Ji-Ah escaped to the small studio after dinner.
It wasn't really a studio.
Just an unused music room tucked into the quieter side of the mansion.
A piano.
A narrow window.
Two chairs that looked decorative more than useful.
Dustless shelves.
Too much silence.
Which made it perfect.
She sat on the bench slowly, flexed her fingers, and stared at the keys.
The first note came out uncertain.
The second one sulked.
By the third, she was annoyed enough to focus.
"Rude instrument," she muttered.
She started again.
A simple progression.
Then deliberately hit the wrong key.
Just because.
She imagined Ha-Joon hearing it somewhere and disapproving on instinct.
That thought pleased her enough to do it again.
Wrong note.
Another wrong note.
Then a voice behind her said:
"You're committing crimes confidently."
Ji-Ah nearly launched off the bench.
She spun.
Ha-Joon stood by the doorway, one hand in his pocket, the other still on the handle.
Composed.
Unreadable.
Annoyingly handsome in that quiet way he weaponized by existing.
"…Do you enjoy appearing like a tax audit?" she asked.
"No."
"You're gifted naturally then."
He walked in and closed the door behind him.
Ji-Ah turned back to the keys.
"I'm busy."
"With sabotage?"
"With art."
He moved closer.
She hit another wrong note on purpose.
Then another.
Ha-Joon stopped beside the bench.
"That one was deliberate."
"Yes."
"The last one too."
"Yes."
"You're childish."
"You're here voluntarily."
That made a tiny shift at the corner of his mouth.
Almost a smile.
Almost.
Then, without warning, he sat beside her.
Close enough that the bench dipped slightly.
Ji-Ah froze.
"…Why are you sitting there."
"It's a bench."
"It had space before."
"It still does."
Her throat tightened stupidly.
He reached forward calmly and placed his fingers on the keys.
Then began to play.
Softly.
Slowly.
The room changed immediately.
No hesitation.
No wasted movement.
The melody flowed out like something remembered by the walls themselves.
Elegant.
Tender.
A little aching.
The kind of music that sounded like someone standing in the rain because they chose to.
Ji-Ah forgot to breathe for a second.
She turned and stared at him.
His face remained calm, eyes lowered to the keys.
Hands moving with practiced ease.
He didn't look like the man who signed documents and fought with his mother.
He looked younger here.
Lonelier too.
The notes curved through the room gently, lingering in corners.
Ji-Ah tried to place it.
It felt familiar in the way beautiful things often do.
But she couldn't name it.
Outside the half-open doorway, another figure paused.
Min-Ji.
She had come looking for Ha-Joon.
What she found instead was him seated beside Ji-Ah in the private music room, sharing a bench, playing like the world had narrowed to keys and breath.
Her face hardened instantly.
She stood there only a moment.
Then turned and walked away in sharp silence.
Neither of them noticed.
The song ended softly.
His last note hung in the air before disappearing.
Ji-Ah blinked like waking up.
"…What was that?"
Ha-Joon looked ahead.
"You Are My Everything."
Ji-Ah stared.
"…That dramatic hospital-crying song?"
"It's not a hospital song."
"It feels medically emotional."
He ignored that.
She looked at him again.
"You know romantic OST piano pieces?"
"I know many things."
"That answer was disgusting."
He stood.
She watched him move away from the bench.
Then he spoke without looking at her.
"Come back to work."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"…What?"
"I'm rehiring you."
She stood so quickly the bench complained.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"At the office?"
"Yes."
"With coffee machine access?"
He exhaled once.
"Yes."
"With Kai, Do-Yoon, Seo-Jun and normal chairs?"
"Yes."
She narrowed her eyes.
"This feels suspiciously generous."
He finally turned to face her.
"I changed my mind."
Ji-Ah folded her arms.
"You said no before."
"I'm saying yes now."
"That is inconveniently attractive."
He ignored that too.
Then added:
"You start tomorrow."
She frowned.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Why tomorrow specifically?"
A pause.
Then:
"Because tomorrow is my engagement ceremony with Min-Ji."
The room went still.
Ji-Ah stared at him.
"…Your what?"
"My engagement."
"With Min-Ji?"
"Yes."
She laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because the alternative was throwing the piano.
"You can't stop it?"
His jaw tightened.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"My mother."
The answer came flat.
Old.
Heavy.
Ji-Ah looked at him for a long moment.
Then said quietly:
"So you're hiring me back on the same day you get engaged to someone you don't want."
"Yes."
"That sounds insane."
"It probably is."
She stepped closer.
"And what am I supposed to do at work while you ruin your life? File documents?"
"Preferably accurately."
She stared at him, offended.
