The sound of papers turning was the first thing Kang Hye-rin heard when she stepped into the dining room that morning. Lee Joon-hyuk was already there — suit sharp, tie perfectly in place, coffee untouched beside a stack of files. Even at home, he looked like a man preparing for a board meeting rather than breakfast.
"Good morning," she said lightly, tying her hair into a loose bun.
"Sit," he replied, eyes still on his tablet. "We need to talk about the next trip."
She paused mid-step. "Trip?"
He finally looked up, his expression as calm as ever. "LJ Group is taking the US investors on a short tour across Korea. Cultural immersion, business discussions, media coverage. I want you to come with me."
She blinked, setting down her glass. "Why me? You have an entire PR department for that."
His tone didn't waver. "Because you're my fiancée. It would be strange if you didn't accompany me."
The word fiancée still felt foreign, like an accessory she hadn't learned how to wear. "And if I say no?" she asked, crossing her arms.
He met her gaze, one brow lifting slightly. "Then I'll assume you're shy of traveling with your soon-to-be husband."
Her lips twitched. "You make it sound like a press obligation, not a vacation."
"Call it what you like," he said smoothly. "Pack for four days. We leave Friday morning."
She exhaled dramatically, half amused, half resigned. "Fine. But I'm bringing Se-hee. Someone needs to remind me I'm human."
He didn't answer immediately — just gave a quiet, unreadable nod before returning to his files.
Later that day, her phone buzzed. Mom.
"Hye-rin, a reporter came by the restaurant today," her mother said, voice uneasy. "Asking about your childhood, high school… strange things."
"Oh, that?" Hye-rin smiled faintly. "It's probably just gossip since I'm marrying the LJ CEO. Don't worry, Mom. Just don't talk to any of them."
Her mother sighed, still unconvinced. "Be careful, sweetheart."
"I will," she promised.
But as she ended the call, she couldn't shake the feeling that the press wasn't just curious.
They were circling. And sooner or later, they'd find something to bite.