Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 9

The man naturally led them to the front desk. As he stood behind the desk and straightened his posture, the very flow of the air seemed to settle into place.

 

“How may I help you?”

 

The director burst into laughter at the ridiculous situation.

 

“Are you asking that again?”

 

“It is an occupational habit. Once I stand in this designated spot, I find myself saying the designated lines quite naturally.”

 

“Ah… right, that happens sometimes. That’s what happens when you get older.” 

 

Lee Seonhae, whose own filming terminology often popped up in her daily life, understood him instantly. It was a trait shared by people whose professional language had become inseparable from their person.

 

“We’d like to stay for the night.”

 

“May I ask how many days you are considering for your schedule?”

 

“Hmm, for now… let’s see….”

 

The director turned to the group standing behind her.

 

“Hey, how many days was our field survey scheduled for again?” 

 

“If you’re talking about the guesthouse, we had reserved it for a week.”

 

The director looked back at the man.

 

“We’d like to stay for a week; is that possible?”

 

“Of course. Is there any particular floor or location you would prefer?”

 

“No, nothing like that. If I had to pick, maybe a high floor? I thought the view would be nice.”

 

“Understood. We will assign your rooms while reflecting your request as much as possible.”

 

What he handed over was a classic room key with a rectangular tag attached. The sensation of the heavy key in her hand felt unfamiliar, yet Director Lee Seonhae found it intriguing.

 

‘Should I say it feels surreal in many ways?’

 

It felt exactly like looking at movie props….

 

“I will escort you to the 21st floor.”

 

“Oh, that’s a very high floor.”

 

“However, our hotel operates exclusively with a maximum occupancy of two persons per room. Would it be acceptable to assign you to the adjacent Rooms 1 and 2?”

 

“Ah, yes. That’s fine.”

 

“Thank you. Then, before you check in, I will guide you through a few points of note.”

 

A flowing explanation followed.

 

“As I mentioned earlier, this is currently a trial operation period, so there may be some deficiencies in overall service. While there should be no major inconvenience in using the rooms themselves, access to certain public facilities will be restricted.”

 

Writer Hong, who had been listening quietly, carefully interjected.

 

“Um, then what about meals?”

 

“I apologize for the inconvenience. Most of the guests currently staying here were briefed on the trial operation situation in advance and have prepared their own food supplies.”

 

“Does that mean… we have to prepare our meals separately?”

 

“I regret that an exceptional situation has occurred. Would it be alright if I check what conveniences we can provide from our side and guide you again later?”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

“Thank you for your generous understanding. I will take measures to ensure there is as little inconvenience as possible.”

 

The staff members watching from behind whispered amongst themselves.

 

“This place looks very expensive, though….”

 

“Oh, you guys, don’t worry. It’s all on me.”

 

“Director, I love you.”

 

“When else would I show off my money if not at times like this?”

 

The director took out her card.

 

“Please process the payment. How much is it?”

 

“….”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“I will not charge for the accommodation fee separately.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Currently, we are in a trial operation.”

 

Seeing the man’s eyes curve into crescents, Director Lee Seonhae—who had seen countless celebrities in her time—couldn’t help but think.

 

‘He really knows how to use his body.’

 

In their industry, ‘using the body well’ didn’t mean having good athletic nerves or upright posture. It was about the angle of the smile, the position of the head, and even the time the gaze lingered.

 

‘He knows exactly how to smile to look his best.’

 

She kept feeling it, but he was truly a man skilled at smiling. 

 

“It would be unreasonable for me to demand costs when I cannot provide services other than the guest rooms.”

 

“…Oh my, is that so?”

 

“Instead, if you could share any inconveniences you feel during your stay, it would be a greater help to us than anything else.”

 

The director examined the guests in the lobby.

 

“But wouldn’t that cause complaints from other guests due to equity issues?”

 

“Those who are staying at this hotel right now are in a state of having understood what kind of hotel this is in advance.”

 

“What kind of hotel it is?”

 

“It is a place where service facilities are not operated, and even meal provision is extremely limited. I apologize repeatedly for not having briefed you on that point in advance.”

 

“No, there’s no need to apologize. We are the ones who….”

 

“Since there was a discourtesy on our side, this level of benefit is sufficiently possible at my discretion.”

 

“…If you put it that way, I can’t really argue.”

 

She had been curious about how much this place cost. If he put it like that, it was hard to push the issue.

 

‘Has the exact cost not been decided yet?’

 

If it’s a trial operation, that could be the case.

 

‘Or if not that….’ 

 

While she was thinking, the man smoothly continued.

 

“I will have your luggage transported to your rooms.”

 

“Ah, it’s in the car right now.”

 

The man swept a glance at the staff standing by her side, then smiled at Director Lee Seonhae.

 

“If you would just open the car doors, our staff will transport the necessary items.”

 

“The luggage is all mixed together, though.” 

 

“If you are concerned about the exposure of private items, we can select and bring inside only the luggage that you personally classify.”

 

“Ah, we’ll do that.”

 

The group had brought suitcases and bags packed for a week-long field survey in the car. 

 

As they dragged their luggage into the hotel lobby, the waiting staff approached without a sound.

 

“Our staff will take responsibility for transporting them to your rooms.” 

 

“Thank you.”

 

“It is only what we should do.”

 

“Um, is there anything else we need to hear?”

 

“By ‘anything else’… do you mean?”

 

“We are in the middle of a trial operation. I feel like there might be precautions. Aside from not being able to use the service facilities.”

 

“…”

 

Instead of answering immediately, the man reached out and politely guided them toward the elevator.

 

“…I hope you do not forget what I said a moment ago.”

 

The director looked at the man. ‘I hope you do not forget.’ It had been a short meeting, but that was not a tone that suited him. After all, he had maintained a thoroughly public attitude throughout.

 

But that was clearly a personal warning.

 

“…Anything else?” 

 

“Perhaps because of the rain, many guests are currently gathered in the rooms on the 7th floor.” 

 

“Because of the rain?” 

 

“There are guests who particularly prefer rainy days.”

 

“I suppose so, but….”  

 

“If you have any additional requirements or inquiries, please contact the front desk. I will respond immediately.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

“I wish you a peaceful time.”

 

Natural intonation. But an unnatural flow. The man skillfully led the atmosphere with his posture and tone.

 

The group watched the manager’s retreating back for a while.

 

“….”

 

…It was strangely surreal.

 

“…Director, what do we do about dinner?”

 

“Ah, I should have asked that, too.”

 

She said that, but her body was heavy. Driving in a torrential downpour was no easy task.

 

‘And it hasn’t been long since he said he would look into meals.’

 

Asking now wouldn’t produce a new answer.

 

“Shall we go up first and organize our luggage?”

 

“Yes, let’s go up then.”

 

“Isn’t it really unique that it’s a key, not a card?”

 

“It’s something you don’t see often in a hotel of this size.” 

 

Usually, they used cards. 

 

“Maybe it’s a concept?” 

 

“It is a classical atmosphere, at least.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

In the meantime, the elevator arrived.

 

Smoothly, without a single sound of friction, the golden doors opened.

 

“What a truly peculiar hotel.”

 

* * *

 

“Oh my, good heavens.”

 

As soon as she opened the door, Director Lee Seonhae let out an exclamation of admiration.

 

“Were we assigned to a suite?”

 

“At this level… isn’t this just a house?”

 

“Honestly, it seems better than my house.”

 

A staff member who had recently succeeded in buying her own home with every penny she had scraped together added bitterly.

 

“It looks like it’s well over 100 pyeong.” 

 

“How is a hotel room this big….” 

 

“I think it is a suite, right?”

 

“But you said this place only has a hundred-something rooms.”

 

“135.”

 

“He said every single room was large, so does that mean they’re all like this?” 

 

“No way, then who would come here? It would be insanely expensive….” 

 

At the staff’s chatter, the director’s expression turned subtle.

 

“Director?”

 

“Uh, well. I couldn’t say it earlier, but.” 

 

“What is it, why are you like that?”

 

“The lobby lounge table was a designer brand.”

 

“Which brand?”

 

“…An expensive one.”

 

The writer asked.

 

“Do you know the name?”

 

“Lean in a bit.”

