The conference room buzzed with low chatter as employees shuffled through the Project Asagiri briefing. The door opened and Taehyun stepped in, sharp in a dark olive shirt and tailored slacks.
Bora's eyes lit up. She grabbed a drink tray she'd clearly prepared earlier, a premium iced americano topped with a heart-shaped stirrer and placed it in front of him. A neon sticky note clung to the cup.
One sip and you'll fall for me. The coffee's strong too. Love .
Taehyun's brow lifted. A quiet chuckle escaped as he met her gaze with that half-smile.
"Thanks, Miss Kim. You just saved a national operation."
The room laughed. Bora swished back to her seat, satisfied.
At the front, Daejin stood beside Junho. The projector screen flickered to life.
"We're discussing three key threads: Baekdu closure reports, the Kyoto gala, and Project Asagiri."
He clicked through slides, voice steady.
"Asagiri involves memory and neural mapping. This is political. The wrong step could compromise more than our company."
Junho's tone cut in, quiet but firm.
"Only a few of us will attend the Kyoto gala. I will select the final list."
His gaze flicked toward Seri. Calm. Focused. Scribbling notes like she hadn't noticed. But Taehyun caught it. His eyes lingered between the two before he leaned back in his chair.
Daejin scanned his notes. "We'll need a strong rep from Legal-Risk to liaise with compliance."
Seri raised her hand. "If this involves external audits, it falls under my department. The Baekdu leak was handled by me."
Bora leaned forward dramatically. "Oh please, everyone wants to go to Kyoto now. I've been drinking matcha since high school. That counts as qualification."
"You also blend into every office rumor, Miss Kim," Seri replied without looking up.
"Wow. Did anyone hear that? That was racially spicy." Laughter rippled around the table.
Taehyun smirked. "Don't worry. If you end up in Kyoto, I'll make sure the sushi comes with your name on it."
Bora raised her hand like she was volunteering for a game show. "Then I'm going . Food tester, translator, personal stylist …I'm multi-talented."
"That won't be necessary." Junho's voice sliced through, cool and measured. "The list will be based on professional relevance. Not food preferences."
The air shifted. Seri lowered her pen. Taehyun raised a brow. Bora chewed on hers like she was auditioning for a drama.
"I've been watching J-dramas without subtitles," Bora whispered to a colleague. "If they don't bring me to Japan, I'll riot. In style."
"Didn't you also buy a Hello Kitty suitcase?"
"Limited edition," she said proudly.
The final slide faded to black. Chairs scraped. Papers shuffled. The meeting was over.
People began to stand, stretching and murmuring as they gathered their things. A few yawned discreetly. Seri rose, professional as ever, still checking her notes. Junho stood too, but his eyes drifted toward her for just a second.
Taehyun stayed seated, adjusting the cuff of his shirt like he owned the room.
Bora swooped in, grinning.
"Whew. Long meeting, huh?"
Taehyun glanced up with a polite smile.
"So… if you're single," Bora began casually, "maybe I should get us matching jackets for the Japan trip. Couple look, you know?"
"Tempting," Taehyun replied, unbothered. "But if we wear matching jackets, people might think we're already married."
Bora gasped. "Wait, really?!"
"Exactly why I said might," he teased with a wink. "Let's not start rumors before we even board the plane."
She leaned in, murmuring dramatically, "Ugh… I wish I was in a rumor. Especially with someone like him."
From a few seats away, Daejin raised a brow. "Weak in the knees again, Miss Kim? Or do you only reserve that for CEOs and men with jawlines sharp enough to cut glass?"
Bora scoffed, flipping her hair. "Excuse me, Mr. Daejin, I'm not that easy to fall for. I'm the one who makes men fall. With just one wink and two syllables of cuteness."
"Careful where you aim that wink," Daejin shot back. "HR still has your last incident on file."
Laughter rippled through the room. Bora pouted, waving them off. "Jealous much? Just wait until Kyoto. I'm bringing out the lethal aegyo."
Taehyun smirked as he stood. "I better bring sunglasses then."
Seri gathered her notes, slipping toward the aisle. As she passed, Taehyun spun a pen between his fingers.
"Hey, Seri. Lunch soon…got any plans?"
She blinked, caught off guard. "Oh? Uh…"
"I know a place nearby," he continued smoothly. "Killer gyudon, best miso soup in town. What do you say?"
Bora appeared instantly, feigning surprise. "Oh, I love Japanese food. Gyudon, ramen, mochi… maybe I'll tag along. You know, in case you need a third opinion."
