In Team Leader Seo Na-young's house, the atmosphere that afternoon seemed calm.
Her daughter, Seo Ji-eun, was studying with her private tutor, a young man named Kang Min-soo.
"Ceeet… that formula makes it so easy," Ji-eun said, looking at her exercise paper.
"Hey, tell me about your first love," she asked with a curious tone.
Min-soo chuckled softly.
"Ah… it's not really an important story," he replied, shaking his head.
"Awww… come on, tell me! Don't be so stingy," Ji-eun urged, pushing her face closer.
"Let's take a break, okay? I need to use the toilet for a moment."
Min-soo lightly tapped Ji-eun's forehead with his finger.
"Tch…" Ji-eun scoffed, pouting her lips.
Min-soo got up from his chair and walked out of Ji-eun's room.
'Why does she seem strange lately?' Min-soo wondered inwardly.
As he walked down the hallway, his eyes caught something.
Team Leader Na-young's bedroom door was slightly ajar.
Slowly, he turned and peered in. On the bed lay a piece of red lingerie.. a super sexy thong.
Thump! Min-soo's heart pounded fiercely.
His face flushed as he stepped inside, then picked up the underwear and lifted it up to his face.
"Haah…" His breathing grew heavy.
Just at that moment, footsteps were heard coming through the front door.
Seo Na-young had just returned home. She headed straight for her room.
Min-soo was startled. He quickly turned, seeing Na-young already walking toward the room. In a panic, he hurriedly closed the bedroom door from the inside.
"Oh, you're home, Mom?" Ji-eun suddenly appeared from the living area.
"Ah… yeah," Na-young replied with a faint smile.
"I'm having a tutoring session right now," Ji-eun continued.
"Alright, go back and focus on your lesson. Mom wants to shower and sleep. I'm a bit… tired today," Na-young said, sighing.
"Oh, I see. Okay, Mom…" Ji-eun nodded and returned to her study desk.
Na-young continued her walk toward the bedroom. Inside, Min-soo grew increasingly anxious.
The sound of footsteps is getting closer! Danger!
"Hmmm… I don't recall closing the door this morning…" Na-young muttered softly.
Click! The bedroom door opened.
In his panic, Min-soo quickly slipped the red lingerie into his own underwear.
Na-young was shocked when she saw Min-soo standing inside her room.
"Tutor?" she asked with a surprised expression.
"Uh… Auntie? Oh, excuse me, I was looking for the toilet… er, I somehow got lost and ended up here…" Min-soo scratched his head, pretending to be confused.
"Ah, the toilet is next to Ji-eun's room," Na-young said.
"Ahh… o-okay…" Min-soo quickly replied, then exited the room.
Na-young still stood at the door, slightly bewildered. She stepped inside and looked around.
Her eyes stopped at the bed.
"I thought my underwear was here this morning… don't tell me... " she thought, her expression slightly changing.
As he left Na-young's room, Min-soo was startled to find Ji-eun standing in the hallway.
"Huh? Why are you coming out of there, Teacher?" Ji-eun asked, frowning.
"Ah, I just… entered the wrong room. Come on, let's continue the lesson," Min-soo quickly replied. His hand unconsciously pressed his pants pocket, hiding Na-young's thong which he had slipped inside.
Ji-eun looked at him with suspicion but just sighed.
"Tch…"
The next day, Ji-eun gathered with her friends at a hangout spot near the school.
"Hey, lend me a cigarette," Ji-eun said, leaning back in her chair.
"Buy your own, why don't you…" replied her male friend, but handed her a cigarette anyway.
"Hahaha," Ji-eun chuckled softly, then lit her cigarette.
Click! Ssshhh… White smoke plumed out.
"So you came here too? Where have you been?" asked her female friend.
"We're going to karaoke… wanna come?" asked another male friend.
"Nah… I'm lazy," Ji-eun replied indifferently, taking a drag of her cigarette.
"Why? Our princess looks sulky…" said her male friend, putting his arm around her shoulder.
Ji-eun scoffed.
"Princess my ass? You know what, that coward wouldn't take the chance."
"Who? Your private tutor?" her female friend interjected.
"Hmmm… he didn't even react when I touched his hand. That little twerp," Ji-eun replied, annoyed.
"You mean Kang Min-soo didn't feel anything? If I were in his position, I'd have gone all the way immediately. He must be an idiot who can't even appreciate you, even with a tempting body like that," the male friend said flirtatiously.
"He can't be compared to a female predator like you, hehehe," chimed in her female friend.
"Bastard, you always speak the truth," Ji-eun playfully shoved her friend's shoulder, grinning.
"By the way… isn't that because of your mom?" her female friend asked with a sarcastic smile.
"Did he meet your mom? Your mom is super hot… hahahaha."
"Be honest, no high school guy would be interested in you… if a woman like your mother is around."
"Hey! Don't talk nonsense," Ji-eun glared at her friend.
But inwardly, her mind returned to yesterday's events. Min-soo's shy face, his strange behavior when he came out of her mother's room…
"Hmmm…" Ji-eun fell silent, taking a deep drag of her cigarette.
Soo-jin, Hye-jin, and one other female colleague from the same division were in the elevator, heading up to the office.
"Ugh… I have a headache…" their colleague said, raising her hand and placing a finger on her forehead. A new gold ring glittered on her finger.
Cling!
"Oh wow, how beautiful… Is that a couple ring?" Soo-jin asked, her eyes sparkling. "Wow, isn't that expensive…?" she continued.
"It is a bit…" her colleague replied with a shy smile.
Hye-jin remained silent, looking at her reflection in the elevator glass. Occasionally, her eyes darted toward the gold ring.
"Bullshit, a fake item claiming to be expensive…" Hye-jin thought, her lips barely moving to suppress a sneer.
"I actually bought this with our future savings, though… Well, turns out my boyfriend has a lot of money, so I asked him to buy it for me. Hehehe." Her colleague chuckled softly while continuing to show off the ring.
"Future savings? Is she crazy? You useless slut," Hye-jin cursed inwardly. "Her boyfriend is incompetent too for dating a girl like that. Willing to be fooled so easily. But then again… if the guy likes her, it's understandable that he'd dig deep into his pockets for his girl."
"Hmmm… maybe I should also start a future savings account with my boyfriend?" Soo-jin suddenly said. "My boyfriend works at the sub-district office, though… He doesn't have much money, so maybe I'll make the first deposit. I'll decide to get married when everything is smooth. Ahhh, just imagining it all makes my heart race…"
"Listening to this pig babble is annoying," Hye-jin thought, glancing at Soo-jin's reflection.
Ting!
The elevator bell rang, and the door opened.
In front of them, Team Leader Na-young was seen walking with the Branch Manager. Hye-jin immediately remembered the last incident in the storage room. Her gaze sharply followed the two of them.
Na-young and the Branch Manager walked straight without looking back, then entered the storage room and closed the door.
Click!
"Wait… don't tell me... " Hye-jin thought, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.