For a moment, everything was still.
Yoon Ha-rin remained in Kang Jae-min's arms, her breathing uneven, her fingers weakly clutching the fabric of his shirt. The office was silent except for the faint sound of her breath, fragile, unsteady, like something on the verge of breaking.
Jae-min didn't move or perhaps he couldn't. His mind was still caught in that one moment. That one word. Arin. He had almost said it. No, not almost. He had said it. Softly. Instinctively. As if it had lived on his lips long before this moment.
His jaw tightened slightly. Why? He had never heard that name before. Not in his life. And yet, when he looked at her just now, it felt natural.
"I'm okay," Ha-rin whispered weakly. Her voice spontaneously pulled him back. Jae-min loosened his grip slightly but didn't let go completely. His hand still lingered at her arm, steadying her as though he didn't quite trust her to stand on her own.
"You're not," he said quietly.
Ha-rin let out a small breath. "I am", she insisted, gently pulling away as she forced herself upright. Her legs felt unstable, but she refused to show it. "I should get going now… Thanks for your assistance."
Her tone was polite and distant.
Jae-min's hand lifted slightly as if to stop her but she was already moving.
With the fear of raising suspicions, Ha-rin quickly rushed out. He had wanted to restrict her from the Joseon artifacts and stay away from anything related to that painting. Being it documents, displays or research but she was already gone.
He immediately called Do-hyun who picked up on the first ring. "I want her reassigned" He ordered, his tone firm and final without explanation. Do-hyun answered with a yes and the line soon dropped dead.
Conversations lowered and eyes lingered. A quiet tension spread through the room like an unspoken rumor. The news had traveled fast. The CEO had personally called an intern to his office. And kept her there for a long time, the word went on. The atmosphere in the research department felt different, quieter and tenser as she stepped in.
Ha-rin immediately felt it, the weight of attention, the curiosity and the silent questions. She exhaled slowly and walked toward her desk.
Eun-seo watched her from across the room. Her expression unreadable. But her eyes, sharp, curious and suspicious. "Well," she said coolly, leaning back slightly in her chair, "that's quite impressive."
Ha-rin slightly frowned. A flicker of irritation crossed her face. "What is?"
"Getting the Director's attention on your first day." Her tone wasn't complimentary. It was accusation wrapped neatly in politeness.
Ha-rin sighed softly. "You're overreacting." She muttered. "It wasn't like that."
Eun-seo's smile was brief. "Of course it wasn't." The sarcasm cleanly landed. But before Ha-rin could respond, a voice cut in.
"Miss Yoon." Both of them turned and Seo Do-hyun stood nearby. His usual gentle expression in place, polite and composed. But his eyes were completely focused on her.
"Could you come with me for a moment?"
Ha-rin hesitated briefly and then nodded. Just on a first day, she seemed to had commanded unnecessary attention. Which she wasn't so happy about. She just wanted a simple, quiet working life. That's all she had prayed for.
The walk to the smaller research room felt longer than it should have. They entered and the door closed behind them with a soft click. The room felt quieter than the main office. More private and controlled.
Ha-rin stood near the table. "You wanted to see me?" Do-hyun nodded.
"Yes." He stepped closer. Not too close but enough to feel intentional. "I heard you weren't feeling well earlier."
Ha-rin stiffened. "It was just dizziness."
"From the storage room?" He asked, his tone light. But the question wasn't. Ha-rin blinked.
"How did you"
"People talk," he said smoothly. His gaze instantly shifted to the pendant resting against her collarbone. "That necklace," he said softly. "You never take it off, do you?"
Ha-rin instinctively touched it. Her fingers curled around the crescent shape. She didn't know why she asked but answered anyway. "No"
"Why?" He asked with an intention she had no idea of. She hesitated.
"It belonged to my mother."
Do-hyun watched her carefully. "Only your mother?" The question felt strange. Ha-rin frowned.
"…Yes." Do-hyun watched her carefully, as if measuring the truth in her answer.
His eyes flickered and then he smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Do you believe in fate, Miss Yoon?" He sounded in a way which arose her curiosity, even though she had no idea why he was doing that.
Ha-rin frowned. "That's a random question."
"Is it?" He slightly stepped back, giving her space. But somehow, it didn't make the tension disappear "Let me ask differently." His voice lowered. "Do you believe a person can live more than one life?"
The air in the room felt suffocating, and her heartbeat quickened. "No." The answer came too quickly and instinctively. Do-hyun noticed.
"Interesting," he murmured. But before she could ask what he meant, a knock sounded at the door. Do-hyun opened it and there, Hyun-woo stood outside.
"Miss Yoon," he said politely. "Director Kang has reassigned your duties."
Ha-rin shook her head, disoriented. "Reassigned?"
"Yes." Hyun-woo nodded.
"But why?" She asked, confusion clear in his voice. But he went on without answering her question.
"You'll now be working directly under him." Her breath caught, and her eyes widened in shock. Silence rested on her like a shadow.
"What?" She exclaimed.
The city stretched endlessly below as the afternoon washed across. Kang Jae-min stood upstairs, drowning in his thoughts. Although his gaze rested on the laptop before him, yet his thoughts remained elsewhere. Far from work or logic.
For the first time in years, something felt out of his control. And he didn't like it. Even though there was more to it than met the eye. He didn't understand it. His fingers curled slightly at his side.
"…Arin." The name left his lips again. Quieter but heavier this time and somewhere deep within him, it felt like something long buried was beginning to wake.