----
Sange barely had time to process what was happening before Hiraya dragged her out of bed, mumbling something about a "super important mission."
Still half-asleep, Sange groaned. "Where are we going?"
Hiraya smirked. "You, my friend, are going on a spy mission."
Sange blinked. "Come again?"
"You said you wanted to know more about J Corporation, their competitors, and your future boss, right?"
Sange yawned. "I mean… yes."
Hiraya grinned. "Then today, we're going undercover."
Sange sighed, rubbing her temples. "This is going to end badly, isn't it?"
---
Mission: Corporate Espionage (But Make It Clumsy)
Hiraya took undercover too seriously.
She strutted out of their apartment in all-black clothes, oversized sunglasses, and a fake earpiece.
Sange took one look at her and sighed. "You look like a low-budget K-drama spy."
Hiraya flipped her sunglasses down dramatically. "Correction—I look like a professional."
"You look like you're about to steal someone's Wi-Fi password."
Ignoring her, Hiraya led them to a high-end business café where corporate employees gathered.
Step one of their mission? Eavesdropping.
They took a seat near a group of men in suits, pretending to be normal customers.
"So, have you heard?" one man said. "J Corporation is making a move into AI tech."
Hiraya leaned in too obviously. "Ooooh, juicy!"
Sange elbowed her. "Subtlety. Ever heard of it?"
"But their biggest competitor, ShinTech, is already ahead in AI," another man added.
Hiraya nodded. "Interesting."
Sange clamped a hand over her mouth.
A waitress approached. "Can I take your order?"
Sange, distracted, waved her hand. "Just water, thanks."
The waitress raised an eyebrow. "This is a business-exclusive café. You have to order a meal."
Hiraya panicked. "Uh—one of everything?"
Sange choked. "Are you INSANE?"
The waitress scribbled it down. "Coming right up."
Ten minutes later, their table was covered in plates of food.
Sange glared. "Do you know how much this costs?!"
Hiraya took a dramatic bite of cake. "Consider it an investment."
Sange groaned. "In what? Diabetes?"
Still, they continued listening in.
"So, do you think J Corporation's CEO will make a statement soon?"
"Nah. Hyun Jae never does interviews. The guy is practically a ghost."
Sange perked up. Hyun Jae didn't do interviews?
Hiraya whispered, "A CEO with no public appearances? Suspicious."
Sange hummed in agreement. Why was he so private?
---
The CEO Files
After barely surviving their over-the-top café bill, they headed to a bookstore.
Hiraya grabbed a business magazine featuring J Corporation. "Time to meet your future boss."
Sange flipped through the pages but frowned.
She read aloud, "Hyun Jae, CEO of J Corporation, took over after his father stepped down. Known for his sharp business mind, cold personality, and strict work ethic. He rarely gives interviews and is rumored to be ruthless in negotiations."
Hiraya whistled. "Damn. So you're working for an ice king?"
Sange sighed. "Sounds like it."
Then she flipped to the next page—but something was missing.
There was no photo of Hyun Jae.
Sange frowned. "Wait… his picture isn't here."
Hiraya peered over her shoulder. "What? That's weird. Every CEO's face is in these magazines."
Sange scanned the article again. "It's just his name and some information. No pictures, no past interviews—nothing."
Hiraya wiggled her eyebrows. "Ooooh, mystery man. Maybe he's secretly ugly."
Sange smacked her. "Focus! Isn't it weird that a CEO of a massive company doesn't have any photos?"
Hiraya thought for a second. "Actually, yeah. Even super private CEOs have at least one photo online."
Sange flipped through more pages. "There's nothing. It's like he doesn't exist."
Hiraya gasped. "Ooooh! What if he's a robot?"
Sange gave her a look. "You need help."
But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling… why was there no trace of Hyun Jae anywhere?
---
The Mysterious Warning
As they left, an older woman at the counter gave Sange a long look.
"You're interested in J Corporation?" she asked.
Sange hesitated. "Uh… just curious."
The woman chuckled. "Be careful. That company has secrets."
Sange's stomach twisted. "Secrets?"
The woman only smiled. "You'll find out soon enough."
A chill ran down Sange's spine.
Hiraya, meanwhile, was stuffing a free bookmark in her bag. "Ooooh, free stuff."
Sange sighed. "This day just keeps getting weirder."
---
The Unintentional Encounter
As they walked out, Hiraya suddenly grabbed Sange's arm.
"Hey. Don't look now, but I think someone is following us."
Sange immediately turned around.
A man in a dark suit was watching them from across the street.
Hiraya facepalmed. "I said DON'T look."
The man noticed them staring and immediately walked away.
Sange's heart pounded. "Okay, that was weird."
Hiraya grinned. "Maybe J Corporation has already noticed you."
Sange laughed nervously. "Very funny."
But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling…
Something big was coming.
---