Namra walked gracefully through the grand hall, her black dress flowing with each step. The golden glow of chandeliers illuminated the space, the hum of conversation blending with the soft clinking of glasses. She barely paid attention to any of it. Her focus was on her father, Mr. Choi, who stood near a private seating area, engaged in a discussion with another man.

Mr. Ji.

Her father’s closest friend. His presence at this party was no surprise. Namra approached silently, her usual composed demeanor in place. Mr. Choi noticed her first and gave a slight nod.

“There you are,” he said, his tone neutral.

She nodded back, standing a respectful distance away. “You called me.”

Before her father could respond, another presence entered the scene.

Sooheon.

Dressed in a fitted black suit, Sooheon approached with his usual confidence, but the moment his eyes landed on Namra, something in his expression shifted. He slowed his steps, taking her in.

Namra had already seen him from above, a fleeting glance before she descended the stairs. But now, it was his turn to look at her properly.

His eyes moved subtly, noting everything—the way her dress hugged her frame, the way her long dark hair rested over her shoulder, the elegance of her presence. There was nothing extravagant about her outfit, no excessive jewelry or makeup. Yet, she stood out effortlessly.

Sooheon had always known Namra was beautiful, but tonight, there was something different. Something striking.

Their eyes met.

A brief moment of silence stretched between them, a quiet understanding neither of them acknowledged aloud.

Then, Mr. Ji spoke, breaking the moment.

“Sooheon, you made it just in time.” His father’s voice was casual, but there was amusement in his tone.

“Of course, Dad.” Sooheon quickly slipped back into his usual easy-going demeanor, but Namra had already seen the flicker of surprise in his gaze.

Mr. Choi glanced between them knowingly. “I assume you’ve already seen each other at school.”

Sooheon smirked slightly. “Yeah. We’re in the same class.”

Namra simply nodded, keeping her expression unreadable.

Mr. Ji chuckled. “Well, that makes this easier.”

Neither Namra nor Sooheon responded, but there was an unspoken tension lingering in the air.

For the first time in a long while, Sooheon found himself unsure of what to say. And Namra, as always, remained a mystery.

___

As the brief conversation with their fathers ended, Namra turned slightly, walking away from the private seating area toward the main hall. Sooheon naturally fell into step beside her, his hands tucked into his pockets.

The grand hall stretched before them, filled with elegantly dressed guests, businessmen discussing deals, and socialites exchanging pleasantries. Servers moved between the crowd, offering drinks and hors d’oeuvres on silver trays. The atmosphere was refined, the kind of event neither of them particularly enjoyed but were obligated to attend.

Namra glanced at Sooheon. “Chanmi is here.”

Sooheon didn’t look surprised. Instead, he nodded as if it was expected. “Makes sense. Her dad’s a well-known businessman.”

Namra hummed in agreement, her gaze scanning the room, though she wasn’t actively searching for anyone. It was just a habit—being aware of her surroundings.

After a moment, Sooheon spoke again, his tone casual. “Jaebom might be here too. His father’s probably attending, which means he had to come along.”

Namra processed that information with the same neutrality she carried in all things. She and Jaebom weren’t close, but they had mutual acquaintances. If he was here, it wasn’t surprising.

Sooheon tilted his head slightly toward her. “Let’s just say hi when we see them.”

She glanced up at him, meeting his gaze for a brief second before looking away. “Alright.”

There was nothing more to discuss on the matter. It was a simple agreement. If they ran into Chanmi and Jaebom, they’d acknowledge them, nothing more.

With that settled, the two of them continued toward the heart of the party, weaving through the crowd, silent but moving in sync.

Chanmi moved carefully through the crowd, adjusting the fabric of her dress as she glanced around. The extravagant party wasn’t exactly her scene, but she was used to these types of events. Her father had taken her to countless business gatherings before, and this was just another one.

As she turned a corner near the main hall, she almost bumped into someone.

Jaebom.

She wasn’t surprised—after all, they both knew they’d be here. Their fathers were influential businessmen, and it was only natural that they’d end up at the same event.

Jaebom, dressed in a sharp navy suit, glanced at her with his usual composed expression. “Took you long enough to find me,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Chanmi ignored his teasing, still caught up in something else. “Forget that,” she said, lowering her voice slightly. “You won’t believe who I saw here.”

