A hidden rooftop lounge nestled high above Seoul, dimly lit and deliberately private. Below, the city's neon veins pulsed quietly. It was the kind of place where celebrities met when they didn't want to be seen.
Han Hanna sat alone in a velvet booth, her fingers tapping the table. Her outfit was sharp, flawless, but her face held tension… and quiet betrayal.
Then Lee Ryun arrived. Casual, but careful. Mask, cap, coat. Everything about him said he wasn't here to be noticed. He slid into the seat across from her.
"You called. You know that was risky."
"So is playing lover boy with your co-star." Her voice was cold.
He paused, lips parting slightly, unsure how to respond.
"You and I—we agreed to stay quiet. You swore no drama, no headlines, no rumors."
"It's not what it looks like."
"Isn't it?"
She inhaled, her tone softening just enough to show it stung. "Do you know what it felt like… seeing that article while prepping for my live segment?"
Lee Ryun looked down, guilt surfacing in his silence.
"We've been hiding for two years, Hanna. I thought maybe… we were done hiding."
"You should've asked me. Not made me find out with the rest of the country."
"You think I want anyone else? You're the only one I ever needed."
She shook her head, somewhere between disbelief and defense. "Then fix it. Before I disappear."
She stood, walking away before he could reach for her.
"Hanna—"
But she was already gone, clutching her phone.
Morning light filtered into Kang Corporation's top floor, but CEO Kang Jungho wasn't looking out the window. He sat at his desk in silence, a document open on his laptop but unread. His attention was fixed on a security folder. Captured stills from last night. One image in particular stood out. Im Seri, mid-air, right before she kicked the thief to the ground. Even in grainy resolution, her form was flawless. Controlled. Trained.
The door opened and Daejin walked in holding a tablet. "The board files are updated. What's with that look?"
Jungho didn't respond. He simply rotated the screen toward Daejin. "You saw her resume, right? Top of her class, worked for three major firms, scandal-free."
"Yeah. What about it?"
Jungho zoomed in on the image. Seri's stance. Her focus. Daejin went quiet. "Does this… look like a PR fixer to you?"
"Maybe she plays kickboxing after work?"
Jungho didn't smile. His voice dropped, smooth and measured. "I want her screened again. Quietly. No HR. No records. Just… follow the trail."
Daejin blinked. "You think she's dangerous?"
"I think she's not what she says she is." He leaned back. "And I want to know why she's here. In my company."
A private meeting room in a luxury hotel. Clean lines, soft lighting, and one-way glass sealed the silence. Inside the highest floor of the Conrad Seoul Hotel, a private meeting room sat tucked behind soundproof glass and brushed steel doors. The design was modern, minimalistic. Sharp edges, one-way glass, no distractions. A place built for secrets and sealed negotiations.
Kang Jungho sat at the head of the long black conference table, pristine in a tailored grey suit. Beside him, Daejin remained still, eyes sharp and unreadable.
Across from them sat Chairman Kwon, a man in his mid-fifties who now looked twenty years older under the pressure. Sweat dotted his forehead, his hands clenched tight on the untouched merger documents laid out in front of him.
"I told your team everything I remember. There's nothing more…" Kwon's voice wavered.
Jungho removed his glasses. "That's the problem. You don't remember. So let me help you."
Kwon's confusion deepened…until Jungho leaned forward, eyes locked onto his. For a moment, nothing moved. Then, something shifted in the air. A shimmer in Jungho's gaze. Everything around him dulled into a low, echoing hum as he concentrated.
Kwon twitched. His hands trembled. "Wait…I… I never said that…no…that night. The ledger…it wasn't destroyed…it's in my driver's safe…"
His voice cracked. He gasped, clutching his chest.
"Jungho…that's enough," Daejin said quickly. Jungho blinked and broke the gaze, just in time.
Chairman Kwon slumped back, soaked in sweat, hands shaking. "You… you did something to me…"
"You remembered the truth. That's all that matters." Jungho slipped his glasses back on, but his fingers trembled for a second. He covered it fast.
"Get water. And security to recover that ledger. Now," Daejin ordered the assistant.
Jungho stood slowly, adjusting his cuff with calm precision. It always costs something. But some people… are worth the toll. He left the room without another word.
The office floor of Kang Corporation had changed. The air buzzed with whispered rumors and poorly disguised stares. Fingers clicked across keyboards, but the typing was fake…everyone was watching Im Seri. Seri typed calmly, sipping lukewarm tea, like she hadn't body-slammed a thief the night before.
"She kicked him into next week. In heels, someone whispered behind a monitor.
"I'm afraid to even ask her for a stapler," another muttered.
Across the room, Kim Bora stared like Seri was a rare jungle cat. She dabbed perfume on her wrist, then accidentally sprayed it in her eye. "Pfft, whatever. Probably staged. She just… maybe pushed him. Gently."
Intern Jaemin leaned closer. "He flew, Bora. There was wind." Bora gulped. Then stood. Confidence swelling in all the wrong places, she strutted toward Seri.
