The lights were bright, the cameras focused, and everyone's attention was on Jinwoo Park. He stood in the center of the scene, playing the role of a broken man. His sharp, chiseled features conveyed a pain so real that the entire crew was drawn in. Every word, every movement was flawless, a masterclass in acting. Jinwoo's piercing gaze and undeniable charisma filled the room.

"Cut!" the director exclaimed, gleaming with pride. "Great job, Jinwoo! Absolutely perfect."

"thank you" - Jinwoo gave a 90 degree bow to everyone, and walked away.He was unaffected by the cheers and whispers of appreciation. His characteristic coldness was evident in every stride as he turned and headed for his dressing room.

Behind him, Seojin, his agent, followed with a smirk. “Another day, another masterpiece.”

Jinwoo didn’t respond, but Seojin had gotten used to his silence.

Inside the dressing room, Jinwoo sat down with a heavy sigh. The persona he carried on set was exhausting, but necessary. The world expected perfection from him, and he never failed to deliver.

His phone buzzed, breaking the brief silence.

Mom.

With a sigh, Jinwoo picked it up. The warmth in his eyes flickered back into place as soon as he heard her voice.

"Jinwoo-ah! Can you do me a favor?" his mother’s cheerful tone came through the speaker.

He leaned back in his chair, already knowing what was coming. “What do you need, Mom?”

""Your brother is busy, so I need you to take up Soo-ah from school.. Then we'll visit your grandparents, okay?"

Jinwoo rubbed his temples. He loved his niece, but he knew exactly where this family gathering was heading—another blind date, arranged by his mother, with some overly polished young heiress. Each one more fake than the last.

"Mom… He continued, "I have a full schedule today," but his mother interrupted him with a soothing giggle.

"Come on, Jinwoo, you know how happy this makes your grandparents. Don’t be late. And maybe you’ll finally meet someone you like."

He rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself. “Alright, alright. I’ll go.”

As soon as he hung up, he glanced at Seojin, who was trying—and failing—not to burst into laughter.

“Another one of those dates, huh?” Seojin chuckled, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Jinwoo glared at him, but Seojin was already laughing. “You know, I'd pay big money to see you in such circumstances. …”

Jinwoo shot him a look that could freeze and kicked him out of sofa, but Seojin’s laughter only grew louder.

With a long, frustrated sigh, Jinwoo muttered, “I swear, one of these days, I’m sending you on one of those dates in my place.”

Seojin leaned against the wall, still chuckling. “As if your mom wouldn’t see through that in a second.”

Jinwoo glared at his reflection in the mirror. He may be the most admired man in the country, but when it came to his mother, he was simply a youngster who couldn't say no.

The schoolyard was alive with laughing and conversation, but in a nook near the playground, the mood was anything but cheerful. Soo-ah Park, an eight-year-old with keen eyes and even sharper passion  stood bravely in front of a terrified young boy named Minho, tears streaming down his face.The cause of his pain was obvious: a gang of recognized bullies led by the arrogant Jiwon, the son of one of the school's largest sponsors.

"Look at him, weeping like a baby!" Jiwon laughed, his arrogant grin spreading as his pals laughed mockingly. "No surprise his father left him! "Who would want a useless boy like him?"

Minho's cries grew stronger and Soo-ah's hands clutched at her sides. She could feel her blood boiling.

“That’s enough!” she shouted, stepping between Minho and the bullies. “Stop it right now!”

Jiwon smirked down at her, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Well, well, the little princess has arrived to play hero," he drawled. "What’s the matter, Soo-ah? Don’t like us messing with your boyfriend?"

Soo-ah’s eyes narrowed, but she stood her ground. "Believe whatever you want, but he’s not my boyfriend," she shot back. "And you’re not going to bully him anymore."

"Oh yeah?" one of Jiwon’s lackeys sneered, stepping closer. "And what exactly are you going to do about it? You don’t even have a mother—why don’t you go cry somewhere else?"

The mention of her mother struck a nerve, but Soo-ah's resolve grew stronger. Her mom passed away when she was a baby, and people's ignorance about her family didn't affect her—unless they exploited it to harm others.

"I don't need a mom to beat the shit out of you," she said with anger. "Did you assume you're tough because this minions following you around? I have dealt with worse than you.

Her comments definitely touched a nerve, and Jiwon's smirk weakened. "Oh yeah?" So, we'll see how tough you are after this.

In an instant, he lunged at her, his fists raised. But Soo-ah was faster. With the precision and grace her grandfather had taught her, she dodged his punch with ease. Her foot swept out, catching Jiwon off balance and sending him sprawling onto the ground.

