As they reached the center of the hall, Soo-hyun smoothly curved his lips into a practiced smile—one perfected through years of public appearances.
"Congratulations, noona," he said warmly, his tone impeccable. "I apologize for arriving quite late."
Hyuna met his gaze, mirroring his smile with one just as polished. "It's alright, Soo-hyun.... I'm just glad you're here."
Yet beneath her calm voice, something tight and restrained lingered—an emotion neither of them dared to acknowledge openly. Their exchange hung in the air, layered with unspoken tension, until the man standing beside her stepped forward.
"She's right," he said, extending a polite smile. "I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Director Je."
Soo-hyun shifted his attention to him, eyes assessing but courteous. "The pleasure is mine, Dr. Myung." He inclined his head slightly, formal and respectful.
Before the conversation could settle, Hyuna's gaze drifted past her brother—landing on the tall man standing just behind him. Her eyes narrowed with curiosity.
"You have a new secretary?" She asked, her voice light but probing.
Kiyonari stiffened for half a beat before bowing politely. "Nice to meet you, ma'am. My name is Soo Kihyun."
"Ah, yes," Soo-hyun answered calmly, as if it were nothing of importance. "You know how mother is. She wouldn't stop bothering me, so I hired him."
Hyuna let out a small, amused grin. "Well, mother does worry too much about you." Then her tone shifted—subtle, but unmistakebly colder. "And you still haven't changed. Always following her orders."
Soo-hyun's lips twitched into the faintest sneer—so brief it went unnoticed by anyone but himself.
"I still wanted to apologize for missing the family gathering before," he continued evenly. "I was busy and couldn't spare time for something... unimportant."
His gaze flicked toward her, sharp and deliberate. The air between the siblings grew heavier, thick with restrained hostility. Kiyonari felt it immediately. Before either of them could press further, he stepped in carefully.
"Um... Director Je," he said in a low voice, leaning in just enough to be heard. "I've already located our table. We should head there—the couple's speech is about to begin."
Soo-hyun held Hyuna's gaze for a second longer, then smiled once more—flawless and detached. "I'll leave you both for now," he said smoothly.
Dr. Myung nodded, still smiling, though his eyes flicked briefly between the siblings as if sensing more beneath the surface. Soo-hyun turned away and headed toward their table, his steps unhurried. Kiyonari followed closely behind, maintaining his position at his back. Yet even as they walked away, eyes continued to trail after them—whispers following in their wake, curiosity burning brighter with every step they took across the grand hall.
Not long after, Hyuna resumed her role as the radiant hostess, smiling graciously at every guest who met her gaze. Standing beside her fiancé, she looked every bit the poised heiress—her posture elegant, her arm lightly linked with Dr. Myung's as though the world beyond the chandeliers and silk-draped tables did not exist.
When the murmurs gradually settled, she lifted her glass. Her voice carried clearly through the hall as she delivered a short yet heartfelt speech, their blessings, and their continued support for both families. Every word was carefully chosen, refined—just enough warmth to feel sincere, and enough polish to remain flawless.
At the end, she raised her glass higher, her eyes briefly flicking toward Myung's face.
"To me and Dr. Myung—my fiancé," she said, a soft smile blooming on her lips. "Cheers, everyone."
"Cheers!"
Crystal glasses were raised all around the hall, and chorus of light clinks echoed beneath the vaulted ceiling.
"For the lovely couple!" Someone shouted enthusiastically.
Laughter followed, and smiles spread across the guests' faces, charmed by the celebration and the picture-perfect pair at its center.
Meanwhile, Soo-hyun rose quietly from his seat. He walked past a waiter carrying a silver tray of champagne flutes, smoothly taking another glass. Just as he lifted it, intending to take a sip, a voice stopped him.
"Mr. Je!"
He paused mid-motion and turned, slightly surprised.
"Mrs. Kang," he greeted smoothly. "It's lovely to see you here, ma'am."
"Oh, please," the elderly woman laughed, lightly waving her hand. "Just call me auntie Young-sook." She pouted playfully. "It makes me sad when you're so formal with me."
Soo-hyun chuckled softly. "I apologize. I just don't want people thinking I'm disrespecting the CEO of Claudia—one of Korea's top globally renowned fashion houses."
Mrs. Kang's eyes sparkled with amusement. "My, my~you silly boy. Flattering me by bringing up my company."
"Well," Soo-hyun replied with a faint shrug, "it's the truth."
She smiled, clearly pleased. Then, after a brief pause, her expression subtly shifted.
"Actually," she said, lowering her voice just a little, "I wanted to congratulate you."
Soo-hyun's brows knit faintly. "Congratulate me?"
She nodded. "I heard this party wasn't only meant for your sister."
A strange feeling crept into his chest—slow and uneasy.
"... You're here to celebrate your engagement as well," she continued. "I truly wanted to congratulate you." The words struck him sharply.
