Eunha waved her hand. She felt like Ji-hoon was trying to "probe" her.
"Mind your own business," Eunha said coldly and went back to her cabin. All day long, Ji-hoon spared no effort in teasing Eun-ha. Sometimes he would enter her cabin without permission, and sometimes he would throw pizza parties for the office staff. Eunha had installed secret cameras in her cabin to keep an eye on him, but when she saw the footage, she was shocked.
Ji-hoon had been sleeping or playing games all day. But for a moment, when Eunha left the room, Ji-hoon got up and looked at the old black and white photo frame on Eunha's table. All innocence vanished from his face. He looked at the photo closely and muttered softly: "So you're still looking for this, Eunha?"He took out his pocket watch, set it, and returned to the sofa.
At night, when Eunha went to her underground base, she noticed that an old digital file she had never seen had automatically opened on her monitor. The file belonged to her "grandfather's" old business partner, and at the bottom of it was a note:
"In chess, one should always look at the pawn, not the king."Eunha broke out in a sweat. Her base was completely secure, so how did this file open? Had Ji-hoon hacked her system? Or was someone else playing along with these two?
The next night, the Vortex Enterprises building loomed like a silent giant against the ink-black sky. Eunha emerged from her office, her silhouette sharp and intimidating. She wore her usual jet-black suit, but beneath the tailored jacket, a weapon holster was hidden—a secret she carried as comfortably as her cold temperament.
As she passed Ji-hoon's cabin, she noticed it was empty. Driven by a curiosity she hated to admit, she stepped inside. The room was a chaotic mess of chip packets, strange gadgets, and colourful toys. She scanned his desk, finding nothing of importance until her eyes landed on an old mechanical pocket watch left near the edge.
Eunha picked it up. Its ticking was abnormally loud, vibrating against her palm. Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't showing the time; the hands were moving like a compass, pointing toward a specific coordinate.
"So you want me to follow you?" Eunha whispered, a cold, dangerous smile touching her lips. "Fine. Let's see where you're hiding, Ji-hoon."
The Chase She drove her black sports car through the city, the bright neon lights eventually fading into the grey gloom of an old industrial area. The tracking signal finally stopped in front of a massive, decaying warehouse.
Eunha parked a block away and approached the building like a shadow, her back pressed against the cold brick walls. Every muscle in her body was flexed and ready for combat; she was no longer a CEO, she was a hunter.
Inside, the warehouse was cavernous and dark, except for a single lamp burning in the center of the hall. A lone chair sat under the light, and someone was sitting in it.
"You're late, Eunha-ssi. I expected you ten minutes ago," Ji-hoon's voice boomed, echoing off the high rafters.
He was sitting backward on the chair, twirling his signature Rubik's Cube. For the first time, he wasn't wearing a hoodie. He wore a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his forearms. Eunha's eyes widened slightly as she noticed strange, jagged scars on his skin—marks that mirrored the ones she hid under her own sleeves.
"What is this place? And why did you lure me here?" Eunha pulled out her gun, pointing it directly at his forehead.
Ji-hoon didn't flinch. He clicked the last piece of the cube into place and tossed it aside. "I didn't lure you. Your own obsession brought you here. You want to know what I know about your past, don't you?"
Eunha's finger tightened on the trigger. "You know nothing about me."
Ji-hoon stood up slowly and walked toward her. Eunha didn't move, keeping the barrel leveled at his chest. He kept walking until the cold metal of the gun was pressed directly over his heart.
"There's rage in your eyes, Eunha, but beneath it lies the same sorrow that haunts this warehouse," Ji-hoon said, his voice dropping to a hauntingly soft tone. "The file you're looking for... it's not here. It's in my head. Kill me, and your 'Mission' dies with me."
The Intruder Before she could respond, the screech of tires and the heavy thud of boots erupted from outside. Both of them turned toward the entrance simultaneously.
"It seems we have company," Ji-hoon said, the playfulness vanishing from his face for the first time. "Eunha, if you want to stay alive, we have to be partners today. Are you ready to drop the 'Ice Queen' act and show me some real action?"
Eunha's grip on her weapon solidified, her muscular frame tensing for the fight. "I don't need a partner. Just stay out of my way."
The Glass Maze Armed men began to surround the warehouse, their shadows stretching long across the floor. Eunha prepared to open fire, but Ji-hoon reached out and caught her arm.
"Wait," he whispered. "These people aren't afraid of bullets; they're afraid of exposure."
Ji-hoon pulled a small remote from his pocket and pressed a button. Suddenly, industrial projectors mounted on the walls flickered to life. Massive images splashed across the warehouse walls—not of Eunha or Ji-hoon, but of the enemies outside. Their secret bank accounts, their private family photos, and their hidden criminal records were displayed for all to see.
The footsteps outside came to a grinding halt. A heavy, suffocating silence followed.
"I've given them an 'Option,'" Ji-hoon explained, turning back to Eunha. "They can come in and kill us, and the next second, all this data goes live on every news server in the country. Or... they can turn around and walk away."
Eunha was stunned. What would have taken her weeks of infiltration and hacking, Ji-hoon had accomplished in an instant. "How did you get all this?"
Ji-hoon stepped so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath. He placed his hand over hers, slowly guiding her gun hand down. "Eunha-ssi, you subdue enemies with strength. I play with their fear. We're on the same path; we just use different weapons."
The 48-Hour Challenge The sound of retreating cars signaled the end of the immediate threat. But as the danger faded, Eunha realized Ji-hoon was now a bigger mystery than any enemy she had faced.
Eunha-ssi your Grandfather Aaaaaaa!!!
"What what do you know about my grandfather?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly for the first time in years.
