Monday morning I woke up to my alarm feeling disoriented.
No classes. No LEET prep. No immediate academic pressure.
Just... summer.
It felt wrong.
I checked my phone. Multiple job search tabs still open from last night. I needed work—preferably something related to law, but honestly, anything that paid would work.
Min-Ji was already gone for her first day at the animal hospital. Yoo-Na was in the kitchen making coffee and looking like she was preparing for battle.
"First day?" I asked.
"First day of corporate hell." She was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit and minimal makeup. Professional armor. "How do I look?"
"Like you could run a Fortune 500 company."
"Good. That's what I'm going for. Competent but unapproachable."
"Specific strategy."
"Very specific. If I look too friendly, Min-Woo will think I'm interested. If I look too serious, my father will think I'm not grateful for the opportunity. I'm aiming for the narrow sweet spot between those extremes."
"That sounds exhausting."
"Everything about this summer is going to be exhausting." She grabbed her purse. "What are your plans? Job hunting?"
"Yeah. I have some applications out but nothing solid yet."
"Professor Kwon hasn't mentioned any research assistant positions?"
"I should probably ask. I didn't even think about that."
"Do it. Research assistant looks good on law school applications and probably pays better than retail."
After she left, I spent the morning drafting an email to Professor Kwon asking about summer research opportunities. Then I browsed job listings—tutoring positions, administrative work, anything that would pay the bills.
Around noon, my phone rang. Unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Hi, is this Han Ji-Mang?" A woman's voice, professional.
"Yes, this is she."
"This is Director Shin Hye-Jin from Hansung Electronics. We met at the networking event in March? You gave me your information."
My brain scrambled to remember. The legal director at Bok-Jin's family company. The one who'd given me her business card.
"Yes, of course. Hello, Director Shin."
"I'm calling because we have a summer internship position available in our legal department. It's entry-level—mostly research and document review—but I thought of you. Are you still interested in environmental law?"
I stared at my phone. A legal internship at a major corporation. Exactly what I needed for law school applications.
But also: Bok-Jin's family company. Where his father worked. Where everything would be complicated.
"I'm very interested," I heard myself say. "What would the position entail?"
"Ten weeks, June through August. Twenty hours per week, flexible schedule. You'd be working under our environmental compliance team, reviewing regulations, helping prepare reports for regulatory agencies. It pays 15,000 won per hour."
I did the math. Twenty hours per week at 15,000 won was 300,000 won per week. 1.2 million won per month. For three months, that was 3.6 million won.
That was more than I'd made in the entire previous semester combined.
"That sounds amazing," I said. "What's the application process?"
"Normally there's a formal application and interview process. But given your academic record and LEET score—yes, I looked you up after our conversation—I'm willing to offer the position directly if you're interested. Can you start next Monday?"
"Yes. Absolutely. Thank you so much."
"Excellent. I'll send you the paperwork. Welcome to Hansung Electronics."
After we hung up, I sat there processing.
I had a legal internship. At a major corporation. In environmental compliance. With excellent pay.
This was perfect.
This was also potentially a disaster.
I texted Bok-Jin: Need to talk to you about something. Call me when you have a break?
He called five minutes later. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just got offered a summer internship."
"That's great! Where?"
"Hansung Electronics. Legal department. Environmental compliance."
Silence.
"You're going to be working at my father's company," he said finally.
"Apparently. Director Shin Hye-Jin called me. She offered the position directly."
"Hye-Jin is good people. She's one of the few executives who actually earned her position instead of networking her way there." He paused. "Does she know we're dating?"
"I don't think so? She didn't mention it. She said she remembered me from the networking event and looked up my academic record."
"My father definitely doesn't know. He would've said something."
"Is this going to be a problem?"
"For me? No. For you? Maybe. If my father finds out we're dating and you're working there, he might make things difficult."
"Should I turn it down?"
"What? No. This is a great opportunity. You need legal internship experience for law school applications. The pay is excellent. You'd be working in your specialty area." He sighed. "Don't let my family drama cost you opportunities."
"But if it causes problems—"
"Then we deal with problems. But you take the internship. Promise me."
"Okay. I'll take it."
"Good. And Ji-Mang? Don't mention we're dating. Not to avoid me—just to avoid complications. Let's keep personal and professional separate."
"That seems smart."
"I have my moments."
After we hung up, I stared at the email Director Shin had sent with the paperwork.
A legal internship at a major corporation. This would look amazing on law school applications.
I just had to survive working at my boyfriend's family company without his father finding out we were dating.
No pressure.
Tuesday I spent filling out employment paperwork and researching Hansung Electronics' environmental compliance record.
They'd been cited twice in the last five years for emissions violations. Both times they'd paid fines and implemented corrective measures. Their current compliance rating was good but not excellent.
Interesting. Lots of room for improvement.
Professor Kwon emailed me back Tuesday afternoon.
Ms. Han,
I don't currently have research assistant funding available, but I'm happy to discuss other opportunities. Are you free for coffee Thursday morning?
Professor Kwon
I responded immediately confirming Thursday at 10 AM.
Wednesday morning running club was smaller than usual—summer meant inconsistent attendance as people traveled or had early morning work obligations.
"How's the internship?" I asked Bok-Jin as we ran.
"Soul-crushing. Repetitive. I spent four hours yesterday in a meeting about quarterly projections that could've been an email."
"That sounds horrible."
"It's corporate work. Horrible is the default." He glanced at me. "How are you feeling about starting Monday?"
"Nervous. Excited. Terrified I'll run into your father."
