The office door clicked open just as Ji-Ah grabbed her bag.
Perfect timing.
Of course.
She didn't even turn.
"I'm off," she said quickly, already halfway to escaping.
"Ji-Ah."
She froze.
Slowly—
slowly—
she turned.
Ha-Joon stood by the door, jacket still on, presence filling the room like he brought his own gravity with him.
"…Yes, boss," she said, a little too formal.
He stepped in.
Closed the door behind him.
Not loud.
Just enough to say—
this conversation is staying here.
"I heard you spoke to Min-Ji," he said.
Straight to it.
Ji-Ah shrugged, looking away.
"Just small talk."
His gaze stayed on her.
Unmoved.
"What did she say?"
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"Nothing important," she replied lightly. "You've already decided to marry her anyway, right? So… not really my business."
There it was.
A little sharp.
A little too quick.
Ha-Joon noticed.
Of course he did.
A small pause.
Then—
"I'm not doing this because of her."
That made her look at him.
"What?"
He stepped closer.
Calm.
Measured.
"I'm doing it to settle things," he said. "If I marry, it clears the path."
A beat.
"For Min-Hyuk and Seo-Yeon."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"…You're serious?"
"I don't joke about things like this."
She stared at him.
Trying to read his face.
"And you're okay with that?" she asked. "Just… marrying someone you barely know?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
she turned.
"Anyway," she muttered, grabbing her bag again, "not my problem—"
Her wrist was caught.
Gently.
But firmly.
She stilled.
Slowly looked down—
at his hand around hers.
Then back up at him.
"…What are you doing."
His grip didn't tighten.
Didn't loosen either.
Just there.
Steady.
"The wedding is in two days," he said.
Her heart did something annoying.
She ignored it.
"Yeah, I heard. Very dramatic announcement."
"You'll arrange it."
That made her blink again.
"…Excuse me?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Can you handle it?"
Like he was asking about a normal task.
Like this wasn't—
his wedding.
Ji-Ah let out a small, incredulous laugh.
"You want me to plan your wedding in two days?"
"Yes."
"…To a girl you met yesterday?"
"Yes."
"…While your family is going insane?"
"Yes."
She stared at him.
Long.
Hard.
Then—
she huffed.
"…You're unbelievable."
A small pause.
Then, quieter—
"…And you trust me with that?"
Something in his expression shifted.
Barely.
But enough.
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't."
That landed.
Soft.
Unexpected.
Ji-Ah looked down at their hands again.
Still.
Holding.
Her voice came out smaller this time.
"…You've never held my hand before."
She didn't even mean to say it.
It just—
slipped out.
Ha-Joon stilled.
Just for a second.
Then his gaze softened—just a fraction.
"You never stood still long enough."
Her eyes snapped back up.
"…Wow."
She pulled her hand back quickly.
"Blame me, sure, that's convenient."
But she wasn't angry.
Not really.
More like—
flustered.
Annoyed at being flustered.
She turned away, fixing her bag strap like it had personally offended her.
"Fine," she muttered. "I'll do it."
A pause.
"But if this turns into a disaster, I'm disappearing. Like fully gone. New country. New name."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
"I'll keep that in mind."
She started toward the door—
then stopped.
"…And Ha-Joon?"
He looked at her.
She didn't turn this time.
Just stood there.
"…Don't make me plan something you're not serious about."
Quiet.
But real.
A beat passed.
Then—
"I am serious."
She nodded once.
Small.
Then opened the door—
and walked out.
Leaving behind a room that suddenly felt…
a little less controlled than before.
---
Night had folded itself neatly over the city.
Lights flickered on.
Secrets woke up.
In a quiet corner of the world—
Seo-Jun stood outside a narrow apartment building, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone.
Nothing about the place screamed future daughter-in-law of a powerful family.
It whispered something else entirely.
Small.
Hidden.
Careful.
He glanced up once.
Then stepped inside.
Minutes later—
A door.
A name.
A trail that finally stopped pretending.
Inside the records, the truth unfolded like a file that had been waiting to be opened:
No wealthy background.
No elegant lineage.
No powerful parents.
Just—
an orphan.
A small apartment.
A job.
Min-Ji.
Employee at Lunaris Atelier.
The company.
Their company.
