The Heart System

Chapter 810: Chapter 810

Melvin immediately sat up straight and looked away from her for a moment. He took a breath, gathered whatever courage he had left, and cleared his throat.

”H-hey.”

What was that? Even I barely heard him, and I was sitting across from him while Iseballa was several feet away.

Man, this guy really was a newbie.

”Louder,” I whispered.

”Hey.”

Iseballa turned when she heard him and walked toward our table. She looked at him and flashed a polite smile.

”Hey, empty bottles? Let me grab those for you.”

”T-thanks?”

She glanced at me, looked forward, then glanced at me again.

”Oh, Evan. It’s you. Hey.”

”Y-yeah,” I replied nervously. ”I’m here with my friend, Melvin.”

”Right, Melvin.” She nodded. ”I’m Iseballa. Nice to meet you.”

”We already met,” he said quietly.

”Oh!” She slapped her forehead, making the empty glasses on her tray rattle. ”Right. That thing with that weird Russian dude. Poor Eleanor.”

She shook her head before looking back at us.

”Anyway, I gotta get back to work. Good seeing you two.”

”Hmm.”

”Yeah,” Melvin replied, his excitement already fading. ”Thanks.”

We watched her disappear back into the main building. Melvin leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. I could tell he was disappointed that Iseballa hadn’t even remembered his name.

Poor guy. He deserved better, and I was the one saying that. Sure, he could be a little annoying, but he was a good dude.

”Karaoke?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

I shrugged. ”Sure. I don’t sing.”

”That’s the opposite of karaoke, man.”

”I’ll watch you butcher songs. That’ll be more entertaining.”

”Salt in the wound, Mr. Marlon.”

”Marlowe. It’s Marlowe.”

He looked surprised. ”Really? Isn’t it Evan Marlon?”

”No. Marlowe.”

”Oooh. Got it.”

I shook my head and got up from the chair. Melvin did the same, and we started walking toward the second building where the karaoke rooms were located.

I had to admit, the second building was pretty impressive. From the outside, it looked smaller than the main bar, but the interior had clearly been designed specifically for the karaoke rooms. The entrance opened into a wider hallway with warm lighting and dark wooden walls. To our left was a small waiting area with several round tables, each surrounded by cushioned chairs. A couple of groups were already sitting there, talking and checking their phones while they waited for their rooms.

On the right was a narrower corridor that stretched deeper into the building. Several doors lined both sides of it, each with a small number plate and a little sign indicating which karaoke room it belonged to. The sound of muffled music and singing occasionally slipped through the doors whenever someone opened one.

Melvin glanced down the corridor. ”Should we head to room 102?”

”Where do we rent the rooms?”

”Here,” a woman said behind me.

I looked back and realized I had completely missed a small desk to the left of the entrance. A woman was sitting behind a computer, tucked behind a wooden counter. I could swear I had seen her somewhere before. She was probably one of the waitresses who worked in the main building.

”Oh,” I smiled. ”Sorry. We’d like to rent a room.”

”We have a discount for couples,” she said with a smile. ”Shall I apply it for you two?”

”Couples?” I asked. ”No, no.”

Melvin nodded so much that I thought his head would come off. ”Yes, yes. Discount.”

”No,” I repeated. ”We’re not a couple.”

”Are you sure?”

”The AC in the room won’t turn on,” someone said from behind me. ”Can you help me?”

I glanced to the left and saw Penelope walking down the corridor. She slowed when she noticed us, but then continued toward the desk and stopped beside Melvin.

The woman behind the counter opened something on her computer and squinted at the screen.

”Yes, we have another empty room. 101. They just left, so we can transfer you there. The AC in 102 has been giving us trouble since the opening. I’m sorry about that. Here’s the keycard.”

”Yeah, no problem,” Penelope shrugged. She then looked at us. ”You guys coming along?”

”I’m afraid we don’t have any free rooms available,” the woman said.

”Sure. Right, Evan?” Melvin asked with a big smile.

”Yeah, sure,” I replied, forcing a smile. ”If you don’t mind us, Penelope.”

”Not at all. Follow me.”

Penelope turned and started walking down the corridor. We followed her past several doors until we reached room 102.

She pulled out a keycard, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

”Julian, we’re switching rooms. The AC here isn’t working.”

Julian was sitting on one of the couches with his phone in his hand. He looked up at us, then glanced toward the ceiling.

”Still not working?”

”Nope. They said we can use 101 instead.”

”Alright.” He got up and grabbed his phone. ”I’ll bring the drinks.”

”Thanks.”

We moved into the next room, and Penelope opened the door to 101. It was slightly larger than 102, with dark walls, a thick carpet, and a large couch positioned directly across from a massive television mounted on the wall. A low coffee table sat between the couches, already covered with several bottles of beer and a few glasses.

The karaoke system was tucked beneath the television, with a microphone resting on its stand and a tablet mounted beside it for choosing songs. There were small speakers built into the walls, and colorful strips of lighting ran along the edges of the ceiling.

”Much better,” Penelope said.

She stepped inside, followed by Julian, Melvin, and me. Penelope closed the door behind us and locked it.

I sat down on one side of the large couch with Melvin beside me. Penelope and Julian took the other couch across from us.

Julian picked up the karaoke tablet. ”Alright, let’s find something.”

He started scrolling through the list of songs, occasionally tapping on one before backing out and searching again.

”You’re taking this seriously,” Penelope said.

”I don’t want to pick something terrible.”

”You’re already taking too long.”

”Give me a minute.”

Penelope walked over to the wall and pressed a button beneath the AC panel. The machine hummed, and a few seconds later, cold air started blowing through the vents.

”Phew. Fucking finally,” she said, stepping back. ”It’s so cold in here.”

”Yeah, it’s freezing,” Julian agreed, rubbing his arms.