Chapter 1: The Accidental Intruder

The night was clear, and the moonlight gave the Kim estate a soft glow. Naomi Kim had slipped away to her private balcony, hoping for a little peace from all the formal events and family pressure. She leaned on the railing, staring up at the stars, when she noticed something going on down below.

To her surprise, someone was climbing the estate wall like a cat burglar—except this one had a camera swinging from her neck and was talking to herself in a pretty animated way. Naomi squinted and saw a young woman gripping the wall, trying to balance while snapping pictures.

"This is gonna be an epic shot," the intruder muttered to herself, loud enough for Naomi to hear. "As long as I don't fall and get caught."

Before Naomi could do anything, her bodyguard, Jung Soo, appeared. His eyes narrowed when he saw the wall-climbing photographer. He charged toward the wall like a knight on a mission to save a damsel in distress—or, in this case, catch an unexpected guest.

Naomi, both curious and amused, decided to step in. She quickly ran downstairs, sneaking through the garden like a playful cat. When she got close to the wall, she called out, "Hey, hold up! No need to play secret agent here!"

Lian, halfway down the wall, froze in shock and almost lost her grip, letting out a little yelp. "Great, now I'm stuck between a rock and a bodyguard!"

Jung Soo reached the wall and started to climb but stopped when Naomi spoke up. "Miss Kim, this isn't a time for jokes," he said, though a slight smile was creeping up on him.

Naomi just raised an eyebrow, hands on her hips. "Come on, Jung Soo. She's just taking pictures. Let's hear what she has to say."

Lian clumsily scrambled down the wall, almost falling right into Naomi's arms. "Hey, I'm Lian Zhang. Sorry about the dramatic entrance. I was just trying to get the perfect shot, not trying to sneak in on some secret mission."

Naomi couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you definitely made my night more interesting. I'm Naomi Kim, by the way. Maybe next time, you could use a less... adventurous way to get in?"

Lian grinned sheepishly. "I promise, no more using the wall as my personal ladder. Unless you're throwing another moonlit party?"

Naomi shook her head, still smiling. "I think we've had enough wall-climbing for one night. How about we move this conversation somewhere a bit more... grounded?"

Jung Soo, still trying to look serious, nodded. "Miss Kim, do you think it's safe to let her in?"

Naomi's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, definitely. She's earned a spot inside after that acrobatic show. Plus, I'm curious to see what's so special about our estate from a wall-climber's perspective."

As they headed back toward the house, Naomi and Lian shared amused glances. The night had taken an unexpected and fun twist, setting the stage for a connection that was bound to be just as unpredictable and exciting as their first meeting.