Ji-hoon reached into his pocket and pulled out an old, weathered envelope. "This contains his final letter. But information this valuable isn't free. You have to play a game with me."
"What kind of game?"
"For the next 48 hours, you belong to me," Ji-hoon said with a smirk. "No office, no suits, no 'CEO' attitude. Just two ordinary people. If you survive 48 hours with me, the letter is yours. If you fail... you sign Vortex Enterprises over to me."
Eunha looked at the envelope and then at Ji-hoon. She knew it could be a trap. Ji-hoon probably wanted to find out the interesting secrets of her "underground life." But that envelope contained the answer to all his questions.
"Okay," Eunha said coldly. "But remember, Ji-hoon, if you try to deceive me, I will bury you alive."
Ji-hoon laughed and waved his hand away. "Deal, Miss CEO."
The next morning, Eunha didn't go to her off, Eunha was standing in her lobby, looking like she was ready for a funeral or a high-stakes heist. She was wearing her signature charcoal-grey suit,her hair pulled back into a ponytail so tight like always. Her expression was as immovable as granite.
Ji-hoon was leaning against his old bike outside, wearing a White and a little pink colour windbreaker. When he saw her, he burst out laughing.
"Eunha-ssi! Did you not hear the 'No CEO' rule? You look like you're about to fire the entire city," Ji-hoon teased.
"This is my comfort zone, Ji-hoon. Now, where is thecar?"Eunhaasked, crossing her muscular arms.
Ji-hoon did not say anything. He reached into a bag hanging from the bike handle and pulled out a soft, oversized Baby Pink hoodie.
Eunha's eyes widened in horror. "You have got to be joking. I wouldn't be caught dead in that...color."
"A deal is a deal, Eunha-ssi," Ji-hoon stepped closer, dangling the hoodie in front of her face. "Pink symbolizes the one thing you're terrified of: vulnerability. If you can't wear a simple hoodie, how will you ever face the truth in that envelope?"
Eunha glared at him, her knuckles turning white. She hated how he always found the right words to provoke her. After a long, tense silence, she snatched the hoodie from his hand with a growl.
Ten minutes later, she emerged. The sight was surreal. The most feared woman in the corporate world was wearing a soft pink hoodie. Because it was oversized, it kept slipping off one shoulder, revealing the sharp, muscular lines of her collarbone and the faint edge of a scar. She felt exposed, but strangely, the heavy weight she usually carried on her shoulders felt a little lighter.
"Stop staring," she snapped, her face turning a shade that almost matched the hoodie.
"I can't help it," Ji-hoon whispered, his playful smirk softening for a second. "You look... human, Eunha."
Now, where is the car?"Eunha asked, crossing her muscular arms.
We'll go on the bike today," Ji-hoon said with a playful, lopsided smile.
"Bike? Are you joking?"Eunha asked, surprised.
Eunha looked at the old bike, then at her oversized pink hoodie, and then at Ji-hoon as if he had lost his mind. "You expect me—the CEO of Vortex—to sit on the back of this... scrap metal? In public?"
"Public doesn't care about you as much as you think, Eunha-ssi. Everyone is busy in their own lives.
Ji-hoon popped a candy in his mouth and said" A strong mind for Business require peace, and peace isn't found in expensive cars. Come on, Eun-ssi! Today we'll practice being 'normal.'"
Eunha hesitated, but her word was her bond. Eunha caught it with one hand, her muscular reflexes sharp. She hesitated, then pulled the helmet on. She gingerly sat on the back of the bike. The seat was narrow, forcing her to sit flush against Ji-hoon's back.
"Hold on tight. Idon't want to lose my partner before the game even begins," Ji-hoon teased.
Before she could protest, he kicked the engine into life. The roar of the bike vibrated through the frame, and Eunha felt the power of the machine beneath her. Instinctively, her strong, muscular arms wrapped around Ji-hoon's waist. She stiffened, her heart hammering against her ribs as she felt the lean muscles of his torso.
The first ray of sunshine fell on Eunha's face, which was no longer hidden in the tight collar of a suit, but in an old, oversized hoodie. Ji-hoon had brought him to a small "mountain cabin" far from the city.
"Why are you bringing me here?"Eunha asked sternly, his muscular arms tucked into his chest. He wasn't used to silence and peace.
Ji-hoon, sitting on an old chair, and drinking coffee, with smiled. "So you can breathe. Without thinking about Business.
In the afternoon, Ji-hoon decided to cook dinner himself. Eun-ha silently leaned against the wall, watching him.
"Do you think I'll melt if you do all this?" Eun-ha asked coldly.
Ji-hoon stopped and looked at her. He saw how tightly Eunha clenched her fists. He came closer to her, so close that Eunha could feel the warmth of his breath. Eunha tried to move bac k, but his muscular body seemed to freeze.
"I don't want to make you melt, Eunha," Ji-hoon gently took her hand and opened her clenched fingers one by one. His touch was soft, but it had a strange attraction. "I just want to see where that girl who used to smile is behind this iron cloak."
Eunha glanced back, but she didn't pull his hand back. Her heart was pounding faster than usual. Was it enmity or something else? She couldn't understand.
As night fell, rain began to fall on the mountains. The raindrops falling on the cabin roof made the atmosphere incredibly murky. Suddenly, lightning flashed, and the entire cabin's lights went out.
Eunha, who had always been alert in the darkness, instantly became numb. Her old fear was awakened. "Ji-hoon? Where are you?"
Author Note:
The lights went out, leaving the 'Ice Queen' vulnerable in the dark. It was part of Ji-hoon's plan or is there something else going on? What do you think? Let me know in the comments! 👇"