“Young lady Seo Ha.”

Hwang Joo Hee cautiously approached Seo Ha, who had returned to her seat, with a worried expression.

“Didn’t the team leader just take your design book? What’s going on?”

Hwang Joo Hee was the only person in this design department who showed personal interest in Seo Ha. Perhaps she felt a sense of camaraderie since they joined the company together.

“I’m not sure. Probably nothing important?”

“I hope so.”

Seo Ha brought a few sheets of A4 paper instead of the design book and started sketching on them. Joo Hee glanced at it again, looked around, and whispered excitedly.

“Wow. Seo Ha, didn’t you say you were self-taught?”

Self-taught, yeah right. She had studied art and design throughout elementary, middle, and high school, then attended the best university in this field and even studied abroad.

“Well… I just studied hard.”

Seo Ha gave an awkward smile, feeling guilty. She just hoped Hwang Joo Hee would turn her attention elsewhere soon.

“You have talent, Seo Ha. Even though I’m just a newbie too…”

“Hello, Director Ryu!”

Joo Hee’s whispered words were cut off by someone’s greeting.

Director Ryu? Spy Ryu?

Seo Ha reflexively lifted her head. And unfortunately, at the perfect timing, their eyes met.

Should I greet him? Or not?

While she was hesitating, Ryu Kyung Jun strode over and abruptly placed something like a book down.

It was Seo Ha’s design book.

“This too.”

Kyung Jun placed a file folder on top of the design book. Seo Ha noticed the torn sketch inside and looked at Kyung Jun.

“Why are you bringing this, Secretary Ryu?”

“Stand up for a moment.”

In the past, she would have just scoffed. Seo Ha stopped what she was doing and glanced around at the team members focusing their attention here, then reluctantly stood up.

And she immediately regretted complying so easily.

“What are you doing now!”

Kyung Jun had started rummaging through Seo Ha’s sparse belongings.

“I’m looking for something.”

“Then you should ask me to find it for you. Isn’t this too rude?”

“…”

Kyung Jun didn’t answer. As if he hadn’t properly heard what Seo Ha said, his gaze was fixed on a few sketches that had just fallen out from between the pages of the book.

“Jo Seo Ha.”

After a while, Kyung Jun picked up the sketches and spoke coldly.

“Follow me.”

Then he strode out just as he had come in.

“Wh-what’s going on, Seo Ha?”

Joo Hee anxiously grabbed the dazed Seo Ha and asked. That question was followed by questions flying from all directions.

“Did the intern mess up?”

“How could she cause trouble when she just started!”

“I’ve never seen Director Ryu with that expression. What on earth did you do?”

I don’t know either. I don’t know. How should I know why that guy is acting like this?

Seo Ha felt like covering her ears.

“I don’t know anything either. He called me, so I’ll go and let you know when I come back.”

If we’re talking about being flustered, could anyone be more flustered than Seo Ha?

I get that the spy received the design book through Lee Ji Soo. But why did he receive it, why are pages torn out, and why did he come all the way here to find the rest of the pages himself?

Seo Ha pressed her facial muscles to compose her expression and followed Kyung Jun.

The destination was Kyung Jun’s office. A spy with his own office. He was a successful spy indeed.

Thud.

Kyung Jun closed the door and sat down.

“You, what are you?”

It was an intense gaze, yet somehow shaky. Even though it couldn’t be possible, it felt as if this man was seeing through the Jo Seo Ha shell to the Yoon Seo Ha inside.

“I’m not sure what you mean by that question, Secretary.”

“This. What is this?”

Kyung Jun spread out three or four sketches on the desk. They were all designs Seo Ha had drawn and then removed.

“They’re my designs. As you know.”

“Don’t lie!”

Kyung Jun suddenly stood up.

“These are not your designs. Where did you see them?”

Seo Ha’s eyebrows, which had been maintaining composure, raised slightly. Whether Jo Seo Ha or Yoon Seo Ha, it was due to a significant scratch to her pride as a designer.

“You’re implying that I copied them from somewhere.”

“How else-!”

“Ha.”

Seo Ha unconsciously let out a scornful laugh.

“You must have seen something similar somewhere, but the human brain is always prone to errors. I don’t know what design you’re thinking of, but if you actually compare them, they won’t be exactly the same, you know?”

Kyung Jun was silent again. But it was puzzling why he was looking at Seo Ha with such a complex gaze.

“You look certain that I stole someone else’s design.”

Seo Ha boldly placed her hand on the sketches with a thud. Kyung Jun’s eyes, which had been silently watching Seo Ha, sharpened.

“What are you doing?”

“Let’s make a bet. Bring that design, and if I copied it, I’ll clear out my desk.”

“And if you didn’t? I quit?”

“Hire me as a formal designer.”

It was an extremely bold proposal for an intern who had just joined. Kyung Jun stared at Seo Ha’s hand for a moment, then smirked.

“I can’t bring that design. It belongs to another designer.”

“So you mean you insulted me based on an uncertain memory.”

“Let’s do this.”

Kyung Jun pulled out three sketches from under Seo Ha’s hand, neatly arranged them, and placed them on one side of his desk.

