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Chapter 3 - Chapter 2: Cold woman

The strange girl fiddled with Duyen's phone for a while, while Duyen was still sound asleep on her lap—sometimes mumbling weird things about soft gummy candies. But the girl didn't seem to mind. She covered Duyen with her own jacket while casually flipping through the phonebook on the foldable device. There weren't many contacts. Just a few service numbers, her dad's, and someone named Nayeon. The last call Duyen received was… a month ago.

"Huh. She's even more secretive than I thought."

But there was no one named Mina? Was Mina just a nickname then? For that Nayeon girl? No… didn't sound quite right.

The girl still couldn't figure out why Duyen hadn't fallen into her trap. Because she was a woman? No, that didn't feel right either. She distinctly remembered how, when she boarded the bus, she'd "accidentally" hypnotized every passenger on board. The whole thing went off smoothly—even the women.

"This is really bizarre… and she keeps muttering that name, Mina. Mina… who is this girl anyway? I don't believe it. This is ridiculous."

And yet, as she thought of the name, a deep pain twisted inside her. Like a wounded rabbit dragging itself across the ground. She looked truly pitiful.

The girl glanced down at the tomboy fast asleep on her lap. Duyen's features were a fascinating mix of softness and strength—the more she looked, the more magnetic they became. Watching her sleep so peacefully made the mysterious girl chuckle.

"You're lucky you're cute. Otherwise, I'd have kicked your head off already."

She didn't know why, but she just couldn't bring herself to leave Duyen behind—at least not yet.

Looking up, the beautiful girl watched the streets come alive again, though the rain hadn't quite stopped—just softened.

"Well, I've got time. Why not find out what the hell is actually going on?"

She smirked mischievously, the kind of smirk that usually preceded something absolutely deranged.

---

At Mr. Tuan's pho shop, the rain had just started coming down harder. Most of the customers had left, and the big pho pot was nearly empty. Only a few guests and staff remained, eating lunch together. All eyes were glued to the small TV mounted on the wall—tuned to the noon news.

> [International News: Authorities in Japan have discovered that the sacred stone sealing the Nine-Tailed Fox has been split in half in Tochigi Prefecture. Police have cordoned off the area to investigate. Historians from across the country are gathering at the scene.]

The reporter:

"Yes, Mr. Kim YongSuk. We understand you've lived in Japan for quite some time, studying and preserving the Nine-Tailed Fox stone. In your opinion, what could have caused this damage?"

Kim YongSuk, a balding man with a trimmed beard and chubby face, was identified as Mythologist & Historian from South Korea. Unlike the composed reporter, he looked absolutely unhinged.

"That's insanity! Do you know what that stone is called? The Demon-Sealing Rock! It held the spirit of the fox demon! Some goddamn fool stepped over the boundary I explicitly marked and shattered the seal!"

The reporter tried to keep calm:

"Sir, please calm down. We're live on air, so if you could avoid such language—"

"Motherf— That's f*g s beep beep beep! The apocalypse is here! She's going to destroy us all!"

"Ah! Cut the feed, CUT THE FEED! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we'll now speak with local police—OH MY GOD, someone gag this man!"

The report ended there.

It sounded more like a comedy skit than actual news, and the whole pho shop burst out laughing.

"Good god, the Japanese are dramatic as hell. Freaking out over a damn rock!"

"Anyone who studied geography knows this stuff. It's just heat and humidity causing the rock to split. No nine-tailed demons involved."

"Hey, what if the fox spirit is real? I bet she's super hot."

"Shut it and finish your rice, you game-addicted nerd."

While everyone was busy mocking the news report, Mr. Tuan couldn't sit still. He kept checking the clock, then staring out at the street.

"That foolish girl. It's pouring out there and she didn't bring a raincoat—how is she gonna get back here? And she didn't even call me."

"Wait…"

He suddenly remembered something.

"She never tops up her phone credit. No wonder she didn't call."

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Duyen's number.

A cheerful pop song from the 2010s blared from the other end:

"Tell me… Tell me… T-t-t-tell me…"

The girl picked up the phone, tilting her head curiously.

"Dad?"

She answered casually,

"Hello?"

"Duyen? Is that you, sweetheart? Got stuck in the rain, huh? Where are you? I'll come get you."

The man's voice was warm and worried.

"Duyen?" The girl looked down at the sleeping figure on her lap. A mischievous smile crept onto her lips.

"Duyen's right here ~"

"…What? Who is this? Who's holding my daughter's phone?!"

The girl gently stroked Duyen's curly hair, her voice dangerously alluring.

