A coincidental meeting at the cafe

By 10 p.m., the dining hall was lively with chatter. Almost everyone was there—except for Chulwoo, who stubbornly remained at his university dorm, buried in studies.

The table was filled with dishes: steaming hot soup, grilled meat, fresh vegetables, and an array of traditional side dishes.

As they ate, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Politics, current affairs, baseball teams—everyone had an opinion.

"The Bears are definitely taking the championship this year," Ji-hyun declared confidently.

Sae-ri scoffed. "Please, the Twins have a better roster, Oppa."

Tae-jin leaned back in his chair. "You guys argue about which team wins the championship every year we meet during Christmas Eve, but in the end, Lions always win."

"Oh, c'mon, Oppa. Their reign is already over." Sae-ri complained casually. JI-hyun nodded in agreement. "Yeah, their last year win was just a fluke."

Eunji, munching on a piece of grilled pork, nudged Eunji. "Should we tell them?"

Minji grinned and cleared her throat dramatically. "Everyone, we have an announcement."

All eyes turned to them, stopping their argument.

Minji then spoke aloud. "We're going to be performing as backup dancers for Ryu Jaesung at the upcoming awards show."

A beat of silence—then an explosion of reactions.

"What?!" Jiyeon gasped. "That's huge!"

Sungjun raised an eyebrow. "Jaesung, huh? I seem to have heard this name before."

Their father, Tae-jin, beamed with pride. "That's my girls."

Laughter, teasing, and excitement filled the room. For a moment, all the stress and uncertainty melted away.

Tonight, they were just family.

The next day;

The Lamborghini Urus SE purred smoothly as it cruised down the morning streets of Seoul, its sleek, metallic sheen catching the first golden rays of sunlight. Inside, the twin sisters sat comfortably in the back, their school bags resting on their laps.

"Uncle, you're so extra," Minji muttered, glancing at the luxury car's interior.

Jiyeon, who sat in the front, snickered. "Right? This car is way too much for a school drop-off."

Sungjun, gripping the steering wheel with one hand, smirked. "You should arrive in style. First impressions matter."

Eunji commented sarcastically. "Yeah, because we totally need a 400-million-won supercar to impress a bunch of teenagers."

Back at home, their family had mixed reactions to Sungjun's new purchase. His siblings assumed he had impulsively used his new credit card to buy the Lamborghini the moment he got access to it. His sister-in-laws, however, were just relieved that the youngest son wasn't competition for household expenses—if anything, they were sure he'd be the one spending the least.

As they pulled up in front of the high school, the engine's low growl turned heads instantly. Students walking through the gates slowed down, eyes widening at the sight of the luxury SUV. Some whispered to each other, while others openly gawked.

"Wow, who the hell is that?"

"No way. That's Han Eunji and Han Minji, the twins right?"

"Whose car is that? Their dad?"

Jiyeon, ever the troublemaker, couldn't resist the attention. She rolled down the tinted window, waved dramatically, and flashed a beaming smile. "Goodbye, cousins!"

Eunji groaned, tugging at Minji's sleeve. "We had enough attention. Let's go."

Jiyeon just giggled as the twins disappeared into the school. Sungjun smirked and pulled away, heading toward a café in the neighborhood.

The café had a quiet, cozy atmosphere, perfect for a peaceful morning. Sungjun and Jiyeon entered, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air.

Sungjun stepped up to the counter, scanning the menu displayed above. Just as he was about to order, a voice—filled with surprise—called out to him.

"Sungjun-ssi?"

Both he and Jiyeon turned toward the source of the voice.

There, sitting alone at a corner table, was Im Sujin.

Sungjun blinked, then offered a polite smile. "Sujin-ssi, what a coincidence."

He placed his order—a chocolate drink for Jiyeon, an espresso for himself, and a few snacks on the side. Once the tray was ready, he carried it over to Sujin's table and set it down before taking a seat.

"This is Han Jiyeon, my daughter I told you about."

Jiyeon flashed a polite smile. "Hello, nice to meet you."

Sujin's eyes widened slightly in surprise before softening into a warm expression. "Oh… she's adorable. I wasn't expecting to meet her so soon."

