The room was still spinning from Madam's declaration.
Two marriages.
One sentence.
Like she'd just scheduled lunch.
And right in the middle of it—
Ji-Ah stood up.
Too quickly.
Too brightly.
"Well!" she clapped her hands once, the sound just a little too sharp. "This is great. Amazing, actually. Everything is… settled."
Her smile stretched.
Not quite reaching her eyes.
"Boss is getting married, everyone is getting married, wow, efficiency at its peak. I love it. Truly."
She nodded like she was convincing herself.
"Very happy. So happy."
Across from her—
Ha-Joon watched quietly.
Not interrupting.
Not reacting.
But not looking away either.
Madam Kim, however, moved on like none of that mattered.
"The marriage will be held in two days."
Silence.
Then—
"What?!"
Ji-Ah almost choked on her own breath.
Min-Hyuk blinked hard.
Seo-Yeon just stared.
Even Nikki looked up like, that seems fast.
Arisoo didn't laugh this time.
She smiled—
but it didn't stay.
Her gaze shifted.
From Ha-Joon—
to Ji-Ah.
Back to Ha-Joon.
Something in her expression softened.
Then tightened.
"Mother," she said carefully, "isn't this… a little rushed?"
Madam Kim turned her head slightly.
"No."
Simple.
Final.
Then her gaze moved—
landing on Min-Ji.
Min-Ji sat perfectly composed.
"Tell me about your background."
Another test.
But this one—
deeper.
Min-Ji didn't hesitate.
She spoke smoothly.
Confidently.
Family.
Upbringing.
Education.
Connections.
Everything placed neatly, like pieces of a puzzle that fit too well.
Too clean.
Too… perfect.
Ji-Ah's smile slowly faded.
Her brows pulled together.
Wait…
That wasn't—
That wasn't what she said before.
Not even close.
Min-Ji finished with a small nod.
Madam Kim watched her for a moment.
Then—
nodded back.
"Good."
A pause.
"You'll bring your parents tomorrow."
Min-Ji didn't flinch.
"Of course."
Just like that.
Ji-Ah's confusion sharpened.
Parents?
Her head turned slowly toward Min-Ji.
She told me she doesn't have any…
Now the room felt different.
Like something invisible had just slipped under the door.
Ji-Ah stood again.
Slower this time.
"…Min-Ji."
Her voice was lighter.
But her eyes weren't.
"Can I talk to you?"
Min-Ji met her gaze.
And for the first time—
there was the smallest pause.
Then she smiled.
"Of course."
She stood gracefully.
Followed Ji-Ah without question.
Behind them—
the room stayed quiet.
Arisoo watched them go, her expression thoughtful.
Ha-Joon's gaze lingered a second longer—
then dropped.
And as the door closed softly behind the two girls—
it didn't feel like a simple conversation.
It felt like something was about to unravel.
Thread by thread.
Outside the living room felt… different.
Quieter.
Like the house itself was holding its breath.
Ji-Ah stood there, arms crossed—then uncrossed—then crossed again.
She hated this.
Confrontation?
Not her thing.
Not even a little.
She preferred chaos.
Loud opinions.
Running her mouth and escaping before consequences caught up.
But this?
This required… control.
And she had about 3% of that available.
Behind her, the door clicked shut.
Min-Ji stood calmly, hands folded lightly in front of her.
Waiting.
Patient.
Which somehow made it worse.
Ji-Ah turned.
Opened her mouth—
Closed it.
Then tried again.
"…So."
Pause.
"…You wanna explain… whatever that was?"
Brilliant.
Truly.
10/10 confrontation skills.
Min-Ji tilted her head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Ji-Ah blinked.
Then gestured wildly.
"Your life story?? That story?? Because that is NOT the story you told me before. Like—not even distant cousins."
Min-Ji didn't even look guilty.
Didn't look nervous.
If anything—
she looked amused.
"I adjusted it," she said simply.
Ji-Ah stared.
"…You what."
"I saw the status of this family," Min-Ji continued calmly. "So I changed it."
Like she was talking about changing outfits.
Not her entire identity.
Ji-Ah let out a small, disbelieving laugh.
"You changed it?? That's not—this isn't a resume you edit, Min-Ji, that's your LIFE—"
"It worked."
That stopped her.
Just for a second.
Min-Ji's lips curved slightly.
Not a full smile.
Something sharper.
Ji-Ah squinted at her.
"…Okay, but how are you going to bring parents tomorrow?" she asked, voice dropping. "You literally told me you don't have any."
A beat.
A small one.
Min-Ji looked at her.
