In Seoul, a posh neighborhood, they guarded privacy just like the President's Blue House, attracting folks from the showbiz world.
The night was getting late, and even for those Koreans without the sleep need, it was time to retire.
Yet, in one house, the lights blazed on.
The ambiance suggested that bedtime was far off for anyone inside.
On the sofa sat Kim Minji, still donning her workday white shirt.
Her tie was loosened, hanging askew, and a few buttons were undone.
Absently, she stirred the now-cold jjajangmyeon, lost in her thoughts.
On the TV screen, an American news channel showed a wild highway chase. A suspect was racing away from the police in an SUV at breakneck speed. The station even had a helicopter on the scene for live coverage.
It looked like a scene from a gripping Hollywood flick, but Kim Minji couldn't fully engage in the excitement.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Another person sat on the sofa, who had been at Kim Minji's house for two hours without saying a word.
Kim Minji sighed internally and decided to repeat what she said two hours ago.
"Miss Kang Haerin, what do you want?"
After work, Haerin learned about the meeting thing.
It turned out that Nexus Consulting and CEO Park had already formed a collaboration deal and were presently evaluating various aspects of the company's business.
As the only female group in the company, NewJeans held significant commercial value.
For planning ahead, CEO Park and Nexus Consulting had arranged separate talks with each member.
Hanni had her talk yesterday.
"It's nothing but fun!" Hanni said.
During the meeting, they talked about her activities since the debut.
By the time they wrapped up, it was already getting late. So, they all decided to go together to a barbecue restaurant for a meal.
Kim Minji and Hanni naturally sat together as they were all girls and around the same age.
Not too long after the dinner began, the men from Nexus Consulting took turns toasting with Hanni.
"Hanni has a schedule tomorrow, so she can't drink." That's something Director Lee was about to say, but Kim Minji said out first.
As the youngest member in Nexus Consulting, Kim Minji sounded like she didn't give a second thought to the Korean tradition of respecting seniority.
Surprisingly the men didn't object to her remark at all and accepted naturally instead.
"It's all because of her brother," the manager explained. "CEO Park hired Nexus Consulting for the sake of Kim Minjae."
Kim Minjae, aka Ryan Kim, is Kim Minji's older brother, aged thirty-three.
He earned his degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and landed a job as a corporate M&A advisor at J.P. Morgan.
With exceptional skills and talent, he quickly climbed the corporate ladder. Three years later, he had become the vice president.
Nexus Consulting, owned by a prominent shareholder of J.P. Morgan, was keen on hiring Kim Minjae.
Although his position at NC might not have a lofty title, he wielded far more influence there than he did at J.P. Morgan.
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Small Worlds
RomanceI wanna write a story to give off a vibe. Two women, metropolis, romance. This story is about Kim Minji, an elite working in a consulting firm, and Kang Haerin, a popular Kpop group idol.
