Back home, Winter is trying to settle back into her routine, hoping for some peace after her recent adventures. However, the arrival of Karina Yoo, the beautiful VIP investor, stirs up unresolved emotions and echoes from her past. Karina's presence...
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This morning, I woke up to my mom kicking me awake. It had been three days already, and she wanted me to get ready to head back today to Seoul for work tomorrow. As much as I hated the way she woke me up, she made it up to me with a delicious breakfast that quickly made me forget my little mini tantrum.
After breakfast, I hurriedly packed my things and left early since I still had to stop by Kwangya Corp to gather some documents for me to check. I had mentioned it to Giselle, Chaewon, and Ningning, and they were excited that I was coming back a day earlier than expected.
An hour later, I was pulling up to Kwangya Corp. I parked my car in the garage, leaving my bag of clothes behind, and grabbed only my go-to work bag, filled with all the essentials for both work and myself. As I headed to the elevator, I felt a sense of familiarity wash over me. Once I reached the lobby, I checked in, where I was greeted by two guards I knew well. They both smiled warmly when they saw me.
"It's been a while, Ms. Kim," one of them said.
"Yes, it has," I replied, pulling my work ID from my bag. I scanned it, and they let me through with a nod. As I walked toward the elevator, the doors opened, and a stream of people came out. I slipped in as the elevator emptied, the space now all mine for the brief ride up.
As the elevator doors slid shut, I noticed a tall woman stepping in just before they closed. She was someone I didn't recognize, and the soft click of her heels echoed in the enclosed space. Our eyes met briefly—hers a deep, dark brown that seemed to hold a world of secrets. She offered a warm smile, and I found myself smiling back instinctively, bowing slightly out of respect.
"H-hi," she greeted, her voice gentle yet somewhat uncertain as she moved to stand beside me.I glanced at her briefly, sensing her presence with a mix of curiosity and unease. "Hello," I replied, keeping my tone polite but guarded.
"My name's Tiffany Young," she introduced herself, her voice a touch more confident now.
"O-oh," I stammered, feeling a bit thrown off by her sudden introduction. "Umm, my name is Winter Kim." A small shiver ran down my spine as I realized how random and unexpected this encounter felt.
An awkward silence settled over us, thick and uncomfortable, as the elevator continued its slow ascent. I could feel the seconds dragging on, the only sound being the faint hum of the elevator and the soft rustling of fabric as we both shifted slightly.
I decided to break the tension, forcing myself to speak. "A-are you new here?" I asked, my voice tentative as I tried to ease the awkwardness.
She turned to me with a smile, her expression brightening as if relieved by my attempt at conversation. "No... I just, umm, never show my face really."
