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Episode 5: The Conflicted Heart

Hyun-jin sat in the café, barely touching her tray, her mind completely consumed by the tension that had been following her since the office. Every glance from Joo-wan, every subtle word, replayed in her head. She felt both threatened and irresistibly drawn to him.

— “Hyun-jin, are you okay?” asked her colleague Mina, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

Hyun-jin shook her head slightly, struggling to form a coherent answer.

— “It’s… complicated, Mina. This new boss… he… he completely destabilizes me.”

Mina smirked knowingly. “Ah… Joo-wan. You’re lost, aren’t you?”

Hyun-jin felt her cheeks flush. “It’s more than that… every interaction… I don’t know how to act.”

Her phone buzzed. Excusing herself, she stepped aside to check the message. It was from Joo-wan: “Don’t let your mind wander too far, Secretary Hyun. Focus.”

A shiver ran down her spine. Even a simple message stirred in her a mix of nervousness and curiosity.

Back at the office, Joo-wan came behind her desk to review her work. The proximity made her heart race. He leaned slightly to examine a document, and their hands brushed almost imperceptibly.

— “Seo Hyun, you have an excellent eye for detail. I should give you even more responsibility,” he said, his voice soft, but every word seemed charged with intention.

Hyun-jin blushed, averting her gaze. She knew that every compliment, every gesture from Joo-wan was subtle, almost a game—but she couldn’t remain completely unaffected.

The day passed in a blur of intense work and fleeting exchanges, each leaving an almost unbearable tension in the air.

As Hyun-jin stood to leave, her phone buzzed again. Another message from Joo-wan: “See you tomorrow. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Her breath caught. How could such few words awaken so many emotions and desires? She closed her bag, aware that her feelings were slowly turning into a challenge she might not be able to control.