At 9:14 a.m.,inside Studio 4B of Sungsan Broadcasting Center, the makeup room buzzed softly with the sound of brushes tapping powder cases. Hanna sat poised under the studio lights, stunning as always. The stylist gently dabbed powder beneath her eyes while the assistant director stepped in, clipboard in hand.
"Miss Choi, the shoot with CEO Kang is confirmed for next Friday. Your company's PR team is excited."
Hanna's smile froze just a little. She glanced at herself in the mirror—perfect on the outside, but something flickered in her eyes.
"Of course. I always get the shot I want," she said sweetly.
She checked her phone. Still no message from Jungho. Her fingers hesitated before locking the screen. Her expression cooled—calculated, controlled.
Inside Kang Jungho's office, morning light filtered through the glass walls as Daejin stepped in with a tablet and printed schedule.
"You still want to go through the interview briefing today? We've got a tentative slot for prep this afternoon. Or I can push it."
Jungho answered flatly, "No need. Cancel it."
Daejin began to nod but paused as Jungho looked up, cold and calculating.
"Actually… wait. Set it. Full meeting."
"Sure. You'll be doing the prep with the media team then?" Daejin asked, confused.
Jungho stood slowly, placing his glasses on the table. "No. Seri will handle it."
"Seri?"
"She's the PR fixer. She should know how to handle media. Time she understands her job fully." He paused, tone sharper now. "Let's see how capable she really is."
Daejin raised an eyebrow, noting the sudden shift but saying nothing.
"Get the meeting set. Fast."
As Jungho turned away, his face remained perfectly composed. But somewhere between pride, bitterness, and ego… something stirred.
In the Kang Corporation boardroom that same morning, the key department heads gathered, laptops open, tension sharp in the air.
Jungho entered with Daejin, and the room froze. Seri sat cool and composed at the long table, tablet ready, not sparing Jungho a single glance.Kim Bora suddenly burst in, heels clicking, clutching green juice in one hand and a fancy binder in the other. "Relax, people. I brought the report and antioxidants."
Some exchanged amused looks. Jungho only sighed. The meeting began. Charts flashed across the screen. Reports were shared.
Then Bora flipped her binder open with a flourish. "Marketing traction has increased 11% this quarter due to the shift in user-targeted ad segmentation, especially among millennial luxury shoppers."
The room blinked.
"…Well done, Kim Bora," Daejin said, pleasantly surprised.
"I know. I shock myself, too," she beamed.
Laughter softened the room's stiffness. Then all eyes turned to Seri, who stood to deliver the PR briefing. Calm, emotionless.
"Brand reputation remains stable after last week's article. Visual rebranding strategy is prepared. Messaging is clear and within company tone."
She sat down. Short. Dry. Sharp.
Jungho leaned forward. "Miss Im. On that rebranding strategy… would you say the current company image is being misunderstood?"
It was a loaded question. Clearly meant for her.
Without looking at him, Seri replied, "If people misunderstand the image, perhaps the image wasn't clear to begin with."
Jungho flinched, like her words were a blade. Silence fell.
Bora whispered, loud enough to break the moment, "Okay, Shakespeare. That felt personal."
The room chuckled. Jungho leaned back, tight-lipped. Bora leaned toward her neighbor. "Ten bucks says they dated in a past life and broke up in a thunderstorm."
"Kim Bora," Daejin warned.
She saluted with her pen. "Yes, sir. Professionally shutting up."
Jungho's eyes remained locked on Seri. She, however, flipped a page on her tablet as if he didn't exist.
Daejin cleared his throat. "Next on the agenda—Director Kang's talk show appearance on 'Midnight Talks' with Choi Hanna."
Murmurs passed through the room. A rare public move for Jungho.
"The segment is titled: 'The Man Behind the Numbers: CEO Kang Jungho Unplugged.' Hanna will be hosting. It airs live next Friday night."
"This one matters," Jungho said curtly. "It's public-facing, highly circulated, and our image is at stake. PR will manage the script clearance, set coordination, and all guest conditions."
His eyes zeroed in on Seri.
"Im Seri. You'll take charge."
"Understood," she said coolly.
"I volunteer as tribute!" Bora jumped to her feet. All eyes turned. "I mean—I'll help with styling, atmosphere, audience vibe. I know exactly what makes a man look accidentally emotional under talk show lighting."
"Miss Kim…" Daejin warned again.
"But if it were, you'd still win…" she pouted dramatically after Jungho said flatly, "This isn't a beauty pageant."
"I'll coordinate with OMC Media," Seri cut in, unimpressed. "The objective is brand impact, not romantic lighting or rival hair highlights."
"She's just mad he didn't pick her to be luminous," Bora muttered.
More laughter. Seri didn't flinch. Jungho watched her, but she never looked back.
"Seri, I'll forward Hanna's production requirements. Please ensure nothing goes off-script," Daejin said.
