Tick, tick, tick, tick.
The sound of the office clock echoed across the quiet floor, marking each agonizing second closer to noon.
The employees stared up at the clock, their eyes glued to the approaching hands as if time itself might move faster under their collective will.
Only minutes left until lunch break.
Leaning casually against the wall, Ingrid Mikage watched the scene with a disdainful tilt of her head, one arm crossed under her chest.
Pathetic, she thought bitterly, masking her annoyance behind a neutral expression.
Her eyes shifted, settling on Shan Wolf—seated at his desk, utterly absorbed in the analysis spread across his screen. He made no move, no twitch to indicate he even noticed the ticking clock or the mindless anticipation around him.
Ingrid's gaze softened, if only slightly.
At least there's one who isn't an idiot.
Diligent. Hardworking.
Her lips quirked faintly in reluctant admiration.
It had been a week since the incident between Shan and Vice President Jen Heo Won—a confrontation that left ripples across the company floor.
Still, Shan remained unfazed, unshaken. He worked as if nothing ever happened.
Finally, the clock struck 12 PM with a hollow chime.
Instantly, chairs scraped back, employees rose in a slow but desperate wave, hurrying toward their lunch breaks.
Mei Yoo Jun, ever the cheerful assistant, skipped toward Ingrid with a wide smile, clearly intending to invite her.
But Ingrid dismissed her with a sharp glance, already irritated by their eagerness over something as mundane as food.
As Shan finally moved to rise from his chair, Ingrid spoke without thinking.
"Lunch?"
Shan glanced up, blinking once. "Yeah. Why?"
She shifted awkwardly, arms folding tighter. "...Nothing. I was just thinking—before that video incident... I didn't know you were so... diligent. Or focused."
Shan chuckled lowly. "Well, I always am. A troublesome worker."
"Bastard," Ingrid muttered under her breath, unable to hide the pink that crept to her cheeks.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm your bastard," Shan teased, grinning lazily.
There was a heartbeat of silence before Shan added, "How about I take you to lunch? Knowing Mei Yoo Jun, she probably still thinks we're dating."
"Like hell I would—!" Ingrid snapped back, but her stomach betrayed her with a loud, rumbling growl.
Shan smirked.
"You were saying?"
---
Minutes later, they sat across from each other at a nearby restaurant.
Ingrid cut into a thick, juicy medium-rare steak while Shan opted for a seasoned lamb chop, true to his Indian tastes.
The warm, hearty aroma filled the small space between them, blending with the soft murmur of other diners.
"Well, aren't you a hungry little predator," Shan teased, watching as Ingrid stabbed her steak with uncharacteristic eagerness.
"Fuck off," she muttered, cheeks puffing slightly.
Shan chuckled again, the sound low and genuine.
For the first time in a long while, Ingrid found herself chuckling too—a breathless, barely-there sound she quickly suppressed.
When the plates were cleaned and the meal was done, Shan wiped his mouth neatly with a napkin, setting down his utensils with a practiced motion.
"Now that that's done... what's next? The Vice President isn't going to stay quiet for long if we don't act," he said seriously.
Ingrid twirled her glass of cold water, watching the condensation trickle down with lazy interest.
"Well, for one..." she began slowly, "I was pissed when I found out you confronted her without any real evidence about Ms. Kim's assassination attempt."
She took a slow sip, then continued.
"But because of you... I'm motivated again."
From her pocket, she pulled out a folded slip of paper and slid it across the table to him.
It listed four names: Shan Wolf. Eva Kim. Rae Yoorin. Mei Yoo Jun.
"This is—" Shan started, but Ingrid silenced him with a sharp look and a finger pressed lightly to her lips.
"Shh. Just call them to the confrontation room later. I'll tell you everything once we're all there," she whispered, voice carrying a strangely seductive lilt.
Shan narrowed his eyes playfully. "You're not fooling me. Why Eva?"
Ingrid's smile sharpened. "Again, later. Tonight. After work."
Shan sighed but nodded, slipping the list into his jacket pocket.
As they exited the restaurant, the golden afternoon sun kissed their faces, and they waited side by side at the pedestrian crossing.
Without warning, a small puppy dashed between them, yipping and stumbling in panic.
Its owner chased after it, screaming.
"NOOO!!" cried the woman as the puppy headed straight for the busy road—just as a speeding car bore down the lane.
Ingrid stood frozen, expression blank.
It's just life, she thought coldly. Not everything can be saved.
But before she could fully process the thought, a gust of wind rushed past her.
Shan.
Without hesitation, Shan sprinted forward, scooping up the puppy just in time as the car screeched by, missing him by inches.
The gathered crowd gasped.
The owner rushed forward, grabbing the puppy and thanking Shan over and over again through tears.
An elderly couple clapped softly, soon joined by others.
For a moment, Shan simply stood there, scratching the back of his head, awkward with the attention.
As they resumed walking back toward the company, Ingrid stared at him, unreadable.
"You knew it could've died," she said quietly, not looking at him. "So why?"
Shan looked up at the sky, watching a lone bird soar across the orange-tinged clouds.
"You only live once. Gotta make every moment count," he said simply, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"That pup was too young. Too soon."
What he didn't say was the deeper truth he kept hidden—that death wasn't a true end for him.
He had the power to turn back time through death. A secret only Eva knew.
A secret too dangerous to trust with anyone else.
Not yet.
Not Ingrid.
Too many 'what ifs' still lingered.
---
By evening, the sky was ablaze with deep amber hues.
Inside the confrontation room, the five of them gathered—Shan, Eva, Rae, Mei Yoo Jun, and Ingrid.
Eva tapped her fingers impatiently on the table.
"So? Why bring us here?" she asked.
"Oooh! Oooh! Is it a welcome party for Ms. Kim?!" Mei Yoo Jun piped up with excitement.
Ingrid's cold smile silenced them both.
"No," she said, voice like ice.
"I called you here for something else."
She straightened, her presence filling the room with a new gravity.
"I made a promise to Eva Kim... that I would help her remove Jen Heo Won from her seat of power."
Her smile widened—a sharp, calculating thing.
"And to do that, I present to you all: Operation: Kill the Vice President."
---
Chapter 28 — End.