragments of her past faded, replaced by the soft clinking of teacups and murmured conversations. She blinked, refocusing - and there he was.
Soo Han.
Of all the people she could have possibly run into in India - in Mumbai, of all places - he was the last face she'd expected to see. He stood a few feet away, dressed in a beige overcoat and a black cap, the familiar mischief dancing in his dark brown eyes. The years hadn't changed that boyish gleam.
His expression lit up the moment he saw her.
"누나!! 나 기억하지? 제발 기억한다고 해줘!"
(Noona!! You remember me, right? Please tell me that you do!)
His voice drew curious glances from nearby guests as he stepped closer, grinning ear to ear.
"정말 만나고 싶었는데...!"
(I really wanted to meet you but-!)
Before Pari could even respond, Soo Han spun around to his manager, speaking rapidly in Korean, his words tumbling over each other.
"매니저님! 우리 친구야! 진짜 친구라고!!"
(Manager! We're friends! Real friends!)
He gestured toward Pari with both hands, almost dramatically.
"인도에서 친구를 만났으니까 이제 저 그냥 가도 되죠? 제발요!!"
(Now that I've met my friend in India, you can let me go, right? Please!)
The manager crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Oh, wow. And how will I believe that she is your friend?"
Then, turning to Pari, he tried his best in broken English:
"He~~~ your Chingu (friend)??"
Before Pari could speak, Soo Han jumped in, clearly panicking.
"매니저님, 제발 영어 하지 마세요! 그러면 이 누나 영어 다 잊어버릴 거예요!"
(Manager, please don't speak English! She'll forget all the English she knows if you do!)
He turned back to Pari, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"Well... he's asking if you're, um... good at speaking English. Actually, he just needs help with some locals who speak Hindi."
Pari bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing. She immediately caught on - that wasn't what the manager had asked.
Typical Soo Han. Still impulsive. Still terrible at lying. Still... him.
She decided to play along.
With a perfectly straight face, she switched to fluent Korean, her tone dripping with mock innocence.
"어? 우리 아는 사이예요? 세상에! 몰랐네요. 우리 친구였어요??"
(Oh? Do we know each other? Oh my god! I didn't know that... Are we friends?)
The manager's jaw practically dropped.
"You- you can speak Korean?" he sputtered.
Then to Soo Han, utterly confused, "You said she can't! And you're friends??"
Soo Han blinked, caught completely off guard.
"하하하하! 당연히 알았죠! 장난이었어요! 우리 둘 다 그냥 장난친 거예요!"
(Ha ha ha ha! Of course I knew! We were just joking! Both of us!)
He looked at Pari with that helpless golden retriever expression she remembered far too well.
"제발... 한 번만 도와줘요."
(Please... just help me this once.)
Pari sighed - a long, theatrical sigh - before turning to the manager with a forced laugh.
"Ha ha! I was just kidding. Of course I know him. He's my best friend!"
"맞아요!! 베스트 프렌드!"
(Right!! Best friend!) Soo Han echoed instantly, nodding like an overexcited puppy.
The words hung in the air - far too dramatic to sound real - but somehow, the manager bought it. Maybe it was Pari's confident smile, or Soo Han's sincerity glowing through his eyes. Whatever it was, the suspicion faded from the manager's face as he finally nodded.
When the manager turned away, Soo Han exhaled a deep sigh of relief. Pari crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing at him, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
"You still haven't changed, have you?" she muttered.
"그리고 넌 아직도 날 구해줘."
(And you... still save me.)
Pari rolled her eyes - but couldn't hide the quiet laugh that slipped through.
The manager's phone buzzed again, and he sighed heavily before looking at Soo Han.
"I'm leaving for now," he said, adjusting his blazer. "I've got some work to finish, and I'll probably be back late tonight. But that doesn't mean I won't keep in touch."
Soo Han pouted slightly, like a scolded kid.
The manager continued in a serious tone, "You're allowed to go out if you want - with your friends or whoever they are - but please, be careful. Don't put me in any kind of tension. And one more thing-"
He paused, emphasizing every word. "You have an official interview soon with some big industry people here in India. So behave like a professional, okay? No scandals, no drama."
Soo Han rolled his eyes playfully. "Got it, hyung! Don't worry! I'll be safe. And please-don't call me every hour."
The manager sighed again, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. "You never change," he muttered, nodding once before walking toward the exit.
As the manager disappeared from the lobby, Soo Han turned toward Pari - his expression switching from casual to pure shock.
"YOU CAN SPEAK KOREAN?!" he blurted out, his voice echoing across the marble floor. "How come I didn't know that? You never told me! What the hell was that just now?"
He looked so genuinely confused that even the receptionist giggled behind the counter.
Pari, on the other hand, stayed perfectly calm - her tone smooth and collected.
"You never asked," she said coolly, "so I never told you."
Soo Han blinked at her. "Wow. That's your excuse? I mean-what? I thought you were a tourist! Like a random foreigner visiting Korea!"
Pari raised an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't tell you to think like that."
Her calmness only made him more flustered. His hands moved in random gestures as he tried to find words, but nothing came out.
She just stood there - elegant, composed, and slightly amused at his reaction.
At that moment, the receptionist returned and interrupted their awkward reunion.