His friends gasped in shock, frozen in place as Soo-ah stood over Jiwon, her gaze sharp and unyielding. The confidence he had just moments ago was nowhere to be seen.

"Get up," she said, her voice calm but laced with authority. "Weren’t you the one looking for a fight?"

Jiwon scrambled to his feet, his face flushed with both humiliation and rage. He couldn’t believe what had just happened—Soo-ah, of all people, had taken him down in front of everyone. Fueled by wounded pride, he lunged at her again, this time with more force.

But Soo-ah was quicker. She sidestepped effortlessly, catching his wrist mid-swing and twisting his arm behind his back in one fluid motion. A sharp gasp escaped Jiwon's lips as she forced him onto his knees.

“Say you’re sorry to Minho,” she commanded, tightening her hold on his arm.

Jiwon gritted his teeth, struggling against her grip. “Let go of me!” he spat, his voice betraying his frustration.

“Not until you apologize,” Soo-ah responded coolly. “You don’t get to hurt people and walk away like it means nothing.”

The other bullies exchanged nervous glances, their bravado fading. No one had ever put Jiwon in his place like this before. Some of them shifted uncomfortably, debating whether to step in, but none dared.

Before anyone could make a move, a sharp voice cut through the tension. “What is going on here?”

Heads snapped toward the approaching teachers, their stern faces assessing the situation. The sight of Jiwon on his knees, Soo-ah gripping his arm in a firm hold, and Minho standing wide-eyed in the background told them everything they needed to know.

Within minutes, the entire group was ushered into the principal’s office, the weight of their actions hanging over them like a storm cloud.

Soo-ah raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair. The entitled rage from Jiwon’s parents was nothing new to her. She had seen this exact scene play out too many times—the rich throwing their weight around, expecting the world to bow at their feet. But Soo-ah had never been the type to kneel, especially not to people like them.

Minho sat beside her, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. He looked down, shoulders stiff, as if expecting her to give in to the principal’s demand.

Jiwon, still rubbing his sore wrist, smirked despite his bruised pride. He leaned back in his chair with a smug look, waiting for Soo-ah to crack under pressure. His parents had always been able to buy their way out of any situation, and this would be no different.

Soo-ah, however, had other plans.

She tilted her head, feigning confusion. "Apologize? For what exactly?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

The principal cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. "For the… altercation. Let’s be reasonable, Miss Park. Surely, you understand that violence is not the answer—"

"You're right," Soo-ah interrupted smoothly, her voice calm but unwavering. "Violence isn’t the answer. But self-defense? That’s a different story."

Jiwon's father scoffed. "Self-defense? You expect us to believe that? You’re just a delinquent and how dare you speak to me like that, you little—” He lunged forward, his hand outstretched, as if to grab her.

In an instant, Soo-ah’s foot slammed against the chair, pushing herself up to meet his gaze with fierce defiance. “Touch me, and you’ll regret it,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. Her grandfather’s training had taught her far more than just martial arts—it had taught her to stand her ground, no matter who was on the other side.

Jiwon’s father paused, momentarily taken aback by the steely resolve in her eyes. But the rage quickly returned. “You think you’re above us, don’t you? You’re just a little girl with no mother, no one to—”

"Careful," Soo-ah cut in, her tone sharp. "Words have consequences. Especially when there are witnesses."

Minho hesitated, then slowly lifted his gaze. "She’s telling the truth," he said quietly but firmly. "Jiwon and his friends cornered me. They were beating me up, and she stopped them. If she hadn't stepped in, who knows what they would have done?"

Jiwon flinched, his smirk disappearing. His parents, however, weren’t deterred.

"Ridiculous," his mother snapped. "My son would never—"

"Are you sure??" a new voice entered the conversation, cutting her off.

All heads turned toward the doorway, where seojin stood holding a small USB drive. He was not just a manager of Jinwoo but also one of the school’s major shareholder just like Jiwon's father, and his expression was unreadable as he stepped into the room.

"We checked the security footage," he announced, placing the USB drive on the principal’s desk. "And it confirms everything Minho just said."

Jiwon's parents visibly stiffened.

"Sir why do you support her, she is just a nobody...?"Jiwons father eagerly asked him.

"Nobody?? How dare you look down on the young lady of the Park family, it seems like your asking for some beetings?'

"young lady of Park family..."

He continued, glancing at Soo-ah. "She didn’t attack first. She merely defended herself and Minho. In fact, if anything, she showed remarkable restraint. Given the circumstances, I’d say she handled it far better than most would."

The principal, who had been ready to cave to Jiwon’s parents, suddenly looked trapped. He knew he couldn’t ignore anymore.