Sungjun smirked slightly and leaned back in his chair. "And Jiyeon-ah, this is Im Sujin. She used to be an idol, and now she's an actress."

Jiyeon nodded thoughtfully. "Ohh… I think I've seen you on TV before." After a brief pause, she suddenly beamed at Sujin, her excitement barely contained. "I know who you are! You played Dayum in Love Now, Reply Later! Isn't it?"

Sujin's lips twitched into an awkward smile. "Oh… that."

"You were amazing as the crazy obsessive girlfriend! So unhinged! So intense! It was awesome!" Jiyeon gushed, her hands animatedly describing exaggerated scenes from the drama.

Sujin groaned, rubbing her temple. "That role is a stain on my career I can never erase."

Jiyeon blinked in confusion. "But you were really good at it."

Sujin sighed dramatically, dropping her head onto the table. "I know, but it also turned me into a meme for years. People still spam my social media with those GIFs."

Sungjun, who had been listening with mild amusement, smirked. "Oh really? Then I must watch it."

Sujin's head shot up in alarm. "Please don't," she begged, stretching her arms across the table in defeat. "Spare me the humiliation."

Jiyeon, noticing the dynamic between her dad and Sujin, narrowed her eyes mischievously. "Oh, this is interesting."

Jiyeon, ever the bubbling teenager who never shies away from expressing herself even in first meeting, found herself opening up swiftly to Sujin. Their conversation flowed effortlessly to the point that Jiyeon already started addressing her as Unnie, talking about the gossips in the celebrity field and also the lady's own personal life.

"So, Sujin-unnie, what kind of guys do you like?" Jiyeon asked casually, sipping her chocolate drink. Sungjun almost spat the coffee by surprise, but he forcefully chucked it down and looked at his daughter, getting a strong feeling that she was cooking something.

However, Sujin didn't find any discomfort. If anything, she simply chuckled. "Hmmm… someone who's handsome, responsible, smart, and…" she glanced at Sungjun playfully, "… a little mysterious."

Jiyeon's eyes darted between her dad and Sujin, a knowing glint in them. "I see, I see…"

Sungjun, who had been quietly sipping his espresso, let out a sigh. He knew exactly what his daughter was doing. She's testing the waters. But Sujin's reply to his daughter took him by surprise.

For at least thirty to forty minutes, Jiyeon continued steering the conversation, sometimes subtly shifting the focus to her father's likes and dislikes. Sungjun played along, indulging his daughter's antics while also keeping an ear on his internal AI.

Then, suddenly, Neo sent an alert to his brain.

Sungjun straightened slightly, his casual demeanor shifting. Setting down his cup, he stood up. "Excuse me for a moment." He abruptly halted the conversation.

"What happened?" Sujin asked. But, Sungjun didn't give a reply and just walked out, seemingly answering a call.

"It's probably someone from my dad's former company." Jiyeon didn't find anything amiss and shrugged. She continued. "Anyway, so my dad went to that boy and…"

Outside, Sungjun's gaze immediately locked onto a man in a green hoodie, holding a camera. The man, realizing he had been spotted, hastily shoved the camera into his bag and leaned against a nearby wall, pretending to wait for a cab.

Sungjun smiled and walked straight toward him. "Let's take a walk." He spoke upon reaching him.

The man stiffened, then scoffed, attempting to act innocent. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Sungjun's smile didn't waver. "Song Minjae. Born in 1983. Married to Choi Hana, who works at an accounting firm. You have a four-year-old son who goes to Little Stars Daycare. Your home address is…"

Minjae paled visibly as Sungjun effortlessly recited every personal detail about him—including his financial struggles.

The photographer swallowed hard. "…How do you know all that?" Even sweatdrops suddenly formed over his forehead in nervousness and panic.

Sungjun's expression darkened slightly. "Because I always know."

Minjae, thoroughly intimidated, nodded slowly and followed Sungjun back across the street.

As they re-entered the café, Jiyeon and Sujin looked up in surprise.

Sungjun gestured for them to stay seated, then led Minjae to a nearby table. The paparazzo sat down hesitantly, fidgeting under Sungjun's unwavering gaze.

The atmosphere shifted.

This was no longer just a casual café chat.

This was Sungjun in control.