The Shared Frontline

The moment Ji-won approached the front steps of the sprawling villa, the massive double doors swung open. A line of neatly dressed household staff bowed in unison to greet them.

Kang Eun-sook and Grandfather Jae-woo hurried out into the grand foyer, their faces glowing with genuine delight. Before Ji-won could even say a proper greeting, Eun-sook wrapped her in another warm, fragrant hug.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Ji-won-ah," Eun-sook whispered softly before leading them into the massive living room.

As the elders sat down, laughing and talking, Ji-won’s eyes drifted to a large, opulent mahogany photo frame hanging on the main wall. In the center sat Grandfather Jae-woo, flanked by Eun-sook, a dignified man, a beautiful older sister, and... a young man with a fiercely sharp, piercing gaze.

Ji-won tilted her head slightly. Why does he look so incredibly familiar? Where have I seen him?

"Ji-won-ah," Eun-sook’s gentle voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Is something on your mind, dear?"

"Ah, no, no! Not at all," Ji-won replied quickly, offering a polite smile.

"I am just so incredibly happy you came," Eun-sook said, patting her hand. "My son is on his way. I scolded him and told him to leave early today, so he should be here any minute."

Ji-won nodded, but her eyes kept darting back to the photograph. Seriously, where do I know that face from?

Suddenly, the phone in her lap buzzed. A notification popped up on her screen. It was an official email from SBC News.

[SBC NEWS - SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE NOTICE]

Dear Han Ji-won, congratulations. You have been selected as The Veteran Journalist Breaking News Correspondent. Report to headquarters immediately for onboarding.

A massive thrill shot through her chest. She wanted to scream with joy, but she forced her face into a calm, polite smile, biting her inner cheek to suppress her excitement.

Before she could fully process the news, the front doors opened. Heavy, confident footsteps echoed across the marble floor.

Ji-won turned her head—and her breath caught in her throat.

It was him. The tall, sharp-eyed doctor who had dropped to his knees in the pouring rain to save a child.

Min-jun walked into the living room, loosening his tie slightly. He bowed deeply to his mother, who immediately hugged him and kissed his cheek, then bowed respectfully to Ji-won’s grandmother. Finally, he turned to his grandfather, a small, rare smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, old man. Is everything good?"

Grandfather Jae-woo barked out a laugh. "You rascal! Is that any way to speak to your grandfather?"

Then, Min-jun’s eyes locked onto Ji-won. He bowed politely. Ji-won’s eyes widened slightly as the pieces clicked together—he was the grandson! Min-jun’s sharp eyes flashed with a flicker of recognition, remembering the soaked, fierce girl from the restaurant, but both of them instantly masked their expressions, pretending to meet for the very first time.

"You two should talk freely," Eun-sook suggested, her eyes twinkling matchmaking signals. "Son, why don't you show Ji-won around the house?"

Min-jun nodded calmly. "Follow me."

Ji-won stood up, following him down a long, quiet corridor lined with abstract art. The silence between them was thick and heavy.

"You're the girl from the restaurant, right?" Min-jun asked suddenly, breaking the silence without even turning around.

Ji-won cleared her throat. "Oh. Mmmm. What a coincidence. How funny."

Min-jun stopped and turned to face her, leaning back against a railing. His gaze was analytical, cool. "Did my mother manipulate you into meeting me, or was this your own choice?"

The bluntness of his question caught her off guard. "Mmmm, no. I mean... my grandmother asked me to, so... I came."

"Just because she asked you once?" Min-jun asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ji-won muttered under her breath, "Wow, what is his problem?" She leveled her gaze at him. "My grandmother has been talking about you for ages, Dr. Kang. I just finally found the time today."

Before he could reply, both of their phones rang simultaneously. The sharp ringtones cut through the quiet hallway like a knife.

Ji-won answered hers instantly. "Han Ji-won speaking."

"Ji-won, this is the SBC News Desk. Congratulations on the hire, but we have an emergency. A major structural collapse just happened at a construction site in Pocheon Village. It’s a massive mass-casualty incident. Get to headquarters right now. You’re deploying to the frontline."