“I’ll keep these. Bring ten more designs with this identity. If they’re really Jo Seo Ha’s designs, it shouldn’t be an unreasonable task.”

Jo Seo Ha’s lips curved into an appropriate arc. It was a likable smile that was flawless from a business perspective.

“Alright, Secretary Ryu.”

When she extended her hand that had been pressing down the sketches, Kyung Jun hesitated for a moment before grasping it. For someone who seemed to have spent his life just typing on keyboards and holding pens, his hand was unexpectedly firm and rough with calluses.

“Give me a month. I’ll bring enough to make a collection with this line.”

“I look forward to it.”

The two hands that had been clasped in mid-air were coolly released. Seo Ha slightly bowed her head in greeting and turned to grasp the doorknob when:

“Oh, right, Jo Seo Ha.”

Kyung Jun stopped Seo Ha as if he had remembered something.

“Yes?”

“Yoon Seo Ha. Do you know her by any chance?”

“…”

Seo Ha’s face froze for a very brief moment before quickly returning to normal.

“Yes. I know her.”

This time, it was Kyung Jun’s face that froze. Seo Ha looked at him with an expression that seemed to ask ‘what’s wrong?’ and shrugged.

“Even though I’m just an intern, of course I know Designer Yoon Seo Ha. Isn’t that natural?”

“… I see.”

Kyung Jun motioned towards the door with his chin. It meant she could go now.

Seo Ha nodded slightly again and left. Kyung Jun, who had been sitting still until then, neatly spread out Jo Seo Ha’s three sketches on the desk as soon as the door closed.

“… It can’t be.”

Although a long time had passed, the memory remained clear. They were definitely the sketches from the design book that Yoon Seo Ha had dropped in front of the CEO’s office.

The shock he had received then was still vivid. He even remembered the jealousy he had felt upon realizing that Yoon Seo Ha, who was loved and acknowledged by everyone, also possessed talent and skill.

Those sketches are now inside the safe in the design room. Yoon Seo Ha’s safe, which Ji Soo had visited Hae Sun’s hospital room countless times to find out the password.

“Jo Seo Ha. What exactly are you?”

Kyung Jun muttered, facing those designs that had unexpectedly come to life in the hands of an intern.

“Intern Jo Seo Ha. Come to the meeting room.”

Today is an extremely tough day. Seo Ha sighed as she entered the office and heard Ji Soo’s voice greeting her, then entered the meeting room.

“I heard you went out because Director Ryu called you?”

“Yes.”

“What did you talk about?”

Should I tell her or not. Seo Ha pondered for a moment before answering.

“We talked about designs.”

“Designs?”

Ji Soo raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

“Are you saying Director Ryu talked about designs with a mere intern? Do you think that makes sense?”

“You tore out and took designs from a mere intern too, Team Leader.”

Judging by her expression, it seems that’s correct. If only the good designs were torn out, it must have been Ji Soo who took them.

“Intern Jo Seo Ha. Do you know you’re being very insolent right now?”

“I just answered because you asked. If it came across as insolent, I apologize.”

Her tone didn’t contain even a mosquito’s worth of apology.

“I-Intern Jo Seo Ha!”

Ji Soo raised her voice. Seo Ha looked at Ji Soo with slightly surprised eyes.

Of course, she wasn’t surprised by the raised voice. It was because Ji Soo, who usually spoke well in front of weaker people, suddenly started stuttering.

“Wh-what are you looking at?”

“… Nothing.”

“I can’t believe this.”

Ji Soo muttered to herself and then took a deep breath.

“So. What did you talk about with Director Ryu regarding the designs?”

“He seemed impressed by my designs. He told me to bring ten more in the same line.”

Seo Ha watched with pleasure as Ji Soo’s face contorted uncontrollably. She didn’t know she could be so childish as to enjoy this, but it seemed that dealing with childish people made one childish too.

“Di-Director Ryu a-asked for de-designs? From an intern?”

It was obvious what was going through her head.

People’s judgement is all the same. The pages Ji Soo tore out were the best ones from the design book. She must be worried about how her designs would compare when the designs directly requested by Ryu Kyung Jun were presented.

And from a mere intern at that.

“So wh-what did you answer?”

“I said I would. I said I’d bring ten designs that would satisfy him within a month.”

“A month.”

She’ll try to get rid of me within a month.

Seo Ha shook her head inwardly.

Go ahead and try. Why don’t you hire a truck like Lee Seung Oh did?

“If we’re done talking, can I go now?”

Ji Soo, who had been lost in thought, looked up.

“Go ask Hwang Joo Hee about the work I assigned and share it. When you’re done, organize the fabric warehouse, check for any missing accessories, and go to Dongdaemun.”

“…”

Could it be any more obvious? Her intention to work me like a dog for a month to prevent me from designing, and to push me out if I make any mistakes in the meantime, was as clear as a picture before my eyes.

“Yes, I understand.”

But Ji Soo couldn’t even imagine. That there was no one in the world who knew this design room better than Seo Ha.

Seo Ha just answered like that and was about to leave when she paused and added.

“Ah, right. Secretary Ryu asked me something.”

“What?”

“He asked if I knew Yoon Seo Ha.”

Ji Soo’s face clouded over, colder than ever before.