Hanna sits in the makeup chair, poised and stunning under the lights. The stylist dabs powder under her eyes, while the assistant director approaches her with a clipboard.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Miss Choi, the shoot with CEO Kang is confirmed for next Friday. Your company's PR team is excited.
Hanna's smile freezes just a little. She glances at herself in the mirror — perfect on the outside, but her eyes flicker with something else.
HANNA
(sweetly)
Of course. I always get the shot I want.
She checks her phone — no new messages from Jungho. Her fingers hesitate before she locks the screen again.
Her expression cools. Calculated. Controlled.
INT. KANG JUNHO'S OFFICE – MORNING
Daejin steps in with a tablet and a printed schedule.
DAEJIN
You still want to go through the interview briefing today?
We've got a tentative slot for prep this afternoon.
Or I can push it.
JUNGHO
(flat)
No need. Cancel it.
Daejin starts to nod, but pauses—waiting.
Jungho suddenly looks up. Cold. Calculated.
JUNGHO
Actually—
Wait.
(beat)
Set it. Full meeting.
DAEJIN
(confused)
Sure. You'll be doing the prep with the media team then?
Jungho stands slowly, placing his glasses on the table.
JUNGHO
No.
Seri will handle it.
DAEJIN
Seri?
Jungho shrugs like it's obvious.
JUNGHO
She's the PR fixer.
She should know how to handle media.
Time she understands her job fully.
(beat)
Let's see how capable she really is.
Daejin raises an eyebrow — noting the sudden shift in tone — but says nothing.
JUNGHO
Get the meeting set. Fast.
Jungho turns away, hiding the flicker of something unspoken in his expression — pride? Bitterness? Ego?
Maybe all three.
INT. KANG CORPORATION – BOARDROOM – MORNING
All the key departments are gathered. Laptops open, notepads ready. The atmosphere is sharp.
KANG JUNHO enters with DAEJIN, and the room stills like a freeze-frame.
At the long table, SERI sits cool and composed, her tablet in front of her. Not a single glance toward Jungho.
KIM BORA suddenly storms in — loud heels, a cup of green juice in one hand and a fancy binder in another.
BORA
(whisper-shouting, as she sits)
"Relax, people. I brought the report and antioxidants."
Everyone exchanges looks. Jungho just sighs.
The meeting begins. Charts and updates are projected. Reports are shared.
Then suddenly—
BORA
(confidently flipping her binder open)
"Marketing traction has increased 11% this quarter due to the shift in user-targeted ad segmentation, especially among millennial luxury shoppers."
The room blinks. Wait, was that… smart?
DAEJIN
(pleasantly surprised)
"…Well done, Kim Bora."
BORA
(beaming)
"I know. I shock myself, too."
Laughter breaks the tension.
Then, eyes shift to SERI, who stands to deliver the PR briefing. She remains emotionless, calm.
SERI
"Brand reputation remains stable after last week's article. Visual rebranding strategy is prepared. Messaging is clear and within company tone."
Short. Dry. Sharp. She sits back down.
JUNHO
(leaning forward, careful)
"Miss Im. On that rebranding strategy… would you say the current company image is being misunderstood?"
It's an obvious double-meaning. Aimed squarely at her.
SERI
(not looking at him)
"If people misunderstand the image, perhaps the image wasn't clear to begin with."
Junho flinches—like he was stabbed with a sentence.
The table goes awkwardly silent. All eyes on them.
BORA
(breaking the tension, loud whisper)
"Okay, Shakespeare. That felt personal."
Everyone chuckles.
Junho leans back slowly, lips pressing tight.
BORA
(muttering to her neighbor)
"Ten bucks says they dated in a past life and broke up in a thunderstorm."
DAEJIN
"Kim Bora."
BORA
(salutes with her pen)
"Yes, sir. Professionally shutting up."
Junho's eyes haven't left Seri. But Seri?
She flips a page on her tablet like he doesn't exist.
