Falling Blossoms features a variety of supporting characters. Among them are villains like In Juhan, but there are also a few allies who aid the protagonist. If one were to name the most significant, it would be In Taegyu, uncle to In Seongje—and the only sibling of the Saegyeol Group chairman.
Each time In Seongje fell into crisis, he extended a helping hand, supporting him in every way so that Seongje could become the company’s heir. Having no children of his own, he often declared that he would leave everything to his good-natured nephew… In Taegyu did not tire of repeating it.
Undoubtedly, In Taegyu is a good person. But that goodness is relative. He may have been benevolent to In Seongje—but what about to In Juhan? As an ally of his rival, he would never appear virtuous.
Winter, having read Falling Blossoms to its end, knew In Juhan’s fate all too well. He meets a miserable downfall, losing everything. The person holding the largest share at that point is none other than In Taegyu. After bringing about Juhan’s ruin alongside the hero couple, he helps Seongje seize the company.
There is no way In Taegyu could be a good person in Juhan’s eyes.
Yet perhaps Juhan’s future might change.
“MK Quantum….”
Winter rolled the name over in his mouth again and again, wearing its corners smooth.
MK Quantum was the name of a company Winter hadn’t even known he remembered. It exists only in Falling Blossoms, yet it resembles the countless AI startups sprouting up these days.
There was a reason Winter retained such trivial detail.
[MK Quantum’s CI featured a butterfly formed by the letters M and K merged into one. It was designed so they would “take flight like a butterfly.”]
It was a scene in Falling Blossoms. When Winter first read it, the butterfly formed from M and K wouldn’t materialize in his mind until he sketched it by hand. Thanks to that memory, he recognized the butterfly logo the moment it appeared on Juhan’s tablet screen.
Though just one among countless AI startups, in the Falling Blossoms universe MK Quantum plays a pivotal role. It is the instrument that delivers the final blow to the villainous In Juhan. That triumphant moment hinges on MK Quantum.
“If I leverage this correctly, Director Juhan might avoid that abyss.”
It must be early in the story—no omega lead has appeared yet—so the novel hadn’t even reached its true beginning. There was still plenty of time before the ending, but the sooner he prepared, the greater the chance of averting tragedy. Forewarned is forearmed, one of Winter’s favorite sayings.
“How MK Quantum becomes the agent of his downfall? That is….”
Beeep-.
The intercom alarm snapped Winter back to reality. He hurriedly pressed the call button.
“Yes, Director!”
—No need to shout every time.
“I-I’m sorry!”
His apology rang out just as loud.
After that one reprimand—threatening to cut his lifeline if he ever raised his voice again, though not quite so graphic—Winter had tried to speak more quietly. Yet lowering his volume proved harder than he thought, and he often ended up booming like a broken speaker.
—Sigh. Never mind. Come in for a moment.
“Yes!”
Still shouting, Winter entered Juhan’s office at once.
“Reserve a restaurant for tomorrow evening. Something neat—Chinese or Japanese would be best.”
“For how many people?”
“For two. It’s someone important; pay good attention.”
‘Someone important…? Has the Director ever made that much fuss over anyone before?’
Then again, perhaps he considered everyone he met important.
“Yes, understood. Anything else?”
Securing a decent restaurant on short notice was harder than Winter anticipated. And the places satisfying to Juhan were likely booked solid for months. He masked his concern while pondering where to start. Three months on the job had at least made him passable as a secretary.
Just as he turned to leave and start his search, Winter paused at the door.
What if I inform him about MK Quantum?
The company itself was innocent. The crucial question was who wielded the MK Quantum blade.
In the future, MK Quantum succeeds in developing the smartest AI model in existence. Its corporate value soars without limit, and those who invested early reap massive profits.
One such investor is Vice Chairman In Taegyu. Facing his immense wealth in a stock battle is impossible. In Juhan is doomed to the path of ruin—knowing the end is hell.
But what if Juhan were the first to invest in MK Quantum? There’s no doubt it would drastically alter the outcome. This time, the sword would be in Juhan’s hand.
Winter resolved never to forget that Juhan’s downfall meant his own.
“Um, sir….”
Seated like a page out of a luxury magazine, In Juhan sipped his coffee with effortless elegance. Even the slight tilt of his head as he looked at Winter exuded refinement. His long legs were crossed at an almost impudent angle, yet it seemed entirely natural.
“What is it?”
Snapping his gaze back, Winter opened his mouth.
“Th-that….”
But when he tried to speak, his words failed him. Explaining felt impossible.
‘Director, this is a fictional world and I’m possessed by someone from another universe! I know the future….’ If he blurted that out, he’d be locked away—or quietly disposed of.
‘How do I explain it without revealing I’m possessed…?’
Think. If a secretary suddenly urged him to pour millions into an unremarkable startup, who would follow that advice?
“Go on?”
“…Nothing.”
Winter stepped back. He needed to craft a proper scenario before broaching it. Then a greater worry surfaced in his mind.
‘Can I even tamper with the supporting cast? Aid the worst villain? What happens to the original protagonist if I completely twist the plot?’
He wasn’t sure if he dared force such a massive diversion. It might be utterly foolish.
He sank into thought once more.
“Hello? You say the three o’clock meeting can’t happen? Then what time….”
“Huh. Our team lead is free at six.”
Winter, on the phone with the Global Business team’s assistant, was flustered. Juhan had a prior engagement this evening; a six o’clock meeting was impossible.
“That’s going to be difficult….”
“Sigh. Then what do you propose? We can’t adjust at all.”
With less than two hours until three, and a junior assistant demanding a schedule change as if it were routine, the situation was far from normal. They clearly underestimated Winter’s inexperience.
But he refused to back down. Above all, Juhan detested having his plans disrupted.
Winter felt at a loss how to handle this. One thing he knew for certain: the schedule could not be moved. This wasn’t an ordinary appointment—it was a prior engagement Juhan cared deeply about.
“Look, I’m really sorry… Why are you asking me? The Global Business team’s situation changed… You’ll have to figure it out yourselves… And I’m sorry again, but there are too many attendees. We have to stick to the original time. If you can’t attend, we’ll mark you absent.”
In that small, delicate voice, Winter nevertheless stood his ground.
—Do you even know who our team lead is?
How could they not? In Seongje—Juhan’s younger brother and the alpha protagonist of this world. Everything here revolved around Seongje. Winter thought so.
If someone outside looked in, they’d surely think Winter was the villain harassing the good-hearted protagonist’s capable secretary.
“I know, but my Director is more important! I’ll hang up now.”
Winter cut the call before his interlocutor could reply, afraid they might shout back. He immediately realized his slip.
‘I should’ve said Director’s “schedule” is important, not the Director himself….’
But such a minor faux pas hardly mattered. Winter already had a hundred times more worries than anyone else.
He was re-sending time and place notices to the three o’clock meeting’s attendees when a voice broke the office’s silence, startling him so badly he dropped his phone.
“Whose call was that?”
Winter, sensitive as ever to sudden loud sounds or booming voices, froze in place.
“Director! How did you get in here…!”
Suddenly there he was—In Juhan, standing a few steps away, having never before set foot in the secretary’s office.