And then—
she smirked.
Not warm.
Not soft.
Something colder.
"I'll handle it."
That was it.
No explanation.
No hesitation.
She turned—
just like that—
and walked back toward the living room.
Ji-Ah stood there.
Frozen.
"…Handle it?" she repeated under her breath. "What does that even mean??"
The door opened.
Min-Ji stepped back inside like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn't just rewritten reality in the hallway.
Her posture shifted seamlessly.
Soft.
Polite.
Perfect again.
She bowed slightly.
"It was nice meeting you all," she said warmly.
"To Madam, to everyone… thank you for your time."
Madam Kim nodded in approval.
Arisoo watched closely.
Min-Hyuk raised a brow.
Seo-Yeon's eyes narrowed just a fraction.
And Ha-Joon—
said nothing.
Just observed.
Min-Ji straightened, offering one last composed smile—
then turned to leave.
Elegant.
Untouched.
Like the hallway version of her never existed.
A few seconds later—
Ji-Ah walked back in.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Her face?
Confused.
Deeply.
Profoundly.
She looked at Min-Ji's retreating figure—
then at the room—
then back again.
"…Is that the same girl?" she muttered.
---
The office lights hummed softly, casting a pale glow over the desk where files were stacked like quiet witnesses.
Ji-Ah wasn't sitting.
She was pacing.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Like her thoughts had grown legs and refused to stay still.
"Sit down," came a calm voice.
Seo-Jun didn't even look up at first, flipping a page in the document he was reviewing.
"You're making the floor nervous."
Ji-Ah stopped.
Glared.
"I am nervous."
"Clearly."
She marched over and dropped into the chair across from him, leaning forward like she was about to interrogate a criminal.
"Read this."
She shoved her phone toward him.
Seo-Jun took it without complaint.
On the screen—
Min-Ji's original story.
Simple.
Quiet.
No parents.
No big background.
No polished edges.
Just… her.
Seo-Jun scanned it once.
Then again.
A slight crease formed between his brows.
"…And?" he asked.
Ji-Ah leaned in closer.
"Now listen to what she told Madam."
And she repeated it.
Every detail.
Every polished sentence.
Every perfectly placed lie.
A different life.
A different girl.
When she finished—
Silence.
Seo-Jun leaned back slightly, tapping the phone against the desk once.
Then again.
"…That's not a small adjustment," he said finally.
Ji-Ah threw her hands up.
"THANK YOU."
"That's a full identity switch."
"Exactly!"
She stood again, pacing resumed.
"She just—changed it. Like it's normal. Like people do that every day. 'Oh, your family is rich? Cool, mine is too now.' WHAT??"
Seo-Jun watched her for a moment.
Calm.
Thinking.
"Why would she do it?" he asked.
Ji-Ah stopped mid-step.
Turned.
"Because she wants to fit," she said immediately. "She said it herself. She saw the family and changed the story."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"But that's not normal."
Seo-Jun nodded slightly.
"No. It's not."
He looked back at the phone.
Eyes narrowing just a fraction.
"She was too composed," he added. "No hesitation. No fear of being caught."
Ji-Ah crossed her arms again.
"That's what's freaking me out."
Silence stretched between them.
Not empty.
Heavy.
"So," Seo-Jun said slowly, "two possibilities."
Ji-Ah raised a brow.
"Go on, detective."
"One," he held up a finger, "she's desperate. Trying to secure a position here no matter what."
"Hmm."
"Two," another finger, "she's not who she says she is. At all."
That one landed differently.
Ji-Ah didn't joke this time.
"…Yeah."
A beat.
"She looked different," Ji-Ah added quietly. "Outside. In the hallway. Like… not the same person."
Seo-Jun's gaze lifted to hers.
Sharp now.
That mattered.
A lot.
The room went still again.
Then—
Ji-Ah leaned forward, placing both hands on his desk.
Decision made.
"I need you to find out who she really is."
No jokes.
No exaggeration.
Just serious.
Seo-Jun held her gaze for a second.
Then nodded once.
"Alright."
He picked up his phone.
Already moving.
"I'll look into her background. Real one this time."
Ji-Ah exhaled.
Finally.
"Good."
She turned to leave—
then paused at the door.
"…And Seo-Jun?"
He glanced up.
"Be fast."
A small beat.
"Before the wedding in two days becomes a disaster."
Seo-Jun gave a faint, knowing look.
"Too late for that."
Ji-Ah huffed under her breath—
but didn't disagree.
And as she walked out—
the feeling lingered.
Like they weren't chasing a lie.
They were chasing something much bigger