INT. CONFERENCE FLOOR – MORNING
A sleek executive boardroom is in the final stages of being set up.
Long marble table.
Crystal water glasses.
Imported snacks arranged like an art installation.
Even the lighting has been adjusted three times.
STAFF MEMBERS rush in and out — fixing flower arrangements, realigning chairs to perfect symmetry.
WORKER A
"If the tea's not exactly 65°C, CEO Kang might just fire all of us."
WORKER B
"No pressure. This is only the biggest deal of the quarter. Just the company's reputation on the line."
WORKER C (whispers)
"Did you hear he rejected a $10 million pitch last year because the fonts on the proposal clashed?"
Suddenly—
BORA
(striding in, clutching a velvet tray of chocolate truffles)
"Out of the way, amateurs. This is not a boardroom today — it's a battlefield."
She adjusts a fork, sprays her perfume near the door, and looks over at Im Seri, who's calmly walking in with a stack of finalized press material.
BORA
(to Seri, with her usual fake smile)
"Do be careful with those. One typo and we all die."
SERI: cool as ever, doesn't even blink.
SERI
"Good thing I don't make mistakes."
She sets the material down perfectly, then steps back.
WORKER D (whispers to another)
"Why is she so calm? This is Kang Jungho's sacred meeting. Even our director gets anxiety rashes."
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM – LATER THAT MORNING
The massive glass doors open, and one by one, VIP clients and top executives step into the gleaming boardroom.
Laughter, formal handshakes, designer briefcases tapping the marble floor.
KANG JUNHO enters last, calm and intimidating in a dark tailored suit, his signature glasses glinting under the soft lights.
People stand. Bow slightly.
BORA (V.O.)
Okay, this is it. If I sit right… there… I'll be in every press photo.
She tries to slide into the seat next to Jungho.
He gestures silently to another exec to sit there.
BORA
(quickly recovering)
"Oh! Of course. I was just testing the chair. So sturdy~!"
She turns and settles two seats down, face frozen in a polite grimace.
⸻
MIDWAY INTO THE MEETING
Charts on screens.
Business forecasts.
PowerPoint transitions slicker than an action movie.
Seri, now standing at the side of the room with her team, observes quietly, taking mental notes.
Everything is going smoothly…
Until—
The room's host, a sharp-eyed man with white hair and crisp authority, leans forward.
MR. SHIN MINCHUL, Head of Global Strategy for the client company.
MR. SHIN
"Everyone talks about performance. Metrics. Vision.
But here's a question for your leadership—"
He folds his hands, voice low and calm.
MR. SHIN (CONT'D)
"If the brand lost its top three assets tomorrow…
How would this company survive the next five years?"
A sharp silence falls.
You could hear a pin drop on the luxury carpet.
Executives glance at each other. One tries to answer—
EXEC #1
"Well, sir, we would naturally reallocate our—"
MR. SHIN
"That's standard. I'm asking about instinct.
Vision under pressure. Not textbook protocol."
He looks at Jungho.
MR. SHIN
"CEO Kang?"
Jungho doesn't speak.
He leans back slightly. Thinking.
The room stays frozen.
Bora, trying to break the tension—
BORA
(leaning toward her neighbor, whispering dramatically)
"Should I faint for dramatic effect?"
Her seatmate ignores her.
BORA
(to herself)
"No? Okay. I'll just die quietly, then."
Even Seri looks surprised by the question.
Jungho's expression is unreadable.
The room remains frozen.
Mr. Shin's gaze stays fixed on Jungho, waiting.
Jungho, still collected, shows the faintest flicker of discomfort — his jaw tightens, his fingers subtly tap the edge of the table.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
I know the answer. But if I say it wrong… this deal collapses.
Everyone waits.
Until—
From the side of the room:
SERI
(calmly)
"We wouldn't survive."
Heads whip toward her like a domino effect.
SERI (CONT'D)
"Not unless we stop thinking of our 'assets' as things. Or faces. Or trends.
What we protect must be trust, not trophies."
Silence. Dead still.
Mr. Shin turns slowly toward her.
MR. SHIN
"And you are…?"
SERI steps forward. Her tone is respectful, but confident.
SERI
"Im Seri. PR Strategy Department."
SERI (CONT'D)
"You asked for instinct, not protocol.
The truth is, the moment we reduce this brand to its most popular pieces… we're already losing the war.
Because the market doesn't follow power. It follows meaning."
The executives blink. Processing.
Even Jungho stares — caught off guard.
MR. SHIN
(leans back, smirks slightly)
"Interesting. So you're not afraid of the ugly truth."
SERI
"The truth doesn't have to be pretty. Just useful."
A beat.
Then—Mr. Shin laughs. Genuinely.
MR. SHIN
"Now that's an answer."
He nods toward Jungho.
MR. SHIN
"Smart to keep her around, CEO Kang."
Jungho still says nothing. But his eyes haven't left Seri.
She gives the tiniest nod and retreats to her place.
Bora? Eyes wide. Jaw on the floor.
BORA (whispers)
"Who is this woman?! A warrior? A poet?! A witch??"
INT. CORPORATE HALLWAY – AFTER THE MEETING
The room has cleared.
Executives are murmuring excitedly about Seri's words, Mr. Shin seems impressed, and Bora is still clutching her notes like she's witnessed a live TED Talk by Beyoncé.
Jungho exits the boardroom, his steps calm but intentional.
Seri walks ahead, heading toward her desk.
JUNGHO
(firm)
"Im Seri."
She stops.
Turns slowly. That usual composed look on her face.
SERI
"Yes, sir?"
Jungho approaches. No one else in the hallway. The atmosphere tightens.
