The Hospital Ambush:

Minseo’s alarm rang at 5:55 a.m.

Day four. She bounced out of bed. “Today we talk, Taejoon. Or at least I talk. A lot.”

She marched to the West Wing dining room at 6:04 a.m. Soup was waiting.

CEO Kang Taejoon rolled in at 6:10 a.m. He sat. He ate. Minseo stood one meter away.

“Morning, CEO Kang!” Minseo said, way too cheerful for 6 a.m.

Taejoon didn’t answer. He lifted his spoon.

Minseo didn’t stop. “You know, if you ever get bored of soup, I can learn other food. I’m very fast. I learned the one-meter rule in one day.”

Silence.

Madam Kang walked in at 6:15 a.m. “Talking to yourself again?”

“Talking to my husband,” Minseo said, smiling. “Wives are allowed.”

Madam Kang’s smile was sharp. “Wives who talk too much get tired fast.”

“Good thing I don’t get tired,” Minseo said. “I’m powered by one meter and spite.”

Taejoon’s spoon paused for half a second. He didn’t look up.

After breakfast, the secretary said, “CEO Kang has a hospital visit. Grandma Kang’s check-up.”

Minseo’s eyes lit up. “Hospital! Public! New map for one meter!”

In the garage, Taejoon rolled to the car. Minseo opened the passenger door and then closed it.

“I’m not getting in,” she said. “One meter.”

The driver frowned. “Mrs. Kang, it’s a 30-minute drive.”

Minseo grinned. “Then I’ll take a taxi. See you there, CEO Kang!”

Taejoon looked at her like she was crazy. He didn’t argue. The car left.

Minseo took a taxi to Seoul National University Hospital. She arrived at room 304 at 9:20 a.m. and stood one meter from the door.

Taejoon arrived at 9:35 a.m. He stopped when he saw her.

“You came by taxi?” he said.

His first words to her. Direct.

Minseo beamed. “I’m very committed to the contract. Also, taxis don’t have one-meter rules.”

Taejoon didn’t reply. He rolled into the room. Minseo followed. One meter diagonally, because the room was small.

Grandma Kang was on the bed. She looked at Minseo and smiled.

“You must be the mountain girl,” Grandma said.

Minseo bowed ninety degrees from one meter away. “Yes, Grandma! I’m Minseo. I’m loud, I’m poor, and I’m not leaving.”

Grandma laughed. A real laugh. “I like you already.”

Madam Kang arrived ten minutes later. With the other girl. Flowers. Fruit. A plan.

“Mother,” Madam Kang said, “I brought Hana. She’s very gentle. She can take care of you.”

Hana, the cookie girl, sat by Grandma’s bed. “Let me peel an apple for you, Grandma.”

Minseo stayed one meter from Taejoon’s wheelchair. She didn’t sit. She didn’t peel.

Grandma reached for water. Her hand shook. Hana was too slow. Madam Kang was too far.

Minseo tapped Taejoon’s armrest once. “Water.”

Taejoon looked up. He saw the cup. He rolled forward 0.3 meters.

Minseo picked it up, handed it to Taejoon. Taejoon gave it to Grandma.

Grandma drank. “Thank you, Taejoon. And thank you, Minseo.”

Madam Kang’s face went stiff. “You shouldn’t touch things, Minseo. You’re a jinx.”

Minseo blinked. “I didn’t touch Grandma. I touched the rule. Big difference.”

Taejoon said, “She didn’t break it.”

Everyone froze.

Madam Kang: “Excuse me?”

Taejoon: “She didn’t break the one-meter rule.”

Two sentences. In one morning. Minseo was counting.

The visit ended. In the hallway, Madam Kang cornered Minseo.

“You think Grandma liking you matters?” Madam Kang whispered. “I’ll replace you.”

Minseo smiled. “You can try. But I’m very hard to replace. I come with free stamina and no tears.”

Madam Kang walked away angry.

At the elevator, Taejoon said, “You took the stairs.”

Minseo nodded. “Elevators are small. Small is illegal. I don’t do illegal.”

Taejoon: “You could have waited.”

Minseo: “And let you leave without one meter? Never.”

The elevator doors opened. Taejoon rolled in. Minseo stayed out.

“Go home,” Taejoon said.

Minseo: “Are you kicking me out?”

Taejoon paused. “No. I’m telling you the car is leaving.”

Minseo: “Then I’ll take another taxi.”

Taejoon looked tired. “Just… get in the next car.”

Minseo’s jaw dropped. “Was that… permission?”

Taejoon didn’t answer. He rolled into the car.

Minseo got in. She sat one meter from him. The driver blinked but said nothing.

In the car, Minseo whispered, “We’re breaking records today.”

Taejoon: “What records?”

Minseo: “Most words you’ve said to me. And first time you let me in your car.”

Taejoon looked out the window. “Don’t get used to it.”

Minseo: “Too late. I’m already used to you.”

Back at the mansion, lunch was soup. Again.

Madam Kang announced, “There’s a photo shoot at 3 p.m. For the company magazine. Family image.”

She looked at Hana. “You’ll stand beside Taejoon.”

Taejoon said, “Minseo will stand one meter from the door.”

Minseo saluted. “Yes, CEO!”

In the photo studio, Hana stood next to Taejoon’s wheelchair in silk. The photographer said, “Smile.”

Minseo stood one meter outside the door. The door opened for light. Click.

Minseo was in the shot. Blurry, but there.

Madam Kang screamed, “Delete that!”

The photographer said, “It’s already sent to editing.”

Taejoon said, “Keep it.”

Madam Kang: “Taejoon!”

Taejoon: “It’s accurate. She’s one meter away.”

Dinner was tense. Madam Kang didn’t eat. Hana didn’t come.

Taejoon ate. Minseo ate.

After dinner, Minseo followed him to his room. She stopped one meter from his door.

Taejoon said, “You don’t have to stand there all night.”

Minseo: “Contract says twenty-four seven.”

Taejoon: “Contract also says East Wing.”

Minseo: “I’m outside West Wing. Loophole.”

Taejoon stared at her. Then he said, “Fine. Stand there.”

He went inside. He left the door open.

Minseo whispered to herself, “Open door. That’s basically love in CEO language.”

She sat on the floor one meter from his open door and made her list.

List one: Hospital. Grandma likes me.

List two: Car. I was allowed in.

List three: Photo. I photobombed legally.

List four: Door. Open.

She lay down in East Wing later, smiling at the ceiling.

“Day four,” she whispered. “He talked. He let me in the car. He left the door open.”

The jinx bride was winning. Slowly. Loudly. One meter at a time.

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