Somewhere in the middle of the night, sleep turned cruel.
Ji-Ah was running.
In the dream, the mansion had no end.
Hallways stretched longer each time she reached them.
Doors opened into cells.
Voices echoed behind walls.
Madam's voice.
Min-Ji's laugh.
Metal doors shutting.
Earth crying somewhere she couldn't find him.
She ran faster.
Every room she entered became smaller.
Every light flickered out.
Then she saw Ha-Joon at the far end of a corridor.
Standing still.
She tried to reach him.
But the floor became bars.
The walls closed in.
And when he turned around, he had no face.
Ji-Ah screamed.
She bolted upright in bed with a sharp cry, breathing hard.
The room was dark except for a thin slice of moonlight.
The lamp snapped on.
Ha-Joon was already standing beside the couch, alert instantly.
"Ji-Ah."
She blinked wildly, trying to remember where she was.
His voice came again, calmer.
"What's wrong?"
She pressed a hand to her chest.
"…Bad dream."
He studied her face.
Sweat at her temples.
Hands shaking.
Breath uneven.
He crossed to the bed.
"What dream?"
"I don't know."
"You screamed like the building was on fire."
"That's rude."
"It's accurate."
She glared weakly.
Then looked around the room again, grounding herself.
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
"I'm mostly fine."
He said nothing.
Just stood there.
Which was somehow more annoying than speaking.
Ji-Ah lay back down dramatically and turned away.
"Go back to your decorative couch."
Silence.
Then:
"No."
She turned her head.
"What do you mean no?"
"It means no."
"I understood the word. I rejected the attitude."
He ignored that, walked to the other side of the bed, and pulled back the blanket.
Ji-Ah sat up halfway.
"…What are you doing?"
"Sleeping."
"Here?"
"Yes."
"This is my side."
"It's the other edge."
"There are emotional boundaries."
"You're being dramatic."
"You're entering furniture law."
He lay down anyway, fully clothed, on the far edge of the bed with a respectable amount of distance between them.
Hands folded over his stomach like a man checking into a polite grave.
Ji-Ah stared.
"This is insane."
"You were shaking."
"I am no longer shaking."
"You're still talking too fast."
"That's my personality."
He closed his eyes.
"Sleep."
She kept staring at him in disbelief.
"…You can't just decide things."
No response.
"…Ha-Joon."
Nothing.
"…Are you asleep?"
A beat.
"No."
"…You're irritating."
"I know."
She huffed, pulled the blanket higher, and eventually lay down again.
The room quieted.
This time sleep returned carefully.
And stayed.
Morning entered in pale gold.
Ji-Ah opened her eyes slowly.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then she saw him.
Ha-Joon lay on the opposite side, facing her.
Not close.
Just turned in her direction.
Still asleep.
The sternness gone from his face.
No tension in his jaw.
No guarded eyes.
Just quiet.
Peaceful.
Handsome in an unfair, almost unreal way.
Like someone had sculpted composure and forgot to make it humble.
Ji-Ah stayed still.
Watching.
Counting the small breaths.
Studying details she usually missed because he was busy being impossible.
The slight fall of hair near his forehead.
The softness around his eyes when they weren't open.
The strange fact that he looked younger asleep.
She didn't realize how long she'd been staring until his voice arrived, rough with sleep.
"Will you keep staring."
Ji-Ah yelped and shot upright so fast she nearly fell off the bed.
She caught herself with the blanket tangled around one leg.
"What are you doing here?!"
He opened his eyes slowly.
"You cried."
"That is slander."
"You screamed."
"Different event."
"You were dramatic."
She pointed at him.
"You climbed into my bed!"
"You invited me."
"I absolutely did not."
"You said stay."
"I said go away."
"Your tone was mixed."
She grabbed her pillow in outrage.
"You are impossible in the morning."
He sat up, adjusting his sleeves calmly.
"You're impossible all day."
She gasped.
Then recovered.
"Get up."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why."
"Because I said so."
"Weak authority."
"Because you have work."
"I know."
"And your engagement is tonight."
His expression stilled for a fraction.
Then returned to neutral.
"Yes."
She nodded too quickly.
"Sure. Yes. Great. Wonderful. Get ready."
He stood.
Straightened his shirt.
"Make sure you're not late for the office."
"Yes, bossy ghost of capitalism."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
Ji-Ah snatched up her phone and pillow, then marched to the door.
As she opened it, she muttered under her breath:
"Why was I staring. Embarrassing. Disgusting. Never again."
She stepped into the hallway still scolding herself.
Then froze.
Min-Ji stood several feet away.
Perfectly dressed.
Perfectly still.
And very clearly had heard enough.
Breakfast at the mansion was louder than usual.
Which meant Do-Hyun was awake.
He stood at the table already dressed for the day in a dark tailored suit, tie loose, coffee in hand like a man born to interrupt mornings.
Nisa sat beside him in a sleek ivory blouse and fitted trousers, eating fruit while scrolling through her phone and judging strangers silently.
"I've decided," Do-Hyun announced to no one who asked, "I'll visit Hanryeon Tech today."
Min-Hyuk looked up.
"You don't work there."
"I know."
"Then why."
"To bother people."
Nisa lifted one finger.
"I'm coming."
Do-Hyun grinned.
"Excellent. We'll bother them internationally."
Halmoni pointed her spoon.
"If you embarrass the family, do it elegantly."
Arisoo yawned.
"That excludes him."
Ji-Ah entered then, dressed for work again.
Simple blouse, fitted skirt, hair tied back, expression brighter than it had been in days.
She tried to hide it.
