The restaurant was calm, warm lights glowing from above, soft music playing in the background. A few couples were already seated, talking quietly over glasses of wine. But Tae Joon didn't notice any of that. He sat at a corner table, dressed neatly in a clean white shirt and black pants, checking his phone again and again. He had been waiting for a while now. His eyes kept moving towards the entrance.
Then the door opened, and everything else faded.
Na-ri walked in slowly, her heels clicking gently on the floor.
Tae Joon blinked. He couldn't believe it. Was his eyes deceiving him?
He stood up slowly, his mouth slightly open. This was not the Na-ri he was used to. This Na-ri was glowing. Beautiful. Confident. Almost untouchable.
She walked to him calmly and sat down beside him.
He smiled nervously. "You look... wow."
Na-ri just smiled and said, "Thank you."
Their date began.
Tae Joon started talking about his day. He went on about his plans to get a promotion, the new team he was working with, and how he was thinking of buying a new car.
Na-ri nodded and smiled when needed, but her mind was elsewhere.
She stared at his face as he talked, and deep inside, her heart felt cold. She had already made up her mind. She was going to break up with him. She was done pretending. She was done playing nice.
But then…
Tae Joon looked at her with those fake soft eyes and said, "Na-ri… I love you so much. I swear, I'll never hurt you."
Her smile froze.
Inside her head, something snapped.
"No," she thought bitterly. "Just leaving you isn't enough. You need to feel what I felt. You need to know what it means to be hurt. Even if I know you don't love me, I will break your ego. I'll make you feel useless. I will ruin you".
And as if the night wasn't already too cruel, Tae Joon suddenly stood up from his seat and got down on one knee.
Na-ri stared at him in shock as he brought out a ring box.
"Marry me, Na-ri," he said softly. "I Love you so much. I want to spend my life with you."
Her heart screamed no, but her face didn't show it.
Instead, she smiled sweetly and nodded.
"Yes," she said. "I love you too."
Tae Joon slipped the ring on her finger. He leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the lips, then pulled her into a hug.
Na-ri smiled and hugged him back.
But inside… she was burning.
She felt rage boil in her chest. She wanted to scream. She wanted to wipe that stupid smile off his face. But she didn't. She played her part. She played it well.
After the date, Tae Joon drove her home. The night was quiet, and the ride was filled with soft music. He seemed happy. He looked at her every few minutes, as if seeing her for the first time.
When the car finally stopped in front of her house, he turned to her.
"Tonight was special," he said leaning to kiss her.
Na-ri didn't wait for him to say anything more. She quickly opened the door and stepped out.
"Goodnight," she said with a smile.
He waved, a little confused but still smiling.
She waved back, her face soft.
But the moment his car disappeared, her smile vanished. Her face went cold.
She walked inside without a word to anyone and went straight to her room.
She pulled off the ring with disgust and tossed it into her chest drawer like it was poison. She didn't want it near her skin. She hated it. It felt like a chain.
She walked to her bathroom and took a long, hot shower. But no matter how long she stayed under the water, she couldn't wash away the anger in her chest.
Later, she lay in bed, her wet hair spread out on her pillow, staring at the ceiling.
She wasn't going to cry.
Not anymore.
Her mind was racing with ideas.
"How do I break him? How do I make him feel small? He lied. He cheated. He played me like I was stupid."
Now it's my turn.
Meanwhile…
Tae Joon lay in his own bed. He couldn't stop thinking about Na-ri. The woman he saw today wasn't the same quiet and innocent girl he was used to.
She was different.
She was fire.
And somehow, she made Ji-a look plain.
He frowned. He didn't like this feeling. For the first time, he felt unsure. Na-ri was becoming someone new… someone he couldn't control.
And strangely, that made him want her even more.
The Next Morning
Inside Empire Group.
Na-ri was seated in her office, flipping through some files. The early sun was shining through the glass window. Her red nails tapped gently against her desk as she read. She looked calm, but her mind was already ten steps ahead.
She finished reviewing the documents, signed a few, and placed them neatly in a folder.
She pressed the call button.
"Minji," she said.
Minji replied quickly, "Yes, Miss Kang."
Na-ri kept her voice smooth. "Get these files to the legal team. Tell them to review and update me by noon."
"Yes, Miss Kang."
"Also," Na-ri added, "Once you're done, call the HR manager. Tell her I want her in my office immediately."
Minji bowed slightly. "Yes, Miss Kang."
Na-ri leaned back in her chair, a small cold smile on her lips.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN.