Main character: Helen (F), Sophie (F), Amia (F), Jack (M), Stacia (M), Reed (M) //Time: Early morning//Place: F city
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In the early hours at a nightclub, staff were busy cleaning up the mess from a VIP guest’s birthday party. Meanwhile, three pairs sat around a circular sofa, staring at a questionnaire on the table with mixed expressions.
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"What is the manager thinking?!" Helen complained, crossing her arms with a frown. Sophie stood nervously behind her, saying nothing, while Amia, leaning forward on the sofa, couldn’t resist joking, "Actually, trying out new rooms sounds kinda fun! Free drinks and everything else!"
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Across from her, Jack was absorbed in his phone, while Stacia, having poured herself a glass of water at the bar, casually suggested, "Why don’t we draw lots and pair up? We’ve got three guys and three girls, so it’ll work out." Nearby, Reed was half-awake, crouched by the table and looking like he might fall asleep at any moment, barely listening to the conversation.
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The reason behind this unusual scene? The nightclub was closed for the day, and just as everyone was about to head home after a long shift, the manager had stopped them, "The hotel next door set up three new themed rooms. Since your performance has been stellar, I’m rewarding you all with a complimentary experience. Be sure to give your feedback and fill out a questionnaire when you’re done!"
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Helen and Jack, as the club’s top hostess and host, and second-ranked Amia and Stacia, were ready to collapse after entertaining guests all night. The manager’s announcement had them at their limits, barely able to hold back their frustration, "How is this a reward?! It’s just more work!" They would have stormed out, but then the manager added, "There will be extra bonus pay for this—don’t hold back, enjoy yourselves!" That changed everything. The four of them instantly suppressed their anger, swallowing back all their complaints. The newer hostess and host, Sophie and Reed, wore different expressions of fatigue after enduring an entire night. They felt frustrated but dared not voice it. However, for the sake of their evaluations and rankings, they reluctantly nodded in agreement, though it was highly likely that they wouldn’t have much to say in their feedback.
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Jack, still tapping away on his phone, finally sent off his last message to the client and stood up, “Since that's the case, let’s get this done quickly! I want to head home and rest as soon as possible." He extended a hand to Helen, "Shall we get this over with?"
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Helen blinked, surprised he’d chosen her, a hint of excitement crossing her face. She took his hand and stood up, smiling, "Which room would you like?"
Jack shrugged indifferently, "Doesn’t matter to me." The two then walked arm-in-arm out the back door towards the hotel, leaving the other four behind.
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Amia smirked as she watched them leave. "Oh, Jack moves fast! Was this planned, I wonder? I can’t fall behind!" She went over to Reed, who looked dazed, and said with a wink, "Come on, little bro! Let’s not lag behind!" Before Reed could react, she had already pulled him forward. Without resisting, Reed followed Amia to the hotel, where they chose an unused room next door, leaving Stacia and Sophie to exchange glances and share a helpless smile.
Stacia motioned towards the nightclub’s main entrance, and Sophie nodded. Together, they took the last room available.
