The Vortex Enterprises building loomed over the city like a deep shadow. Every corner of it was as cold and unforgiving as Eunha's temperament.
She stood in her cabin, looking out at the rugged city. She wore a jet-black suit—a white shirt with a collar so tight that even the nerves on her neck were visible. There wasn't a fourth color in her entire wardrobe. For her, color symbolized emotion, and emotion was her enemy.
"Ma'am, I've got a message from the CEO of J.H. Enterprises. He's very enthusiastic about the merger," the secretary said as she entered.
Eunha turned around. Her hair was in a tight ponytail, as always. "Enthusiasm? Business is done with brains, not with passion. Tell him the Vortex rules won't change for him."
The secretary bowed her head and left. On the table sat an old black-and-white photo frame. The face in it was blurry, but the memory was clear in Eunha's mind. She clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white.
During an afternoon meeting, a board member questioned her authority. Eunha didn't get angry. She rose from her chair and moved close to the man; the coolness of her suit and her muscular presence made him break into a sweat. She whispered into his ear: "You have this position because I gave you permission. The day I turn my back, your name will be erased from the history of this building." This was her true "Rude" style—silent but destructive.
At that same moment, Ji-hoon was sitting in his office, playing a colorful video game. His room was the complete opposite of Eunha's—there were colors and toys everywhere.
"Sir, Eun-ha rejected our message. She said she'll only meet on her own terms," his assistant reported.
Ji-hoon put down the controller and laughed. "She's always in gray and black, isn't she? Poor thing... maybe there's no color left in her life. No problem, tomorrow I'll bring some 'Pink' into her world."
Ji-hoon looked at an old photo of Eunha on his monitor. She looked serious, but there was a sparkle in Ji-hoon's eyes that suggested he knew something about her that no one else did. "Eunha—ah... I'll be the one to remove this monochrome veil you've put over yourself."
In the silence of the night, when the lights of Vortex were turned off, Eunha stood firm in her real world. Her underground base was like her office—grey walls and black equipment. Even her workout clothes were always grey or black. She took off her office suit and put on a black compression top and grey joggers. Looking in the mirror, she traced the scars on her muscular arms. These wounds were part of the "mission" she had embarked on years earlier.
Thud! Thud!
She attacked the punching bag. Each blow landed so hard the entire base reverberated. She wasn't just a CEO; she was a "weapon" training herself to track down her enemies.
Flashback:
The weather was hauntingly peaceful that night. Ten-year-old Eunha was having dinner with her grandfather, the only family she had left since her parents had passed away before she was born. He was her entire world, her ultimate source of warmth and support. As they ate, he lovingly fed her and placed his hand on her head, offering his silent blessings.
"Grandfather, I've finished!" Eunha chirped with a bright smile. She hopped off her chair and ran toward her room, her heart light and full of innocence. She lay on her bed, clutching her favourite teddy bear in her arms, feeling safe and loved.
But suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream shattered the silence of the house. Eunha's heart skipped a beat. A cold shiver ran down her spine. She squeezed her teddy bear tightly, her small legs trembling as she climbed out of bed. "Grandfather...?" she whispered into the darkness.
She tiptoed to the door and eased it open just a crack. Her breath hitched when she saw two men in black masks sprinting toward the back exit of the house. Terror gripped her, but the fear for her grandfather was stronger. She ran into the hallway, her voice trembling. "Grandfather! Grandfather, where are you?"
The house was no longer warm; it was drowned in a deathly, suffocating silence. Then, she heard it—a voice so faint and broken it barely sounded human. "Eunha... my child..."
Eunha looked down, and her world collapsed. Her kind, loving grandfather was lying on the floor. His hands were pressed hard against his stomach, but blood was already flowing like a crimson stream between his fingers. He had been brutally stabbed.
"Grandfather!" Eunha screamed, collapsing onto her knees beside him. She grabbed his weakening, blood-stained hands, her tears falling fast and hot. "Grandpa, wake up! Please, I'm here! Don't leave me!"
Her grandfather struggled to open his eyes one last time. In his gaze, there was no fear for his own death—only a profound sadness for the loneliness Eunha was about to face. With a trembling hand, he reached out to touch her tear-streaked face.
"Eunha... my child... forgive me," he wheezed, his voice filled with agony. "I am leaving you... all alone. Take care... of yourself..."
With those final words, the light faded from his eyes. His hand, which had been resting on her cheek, fell limply to the cold floor. Eunha grabbed it, trying desperately to pull it back to her face, but the warmth was gone.
Present Day:
She felt a sob begin to rise in her chest, ready to burst, but it lodged firmly in her throat. That night, something inside Eunha died along with him, and the "Ice Queen" was born.
"Eunha... you can't stop," she whispered to herself, sweat pouring down her body. She opened the details of Ji-hoon's company on a monitor. "Ji-hoon... your laughter is bothering me. I want to know your connection to this mission and what exactly you know."
Ji-hoon sat in his office, solving a Rubik's Cube, but his eyes were fixed on five screens monitoring the city's stock market and secret security feeds. His assistant was amazed at how he made such massive decisions while seemingly just playing. Ji-hoon tossed the cube away and smirked. "Vortex has a small 'glitch' in their security... and that glitch is their CEO herself. She's trying too hard to be 'perfect.'"
