"Hello. I'm Han Yoojin."
Yoojin bowed politely to Director Jo, her back straight and graceful.
As she did, the director's eyes curved softly, the corners lifting with quiet delight.
"What a coincidence. I regretted not seeing you again after that day—and now we meet at the open recruitment orientation."
"Director, you know Yoojin?"
Dongha looked down at the short man. His soft brown curls fell slightly over his sharp eyes, dimming their usual edge.
"We ran into each other on the street once. I handed her my card."
Director Jo's gaze swept quickly over Yoojin's face and figure.
She had the kind of beauty that could succeed anywhere—idol, actress, model, you name it.
And that intelligence behind her eyes... The public would worship her, he thought, his gaze gleaming with interest.
But Dongha immediately noticed the way the man's eyes lingered—measuring her like a product.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
"Well then, I suppose my card's useless now. You're a Samho Group employee—so we're family, right? We'll head to lunch first. See you later, Director."
Without waiting for an answer, Dongha took Yoojin by the wrist and pulled her closer.
Caught off guard, she stumbled a little, following his lead helplessly.
"See you again next time."
Yes, let's meet again.
Director Jo's tongue clicked unconsciously as he watched the two walk away.
"Dongha, he's still a director. You shouldn't have cut him off like that."
At her words, Dongha stopped abruptly and studied her face.
Was she interested in working in entertainment? He knew some people admired the glamorous world and wanted to be part of it.
"Yoojin, do you want to go into entertainment?"
"No, it's not like that."
"Then where do you want to go? Tell me."
"The Apparel Division."
"Apparel? Then let's go there."
His easy agreement made her blink.
"Huh? Can we just... decide that?"
"..."
Dongha didn't answer—only curved his lips in a faint, knowing smile.
"In return, if you go to Apparel, come visit my dance studio sometime. Promise?"
A dance studio?
To Yoojin, who had long turned away from dance, his words felt like an unexpected hand reaching into her past.
She was about to refuse, but in Dongha's dark eyes, violet flecks shimmered faintly, drawing her in.
Before she realized it, she nodded.
Only then did Dongha's face bloom with a deep, satisfied smile.
The employee cafeteria, reminiscent of a high-end franchise restaurant, was located beside the first-floor lobby.
Behind glass partitions, chefs worked busily, and the center hall held a buffet of Korean and Western dishes.
When guests visited, they could dine there at staff prices by reservation.
Families gathered around tables, chatting happily over lunch.
A banner on the wall read, "Congratulations to the 30th Class of New Employees!"
Nearby tables were already set with food.
"Yoojin, over here!"
Seohee waved brightly. Across from her sat a thin, nervous-looking man.
Smiling, Yoojin walked over, and Dongha silently followed, sitting across from her.
"This is Lee Chansoo—twenty-eight, graduated from Hankyung University, majored in Accounting."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Chansoo."
"Hello, I'm Han Yoojin. I'm graduating from the National University of Korea, Business Administration major. I'm twenty-one."
"Hi, I'm Yoon Dongha, Dance major, also twenty-one."
"Ah, both twenty-one? I didn't know they hired people that young."
Behind his thick-rimmed glasses, Chansoo's eyes blinked nervously.
After a pause, he spoke again, voice cautious.
"Sorry if this sounds strange… but are you two dating?"
"Huh?"
"..."
"I just—earlier, I thought maybe you were together, and I felt bad that I almost became
Yoojin's partner.
I'm kind of shy, so I just wanted to clear that up."
"Oh, no! We're not like that."
Yoojin waved her hands quickly, half flustered.
Dongha, however, said nothing. His face went still, lost in thought.
Seohee forced an exaggerated laugh to break the tension.
"Mr. Lee, if you thought that, you could've asked me first."
"Oh, I didn't realize you knew them, Ms. Seohee."
Seohee watched him carefully.
"They're middle school classmates."
"Ah, so that's why you two seemed so close."
At that, Chansoo smiled between them—relieved.
Old friends partnering made sense.
They ate the lunch prepared by the company, chatting about the afternoon evaluation, team assignments, and the evening introductions.
The atmosphere was cheerful—except for Dongha's silence.
He nodded occasionally or gave brief replies, otherwise just eating.
Yoojin, Seohee, and Chansoo thought he was simply focused on his food.
But inside Dongha's head, thoughts exploded like fireworks—splitting and merging in chaos.
Dating. Dating. Dating.
The single word Chansoo had thrown out reverberated like a stone in still water, sending endless ripples through his mind.
Dongha had first seen Yoojin when he was in third grade—at a ballet competition.
She had performed the Esmeralda variation: one leg stretched skyward, the other perfectly straight, tambourine clutched in hand.
Her proud expression, her poise, her command of the dance—all burned into his memory.
After that, he chased her blindly.
He learned ballet because she did, studied for Kangrim Arts Middle School because she attended it, and practiced relentlessly to dance with her.
Eventually, he succeeded—they graduated together and performed as partners.
But then he lost her. Six years passed before he finally saw her again—just ten days ago—and his fixation reignited, fiercer than ever.
He'd already realized how sensitive his mind had become to her.
When that other man nearly became her partner during orientation, his instincts surged—he'd revealed the beast he always kept leashed, taking the seat beside her without hesitation.
The moment he did, he heard his brother's laughter behind him.
That low, knowing chuckle struck his spine like a whip.
Dongha, who had never once shown weakness before Tae-young, felt exposed—like his secret had been laid bare.
And that cunning fox of a brother had definitely noticed.
Even on stage, Tae-young had flashed him those knowing smiles, then stolen the entire room with that ridiculous, overblown introduction.
And Yoojin—of all people—had clapped for it.
Clapped for him.
The memory made Dongha's stomach churn, irritation burning under his ribs.
That's why those crooked words had slipped out earlier.
He'd always kept his emotions in check, viewing them like a spectator.
But dating?
That word sparked something deep, something dangerous.
The calm world he'd built was threatening to collapse.
Until now, dating had meant nothing but having another person to take care of—annoying, exhausting, unnecessary.
Someone who demanded attention he didn't have to give.
His brows furrowed at the thought.
He remembered people—men and women alike—who had approached him with a simple,
"Wanna go out?"
Some were dancers, some colleagues, others complete strangers.
He'd seen couples too—holding hands, wrapping arms, hugging, kissing.
Ah, now he understood.
That was what they wanted—private, intimate connection.
Dongha leaned back in his chair and gazed across the table at Yoojin.
If we were dating… what could I do to that face?
His imagination filled the blanks : his cheek brushing hers, his lips grazing her flushed skin.
The thought deepened, heated—until his mind felt like it had exploded.
A sharp pop, like a fuse blowing—his body went rigid, his pale skin turning scarlet.He lifted a hand to his cheek. His palm felt burning heat.
Yoojin, mid-conversation with Seohee and Chansoo, noticed his strange reaction and turned toward him.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, time froze.
In her dark pupils, he saw himself—caught in a stillness that felt like the instant at the peak of a leap, the weightless pause before the fall.
But this was sharper, deeper, and slightly twisted.
"What's wrong?"
Concern flickered across her face.
She rose slightly from her chair, leaning closer to study him.
But to Dongha, it felt as if she had leaned in far too close—so close that if he tilted his head just a little… their lips might meet.