The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of a quiet house, carrying the familiar, sharp scent of antiseptic and herbal tea.

Han Ji-won woke up before her alarm even had the chance to ring. Her life didn't have room for a slow morning. In less than twenty minutes, she had her hair tied back into a practical ponytail, her press badge clipped to her waist, and a stack of notebook drafts tucked securely under her arm.

Stepping downstairs, the soft hum of the television greeted her. Her grandmother was sitting in her usual armchair, wrapped in a knitted shawl, while Nurse Min adjusted the IV drip beside her.

Ji-won’s sharp, professional gaze softened instantly. She walked over, kneeling beside her grandmother's chair, and gently took her frail hand.

"Did she sleep well last night?" Ji-won asked, her eyes moving to Nurse Min.

"Her blood pressure was a bit high around midnight, but it stabilized after her medication," Nurse Min replied with a reassuring smile.

Ji-won nodded, her expression turning serious. "Please monitor her intake closely today. If her oxygen saturation drops even a single percentage below normal, don't wait for me to answer—call the hospital immediately. I'll have my phone on vibrate, but text me every three hours."

"Don't worry, Ms. Han. Go do your job," Nurse Min said kindly.

Ji-won leaned in, kissing her grandmother's forehead. "I'll be back before dinner, Halmeoni (Grandma). Don't skip your lunch."

The crisp morning air hit Ji-won the moment she stepped outside. She grabbed her sleek, matte-black scooter helmet, snapping the buckle shut with a sharp click. Straddling her trusty scooter, she twisted the throttle and zipped into the chaotic morning traffic of Seoul.

Ten minutes later, she pulled up in front of a towering glass building. The bold, metallic letters on the facade read: Daily Truth Media.

It was one of the most ruthless newsrooms in the city. Ji-won took off her helmet, fixing her hair in the reflection of her scooter's rearview mirror. She stared up at the imposing building, her jaw tightening as she thought of her demanding, ungrateful Chief Editor.

She muttered to herself under her breath:

"If that old man dismisses my exclusive coverage again today... I’m throwing my resignation letter right at his face. I swear, I am leaving this company for good."

With a deep, determined breath, she gripped her bag and marched through the revolving glass doors, ready for war.

The moment Ji-won stepped onto the editorial floor, a stack of files was practically slapped into her chest.

"Ji-won, fact-check this before noon!"

"Ji-won, the senior reporter needs the transcripts for the politician's interview by eleven!"

"Ji-won, rewrite this headline, Chief Editor Kim says it lacks 'flavor'!"

For the next three hours, Ji-won was a machine. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, a cold cup of coffee long forgotten by her elbow. She didn’t even have time to breathe, let alone complain.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated violently against the desk. The caller ID flashed: Nurse Min.

Ji-won’s heart dropped. She snatched the phone and bolted to a quieter corner near the hallway. "Nurse Min? Is Halmeoni okay?"

"Ms. Han, don't panic, but your grandmother collapsed in the living room," Nurse Min’s voice came through, frantic but trying to remain professional. "Her oxygen levels plummeted, and she lost consciousness for a few seconds. We're in the ambulance right now, heading to Hankuk University Hospital. You need to come quickly."

The world felt like it tilted on its axis. "I-I’m on my way," Ji-won stammered, her hands trembling as she hung up.

She rushed back to her desk, grabbing her bag and her scooter helmet. But before she could even take a step toward the elevators, a heavy, shadow blocked her path. It was Chief Editor Kim, his arms crossed, his face twisted in annoyance.

"Where do you think you're going in the middle of a shift, Han Ji-won?" he demanded, his voice booming across the quiet newsroom.

"My grandmother just collapsed. She's being rushed to the hospital right now," Ji-won said, her voice tight, trying to push past him. "I need to go, urgently."

Every single staff member in the office stopped what they were doing. The typing ceased. All eyes locked onto them.