"Hey… Im Seri."
Seri turned, calm and unreadable. "Mm?"
"No hard feelings, right? If anyone needs… tackling, let me know."
"Aw, Bora. I only tackle threats."
"Yup. Totally not a threat. Just… a vibe."
Bora smiled nervously, backed away, and bumped into the filing cabinet. She gave a tiny salute.
Then the elevator dinged. Everyone froze. Kang Jungho walked in. Black suit, black shirt, black tie. His entire aura sharpened like a knife. Conversations evaporated. Even Bora, still half-squinting from her perfume accident, snapped into full attention.
"Why is he so hot when he looks like he's about to fire the whole floor?" someone whispered.
Jungho walked in silence, until he stopped… and turned. His gaze landed on Seri. "Im Seri. My office. Now."
Seri stood slowly, collected, giving nothing away. She passed Bora, who nearly tripped over her own jealousy. "That's fine. Totally fine. Maybe he just wants to… arrest her?" Bora muttered. The office door closed behind Seri. Everyone exhaled but the tension climbed higher.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, Im Seri stepped into Kang Jungho's office with the same quiet composure that unnerved everyone else. She didn't pause to look around. She knew he would already be watching.
He gestured lightly to the chair across from his desk. "Have a seat."
She obeyed without hesitation, posture straight, expression composed but impenetrable.
Silence settled between them. The kind of silence that wasn't empty but intentional. He leaned forward slightly, fingers interlocked, eyes studying every detail of her.
"You handled that situation last night… efficiently." His tone was calm, but his gaze searched for cracks.
She offered none.
"Most people freeze when danger hits. You didn't even hesitate." His voice stayed smooth, too measured.
Still, she said nothing.
"Tell me… was it instinct… or muscle memory?"
She didn't flinch. Didn't twitch. Just met his eyes with the same still calm that made him wonder if she already knew what he could do.
He leaned back slowly. Testing. Then removed his glasses. The air shifted. He never made it obvious, but she felt it. Something heavier pressed into the space between them.
Her heartbeat didn't change. Her posture stayed firm. But something behind her eyes flickered—barely a blink.
Why does it feel like he's looking through me? Jungho focused harder, eyes locked. He triggered his ability. And… nothing. Only static. A wall. A silence too deliberate to be natural.
He quickly slid the glasses back on, reset his expression. "That'll be all."
She stood without a word, gave a small, polite nod, and walked out. Calm on the outside.
The door shut softly behind her, but the space she left behind felt heavier than before. Jungho remained seated, jaw tight. One hand rose to his temple, pressing in quiet frustration. That wasn't normal.
He opened the drawer, pulled out a glass of water, and took a long sip. It didn't help.
He had triggered memories from CEOs, diplomats, criminals… even trained soldiers.
But her? Nothing. Not a flicker. He stood up and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over the chair. He loosened his tie and walked slowly across the room.
Is it me?
He thought back. He had already used the ability twice today. The executive that morning and the auditor at lunch. Maybe he overdid it. Maybe he burnt out. But then he stopped mid-step. Or maybe… she blocked him. His eyes narrowed, thoughts sharpening like a knife's edge. No one's ever done that before. Unless… she knew he was reading.
He picked up his glasses again and stared into the faint reflection of his own face in the lens. Who are you really, Im Seri? And what the hell are you doing here?
By mid-afternoon, the PR floor inside Kang Corporation felt anything but calm.
Whispers slithered between cubicles. The buzz of keyboards was louder than usual, but everyone was pretending to work. In truth, all eyes drifted toward Im Seri—the woman who had, apparently, body-slammed a thief last night. In heels. While holding a handbag.
She typed calmly, sipping from a lukewarm cup of tea, completely unbothered.
One desk away, Kim Bora couldn't focus. She was staring, wide-eyed, like she had seen a ghost. Or an action movie.
There's no way she flipped a man like that. In heels. While holding a clutch? Right?
Bora leaned closer, inspecting Seri's shoes. Still heels. Still terrifying.
She whispered to herself, "This is for science." Then, with all the drama of a rookie spy, she strolled past Seri's desk and deliberately dropped her pen right beside Seri's chair. "Oops."
In one fluid motion, she pretended to trip, arms flailing in exaggerated slow motion.
But before she could hit the floor—
Seri caught her elbow. One hand. No eye contact. Effortless.
Bora froze mid-fall, suspended like a puppet.
"…Mom?" she whispered, eyes wide.
The office stilled. Heads turned. Seri, expression unchanged, helped her upright. "Careful. Floors are slippery."
She went right back to typing.
Bora staggered back to her desk, mouth ajar. Slowly, she picked up her phone and opened the Pink Vibes group chat.
Guys. I think our new girl is a ninja in heels. Abort bullying mission. Save yourselves.
At that moment, Kang Jungho stepped out of his office, adjusting a cufflink. His eyes scanned the floor…sharp, calculating…and landed on Seri.