"Unbelievable…"
I was left behind at Medthicare's front lot. I carefully tossed the coins that Nanik gave me in my palms up and down. Clink, clink. They were actually quite light despite their size and the feel of metal, but that wasn't my main concern.
"There's way too many of them!"
No way my pant pockets were going to hold them all. Luckily enough, after searching around the outfit I chose to wear before I woke up at that park, I found two shirt pockets—both side-by-side, like the scrubs found on the health staff; wonder if it's a uniform for something…
'If it's from my previous job, maybe a coworker will recognize me,' I joked inwardly. I knew it was unlikely that I was actually from this area.
"…" Now, with suddenly no one to talk to, I began pacing around the sidewalk absentmindedly for the car to pick me up.
…
However, to my surprise, only 10 odd minutes had passed when I began to hear the sound of tires rolling up. The aforementioned "transportation" of the hotel was a sizable maroon-black SUV. The passenger window of the car was rolled down. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, esteemed guest."
My chauffeur was a woman decked out in a striking black vest suit and maroon shirt. She was also sporting an additional matching tie that put the outfit together.
"Nope, you've actually gotten here quite fast. You're my driver?" I asked with some incredulity.
"Mhm~. Make yourself comfortable."
I naturally wanted to get the full experience, but since I didn't want to look like I was madly searching through the vehicle, I just opened the front door, got into the passenger seat, and gazed around the interior.
Immediately, I could tell that this was a luxury car. The cabin boasted stitched leather seats and was lined with burgundy wood around the door trims and dashboard—and a lot more spacious than the cab I rode in earlier. They didn't skimp out on electronics either, with the dashboard itself having some advanced-looking digital displays.
'You can't be serious… This looks like something only celebrities could enjoy!'
"T-this is a service, right?"
The driver smiled at me, making her black hair part and her dimples show, "Of course, this is a standard and free treatment for guests staying overnight," She assured,
"Would you like me to handle your seatbelt?"
"I've got it." I reached my hand out and pulled the seatbelt over myself. With the seatbelt clipped in place, the driver began to drive us out of the parking entrance.
…
After just a little serene driving, I had almost dozed off, but I managed to stay awake after I drank some of the sparkling lemonade that was provided.
'Tastes a bit funky with the whole bubbly sensation added, but I don't think I hate it,' I commented internally.
I became a lot more relaxed than I was initially. "Hello? madam, if you don't mind me asking—"
"You can ask me anything. Oh, and you should just call me Hailey."
"…Okay. Um, Hailey, how long have you worked here to be driving something like this?"
"It's a bit embarrassing to say, but I've only been here for 5 months," She said with a chuckle.
"Wow…" I guess they just trusted her that much: I'm in good hands.
"What's the name of the hotel, by the way?" I asked whilst taking sips from my drink.
"It's Annual Hotel," She replied,₍₁₎
"Did your friend not tell you?"
"They had to leave abruptly, so they didn't give me any details." I refrained from mentioning any part of what happened back over there.
"That does remind me of a particular guest… Everything about them is suspicious, though. Like the kind you feeling you have about someone, when you're like, 'Is he money laundering? Or a fraud?'"
I get it, but I don't get it…
Wait.
"Are you talking about someone named Nanik, by any chance?"
"Yes! That was their name. Do you know them?"
'Yes, I do. In fact, the person you've been bad-mouthing is that 'friend' of mine.' My great insight told me it'd be in my best interest not to tell her he was the one that actually called her over. "Oh, I think I met someone by that name the other day."
"What impression did you get from him?"
'Damn, I walked right into that.'
With some begrudgement, I answered truthfully, "Hmmm… Honestly, even though he was a bit odd, he seemed to have good intentions."
"That's how you get swindled! It's well-kempt and rich guys with no clear-cut jobs that you've got to look out for!"
"…Why does it sound like you're speaking from experience?"
"I don't know what you mean! A-ah! Esteemed guest, we've arrived at the gate of the hotel. This vehicle will have to undergo an inspection as per the hotel's regulations, so please, do not be alarmed." Hailey quickly changed subjects as she informed me.
'Wait, we're here?'
I looked out as we pulled into a box-like chamber. The brightness from the outside started to get dimmer and dimmer until the only thing that could be seen were our headlights. Hailey parked the vehicle in front of what appeared to be just a concrete wall. Before I could voice my confusion, a metallic clank of some mechanism echoed behind us. I turned sharply, eyes widening as the entrance we had just passed through was sealed off by thick metal doors.