"My... engagement?" Soo-hyun echoed, eyes widening in disbelief. "Wait a moment—"
"Yes," she replied gently. "I didn't know you and Wang Taehan had decided to proceed with marriage. Especially after all those rumors about—"
"No, wait," he interrupted quickly, his voice faltering despite himself. "Did my mother tell you something, auntie?"
Mrs. Kang fell silent.
Her smile lingered for a second longer before slowly fading, replaced by a hint of awkward realization. "Well... she invited me under the impression that you were getting married too. Just like your sister."
Something snapped into place.
So that was it.
Soo-hyun felt a cold clarity wash over him. The reason his PR team had been restrained. The reason his mother had been unyielding, and was too calm was because this party wasn't just Hyuna's engagement celebration. It was meant to corner him.
The corner of Soo-hyun's lips curled upward, though there was no warmth in his eyes. They darkened instead, glinting with something sharp and dangerous.
If this is how she wants to play it. Fine.
"I see," he said smoothly, inclining his head toward Mrs. Kang. "Pleaze excuse me for a moment."
Before she could respond, Soo-hyun turned away.
Holding his champagne glass, he walked toward the center stage—each step deliberate and unhurried. His posture carrying a different kind of confidence now. Not the polished charm of a guest, but the quiet authority of someone about to take control of the room.
At their table, Kiyonari stood, scanning the crowd absentmidedly. He didn't notice it yet. But something had shifted.
*****
Hyuna's smile faltered the moment Soo-hyun stepped forward and drew the attention away from her and Myung. Confusion flickered across her face as murmurs rippled through the hall, the guests' focus slowly shifting from the glowing couple on the stairs to the lone figure standing beneath the lights.
Soo-hyun stood straight, shoulders relaxed yet unmistakebly commanding. He let the silence stretch, his gaze calmly sweeping across the crowd before he finally parted his lips.
"I just want to say " he began evenly, "that I'm truly glad my dear sister had found someone she wishes to spend her life with."
Hyuna's fingers tightened around her glass. Her eyes darted toward him, nervous and pleading, as if silently urging him to stop.
"... I never thought I'd be standing here in front of you all," Soo-hyun continued, unbothered, "congratulating my sister on her upcoming wedding."
He turned toward the couple, offering them a gentle smile, warm on the surface and unreadable beneath.
"I'm grateful for being invited to such an important occasion. I know how meaningful this day is for you, noona."
The hall fell into an uneasy silence. Then Soo-hyun slowly faced the crowd once more, his expression sharpening just a fraction.
"What I found amusing " he said lightly, "was learning that this party wasn't meant just for you—my apologies, noona."
Hyuna's lips trembled as she leaned forward slightly, mouthing his name in a sharp whisper. "What are you trying to do, Soo-hyun?!"
In response, Soo-hyun's lips curved into a grin.
"I hate to say this and ruin the mood," he announced clearly, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room, "but tonight is also my engagement party." A collective intake of breath echoed through the hall.
Gasps followed—some genuine, others delayed, almost rehearsed. A few guests exchanged knowing looks, while others widened their eyes in disbelief, whispering hurriedly to one another.
"I know," Soo-hyun added with a faint chuckle, his tone tinged with mockery. "Even I was surprised." He raised his glass slightly. "Still, I'd like to thank my mother. She's as thoughtful as ever."
Hyuna's brows drew together sharply. For a moment, the fury behind her composure threatened to spill... but she swallowed it down, maintaining her smile for the sake of appearances for the guests and for the family name.
"Unfortunately," Soo-hyun went on smoothly, "for those wondering who my partner might be... Mr. Wang and I found it difficult to move forward together." His gaze hardened, just briefly. "So we decided not to push the idea any further."
The reaction was immediate. Shock rippled through the guests—some stunned, some openly confused. A few looked genuinely disappointed, having believed the rumors of a perfect political match. Others frowned like, sensing something far more complicated beneath the polished words. At the edge of the room, Kiyonari stood frozen. His eyes widened as he stared at Soo-hyun, his grip tightening unconsciously around the back of the chair beside him.
Director Je...?
His heart pounded. He hadn't known nor expected this. Watching Soo-hyun so effortlessly unraveling a carefully laid plan with nothing but his voice, left him shaken.
The chandeliers glittered overhead. And in the midst of stunned silence and fractured smiles, Soo-hyun stood unflinching having just turned the celebration upside down.
"... But thankfully, I met someone I know I can trust."
The words rolled off Soo-hyun's tongue with an ease that felt almost dangerous. A faint smile curved his lips, and for the briefest moment, the sharpness in the eyes softened something rare. It was gone just as quickly, replaced by his usual composed confidence.
"So, yes," he continued, lifting his gaze to the crowd once more, voice steady and clear. "I am engaged to someone wonderful. Hard to believe, I know—"
He paused deliberately, letting the tension stretch, then raised his glass. "And for that, I'd like to give a toast... to my sister, and to myself."