 

The writer, having heard the name, was horrified.

 

“…Why is something like that out in the hotel lobby?”

 

“That’s what I’m saying.”

 

“It would have been all soaked by rainwater.”

 

“I blocked it with towels, so wouldn’t it be fine?”

 

“No, seriously, why is that in the lobby….”

 

“Let’s just look around the room first.”

 

The group began to sweep through the inside of the guest room with heavily subdued footsteps. The bedroom, bathroom, and restroom were basically provided, and beyond that, unfamiliar spaces continued.

 

“…What is this place?”

 

“Perhaps a home office?”

 

“Why is there a home office in a hotel?”

 

“Suites usually have some, anyway.”

 

One home office, one dining room.

 

“What is this, too?”

 

“The place where you eat…?”

 

One reception room.

 

“What is this place used for?”

 

“Just call it a living room.”

 

“What does ‘just call it a living room’ mean?”

 

“It’s just a living room.”

 

“Ah, yes….”

 

The group looked at each other.

 

“Are we sure we were allowed to accept this room?”

 

“I don’t know if we’re going to be dragged off on a barge while we’re sleeping.” 

 

“At this point, I’d accept having my organs harvested.”

 

“Accept what? Goodness, you people.”

 

“Director, Director. Let’s just pay and stay. I’ll chip in, too.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“My heart is too heavy right now.”

 

“I’m starting to get suspicious.”

 

“Now? I was suspicious from the lobby.”

 

“Writer, when you look at him, he’s secretly cowardly.”

 

“Call it being cautious, please.” 

 

The staff members, who had been chatting up a storm, entered the main subject.

 

“Then how shall we divide the rooms? There are three women and one man.”

 

“There are two beds, so well, let’s just divide them into twos. Writer Hong and I can use one, and you guys can sleep in the other, right?”

 

“We don’t mind, but… Writer, will you be alright?”

 

“…Yes, well… we were originally planning on just sleeping all together at the guesthouse….”

 

It was even a good thing that the rooms were separate. It would be much more comfortable than the guesthouse. It was only natural. Because it practically shamed any decent suite.

 

Thus, they finished organizing the team and packing.

 

“Dear.”

 

The director called the writer.

 

“Writer Hong, talk to me for a bit.”

 

“I was wondering when you would say that. Did you find out something?”

 

“Putting it like that makes it sound like an undercover investigation.” 

 

“Putting it like that makes it sound like an undercover investigation.” 

 

The two buried their bodies deep into the reception room sofa.

 

“First of all, my guess is… it’s a membership hotel.”

 

“A membership hotel…?” 

 

Writer Hong was serious about research. He understood that immediately.

 

“Do those things usually exist in places like this? In Gapyeong, no less?” 

 

“They exist discreetly in remote places.”

 

There exist spaces in the world whose names and locations are undisclosed. Thoroughly private hotels that don’t allow you to cross the threshold without the recommendation of existing members, no matter how much money you have.

 

“Places like that are usually operated by membership or member invitation.”

 

“…It’s not my field of expertise, so I don’t know well.”

 

“Because it’s not a background that appears often in our genre.”

 

The director recalled a few moments ago. 

 

“You saw the lobby staff, right? There is no need to mention the manager who guided us. Everyone’s appearance was extraordinary, wasn’t it? The level of service was also excellent.”

 

“Yes, well, I suppose so.” 

 

“There are places like that—facilities built for people to use among themselves without sharing with others.” 

 

“Are you referring to ordinary commoners as those ‘others’?”

 

“That’s right, well. Or they just made it as a hobby.”

 

“Who builds a hotel as a hobby?”

 

“If you are overflowing with money, you might. In my opinion, this place seems like one of those places.”

 

“Nonsense.”

 

“But it doesn’t seem like this place is quite that prickly….”

 

“It looks sufficiently picky.”

 

“No, they took in people like us who aren’t members. Even if he said it was the manager’s discretion. And getting in wasn’t all that difficult.” 

 

A mountain deep enough that they would never have reached it if they hadn’t gotten lost. Paradoxically speaking, it means it’s a place you can reach by chance if you get lost or something.

 

“Usually, places like this either hide the entrance or block the front.”

