Morning at Jiwoo's House
The morning sun spilled softly through the curtains. Jiwoo sat cross-legged on the balcony, her straight hair brushing her shoulders, a quiet beauty untouched by the chaos around her. She was lost in thought, her eyes drifting toward the city skyline when the sliding door opened.
Joonhyuk stepped out, carrying a tray. The scent of warm toast and tea followed him.
"Good morning," he said casually, setting the tray on the small table between them. "You might be hungry. You should eat."
Jiwoo turned, blinking at the unexpected gesture. "Thank you… but I can't accept this."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
She hesitated, her voice sharper than she intended. "What if you're poisoning me?"
Joonhyuk froze, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Poisoning you? Seriously?"
Jiwoo crossed her arms. "Think about it. You just appear out of nowhere in my house. My brother hired you, but I don't know you. How do I know this isn't some twisted plan?"
His jaw clenched, but his voice stayed steady. "If I wanted to hurt you, Jiwoo, do you think your brother would have trusted me? He asked me to keep you safe. Why would I ever harm the very person I swore to protect?"
Her gaze sharpened. "Safe from what? Why would anyone attack me?"
For the first time, Joonhyuk faltered. His eyes shifted, his hand tightening against the railing. "…It's complicated. There are people who want to destroy your whole family."
Jiwoo's breath caught. "My family? What aren't you telling me?"
He shook his head, forcing calm back into his tone. "It's not my place. Jungwoo can explain."
Her frustration flared. "Why can't you? Don't you have a mouth of your own?"
Joonhyuk's expression hardened. "Your brother warned me—if I let a single word slip, I'll be the one facing consequences you can't imagine."
Jiwoo fell silent. She knew her brother well enough to believe that. The air between them grew heavy, unspoken truths thickening like a fog neither dared to cut through.
Jungwoo's Office, Afternoon
Stacks of files covered the mahogany desk. Jungwoo leaned back in his chair, flipping through them with detached focus. The phone on his desk buzzed.
He pressed the speaker button. "Yes?"
A voice crackled on the other end. "We have a lead on the intruder. He was hired by someone named Kang Minho."
Jungwoo's pen stilled between his fingers. He repeated the name slowly, almost to himself. "…Kang Minho." His lips curved into a grim line. "I should have known."
The pen rolled across his desk as his tone hardened. "Keep digging. I want every detail."
"Yes, sir." The line went dead.
Jungwoo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his gaze dark. "Minho…" he muttered. "So it begins again."
Jiwoo's House, Evening
The room was dimly lit, only the lamp casting a glow as Jiwoo flipped through old photographs of her parents. Her hand lingered on one picture longer than the rest. The ache in her chest was unbearable.
A knock at the door startled her. She quickly slid the photo beneath a magazine before calling out, "Come in."
Joonhyuk stepped inside. His eyes narrowed slightly. "You're hiding something."
Jiwoo straightened in her chair. "It's nothing. Do you need something?"
He didn't press further. Instead, he sat down across from her, his voice quieter than usual. "Sometimes the truth is hidden… to protect us."
Jiwoo looked up sharply. "But I deserve to know. I'm part of this family. Why should I be the only one kept in the dark?"
Joonhyuk hesitated, then leaned forward slightly. "It's not the right time. If you knew everything now, your career… your life… could be destroyed."
Her throat tightened. "So I'm supposed to just smile on stage while my life is falling apart?"
He reached out without realizing it, his hand covering hers. His voice softened, almost pleading. "Please… trust me. Believe me when I say this isn't the time."
Neither of them noticed how long his hand lingered on hers, or how the silence between them grew heavier, more intimate.
Rooftop, Night
The night air was cool as Jiwoo stood on the rooftop of one of Jungwoo's hotels, gazing out over the glittering city lights. Sleep had eluded her, so she sought air, solitude.
A faint sound behind her made her stiffen. She turned just in time to see a shadow move. Someone was there. Someone closing in.
Before she could react, Joonhyuk appeared from the darkness, stepping between her and the figure. His presence was sharp, commanding. The stranger vanished into the night.
Her heart pounded. "Why are you following me?"
Joonhyuk's voice was firm but calm. "Because danger doesn't wait for permission. You can't wander alone, Jiwoo. Not anymore."
She bit her lip, frustration boiling. "You make it sound like I'm some prisoner."
He met her eyes with quiet intensity. "Not a prisoner. A target."
Jungwoo's Office, Night
Jiwoo slammed the door open, her heels clicking against the polished floor. Jungwoo looked up from his desk, shock flashing across his face.
"How did you get in here? The security—"
"Don't change the subject," Jiwoo snapped, her voice cutting. "Tell me everything. Who is Kang Minho? Why am I being targeted?"
Jungwoo froze, then sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Kang Minho was a business partner. We had a falling out… over illegal activities. When our parents died, I tried to keep you out of it."
Jiwoo's glare sharpened. "So all this time you've been hiding the truth from me?"
"I wanted to protect you—"
"I don't need your protection!" she cut in, her voice fierce. "I trusted you, and you buried me under lies."
Jungwoo reached out, but she pulled her hand away.
Her eyes blazed. "I am a mafia's sister. I can protect myself. Don't contact me again unless you have the courage to tell me the truth."
She stormed out, slamming the door behind her, leaving Jungwoo frozen in silence.
Warehouse, Late Night
The air was damp, thick with dust. Kang Minho sat at a table, his fingers tapping against a glass of whiskey.
"Jiwoo is starting to ask questions," he said coldly.
A shadowed figure across from him smirked. "Leave it to me."
Minho's voice darkened. "Don't fail me. She's trusting the wrong people."
Jiwoo's House, Midnight
The doorbell rang. A package sat on the step. Jiwoo picked it up, frowning, and carried it inside.
Her stomach twisted when she opened it. Inside was a single USB drive.
She slid it into her laptop. Surveillance footage flickered to life—her parents… in a meeting with Kang Minho.
Her hand shook. "What… is this?"
The door creaked open. Joonhyuk entered, and she quickly shut the laptop.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Nothing," she said too quickly. "And knock next time. The door was open doesn't mean you can just come in."
He gave her a faint smirk. "I knocked. You just didn't hear."
"Not funny," she muttered, her heart racing.
Jiwoo Confronts Joonhyuk
The tension finally broke. Jiwoo faced Joonhyuk, her voice shaking but fierce.
"I saw it. The footage. My parents were involved with Kang Minho. What else aren't you telling me?"
Joonhyuk's expression tightened, the weight of secrets pressing on him. "There's more. But once you know… there's no turning back."
Her fists clenched at her sides. Rage burned in her chest. "I don't care. I'm ready."
His eyes searched hers for hesitation, but all he found was determination. For the first time, he realized she was far stronger than she seemed.
And the storm was only beginning.
To Be Continued....