They left Ha-Joon's office together in a tense little procession.
Madam in front, walking like the hallway belonged to her family name.
Min-Ji beside Ha-Joon, one hand looped around his arm with shameless certainty, fingers resting possessively at his sleeve as if she had already signed ownership papers.
Ha-Joon allowed it only in the technical sense.
His expression remained cool, unreadable, distant enough to freeze tea.
Ji-Ah and Seo-Jun followed behind.
Seo-Jun leaned slightly toward her.
"…Is it legal to look that uncomfortable and still be engaged?"
Ji-Ah didn't look away from Min-Ji.
"He's a businessman. He's multitasking."
Seo-Jun snorted.
Madam glanced back once.
They both straightened instantly.
The main office floor noticed them immediately.
Whispers spread faster than emails.
Staff stood.
Smiles appeared.
"Congratulations, Director Ha!"
"Congratulations, Miss Min-Ji!"
"You both look amazing together!"
Ji-Ah nearly tripped over the irony.
Min-Ji smiled sweetly at everyone, waving modestly like a benevolent queen who definitely hadn't ruined multiple lives before lunch.
"Thank you," she said gently.
"Please support us."
Ji-Ah muttered under her breath:
"I support gravity."
Seo-Jun coughed to hide laughter.
One of the junior staff hurried forward holding a garment bag.
"Director Ha, the ceremony jacket was sent up."
Madam turned sharply to Ji-Ah.
"You."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes. Bring Ha-Joon's watch and cufflinks from the styling room. Now."
Min-Ji smiled without looking at her.
"That would be helpful."
Ji-Ah smiled right back.
"That would be survivable."
She turned and walked off before her face could say more.
Seo-Jun whispered to himself:
"She's either brave or unemployed."
The styling room was down the hall.
Ji-Ah entered, found the velvet case on the counter, opened it, and checked the contents.
Watch.
Cufflinks.
Tie pin.
All there.
She closed it again.
Then the door behind her clicked shut.
Ji-Ah didn't turn immediately.
"…Of course."
Min-Ji's voice came soft behind her.
"You always sound irritated when you see me."
Ji-Ah picked up the case.
"You always arrive like a disease."
She turned then.
Min-Ji stood near the door, posture elegant, smile thin.
"You should learn when to step back."
Ji-Ah walked toward her.
"You first."
As Ji-Ah passed, Min-Ji shifted suddenly.
Not enough to look obvious.
Just enough.
Her heel came down hard on the back strap of Ji-Ah's shoe.
The shoe jerked loose.
Ji-Ah's step caught awkwardly on the polished floor.
Her ankle twisted sharply and she stumbled forward, shoulder hitting the edge of a side table.
Pain shot up her leg.
The velvet case nearly slipped from her hands.
Min-Ji gasped theatrically.
"Oh no."
Ji-Ah straightened slowly, gripping the table.
Min-Ji moved closer, lowering her voice.
"You should watch where you're going."
Ji-Ah looked at her.
Long.
Cold.
Then down at Min-Ji's perfectly placed foot.
Then back up.
"You missed."
Min-Ji's smile twitched.
Ji-Ah bent, fixed her shoe strap calmly despite the sting in her ankle, then stood fully.
"You know what your problem is?"
Min-Ji crossed her arms.
"I doubt you know anything useful."
Ji-Ah stepped close enough that Min-Ji had to look directly at her.
"You do cruel little things because you're scared no one would choose you honestly."
That landed.
Min-Ji's face hardened.
"You think Ha-Joon would choose you?"
Ji-Ah shrugged.
"I think he already dislikes you for free."
The room went silent.
Min-Ji's hand lifted sharply as if to slap her.
Ji-Ah caught her wrist midair.
Firm.
Effortless.
Both women froze.
Ji-Ah smiled faintly.
"Try larger moves next time."
She let go.
Then walked to the door.
Min-Ji's voice followed her, tight now.
"You'll regret talking to me like that."
Ji-Ah opened the door.
"You'll regret being exactly what everyone suspects."
And left.
When she returned to the main floor, the smiles and congratulations were still flowing.
Min-Ji emerged moments later, expression repaired, face angelic again.
Witchcraft.
Ji-Ah walked straight to Ha-Joon.
His eyes flicked once to her face.
Then lower.
To the way she was favoring one foot.
A tiny pause.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
She held out the velvet case.