"Miss Pari, the CEO saw your letter," she said politely. "He's willing to meet you now."
Pari's lips curved into a small, confident smile. Easy work, she thought to herself.
She turned, noticing Soo Han still standing beside her with that same confused puppy expression. Deciding to ignore him, she took a step toward the elevator - but suddenly felt a gentle tug on her coat.
Soo Han looked up, his voice soft now. "You'll come back, right? I mean... I'm waiting for you. I really wanted to talk to you."
Pari hesitated. "Uhh... I'm busy right now. Maybe we can meet some-"
Before she could finish, he interrupted, his tone sincere. "No worries. I can wait as long as it takes. I told you-I'm here for you."
There was a pause. Neither of them spoke.
Pari blinked, caught off guard by the sudden honesty in his voice.
"Oh... okay, I guess," she murmured awkwardly.
"Right," he said quickly, scratching his neck as embarrassment crept up his face. "I'll just-uh-sit here then."
Pari stepped into the elevator, the metallic doors sliding shut between them.
As the lift ascended, she leaned back against the wall, whispering under her breath, "That was... weird. Damn."
Downstairs, Soo Han buried his face in his hands. "Why do I embarrass myself like this?! Ugh!"
UPSTAIRS - THE MEETING
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Pari stepped out into the top floor - luxurious, quiet, and smelling faintly of sandalwood and expensive air freshener.
A receptionist escorted her to a large mahogany door that read:
CEO - The Rosemont Grand
Mr. Aarav Raj Patel
The name clicked instantly. She'd seen it countless times in articles - the son of one of India's most successful entrepreneurs, Raj Patel. A man known for his perfectionism and empire of luxury hotels.
The door opened, and a tall man in a navy suit stood to greet her.
"Hello, ma'am," he said, extending his hand with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm Aarav Patel, CEO of The Rosemont Grand."
Pari returned the handshake gracefully, her mind already switching into professional mode.
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Patel. I'm... Pari Singh."
Her fake surname slipped out smoothly, as if she'd rehearsed it a hundred times.
"Singh?" he repeated, frowning slightly. "That's a rare name in this industry. But I'm guessing there's more to your story than a surname."
He gestured for her to sit. "I received a request letter from one of the most prestigious hotel chains in the world - The Royal Palace Hotel, India branch. They personally asked me to meet you. Naturally, I verified it. Their director himself confirmed your importance."
Pari blinked, surprised - and secretly impressed.
Wow. Our hotel's that big? I didn't even know that, she thought to herself with a tiny smirk.
"It's not normal to get such a request," Aarav continued, studying her carefully. "So please, tell me who you really are."
Pari took a breath. This was it.
"As I said, I'm Pari Singh. I'm connected to the Shah family - though not directly. To be honest, I'm an agent. Not from India. I came here for a specific case."
Aarav's expression stayed unreadable.
"It's related to someone you once worked with," she added. "A man named Patil Vendor. Ring a bell?"
He leaned back in his chair, his posture stiffening slightly. "Yes. I worked with him years ago. Not anymore."
"I know that," she said. "But why did you stop? He still works with top hotels across the country. You were one of his biggest clients, and suddenly you cut him off. Why?"
Aarav's brows furrowed. "What kind of question is that? I just didn't like his methods. His supplies weren't consistent, so I changed vendors. End of story."
Pari leaned forward, her gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Well, that's not the full story, Mr. Patel. Because Patil Vendor is also involved in illegal drug trafficking. International level. Underground networks. You knew that - didn't you?"
The silence that followed was deafening. Aarav's expression didn't change, but his eyes said enough.
Pari smirked slightly. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Fine," he admitted finally. "I knew. And that's exactly why I ended all business ties with him. But what's your point? I already walked away."
"My point," she said smoothly, "is that now I need your help. I want you to record an official statement - an interview - exposing Patil Vendor's dealings. We need someone respected in the industry to confirm the truth."
Aarav's polite smile vanished. "Why would I do that? So that other hotels face losses? So that people call me greedy? None of this concerns me anymore. My business is doing fine. I don't need this drama."
Pari's lips curled into a knowing smile. Challenge accepted.
She wasn't leaving that room without his help.
MEANWHILE - AT KN HOTEL
The entire lobby was chaos. Staff rushed around with bouquets, lighting fixtures, and trays of refreshments.
"Check the garlands! And tell the team to fix those flower arrangements near the entrance!" Anvika barked, flipping through her clipboard.
Saurav, looking exhausted, groaned. "Why do I feel like I'm managing an entire wedding? This isn't in my job description!"
Anvika shot him a glare. "Your job description includes 'doing what I say.' Now move!"
He mumbled under his breath as he walked away, "Why do I even show up to work?"
Moments later, he returned, slightly out of breath. "The lobby's ready, but apparently the CEO isn't coming again. He didn't show up last time either."
Soo Han, who was leaning against the reception counter, laughed. "Is he trying to act mysterious or something? The man never shows his face. Childish."
Before he could continue, Anvika clapped a hand over his mouth. "Shhh! Are you insane? Even the walls here have ears!"
Saurav tried not to laugh as Soo Han blinked in confusion.
Anvika sighed dramatically. "Oh my god. Why am I so nervous? Something tells me today's going to be... different."
And none of them knew - it really would be.