At 3 a.m., as Eunha sat exhausted in her underground base, she opened an old database file related to her "Mission." The file contained a pseudonymous address: the old J.H. Enterprises building. At that very moment, in another corner of the city, Ji-hoon saw a notification on his laptop. He smiled. "Someone is knocking on my back door... Slow down, Ice Queen. What's the hurry?"
Eunha closed the screen, unaware that Ji-hoon was watching her every move. Tomorrow, the world was going to see what happens when two "Masterminds" meet.
The boardroom at Vortex Enterprises felt like the inside of a fortress. Around a rectangular table sat the city's most accomplished directors, sweat dripping from their faces. Eunha sat in the head chair, her eyes radiating a chill that could freeze the room.
"Director Park," Eunha's voice echoed. "You said the merger could reduce our profits by 10%. Are you sure of your calculations, or should I find a new accountant?"
Director Park's hands shook. "Ma'am... the market conditions..."
"Market conditions are for fools, not me," Eunha interrupted.
Just then, the door swung open and Ji-hoon entered. He was wearing an oversized hoodie instead of an expensive suit, a packet of bubble gum in his hand. He smiled at Eunha and, without hesitation, pulled the chair right next to her.
"Eunha! Why is it so hot here? Your directors look like they're about to be executed," Ji-hoon said casually, blowing a bubble.
Eunha slammed her pen on the table. "Mr. Ji-hoon, this is a business meeting, not a playground. Your behavior is against the rules of my building."
Ji-hoon waved the merger papers in the air. "Rules are for those who fear. I'm not here to follow rules; I'm here to add color to your monochrome world. This condition—that 'she will make every decision'—is unacceptable to me."
The room fell silent. Eunha rose and leaned in close to Ji-hoon, her muscular presence casting a shadow over him. "So, what do you want, Mr. Ji-hoon?"
"I want equality," Ji-hoon met her gaze. "I want to be part of your every plan."
"Equality?" Eunha laughed bitterly. "Equality exists between people with similar strengths. You're a gamer; I'm running an empire."
Ji-hoon leaned in, whispering into her ear, "Running an empire and protecting it are two different things. You have the strength, but I have the secrets that can shake this building to its foundation. Choose... do you want to fall alone or win with me?"
Eunha felt her heart pounding. She picked up her golden pen, her fingers tightening until the veins in her muscular wrist became visible.
"Fine," Eunha said firmly. "But remember, Ji-hoon... if you take advantage of this, I will destroy you."
Ji-hoon bowed with a playful smile " As your wish Eunha-ssi "
Eunha signed the papers without looking back. The pen's tip had already scratched the paper, a sign of her inner anger. Ji-hoon also quickly signed and closed the file.
At night, Eunha was in her underground base, her attacks on the punching bag more intense than ever. Her mind was constantly replaying Ji-hoon's words: "Eunha-ssi... You have the strength, but I have the secrets that can shake the foundations of this building."
"Who is this guy?" she muttered, delivering an angry kick that sent the heavy bag swinging wildly.
On the other side of the city, Ji-hoon was sitting in his darkened office. The entire blueprint of Vortex Enterprises was spread across the table in front of him. He placed a small "Black Pawn" in the center of the map and said with a soft, enigmatic smile, "Let the game begin, my pretty, cold Target!"
The Next Day
A strange commotion erupted in the lobby of Vortex Enterprises. The employees were whispering in shock; their "Ice Queen" had never allowed anyone else to share her floor, yet a second office was being prepared on the prestigious 50th floor.
Eunha sat in her cabin, her fingers flying across her laptop keyboard. As always, she was dressed in a stiff white shirt and a sharp gray waistcoat. Her expression remained flat, but her eyes kept darting toward the door.
Thud!
Suddenly, the door burst open. Two delivery men entered, struggling under the weight of a massive "Arcade Game Machine."
"What is this nonsense?" Eunha stood up abruptly, the power of her muscular frame evident even beneath her waistcoat.
"Hey, keep it a little to the left... yes, right there!" Ji-hoon's voice called out. He emerged from behind the machine, casually unwrapping a candy bar. He was wearing an oversized black hoodie, looking completely out of place in Eunha's cold, formal empire.
"Mr. Ji-hoon! This is a corporate office, not a gaming zone," Eunha said, her voice laced with suppressed rage.
Ji-hoon looked at her with feigned innocence. "Eunha-ssi, the contract stated I would have an environment of my choice. I get bored easily. Besides, why are you so cranky? Didn't you get enough sleep last night?"
Eunha froze for a split second. Sleep? She remembered being awake until 4 a.m. in her base, digging through old, encrypted files on Ji-hoon's family.
"I don't care about sleep. I value discipline," Eunha said, stepping closer to him until they were only inches apart. Her icy aura clashed with his playful smile. "If this junk isn't out of here in five minutes, I will personally throw it out the window."
Ji-hoon blinked, his gaze dropping to Eunha's muscular wrist. "You think you have enough strength to throw a heavy machine like that out the window? Hmm... interesting."