Chasing Perfection || Lee Know

Ex marks the spot

Hyejin arrived at Lee Know's house with her usual defenses firmly in place: a sharp tongue, a straight back, and a carefully curated mask of indifference. But the moment she stepped into the kitchen, the tension from the previous night crackled in the air like static electricity.

Lee Know stood by the countertop, his sleeves rolled up, scrolling through something on his tablet. He didn't look up when she entered, but his voice cut through the silence.

"You're late."

She glanced at the clock. 8:02.

"Two minutes," she said, setting her bag down. "I didn't realize you were running a military operation."

He finally looked at her, one eyebrow arched. "You're lucky I'm in a forgiving mood today."

She rolled her eyes, pulling out ingredients from the fridge. "Lucky me."

For a while, they worked in silence. The clatter of pots and pans filled the room as Hyejin prepped breakfast. But it didn't last long.

"Are you planning to sulk all day, or is this your default mood now?" he asked, leaning casually against the island.

She didn't bother looking up. "Are you planning to micromanage all day, or is this your default personality?"

His lips quirked, a hint of a smile playing at the corners. "Touché."

But then his expression shifted, becoming more serious. "How are you feeling?"

Her hands froze mid-chop. She glanced at him, caught off guard by the softness in his tone. "Why do you care?"

"Because you work for me," he said simply, though his gaze held something unreadable. "If you're falling apart, it affects me too."

And just like that, the moment of vulnerability shattered.

"Of course," she said, resuming her chopping with a little too much force. "How could I forget? Everything's about you."

"You're exhausting, you know that?" he said, pushing off the counter and walking over to her.

She turned to glare at him. "And you're insufferable. Glad we're clear."

They locked eyes, the air between them heavy with unspoken tension. But before either could say another word, the doorbell rang.

Lee Know's sharp gaze flicked toward the door. "Stay here."

Curiosity burned in Hyejin's chest as she watched him stride toward the entrance. He opened the door, his tone low and clipped as he greeted whoever was on the other side.

But the visitor wasn't interested in subtlety.

A woman's voice, smooth and confident, drifted into the kitchen. "Minho, aren't you going to invite me in?"

Hyejin froze, her hands tightening around the knife she was holding. She couldn't see the woman, but the familiarity in her tone set her on edge.

Lee Know's reply was curt. "This isn't a good time-"

The woman cut him off with a laugh. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not here to ruin your... arrangement."

Hyejin's jaw clenched. Who the hell is this?

Before she could stop herself, her eyes landed on the tall, elegant figure standing in the doorway. The woman's sharp features were framed by perfectly styled hair, her outfit screaming designer.

The woman's gaze flicked to Hyejin, her smile widening. "Ah, you must be the new project."

Lee Know's expression darkened. "That's enough, Hana."

Hana. The name rang a bell, and not a pleasant one.

Hyejin crossed her arms, refusing to be intimidated. "And you must be the ex."

Hana's smile didn't waver, but something cold flashed in her eyes. "Sharp. I like that."

Lee Know stepped between them, his voice dangerously calm. "Hana, leave."

The woman chuckled, brushing past him and walking into the house like she owned the place. "Relax, Minho. I'm just here to talk."

Hyejin glanced at Lee Know, who looked like he was seconds away from throwing Hana out himself.

This is going to be interesting.

Hyejin stood in the kitchen, arms crossed, watching the intruder stride into the house like she belonged there. The air bristled with tension, and Lee Know's face was carved into an expression so cold it could've frozen the room solid.

"Hana," he repeated, his voice edged with steel, "leave."

But Hana didn't seem fazed. She turned slowly, a picture of elegance, and smiled at him as if he hadn't just kicked her out. "Always so dramatic, Minho. I told you, I'm not here to cause trouble."

"You're standing in my house," he shot back, "that's trouble enough."

Hyejin's eyes darted between them, the urge to grab popcorn bubbling up despite the awkwardness of the situation. Whoever this Hana was, she clearly knew how to push Lee Know's buttons—and enjoyed it.

"And who's this?" Hana turned her attention back to Hyejin, her gaze sweeping over her with a calculated air. "Your... assistant? New hobby? I can't keep up with your projects anymore."

