The conference room was quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of quiet that meant something was wrong.
Gu Jinhan sat at the head of the long mahogany table, fingers lightly resting on the polished surface. His expression was as cold and controlled as always, but today… something was different.
Colder.
Sharper.
More suffocating.
The executives sitting across from him barely dared to breathe.
They had been in this meeting for almost two hours, but no one was comfortable.
Because the CEO's mood had been steadily worsening.
Gu Jinhan had always been cold. That was normal.
But today, the air around him felt heavier.
Like a storm was gathering behind his dark, unreadable eyes.
The executive currently presenting swallowed nervously as he clicked to the next slide.
"Th-the projected profits for the third quarter—"
"Wrong."
The single word cut through the room like a blade.
Silence.
The executive's face turned pale.
Gu Jinhan leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression still calm, but his voice was lower now. More dangerous.
"Your projections are based on outdated market data. You're overestimating consumer retention by 12%. Recalculate."
The executive nodded quickly, hands trembling as he adjusted his presentation.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
Because they could feel it.
Something had happened to the CEO.
Something that made him even more terrifying than usual.
And Gu Jinhan knew it.
He could feel the tension in his own chest like a tightening knot.
Because he knew exactly why his mood was like this.
Lin Yuhan.
Seven years.
And still she had the power to disturb his peace like this.
Just as the executive was about to continue speaking—
There was a knock on the conference room door.
Soft.
But persistent.
Gu Jinhan's jaw tightened slightly.
He didn't even need to look up.
His instincts already told him.
This was not good.
His assistant, Assistant Song, immediately stood and walked toward the door.
When he opened it—
He froze.
His face went completely blank.
Like he had just seen something terrifying.
Behind the door stood several bodyguards.
And in their hands—
Roses.
Not just red roses.
White roses.
Pink roses.
Yellow roses.
Every color imaginable.
Dozens of them.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
And completely ridiculous inside a corporate conference building.
The bodyguards stood in a straight line, holding the flowers like they were presenting something ceremonial.
Then, in perfect unison—
They spoke.
"I'm officially pursuing you, Gu Jinhan."
Assistant Song's face twitched violently.
Like he had just witnessed something horrifying.
Inside the conference room, one of the executives almost choked on his own saliva.
Gu Jinhan closed his eyes slowly.
He already knew.
He didn't even need to see her.
Because only one person in the world would do something this bold.
He exhaled slowly.
Then opened his eyes again.
"Get them out," he said in a dangerously calm voice.
Assistant Song nodded immediately.
"Yes, CEO!"
Within minutes, the bodyguards and flowers were removed from the building.
But the damage was already done.
Assistant Song could feel it.
The storm was coming.
And he silently prayed for survival.
Gu Jinhan turned back to the executives.
"Continue," he said flatly.
And just like that—
The meeting resumed.
As if nothing had happened.
But Gu Jinhan's mind was no longer on business.
It was on her.
On Lin Yuhan's voice.
On the memory of her standing in front of everyone at the reunion dinner and declaring she would pursue him.
He had thought she was just being reckless.
He was starting to realize she was dead serious.
The day moved quickly after that.
Meetings.
Calls.
Signatures.
Decisions.
By the time he finally looked at the clock—
9:07 PM.
He stood up immediately.
Picked up his jacket.
Left his office without another word.
Assistant Song was already waiting outside with his briefcase and car keys.
"CEO, the car is ready," he said quickly.
Gu Jinhan nodded once.
They took the private elevator down to the underground parking lot.
The elevator was silent.
But inside Gu Jinhan's chest, something was not.
He had an uneasy feeling.
Like something was waiting for him.
The elevator doors opened.
The parking lot lights were dim.
Gu Jinhan stepped forward.
Then—
A bright light suddenly flashed directly at him.
He stopped walking immediately, eyes narrowing slightly as the light moved away slowly.
Then he heard it.
The sound of footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Confident.
High heels clicking softly against the concrete floor.
Click.
Click.
Click.
He couldn't see her face yet.
But he already knew.
She stepped forward slowly from the darkness of the parking lot.
Her silhouette became clearer.
Then her face came into view.
Gu Jinhan's eyes flickered.
Just once.
Surprise.
Just barely.
Almost invisible.
Then he quickly masked it with his usual cold expression.
Lin Yuhan was standing in front of him.
She was wearing a black A-line dress that hugged her waist perfectly.
The oxblood-colored blouse underneath contrasted beautifully with her fair skin.
Her hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders.
She looked… devastatingly beautiful.
Not flashy.
Not loud.
Just elegant.
Powerful.
Like a woman who had built herself from the ground up.
Gu Jinhan's breath hitched briefly before he could stop it.
She was still beautiful.
Still dangerous to his emotional stability.
Then his gaze hardened.
He noticed how steadily she walked toward him.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just determination.
Like she was walking toward something she had been preparing for all her life.
Finally, she stopped a few steps away from him.
Close enough to touch.
But she didn't.
His voice came out colder than he intended.
"What are you doing here?"
Lin Yuhan studied him for a moment.
Just looking at him.
Taking in the way his jaw was tighter than usual.
The way his posture was too controlled.
The way his eyes refused to soften even slightly.
She smiled faintly.
Not arrogantly.
Just softly.
"I told you," she said calmly.
"I'm pursuing you."
Gu Jinhan's fingers tightened slightly inside his jacket pocket.
"By ambushing my company with flowers?"
"I wanted to make it memorable," she said simply.
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Then he scoffed softly.
"You think doing things like this will make me change my mind?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"No."
His brows furrowed.
"No?"
"No," she repeated calmly. "I'm not trying to make you change your mind. I'm just making sure you know I'm serious."
Something inside his chest twisted painfully.
Because she was serious.
He could see it.
Hear it in her voice.
Feel it in the air between them.
He remembered how she used to be.
Quiet.
Soft.
Careful not to step on anyone's toes.
Now she stood in front of him like someone who had survived a war and come back stronger.
"You don't know what you're doing," he said lowly.
"I do," she replied immediately.
Their eyes locked.
And for a moment—
Seven years of distance collapsed into silence between them.
Then she took a step closer.
Not touching him.
Just invading his personal space slightly.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me yet," she said quietly.
"I'm just asking you to let me stay."
Gu Jinhan's throat tightened.
Because that was dangerous.
That was exactly how she would destroy him again.
He stepped back slightly.
His expression turning colder.
"You should go home, Lin Yuhan."
She didn't move.
She just looked at him.
Then smiled.
"Goodnight, Jinhan."
And she turned and walked away.
Gu Jinhan stood there long after she left.
Hands clenched.
Heart racing.
And he hated himself for thinking—
Maybe he didn't want her to stop chasing him.