Chief Editor Kim let out a mocking, scoffing laugh. "Your grandmother? Do you think I’m an idiot? I’ve seen rookies like you use every excuse in the book to cut corners and avoid hard work. You stay right here and finish those edits, or don't bother coming back."

Something inside Ji-won snapped. The months of unpaid overtime, the disrespect, the absolute lack of basic human empathy it all boiled over.

"Yaaaaaaaaaa!" Ji-won roared, her voice echoing off the glass walls. "You miserable old man! Do you think I've worked here like a dog for a whole year just to stand here and listen to you accuse me of lying about my dying grandmother?! You better be joking right now!"

The entire office gasped. Several reporters covered their mouths in absolute shock. No one had ever spoken to Chief Editor Kim like that.

Kim’s face turned a violent shade of purple. He stepped into her space, losing his temper completely. "What did you just say? You crazy bitch"

Ji-won’s eyes flared with a dangerous, icy fire. "Say it again. Go on. Say it one more time, you absolute bastard."

She stepped closer, towering over his fragile ego. "I don’t have time for your pathetic tantrums. I'll send you my official resignation email from the hospital. As of this exact second, I quit."

Before he could scream at her, Ji-won snatched the massive stack of unfinished edits from her desk. With a sharp, aggressive flick of her wrists, she hurled the papers straight at his face.

A blizzard of white paper rained down on Chief Editor Kim’s head, sticking to his gelled hair and scattering all over the floor. While he was still sputtering in shock, Ji-won turned on her heel and marched out of the newsroom like a queen leaving a battlefield.

The drive to Hankuk University Hospital was a blur of tears and adrenaline. Ji-won practically sprinted through the sliding glass doors of the ER, scanning the crowd until she spotted Nurse Min sitting on a bench.

"Nurse Min!" Ji-won gasped for air, rushing over. "Is Halmeoni okay? What did the doctors say?"

"She's okay, Ms. Han. She's stabilized now and resting in a private room upstairs," Nurse Min reassured her, patting her arm. "They're just running some routine tests."

Ji-won let out a long, shaky breath, her knees almost giving out from relief. But as she looked down the hallway toward the private room, she noticed an elegant, middle-aged woman in a tailored designer suit and a tall, dignified older gentleman standing outside the door. They looked incredibly wealthy, completely out of place in a hospital hallway.

"Who are they?" Ji-won whispered, frowning. "Are they waiting for the doctor?"

"I don't know, ma'am," Nurse Min replied softly. "Before your grandmother lost consciousness in the ambulance, she woke up briefly, handed me her old address book, pointed at their names, and told me to call them immediately."

Confused, Ji-won walked toward her grandmother's room. Hearing her footsteps, the elegant woman turned around. The moment her eyes landed on Ji-won, her wealthy, stoic expression melted into pure warmth and emotion.

"Oh my goodness..." the lady gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She didn't hesitate for a second. She rushed forward and wrapped Ji-won in a tight, fragrant, motherly hug. "Look at you! My little girl has grown up so beautifully! You've gotten so big, Ji-won-ah!"

Ji-won froze, her arms hanging awkwardly at her sides. She had absolutely no idea who this woman was, or why she was hugging her like a long-lost daughter. Over the woman's shoulder, she saw the sophisticated older man giving her a warm, approving nod.

Completely bewildered, but too polite to push a crying woman away, Ji-won just stood there, letting herself be hugged, forcing an awkward, confused smile onto her face.

The elegant woman finally released Ji-won from the tight embrace, though she kept her hands gently resting on Ji-won’s shoulders, looking at her with eyes full of affection.

Out side the room

Kang Eun-sook smiled tenderly, guiding Ji-won toward a row of waiting chairs. "Let’s sit down, Ji-won-ah."

Ji-won sat, her helmet still clutched tightly in her lap. She was usually a sharp, quick-witted journalist who could read anyone, but right now, she was completely out of her depth. Who were these people? They dressed like royalty, yet they rushed to the ER for her grandmother.