Failed immediately.
Nisa gasped dramatically.
"She glows."
Ji-Ah sat down.
"It's moisturizer."
"No," Arisoo said. "It's employment."
Ha-Joon entered a moment later, already ready for the office.
Their eyes met only briefly.
Just enough to be noticed by everyone except the people pretending not to notice.
Min-Ji arrived last.
Beautifully dressed.
Smile polished.
Mood poisonous.
Breakfast proceeded with the delicacy of a room full of secrets and carbohydrates.
At the office, the doors to Ji-Ah's floor barely opened before chaos hit.
"JI-AH!"
Kai Wen reached her first and nearly tackled her.
Do-Yoon came right after, grabbing both her shoulders dramatically.
"You came back!"
Soo-Min, her closest friend there, rushed in and hugged her properly.
"You idiot," Soo-Min said softly. "You scared us."
Ji-Ah laughed breathlessly.
"I missed all of you too, you clingy workplace pests."
Kai Wen stepped back and looked her over.
"You look thinner."
Do-Yoon frowned.
"You look angrier."
Ji-Ah nodded.
"Correct on both counts."
Hye-Rin from accounts popped her head over a cubicle.
"Is she real?"
"No," Ji-Ah said. "I'm a trauma ghost."
The office erupted in laughter.
Even people who barely knew her smiled.
It was strange how much warmth fluorescent lighting could hold.
She went straight to Seo-Yeon's office next.
He stood the moment she entered.
For once, the usually controlled executive looked openly relieved.
"Ji-Ah."
He crossed over and gave her a light, brief hug.
Only light.
Only brief.
Still enough to shock her.
She blinked.
"…You're emotional today."
"You were in jail."
"That's fair."
He stepped back.
"I brought you back."
She smiled faintly.
"I noticed."
His expression softened.
"Try not to get arrested again this quarter."
"No promises."
He almost laughed.
"Go work."
"Romantic as always."
Back at her desk, Ji-Ah sat down and immediately transformed.
Screens on.
Files open.
Calls answered.
Design drafts pulled up.
Emails attacked.
Keyboard clacking like war drums.
"Ji-Ah, the client wants revisions."
"Tell them they're wrong politely."
"Ji-Ah, line two."
"Patch it."
"Ji-Ah, mockups due by noon."
"Then noon should fear me."
She moved fast, focused, hair slipping loose from her clip.
Twenty minutes later she sniffed once and whispered to herself:
"…I missed this."
Soo-Min heard.
"You need therapy."
"Probably."
Her desk phone rang.
She answered without looking.
"Yes?"
Seo-Yeon's voice came low and irritated.
"I need assistance."
"With?"
"Min-Hyuk."
Ji-Ah paused typing.
"…What did he do."
"He's being difficult."
"That sentence is too broad."
"He came into my office, sat on the sofa, and said he'll stay there until lunch because he misses me."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"That's kind of sweet."
"He is younger than me."
"And?"
"He keeps calling me noona when he wants something."
Ji-Ah had to mute herself briefly to laugh.
Seo-Yeon sighed.
"I don't know how to deal with him."
Ji-Ah straightened.
"Simple."
"Tell me."
"Do not reward whining."
"Reasonable."
"But if he pouts, give him tea."
"…That is contradictory."
"It's advanced management."
Seo-Yeon went quiet.
Then:
"He is pouting now."
Ji-Ah grinned.
"Tea. Immediately."
He hung up.
The office doors opened again.
Silence spread in ripples.
Ha-Joon had arrived.
Sharp suit.
Controlled face.
Presence like a temperature drop.
He walked through the main floor while staff straightened instinctively.
Ji-Ah kept typing.
Mostly because she was petty.
He stopped near the center.
"I have an announcement."
Everyone looked up.
Even Kai Wen stopped chewing something suspicious.
"My engagement ceremony with Min-Ji is tonight."
A chorus of congratulations followed automatically.
"Congratulations, sir!"
"So happy for you, sir!"
"Wishing you happiness!"
Ji-Ah typed harder.
Do-Yoon glanced at her nervously.
She smiled sweetly at the monitor.
Terrifying.
Ha-Joon continued.
"Kai Wen. Do-Yoon. Ji-Ah. Soo-Min. Hye-Rin."
They all looked up.
"My office."
Now.
Inside, the door closed behind them.
The five stood in a neat line except Ji-Ah, who stood like rebellion in heels.
Ha-Joon faced them.
"I wanted to invite you personally."
Kai Wen gasped.
"Sir, an exclusive invitation?"
"Yes."
Do-Yoon puffed his chest.
"I always knew I was elite."
"You are not," said Soo-Min.
Ha-Joon continued.
"The rest of the department will receive bonuses instead."
Hye-Rin's eyes widened.
"That's… actually better."
Do-Yoon nodded.
"Fair."
Kai Wen whispered:
"I'd still rather have canapés."
Ha-Joon ignored them.
"I expect professionalism tonight."
His gaze rested on Ji-Ah a fraction too long.
She smiled politely.
"Of course, sir."
In her mind:
I will absolutely ruin Min-Ji's reputation if given half a chance.
Out loud:
"I'll definitely come."
He held her gaze.
Something unreadable passed there.
Then he nodded once.
"Good."
They were dismissed.
Outside the office, Kai Wen clutched Ji-Ah's arm.
"Are you okay?"
"Perfectly."
"You smiled weird."
"I'm planning."
"That's worse."
Ji-Ah returned to her desk, sat down, and opened a fresh document.
Title:
Ways to Survive an Engagement Party Without Committing Felonies