A low wave of murmurs swept through the hall. Guests leaned toward one another, whispering in disbelief. Some looked uncertain, fingers half-raised, unsure whether applause would be appropriate or disastrous. Even Hyuna stood frozen in place, her expression stripped bare of any practiced elegance—shock written plainly across her face.
Then, cutting through the hesitation, a man somewhere among the crowd rose from his seat and began to clap. "Congratulations to the both of you!" The sound was sharp and decisive.
A few beats passed before others followed, scattered applause at first, cautious and uneven. Then slowly growing as more guests joined in, compelled either politeness or curiosity. The hall filled a strange mix of clapping and hushed chatter, celebration tainted with confusion. At the far end of the room, Min-kyung's hand tightened around her glass. Her knuckles whitened as her brows drew together in furious disbelief. She had heard every word from the moment Soo-hyun claimed the center to the last infuriating toast. Her glare burned into his back, sharp enough to wound.
That insolent boy...!
Meanwhile, Soo-hyun's lips curled into a mischievous grin. His sharp, cat-like eyes flicked away from the crowd and landed squarely on one person. Kiyonari, who had hurried closer the moment the speech spiraled beyond reason, came to a halt near the edge of the center floor. His chest rose and fell unevenly, his face a perfect portrait of confusion.
Soo-hyun held his gaze—calm and amused, almost daring.
What the hell just happened? Kiyonari thought wildly, his mind scrambling to catch up. What is he planning? Why would he pull something like this now of all times?!
The applause continued. And in the middle of it all, Soo-hyun stood smiling—having set something irreversible into motion.
*****
Not long after, while the crowd remained tangled in confusion and forced applause, Soo-hyun stepped away from the center without so much as a backward glance. He walked with deliberate ease, shoulders straight, his expression wearing a smug composure that bordered on provocation. A mocking grin played on his lips as if the scene he had just created were nothing more than a calculated move, a clean slap across his mother's carefully laid plans.
A low chuckle slipped from his throat. Behind him, Kiyonari hurried to keep up, nearly breaking into a run as Soo-hyun excited the mansion and descended the steps into the cool night air.
"Director Je!" Kiyonari called out, matching his brisk pace. "Director—wait!"
Yet Soo-hyun didn't slow down.
"What was all that about?" Kiyonari demanded, his brows knitting together in growing concern. "You told everyone you're engaged. But you and Mr. Wang aren't even seeing each other anymore."
Still no response.
"If I may sir, I don't know what you're planning..." Kiyonari added, "but doing that to your sister's party was unnecessary."
Soo-hyun continued forward as if the sound of Kiyonari's voice were nothing more than background noise.
"I'm worried about you, sir," Kiyonari pressed on, his tone tightening. "More than that... I have a really bad feeling about this."
They reached the edge of the driveway, the distant hum of engines and muted laughter trailing behind them.
"What are we going to do now?" Kiyonari asked, exasperation bleeding into his voice. "We can't just make someone pretend to be your fiancé."
That was when Soo-hyun finally stopped. Kiyonari nearly collided into him, freezing mid-step. Soo-hyun turned his head slowly, looking back at him with a soft, unsettling grin.
"You know," he said lightly, "that was the first time I ever ruined my sister's special day."
Kiyonari's eyes flickered, unsure how to respond.
"Did you see her face just now?" Soo-hyun continued, q quiet snicker escaping him. "The way she had to swallow all that anger in front of so many guests." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "It was amusing."
Kiyonari letbhis shoulders drop slightly, tension pooling in his chest as he studied his boss. Soo-hyun looked... victorious in a way. There was fragility in the curl of his lips, but beneath it lay something sharp and vindictive.
"The same goes for my mother," Soo-hyun added, his voice lowering. "She despises being embarrassed, and by her son of all people."
Kiyonari's brows drew together tightly. "Director Je..." He murmured, unease creeping into his tone.
Then, in an instant, Soo-hyun's expression shifted. The light amusement vanished, replaced by his familiar sharp gaze. His eyes looked onto Kiyonari's face.
"We should start making a plan."
Kiyonari stiffened. "... A plan?"
Soo-hyun turned away, resuming his steps as if the matter were already decided. "It's better if we move first," he said coolly. "Before my mother decides to fix things her way, and ruin things for everyone in the process."
As they walked, Soo-hyun began listing ideas in a low, commanding voice measured, strategic, as though this chaos were nothing more than another corporate maneuver. Kiyonari listened, stunned, trying to keep up.
Then Soo-hyun stopped once more. "But first," he said lightly, pivoting back to face him.
Kiyonari lifted his head, caught off guard by the intensity of his stare.
"I need my partner."
The words landed heavily between them. Kiyonari's eyes widened, his mind going blank.
But only one question remained stuck in his head that night; why did he agree to this crazy plan?