Hyejin's jaw tightened, but she forced a smirk onto her face. "Private chef, actually. But it's sweet of you to guess."

Lee Know's sigh was audible. "Hana, leave her out of this."

"Oh, come on, Minho," Hana said, her voice laced with faux sweetness. "Don't be so serious. I'm just making conversation."

"Well, you can make it somewhere else," Hyejin cut in, her tone sharper now. "Unless your plan was to stand here and waste everyone's time."

The corner of Hana's mouth twitched, her amusement dimming for a brief moment. "Feisty. I see why you're keeping her around."

"Hana," Lee Know snapped, stepping closer. His tone left no room for argument. "Say what you came to say and leave. Now."

Hana's playful demeanor finally cracked, revealing something harder underneath. She turned her full attention to Lee Know, her voice dropping.

"I came to warn you," she said, her words deliberate. "Your new venture? It's raising a lot of eyebrows. People are talking, Minho, and not in a good way."

Lee Know's expression didn't shift, but Hyejin noticed the subtle way his hands clenched at his sides. "I don't care what people are saying. It's none of your concern."

"It is when they're speculating about your... distractions." Hana's eyes flicked to Hyejin pointedly.

Hyejin felt the heat rise to her face but refused to look away. "I'm standing right here, you know. If you've got something to say, say it to me."

Hana raised an eyebrow. "Bold. I'll give you that." She turned back to Lee Know, her smile returning, though it was colder now. "I've said my piece. Just remember, Minho, not everyone's as forgiving as me."

"Forgiving?" Hyejin blurted, unable to stop herself. "You've been here five minutes, and I already need an aspirin."

Lee Know let out a quiet snort, quickly masking it with a cough. Hana, however, shot Hyejin a glare that could've cut glass.

"You should teach her some manners," she said icily, before turning on her heel and walking out the door.

The silence that followed Hana's exit was deafening.

"What the hell was that about?" Hyejin finally asked, breaking the tension.

Lee Know pinched the bridge of his nose, looking more irritated than she'd ever seen him. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Oh, really?" She gestured toward the door. "Because that didn't feel like nothing."

He gave her a warning look. "Hyejin, drop it."

But she wasn't having it. "Drop it? Minho, that woman walked in here like she owns the place, practically called me 'your distraction', and you want me to act like it didn't happen?"

His eyes narrowed. "I didn't ask for her to come here."

"And yet she knew exactly where to find you."

Lee Know's jaw ticked, and for a moment, it looked like he was going to snap. But then he surprised her by exhaling and leaning against the countertop, his shoulders dropping slightly.

"Hana and I have history," he admitted, his tone curt.

"Yeah, No kidding," Hyejin said dryly.

"It's over. It's been over for years."

"Clearly, she didn't get the memo."

He shot her a sharp look, but she didn't back down.

"She's just stirring the pot," he said, brushing off her concerns. "She likes drama, and she thought she could get a reaction."

"Well, congratulations," Hyejin said, crossing her arms. "She got one. From both of us."

Lee Know sighed again, looking more tired than annoyed now. "Are you done?"

"Not even close," she replied, leaning toward him slightly. "If she's going to keep waltzing in here uninvited, I think I deserve a heads-up."

"You're overthinking this."

"And you're underthinking it!"

The sharpness of her tone startled both of them into silence.

Hyejin straightened, forcing herself to calm down. "Look, I don't care about your drama. But if it's going to spill into my life, I think I have a right to know. That's all I'm saying."

Lee Know studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded.

"Fine," he said. "If it happens again, I'll tell you. Happy?"

She shrugged, trying to hide her surprise. "Satisfied."

He smirked faintly. "Good. Now, are you done interrogating me, or should I start charging for my time?"

Hyejin rolled her eyes, turning back to the stove. "Trust me, you're not worth the hourly rate."

As Hyejin worked, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Hana's visit wasn't as harmless as Lee Know wanted her to believe. And as much as she hated to admit it, the whole encounter left her with more questions than answers.

Questions she wasn't sure she wanted to ask.