Run by—
Min-Hyuk.
Seo-Jun's eyes narrowed slightly.
That wasn't coincidence.
That was proximity.
Intentional.
And then—
the final piece.
Photos.
More than a few.
Min-Ji—
in the background.
Across the street.
Inside events.
Always just far enough to look accidental.
Always just close enough to not be.
And in every frame—
Ha-Joon.
Unaware.
Observed.
Watched.
Seo-Jun exhaled slowly.
"…So that's what this is."
Elsewhere—
In Ha-Joon's apartment—
the mood was softer.
Quieter.
Almost peaceful.
Ji-Ah sat on the couch, legs tucked under her, scrolling mindlessly through her phone like she wasn't thinking about ten different things at once.
Across from her—
Arisoo sat elegantly, watching Nikki attempt to build something questionable out of blocks.
Nikki was very serious about it.
"It's a castle," he announced.
"It's falling," Arisoo replied gently.
"It's creative."
Ji-Ah snorted softly—
right as her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Seo-Jun.
Her expression shifted instantly.
She stood.
Walked a few steps away.
"Tell me you found something."
On the other end—
no hesitation.
"I did."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"And?"
A pause.
Then—
"She lied."
Simple.
Direct.
Ji-Ah's stomach dropped.
"…How bad?"
"Everything," Seo-Jun said. "Her background. Her wealth. Her family."
A beat.
"She has none. She's an orphan. Lives in a small apartment."
Ji-Ah closed her eyes briefly.
"…I knew it."
"And there's more."
That made her open them again.
"She works at Lunaris Atelier."
Ji-Ah stilled.
"…Min-Hyuk's company?"
"Yes."
Silence stretched thin.
"And Ha-Joon?" she asked quietly.
Another pause.
Then—
"She's been watching him."
Ji-Ah's breath caught slightly.
"I found photos. Multiple. Different places. Different times."
A beat.
"She knew him long before this."
That—
that wasn't just lying.
That was planning.
Seo-Jun's voice dropped slightly.
"Ji-Ah."
"…Yeah."
"She's bad news."
No dramatics.
No exaggeration.
Just fact.
Ji-Ah swallowed.
"…Okay."
The line went quiet.
Then—
he hung up.
She stood there for a moment.
Still.
Thinking.
Then turned—
only to find—
Arisoo watching her.
Closely.
"When were you going to tell me?" Arisoo asked calmly.
Ji-Ah hesitated.
Then sighed.
"…Now."
She walked back over.
Sat down.
And told her everything.
Every word.
Every detail.
The lies.
The apartment.
The photos.
The truth.
When she finished—
Arisoo didn't react immediately.
She just looked at her.
Long.
Thoughtful.
Then—
"The only person I know who can handle Ha-Joon…"
A small pause.
"…is you."
Ji-Ah blinked.
Caught off guard.
"But you chose Min-Ji," Arisoo added softly.
And that—
That stung.
Ji-Ah looked away.
"…I didn't know," she muttered. "If I knew—"
She stopped.
Exhaled.
"Tomorrow they start preparing for the wedding," she said quietly. "In two days… he marries her."
A beat.
"It's too late."
Arisoo tilted her head slightly.
"…Is it?"
Ji-Ah didn't answer.
Because it felt like it.
It really did.
Arisoo studied her for a moment longer.
Then—
"You like him."
Not a question.
A statement.
Ji-Ah's head snapped up.
"I do NOT."
Too fast.
Too loud.
"I'm just worried," she added quickly. "She's not who everyone thinks she is. That's it. That's all. End of story."
Arisoo's lips curved slightly.
"Of course."
Ji-Ah glared.
"Don't start."
"I'm not starting anything."
A pause.
Then—
"I'll talk to Mother."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"What?"
"I'll convince her to push the wedding," Arisoo said calmly. "A week."
Hope flickered.
Small.
But real.
"That gives you time."
"To what?"
"To stop it."
Silence.
Ji-Ah stared at her.
"…You're serious?"
Arisoo nodded once.
Ji-Ah's chest loosened slightly.
For the first time since the call.
"…Thank you."
Soft.
Genuine.
Arisoo smiled faintly.
"Don't thank me yet."
A pause.
"Use the time well."
Ji-Ah nodded.
Slowly.