Jaebom raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Namra.”

He didn’t react the way she expected. No shock, no confusion—just calm acknowledgment.

Jaebom adjusted the cuff of his suit jacket, his voice even. “Not surprising. She’s Mr. Choi’s daughter.”

Chanmi blinked. “You… knew?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I figured it out a while ago.”

Chanmi let out a breath, still wrapping her head around it. “She never mentioned it.”

“She wouldn’t,” Jaebom replied smoothly. “Namra doesn’t talk about personal stuff.”

Chanmi folded her arms. “Still… it’s kind of shocking.”

Jaebom glanced toward the hall. “Well, now you know.”

Chanmi sighed. “Yeah, now I know.”

With that, they both fell into step, moving toward the heart of the party.

---

Chanmi and Jaebom moved through the grand hall, weaving past elegantly dressed guests. The luxurious venue was alive with quiet chatter, the clinking of glasses, and the occasional bursts of polite laughter.

Chanmi still hadn’t fully processed Namra’s presence at the party. It wasn’t that she thought Namra was hiding anything—it was just unexpected. She had always seemed so distant, detached from everything. To find out she was the daughter of Mr. Choi, one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, was still settling in her mind.

Jaebom, of course, wasn’t surprised at all. He had figured it out long before, and it seemed like nothing about this world could shake him.

Then, in the middle of scanning the crowd, Chanmi suddenly halted, grabbing Jaebom’s arm.

Her eyes were fixed ahead, where two familiar figures stood among the well-dressed guests.

Namra.

And…

Sooheon?

Chanmi blinked, momentarily stunned. She wasn’t the only one. Even Jaebom, usually unreadable, raised a slight eyebrow.

“What the…” Chanmi trailed off, her voice low.

Of course Sooheon was here. He had been there when she and Jaebom were talking about the party. He knew they were coming. And yet, he didn’t say anything?

Jaebom, as usual, was the first to break the silence. “Well. That’s interesting.”

Chanmi shot him a look before turning her attention back to the pair.

Sooheon was the first to notice them. His gaze locked onto Chanmi’s for a moment before flicking toward Jaebom. He didn’t look shocked or uncomfortable—if anything, he seemed amused at their reaction.

Namra followed his gaze and spotted them as well. Unlike Sooheon, she didn’t react much. Just a brief glance, a flicker of recognition, and then her usual cold composure.

Chanmi narrowed her eyes and muttered, “Okay, someone better start explaining.”

Taking the hint, Sooheon smirked slightly and nudged Namra before casually walking over to them. Namra followed, her movements effortlessly graceful as always.

Chanmi crossed her arms the moment they were close. “Sooheon. You knew.”

Sooheon tilted his head, feigning innocence. “Knew what?”

Jaebom, standing beside Chanmi, looked at him with mild curiosity. “That we’d be here. You heard us talking about it.”

“I did,” Sooheon admitted easily, his lips twitching up. “I just didn’t say I would be here too.”

Chanmi scoffed. “Why?”

Sooheon shrugged, clearly entertained by her reaction. “Didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“A big deal?” Chanmi echoed, throwing up her hands. “Sooheon, you never talk about your dad. I didn’t even know he was—” She gestured vaguely around them. “This kind of person.”

Sooheon chuckled. “Well, surprise?”

Jaebom glanced at Namra, who remained quiet, watching the conversation unfold. “You knew he’d be here, didn’t you?” he asked her.

Namra nodded slightly. “Of course.”

Chanmi groaned. “Unbelievable. First, I find out Namra is practically business royalty, and now Sooheon is… whatever this is?”

Sooheon grinned. “Rich kid with secrets?”

Chanmi shot him a glare. “Not funny.”

Jaebom, ever the observant one, simply smirked. “Guess we’re learning a lot tonight.”

Sooheon glanced at Namra, and for a split second, they exchanged a knowing look.

Chanmi sighed in defeat. “Fine. Whatever. But you owe us an explanation later.”

Sooheon just laughed, hands tucked into his pockets. “Sure. If you can handle it.”

And with that, the four of them stood there—connected by chance, yet now entangled in secrets none of them had expected.