Yoojin had no idea how shocked everyone was as she fought down a tremor in her voice and began her introduction.
"Hello, hello, hellooo!"
The crowd shot back with a loud, rhythmic, "Hey!"
"Don't ask my age! I'm twenty-one, a Class of 30 rookie—but deep down, I'm the ultimate old-soul!"
In truth, Yoojin had lived thirty-six years. She'd only pretended to be twenty-one again…and people often said she talked like someone far older.
So to her, this was simply an honest introduction.
When a girl with a doll-like face introduced herself as the ultimate old-soul, startled gasps popped across the room.
"What the—?"
"She looks nothing like that."
But Yoojin continued boldly.
"My! Name! Is! Han! Yoo! Jin! And my name is—?"
The entire lounge shouted back in perfect unison:
"Han! Yoo! Jin!"
"I'm Han Yoojin—the ultimate old-soul! Nice to meet you!"
Executives, directors, and team leads applauded wildly.
And for good reason—they were the real old-souls of the company.
"Kkondae," the dreaded label for old-fashioned, pushy seniors, was the one word they feared the most in the office, in group chats, in meetings—everywhere.
But here was a twenty-one-year-old calling herself that, openly, joyfully.
For a moment, every old-soul in the lounge felt the word wasn't so bad after all.
Through the cheers, Chairman Yoon Taeyoung watched Yoojin smiling brilliantly onstage.
To unite an entire room with one introduction… she has more presence than I expected.
SH Entertainment's promo video would turn out well with her, he thought.
She didn't just look good; she drew people in with her voice, her energy—an effortless charm that would benefit Samho Group in many ways.
Finishing her introduction, Yoojin felt something old and heavy fall away from her chest. It was as if the stale emotions of her past life had been swept clean, letting her be reborn as a new talent within Samho Group.
She returned to her seat with a confident smile. Across from her, Executive Director Park Jinhee and Manager Lee Hyuk were grinning, clearly pleased.
Next was Dongha.
A striking man with sharp lines and a warm, easy smile stepped onto the stage. Standing a little over 190 centimeters with broad shoulders and long limbs, he was imposing even before he spoke. His deep-set eyes were cool yet carried something unspoken within them.
A collective "Wow…" slipped from the crowd.
Then his smooth, low voice rolled out:
"I didn't prepare an introduction line, so I'll start by showing you my special talent—beer chugging."
A stark contrast to all the rookies who had screamed themselves hoarse to make an impression.
Talent show before the introduction? Absolutely absurd. And yet—
He casually reached for three 640 mL beer cans from a nearby table and cracked them open one by one.
The sharp click of the first can sent the room into explosive cheers.
Of course—K-office workers were notoriously passionate about drinking culture.Without needing a signal, everyone began chanting in perfect rhythm:
"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!"
The rookies—cold-faced from nerves—watched, while the executives shouted themselves hoarse.
Dongha tilted his head back slightly, his Adam's apple flexing as if warming up. The motion alone made several people swallow reflexively in sympathy.
Then he poured the beer into his mouth. The cold liquid streamed in, and his throat pulsed as he swallowed.
"Is he… gonna choke?"
"Beer has carbonation—he's okay?"
"That much? Really?"
Worried words rose here and there, but their expressions were nothing like worry—only awe. With a skill like that, he'd be beloved at every company drinking event.
He emptied the first can in seconds, then moved to the second without blinking.
The cheers grew louder. Someone whistled. Several others followed.
Chairman Yoon Taeyoung watched, dumbfounded, a hollow laugh escaping him.
Russia, he mouthed silently.
Blood was blood, after all.
By the time Dongha crushed the third empty can in his fist, gasps turned into roars.
He grabbed the mic with an easy grin.
"Good evening. I'm Yoon Dongha, Class of 30. It's a pleasure."
His deep yet velvety voice filled the lounge—and shrieks erupted from the women. Even executives couldn't hide their excitement.
"That monster…" Manager Lee Hyuk muttered, though there was undeniable enjoyment in his voice.
Next were Jang Seohee and Lee Chansu.
Seohee tried a high note like Yoojin—but her voice cracked.
Chansu tried to follow Dongha's style with a soju bottle—but choked halfway and accidentally sprayed soju all over Chairman Yoon, who sat right in front of the stage.
A frozen silence fell. Not a breath, not a whisper.
Chansu turned ghost-white.
Who spits liquor on the chairman during orientation? The quickest termination in Samho Group history seemed imminent.
SH Entertainment's Director Gu Mingyeong and Spring Entertainment's Director Jo Taejin both went stiff, wide-eyed.
But Chairman Yoon suddenly burst into laughter as he wiped his face.
He, too, had once been a rookie—starting from the bottom, without privilege.
He knew exactly what kind of terror this moment must be.
When he laughed, his face flushed, the entire lounge followed—exploding into laughter.
"A rookie who spit liquor on the chairman on day one? Incredible!"
Thumbs-up rose everywhere.
Overnight, Chansu became the most famous new hire in the entire corporation.
When the orientation finally ended, Yoojin and Dongha caught a taxi outside the Samho headquarters in Gangnam.
The dance studio was about fifteen minutes away.
"Hey, Yoon Dongha… you okay?" Yoojin asked, glancing at his profile.
"It's just three cans of beer. People get drunk off beer?"
Dongha shrugged.
Of course, he knew what she was really concerned about.
People sipped beer like it was something dangerous.
To him, it wasn't alcohol at all—no matter how much he drank, he felt nothing but a full stomach.
He'd never thought of it as a talent, nor had he planned anything.
He simply hadn't prepared a line, saw the cans, and impulsively drank them—just like after a long dance session.
But now, sitting beside Yoojin in the taxi, dizziness crept into his head.
He'd never felt "drunk" before—but this must be it. Not alcohol, but Yoojin.
His heartbeat thundered so loudly he feared she might hear it.
He turned toward her. Yoojin checked the time on her phone, brows pinched into a small frown.
"It's later than I thought. Almost nine. I can't stay long."
Dongha found himself staring at those furrowed brows.
Is that because of me? Is she annoyed? Should I apologize?
But strangely… the thought made him feel good.
He watched her as if discovering something new.
Then, before he could stop himself, the truth spilled out:
"Ten minutes or thirty—it doesn't matter. What matters is going with you."
His voice cracked slightly—unexpected, even for him.
Not even chugging three beers had shaken his vocal cords.
Yoojin turned sharply, staring at him—wide-eyed, breath caught.
There was something sharp, something unsettling in Dongha's gaze—and it was directed entirely at her.
The taxi sped down the empty Teheran-ro, neon signs flashing across the windows as the night deepened.