Morning arrived at the main office floor of Kang Corporation. The atmosphere buzzed with fresh energy. Yet, eyes still followed the new girl. Im Seri walked in, quiet as usual, wearing a simple blouse and slacks. Hair tied low. No smile, no panic.
At her desk, Kim Bora sipped her iced coffee while applying lip gloss in her compact mirror. She watched Seri like a hawk watching prey in heels. "We should test how good our new PR fixer is at the little things, don't you think?" Bora said loudly enough for everyone to hear. The team chuckled. Seri looked over, unfazed.
"Seri-ssi~ Can you please prepare tea for CEO Kang? He always needs his morning tea before his 9AM call," Bora added sweetly. "Isn't that the secretary's task?" Seri replied calmly. "Oh? You said you could do anything, right? I'm just helping you… blend in." Bora leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with subtle threat. "It's very simple. But there are… rules."
She began listing them like an Olympic sport. "Not too hot. Not too cold. Jasmine tea. One and a half teaspoons of honey — never two. Steeped exactly 2 minutes and 43 seconds. Poured into the black matte mug, not the navy. Mug handle to the left, label facing out. He notices everything." "She's doing this again…" a coworker muttered. "Think you can handle that, PR Fixer?" Bora smiled sweetly. Seri paused, then shrugged. "Sure."
In the pantry, Seri stood at the counter with calm hands. She brewed the tea while glancing at her watch, counting the seconds without blinking. They think this is hard? I've delivered cocktails to mob lawyers without spilling a drop. She placed the tea perfectly in the black mug, positioned everything just right.
Kim Bora peeked in, grinning like she'd won a game. "You're done? Great! Deliver it." "I thought I wasn't the secretary." "Today, you're the brave intern." She leaned in, whispering with gleeful suspense. "I need to see his reaction. If you mess this up… that's it. He'll never look at you again." "Was he supposed to?" "He only looks at women who get it perfect. Which is… usually me."
Seri simply picked up the tray, unfazed. "Then you should've made the tea." Bora blinked. Seri walked out. "She's going to get vaporized."
Inside Jungho's office, he sat at his desk, glasses reflecting the screen light. Papers in front of him. The air was still. A knock. "Come in." The door opened. Im Seri stepped in, composed and graceful, holding a tray. She placed the black mug gently on the coaster without waiting for an invitation.
"No one asked me. But I thought… maybe a warm cup of tea would help start the day."
Jungho's fingers stopped moving. He looked up slowly. His eyes met hers. "That's not your job." "You don't know what I need. Next time, focus on what you're actually here for. I don't entertain unnecessary gestures."
"Then give me something necessary." Seri stayed calm, her tone even, unwavering.
Jungho leaned back slightly, studying her. Then picked up a file from the side of his desk and offered it. "This is from a pending sponsorship client. Their PR team's making noise." "Fix it." She accepted the file without breaking eye contact. "Consider it done." She turned and walked out, silent as ever. The untouched tea sat between them like a line not to be crossed.
Outside on the floor, Kim Bora stood by the glass wall like she was watching a courtroom drama. As Seri stepped out, Bora immediately intercepted her. "He didn't drink it, huh?" Seri didn't respond. "He never eats or drinks anything he didn't ask for. Rule number one. You'll learn." "Good. I like learning." She walked away. Bora watched her go, still grinning. "And I like winning."
Im Seri sat at her desk in the PR department with Jungho's client file spread out in front of her. Sharp eyes, calm expression. She was already scanning potential solutions. Fast. Just as she began typing.
"She's really working…" a coworker whispered to Bora. "Let's test her multitasking skills." Bora smirked, then clapped her hands loudly. "Oh! Seri-ssi! The printer on the 3rd floor jammed again. Could you…?"
"Is the tray blinking red or blue?" Seri asked without looking up.
"Uh… blue?" Bora glanced uncertainly toward Seri .
Seri stood, walked out, and returned in two minutes with her hands clean and calm. "It's fixed. Paper was loaded wrong."
"Already?" Bora blinked. Seri sat back down, barely opened the file when… "Sorry… someone reset the Wi-Fi router and it's gone haywire again," another coworker chimed in.
"Give me a second." Seri opened her phone, keyed in a few numbers, and pulled up a tech admin panel. The Wi-Fi reconnected. The office froze, stunned.
Cue a montage of chaotic office tasks. Seri manually reprogrammed a glitching employee card scanner. She restocked the exploding coffee machine without it exploding. Bora spilled files on purpose. Seri picked them up before they hit the ground. She scanned 200 pages in one shot with perfect alignment. Bora placed a stack of mismatched binders on her desk. Seri arranged and color-coded them in seconds.
