Chapter 2 Luxury Home

• I was still lost in thought, trying to make sense of everything that had happened, when Elin returned from the kitchen. She carried two tall glasses filled with a bright orange drink, the ice cubes inside glinting under the soft glow of the crystal chandelier reflecting off the living room walls.
• “Here, drink up, Riko,” she said, placing the glass on the glass table in front of me with a graceful motion, then sitting beside me, too casually, even. She was so close that the hem of her simple housedress nearly brushed my leg.
• I instinctively shifted slightly to the edge of the sofa, keeping my distance as her presence suddenly felt overwhelming. The faint scent of soap from her body mingled with the cool air of the room, pulling my mind back to the stall, but here, in this grand house, that scent felt more intrusive, unsettling my calm.
• “Thank you, Elin,” I said softly, reaching for the glass. Its coldness stung my fingertips, like a slap to keep me grounded in this increasingly incomprehensible situation.
• I stared at the orange liquid, the ice cubes slowly melting, leaving trails of condensation on the glass.
• Elin watched me, a small smile spreading across her beautiful face, her sharp eyes seeming to pierce through my thoughts.
• “No need to be so stiff, Riko. It’s just the two of us here,” she said, her tone light but carrying an undertone that sent a shiver down my spine.
• That was exactly what made me nervous. This huge house, just the two of us in its quiet expanse, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner like a never-ending whisper. Back at the stall, I was fine, she was just a beautiful, friendly stall keeper, someone I could pass by after buying a bottle of water. But now, here, the atmosphere was different, more oppressive, more intimate.
• I sipped the drink slowly, the fresh citrus taste tingling on my tongue, slightly tart but sweet at the end, like Elin herself—friendly on the surface, but with something unpredictable beneath. I tried to find words to break the silence, but my mouth felt dry despite the drink.
• “I actually have a husband,” Elin said suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet and startling me.
• I turned to her, eyes wide, nearly spilling the drink in my hand.
• “But he’s rarely home,” she continued, her tone flat as if it were no big deal, her fingers playing with the rim of her glass, tracing it slowly in a way that I found hard to look away from.
• My mind immediately veered to places I didn’t want it to go. Was Elin bringing me here to fill the void left by her absent husband? Unsavory images flashed in my head, and I quickly shook them off, scolding myself. “Don’t jump to conclusions, Jericho,” I whispered inwardly, trying to focus on the glass in my hand.
• “Where does your husband go?” I asked cautiously, my voice trembling slightly, attempting to mask the growing awkwardness.
• “He works on a cruise ship,” Elin replied, staring at her glass, her fingers pausing as if recalling something distant. “He comes home unpredictably, sometimes after a month, sometimes a year. That’s why I often feel lonely in this house.” She turned to me, her gaze sharp yet soft, as if searching for something in my expression—a reaction, perhaps, or something deeper.
• “Hey, don’t think anything weird,” she added quickly as if reading my mind. “I just need someone to talk to. That’s why I said I was renting out a place, I lied on purpose so you wouldn’t be scared to come here. If I’d invited you to my house outright, I knew you’d refuse flat-out. I just want someone to keep me company, Riko, so this house doesn’t feel so empty.”
• I let out a sigh of relief, the tension in my chest easing slightly, though not entirely. So that was her reason. She’d deliberately obscured the truth to get me here. I remembered clearly how, back at the stall, I was just a scruffy village boy, confused and aimless, my shirt soaked with sweat and my face covered in road dust.
• If she’d told me she owned a house this grand, with plush sofas and crystal chandeliers, I’d have been suspicious or even run off, feeling unworthy. By claiming she was “renting,” she made me feel she wasn’t so different from me, someone living simply, not a beautiful woman with a luxurious life clearly out of my reach. Her strategy worked, and now here I was, sitting on a sofa that felt like an embrace, drinking cold orange juice she’d made, and trying to figure out what she really wanted.
• “Oh, I see,” I mumbled, offering a faint smile, trying to seem relaxed though my mind was still spinning. Her explanation made sense, but there was something behind her smile, behind her casual tone, that made me feel she wasn’t telling me everything. Her eyes were too sharp, too full of secrets, like a pond that looked shallow but was actually deep.
• “You said I could rent a room here, right? How much is it per month?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation to something more practical, something I could grasp.
• Elin looked at me for a moment, her eyes glinting mischievously, then answered casually, “Three million a month.”
• I choked, nearly spitting out my drink. Three million? The money I’d brought from the village was only two million, and that included train fare and food for the next few days. I swallowed hard, trying to process the figure, my face probably pale because Elin suddenly burst into crisp laughter, her voice filling the room like tiny bells.
• Her hand playfully pushed my shoulder, her warm touch startling me like a small electric shock. “Kidding, Riko! You can stay here for free,” she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously, her lips parting to reveal neat white teeth.
• I let out another sigh, this time a mix of relief and embarrassment for falling for her joke so easily. “But, Elin, I wouldn’t feel right staying for free,” I said, looking at her seriously. I didn’t want to feel like a substitute for her loneliness, or worse like a kid being pitied. Back in the village, I was always taught to pay for what I received, even if just with labor.
