‎Chapter 1 A Quiet Hero

‎Monday mornings at Han-Tech were always busy.

‎The office buzzed with the soft tapping of keyboards, ringing telephones, and quiet conversations as employees hurried to begin another workweek. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the modern workspace in a warm glow.

‎Angela adjusted her headset and straightened in her chair.

‎The client meeting had been going surprisingly well. A presentation filled her screen as she confidently explained the company's quarterly projections.

‎"...and based on our latest analysis, we expect the third quarter to exceed—"

‎Her laptop screen suddenly flickered.

‎Once.

‎Twice.

‎Then...

‎Black.

‎Angela froze.

‎"...Hello? Miss Angela?"

‎The client's voice crackled through her headset.

‎Her heart skipped a beat.

‎"No... no, no..."

‎She pressed the power button.

‎Nothing.

‎Again.

‎Still nothing.

‎Her breathing quickened.

‎The report was due in less than an hour.

‎Months of work...

‎Gone?

‎Heat rushed to her face as panic tightened around her chest.

‎She forced a smile into her voice.

‎"Please excuse me for just a moment..."

‎Her fingers desperately searched every button on the laptop.

‎Nothing.

‎Just as she was beginning to imagine the embarrassment of explaining herself to both the client and her manager, a calm voice spoke beside her.

‎"Problem?"

‎Angela looked up.

‎Standing next to her was Min-ho.

‎A half-eaten kimchi sandwich rested casually in one hand while the other remained tucked inside his trouser pocket. Judging by his relaxed expression, he had simply been returning from lunch.

‎"My laptop..." she whispered, trying not to let the client hear.

‎"It suddenly died."

‎She looked at the blank screen helplessly.

‎"My presentation... everything is on it."

‎Min-ho nodded once.

‎He quietly placed his sandwich on the corner of her perfectly organized desk.

‎Without asking unnecessary questions...

‎Without making her feel incompetent...

‎He simply leaned closer.

‎His eyes carefully studied the laptop.

‎His fingers moved over the keyboard before checking the charging port and battery latch with practiced precision.

‎His expression remained calm, though a slight crease appeared between his brows as he concentrated.

‎Angela watched him silently.

‎There was something strangely reassuring about the way he worked.

‎No panic.

‎No frustration.

‎Just complete focus.

‎Less than a minute later, he straightened.

‎"Try now."

‎Angela hesitated before pressing the power button.

‎The Han-Tech logo appeared.

‎A second later...

‎Her desktop returned.

‎Every file.

‎Every chart.

‎Every slide.

‎Exactly where she'd left them.

‎Her eyes widened.

‎"It... it's working!"

‎She looked at him in disbelief.

‎"How did you do that?"

‎Min-ho gave the smallest shrug.

‎"Loose battery."

‎A brief pause.

‎"It's a common issue."

‎As if what he'd done wasn't worth mentioning.

‎He picked up his sandwich.

‎Gave her a small, polite bow.

‎Then quietly continued walking away.

‎Angela stared after him.

‎For several seconds, she completely forgot the client waiting in her headset.

‎The panic that had filled her moments ago had disappeared.

‎In its place...

‎A strange flutter settled gently inside her chest.

‎The meeting ended successfully.

‎Angela removed her headset and leaned back in relief.

‎Her laptop hummed softly on the desk before her.

‎Everything had returned to normal.

‎Everything...

‎Except her thoughts.

‎She found herself replaying the moment again and again.

‎The quiet concentration in his eyes.

‎The confidence in his hands.

‎The calmness in his voice.

‎Most people would have laughed.

‎Or blamed her.

‎Or turned it into a lecture.

‎Min-ho had done none of those things.

‎He had simply helped.

‎"Loose battery."

‎His words echoed in her mind.

‎So simple.

‎So matter-of-fact.

‎Yet somehow...

‎Very Min-ho.

‎A small smile curved her lips.

‎Later that afternoon, while refilling her water bottle, Angela spotted him across the office.

‎He was speaking with another data analyst, explaining something on a tablet.

‎His movements were minimal.

‎His voice calm.

‎He never seemed to fight for attention.

‎People simply listened.

‎She rested against the water dispenser for a moment, watching unnoticed.

‎He was different from the men she had known.

‎The loud ones who loved hearing themselves speak.

‎The ones who mistook confidence for volume.

‎Min-ho wasn't loud.

‎His silence carried its own confidence.

‎And somehow...

‎She found that even more attractive.

‎Angela laughed quietly to herself.

‎What is wrong with me?

‎She barely knew the man.

‎Yet somehow...

‎She already wanted to know more.

‎Much more.

‎End of Chapter 1

‎

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