Seol-A's heart pounded as she entered her apartment, the unsettling feeling of being watched still clinging to her. She tried to shake it off, attributing it to the stress of the evening, but the shadowy figure haunted her thoughts.
The next morning was spent in a blur of routine tasks, but the eerie encounter lingered in her mind. She decided to call her best friend, Min-Ji, to unload some of her anxiety.
"Hey, Min-Ji," Seol-A said as soon as Min-Ji picked up. "You won't believe what happened last night."
After explaining the gala and the strange figure she had seen, Min-Ji's concern was evident. "That sounds really creepy, Seol-A. Are you sure it wasn't just your nerves playing tricks on you?"
"I don't think so," Seol-A replied, her voice tinged with worry. "It felt too real. And with everything going on, I can't afford to be paranoid."
"Just be careful," Min-Ji advised. "And keep me updated. Maybe there's something we can figure out together."
With a sense of resolve, Seol-A hung up and tried to focus on her work. Later that day, she had another meeting with Hyeon-Woo, this time to discuss the upcoming schedule and next steps. As she walked into his office, she found him reviewing documents with a frown.
"Morning, Seol-A," he said, not looking up. "I hope you're settling in well."
"I'm getting there," she replied, taking a seat across from him. "But I wanted to talk about last night. I saw someone watching me as I was leaving the gala."
Hyeon-Woo looked up, his expression changing from casual to serious. "Watching you? Describe what you saw."
Seol-A detailed the figure and the feeling of unease that followed. Hyeon-Woo's gaze grew thoughtful, but he masked his concern with a professional demeanor. "I'll have our security team look into it. For now, focus on your role. We need to keep up appearances."
Seol-A nodded, though she wasn't entirely reassured. The conversation was cut short as Hyeon-Woo's phone buzzed. He glanced at it and then dismissed it with a sigh. "We have a meeting with the board later. I'll need you there."
The board meeting was a formal affair, and Seol-A found herself on the periphery, observing the high-stakes negotiations and discussions. Hyeon-Woo moved through the meeting with ease, his charisma and authority evident. Seol-A noticed how different he was in these settings—confident, composed, and completely in control.
After the meeting, as they left the boardroom, Hyeon-Woo seemed distracted. He glanced at Seol-A, his earlier distance now mixed with an unspoken tension. "I need to make a quick stop at the office. Join me?"
Seol-A agreed, her curiosity piqued. They walked to a private area of the building, where Hyeon-Woo unlocked a door and led her inside. The room was filled with files and documents, a stark contrast to the sleek, polished offices elsewhere in the building.
Hyeon-Woo sifted through some papers, his back turned to Seol-A. "This is where I keep the more sensitive information," he explained. "I need to make sure everything is in order. Sometimes it's not just about appearances but also about being prepared for any eventuality."
Seol-A watched him work, the weight of their situation pressing down on her. The shadowy figure from the previous night was a nagging concern, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was connected to the complexities of Hyeon-Woo's world.
As Hyeon-Woo finished organizing the papers, he turned to her with a more relaxed demeanor. "We should be ready for the upcoming events. Our next public appearance is crucial."
Seol-A nodded, trying to mask her unease. "Understood. I'll be prepared."
Leaving the office, she felt a mix of apprehension and resolve. The lines between her role and reality were becoming increasingly blurred, and the sense of being watched only added to her growing unease.
As she stepped outside, her phone buzzed with another message from Min-Ji: "Any updates? You sound stressed."
Seol-A typed back: "Still figuring things out. I'll explain more soon."
She looked around, half-expecting to see the shadowy figure from last night. Though there was no sign of anyone watching, the feeling of being followed remained.
With a deep breath, Seol-A steeled herself for the challenges ahead, knowing that the true test of her role was yet to come.