Chapter 1: The Red Envelope Disaster

The scent of overpriced roses and synthetic chocolate was enough to make Han Se-jun’s eye twitch. It was February 14th —the most illogical day of the year.

"Se-jun! Watch out!"

Before he could turn, a blur of pink and white collided with his chest. He staggered back, his expensive black coffee painting a dark, steaming streak down his crisp white shirt.

"Oh no! No, no, no... your shirt! I’m so sorry!"

Se-jun looked down. Standing there was Min Ah-ri, the girl from the design department who seemed to exist solely to disrupt his peace. She was currently clutching a stack of crimson envelopes and looking at him with wide, watery eyes.

"Do you have any idea how much this shirt costs, Min Ah-ri?" Se-jun’s voice was like ice.

"I’ll pay for the dry cleaning! Or I’ll buy you a new one! Just... don't look at me like I just killed your cat," Ah-ri stammered, frantically dabbing at his chest with a flimsy paper napkin.

"Stop. You’re making it worse," he said, catching her wrist. The air between them suddenly felt a few degrees warmer. "What are you even doing, running through the lobby like a headless chicken?"

Ah-ri bit her lip, her face flushing a shade of red that matched her envelopes. "I’m the 'Valentine’s Cupid' for the office fundraiser. I have to deliver these 'Secret Confession' letters by 9:00 AM or the whole event is ruined!"

Se-jun glanced at the letters. "You’re wasting your time on fairy tales. Love is just a chemical reaction triggered by social pressure and clever marketing."

Ah-ri pulled her hand back, her eyes sparking with sudden annoyance. "You’re such a robot, Se-jun. Just because you have a heart made of silicon

doesn't mean the rest of us have to be miserable."

"I’m not miserable. I’m efficient."

"You’re lonely!" she shot back. "I bet you’ve never even received a Valentine that wasn't from your mother."

A crowd of interns began to linger, whispering. Se-jun leaned in closer, his shadow looming over her. "Is that a challenge, Ah-ri?"

"Maybe it is," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I bet if someone actually tried to be nice to you, you wouldn't even know how to react."

"Fine," Se-jun said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Since you've ruined my morning and my shirt, you owe me. You're the 'Cupid,' right? Fix this."

"Fix... the shirt?"

"No," he smirked, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Fix my 'loneliness.' If you’re so sure that love is real, prove it to me by the end of the day. If you can’t make me feel that 'chemical reaction' you’re so fond of, you’ll have to do my data entry for the rest of the month."

Ah-ri’s jaw dropped. "That’s... that’s three hundred spreadsheets! That’s inhuman!"

"Take it or leave it, Cupid."

Ah-ri looked at the clock, then at the smudged coffee on his chest, then back at his smug, handsome face. She tightened her grip on her red envelopes.

"Fine. Challenge accepted," she declared. "But when I win, you have to wear a pair of fuzzy reindeer ears to the office party tonight. And you have to smile for a photo."

Se-jun winced at the thought. "Deal. You have until midnight."

As she scurried away, her ponytail bouncing with every step, Se-jun looked down at the coffee stain. He should have been angry. He should have been heading to the restroom to scrub the silk. Instead, he found himself watching her disappear into the elevator.

"Reindeer ears?" he muttered to himself. "Not a chance."

But as he turned to walk away, he noticed something on the floor. One of the red envelopes had fallen during their collision. He picked it up. There was no name on the front, only a small, hand-drawn heart.

He hesitated, then slipped it into his pocket.

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