DAEJIN
(clearing throat)
"Next on the agenda—Director Kang's talk show appearance on 'Midnight Talks' with Choi Hanna."
A few eyes widen. It's rare to see Kang Jungho agree to appear on anything, let alone a nationally broadcasted talk show.
DAEJIN
"The segment is titled: 'The Man Behind the Numbers: CEO Kang Jungho Unplugged.' Hanna will be hosting. It airs live next Friday night."
JUNHO
(curt)
"This one matters. It's public-facing, highly circulated, and our image is at stake. PR will manage the script clearance, set coordination, and all guest conditions."
His eyes lock onto Seri.
JUNHO
"Im Seri. You'll take charge."
SERI
(coolly)
"Understood."
BORA
(immediately standing)
"I volunteer as tribute!"
Everyone turns to look at her.
BORA
"I mean—I'll help with styling, atmosphere, audience vibe. I know exactly what makes a man look accidentally emotional under talk show lighting."
DAEJIN
(trying not to react)
"Miss Kim…"
BORA
(still going)
"Plus, I know Hanna's angles. We can't let her look more luminous than the CEO. That would be tragic branding."
JUNHO
(deadpan)
"This isn't a beauty pageant."
BORA
(pouting dramatically)
"But if it were, you'd still win…"
SERI
(sighs, flatly)
"I'll coordinate with OMC Media. The objective is brand impact, not romantic lighting or rival hair highlights."
BORA
(sits, whispering to herself)
"She's just mad he didn't pick her to be luminous."
The room chuckles lightly. Seri remains unreadable. Jungho watches her longer than necessary. Seri never looks back.
DAEJIN
"Seri, I'll forward Hanna's production requirements. Please ensure nothing goes off-script."
SERI
"Copy that."
Jungho's fingers tap slowly against the table.
He's thinking.
Planning.
Watching her.
Again.
The meeting wraps. Chairs scrape. Papers shuffle.
Seri's already collecting her files, preparing to slip out fast — as far from Jungho's gaze as possible.
DAEJIN
"Meeting adjourned."
Everyone rises.
CUT TO:
INT. KANG CORPORATION – LOBBY AREA – SAME TIME
The glass doors slide open with a sleek hush.
And he walks in.
Tall. Commanding. Dressed in a sharp navy suit, slick watch, and that calm confidence of a man who knows people turn when he walks in.
His face is sharp, stoic, a mirror of elegance and quiet danger — resembling Ok Taec-yeon to a shocking degree.
He hands something to the front desk. A name card? A pass?
He smiles. The receptionist freezes like her heart skipped.
OFFICE WHISPERS SPREAD LIKE FIRE.
WORKER 1
"Who—who is that?"
WORKER 2
"Oh my god. Is he an investor? A new director?"
KIM BORA, from the hallway, gasps dramatically.
BORA
"Wait. WAIT. Is this a dream sequence? Did someone just CGI my soulmate into real life?"
She twirls her pen like a baton, fixing her collar. Then flips her hair so aggressively it slaps the intern behind her.
BORA
(strutting towards the lobby)
"Play it cool, Bora. Walk like you don't know he's watching you… even if he probably is."
WORKER 3
"Girl, he's not even looking this way."
BORA
"I'm giving him options!"
The tall man walks across the office floor with confident, unhurried strides. His sharp eyes sweep the room—until they land on Seri.
She doesn't look up.
But she feels it.
Her fingers pause slightly on her keyboard.
She slowly turns—her gaze locking on the man.
His smile grows.
Confident. Familiar.
But Seri?
Her face is unreadable.
She simply nods faintly, then turns back to her monitor — cool as ice.
KIM BORA, who's been watching this unfold from a nearby desk, gapes.
BORA
(whispers to herself)
"Why is every tall, good-looking man in a suit looking at her lately? She got a magnet? Is she hiding abs?"
She tries to intercept the man by walking dramatically into his path, pretending to fix her skirt.
He sidesteps her effortlessly, not even breaking pace.
BORA
(throws hands up, whisper yelling)
"I could've been the plot twist!"