"Hye-Jin's department is in a different building. You probably won't see him much. And even if you do, just be professional. You're an intern, he's an executive. There's no reason you'd interact."
"Except that I'm dating his son."
"Which he doesn't know. And won't know unless we tell him."
"You're very optimistic about this."
"I'm choosing optimism over anxiety. It's a new strategy."
"How's that working for you?"
"Terribly. I'm still anxious. But I'm optimistically anxious."
After the run, Ji-Yeon caught up with me.
"Unnie, I heard you got a summer internship! That's so cool!"
"Thanks. How'd you hear about it?"
"Club group chat. Someone mentioned it." She looked excited. "Where are you working?"
"Hansung Electronics. Legal department."
"That's such a good company! My dad works in their manufacturing division!"
"Really? Small world."
"Yeah! Maybe I'll see you around if I visit him for lunch sometime!"
After she left, Bok-Jin looked amused. "Everyone's going to know you work at Hansung within a week."
"Is that a problem?"
"No. Just... be prepared for questions. People are curious about that company because of my family connection."
"I'll be vague and professional."
"Good strategy."
Thursday morning I met Professor Kwon at a café near campus.
She was already there, drinking coffee and reading on her tablet.
"Ms. Han. Congratulations on your summer position at Hansung."
"How did you—"
"Director Shin and I went to law school together. She emailed asking about your academic record. I gave you a glowing recommendation."
"Thank you, Professor. I really appreciate it."
"You earned it. Your work this year was excellent." She set down her tablet. "I wanted to discuss your fourth-year schedule. Have you thought about what courses you're taking?"
"Advanced Constitutional Law, Environmental Law and Policy, International Law, and the Legal Writing seminar."
"Good choices. I'd also recommend my Constitutional Theory seminar if you can fit it in. It's small, discussion-based, and will prepare you well for law school-level analysis."
"I'll look into adding it."
"Also, have you considered what you're doing for your senior thesis?"
I blinked. "Senior thesis?"
"It's optional for law students, but highly recommended for anyone applying to top law schools. An in-depth research project on a topic of your choice, twenty to thirty pages, presented to a faculty committee."
"I didn't know that was an option."
"Most students don't. But given your LEET score and academic record, I think you should do one. It would strengthen your SNU application significantly."
"What would the timeline be?"
"You'd propose a topic early in fall semester, work on it throughout the year, and defend it in spring. I'd be happy to advise you if you choose an environmental or constitutional law topic."
"I'd love that. Can I think about topics over the summer?"
"Of course. We can discuss it more in September." She smiled slightly. "You're on track for excellent law school options, Ms. Han. Keep doing what you're doing."
Walking back to my apartment, I felt energized. Senior thesis advised by Professor Kwon. Legal internship at a major corporation. Fourth year looking manageable and productive.
Everything was coming together.
The weekend before my internship started, I had lunch with the LEET study group.
"Okay, summer updates," Su-Jin said after we'd ordered. "Who's doing what?"
"Research assistant for a economics professor," Tae-Min said. "Boring but pays okay."
"Tutoring high school students for college entrance exams," Min-Seo said. "The kids are nightmares but the money is good."
"Legal internship at Hansung Electronics," I said. "Environmental compliance team."
"That's incredible," Su-Jin said. "How'd you get that?"
"Networking event connection. Right place, right time."
"See? This is why networking matters. I told you."
"You were right. Networking is valuable."
"I want that in writing."
We talked about our plans for fourth year, our anxieties about law school applications, the bizarre limbo of knowing we'd done well on the LEET but having to wait a full year to use those scores.
"It's like being in suspended animation," Tae-Min said. "We know where we want to go, but we can't get there yet."
"Just means we have a whole year to make our applications as strong as possible," Su-Jin said. "Better grades, better internships, better recommendation letters."
"More stress," Min-Seo added.
"That too."
After lunch, Su-Jin and I walked back toward campus together.
"Can I ask you something?" she said. "And you can tell me to mind my own business."
"Sure."
"Are you dating someone?"
I stopped walking. "What? Why?"
"You just seem... happy. Settled. Like you have something good happening outside of academics. And you mentioned a boyfriend once during LEET prep."
"Yeah. I'm dating someone. Bok-Jin. He's a business student."
"How long?"
"Few months officially. It's good. Really good."
"That's nice. You deserve good things." She smiled. "Just don't let it distract you from fourth year. Seen too many people derailed by relationships."
"I won't. Balance is possible."
"If you say so. I've never managed it."
"Maybe you're dating the wrong people."
"Maybe. Or maybe I'm not meant for relationships during high-stress academic periods."
"That's very pragmatic of you."
"I'm a pragmatic person."
Sunday night I couldn't sleep.
Tomorrow I started a legal internship at a major corporation. Tomorrow I'd be working in my specialty area, gaining real experience, building my resume.
Tomorrow I'd also be working at my boyfriend's family company, potentially running into his father who didn't approve of me, navigating professional boundaries while hiding a personal relationship.
My phone buzzed. Bok-Jin.
Bok-Jin: Can't sleep?
Me: How did you know?
Bok-Jin: Because I can't sleep either and I'm projecting. First day nerves?
Me: Something like that. What if I mess up?
Bok-Jin: You won't mess up. You're brilliant and capable and they're lucky to have you.
Me: You're biased.
Bok-Jin: Biased and correct. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day.
Me: You too. Love you.
Bok-Jin: Love you too. See you at running club Wednesday?
Me: Definitely. Goodnight.
I set my phone down and stared at my ceiling.
Tomorrow everything changed.
I just hoped it changed in the right direction.