Chapter 1: Kim Do Hwan

Hotel Blue Moon is busiest today. With the old guest house disappeared from existence, it is the job of the new owner to redesign it. With the souls that came in search of the hotel today, Do Hwan is working hard to give the hotel his own touch.

Kim Do Hwan. A man who instilled fear in the hearts of his enemies, now a hotel owner. Life is funny sometimes. He preferred to stay low on his job, get away from this earthly plane as soon as possible, and find peace. He knows it's not easy, he has to find his destiny first. 

"You will be surprised when you discover your true purpose here. After all, I didn't choose you, the moon tree did!" Ma Go had said to him when he first saw her. 

"Is everything ready for the guests?" He asked Kyung, his doorman.

"Of course sir, everything is prepared.." Kyung dragged his sentence. Do Hwan turned to look at him.

"What is it?" 

"No I mean.. we need to find a manager." Kyung shuffled, nervously.

Do Hwan sighed. "I know. Ma Go told me that a human manager must be appointed. Let's get through tonight, I will look into it soon."

"Yes sir!" Kyung smiled brightly.

"Great. Go open the door for our first guests." Do Hwan patted his shoulder and walked back to his office. Hotel Blue Moon is finally open.

*

As he sat down in his office, he can't help but think of choosing a manager. This is a tough one to find, who would work in a hotel for ghosts? A lot of people would piss their pants just by hearing this. Even with thousands of staffs, lavish restaurants and bars and the most gorgeous rooms, a human manager is required. They will need to file taxes, do other external works that need human interaction. After all, Hotel Blue Moon is registered with the government.

"Maybe sending out advertisements that we are looking for manager would do?" Do Hwan spoke to himself. "Would anyone even see the invitation? Wh-" His thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Ha bursting through his doors.

Mr. Ha was the first soul who came in search of the Moon Hotel. He had been a high school teacher in his life. He refused to tell Do Hwan how he died, but wanted to part of the hotel staff. So he is a bartender now, but it is unusual for bartenders to almost break open the door, isn't it?

"Mr. Ha, what is-" Do Hwan couldn't even finish his sentence as Mr. Ha started to rant.

"SIR, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! COME DOWN TO THE BAR QUICK!!" Mr. Ha screamed. 

"On the first day? What is the issue?" Do Hwan rushed to the bar, only to see nothing there.

"What is it Mr. Ha? What is the emergency?"

"THERE IS NO GUESTS HERE! CAN'T YOU SEE?" Mr. Ha bellowed out.

Do Hwan couldn't help but feel irritated. "It is only our fist day Mr. Ha, how will guests come to drink immediately? Give them some time to freshen up."

"No you don't understand sir. There is no guests in the hotel!" Do Hwan was startled. Now he could feel the deafening silence, inside the hotel. 

This isn't how it should happen. The one thing about the Hotel is, as much as it sounds cruel, guests come in everyday. It is not like people stopped dying someday or didn't die this one day. As is life. There is birth and death everyday. If everyone didn't miraculously get to afterlife immediately, there should be guests in the hotel.

Do Hwan rushed to the lobby where Kyung is waiting to greet the guests. He seemed distracted.  

"Sir, the guests are not coming inside. They just look at our hotel from outside and leave. What should I do?" Kyung looked desperate, seeing Do Hwan. Even the owner couldn't understand what was going on.

"You should have hired that manager, my dear" A tiny voice chirped from behind. It was Ma Go.

"I told you, a human manager is required for the hotel. Did you forget?"

"Of course I didn't Ma Go. I didn't know it would be this serious." Do Hwan replied, rather calmly. Ma Go smiled at his demeanor.

"A hotel cannot function without a manager. How will the guests trust a hotel that can't even bother to hire an important staff?" Ma Go laughed. "Your first day isn't officially started yet. Why don't you look for someone who is capable of running this hotel? Maybe, you will find someone with the exact qualities you look for." And just like that, Ma Go disappeared.

*

Exact qualities you look for. Do Hwan wondered. "What am I looking for?"

"What do we do now sir?" Mr. Ha interrupted his thoughts once again. Do Hwan let out a sigh.

"What Ma Go said. Let's find a manager for our hotel. But first, let's find out if we can bring our guests inside."

Do Hwan stepped out of the hotel, where a spirit of a woman standing just outside the doors. Her skin pale like a paper, her sunken eyes looking around like a lost puppy. She noticed Do Hwan walking towards her and suddenly her expression changed. She was scared, noticeably so. 

"I'm sorry to have startled you ma'am. I just wanna ask why you aren't coming in." Do Hwan said cautiously. The lady seemed relieved.

"No. I don't know, it feels wrong to enter. Like something is missing." She replied in a tiny voice.

"Ah about that," Do Hwan seemed apologetic. "Our manager could not start at work today. Other than that, everything is fine. Would you like to come in and get refreshed?"

She didn't believe this. The lady remained outside, just looking distraught. Do Hwan cleared his throat. 

"Ma'am, I know you feel apprehensive about entering, but think about this. You would have to spend time roaming in the cold, not that you'd feel it anyway but, it is still unpleasant. You can enter the hotel, get treated like a queen by our staffs. We even have spa." Do Hwan smiled.

The lady thought for a moment, contemplating. She relaxed and then entered the hotel, 

marking the first guest to the hotel Blue Moon.

As soon as the first guest entered, other spirits quickly followed suit. There is still an empty space to be filled, and this could be felt in the hotel. Do Hwan knows he had to find a manager, and he should find them now.