The lobby of Cha Group Headquarters shimmered with marble floors and and polished glass. Cameras flashed as Cha Min-hyuk, the nations most eligible CEO, strode inside with his tailored suit. Reporters angled for the perfect shot, his name aready trending on the morning feeds.
He flashed that easy, practiced smile that made investors swoon and interns stammer. But behind him trailed a woman with a clipboard, black heels clinking against the floor. Seo Hae-Jin.
Unlike everyone in the lobby, she didn't gawk at him like he was some Greek god. She adjusted her glasses,skimmed the days schedule, and sighed.
"CEO Cha," she called out, her voice brisk. "You've got three back-to-back meetings today, a charity lunch at noon, and a press briefing at four. If you keep smiling for cameras you'll be late for them."
Min-hyuk turned his head slightly, that smile still playing in his lips.
"Are you saying I should stop giving the people what they want?"
Hae-jin shot him a flat look. "I'm saying you hired me to keep your company running, not your fan club."
The corner of his mouth curved higher. "You're colder than most of my shareholders, Ms Seo."
"Good, maybe that will keep you alive." She handed him a tablet, already scrolling. "Meeting notes, read them before we walk in, unless you want to look clueless."
Min-hyuk chuckled under his breath as they entered the elevator. "Sometimes I wonder if you eve like me."
"I don't get paid to like you sir, I get paid to make sure you don't self-destruct."
The elevator chimed. He glanced sideways at her, studying her calm expression. For years, she'd been at his side — efficient, reliable, unfazed by his charm. To everyone else, he was a star. To her…just a job. For some reason that stung more than he cared to admit.
Later that evening, as Min-hyuk left the office with his usual escort of flashing cameras, Hae-jin slipped away unnoticed. She ducked into a quiet cafe tucked in the back seats of Gangnam.
Waiting there was Kang Ji-won, hoodie pulled low, mama covering his face. Even in disguise, people whispered, recognizing one of the members AUREA, the biggest boy group in the country.
When he saw Hae-jin, he pulled his mask down and grinned. "You're late. Let me guess, your boss was busy signing autographs again?"
Hae-jin sank into the seat across from him. "If by signing autographs you mean 'charming shareholders' then yes."
Ji-won laughed, the sound boyish despite his super start status. "Unbelievable. You work for the most famous CEO in Korea, and you still talk about him like he's…ordinary."
"That's because he is ordinary." She replied, sipping her coffee. "Annoying, arrogant, impossible to mange…ordinary."
Ji-won leaned forward, eyes glinting with mischief. "Then why are you smiling when you say that?"
Hae-jin froze, blowing at him. She hadn't realized she was smiling.
Before she could answer, Ji-won's phone buzzed. A message from his manager: don't forget rehearsals tonowrrow. LUNARE will be there, play nice.
Ji-won's smile faded slightly, he shoved his phone back into his pocket and looked at Hae-jin.
"Nevermind, forget I aksed."
But Hae-jin noticed the shadow in his eyes.
Back in his penthouse, Min-hyuk sat by the window, glass of scotch in hand. From thirty floors up, Seoul glittered beneath him. He scrolled through the day's gossip headlines.
Half of them were about him. The other half?
Rumors: AUREA's Kang Ji-won spotted with mysterious woman in Gangnam cafe.
The blurry picture showed Ji-won leaning across the table, smiling warmly at a womanwoth long dark hair.
Seo Hae-jin.
Min-hyuk's jaw tightened. He set the glass down with a sharp clink.
For the first time in years, the unflappable CEO felt something unfamiliar.
Irritation.
And beaneth it… something dangerously close to jealousy.