 

“…Don’t you think we’ve come somewhere we shouldn’t have, in a different sense than what we thought before?”

 

“But the manager said it earlier, didn’t he? Since he, the operator, accepted us without issue, who would complain? Even for a hotel owner, isn’t that strange?” 

 

“He certainly is overflowing with confidence for an owner.”

 

“If they are guests coming to a hotel like this, everyone is decent, so he said he could silence their complaints. That’s why I thought it might be a hobby.”

 

“No matter how I think about it, I feel we’ve come somewhere we shouldn’t have.” 

 

“At the very least, he’s someone who holds discretion beyond that of a mere owner. Meaning, it’s not a place built to make money. Even so, seeing as they aren’t strictly prickly about security….” 

 

“A hobby?”

 

“The possibility exists, at least?” 

 

There were still oddities.

 

“I still don’t know why such a person is playing the role of general manager. It might really be a hobby, but for that, he provided service too skillfully.”

 

She added.

 

“The person smiles very well, don’t they?”

 

That did not simply mean ‘he is kind’ or ‘he smiles a lot.’

 

Usually, people don’t know which muscles they use when they smile, or how far the corners of their mouth go up. But that was clearly the smile of a person who knows ‘how they should appear to be most valuable.’

 

“Even among actors who do nothing but act for a living, there are those who can’t even grasp how they look on camera.” 

 

“So what you’re saying is….” 

 

“He doesn’t seem like just some idle rich guy. It’s hard to imagine a human who handles his own body that well being stuck in a remote corner like this without a purpose, isn’t it?” 

 

“….”

 

“Why are you silent?”

 

“I think we came to a place we shouldn’t have come to.”

 

“Are you scared? How many times have you said that now? It’s all a world where the same people live, so where is there a place you can’t go?”

 

“It’s just because it feels like a different world.” 

 

“If you say that, I’ll feel too lonely.” 

 

“I occasionally feel a sense of distance from you too, Director.” 

 

“It’s not good to put distance between people who do art together, Writer Hong.”

 

The writer let out a groan.

 

“Have you visited places like this often?”

 

“Not often, maybe once or twice?” 

 

“That sounds like a lot to me, too.”

 

“But those places were much more prickly than this.” 

 

“There’s that word ‘prickly’ again.” 

 

“Above all, they weren’t in the country, but abroad. Even then, it was just following my great-uncle when I was a kid. I wasn’t a member there either.” 

 

“What about now?”

 

“Of course not now. Do you know how much money it takes every month to keep up a membership like that? If I had that money, I’d rather make a movie.” 

 

“That would be true, but, a little… something… my feeling is strange.”

 

The director shrugged.

 

“It’s unique, indeed. Usually, places like this are resort formats, not hotels. Or perhaps only long-term stays are possible, or they have you use an entire floor, or they have a dedicated chef or manager….”

 

“The talk of another world keeps coming.” 

 

“Compared to those places, I think this is quite free.”

 

“I thought this was sufficiently luxurious enough.”

 

“But after considering all this, there’s something strange.” 

 

“Everything looks strange.”

 

“No, listen.”

 

The director tapped the table.

 

“In the lobby, the general manager said this, didn’t he? Remember what he said earlier.”

 

“…That guests here are on the cranky side?”

 

“In a place where the service is that perfect, the general manager openly badmouthed the guests.” 

 

“Couldn’t he be that kind of person in the first place?”

 

“If he were that kind of person, he would have shown it the whole time. But he hasn’t brought up anything similar except for that one time when it was just us. Even though he’s the owner sitting right on top of the guests’ heads.” 

 

“Now that you mention it, why is the owner acting as the general manager? This isn’t a guest house; for a hotel this large, isn’t the scale too much to handle one by one?” 

 

“In other words, it means there is a reason why he has to.”

 

“He has to manage this hotel one by one?”

 

“That’s why I thought—the hotel isn’t the important part here.” 

 

The hotel itself didn’t look like the main event.

 

“The guest, or the facility, is the main event.”

 

“….”

 

The writer frowned.

 

“Isn’t the guest originally the main event for a hotel of this level?”

