Peace of God

Incheol once had it all – a rising career, a respected mentor, and confidence that could move mountains. Now, with his boss Lee Myungseon on the verge of a ministerial promotion, Incheol finds himself pulled away from the spotlight and given a daunting new mission: straighten out the troubled redevelopment plans in Songmoon City’s Central District. Determined to prove his worth, he throws himself into the work.

Everything changes the moment he crosses paths with Ahn Pyeonghwa, the fiery owner of the neighborhood gym across the street. Pyeonghwa is stubborn, uncompromising, and exactly as chaotic as he feared the project would be. During their very first meeting, she stares him down and quietly says, “Please… just hit me.”

Her request stops him cold. Incheol’s mind races. Why would anyone ask that? There’s something fiercely alive in Pyeonghwa’s eyes in that heartbeat – vulnerable, yet unbreakable.

Over the following weeks, Incheol finds Pyeonghwa on his mind more often than he expects. Every meeting at the gym, every tense discussion about the redevelopment plan chips away at his carefully controlled demeanor. He begins to notice unexpected things – the way her laugh cracks through her tough façade, or how deeply she cares for the people around her. Little by little, each encounter sparks a new tension between them, a mix of frustration, curiosity, and something softer that neither had expected.

Now, between political intrigue and daily battles across the street, Incheol and Pyeonghwa are in the middle of something neither anticipated. His drive collides with her stubborn independence, and in that collision there’s the faintest possibility of something beautiful.

After all, who could have guessed that the words “Just hit me” might be the very thing to bring two hearts closer together?