It was supposed to be just another ordinary Monday at SCJ headquarters. A calm, uneventful start to the week—until something happened in the company cafeteria that made everyone whisper and stare.
Employees froze mid-bite, some only daring to glance from a distance, pointing and murmuring so their voices wouldn't carry too far. After all, the woman who just walked in wasn't someone you gossiped about lightly.
"Hey, isn't that the head of the Planning Department? Kamakiri Mina—the second-generation heiress of the Kamakiri family?" one office worker whispered, his lunch tray still in hand.
His colleague let out a low whistle. "That's her, alright. She's gorgeous, like some kind of goddess who accidentally descended into this mundane cafeteria. But… you know what they say about her, right? Cold, merciless, impossible to please. Ask anyone in Planning—they'll tell you working with her feels like hell."
"Still," the first one muttered, "I've never seen her in the cafeteria before. What's she doing here today? Doesn't matter. Just watching her from a distance like this is enough. She really is… stunning."
All around her, the whispers swirled. Mina, however, barely seemed to notice. Dressed in a tailored suit made exclusively for her, she radiated an elegance and presence that made her stand apart from everyone else. Each step seemed to underline why she was different—why she was someone people couldn't help but stare at.
At the counter, she quietly asked for a lunch tray like any other employee. The kitchen staff panicked at her sudden appearance, but were taken aback when she spoke to them politely, even softly. Still, as soon as she turned away, her brief smile vanished, replaced with her usual icy composure.
Sitting down at a table, she ignored the cafeteria chatter. Slowly, she exhaled, letting her thoughts wander to Duyen. Lately, thinking of her always brought Mina peace. And whenever the memory of that kiss surfaced, she found herself smiling without meaning to.
That rare smile—genuine, carefree—drew even more stares. People couldn't help but wonder: what on earth could make the "Ice Queen" smile like that?
Will Duyen be at the party? Mina wondered. She hoped so. She didn't know why she wanted to see her so badly, only that the thought of standing beside Duyen—anywhere, in any situation—filled her with pride. In her imagination, she'd already stripped away the weight of reality: her Kamakiri name, her family, everything. In that dream, it was just the two of them.
Would Duyen show up in a suit… or a dress? Mina chuckled softly. Not that it mattered.
Lost in thought, she absentmindedly bit into a piece of fried pork cutlet from her tray—then winced immediately. The taste snapped her back to reality. Quickly, she dabbed her lips with a napkin and discreetly spat it out.
"The quality really is this bad?" she thought, frowning.
It wasn't her wealthy upbringing that made her picky—this was genuinely awful. Even for frozen meat, it was substandard. She pushed the tray away.
Her mind shifted gears. Let's see… the cafeteria's meat supplier is the same one SCJ uses for its Goten convenience stores in Vietnam. And the person who arranged that distribution deal was…
"Well, well. Mina. I didn't expect to see you here."
That voice—smooth, haughty, instantly recognizable—made Mina's jaw tighten. She didn't even need to turn around.
A fashionable woman with a short highlighted bob, glossy lips suspiciously plumped with filler, and a flamboyant fur coat strutted into view. Her style screamed money, though in the office setting it looked gaudy.
It was none other than Haruna Kamakiri—Mina's elder sister, and the CEO of SCJ.
Employees nearby nearly dropped their trays in panic, bowing quickly. But Mina didn't move. Behind her impassive mask, her hatred simmered, though she refused to give her sister the satisfaction of a reaction.
"Really? You won't even greet your own sister?" Haruna sneered, her eyebrow twitching at Mina's silence.
Mina calmly dabbed her lips with a napkin, ignoring her.
That only made Haruna angrier. She barked out a laugh, hands on her hips.
"Fine! Keep that arrogant act up. Just like at home. Oh, and I heard your big merger deal with Masan convenience stores fell through. OPA's got a new female president now, right? Word is, she can't stand you. Can't say I blame her—who'd like a spoiled brat like you? No wonder you're sulking here in this dingy cafeteria, slumming it with the peasants."
Mina simply lifted her teacup, sipped, and finally spoke with a faint smile.
"Funny. You're in the same cafeteria, aren't you? And if I recall, it takes one entire building and two elevator rides to get here from the CEO's office. Yet you dragged yourself all the way here. What's the matter? Keeping tabs on your little sister every day?"
The jab hit home. Haruna's face flushed bright red. Worse, she realized too late that her loud comments about "peasants" had drawn stares from across the cafeteria. Furious, she snapped at the employees:
"What are you looking at?!"
The crowd scattered instantly.
Haruna turned back, pointing a manicured finger at Mina.
"This isn't over, Mina. Just wait."
Her designer heels clicked furiously against the floor as she stormed off. Mina's gaze followed, cool and unshaken. In fact, she even smirked faintly, as if Haruna had just confirmed something for her.
---
Meanwhile, at OPA headquarters, chaos was unfolding in the President's office.
"You're crazy, Duyen! What were you thinking, saying you'll go to that party!? No way! I'm not letting you!"
The voice belonged to a pretty girl with twin braids, scolding a tall, handsome tomboy who sat across from her.