"How have you been?" Eun-sook asked, her voice laced with deep regret as she looked at Ji-won's confused face. She let out a soft sigh. "It's completely natural that you don't recognize me. It has been ten long years since I last came to visit you and your grandmother. I am so deeply sorry, my daughter. We should have never stayed away for so long."

Ji-won blinked, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Ah... mmmm. It's okay. I'm... I'm doing fine. Really."

Eun-sook reached out, gently patting the back of Ji-won’s hand. Her eyes took in the faint dark circles under Ji-won's eyes the physical toll of her brutal morning at the newsroom.

"Look at you, you look so pale," Eun-sook said softly, her brow furrowing with genuine worry. "You must have been working yourself to the bone. You need to take care of yourself too, Ji-won-ah. Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Before Ji-won could ask the dozens of questions burning in her mind, Eun-sook gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry too much about your grandmother. She is a strong woman, and she will be absolutely alright. We are here now. You don't have to face this alone anymore."

Inside the quiet hospital room, through the small glass window on the door, Ji-won could see her grandmother resting in bed, talking in low, serious tones with Grandfather Jae-woo. It was clear that a deep, heavy secret connected their families one that was about to turn Ji-won's life completely upside down.

A few days had passed since the hospital scare. Halmeoni was back home, resting comfortably, but Ji-won’s mind was a chaotic battlefield.

Late at night, the glare of her laptop screen illuminated her room. She stared at the sleek homepage of the biggest broadcasting giant in South Korea: SBC News.

"If I can just get into SBC News, everything changes," Ji-won muttered, chewing on the cap of her pen. "They have the best investigative team in Seoul. But... will they even look at a resume from someone who threw papers at her last boss? Ughhhhh! What am I gonna do?!" She buried her face in her hands, letting out a frustrated groan.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound made Ji-won bolt upright. She rushed to the door, tearing it open to find Nurse Min. "Is everything alright? Did Halmeoni's oxygen drop again?!"

"No, no, Ms. Han, she’s perfectly fine," Nurse Min smiled reassuringly. "She just asked to speak with you."

Relieved, Ji-won hastily tied her hair into a messy bun and ran downstairs. Her grandmother was propped up against her pillows. Ji-won immediately knelt by the bedside, taking her frail hands. "Halmeoni, are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?"

The elderly woman smiled softly, a look of deep, quiet determination in her eyes. "Ji-won-ah... I want to talk to you about something important."

"Mmmm, tell me. I’m listening," Ji-won replied curiously.

"I want you to marry someone I know."

The words hung in the quiet room. Ji-won went completely speechless, her brain stalling. "Ma... how can I marry someone I don't even know? You know I can't do that. I'm not interested in marriage right now. I need to focus on my career."

"Then when are you going to marry? At thirty?" her grandmother countered gently but firmly. "You are twenty-eight now, Ji-won-ah. Listen to your old grandma just this once. Marry him. He is a truly wonderful person, and his family—"

"Halmeoni," Ji-won interrupted softly, squeezing her hand. "It's very late. Let’s talk about this tomorrow, okay? Don't stress your heart thinking about marriage right now."

Giving Nurse Min a subtle nod to watch over her, Ji-won quietly slipped out of the room, her mind heavier than before.

The next day, the sky was a heavy, bruised grey. Seeking comfort, Ji-won went to "A-One Foodie," a cozy restaurant where she was a regular.

"Hey, old man! How are you holding up?" Ji-won called out as she walked in.

The elderly owner wiped his hands on his apron, his face lighting up. "Ji-won-ah! It's been a while, huh?"

Ji-won offered a warm smile and took her usual corner seat. She pulled out her laptop, checking her email for any notification from SBC News, but the inbox was painfully quiet. Her grandmother's words from the night before kept looping in her head. Marry him...

As she sat alone, eating her meal, a loud, energetic group walked into the restaurant.

