The Aegis Corp boardroom smelled of expensive leather and the quiet desperation of men with too many secrets. CEO Park sat at the head of the table, his fingers drumming a frantic rhythm.
"The acquisition is failing," Park barked, tossing a tablet onto the mahogany surface. "Who is this 'S&S Holdings'? They've bought 15% of our debt in three hours. They're eating our margins like starving wolves!"
Elena sat at the far end, her face a mask of calm, though her heart was hammering against her ribs. She knew what 'S&S' stood for. Sparkle & Spin. Suddenly, the heavy oak doors swung open. No knock. No announcement.
A man walked in wearing a charcoal three-piece suit that fit him like a second skin. His hair was slicked back, revealing a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. He wasn't carrying a briefcase; he was carrying a single, steaming cup of iced Americano.
The room went silent. Choi, sitting next to the CEO, stood up so fast his chair toppled. "You! How did you get past security?"
Min-jun didn't answer. He walked to the head of the table, placed the coffee in front of Choi, and smiled. "You asked for this three months ago, Senior Manager Choi. Sorry for the delay. The beans had to be... hand-ground."
CEO Park squinted. "Who are you? I don't employ children."
"You used to," Min-jun said, pulling out a chair and sitting down with a grace that made the billionaires in the room look like amateurs. "His name was Min-jun. You might remember him as the 'Embezzler.' Or perhaps as the boy you tried to erase in a rainy alleyway."
Elena's breath hitched. Up close, the change was terrifying. The slouch was gone. The stutter was replaced by a voice that resonated with cold authority. He looked like a king who had spent a lifetime in the shadows.
"Min-jun is dead," Choi hissed, his voice cracking. "I saw the—"
"You saw what I wanted you to see," Min-jun interrupted, leaning forward. "I'm here to discuss the 15% debt. And the fact that I just bought the land your headquarters sits on. Technically, you're all trespassing."
The board members erupted in shouts, but Min-jun just took a slow, deliberate sip from a second coffee cup he had hidden in his jacket.
"Guard!" Park screamed.
Four security guards rushed in. These weren't thugs; they were elite mercenaries. They reached for Min-jun, but he didn't even stand up.
In a blur of motion, he used the edge of his credit card to strike a pressure point on the lead guard's wrist. Snap. The man's baton dropped. Min-jun spun the chair, kicking the second guard's knee with a precision that sent him spiraling into the water cooler.
The water exploded, soaking the CEO's expensive rug.
"Action is so messy," Min-jun sighed, standing up and straightening his tie. "Elena, you should really hire better help."
He turned to the door, but paused. He looked at Elena, and for a split second, the cold mask slipped. A flicker of the old, pained love was there, buried deep.
"Dinner at seven, Elena," he said. "The Grand Emerald. Don't be late. I've already paid for the laundry."