The ride-share service dropped Minji three blocks from the Dusk Industries Headquarters—a towering structure of smoked glass and cold steel that seemed to pierce the sky. It wasn't just a building; it was an architectural declaration of CEO Jeong Jungkook's dominance.
Minji adjusted the collar of her ill-fitting marketing intern uniform, the rough polyester a sharp contrast to the luxurious suits gliding past her. Her current attire was her biggest obstacle. She couldn't walk into the lobby and demand an audience with the CEO based on "knowing the future." She needed an entry point and a reason that didn't scream delusion.
Her mind furiously sifted through the novel's lore. Jungkook was known for two things: his workaholic solitude and his near-paranoid security protocols. Getting past the front desk was harder than facing a dragon in the original fantasy setting.
Suddenly, a detail from Chapter 5 of the novel, right before Jungkook's first meeting with A-Ri, clicked into place. The book mentioned a brief, chaotic scene:
...A high-priority contract addendum was almost lost due to a server glitch, forcing a desperate midnight print job and hand-delivery by a low-level employee...
It was a small, throwaway line, but in Minji's situation, it was a lifeline.
The Credibility Gambit
Minji's gaze landed on a modest, slightly older building across the street—a small but prestigious legal firm. A nameplate by the door read, "Kim & Associates: Corporate Law."
Rion Kai's office is South, but his legal team often works closely with Dusk Industries, Minji realized. If I can pretend to be delivering a time-sensitive document from an outside firm, the Dusk security might bypass the usual protocol for an "official" courier.
She quickly dialed the number for "Kim & Associates" found on the building directory. When a paralegal answered, Minji adopted a tone of panicked, rushed professionalism.
"Yes, hello! This is Minji calling from Dusk Industries' Marketing Department," she said, inventing a temporary superior. "We're expecting a highly sensitive addendum, the 'Phoenix' contract. Did a courier leave for Dusk HQ yet? No? Listen, we have a server error, and the CEO needs this physical copy within the hour. Can you email it to my personal email? I'll print it here and deliver it immediately. The delay is critical!"
The flustered paralegal, intimidated by the urgency and the mention of the CEO, quickly complied. Minji, holding her breath, watched the file download onto her phone.
Evading Chapter 12
She found a small, dimly lit convenience store and used their printer. The document was legitimate—a dense, dry legal addendum. Minji removed the first page and replaced it with a single sheet she had quickly typed on her phone:
URGENT. CEO JEONG JUNGKOOK EYES ONLY.
Subject: Internal Safety Breach—Transport Protocol
CEO, my name is Yoon Minji. I am the intern listed for the Chapter 12 Transport Mission (document delivery route). This mission is compromised. I have information regarding an orchestrated traffic accident targeting me and potentially damaging Dusk Industries' reputation. The threat is immediate.
I know about the Silver Key, the frame-up in Chapter 35, and Rion Kai's future actions.
I cannot state more here. I am delivering this as a faux addendum from Kim & Associates. I must speak to you privately to secure your future—and my survival.
I am waiting in the Emergency Courier Intake Bay (Sub-level 1). I will only speak to you. Time is of the essence.
She slipped the explosive note into a fresh envelope, sealed it, and marched back toward the Dusk Industries entrance. The building's architecture now seemed less imposing and more like a fortress she had to breach.
The Executive Shortcut
At the lobby, the sleek security guard barely glanced at her uniform but stopped her for the envelope.
"I have a time-critical, legal document from Kim & Associates for CEO Jeong Jungkook. It must be hand-delivered to his office—urgent addendum to the Phoenix file. I was told to use the Emergency Courier Intake Bay on Sub-level 1 to bypass the public security queue." Minji kept her voice steady, repeating the key phrases from the internal document she'd seen.
The guard hesitated, then checked his tablet. The "Emergency Courier Intake Bay" was a seldom-used, high-security area for receiving sensitive hard copies after business hours, usually reserved for senior staff or trusted third parties. He scanned the Kim & Associates logo on the envelope.
"Sub-level 1. Use the service elevator behind the security desk," the guard instructed, his tone clipped. "But you wait there. A secretary will meet you. Do not leave the bay."
Minji gave a curt nod and, heart pounding, slipped into the service elevator. The scent of ozone and chilled metal filled the car as it descended. She had bypassed the lobby and bought herself ten minutes of high-stakes time.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Is he really her 'second' hero, or her true one? If you are enjoying this love triangle, please show your support with a Power Stone! Every single vote helps 'my favourite second hero' reach new readers! Thank you for choosing this story!