Jiwon's father clenched his fists. "This is unacceptable—"

"What’s unacceptable," Soo-ah interrupted, her voice carrying a dangerous edge, "is that people like you think you can cover up your children’s mistakes with money and threats."

Jiwon’s mother gasped. "You insolent—!"

Soo-ah stood up, slowly and deliberately, her chair scraping against the floor. She locked eyes with Jiwon’s father. "Your son isn’t a victim. He’s a bully. If you actually cared about him, you’d hold him accountable instead of trying to buy his way out of trouble."

Jiwon's father’s face darkened, but before he could retort, the principal cleared his throat loudly.

"Given the evidence," he said, his voice regaining some authority, "Soo-ah will not be punished. In fact, I believe the ones who owe an apology here are Jiwon and his friends."

" Or you can just wait for the consequences" Seojin smirked

Jiwon's parents looked outraged, but before they could argue, Jiwon himself spoke up. His voice was low, barely audible.

"I’m… sorry," he muttered.

His parents whipped around to look at him in shock, but Jiwon just kept his gaze down, his fists clenched at his sides. He wasn’t just apologizing because he had to—he had lost. And worse, he knew it.

Soo-ah didn’t smile, didn’t gloat. She just nodded. "Good. Next time, don’t start fights you can’t win."

With that, she turned to Minho. "Come on, let’s go."

Minho hesitated before standing up as well. He cast one last glance at Jiwon before following Soo-ah out of the office.

As they walked down the hallway, Minho finally let out a breath he’d been holding. "I can’t believe you did that," he said in awe.

Soo-ah smirked. "You should start believing it."

Minho chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

She simply shrugged. "Just don’t be an idiot like them."

And with that, they walked away, leaving behind the chaos they had just dismantled.

Soo-ah looked between her uncles, Seojin and Jinwoo, a mischievous glint in her eyes. The tension in the principal’s office had barely faded, yet here they were, standing in the school hallway, casually throwing remarks at each other.

Jinwoo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Soo-ah, why is it that every time I see you, you’re either in trouble or causing trouble?”

Soo-ah crossed her arms, smirking. “I don’t cause trouble. Trouble finds me.”

Seojin burst into laughter. “That’s my niece! Always at the center of the action.”

Jinwoo shot him a glare. “And you… you just barged into a school meeting with a fake USB? What if the principal had actually checked?”

Seojin shrugged, completely unfazed. “Please. I read the room. The moment I saw the panic on the principal’s face, I knew he didn’t have the guts to question me.”

Soo-ah chuckled. “Uncle Seojin, you should’ve been a con artist instead of a businessman.”

Seojin grinned. “A genius has many talents.”

Jinwoo sighed dramatically. “Unbelievable.”

Soo-ah tilted her head, eyeing her uncle curiously. “But seriously, Uncle Jinwoo, why are you here? Don’t you have a date?”

Seojin smirked knowingly while Jinwoo stiffened slightly. He cleared his throat. “I was… in the area.”

Soo-ah raised an eyebrow. “In the area? Near a high school? Sounds suspicious.”

Seojin clapped Jinwoo on the back. “Don’t worry, Soo-ah. He’s just bad at admitting things. The truth is—”

Jinwoo shot him a warning look, his jaw tightening. “Don’t.”

Seojin just grinned wider. “He’s been restless since morning, checking his phone every five minutes, waiting for a certain someone to message him back.”

Soo-ah’s eyes widened. “Wait… Uncle, do you have a crush?”

Jinwoo groaned, covering his face. “Why am I still standing here?”

Soo-ah gasped dramatically. “Oh my god, you do! Who is she? Do I know her?”

Jinwoo grabbed Seojin’s collar, dragging him a few steps away. “If you say one more word, I swear—”

Seojin laughed, raising his hands in surrender. “Relax, relax! I won’t ruin your little love story.”

Soo-ah, still grinning, stepped forward. “Uncle Jinwoo, you have to tell me now. Come on, who is she? Is she pretty? Smart? Do I approve?”

Jinwoo sighed. “It’s none of your business.”

Seojin smirked. “She might make it her business.”

Jinwoo shot him a glare before turning back to Soo-ah. “Stop getting involved in things you don’t understand.”

Soo-ah pouted. “Fine. But I’ll find out eventually.”

Jinwoo groaned. “Why does my entire family enjoy meddling in my life?”

Seojin chuckled. “Because it’s fun.”

Soo-ah giggled. “And entertaining.”

Jinwoo smirked as he looked down at Soo-ah, his amusement evident. “Oh, really? Keep teasing me, and I might just stop buying you tteokbokki. I know you’ve been skipping lunch just to snack. Should I tell your dad? I bet he’d love to have a word with you about that.”

