Isla hadn't been able to get a decent night's sleep in weeks. Every time she closed her eyes, images of Jin Woo intruded, mingling with the pressure of the project they were both working on. It wasn't just the deadlines, the constant meetings, or even the competitive fire between them that kept her awake—it was the feeling that something deeper was unfolding.
She couldn't let that happen.
Walking into the office the next morning, Isla tried to focus on the tasks at hand. She was determined to keep her mind off Jin Woo. She wasn't about to let herself get distracted. They were competitors, adversaries, and that's how it needed to stay.
But as soon as she walked through the door, the first thing she saw was him—sitting in a meeting room with his team, the sunlight filtering through the windows and catching on his sharp features. His eyes met hers briefly, and in that moment, she felt an unspoken tension. Something had changed between them, and they both knew it.
Shaking her head, she made her way to her desk, determined to push it all aside. She wasn't going to let him affect her like this. Not today.
---
Later that afternoon, Isla found herself once again sitting across from Jin Woo. They were in the midst of another meeting, reviewing the project's progress. The rest of their teams were talking, but Isla could barely focus. Every time Jin Woo spoke, she felt her resolve faltering.
It was becoming harder to see him as just a rival. The more time they spent together, the more she noticed things she shouldn't. Like how his voice lowered when he spoke to her directly, or how his eyes softened when they disagreed—like he found the arguments just as thrilling as she did.
Halfway through the meeting, Jin Woo slid a set of documents across the table toward her, his fingers brushing against hers for the briefest second. The touch sent an electric jolt through her, and she quickly pulled her hand back, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Isla," he said, his tone quieter than usual, "we need to talk."
Her pulse quickened at the seriousness in his voice. "We're talking now, aren't we?" she replied, her attempt at a casual tone failing.
"No," he said, his eyes locking onto hers. "Not about the project. About this."
She swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. "There is no 'this,' Jin Woo. We're just working together."
Jin Woo leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so the rest of the room couldn't hear. "Is that what you really think? Because I don't buy it."
Her breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?"
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "You know what I mean. The way we keep circling each other. The way we're… distracted."
Isla's heart was racing now. She could feel the walls she'd built around herself crumbling, brick by brick. She had spent so much time convincing herself that Jin Woo was just another rival, another obstacle to overcome. But in this moment, she couldn't deny that there was something more.
She wanted to say something, to deny it, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she found herself staring at him, searching for some clue as to what he was thinking.
Before she could respond, one of Jin Woo's team members called for his attention, snapping the tension between them. Jin Woo sat back, his expression unreadable as he turned his attention back to the discussion. But Isla couldn't shake the feeling that something between them had just shifted.
---
That evening, Isla found herself standing on the rooftop of her building, the cool night air doing little to calm her racing thoughts. She had been replaying the conversation with Jin Woo over and over in her head, trying to make sense of it. Why did he have to bring it up? Why couldn't they just keep pretending that their rivalry was the only thing between them?
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Jin Woo walking toward her, his expression unreadable. Her heart skipped a beat as he approached, stopping just a few feet away from her.
"I knew I'd find you up here," he said softly, his eyes searching hers.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice steadier than she felt.
"We didn't finish our conversation earlier," he said, taking a step closer.
Isla turned away, staring out at the city skyline. "There's nothing to finish. We're rivals, Jin Woo. That's how it's always been."
Jin Woo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Isla, I think we both know that's not the whole truth anymore."
She clenched her fists, trying to keep her emotions in check. "It has to be. You and I… we're not supposed to be anything more than that."
"And why not?" he asked, his voice gentle but insistent.
"Because we're different," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because if we let this happen… everything will get complicated. Too complicated."
He was silent for a long moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft. "Maybe that's just an excuse."
Isla felt her chest tighten. She knew he was right. Maybe she had been hiding behind their rivalry, using it as an excuse to keep her distance. But now, with him standing in front of her, all of her carefully constructed defenses felt flimsy and weak.
"Isla," Jin Woo said, stepping even closer, "you don't have to keep fighting this. You don't have to keep pretending."
She turned to face him, her eyes searching his. "What if I'm not pretending? What if this is just… another part of the game?"
Jin Woo shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "It's not a game. Not anymore."
For a moment, Isla considered walking away, ending the conversation and going back to the way things were. But as she looked at Jin Woo, she realized she couldn't. There was no going back now. Not when everything between them had already changed.