• Elin tilted her head, her long black hair cascading softly to one side, a few strands brushing her smooth shoulder visible under her thin housedress. “How about my earlier offer? Want to be my adopted little brother?” she asked, her voice soft but with a challenging edge as if testing how far I’d go along with her game.
• I paused, weighing her offer. This house was too comfortable to refuse—the glossy floors, the sofa that felt like my mother’s embrace back in the village, and the luxurious atmosphere made me feel like I’d already succeeded despite only being in the capital for a day. Plus, Elin’s beautiful face kept watching me with hope, her large, sharp eyes pulling me into an unfamiliar world.
• But on the other hand, a small voice in my head whispered, warning that nothing in this world came free, especially from someone like Elin. I recalled her smooth, fair calves revealed at the stall, her dress fluttering in the breeze—and I hated myself for those thoughts resurfacing now when I should be thinking clearly.
• “I’ll do it,” I said finally, short but certain, more because I didn’t know what else to say. I had no other plans, no destination, and night was closing in outside.
• Elin’s smile widened, like a child unwrapping a birthday gift. “Alright, then come on, I’ll show you to your room!” Without waiting for my response, she stood and grabbed my hand enthusiastically, her cool fingers against my still-sweaty skin.
• I nearly stumbled as she dragged me up the polished wooden staircase to the second floor, the steps creaking softly under my feet as if greeting each step into this new world.
• The upstairs was no less luxurious. A long corridor stretched before me, lined with five neatly arranged doors, each made of dark wood with fine carvings. A deep red carpet absorbed the sound of my steps, making the silence heavier, with only the sound of my own breathing in my ears.
• At the end of the corridor was a small lounge area with a plush cream-colored sofa and a large window overlooking the front yard, the late afternoon sun streaming in, bathing the room in a golden glow.
• “That’s my room,” Elin said, pointing to a slightly different door, dark brown with delicate floral carvings, more elegant than the others. “You can choose from these three rooms,” she continued, her hand gesturing casually toward three doors on the left, like a host accustomed to welcoming guests.
• My gaze was drawn to a door at the far end of the corridor, slightly plainer but somehow radiating a mysterious aura. “Is that a room too?” I asked, pointing toward it, my curiosity overrode my awkwardness.
• Elin glanced at the door, then smiled faintly, but there was a fleeting shadow in her eyes, gone as quickly as it appeared. “That one’s already taken,” she said, her tone still light but slightly slower, as if she didn’t want to dwell on it.
• I frowned, my mind instantly thrown into disarray. Someone else was here? The house felt too quiet to be home to more than one person.
• “That’s my brother-in-law’s room,” Elin added quickly, as if sensing my confusion, her smile brightening again. “But he’s studying abroad now, so it’s empty. Rarely used, anyway.”
• “Oh,” I mumbled, relieved but still curious. Brother-in-law? So her husband had a sibling who lived here? I wanted to ask more, but Elin was already moving again, this time pulling me toward another room.
• “Then I’ll take this one,” I said, pointing to the room closest to her brother-in-law’s.
• But Elin pulled my hand again, this time toward the room right next to hers. “Better this one, so you’re close to my room,” she said casually, as if there was no room for debate, her hair swaying softly as she turned.
• Her thin dress fluttered slightly, revealing a glimpse of her smooth, fair calves, and I quickly looked away, my face heating up again.
• I grumbled inwardly. “Why ask me to choose if you’re just going to pick for me?” But I didn’t protest out loud, afraid of sounding like a sulky child.
• Elin was already busy fiddling with the room’s door, her nimble fingers programming the digital lock with my fingerprint. The small screen on the door flashed green, and within a minute, it opened with a soft, futuristic click.
• “Go ahead and rest if you want. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything, okay?” she said with a smile, her eyes lingering on me for a moment before she turned and entered her own room, the dark brown door closing softly behind her.
• I stepped into the room that was now mine, my feet sinking into the thick carpet that felt like walking on clouds. My eyes widened. The walls were covered in elegant cream wallpaper with faint floral patterns, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. A large bed with a plush mattress looked inviting, covered in crisp white sheets and fat pillows that seemed to call me to dive right in.
• In the corner was a small dark wood desk with a modern reading lamp, its graceful curve like a swan’s neck. Even the window was large, showcasing a view of the tidy complex outside, grand houses lined up, shiny cars, and neatly trimmed trees like a painting.
• “This is really luxurious,” I muttered in awe, my voice small in the room that felt too vast for me.
• I tossed my backpack onto the floor, its thud muffled by the sound-absorbing carpet. My body collapsed onto the bed, its softness enveloping me like the embrace I’d been seeking since leaving the village. The exhaustion from a day of walking began to pull me into sleep, and my eyelids grew heavier. But in the corner of my mind, I was still questioning, did Elin really just want a friend, or was there something she’d planned since luring me with that “renting” lie? As my eyes began to close, I heard a faint sound from the corridor, soft footsteps, as if someone was walking carefully to avoid being noticed. I held my breath, but before I could get up to check, sleep won, and the world went dark.