"Copy that."
Jungho's fingers tapped the table. Still watching.
The meeting ended. Chairs shifted. Papers gathered. Seri packed her files swiftly, trying to exit before Jungho's eyes found her again.
"Meeting adjourned."
At that same moment, the lobby glass doors slid open. He walked in. Tall. Sharp navy suit. A luxury watch. Calm confidence in every step.
He handed something to the front desk. A name card, maybe? The receptionist froze.
"Who—who is that?" one employee whispered.
"Is he an investor?" another gasped.
Kim Bora peeked from the hallway and gasped theatrically. "Wait. WAIT. Is this a dream sequence? Did someone CGI my soulmate into real life?"
She flipped her hair so hard it smacked an intern. "Play it cool, Bora," she muttered. "Walk like you don't know he's watching… even if he probably is."
"Girl, he's not even looking this way."
"I'm giving him options!"
The man's eyes scanned the room. Then landed on Seri. She didn't look up. But she felt it. Her fingers paused. She slowly turned. Their eyes met.
He smiled. Calm. Familiar. Seri gave a faint nod and turned back to her monitor.
"Why is every tall, good-looking man in a suit looking at her lately?" Bora muttered. "She got a magnet? Is she hiding abs?"
She tried intercepting him by fixing her skirt in his path.
He sidestepped smoothly.
"I could've been the plot twist!" she hissed.
Inside Jungho's office, Daejin stood beside him reviewing files when the man walked in like he owned the place.
"Director Kang. I hope I'm not too early."
Daejin blinked. "Wait… You're—?"
"Lee Taehyun. Sent by Hyunmyeong Holdings to supervise the integration on the Baekdu Project. Director Kang should've received the memo."
"Oh— yes. We were expecting someone more… seasoned."
"I get that a lot," Taehyun chuckled.
Jungho eyed him. Something felt off.
Bora peeked from her cubicle, mouthing, "WHAT. IN. THE. GREEK-GOD-IN-A-SUIT. IS. HAPPENING?!"
Lee Taehyun and Kang Jungho faced each other like calm forces in a quiet storm.
"As of today, I'll be overseeing integration matters for the Baekdu Project. Expect streamlined updates from my team within the week."
Daejin tapped his tablet quickly. "Hyunmyeong Holdings… sent an internal memo…"
Taehyun sensed the doubt. "You'll find everything in order, Secretary Daejin. Efficiency — it's what I'm known for."
Jungho stayed silent. Eyes narrowed slightly. Taehyun buttoned his suit. Nodded politely.
At the door—Bora. Waiting. Posing. She flicked her hair. "Well hello there, Mr. Integration. Hope you don't plan to integrate too quickly — we just started enjoying the view."
Taehyun paused. Blinked. Then laughed genuinely.
"I'll try to slow it down…just for you," he said with a wink.
Bora flushed. "Sweet heavens… Jungho who?"
Jungho didn't react. But he noticed.
"This is gonna be fun," Daejin muttered behind him.
"Mind introducing me to the team?" Taehyun asked Bora casually.
Bora scrambled. "O-oh! Yes. Everyone's been dying to meet you…I mean, looking forward! Professionally. Yes." She gestured dramatically. "That's Accounting. Over there's Legal. And right here…Im Seri. Our best-kept secret… and PR's very own fixer."
Taehyun's eyes found her across the office floor. His gaze lingered—not in shock, but in recognition. Like he'd expected her to be here. Like he already knew.
"Im Seri," he said smoothly, a low trace of amusement curling in his voice. "Of course it's you."
Seri looked up slowly. Calm. Poised. No flicker of surprise on her face. She offered a courteous smile, the kind that was practiced and distant. "Nice to meet you," she replied, then turned back to her screen with professional ease.
But behind her steady expression, something else churned. She could feel it…that familiar weight of Jungho's attention pressing against the side of her face like heat. He was watching. Closely. Quietly. As if trying to decode what had just happened.
Taehyun didn't move. His eyes remained on her for a moment longer, studying her posture, the subtle way she straightened her spine, the restrained movement of her fingers on the keyboard. There was history in that silence, but no one in the room could read it. Except maybe Jungho.
Then Taehyun's voice broke through the charged stillness. "I think this is going to be… interesting."
Jungho heard it. Felt it. The weight of that last word settled deep in his chest like a spark on dry wood.
Across the room, Seri didn't respond. She simply continued typing, her screen casting a soft glow over her features. Unbothered. Detached. Or at least, pretending to be.
Taehyun eventually stepped away, his polished shoes echoing softly against the polished floor as he followed Bora's enthusiastic tour. But Jungho didn't follow with his eyes.
His gaze was still on Seri.
She hadn't glanced back once. Not even as the presence of the new arrival stirred whispers through the office, not even as Bora's excited voice trailed off down the hallway.