"She's sleeping next to me—no, on me, to be exact…"

"…Huh?! On—what do you mean on you?!"

Mr. Tuan sounded like he couldn't believe his ears.

"My daughter… is she…"

"Anyway, just give me your address. I'll bring her back. She caught a cold and passed out here—I just happened to be around to help."

"Oh! You mean Duyen fainted from a cold! Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter—if you just let me know the location, I'll come pick her up. We don't want to impose…"

"Mm, I don't like that idea. Just give me the address. Actually…"

She noticed the branded pho container strapped to Duyen's scooter.

"…never mind. I know where to find your place already."

---

Duyen's head throbbed as she slowly sat up, struggling against a heavy feeling in her chest. Looking around, she felt relieved—this was her attic bedroom.

"…Wait, what? How did I get home?"

Panic flared in her chest. This was definitely her room. But the last thing she remembered was the bus stop…

She frantically checked herself—and froze, face flushing deep red.

"Wait, my clothes were changed… I'm not even wearing a bra!?"

At that moment, Mr. Tuan knocked and walked in. Duyen yelped and yanked the blanket over her head. Her dad approached with a tray of hot chicken soup, gently feeling her forehead.

"Well, your fever's gone down. Lucky for you that beautiful girl brought you home."

"Dad… what girl!? Was she… um… long black hair, only wearing a button-up shirt, kinda weird but really pretty? Oh, and her eyes—were they blue?"

Mr. Tuan looked confused.

"Well, her eyes were kind of an odd color, but she didn't have black hair. It was dyed reddish-brown, and she was dressed real classy. Smelled really nice too—and drove a Lamborghini. She even hired a crane to bring your scooter back home."

"Lamborghini? Reddish-brown hair?"

Duyen felt like she was dreaming. Was it all… just a dream?

She remembered the kiss. That moment when the girl…

Her cheeks went bright red, and she gripped the blanket tighter.

"Oh, and she didn't just bring you home—she bought you a ton of expensive stuff. I don't know why she was so generous."

He pointed to the corner of the room, where a mountain of luxury shopping bags were stacked high. Just the smell and the packaging alone screamed money.

Duyen blinked in disbelief.

"…This is insane."

---

Two days later, inside one of the top skyscrapers in Starfall City.

This was the planning office of SCJ Corporation.

Most employees were sprawled out, scrolling through their phones, eating, or chatting about anything but work. But the moment the minute hand ticked to the scheduled time—

"Back to your desks! The manager's coming!"

"The manager?!"

Everyone scrambled to their spots, faking productivity. Only one unpaid intern stood clueless. As the sound of high heels clicked closer, a senior staffer yanked him into a seat just as the door opened.

A breathtaking woman entered—clad in a custom-tailored business suit, her long black hair accentuating her porcelain skin. Her beauty stunned the intern into silence.

The rest of the room, however, froze in terror. One person even started muttering prayers under their breath. It was that gaze—cold, slicing, chilling. Everyone felt it.

"Uh… Miss Mina, about that…"

"I've told you how many times? Use my surname."

"Y-Yes, Manager Kamakiri… We tried negotiating with Chairman Hung from OPA Corp, but he refuses to sign anything unless… he meets with you in person."

"He insisted on that?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, scanning for any hint of deception. The woman she stared at trembled and bowed so low she nearly disappeared behind her desk.

Mina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He wants to meet me? Not a single one of you could persuade him?"

Silence.

"Fine. I'll meet with Chairman Hung myself. Let's see what ridiculous demands he's cooked up."

Everyone knew Chairman Hung had a reputation as a notorious sugar daddy around town. No one really knew how he'd learned about Mina—but then again, she was a once-in-a-millennium beauty.

As soon as Mina left, the entire office exhaled as if they'd survived a massacre.

The intern blinked.

"She's our manager? She's… stunning."

"Yeah. And terrifying." The same senior staffer wiped his forehead with his tie. "Listen, rookie—there's one rule in this office: Don't. Touch. The Manager. I'm saying this for your own good. She's ruthless, strict, and completely untouchable. She's also the company chairman's daughter. If you piss her off…"

He made a slicing motion across his neck.

But the intern didn't seem to hear a word. He was still lovestruck.

The senior staffer just shook his head.

"I was the same way when I first got here… God help you. But don't even think about it. She's already engaged, I heard."

"Engaged?"

The senior nodded firmly and walked back to his desk.

Leaving the intern still sitting there, dazed.

"That's strange… she wasn't even wearing a ring."

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