Mr.Hung pinched the bridge of his nose. Never in his life had his proud office turned into something that sounded like a fish market. Leaning toward Shana, who was lounging at his side, he muttered:
"Where did you even find this noisy girl?"
Shana shrugged, not even looking at him.
"Don't ask me."
Her tone was flat, her chin propped on her hand as she deliberately avoided looking at either Duyen or Nayeon.
Hung narrowed his eyes. He knew Shana too well. That cold shoulder? Something had definitely happened.
Nayeon, frustrated that Duyen wouldn't listen, turned to Shana for backup.
"Shana! Say something to this blockhead! She's about to throw herself into the lion's den!"
Even Duyen glanced at Shana, searching for her reaction. She hadn't forgotten what Nayeon had told her—that Mina had kissed her the night before. Duyen still didn't know what to make of it.
But Shana? She still refused to meet Duyen's eyes. Instead, Shana scoffed.
"Let her go. Let her run off to her precious Mina." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "She won't care that Mina's husband will be there too. Or that she'll be walking straight into danger. All that matters to her is being with her beloved Mina ~"
The room went dead silent.
Everyone stared. Normally, Shana was sharp and blunt, but this—this was different.
Shana was jealous. Burning, obvious jealousy.
Duyen's face went beet red. Why did Shana keep bringing Mina up?! Sure, the kiss had been confusing, but—
Before she could think further, Chairman Hung pulled her aside, whispering urgently.
"What on earth happened between you two yesterday?"
"I…" Duyen stammered, her cheeks hot. She didn't know how to explain.
Hung sighed heavily.
"This is trouble, girl. Big trouble. Leave it to me—I'll smooth things over. You can't let it fester like this." He slipped his Mercedes keys into her hand before they rejoined the group.
Of course, Shana had overheard everything. She only snorted coldly, crossing her arms.
Hung clapped his hands, announcing loudly, "If Duyen wants to attend the alumni party, no one can stop her. Personally, I don't see an issue—as long as she's not going alone. But one thing's for sure: at an event filled with high-class heirs and heiresses, she can't show up looking shabby. Take my car, go to OPA's shopping district, and pick out something proper to wear."
Duyen blinked. "Wait… you mean with…?"
Hung only winked at her, then glanced at Shana.
Shana pouted, glaring at him.
"Stupid meddling old man…" she muttered under her breath.
---
A little later, Duyen was behind the wheel, driving Shana to the massive OPA shopping mall.
The ride was painfully quiet. Neither looked at the other. Shana kept her face turned toward the window, radiating icy distance.
She must really hate me right now, Duyen thought, her chest tightening. For some reason, the thought stung more than she expected. She missed the Shana who used to cling to her...
When they parked, Shana was out of the car before the engine shut off.
"Shana, wait!"
Duyen scrambled after her, catching up quickly with her longer stride. But the closer she got, the faster Shana walked.
They entered the bustling mall, turning heads immediately. Even from a distance, it was obvious: the tall tomboy and the fiery red-haired beauty belonged together, despite the space between them. Passersby whispered like they were watching a scene from a romantic sitcom. The sound of phones flashing cameras continuously.
"Shana, slow down… please…" Duyen panted, her breath uneven.
At the sound of her weak voice, Shana faltered. She turned and saw Duyen struggling, clutching her chest as she caught her breath. Concern replaced her pout instantly.
"Are you okay? You only just recovered, you shouldn't push yourself," Shana said softly, rushing to her side, rubbing her back.
Duyen grinned through her heavy breathing.
"So… does this mean you forgive me?"
That cocky, teasing smile made Shana's cheeks flame red. She smacked Duyen's shoulder lightly.
"Idiot! Were you faking being tired just so I'd worry?!"
"No! Of course not!" Duyen protested, but Shana turned away, pointing at a nearby boutique.
"Go on! Pick out a suit you can show off to your little lover."
"L-lover?!" Duyen sputtered, chasing after her. Why did Shana keep bringing Mina up?! Sure, Mina had kissed her, but—
The memory made her blush again.
Shana scowled at the shop entrance.
"Stupid play b... Ugh Girl! If I'd known, I should've just left you in that fire."
But even as she said it, she knew she couldn't stay mad at Duyen for long. And their shopping trip today won't stop there...
Elsewhere in the mall, a photoshoot was falling apart.
"I've had it, Jinsung! We're done!"
A platinum-blonde model in designer clothes hung up her phone with a furious slam. Tears blurred her carefully applied makeup.
"He spent the whole night drinking and now he's passed out at some girl's place!" she sobbed. "The tramp even picked up the phone! Ugh, fix my foundation, please—my face is a mess."
Her makeup artist scrambled to touch her up while the director clutched his head in despair.
"Dao, come on! You and Jinsung are supposed to be the lead couple in this instant ramen commercial! Call him again, get him here!"
"No way," Dao snapped. "I know him. Once he's drunk, he's dead to the world. And if you force me to shoot with him today, I swear I'll walk off set."
She calmly turned back to the makeup artist. "Can you reapply my lip gloss, please?"
The director groaned.
"Where am I supposed to find a replacement male lead right now?!"