"Thanks, boss!" Nazreen thanked the cab driver while pocketing his change into his jeans pocket and alight from the cab.
"Welcome back, Mr Nazreen" the valet closes the cab's door after Nazreen had stood tall. Nazreen gave him a nod in acknowledgement with a smile on his face. One thing he loves coming back to the hotel every time he is in City K is the personalised treatments the staff gives him. Or perhaps, he has been coming back to the hotel so much that the staffs recognised him.
His phone rang just after entering the hotel's double-glass-doors. "Assalamualaikum, Kanda Zikri… Why the late call?"
A/N: Kanda is a term of endearment used by royals in the Malay Archipelago for older siblings. Short for Kekanda. Adinda is used for younger siblings.
"Just calling to wish my younger brother for his birthday…" The caller replied.
"What… it's already the time of the year???" Nazreen responded with a fake surprise in his tone, grinning widely. "You're really late, you know… My birthday ended an hour ago!" he continued with hurt in his voice.
"Aww… Sorry, I was busy… Is my dear little brother mad at me?"
"No… Don't worry…"
"How are you, Nazreen? Are you in City K again?"
"Alhamdulillah… I'm doing good and yes, I'm in City K and I'll be here till next week" Nazreen walked towards the lift lobby and pressed on the button. "Why? You're coming here?" both men laughed.
"Yeah, at the end of the month with my family…"
"No way… why not now!"
"Well, we will be back home the week after. Will you be home then?"
"Yeah, I should be home. My next posting will be in 2 months time. I'll see you all then?"
"Yeah… Insya Allah… Take a good rest, brother…"
"Thank you, brother… You take care too. Pass my salaam to your wife and kids, Assalamualaikum..."
"Waalaikumsalam…" Nazreen ended his call just in time for the lift's door opening. He walked in and press on level 28th button.
While waiting for the lift to reach his floor, he took out his wallet and remove his room key card from the wallet's cardholder. Ting. The door opened after reaching and Nazreen walked towards his room.
Reaching his room's door, he heard a muffled cry asking for help and asking to be let go. He looked around. Adjacent to his room, a door was slightly opened. But the room was dark. He drew his ears closer to the opening…
"Let me go, you b*stard!" he could hear a woman's suppressed screams and grunts. He opened the door quietly and stepped into the room and lit the lights up. He walked silently on the carpeted floor towards the sleeping area.
He peeked in, he saw a man in a black long-sleeve t-shirt and black jeans half-way down his calf, on top of a woman. This was definitely not a consensual act. Looking at the blasted act of cowardice, fury rose in his heart…
"Jahanam!" he pulled the man off the woman and punched him in his face… buk… "Jantan keparat!"