Before she could even say 'yes,' the line went dead.

Right next to her, Min-jun’s phone was pressed to his ear, his face turning incredibly pale and serious. "Dr. Kang, a catastrophic collapse in Pocheon Village. The emergency medical disaster team (DMAT) is mobilizing. We need senior trauma surgeons on-site immediately."

Neither of them said a word to each other. They sprinted back to the living room, breathlessly explaining to their families that a massive emergency had called them away. Without a single glance backward, they rushed out of the villa in separate directions.

Ji-won flew back to her house on her scooter, tore off her formal dress, and changed into a pair of durable cargo pants, a black t-shirt, and sturdy boots. Grabbing her notebook, digital recorder, and press badge, she raced down to the SBC News headquarters.

When she sprinted into the lobby, a frantic group of media crew members was already waiting. A senior producer spotted her. "Are you the new hire? Han Ji-won?"

Ji-won nodded breathlessly.

The producer slapped an official SBC Press ID around her neck. "Welcome to the team. The production bus is leaving right now. Move!"

Ji-won boarded the massive broadcasting bus, her heart pounding against her ribs. I can't believe I'm actually working for SBC, she thought, a nervous knot forming in her stomach.

As the bus roared to life, a senior female anchor sat across from her, scanning Ji-won’s resume. "So, you're our newThe Veteran Journalist . What's your specialty?"

"Crisis Journalism and Undercover Exposés. If there’s a corporate cover-up, a dangerous disaster zone, or a corrupt politician hiding a secret, I’m the one who goes in to drag the truth out. I don't just report the news—I dig until the people in power start sweating and On-Air Field Correspondent

The girl blinked, completely silenced by Ji-won's fierce aura. She realized right then that Ji-won wasn't just some new hire; she was a dangerous veteran.

"Good. Today is going to be chaotic," the anchor said, handing her a tablet. "Your job on-site is to handle the live text updates for our digital paper and compile the data under extreme pressure. Focus on writing clean, accurate lines."

Ji-won frowned slightly, looking at the screen. She muttered inwardly, What? Just writing lines? I could do that sitting comfortably at home. Why did they make me rush out here?

As if reading her mind, the anchor added, "And if our primary on-air signal drops, or if I lose my voice in the dust, you are our alternative on-air speaker. You need to be ready to step in front of the camera at any second. Understand?"

Ji-won swallowed hard and nodded. "Understood."

Glancing toward the back rows of the large bus, Ji-won noticed several people wearing hospital jackets. The anchor followed her gaze. "They are basic healthcare assistants and paramedics. They are deploying alongside us to assist the trauma doctors on the ground."

An hour later, the bus pulled into Pocheon Village. The scene was absolute chaos.

A massive concrete building had pancaked. The air was thick with gray dust, sirens wailed from dozens of ambulances, and emergency workers were sprinting everywhere.

The moment the bus doors opened, the SBC crew moved with lightning speed, setting up cameras and lights. Ji-won immediately went to work, her notebook in hand, dodging rescue workers as she carefully analyzed the perimeter where the structure had failed, frantically typing the grim reality into her tablet for the breaking news banner.

Suddenly, a fleet of specialized hospital vehicles screeched to a halt near the triage tents.

Through the haze of dust and flashing red lights, Ji-won saw a team of doctors leap out. Leading them was Kang Min-jun. He was already throwing on a high-visibility medical vest, his face completely devoid of the polite demeanor from the villa. He was in full surgeon mode—cold, precise, and authoritative, barking orders to his residents as they rushed toward the critically injured.

Min-jun paused for a fraction of a second, his sharp eyes cutting through the crowd until they landed on Ji-won, who was holding her press mic and notepad. Ji-won looked back at him.

No words were spoken. No smiles were exchanged.

They maintained a strict, professional distance, bound by the chaos of their duties. But as the hours rolled on into the evening, amid the screaming sirens and the heavy dust, both of them would silently catch glimpses of each other from afar—each watching the other work tirelessly to save lives in their own way.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***