part 26 (main story start)
It’s January, iku’s 23rd birthday is coming up. Even tough the hotel never stops during holidays, the new years is usually a bit of a quiet week for the employees, so iku took the initiative and lets the staff cool down in the bar.
The bar is somewhat busy, some employees took the offer to go home for the day.
The night staff is all there, iku sits down into an empty sofa and orders Adam to give her a drink.
iku: (“Oi! Hey! Pretty boy, get me my usual please.“)
Adam: (“Right away boss.“)
Adam was talking to his friend group, so right before leaving he tells them;
Adam: (“Can you hold on a sec, I need to get her drink. Don’t want to tick her off.“)
Adam goes and gets iku’s order (for now that’s up to you.)
Adam puts a glass down and pours her drink out.
Adam: (“Here you go ma’am.”)
iku: (“Thank you.“)
Adam does a slight bow and starts leaving.
iku: (“Oi! Pretty boy! Come back.“)
Panicked, Adam walks back to her table.
iku: (“Come closer.”)
iku gestures for Adam to lean closer.
iku: (“Bottle stays this time.“)
Adam: (“Oh um.. Right.. S-Sorry ma’am.”)
iku: (“And you don’t gotta’ bow down to me, I’m your boss not your master. You’re an employee not a servant.“)
Adam: (“Right, sorry I was being silly ma’am.”)
iku: (“Just go enjoy the night with your friends Pretty Boy. You’ve earned it.“)
Adam: (“Thank you ma’am, have a good evening.“)
Adam gets back to the table where his friends are.
Friend: (“Good joooob Pretty Boy.“)
Adam: (“Fuck off.” laughs)
Other Friend: (“Nah seriously, I don’t think she’s been as easy on anyone as you. She even gave you a nickname.“)
Adam: (“I don’t remember ever seeing her like really angry you know. Like yeah I’ve heard the stories but honestly I just don’t see her doing that stuff.“)
Other Friend: (“Lucky for you, I saw her executing someone infront of me. Been a couple years but it still creeps me out.“)
Adam: (“Oh shit so that’s not like a rumor?“)
Other Friend: (“Nah man she’s a beast. Earned her rep. But hey she clearly has something for you. Callin’ you Pretty Boy an’ all”)
Adam: (“Come on, she’s just being nice cuz’ I’m new here.“)
The conversation continues…
Anna enters the underground floor.
Friend: (“Looks like boss has a new assignment.“)
Adam: (“What?“)
Friend: (“See that creepy woman? Yeah that’s her friend, they work together. We’re basically armatures compared to them.“)
Anna: (“Hey can you try to whisper next time? My hearing’s pretty good. And I’m not creepy!”)
iku laughs, confirming she heard the entire conversation that Adam and his friends had.
Anna makes her way to iku and sits down next to her.
Anna: “mumbling” (“Callin’ me creepy… But I’m a nice woman, You should be the one getting called creepy.”)
iku: (“But I’m not creepy nor a hag. I’m just scary, but looks I’ve got.“)
Anna: (“Fuck you, and I look good too.”)
iku: (“True, anyways you come for a drink or business?“)
Anna: (“Well, it was a drink at first, but, eh, maybe we talk business, I haven’t gotten this job’s details pinned down just yet.“)
Anna grabs the drink iku’s having and drinks from the bottle.
iku: (“Wow. Rough day?“)
Anna keeps drinking. And iku just stares.
Anna: (“Yeah. Rough fuckin’ day. I intend to get severely shit-faced today.”)
iku: (“Well what happened?“)
Anna: (“The job you’re getting soon, it’s an intel job, but I can’t get fucking solid info on where it is going to be on the train.”)
iku: (“Train?“)
Anna: (“Yeah you’re going to have to go on a train and grab a briefcase, belongs to some hotshot who tried to fuck with me a while back. But he does have important information in that case, so no this time it’s not just me being petty.“)