Blue lights started flickering from a place I couldn't quite pinpoint. It formed a thin plane that oscillated back and forth through the car. The flashing lights caused me to flinch every time they passed over us.
'What annoying, yet high tech security measures…'
After a few repetitions, the lights pulsed green before shutting off. As if in response, what had appeared to be a solid wall ahead began to unfurl, cracking open from the middle and revealing the outside again and a paved road that led further inside.
As the vehicle rolled forward, my breath hitched. The building that loomed before me was unlike anything I had ever seen before: an opulent monolith that seemed to fuse the extravagance of a royal palace with the cutting-edge brilliance of modern architecture. Towering above the surrounding cityscape, the exterior gleamed under the artificial lights, its surface a seamless blend of pristine white marble and dark reflective glass.
Intricate gold and silver inlays ran in delicate, symmetrical patterns along its structure, catching the light with every subtle shift. Large, sweeping balconies jutted out at varying levels, adorned with lush palm trees and cascading waterfalls that glowed faintly with embedded luminescent strips. Massive, curved double doors crafted from some kind of obsidian-like material, and their surfaces were adorned with luminous etchings that looked like veins of energy.
A deep sense of awe settled in me as I took in the sheer enormity of it all. If there was any place for the nouveau riche, this building reeked of it. I instinctively grasped my pocket with the money, "So long. For the brief time we were together, just know that you made me feel whole…"
Hailey looked at me. "What're you doing?"
"Nothing…"
…
Hailey pulled away, and I was left standing outside the imposing front of the hotel entrance. Glancing around as I cautiously walked forward, I entered the building, and wouldn't you guess it—the interior was just as glamorous as the exterior.
The marble-tiled flooring took me to a sleek reception desk, which took center stage of the area. As I approached, the receptionist's gaze changed from the screens to me, his expression smooth. He had his brown hair combed back and his face was clean-shaven. He was also wearing the same attire as Hailey.
He adjusted his monocle before offering a cordial nod to me, "Welcome to Annual," he greeted, his tone refined but also somewhat stale,
"My name is Segis. Are you checking in?"
"O-oh yes, hello. Um, I was told to come here by a man named Nanik; he said to show this at the front desk." I pulled out Nanik's business card and displayed it to him. He glanced over it quickly, and then gestured with his gloved hands for me to turn the card over. But, when I did so, the other side appeared to just be blank.
"Thank you. Allow me to check the customer list…" From the counter-side, he pulled a scanner of sorts, and ran it over the card held in my hand. Automatically, the dark look of the card receded, revealing a strange pattern. It took me a while to realize that it was a QR code.
Beep—
"Nanik, you say..? Ah, found it. It appears your referrer's quite the regular here. Since you're his first referral, you'll receive a 600—"
"600 AE for a night?!"
"No, madam. What I was about to say is that it would be a 600 AE discount from your original 2000 AE stay."
"..." I nearly choked at the absurd price.
"Now, are you paying with Card or Coin?"
"Coin, please…"
"That will be 1400."
I fished out 14 of the octagonal-shaped currency and gave it to Segis, leaving a little under half of the batch; it looked like Nanik gave me more than what was needed.
'Thank goodness, I have some money to my name now!'.
Segis gave it a quick inspection before nodding approvingly. "14 Aero; splendid."
With a practiced motion, he retrieved a matte black card from behind the desk, inserting it into a sleek device before shifting his attention to his keyboard and monitor. A few keystrokes later, he withdrew the card and handed it to me.
"Here you are, madam. This card grants you access to certain provided amenities for the duration of your stay and also serves as your room key that you can scan to open your door—Room 269. If you need any guidance, there is a touch-activated button right here," He pointed toward a dim blue, circular discoloration on the card,
"Pressing it will display a holographic map showing your current location, your room, and other available facilities."
His professional smile never wavered as he concluded, "If you have no further inquiries, I bid you a warm welcome to Annual, where years pass in a moment."
I took the card, turning it over in my fingers. The surface was smooth, almost unnervingly so. Beside the button, there were no visible seams or markings beyond a faint engraving of the hotel's insignia—a stylized crest resembling interwoven constellations. The weight of it in my hand felt heavier than expected, making me feel like it was made from some expensive material.
"Right… Thanks."
Segis gave a curt nod before returning his attention to his screens, my presence to him fading into the background as if he had never talked to me in the first place.
