Seoul was a city of bright lights and big dreams. From the top floor of the Daehan Group building, Do Hee could see all of it spread out below her like a glittering map. But she didn't care about the view tonight. She had a job to do.
Do Hee was the CEO of Daehan Group, one of Korea's biggest companies. At twenty-nine, she was young to be in charge, but she was smart and tough. People called her the "Ice Princess" because she never showed her feelings. And that was how she liked it.
Tonight was the launch of "Project Eclipse," her most important project ever. The room was full of important people—investors, reporters, and board members. In the front row sat her stepmother, Madam Jang, with a polite smile on her face. Next to her was Do Hyun, Do Hee's stepbrother, who looked bored as usual.
Do Hee ignored them. She had learned long ago that family could not always be trusted.
"Project Eclipse will change everything," Do Hee told the crowd, her voice clear and confident. "It is the future of our company."
As she spoke, she reached up and pulled a hairpin from her bun. It was no ordinary hairpin. Made of red jade, it had belonged to her mother. It was one of the few things Do Hee had left of her.
"With this symbol of my family's strength," Do Hee said, holding the pin up high, "I promise you success. For this project, I will pay any price."
The moment she said those words, the hairpin grew warm in her hand.
Then—everything went dark.
The lights went out. The big screens behind her went black. The gentle hum of the air conditioning stopped. The room was completely silent, lit only by the blue evening light from the windows.
People gasped and whispered in confusion.
Do Hee stood very still. This can't be happening, she thought. The building has backup power.
But then she saw something that made her blood run cold.
In the darkest corner of the room, a shadow began to move.
It wasn't just darkness. It was taking shape. The shadow grew taller and wider, until it became the shape of a man.
He stepped forward into the dim light. He was tall and dressed in a black suit that seemed to swallow the light around him. His face was handsome but cold, like a statue. And his eyes—they were completely black, like a night with no stars.
He was looking right at the hairpin in Do Hee's hand.
I'm just tired, Do Hee told herself. This isn't real.
But she knew it was.
The man spoke. His voice was low and calm, but it filled the quiet room. "You talk about prices," he said. "But you don't know what you're offering to pay."
Before Do Hee could answer, she felt something cold wrap around her right ring finger. She looked down.
A ring of light was glowing around her finger. It was made of two colors—red like the hairpin, and black like the darkest shadow. It felt cool and warm at the same time.
She looked at the man's hand. He had the same glowing ring on his finger.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Then she felt a strange pulling sensation, like an invisible rope was tied between her chest and his. He felt it too. His eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"What is this?" Do Hee asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
The man looked at the rings, then back at her face. He didn't look scared—he looked annoyed. "It's a contract," he said simply. "A Twilight Oath. You and I are now bound together, Do Hee."
To show her what he meant, he took one step back.
Pain shot through Do Hee's chest. It was sharp and sudden, like a knife. She gasped and nearly fell.
He immediately stepped forward again. The pain disappeared.
A small, cold smile touched his lips. "You see? We cannot be far apart. About one hundred meters is the limit. If we go farther, it hurts."
Just then, the lights came back on. People blinked in the bright light. Cameras started flashing as reporters took pictures of Do Hee and the mysterious stranger standing so close together.
Madam Jang was already standing up, her eyes sharp and suspicious.
The man ignored everyone else. He leaned close to Do Hee and spoke quietly so only she could hear. "My name is Jeong Suwon. I am... a guardian. And now, it seems, I am bound to protect you."
Then he turned to the room and spoke in a clear, confident voice. "My apologies for the interruption. I am Jeong Suwon, the new consultant for Daehan Group. The CEO and I have important matters to discuss."
He held out his arm to Do Hee.
Do Hee looked at his arm, then at the glowing ring on her finger that no one else seemed to see. She looked at her stepmother's suspicious face. She looked at the reporters who were already whispering.
She had no choice.
She took his arm. The moment she touched him, the pulling sensation stopped. A strange calm washed over her.
Consultant, she thought. We'll call him that for now.
Together, they walked out of the room—the Ice Princess and her mysterious guardian—leaving everyone whispering behind them.
The first step of their strange journey together had begun. And Do Hee had no idea that this was just the beginning.