the innocent hacker
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. Seoyeon stepped out, her mylon-dark eyes shimmering with innocence, her oceanic-blue lenses masking a heart that no one could truly read. She looked delicate, almost fragile—but in this building, nobody dared to think of her that way.
And then, chaos erupted.
“What happened to the systems?”
“Is it a virus?”
“Why are all the servers down?”
“Who hacked us? What’s happening?”
Screens flickered, alarms blared, and panic spread like wildfire. Seoyeon only smiled faintly, her footsteps light as she moved past the frenzy. She stood quietly in the middle of the storm, her silence louder than their shouts. Then, tilting her head, she finally spoke.
“Hello, everyone. What’s going on? Why are you panicking?”
“Seoyeon, you won’t believe it!” someone cried. “All the systems are hacked—just before the most important meeting of the year!”
“Huh? Really? Did the boss hear about this?” she asked softly.
“Yes, I told him. He’s cancelled the meeting.”
“Ahh,” Seoyeon murmured, her lips curving upward. “Then the hacker must be… very professional.”
“Yes, but what do we do now?” another groaned. “How can we save the data—”
Before he could finish, the lights dimmed. Every screen went black. A few tense seconds later, the computers blinked back to life. Relief washed over the room—until a chilling realization hit them.
All the files were gone. Every document, every record—wiped clean.
“Where… where is the data?” a trembling voice asked.
The room fell silent. It was more than just an inconvenience; it was a devastating blow to the company. Employees sank back into their chairs, their confidence shattered.
Then, a junior staff member rushed in. “Seoyeon, the boss wants to see you.”
“Alright,” she said calmly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She entered the office and knocked lightly. “Boss, you wanted to see me?”
“Yes, Seoyeon.” His tone was tight with stress. “What happened to the systems? Can the data be recovered?”
Her eyes lowered. “No, sir. It’s too late. The hacker was… too efficient.”
The boss exhaled heavily, rubbing his forehead. “Alright. I’ve cancelled today’s meeting. Reschedule everything.”
Seoyeon hesitated before speaking again. “Sir, I also wanted to tell you something… I want to resign.”
His brows lifted. “Resign? But why?”
“Because I want to work in a tech company.”
He studied her for a moment, then sighed. “…If that’s what you’ve decided, I won’t stop you.”
She bowed politely and left.
At her desk, she began packing quietly. “Yura, I’m leaving,” she said softly.
Her best friend looked up. “Best of luck, bestie.” She hugged her, but their eyes exchanged something unspoken—Seoyeon’s secret was safe.
That evening, the air was cool, carrying a hint of freedom.
“Seoyeon, I’m home! Where are you?” Yura called out.
“I’m in the room!” came the reply.
Yura entered with a knowing smile. “So… you did this, huh? Naughty girl.”
Seoyeon smirked. “I did nothing. The boss wasn’t a good person. I just taught him a little lesson.”
“Hahaha, of course. And let me guess—you resigned again?”
“Yes,” Seoyeon said simply. “Now… what’s next?”
“Well,” Yura folded her arms, “you know I love tech companies too. And there’s one nearby—very popular.”
“Oh? What’s it called?”
“Skyline Tech. Its CEO is very handsome… but very, very rude.”
Seoyeon’s lips curved in amusement. “Handsome and rude? Perfect. Most of my bosses were rude. I handled them. I’ll handle him too.”
Yura shook her head. “You don’t get it. He’s worse than all of them. People say he works like a robot—cold, emotionless.”
“Hmm… impressive,” Seoyeon whispered. “Then I definitely want to go there.”
“You’re impossible,” Yura groaned. “Fine. They’re hiring an assistant. Go apply.”
“I will.” Seoyeon’s eyes glinted with determination. The game was only beginning.