I saw a few other guests moving about the lobby, some of which engaged in quiet conversations, and others simply passing through. One thing I noticed, though. I was definitely getting some curious glances every now and then.
'Is it because of my attire, or something on my face..?' I decided to not bother further with these thoughts, and instead focused on getting to my room.
I flipped the card in my hand and pressed the small, barely visible button Segis had mentioned. A soft chime sounded, and a translucent blue map popped to life above the card's surface. 'That's cool…'
My current position was marked with a small, glowing yellow dot, and a dotted path illuminated the route to my room—Room 269—leading toward a set of elevators across the lobby.
Other icons appeared on the map, each labeled with a functional little legend in the bottom left corner.
'Hmmm… what other things do they have here?' I scanned through the list, my eyes widening slightly.
'A spa, a restaurant, bar, personal theaters, karaoke rooms… an in-hotel Hank's House? What even is that?' Turns out, I could just "tap" on the holographic screen to see what it was.
'So it's a retail warehouse… That makes no sense as to why it would be here of all places.' I blinked,
'Though, there are quite a lot of amenities. Maybe that's just one of the few weirder ones.'
I turned my attention back to locating my room. After an elevator ride and a quick walk through the vast hotel building's second guest floor (G2), I had finally arrived at Room 269.
I scanned the room keycard on the door pad. The door cracked open with a quiet hiss, revealing a space in which I was going to spend the night. I placed the card into the card holder that also was the on-and-off switch for power to the room. Warm, recessed lighting casted a soft glow over sleek, dark wood paneling that complemented the neutral-toned walls. A plush, large bed with white linens and a neatly folded throw blanket sat centered against the far wall, flanked by nightstands embedded with a telephone and some touch-sensitive controls for lighting and climate adjustment.
A floor-to-ceiling window stretched across one side of the room, offering a stunning view of the cityscape beyond, its shimmering lights reflecting off the glass like distant stars. Against the adjacent wall, a minimalist desk with a built-in interface gleamed under the soft overhead light, a single ergo chair tucked neatly beneath it.
To the right, a sitting area featured a low, glass-topped coffee table surrounded by a sleek, charcoal-gray sofa and a matching armchair. A large discreet black panel on the wall hinted at an entertainment system, seamlessly integrated into the room's design.
The air carried the faintest hint of something clean and fresh—subtle, unobtrusive, yet undeniably pleasant.
After taking in the room's details, I checked the closet and found that there were a few robes hung up by the hangers. I made it to the bathroom, leaving the uniform on the rack of the closet to take a shower.
The bathroom had a typical shower head, which was accommodated by a variety of hygiene options. I didn't know what was good, so I just went for the 4-in-one bottle.
…
Tsss~... Twist.
I turned off the water. I stepped over to the bathroom countertops and stared at myself in the mirror. The face that looked back at me was a nice (if I don't say so myself) young lady with natural dark purple hair that shifted into brighter hues near the ends of my hair strands as well as a slender face. Water was trickling down my face, which made it seem like I was crying. 'This is me…' I smiled wryly. This would mark the very first time I've "seen" myself.
…
After drying and combing my hair and changing into the robes, I flopped onto the bed with a long sigh from the refreshing after-feeling. 'I should probably just go to sleep, right?' I shifted against the plush mattress, sinking into its softness.
'This does feel really nice…'
Pulling the covers over myself, I commanded the lights off, leaving only the faint ambient glow from the city beyond the panoramic windows. I closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me.
But… Nothing. The minutes dragged on, and I didn't feel any sense of drowsiness taking over. 'Guess I'm not as tired as I thought…' I stared at the ceiling before turning to look at the bedside clock.
[8:25 PM]
'Maybe I'll just go around to burn myself out. What to do, though…'
My thoughts moved towards the front door, 'Didn't the hotel have "personal theaters" or something?' I vaguely recalled the list of amenities and services,
'That could be good, yeah.' I pulled the covers off of myself and went back to the closet to change back out into my black and white clothes, as I didn't have anything else to change to. I then grabbed the card from the key holder and opened the map. After scanning the layout again, I pinpointed the personal theaters; they were found on a lower floor (B2).
'Maybe I should also get something to eat or snack on while I'm at it.'
…
Footnotes:
"Annual Hotel" is a parody of the real-life "Four Seasons Hotel". Other references will be omitted for the sake of maintaining clutter (Author Note: Unless we believe it is necessary to note it).