Then softer:
"…Why do you want me there?"
This time he didn't answer immediately.
His gaze shifted to the piano.
Then back to her.
"Because the office was quieter when you left."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"That's not flattering."
"It wasn't meant to be."
"But it kind of was."
"Ji-Ah."
"What."
"Be there tomorrow."
She held his gaze.
Then looked away first.
"…Fine."
A beat.
"But if I see one ugly engagement flower arrangement, I'm resigning again."
He gave the smallest nod.
"Noted."
And when he left the room, the silence he took with him felt louder than before.
Ha-Joon came downstairs with the same calm face he used for meetings, funerals, and family nonsense.
Unfortunately for him, the family nonsense was waiting in the living room.
Halmoni sat like a queen who had conquered several nations by complaining.
Arisoo lounged across one side of the sofa.
Min-Hyuk stood near the bar cart scrolling through his phone.
Yoo-Na was pretending not to listen while obviously listening.
Mr. Kang, Mrs. Kang, and Hea-In were nearby, pretending to belong.
Seo-Yeon, Madam, and Min-Ji were nowhere in sight.
Which meant peace had briefly rented the house.
Ha-Joon had almost made it past them.
Almost.
Arisoo's head snapped up first.
"…That was you."
He paused.
"What was."
"The piano," she said, sitting upright. "Don't insult me. I know your dramatic fingers."
Halmoni gasped.
"Dramatic fingers?"
"Mother, stay focused," Arisoo said. "He played."
All eyes turned to Ha-Joon.
Even Yoo-Na lowered her tea.
Min-Hyuk slowly smiled.
"…You played?"
Ha-Joon adjusted his cuff.
"Yes."
Arisoo clutched her chest theatrically.
"He admits it freely."
Halmoni narrowed her eyes.
"For whom?"
"No one," he replied.
"That means someone," Yoo-Na said immediately.
Mrs. Kang leaned toward Hea-In and whispered too loudly, "Maybe Min-Ji."
Yoo-Na barked a laugh.
"Please. If it were for Min-Ji, the piano would reject him."
Hea-In coughed to hide a smile.
Arisoo stood now, energized.
"Wait. Wait. You only play when something is wrong emotionally."
"That is not true."
"It is absolutely true," Min-Hyuk said. "Last time you played, Father bought that terrible statue."
Halmoni scoffed.
"Ugly thing still offends me."
Arisoo pointed dramatically at Ha-Joon.
"And today… you played privately. In the small studio. To one person."
Ha-Joon said nothing.
Which was gasoline.
Yoo-Na leaned back.
"…Ji-Ah."
No one denied it.
Arisoo screamed into a cushion.
"I KNEW IT."
Halmoni slapped her cane against the floor.
"I am alive for excellent reasons."
Min-Hyuk laughed openly.
Mr. Kang looked confused.
"…Why is everyone celebrating piano?"
Mrs. Kang hissed, "Because you never understand tension."
Hea-In nodded solemnly.
"True."
Ha-Joon's patience visibly thinned.
"It was a song."
Arisoo whirled toward him.
"A song! Listen to him. Casual. Cold. Like he didn't serenade one woman in secret."
"I did not serenade anyone."
"What song?" Yoo-Na asked.
He should have stayed silent.
Instead he answered.
"You Are My Everything."
The room exploded.
Arisoo collapsed backward.
"ROMANCE OST?"
Halmoni shouted, "Hospital love song!"
Min-Hyuk laughed so hard he bent over.
Yoo-Na slowly clapped.
"Disgusting. I support it."
Ha-Joon closed his eyes once.
"It was available sheet music."
"No," Arisoo said. "That was emotional terrorism."
Halmoni pointed at him.
"You played longing."
"I played notes."
"You played yearning," she corrected.
He inhaled slowly, then changed the subject with executive violence.
"Nisa and Do-Hyun are arriving today."
The room paused.
Arisoo blinked.
"…They are?"
Halmoni straightened.
"That boy and his wife?"
"Yes," Ha-Joon said.
Arisoo grinned immediately.
"Yep. That rude boy. I really do miss him."
Then she paused.
"He's coming tonight. There's no need to miss him now."
Halmoni snorted first.
Then Min-Hyuk laughed.
Then Yoo-Na.
Soon the room was full of laughter rolling from one person to another.
Even Mr. Kang laughed, though clearly late.
Ha-Joon used the distraction perfectly.
He turned and walked out.
Arisoo pointed after him.
"He's escaping because he played love music."
Halmoni nodded.
"Catch him later."
Yoo-Na sipped her tea.
"No need."
Her smile sharpened.
"Ji-Ah will do worse."