"Ohhhh! Today is Dr. Kim's party, we are going to have so much fun tonight!" one of them cheered.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to get completely wasted. Someone promise they'll handle my drunk self, hahahaha!" another laughed.

Ji-won kept her eyes on her screen, ignoring the medical staff's chatter.

"Wait, where are Dr. Kang and Dr. Park? Both of them aren't here yet," a woman in the group asked, looking toward the entrance.

Ji-won glanced out the window. It had started pouring—a sudden, violent summer downpour. Deciding it was time to move, she packed her laptop into her bag and walked up to the counter to pay.

"You're leaving already? Do you have an umbrella?" the old man asked worriedly.

"I have my raincoat under my scooter seat, don't worry, old man," Ji-won smiled. "By the way, is your granddaughter doing fine?"

"Of course she is! She was actually asking about you the other day. Make sure to visit her soon, okay?"

"I will," Ji-won promised.

But just as she turned to leave, the restaurant doors swung open, and two men stepped inside, dripping wet from the rain. One of them immediately caught the eye—tall, with a sharp, piercing gaze, carrying an aura of cold authority even while soaked.

"Ohhhhh! Dr. Kang! Dr. Park! Over here!" the group erupted into cheers.

Ji-won muttered under her breath, "Oh, they're doctors." She pushed past t

hem, stepping out into the stormy air to grab her scooter.

Suddenly, a horrific screech of tires tore through the sound of the rain, followed by a loud thud and a scream.

Ji-won's journalistic instincts kicked in instantly. She looked across the street. A car had braked sharply, and a young child was lying motionless on the wet asphalt.

"Oh my god!" Ji-won gasped. Dropping her helmet, she sprinted through the blinding rain toward the child. Kneeling in the water, she saw the boy was unconscious. Panick started to set in, but then her brain flashed back to the men who had just walked past her.

The doctors.

Leaving the child safely with a bystander for a split second, Ji-won charged back into the restaurant, dripping wet, her eyes wide. She ran straight up to the tall man with the sharp eyes.

"You guys are doctors, right?!" , her voice frantic over the sound of the thunder outside.

Dr. Kang looked up, his piercing eyes locking onto her soaked, trembling figure. He didn't waste a second on confusion. "What happened?"

"An accident—a child was hit by a car right outside! He's not moving!"

The atmosphere in the restaurant shifted instantly. Dr. Kang and Dr. Park bolted out the door, the rest of their team following close behind. One of the residents muttered under his breath, "Ugh, we can't even sit down on our day off..." but still ran out.

Outside, the rain was unforgiving. Ji-won watched from the sidewalk as Dr. Kang dropped to his knees in the puddles, completely unbothered by the mud or the water ruining his clothes. His hands were steady, his voice calm and commanding as he checked the child's pulse and stabilized his neck. He transformed from a tired diner into a hyper-focused lifesaver right before her eyes.

When the ambulance finally arrived and rushed the child away, the doctors stood in the rain, catching their breath.

Ji-won quietly slipped away, driving her scooter back home through the storm.

Later that night, after a hot bath, she lay on her bed in her coziest pajamas. The image of the tall doctor running into the storm without a single second of hesitation kept replaying in her mind. His sharp eyes, his calm authority under pressure.

She stared at the ceiling and muttered to herself with a small, admiring smile:

" those doctors really are awesome."

Every single day, Halmeoni brought up the topic of marriage. And every single day, Ji-won patiently dodged the conversation with a gentle smile, trying to laugh it off.

But one quiet night after dinner, the two of them sat out on the balcony. The night air was crisp, and a small plate of sliced apples sat on the table between them. Ji-won leaned back, watching her grandmother carefully chew a piece of fruit.

"Halmeoni," Ji-won started softly, her eyes searching the elderly woman's face. "Why are you suddenly bringing up marriage every single day? Did something happen that you aren't telling me?"

