Crowd of employees waits in front of the executive lift to head up to the office floor.
Chatter fills the space — light gossip, coffee sips, the usual.
DING.
The room goes quiet as soon as CEO KANG JUNHO arrives.
His presence is… intimidating. Handsome. Impeccable.
Like walking wealth and secrets in one perfectly tailored suit.
His secretary DAEJIN follows closely behind, holding a tablet.
But everyone notices how suddenly the atmosphere shifts.
Except one person — KIM BORA.
Standing way too close to the lift, she suddenly leans in… and SNIIIIIIIIIIFFFS dramatically next to Jungho's shoulder.
SFX: SNIFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
Jungho turns his head slowly, brows raised.
KANG JUNHO
"…Are you smelling me?"
KIM BORA
(panicked, but tries to style it out)
"I—uh—it's—it's the cologne! So commanding! Smells like… discipline and… tax deductions!"
SOMEONE BEHIND
(laughs too loud)
"Tax deductions?!"
Bora's face goes red.
KIM BORA
"W-well, Director, you're very…sniffable—NO! I MEAN—"
Jungho just steps forward silently.
Everyone makes way like a royal procession.
As he walks, his eyes briefly flick toward someone just arriving.
IM SERI.
Dressed smartly, holding a file and a calm expression.
She slots into the group at the back without fuss.
Jungho tries to glance again — discreetly — but catches himself.
Not here. Not in front of everyone.
The lift DINGS open.
Jungho steps in. Daejin follows.
Doors begin to close.
Suddenly—
???:
"Wait—! Hold the door, please!"
A voice — elegant, breathless, undeniably familiar.
HEELS CLACKING.
Everyone turns.
A woman rushes toward them with perfect posture, designer bag swinging, long hair flowing.
KIM BORA (gasps):
"OH MY GOD."
WHISPERING ERUPTS.
"She's stunning."
"Isn't that…?"
"No way. Is that…?"
It's HANNA.
The famous TV host.
She slips into the lift with perfect grace as the doors stop closing.
HANNA
(with a soft smile, catching her breath)
"Good morning, Director Kang.
Looks like I caught you just in time."
She glances at Jungho — subtly — with an unreadable smile.
Seri's eyes narrow slightly.
Is this… the woman she saw with Jungho the other night?
She doesn't say anything.
But something shifts in her gaze.
KIM BORA
(whispering to colleague, fuming)
"Who the hell just casually walks into a CEO's lift… wearing Chanel and cheekbones?"
WORKER 1
"I thought he hated women."
WORKER 2
"Maybe he just doesn't like us."
WORKER 1
"I thought he hated women."
WORKER 2
"Maybe he just doesn't like us."
KIM BORA
(whipping around, offended)
"Excuse me?! He definitely likes women—he just hasn't met the right one yet.
Which could still be me, by the way!"
She flips her hair so hard.
ANGLE: IM SERI
She stands a few steps behind the group, coffee in hand.
She watches the elevator doors close… sees Hanna inside, smiling beside Jungho.
No emotion. No judgment. Just… a very slow sip of her coffee.
She turns—
SERI
(softly, to herself)
"Elevators are too noisy anyway."
And without another word, she heads for the stairwell.
The elevator dings open again as CEO KANG JUNHO and TV Host HANNA step out together.
The open floor briefly silences.
Hanna, ever graceful, flashes a polite smile and greets the staff as they pass.
HANNA
(gently, to a nearby staff)
"Good morning. Lovely earrings."
The workers blink in awe. A real celebrity. And with the boss?
Jungho, in contrast, walks ahead—expression calm, aura sharp. He doesn't say a word. His presence alone is enough to command silence.
Whispers ripple across the room as they disappear behind the frosted glass of his private office.
INT. CEO OFFICE – MOMENTS LATER
The door closes with a click.
Inside, everything is pristine. Quiet. Controlled.
