Roses and Thorns (Jinlia)

𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘀

Epilogue
𝖤𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖸𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖫𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗋

Jisu’s heart raced as she scrambled to choose an outfit for her 10:00 AM client meeting. Her mind raced in tandem, overwhelmed by the realization that it was already 9:15 AM and she had overslept.

While the flood of potential clients at the firm was undoubtedly a good thing, the stress it brought along with it was anything but. When they suggested that some clients might consider seeking services elsewhere, the responses had been swift and resoluteㅡeach one rejecting the idea without hesitation. They wanted their projects handled exclusively by her firm, even if it meant enduring an extended waiting period.

“Eonni, have you finished getting ready? We’re really running out of time,” Chaeryeong called through the door, her voice tinged with impatience.

“Hang on, I’ll be down in a minute!” Jisu shouted back, hastily grabbing a red off-shoulder dress that ended just above the knee and slipped into a pair of black ankle-strap pumps.

──⇌••⇋──

Chaeryeong’s Ferrari zipped along the highway, the hum of the engine the only sound in the car. The silence was heavy, unnervingly so, and Jisu couldn’t help but notice it.

“Ryeong, is something on your mind?” she asked, her voice soft yet probing.

Chaeryeong glanced at her briefly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “No, nothing at all. Why do you ask?”

“You’re unusually quiet.”

“Don’t read too much into it, eonni,” Chaeryeong replied, her tone clipped, but there was something about it that didn’t sit right with Jisu.

──⇌••⇋──

“Good morning, Miss Choi. The client arrived a few minutes ago and is waiting in the meeting room,” Anoia, her personal assistant, informed her as she walked briskly past.

“Thanks,” Jisu replied absently, moving swiftly toward the private elevator. She pressed the button for the fourth floor and didn’t look back as Chaeryeong lingered behind.

──⇌••⇋──

As the elevator doors opened, the client looked up from his seat, a smile tugging at his lips. Jisu returned the gesture with a stiff nod, her posture tense, her movements calculated.

Years of working with him had made Jisu’s robotic mannerisms second nature, though the client never seemed to mind.

“We’ll begin shortly. My partner is still downstairs,” Jisu said, her voice all business, her gaze never leaving the client.

“Which one, the engineer or the architect?” The client’s voice carried a playful edge, an attempt at lightening the mood.

Jisu allowed herself a dry smile, but it faded quickly. “You really are insufferable,” she muttered under her breath, though the client didn’t seem to mind.

Before he could respond, the door swung open again, and Chaeryeong entered, her presence commanding the room. “Sorry for the delay. I had to check on something,” she said, offering no further explanation.