"Your royal accessories."
He took it slowly.
"What happened."
Ji-Ah smiled brightly.
"Polished floors. Weak architecture."
Min-Ji slipped back onto his arm.
"She's always so clumsy."
Ji-Ah looked at her.
Then at Ha-Joon.
Then smiled sweeter.
"Some people are."
Ha-Joon's jaw tightened almost invisibly.
He opened the case, took the watch, then looked once more at Ji-Ah's ankle.
The room kept talking.
Kept congratulating.
Kept smiling.
But something colder had entered the hallway now.
And Min-Ji, for all her polished grace, had not noticed she'd just made a mistake.
The office finally exhaled after they left.
The elevator doors closed on Madam, Min-Ji, and Ha-Joon, taking tension with them but leaving enough behind to flavor the carpets.
People slowly returned to their desks.
Whispers resumed.
Congratulations became gossip in under thirty seconds.
Ji-Ah stood near the reception counter, pretending her ankle didn't hurt.
Which would have worked better if she wasn't subtly leaning all her weight onto one side.
"Sit down."
Soo-Min appeared beside her carrying a small first-aid pouch like a battlefield medic.
Ji-Ah blinked.
"…Why do you have that."
"Because this office runs on stress, heels, and avoidable injuries."
"I'm fine."
"You're limping."
"I'm limping with dignity."
"That is still limping."
Before Ji-Ah could protest, Soo-Min gently guided her into a chair near the waiting area.
Then crouched down and reached for her ankle.
Ji-Ah pulled back slightly.
"It's nothing serious."
Soo-Min looked up flatly.
"I saw what happened."
A pause.
Ji-Ah's expression shifted.
Soo-Min continued more quietly.
"She stepped on your shoe on purpose."
Ji-Ah clicked her tongue.
"That woman is just being stupid."
"That woman is dangerous."
"She's dramatic."
"She's cruel."
"She's moisturized evil."
Ji-Ah laughed despite herself.
"That too."
Soo-Min carefully unfastened the shoe strap and examined the ankle.
A little swelling.
Nothing terrible.
But enough.
"You should ice it."
"I should invoice her."
"I support both."
Soo-Min pressed a cold pack gently against the sore spot.
Ji-Ah hissed.
"Traitor."
"That's frozen peas."
"They are sharp."
"They are vegetables."
Ji-Ah crossed her arms.
"I still blame them."
Soo-Min smiled, then looked up at her.
"You okay?"
Ji-Ah answered too quickly.
"Perfect."
"That means no."
Ji-Ah sighed and leaned back.
"I'm annoyed."
"Reasonable."
"I'm hungry."
"More important."
"And I hate seeing fake people win."
Soo-Min nodded thoughtfully.
"Very reasonable."
For a moment they sat in comfortable silence.
Then Ji-Ah brightened slightly.
"How about I buy you dinner?"
Soo-Min's eyes widened.
"With what money?"
"With emotional desperation."
"That's unstable currency."
"At Hanryeon Food."
Soo-Min froze.
Then bounced in place dramatically.
"OOOH!"
Several nearby employees turned.
She did not care.
"I heard the chef is back!"
Ji-Ah grinned.
"Nisa."
Soo-Min clasped both hands over her heart.
"The terrifying genius herself?"
"The one and only."
"I would trust her with my life."
"She'd season it first."
Soo-Min gasped.
"We're going."
Ji-Ah nodded.
"Yep. I'm happy too."
Then her voice softened.
"And I wanted to see Min-Jea again."
Soo-Min blinked.
"The manager?"
Ji-Ah smiled faintly.
"It's been long."
"You miss him?"
"He always sneaks me dessert and insults rich customers under his breath."
"…I miss him too and I've met him once."
Ji-Ah laughed.
Soo-Min stood and offered her a hand.
"Then survive the rest of the day."
Ji-Ah took it.
"With grace?"
"With spite."
"Even better."
As they walked back toward their desks, Soo-Min glanced sideways.
"…If Min-Ji does that again, I'm tripping her publicly."
Ji-Ah considered it.
"…Tempting."
"I have excellent balance."
"I know."
"And no fear."
"I know that too."
Ji-Ah smiled for real this time.
The kind that had been missing lately.
Dinner, gossip, old friends, and good food waited at the end of the workday.
Sometimes survival looked suspiciously like a reservation.