Chapter 1: The Day Everything Changed

I should have known today would be a disaster when I woke up to my alarm blaring at six in the morning instead of seven. I'd set it wrong. Again.

"Hana, you're going to be late!" Soyeon's voice pierced through my bedroom door, followed by aggressive knocking that made my whole body jolt awake.

I scrambled out of bed, my feet tangling in the blanket until I nearly face-planted on the floor. Nearly. I caught myself on the edge of my nightstand, sending my phone clattering to the ground. The screen protector cracked. Of course it did.

"I'm up! I'm up!" I shouted back, grabbing the first clothes I could find in my closet.

Twenty minutes later, I was running through the streets of Hongdae with my hair barely brushed and my shirt probably on backwards. The interview was in Gangnam, which meant I needed to catch the subway in exactly three minutes or I'd be late. And being late to a job interview at one of Seoul's most prestigious architecture firms was not an option.

Not when I'd already been rejected from twelve other companies this month.

My worn sneakers slapped against the pavement as I dodged between early morning commuters and street vendors setting up their stalls. The autumn air bit at my cheeks, but sweat was already forming on my forehead. I could see the subway entrance ahead, just past the corner coffee shop that always smelled like heaven.

I was going to make it. I was actually going to make it.

That's when I saw him.

He was standing outside the coffee shop, looking down at his phone with an expression that could freeze fire. Tall, probably over six feet, wearing a black suit that looked like it cost more than my entire year's rent. His hair was perfectly styled, dark and sleek, and even from a distance, I could tell he was the kind of person who never ran late, never tripped, never had coffee stains on their clothes.

The kind of person I'd never be.

I should have been watching where I was going. I really should have. But my bag strap chose that exact moment to slip off my shoulder, and when I reached back to catch it, my foot caught on an uneven piece of sidewalk.

Time slowed down in that horrible way it does when you know something terrible is about to happen and you can't stop it.

I stumbled forward, arms flailing like a baby bird trying to fly. My portfolio folder went flying, papers scattering into the morning breeze. And I crashed directly into the man in the expensive suit.

We collided with enough force that he actually stumbled back a step. His phone clattered to the ground. His coffee oh god, his coffee splashed across both of us, the hot liquid seeping through my shirt and probably ruining his suit jacket.

For a moment, neither of us moved. I was pressed against his chest, my hands somehow gripping his jacket lapels, my face approximately two inches from his very expensive-looking tie. I could smell his cologne, something sophisticated and woody that probably had a French name I couldn't pronounce.

"I'm so sorry!" The words tumbled out of my mouth in a panic. I pushed myself back, nearly tripping again in the process. "I'm so, so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, and my bag, and I'm late, and..."

I finally looked up at his face.

Cold. That was the first word that came to mind. His features were sharp and handsome in a way that belonged on magazine covers, but his dark eyes held absolutely no warmth. His jaw was clenched tight, and a muscle twitched near his temple as he looked down at the coffee stain spreading across his pristine white shirt.

"Do you make a habit of assaulting people on the street?" His voice was deep and measured, each word precisely articulated.

"I didn't assault you! I fell!" My voice came out higher than intended. "And I said I'm sorry!"

He bent down to pick up his phone, checking it for damage with the kind of care someone might use with a newborn baby. Then his eyes landed on my scattered papers, now decorating the sidewalk in a chaotic mess of design sketches and resume copies.

"You should be more careful," he said, his tone suggesting he'd already dismissed me from his thoughts entirely.

Something about his attitude made my embarrassment shift into irritation. Yes, I'd crashed into him. Yes, I'd ruined his coffee and his suit. But I'd apologized. Multiple times. And he was looking at me like I was some kind of pest that had inconvenienced his perfect morning.

"You should be less judgmental," I shot back before I could stop myself. "Accidents happen."

His eyebrows rose slightly, the first sign of any emotion other than cold disdain. "Accidents happen to people who don't pay attention."

"I was paying attention! The sidewalk is uneven!"

"The sidewalk has been uneven for three years. Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with your surroundings."

I stared at him, mouth slightly open. Who talked like that? Who was this uptight, condescending, ridiculously handsome jerk?

My phone buzzed in my pocket. The time flashed across the screen, and my heart dropped into my stomach.

The interview. I had fifteen minutes to get to Gangnam.

"I have to go," I muttered, dropping to my knees to gather my papers as quickly as possible. Some had coffee stains on them now. Perfect. Just perfect.

To my surprise, the man crouched down and started helping me collect the scattered sheets. His movements were efficient and precise, organizing them into a neat stack even as he handed them back to me.

Our fingers brushed as he passed me the last paper, and I felt an unexpected jolt of electricity run up my arm.

"Your portfolio," he said, his tone slightly less arctic. "Interior design?"

"Yes." I clutched the papers to my chest, trying to shield them from any further disaster. "I have an interview. Which I'm now definitely going to be late for, so thank you for that."

I didn't wait for his response. I couldn't. I shoved the papers back into my folder, grabbed my bag, and took off running toward the subway entrance.

Behind me, I thought I heard him say something, but I didn't stop to listen. I had exactly thirteen minutes to get across Seoul and somehow make a good impression while covered in coffee and looking like I'd just survived a hurricane.

As I disappeared down the subway steps, I glanced back one more time.

The man was still standing there, watching me go with an expression I couldn't quite read.

I shook my head and kept running. I'd never see him again anyway. At least, that's what I thought.

End of Chapter 1

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