Soo-ah gasped dramatically, clutching her chest as if he had just delivered a fatal blow.

“Nooo! Uncle, you wouldn’t betray me like that! Besides, I’m not the only one who’s addicted to Kim Sooyi’s cooking, am I? You’re the one who introduced me to her snack shop! You even sneak away from work just to come here. If anyone’s getting scolded first, it’s definitely you!”

Jinwoo narrowed his eyes at her, but before he could respond, Soo-ah suddenly paused and glanced around.

“Wait… where’s Uncle Seojin? Wasn’t he just here?”

Jinwoo followed her gaze, then shrugged. “He’s probably still dealing with the principal. Messy business.”

Just then, his stomach let out a loud growl, breaking the momentary silence. Soo-ah immediately burst into laughter, pointing at him.

“Ah-ha! See? After all that talk, you’re hungry too! Let’s go to the snack shop, Uncle! I’m starving!”

Jinwoo sighed, but he couldn’t deny the hunger gnawing at him. “Alright, alright. Let’s get something from Sooyi’s place. But don’t blame me when you’re too full for dinner later.”

The two made their way to Sooyi’s Snack Shop, one of the busiest food spots in town. The small yet inviting storefront was packed, a long line of customers eagerly waiting for their orders. The air was filled with the rich, savory scent of tteokbokki, sizzling fish cakes, and crispy kimbap. The aroma alone was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

As they stood in line, Soo-ah leaned toward Jinwoo with a teasing grin.

“Uncle, you always rave about this place, and now we’re here again. Be honest—you’re obsessed with her food, aren’t you?”

Jinwoo smirked, making no effort to deny it. His gaze wandered toward the kitchen, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive Kim Sooyi—the woman whose cooking had captivated the entire town. Every time he visited, she was always in the back, diligently working behind the scenes. Despite his frequent visits, he had never actually seen her face.

“It’s not just me,” Jinwoo replied, glancing at the growing line. “Her cooking isn’t just food—it’s an experience. Look at this crowd. People don’t wait this long just for snacks.”

Soo-ah nodded in agreement, inhaling deeply. “You’re right! It’s like there’s some kind of magic in everything she makes. But still… you always try to catch a glimpse of her, don’t you? Admit it—you’re curious about the woman behind the food.”

Jinwoo let out a soft chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe I am. You think I shouldn’t be?”

Soo-ah giggled. “I think you should be. What if she’s not just an amazing cook? What if she’s really cool too?”

Before Jinwoo could respond, Sooyi’s father greeted them warmly from behind the counter.

“Ah, welcome back! You’re here early today,” the elderly man said, his eyes crinkling with a kind smile. “How have you been, Soo-ah?”

“I’m great, Grandpa! The usual order, please,” Soo-ah said cheerfully.

Sooyi’s father chuckled. “Coming right up.”

As they waited, Jinwoo subtly tried to get a look into the kitchen. He could see a figure moving swiftly, hair neatly tied back, hands expertly working over the sizzling pans. Even from a distance, there was something mesmerizing about her. Though her back was turned, she had an air of quiet confidence, a presence that was hard to ignore.

Jinwoo (to himself): So that’s her… the woman who creates magic in the kitchen.

Before he could dwell on the thought, Sooyi’s father handed over their neatly packed food. Jinwoo accepted it with a nod, but there was a slight hint of disappointment—once again, he had missed his chance to see the face behind the legend.

Jinwoo: “Guess it wasn’t meant to be today.”

They left the shop and climbed into the car, where Soo-ah immediately opened the containers, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“Yum! This is going to be amazing!” she exclaimed.

The first bite was blissful. The perfect blend of spice, sweetness, and texture melted in their mouths. There was something deeply personal about the way Kim Sooyi cooked—every dish carried an unspoken warmth, as if she poured her very soul into it.

Jinwoo took another bite, lost in thought.

Soo-ah (smirking): “See, Uncle? Even you can’t resist! You’re as obsessed as I am!”

Jinwoo let out a laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. I guess you’re right. Her food… it’s something else.”

Soo-ah leaned in mischievously. “Who knows? Maybe next time you’ll finally meet her properly.”

Jinwoo scoffed but didn’t argue.

Jinwoo (to himself): Next time… maybe next time.

As they drove off, the scent of Sooyi’s cooking still clung to their clothes, and Jinwoo couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the last time he’d find himself drawn to her snack shop. The mystery of Kim Sooyi had already taken root in his mind, and the more he tasted her food, the more he wanted to uncover the woman behind it.