 

“In the hotels I mentioned before, the hotel itself is important. It’s a place those ‘greeeat’ guests seek out on their own. In short, it’s a gathering of people who suit a special hotel.” 

 

“Then what about here?”

 

“What if we think about it the other way around?” 

 

“A hotel for the guest?”

 

“That a hotel was built to suit special guests.” 

 

“And the general manager expressed that special guest as ‘cranky.’”

 

The director crossed her arms, deep in thought. 

 

“He didn’t exactly look welcoming when we said we’d stay, either. If someone that skilled at controlling their expression showed it that much, he must have meant for us to notice.” 

 

“Then couldn’t he just kick us out?” 

 

“There must be a reason he couldn’t. But at the very least, it doesn’t look like it was because he was afraid of us giving him a bad review.” 

 

“He is the owner of a hotel like this, so that would naturally be the case. If so, was he really purely worried about us because the guests here are cranky?”

 

“It might not have been just something he said.”

 

The facility the director talked about was usually overseas. Because the Korean land is small, it’s difficult to be that private. Perhaps it became this ‘free’ because he tried to build it domestically.

 

“But why go to that extent to build it domestically?”

 

Simply to keep it close and enjoy it? But for that, the location is deep in the mountains. Helicopters or private jets are also difficult due to unpaved roads.

 

“If the goal was to make a plausible accommodation domestically, he wouldn’t have made it in a place like this.”

 

Even setting aside the road conditions, they should have at least kept the sky route open. It would be common sense to clear the surrounding trees and secure a helipad. 

 

“But the building and the forest are almost touching, and he said there was a walking garden on the roof. That means there isn’t even space to land a helicopter. The only passage is that rugged, unpaved road.” 

 

Of course, there could be a secret passage she doesn’t know about, but if you look at the conditions revealed, this is a space that chose isolation.

 

“If so, what is this place for? Just as if the goal is to hide something….”

 

“…For something like that, wasn’t the entrance too wide open?” 

 

The writer rebutted.

 

“People like us could get lost and wander in, but there wasn’t a single device blocking it. If security were thorough, they would have at least put up iron bars saying it was private property.”

 

“Right, he could have put up iron bars claiming it was private property. But without even that, the road was well-cleared. Even though it is an unpaved road, it is certainly not that thorough in terms of security.”

 

“If it were a space to hide something, they would have blocked it more clearly than this.”

 

“Or maybe the act of outsiders entering is one of the purposes? Like they didn’t bother closing it because it fits the intention.”

 

“Maybe he was trying to promote it to even those few outsiders? Anyway, business only works if word-of-mouth spreads. Even if it’s a hobby or whatever.”

 

“He was too passive for that… if anything, his reaction was that he wanted us to leave….”

 

At the director’s muttering, the writer became determined.

 

“Shall we leave?”

 

“At this hour?” 

 

“Because it’s this hour, we should leave.”

 

“Why, it’s fun.”

 

“It’s because I’m not the type to risk my life for fun.”

 

“Hey, it’s just a guess. It’s a word I’m saying for fun. When we’re amongst ourselves, we even curse at the King, so this level is at the level of a ghost story told when gathering at the orientation.”

 

“I hate that for its own reasons. I’m scared enough as it is, so don’t go on about ghost stories or whatever.”

 

“You really are too cowardly, Writer Hong.”

 

Seonhae joked while laughing.

 

The hotel’s general manager was clearly favorable. The fact that he gave a private warning while acting as if bound by his role was evidence of that. At least as long as he is here, there will be nothing dangerous.

 

‘Probably.’

 

So it’s good to be careful on this side, too.

 

“But aren’t you curious? Something like this would give good inspiration.”

 

“….”

 

“You’re not denying it.”

 

See.

 

Birds of a feather.

 

* * *

 

“…Why.”

 

“Hello?”

 

“Why was I unable to say a single word telling them to leave, despite having a perfectly fine mouth?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Which one is it?”

 

“…Yes, no, yes….”

 

“Which one is it?”

 

Lee Yeonwoo, who almost died once from blood pressure, ground his teeth.

 

“To not only kidnap and imprison me but to also make me into a criminal of this sort of filth.”

 

He couldn’t forgive this.