Chapter 1

"Cancel the flight," a sharp and authoritative feminine voice sliced through the air as the woman strode confidently through the elevator, finally arriving at the bustling ground floor. Strutting toward the exit with an air of determination, she commanded immediate attention, causing heads to turn and onlookers to offer polite greetings accompanied by deep bows. Yet beneath their courteous gestures lingered an unspoken curiosity: "Who is that formidable woman?"

With a captivating smile accentuated by bold crimson lipstick and a striking presence, she gracefully sank into the plush interior of a waiting luxury sedan. The door swung open in unison with her approach, a testament to her impeccable sense of timing. Setting her ostentatiously expensive Birkin bag on the floor, she adjusted her posture, reclining against the supple leather seats that enveloped her in comfort.

"Has the young master arrived?" she inquired, her tone imbued with a blend of urgency and authority. As she retrieved her iPad from the compartment of the seat in front of her, she began scrolling through the latest updates regarding her family's powerhouse conglomerate, K&L Group. A knowing smirk tugged at her lips as she read, "It seems our grandfather is maneuvering to sever the ties with Lian from Kim & Lian Group. You can erase the name, but you can't eliminate the influence of the Chinese market, Grandpa," she mused, her eyes glinting with mischief as she continued to swipe through the information.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream escaped her lips, causing the driver to instinctively stamp the brakes. "The Chairman of K&L Group is seen flirting with a young model!" she exclaimed, disbelief and indignation washing over her as she scrolled down to witness an avalanche of social media comments recognizing her image. "Isn't that Yuxin Xiao, the popular children's content creator?" she shrieked louder, her frustration mounting.

As the scathing comments infiltrated her screen, Yuxin's horror escalated, yet it wasn't merely a matter of public scandal that vexed her. It was the revolting reality that the so-called 'old guy' she was accused of pursuing was, in fact, her own biological grandfather. "I need this gone, right now!" she demanded, her voice resonating with a mix of anger and desperation, as the stakes in her family's intricate web of power and identity began to unravel

Yuxin burst through the front entrance of her grandfather's estate, screaming for him and his secretary, her voice reverberating throughout the perfectly furnished but empty house, as there was no one in sight. Yuxin crossed her arms and began tapping her foot, worried about what would happen to her and her profession if things weren't handled soon. Just as she was ready to open her phone to check the extent of the damage, her grandfather's secretary, Hee-Jun, dashed up to her. "You should relax down, Miss Xiao; Chairman Kim has gone to sleep. "He hadn't been able to sleep all night," he remarked, causing Yuxin to sigh. Yuxin grabbed Hee-Jun by the arm and dragged him outside the home.

"What about the article?" She inquired, her brows twitching with worry. Hee-Jun hesitated to respond, causing her to scream out. "All my life I tried to stay away from this family," she remarked, her tears tearing up. I left my house, I changed my identity, I abandoned my life just because that old man didn't want anything to do with his daughter or grandchild. And let me tell you: I will not hesitate to ruin this family with everything I have if it tries anything against me."

"The article's gone." Yuxin's rage was cut short as she recognized the deep stern voice. Her cousin, Woo-San Kim. "The article has been removed from all platforms. No harm was done to your channel because all the malicious comments containing your name were removed." Woo-San said, gently approaching Yuxin. Yuxin couldn't argue back. She checked her phone and, indeed, the article was gone. She breathed a sigh of relief as she wiped her eyes and straightened her face. "Let's get inside," Woo-San said calmly, and Hee-Jun followed him, while Yuxin took a moment to calm down.

"I sincerely apologize!" A young girl said earnestly, bowing her head in front of a young man. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she continued, "I didn't realize you were mute. I thought you were being rude." Just moments before, she had confronted the barista—Yeon-Jun—accusing him of ignoring her. To her astonishment, she learned that his silence stemmed not from indifference, but from a speech disability that left him unable to communicate verbally. This revelation transformed her frustration into a sense of remorse, leading to an unexpected understanding.

"It's perfectly fine," replied Sung-Hoon, the cafe owner, gently guiding the girl to stand up straight. He offered her a reassuring smile, assuring her that such misunderstandings were not uncommon in their bustling café. Nevertheless, the girl was determined to make amends for her error. She and Sung-Hoon engaged in a friendly yet fervent back-and-forth, where she insisted on apologizing properly and reconciling.

Seeing the situation escalate, Yeon-Jun interjected with a tactful yet playful move. He pulled out his phone and played a text-to-speech message, his primary form of communication. Its robotic voice cut through the tension: "It's okay. Mistakes happen. You can make it up by coming back here again." The unexpected sound drew the attention of several patrons nearby, momentarily pausing their conversations. "We're busy," Yeon-Jun signed to Sung-Hoon, his fingers deftly forming the words as he gestured to the line forming behind them. Sung-Hoon nodded in understanding, guiding the girl out of the café while offering her a warm farewell smile.

As the evening wore on, the café slowly transitioned from the frenetic pace of the afternoon rush to a quieter atmosphere, allowing Sung-Hoon to reflect. With his night out with old friends approaching, he decided to leave the closing duties in the capable hands of Yeon-Jun and their diligent part-timer, Yeon-Su.

"I took out the trash, Hyung," Yeon-Su announced proudly as he removed his gloves and tossed them into the bin, his enthusiasm evident. "The back room is organized, and I've also tidied up the Boss's office. I heard you were looking to hire another part-timer; we need to keep up appearances." Yeon-Jun nodded appreciatively, grateful for the younger worker's diligence. "I'll handle the sign and lock up. You should finish cleaning the barista station," he said, offering a supportive smile before dashing toward the door.