From the corner, Daejin muttered behind his hand, "Better than that dating show I watched last night."
Seri gave a small, awkward laugh. "I haven't really thought of lunch yet…"
Junho's voice cut in from behind, cool but edged. "Actually, Seri will be joining us. We're reviewing the Kyoto proposal over lunch."
Taehyun frowned. "Interesting. Didn't see that on the schedule."
Seri turned to him. "Wait… who's us?"
Daejin looked around. "Yeah… us?"
Junho adjusted his cuffs. "Us. As in the team."
"I am the team," Daejin muttered. "And I didn't get that memo."
Junho spoke quickly, holding his composure. "We can't postpone it. Too much to go over before Kyoto. We'll use lunch to strategize."
Taehyun exhaled, disappointment flashing before he masked it. "Well then… I guess I'll just…"
Seri stepped between them, her voice calm but firm. "Why don't we all go to lunch together? As a project team." She smiled diplomatically. "I don't see the problem with that."
Seri walked ahead, eager to escape the stares and undercurrents brewing in the meeting room. The tension followed her like a storm cloud that refused to move. Just as she reached the hallway, she stopped short.
Standing there ,poised as if she owned the floor…was Hanna. Immaculate in a crisp ivory blouse tucked into high-waisted slacks, designer heels clicking softly against the marble, and sunglasses perched like a crown. Every inch of her radiated elegance and calculated charm.
"Well," Hanna said with a slight smirk, tilting her head, "I hear there's a lunch outing." Her voice dripped saccharine sweetness. "Mind if I join?"
The air tightened. Seri blinked once, lips parting, but no words came. Behind her, footsteps slowed. Junho, Taehyun, and Daejin caught up, each registering Hanna's presence in their own way.
"…And this just got spicier," Daejin murmured under his breath.
Bora, whispering to a colleague, grinned. "Forget lunch. We're about to get served drama sashimi."
Junho's voice was low, his expression hard to read. "Hanna…"
"Hey, Junho-ssi," she replied warmly, though her eyes swept the group, pausing just a fraction too long on Seri.
Moments later, a table was ready. A long stretch of polished wood gleamed under soft, golden light. It was lunch break in the Japan restaurant, the air rich with the aroma of miso, grilled fish, and freshly steamed rice. One by one, trays of sushi, tempura, and simmered dishes were set down, the staff moving with quiet, practiced elegance.
Bora eyed the spread dramatically. "Should I start practicing how to eat all this now? I can't go to Kyoto and embarrass myself asking for kimchi stew." She held up her chopsticks, frowning. "What's this green thing? It looks peaceful, but it smells like a challenge."
"Don't take it lightly," Daejin warned, grinning. "That tiny green blob has ended friendships."
Taehyun chuckled. "That's wasabi, Miss Kim. And this place doesn't play around. The chef trained in Ginza, and they fly in their fish straight from Toyosu Market twice a week." He turned to Seri, smiling. "Trust me, Miss Seri. You should try the sushi. Their sea urchin roll might change your opinion on life."
"I didn't know sushi came with life advice," Seri teased, picking up a piece. She took a bite, paused… then nodded slowly. "Okay. That's dangerously good."
"Told you," Taehyun said with a smirk.
Bora swallowed a little too much wasabi and choked out a strangled noise. "Ack—! My sinuses just time-traveled!"
Daejin laughed until his eyes watered. "Want me to call emergency sushi rescue?"
Across the table, Hanna sat opposite Junho, cool and unshaken. "This project team is… colorful."
"They are," Junho replied quietly, his gaze flicking to Seri before dropping to his untouched sashimi.
Hanna sliced into her grilled salmon, voice light but edged. "So… is my presence here going to disturb the flow of this Japan project discussion?" Her eyes locked on Seri, then shifted to Junho.
The table went still. Bora froze mid-chew. Daejin's chopsticks hovered over his rice. Even Taehyun lowered his teacup, watching.
Bora leaned back in her chair, her tone laced with honeyed sarcasm.
"Oh, not at all. As long as you're ready to pull twelve-hour days, rewrite proposals at midnight, and survive on vending machine coffee like the rest of us… we'll make room."
A few stifled laughs rippled through the table. Hanna's smile didn't reach her eyes, and her gaze lingered on Seri just a fraction too long.
Seri didn't rise to it. She simply reached for her tea, taking a slow sip without meeting Hanna's gaze, her calmness deliberate …the kind that made it impossible to tell if she was ignoring the tension or dismantling it silently.