Later in the PR department, Seri's desk was weirdly organized. A coworker watched her like she was an alien. "Is she… human?"
"She's too calm. No normal person would handle this without cursing," Bora muttered with her arms crossed.
Just then, Seri sneezed delicately.
"She can sneeze…" one whispered.
"She's one of us…" said another.
By nightfall, Kang Corporation's office floor fell quiet. The digital wall clock glowed 23.47. The office was mostly dark. A few computer screens stayed on. Glowing faintly with screensavers and login pages. Background hum of printers asleep. System updates blinking quietly. But only one desk was alive. Im Seri typed quietly, surrounded by files she'd nearly cleared.
They doubled my tasks. Tripled my deadlines. Cute. They think I'll break
She closed the final file, then stretched.
But if I don't get caffeine in the next 5 minutes, someone's getting karate-chopped. She headed to the pantry.
Inside the pantry, the lights flickered once. She opened the upper cabinet…empty. Checked the shelf. Nothing but expired chamomile tea. Then, salvation: a dusty cold brew bottle inside the fridge. "Finally. One thing that's not trying to sabotage me." Just as she grabbed a mug…
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. Footsteps. Sharp. Heavy. Close. She paused and glanced toward the hallway.
Late-night footsteps at Kang Corporation. Could be HR. Could be a ghost. Could be a very punctual tax demon. Without a flinch, she reached for a metal spoon. Then casually lowered herself behind the counter. I've dodged bullets. This is just… corporate awkwardness.
She peeked between cabinet slits. Her eyes squinted. Polished shoes. Black coat. That's not HR. That's the CEO. The clock on the microwave blinked 11:53 PM.
She froze. "Why are you hiding like a raccoon? You literally work here." She adjusted her posture slightly, still holding the spoon like a weapon. This isn't fear. This is strategic avoidance. Because if he sees me now… I might actually have to talk to him. She slowly backed into the cabinet shadow like a ninja in a romantic comedy.
Footsteps echoed along the hallway. Kang Jungho walked past the pantry, not noticing the silent figure hidden inside. His tailored coat swayed behind him, his face sharp and unreadable. He headed toward his private office, unlocked the door, and entered. Inside, the light flickered on. He walked directly to his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out his laptop and a folder marked "PRIVATE." "Almost left you behind," he muttered.
Just as he was about to shut the light—
RING RING.
He checked the screen. His eyes narrowed slightly. He answered the call and walked back out into the hallway. Seri crouched inside the pantry still. Spoon in one hand. Coffee halfway to her lips. Her eyes flicked to the door as she heard footsteps again.
"Hanna? What are you doing calling at this hour?"
"I'm in the lobby."
"What? Why?"
"I wanted to see you. I figured you might still be at the office."
"How would you know that?"
"Daejin told me."
He sighed, quietly annoyed. Not with her—just… conflicted. Seri's eyes widened just a bit, processing the name Hanna, but her expression stayed neutral. The lobby. This late? Is she a girlfriend? Stalker? VIP client? Not that I care…
The hallway was dim. The door to Jungho's office still wide open. Seri, still crouched in the pantry, leaned awkwardly against the cabinet. Her knees hurt. Her coffee was cold. This wasn't part of the plan. I've scaled buildings, but this floor tile is what's gonna destroy me. She adjusted her sitting. Then laid flat for a second. Then crouched again like a crab. "Why am I like this…"
From her hiding spot, she heard footsteps. Heels. Deliberate. Confident. Then a soft voice. "Jungho-ah." Seri's eyes narrowed slightly. She couldn't see anything—just shadows, voices, and a faint scent of expensive perfume.
"You came up after all." Her voice was soft, almost teasing. "Of course I did. Who else would you let ruin your night?"
Is that… flirting?
She tried to shift quietly and knocked over a metal spoon with a soft CLINK. She froze. No one heard that. Hopefully. Then…silence. Until… "I missed you." A soft rustle of fabric. Seri couldn't see it, but the tone changed. Warm. Intimate. "Hanna…" Seri's eyes widened as she heard what sounded dangerously close to—a hug? A kiss??
She stiffened, awkwardly stuck between a bag of sugar and a mop bucket. Fantastic. Now I'm hiding during a soap opera. Her expression…blank. Coffee in one hand. Dignity in zero. She blinked once. So… he has a woman. This company really is chaotic.