Jungho walks to his desk, sets down a file, and turns to face Hanna with cool precision.
JUNGHO
(quietly)
"You know people talk. Coming here like that…"
HANNA
(smirking)
"Let them. I missed you."
DAEJIN stiffens. The words hang in the air like perfume—sweet, but suffocating.
His jaw tightens.
DAEJIN
(flat, controlled)
I'll leave you two to… catch up.
Without waiting for permission he walks out, closing the door with a quiet click.
As the door shuts, Daejin exhales sharply. A flash of frustration crosses his face.
He mutters under his breath—
DAEJIN
(to himself)
"She's going to break him again."
He walks off, fast.
INT. KANG CORPORATION – MORNING
IM SERI just arrived at her desk when she notices something… odd.
ANGLE: KIM BORA
Standing by the office window like a statue, glaring intensely at the barely visible silhouettes inside CEO Kang Jungho's office.
Her arms are crossed. Her lips are pursed.
KIM BORA
(muttering under her breath)
"Oh please. Just because she walks in with her flawless hair, designer dress, and that 'I-host-a-talk-show' smile…"
She scoffs.
KIM BORA
"…she thinks she can steal our CEO?"
She flips her hair dramatically, though no one's watching.
KIM BORA
(shaking her head)
"Jungho-nim doesn't like that kind of woman. Too polished. Too perfect. He probably prefers someone more… real. Someone complex."
She tilts her head confidently.
KIM BORA
"Someone unpredictable. Mysterious. Emotionally… unhinged but in a cute way."
(beat)
KIM BORA
(suddenly grinning to herself)
"Someone who can challenge him. Like… me."
IM SERI
(from behind her, deadpan)
"Sure. He totally looks like the type who loves chaos disguised in highlighter and floral perfume."
KIM BORA
(muttering like a villain)
"It's time. Operation: Casual Collision."
She pulls out a random folder — completely empty — and dramatically straightens her blouse.
ANGLE: IM SERI
Watching with a raised brow, unimpressed.
IM SERI
(mutters)
"Here we go again."
KIM BORA
(to herself, psyching up)
"Step one: Light knock. Step two: Eye contact. Step three: Laugh like I heard something funny even if no one spoke."
She struts confidently to CEO Jungho's office, adjusting her posture.
ANGLE: INSIDE THE OFFICE – JUNHO & HANNA
JUNHO is speaking coldly, while HANNA lounges on the sofa, legs crossed, sipping her tea like she owns the place.
Then—
KNOCK KNOCK.
Before Jungho can respond, the door swings open halfway—
KIM BORA
(peeking in)
"Sorry to interrupt—just dropping off this super important file you might need… urgently."
She holds up the clearly empty folder.
JUNHO
(annoyed, flat)
"I didn't ask for anything."
KIM BORA
(faux laugh)
"Haha, oops… I guess I'm just being… proactive?"
She turns slightly, gives Hanna a too-sweet smile.
KIM BORA
"Oh, didn't see you there. Huge fan of your morning segments. Love how you can talk for ten minutes straight without blinking."
HANNA
(smiling, sipping)
"Thank you. And you are…?"
KIM BORA
(stiffly)
"…An essential part of this company."
ANGLE: IM SERI – BACK AT HER DESK
She watches the chaos unfold from afar, shakes her head, then casually drops a post-it on her keyboard:
"Note to self: never underestimate the power of delusion."
Bora is still lingering awkwardly, pretending to do anything except leave.
She spots a small humidifier in the corner — one of those mini ones Daejin insists is for "air balance."
KIM BORA
"Oh! This… this looks like it's leaking. Let me just—uh—fix this, Director Kang. I wouldn't want you inhaling unbalanced air."
She grabs the humidifier. Fiddles. Shakes it. Unnecessarily unplugs and re-plugs it.
JUNHO
(flatly)
"It's not leaking."
BORA
"Better safe than sorry! You never know. Mold spores are sneaky."