Her grandmother took a long, slow breath, looking out over the twinkling city lights. "It’s not sudden, Ji-won-ah. I’ve always wanted to see you settled. But the timing never felt right, and honestly... I don't know how many days, or even seconds, I have left in this world. It is my final wish to see you married. Why can't you understand that?"

Ji-won’s heart twinged with panic, but she forced a playful smile to mask her worry. "What are you talking about? God personally gave me a call and told me you're going to live a very, very long life. So stop talking like that." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "But seriously... who were those people who came to visit you at the hospital? You can tell me now."

Halmeoni let out a deep, nostalgic sigh. "Our connection runs deeper than you can imagine. It’s hard to even know where to begin."

"Tell me anyway," Ji-won urged, her journalist curiosity piqued. "I’m dying to know. Do they really know me?"

"That dignified older man you saw, Kang Jae-woo... he was the best friend of both of your grandfathers," Halmeoni explained, her eyes growing distant with memory. "Your maternal grandfather, Kim Byung-ho; your paternal grandfather, Han Ji-gang; and Kang Jae-woo. Those three were an inseparable trio since high school."

Ji-won listened intently, completely still.

"When I married into this family, your father was already four years old," Halmeoni continued, a soft smile gracing her lips. "By the time your mother was born into the Kim family, your father was seven. Despite the seven-year age gap, their fathers joked since they were teenagers that their children would marry. And they did."

"Wow..." Ji-won whispered.

"And that elegant woman who hugged you so tightly? That is Kang Eun-sook, your late mother’s absolute best friend since college. She came from a highly privileged family. At your parents' wedding, Grandfather Jae-woo saw how bright and kind Eun-sook was and decided right then and there that he wanted her as his daughter-in-law. That’s how the Kang family formally tied themselves to us.

Now, my husband is gone. Your parents are gone. But Kang Jae-woo is still here. He has two grandchildren—a granddaughter and a grandson. And he wants you to be his granddaughter-in-law. Ji-won-ah... this wasn't just his idea. Your own mother wanted this. Before she passed, she and Eun-sook made a promise that their children would find their way to each other. Your mother isn't here today, but her best friend still desperately wants to fulfill that promise and welcome you as her daughter."

Later that night, Ji-won sat at the edge of her bed, her head buried in her hands.

"Ughhhhhh!" she groaned out loud to her empty room. "This family tree is entirely too complicated! How can a friendship from the 1970s come back to haunt me like this?!"

She rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling. Her grandmother's parting words echoed heavily in her mind: 'It was your mother's wish, too.' Ji-won closed her eyes, a sharp ache hitting her chest at the thought of her mother.

Before her brain could overthink it any further, she stood up. She marched down the hallway and quietly opened her grandmother’s door. The elderly woman was just about to turn off her bedside lamp.

"Halmeoni," Ji-won said, stepping into the warm room.

Her grandmother looked up.

"I'll do it. I'm ready to meet them. Set up a date. It's just a dinner, right? It’s not a big deal to just sit down and talk."

A brilliant, radiant smile broke across her grandmother’s face, her eyes lighting up with pure excitement. Seeing her grandmother that happy made the heavy weight in Ji-won's chest feel a little lighter.

Two days later, the day of the meeting arrived.

Ji-won traded her usual casual reporter clothes for a sophisticated, formal dress. She spent an extra ten minutes taming her hair, letting it fall elegantly over her shoulders. She looked sharp, polished, and undeniably beautiful.

Opting to leave her scooter behind so she wouldn't ruin her dress, she booked a premium cab. The car drove out of her modest neighborhood, winding up into one of the most exclusive, gated districts in Seoul.

The cab pulled to a stop in front of a pair of massive, wrought-iron security gates. Beyond them stood a breathtaking, sprawling modern architectural marvel surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens. It looked less like a house and more like a high-end luxury museum.

Ji-won stepped out of the cab, smoothing down her dress. She stared up at the towering structure, her jaw dropping slightly.

She swallowed hard, muttering to herself:

"Okay... this place is ridiculously big."