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Episode 7: Past Shadows

The office lights had dimmed, and most of the employees had already left. Hyun-jin sat at her desk, staring blankly at the glowing screen, though her mind was far from the documents in front of her.

Her thoughts kept circling back to Cha Joo-wan. His words at lunch, the way his eyes had lingered on her, the dangerous thrill of being near him—it was becoming impossible to ignore.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her desk.

— “Still here?” Joo-wan’s voice was low, velvet-soft yet sharp enough to pierce her haze.

She looked up and found him leaning against her desk, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a folder. The sight of him under the office lights—broad shoulders, calm authority, that unreadable expression—sent her tumbling into memories she had tried to bury.

Flashback.

The warm night of a summer years ago. A company dinner. Too much wine. She remembered slipping outside for fresh air, only to find Joo-wan there, alone, smoking under the dim glow of a streetlamp. His gaze had pinned her even then.

— “Do you always run away when things get too loud?” he had asked.

Her heart had raced then, just like it did now.

Hyun-jin blinked and snapped back to the present, shaking the image away.

— “I was finishing reports, sir,” she replied quietly.

Joo-wan studied her, his eyes searching hers as if peeling away every layer she used to protect herself.

— “You’ve been avoiding me,” he said finally. His voice was calm, but there was something dangerous simmering beneath it.

She looked away, her fingers tightening around her pen. “That’s not true.”

He stepped closer, close enough that the air between them grew thick. Her breath hitched as his presence loomed over her desk, his hand brushing lightly against a paper she held—skin against skin for the briefest of moments.

The accidental touch lingered too long, his fingers grazing hers with deliberate slowness. Heat spread through her body as her pulse hammered in her throat.

— “You can lie to yourself, Hyun-jin,” Joo-wan whispered, leaning in so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear, “but you can’t lie to me.”

Her heart was torn between fear, anger, and a forbidden yearning that burned deep inside her.

Cliffhanger: Just as she’s about to push him away—or maybe give in—the office door creaks open. A rival colleague steps in, freezing at the sight of them so close. His suspicious eyes flick between the two, a smirk forming on his lips.

The secret was no longer theirs alone.

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