ANGLE: HANNA – Sitting gracefully on the couch, watching Bora like a hawk.
HANNA
(sipping tea, coolly)
"She's either part-time maintenance… or full-time delusional."
She looks at Junho and softly chuckles.
HANNA
(teasing)
You sure run a tight ship here. Multitalented staff.
JUNHO
(not amused)
Bora.
KIM BORA
(perks up)
Yes, Director Kang?
JUNHO
Leave.
KIM BORA
(blinking, voice shaking)
Oh—of course! Right away!
She picks up her empty folder, fumbles it, drops it dramatically, tries to bend to pick it up gracefully and fails, and finally bolts out, slamming the door half-closed behind her.
JUNHO (beat)
Stares at the door.
Then — p
through the gap of the frosted glass panel — he sees a figure outside.
IM SERI, standing just a few steps from her desk, had obviously been watching the entire performance. A pen still in her hand, frozen mid-air.
Her eyes are locked — right on Junho.
Their gazes meet.
He studies her face — trying to read it like one of his reports.
But her face?
A calm ocean.
Without missing a beat, she blinks, then coolly returns to her desk — like she never saw a thing.
She sits.
Flips open a folder.
Takes a sip of her coffee.
Unbothered. Composed.
The door closes behind Kim Bora, whose chaotic perfume still lingers in the air.
Jungho exhales, rubbing his temple like he just sat through a thunderstorm made of glitter and jealousy.
HANNA
(raising a brow)
"She seems… lively."
JUNHO
(deadpan)
"She's unhinged."
HANNA
(sitting straighter, business-mode activated)
So here's the real reason I came.
My company wants to run an exclusive feature on you.
JUNHO
(raises a brow)
No.
HANNA
(leans forward)
It's a career piece, Jungho.
"Asia's Youngest Power CEO."
Your success, your vision, your journey. It's going to be everywhere — Forbes, Seoul Business Review.
They want you on the cover. Not just the company.
JUNHO
(flatly)
You know I hate cameras.
HANNA
(smiles sweetly)
Yes. But you love me.
That stings slightly. Jungho doesn't answer.
HANNA (CONT'D)
Jungho…
This isn't just a puff piece. It could change the perception of your company.
And for me… it's a big break.
I'll finally get promoted to Chief Editor if this goes well.
A beat.
JUNHO
(quietly)
So you're using me?
HANNA
(teasing)
It's a mutual deal. You get good press. I get a better desk.
Jungho stands, pacing slowly, conflicted — but ultimately gives in.
JUNHO
One condition.
HANNA
(smiling wide)
Anything.
JUNHO
(stern)
Nothing about my family.
No questions. No angles. No photos.
That part of me stays private.
Her smile falters slightly, but she quickly nods.
HANNA
Okay. Got it.
"CEO Kang — brilliant, cold, and very, very private."
HANNA
(grinning)
"The shoot will be at our company studio. We'll dress up the set to match your brand. Clean, controlled, powerful."
JUNHO
(giving a small nod)
"Keep it short."
HANNA
(teasing)
"Scared they'll fall in love with you on air?"
JUNHO
(coolly)
"Terrified."
Seri is standing casually by one of the coworker's desks, discussing a PR report. Her tone is composed, her posture sharp — all business.
Suddenly—
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.
High heels echo across the marble floor.
HANNA steps out of the CEO's office — sleek, elegant, unreadable.
Everyone glances. Hanna doesn't acknowledge them. But then—
She stops.
Right behind Seri.
The air thickens.
Seri senses someone. Turns.
Hanna's eyes are already on her. Steady. Quietly threatening.
HANNA
(calm, low voice)
"All that chaos last night… that was you, wasn't it?"
Seri freezes.
The office noise continues behind them. Phones ringing. Fingers typing. No one else quite hearing.
Seri's lips part—no words come out.
How does Hanna know?
Their eyes lock.
SMASH CUT TO BLACK.