JUNGHO
(soft, suspicious)
"You weren't supposed to speak."
SERI
(cool)
"Then maybe someone else should've answered faster."
A long pause.
Jungho studies her.
JUNGHO
"You came here as a fixer. Not a strategist.
Where did you learn to pitch like that?"
SERI
(slightly tilts her head)
"You don't need to know everything about me, sir.
Only what I can do."
Jungho's jaw flexes.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
You don't rattle under pressure. You don't flinch.
And now you speak like a woman who's already run companies… or burned them down.
He nods once.
JUNGHO
"Next time… let me call on you first."
He walks off.
Seri watches him go. A faint smirk lingers.
From around the corner—Bora peeks behind a potted plant.
BORA (V.O.)
She's officially scary now.
INT. OFFICE FLOOR – MIDDAY
The post-meeting buzz fills the air.
Employees chatter about how Im Seri saved the day. Bora eyes her like she's about to explode with jealousy.
Seri's phone vibrates.
No Caller ID.
But her gaze sharpens. She knows who it is.
Without saying a word, she rises from her desk — calm — and heads swiftly to the emergency stairwell.
⸻
INT. EMERGENCY STAIRWELL – MOMENTS LATER
Cool air. Echoing silence. She closes the door and answers the call.
She speaks fluent Japanese, crisp and cold.
SERI (in Japanese)
「I told you not to call me here.」
UNCLE (V.O.)
「You told me not to interfere.
But silence isn't a result, Seri.」
SERI
「The plan is working.
He's smart. I'm smarter.」
UNCLE (V.O.)
「You were raised to finish what you start.
Don't forget who you are.」
SERI
(ice in her voice)
「I haven't forgotten.
But if you call again during business hours,
I'll assume you've lost control.」
A long pause.
UNCLE (V.O.)
「Still fire in your blood.
Good. You'll need it.」
Click.
She exhales. Slides the phone back in her pocket.
Stares at the blank wall for a second.
Her mask resets.
INT. CEO'S OFFICE – AT THE SAME TIME
Jungho is at his desk, glasses off, brow furrowed.
He feels something off — a shift in the air. He can't explain it.
He stands slowly… walks toward the window that overlooks the side of the building. Something in his gut twists.
INT. STAIRWELL – SECONDS LATER
Seri opens the door to return—only to pause slightly as she sees Jungho across the hall, walking with that same unreadable calm.
Their eyes don't meet. Not yet.
But he pauses too. Almost like he senses something.
INT. OFFICE – EVENING
Almost everyone has gone home.
Im Seri is still at her desk.
Composed. Quiet. Working under the soft glow of her monitor.
Kang Jungho steps out from his office.
This time — determined. Ready.
He walks slowly across the floor and stops right in front of Seri's desk.
She notices him. Looks up.
Their eyes meet.
She doesn't smile. Doesn't flinch.
Just holds his gaze calmly.
Jungho removes his glasses.
A subtle tension fills the air.
His pupils dilate slightly — his power activating.
He focuses. Intense. Controlled.
A direct eye-to-eye lock.
This is how it always works.
But…
Not a pulse. Not even static.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
No… this isn't right.
He steps closer. Slowly. Quietly.
Watching. Reading. Reaching.
SERI
"Whatever you're trying…
you should stop.
You'll only tire yourself."
Jungho freezes. Shocked.
SERI
"You look exhausted , Director Kang.
You should sleep before you start seeing things that aren't there."
She clicks her mouse.
The screen glows.
She never looked up.
She never looked back.
Jungho doesn't move.
His hand lingers mid-air, glasses still in his grip.
His breath catches—just slightly.
His power… failed. Again.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
She's not just immune to it.
She knew I was using it.
He leans down, slow and deliberate, one hand resting on the edge of her desk.
JUNGHO
"You're not what you say you are."
SERI
(still typing)
"Neither are you."
Jungho narrows his eyes. His voice lowers.
JUNGHO
"Tell me, Im Seri…
What exactly did you come here to fix?"
She stops typing.
Finally looks up. Straight into his eyes.
Not with innocence.
With intelligence. Precision.
SERI
"Everything."
A beat. A slow, unnerving pause.
Jungho straightens.
He steps back — not in retreat, but reassessment.
He pulls out his phone. Starts tapping something.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
This ends now.
I don't care how good her résumé looks.
No one slips past me twice.
He turns and walks back to his office.
Seri watches him go.
Then slowly… pulls out a pen from her drawer.
Clicks it once.
A tiny red light blinks from its tip.
INT. JUNHO'S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
Jungho opens his private terminal.
Pulls up Seri's file.
His fingers hover over a key marked "Security Override: Terminate Contract."
One press. That's all it takes.
But just as he's about to confirm—
POP.
An encrypted notification appears on the screen:
🔒 ACCESS DENIED. FILE LOCKED.
Request Clearance from HQ Legal Division.
Jungho blinks.
JUNGHO
"…What?"
He tries again. Same result.
His jaw tightens. He dials his Chief of Staff.
JUNGHO
"Get me clearance on employee Im Seri.
I want her out—tonight."
A pause.
The voice on the other line responds—
CHIEF OF STAFF (O.S.)
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Director Kang.
Her appointment came directly from the global board.
You… can't touch her."
Jungho stands frozen.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
The board? Why the hell would they—
His mind races.
JUNGHO (V.O.)
Who are you really, Im Seri?
And who sent you here… to me?
INT. OFFICE FLOOR – SAME TIME
Seri clicks off the blinking pen.
Wipes her screen. Logs off.
She stands slowly, gathering her bag.
Walks past Jungho's office — never looking inside.