Just as Yeon-Su was about to close the door of the café, a familiar voice broke through the evening air. He looked up to see a heavily intoxicated woman stumbling toward the entrance, her laughter trailing behind her like a misguided echo. With a sense of responsibility, Yeon-Su called out for Yeon-Jun, who immediately rushed over to lend a hand. Together, they managed to help the woman through the doorway, though several attempts were required before she finally made it inside. Once Yeon-Su securely shut the door and turned off the dim lights, the café was cloaked in a comforting darkness, leaving only the faint glow of street lights filtering through the windows.

Yeon-Jun guided the unsteady woman upstairs, his frail frame barely supporting her weight as they carefully navigated the stairs. After a brief struggle to get her past the front door, he managed to plop her onto the bed in the small, intimate room where she would finally be able to rest.

"You should leave," Yeon-Jun signed, his expression tense as he closed the bedroom door with a soft click, ensuring their guest wouldn't wander off again. "You should call the Boss," urged Yeon-Su, extending his phone towards Yeon-Jun, the familiar smartphone glinting in the low light. "Here, I'll dial it for you," he added, already starting to open his contacts to reach Sung-Hoon. But Yeon-Jun held up a hand, stopping him mid-motion, and asked him to quietly check the locks instead.

Yeon-Su, sensing the unspoken tension on Yeon-Jun's face, decided against pressing the matter further. "Have a good night," he offered quietly before making his way out of the small bedroom, leaving Yeon-Jun to deal with the scenario alone.

As he settled onto a cold bench outside, Yeon-Su muttered to himself, "She's not even his friend. So why should he care about her?" His thoughts drifted as he stared blankly ahead, watching the occasional car pass. "Every few days, she shows up here drunk, and Hyung has to clean up her mess." He sighed deeply, scrolling through his phone absentmindedly, trying to distract himself from the brewing frustration, eventually dozing off without realizing.

Suddenly, a gentle voice broke through his reverie. "Wake up, Sir, you'll catch a cold." Startled, he jolted upright, the unexpected interruption snapping him from his untimely slumber. He rubbed his eyes groggily and checked the time, dread creeping in as he realized he had missed the last bus home. Sinking back onto the bench with a muttered curse, he leaned his forehead against his knees in frustration.

When he looked up again, he saw the man who had disturbed his rest, and he quickly recognized his impoliteness. Realizing his behavior, Yeon-Su sprang to his feet and bowed deeply in apology, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he acknowledged the stranger who had inadvertently broken through his momentary escape.

"Mr. Yeon-Su Hui?" The man inquired, recognition flickering in his eyes as he leaned slightly closer. Yeon-Su, taken aback by the unexpected mention of his name from a complete stranger, squinted, his mind racing to place the man's face. The slight furrow of his brow indicated his bewilderment, causing the stranger to chuckle softly, perhaps amused by Yeon-Su's confusion.

"You work at Strawberry Hanok, right? I'm a friend of the owner. Tae-Min Seo. It's a pleasure to meet you." Despite the man's warm demeanor and friendly introduction, Yeon-Su couldn't quite place him—his face was unfamiliar. Nevertheless, Tae-Min, undeterred, initiated some light banter as if they were old friends.

"I noticed you missed the last bus," Tae-Min observed, his gaze flicking to the nearly empty street, then back at Yeon-Su, who was slowly piecing together the reality of his predicament. Yeon-Su's heart sank as he recalled that he had no viable means of getting home. "How about I drop you off? We can chat during the ride. I've been meaning to have a conversation with you."

Initially hesitant, Yeon-Su felt a twinge of skepticism, but as he glanced more closely at Tae-Min's inviting smile and earnest eyes, he decided to suppress his doubts. Tae-Min extended a business card toward him. "That's quite alright," Yeon-Su said, firmly rejecting it. After all, what was there to lose? The thought crossed his mind that it wasn't as if anyone would miss him if he simply vanished. "Let's go. We can talk on the way," he finally relented, feeling a flicker of curiosity about this unexpected opportunity.

Tae-Min beamed, leading him to a sleek, dark sedan parked just a few paces away. Once inside, they pulled away from the curb, leaving the dimly lit streets behind as they ventured into the night.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Sung-Hoon stumbled slightly as he tried to regain his balance while walking back to the cafe, the remnants of alcohol still affecting his senses. "I think that was Tae-Min," he thought, squinting through the haze of his slightly foggy mind. "And Yeon-Su was definitely with him. Were they that close? I can't recall ever seeing them interact outside of work." Just as he reached the cafe, he spotted Yeon-Jun pacing anxiously outside, his expression a mixture of concern and urgency.

"Yeon-Jun!" Sung-Hoon called, his face brightening as he rushed forward to envelop Yeon-Jun in a warm hug. He nestled his face into the soft fabric of Yeon-Jun's coat, seeking comfort. However, Yeon-Jun responded with a strong push, followed by a light slap on the back of his neck, jolting Sung-Hoon back to reality. "What did I do?" he exclaimed, rubbing his neck while a pout formed on his lips, thoroughly bewildered.

"She's here again," Yeon-Jun signed with deliberate urgency, his fingers moving in swift, precise motions that reflected his growing anxiety. "Come up. We can't take this lightly any longer." Yeon-Jun's gestures were firm and had an edge of desperation, yet his eyes—those deep, expressive eyes—held a complexity of emotions that spoke volumes. Sung-Hoon locked onto Yeon-Jun's gaze, feeling a wave of seriousness wash over him; he could no longer ignore the gravity of the situation. This time, it was abundantly clear that Yeon-Jun was determined to confront whatever threat loomed over them, unwilling to let Sung-Hoon brush it off any further.