INT. JUNHO'S OFFICE – GLASS DOOR OPENS
DAEJIN stands beside CEO KANG JUNHO, reviewing files.
The mysterious man enters like he owns the place — smile charming, tone respectful.
MYSTERIOUS MAN
"Director Kang. I hope I'm not too early."
Daejin blinks.
DAEJIN
"Wait… You're—?"
MYSTERIOUS MAN
(pleasantly)
"Lee Taehyun. Sent by Hyunmyeong Holdings to supervise the integration on the Baekdu Project. Director Park should've received the memo."
DAEJIN
(fumbling slightly)
"Oh— yes. We were expecting someone more… seasoned."
LEE TAEHYUN
(chuckles)
"I get that a lot."
JUNHO eyes him sharply — sensing something he can't quite place. This isn't just a charming consultant.
Cut to: Bora peeking from her cubicle, mouthing to a colleague—
KIM BORA
"WHAT. IN. THE. GREEK-GOD-IN-A-SUIT. IS. HAPPENING?!"
Colleague shrugs.
Bora fans herself again.
Lee Taehyun and Director Kang Jungho face each other, standing like two towering forces — cold calm versus confident ease.
TAEHYUN
(smooth, professional)
"As of today, I'll be overseeing integration matters for the Baekdu Project. Expect streamlined updates from my team within the week."
DAEJIN
(quietly tapping on his tablet)
"Hyunmyeong Holdings… sent an internal memo…"
His fingers scroll fast. He frowns slightly. The information seems flawless. Clean credentials. Perfectly timed. But something still feels off.
TAEHYUN
(sensing it, smoothly)
"You'll find everything in order, Secretary Daejin. Efficiency — it's what I'm known for."
Junho stays silent. His eyes narrow slightly. His gut says watch him — but his face says nothing.
Taehyun buttons his suit and gives a polite nod before turning toward the exit.
And there, waiting by the door…
KIM BORA.
Poised. Practicing a seductive smirk in the reflection of a glass panel. As soon as Taehyun steps forward—
BORA
(flicking her hair dramatically)
"Well hello there, Mr. Integration. Hope you don't plan to integrate too quickly — we just started enjoying the view."
Taehyun pauses. Blinks.
Then—
He laughs. Not mockingly — genuinely. Like someone who gets it.
TAEHYUN
(smiling, effortlessly charming)
"I'll try to slow it down — just for you."
He winks.
Bora turns red. Not blush-red — fire-engine-red. A gasp-laugh escapes her lips.
BORA
(whispering to herself)
"Sweet heavens… Jungho who?"
Junho, watching nearby, doesn't react. But his brow lifts slightly — more at Taehyun's fluency with people than jealousy.
DAEJIN
(muttering behind Junho)
"This is gonna be fun."
TAEHYUN
(to Bora, casually)
"Mind introducing me to the team? Would be rude not to know who I'll be working with."
Bora, caught off guard, fumbles her papers and nearly drops her tablet.
BORA
(grinning, blushing)
"O-oh! Of course. Yes. Everyone's been dying to meet you— I mean, looking forward! Professionally. Yes."
She clears her throat and begins waving around with dramatic flair.
BORA
"That's the Accounting team. Over there's Legal. And right here—"
(turns dramatically)
"—we have Im Seri. Our best-kept secret… and PR's very own fixer."
Taehyun's eyes find Seri.
TAEHYUN
(slowly, smiling)
"Im Seri. Of course it's you."
Seri looks up calmly from her desk. Straightens a little. She offers a polite, professional smile — no more, no less.
SERI
(cool, pleasant)
"Nice to meet you."
She returns to her screen.
But behind her composed front, she knows Jungho is watching from the corner of his eye.
Taehyun watches her a beat longer, almost like reading a puzzle. Then turns back to Bora.
TAEHYUN
(chuckling)
"I think this is going to be… interesting."
From behind the glass, Jungho sees all of it.
And his jaw tightens.