Joon-ho leaned ba his chair, eyes sing the ly printed list of didates Park Yeon-jin had prepared for him. Rows of names, credentials, and work histories stared back at him, but none of them sparked his i. He sighed, rubbing his temple.

  "Not impressed?" Yeon-jin asked, perched fortably across from him with a cup of coffee in hand.

  "Not even close," Joon-ho replied, flipping the pages absentmindedly. "Half of them have never handled anything beyond scheduliings, and the other half would probably quit after a month."

  Yeon-jin smirked. "Are you looking for a secretary or a war general?"

  "I'm looking for someone who handle me," he shot back, tossing the folder onto the desk. "Someone who doesn’t just nod and follow instrus but actually uands what o be done before I say it."

  She chuckled, setting down her coffee. "That sounds like a uni. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one, so you’ll have to settle for a humaary."

  Joon-ho exhaled sharply, drumming his fingers against the desk. "There’s got to be someone who fits." He sed the list again but found his mind drifting—memories of his past life, or rather, his future life, fshing before him.

  A name surfaced in his mind. An ued choice.

  "Yoo Seul-bi," he murmured.

  Yeon-jin raised a brow. "Who?"

  He sat up straighter, flipping through the files. "She’s not here?"

  Yeon-jin blihen reached for her tablet. "Hold on. Yoo Seul-bi… the name sounds familiar." She tapped rapidly before looking up. "Oh. Her. She didn’t make the cut because she’s never worked at a high-level corporate firm. Most of her experience is in crisis ma and handling… difficult people."

  "Perfect," Joon-ho muttered, already intrigued.

  Yeon-jin narrowed her eyes. "Wait, you know her?"

  "Not personally." Not yet, anyway. "But I have a feeling she’s the one we need."

  Yeon-jin leaned back, skeptical. "She’s petent, sure. But are you sure about hiring someone just based on a feeling?"

  Joon-ho grinned. "Yeon-jin, when have my instincts ever been wrong?"

  She snorted. "You want the list alphabetically or ologically?"

  He ughed. "Just set up the interview. You’ll see what I mean."

  She sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Fine. But if this blows up in your face, I reserve the right to say I told you so—and I will never let you fet it."

  "Deal," Joon-ho said, smirking. This time, I won’t be wrong.

  Joon-ho leaned ba his chair, studying the womaed across from him. Yoo Seul-bi sat with a straight posture, her expression calm and unreadable. Dressed in a crisp white blouse and a navy pencil skirt, she exuded a quiet fidene that didn’t e from titles or wealth, but from experience.

  He flipped through her file, even though he had already memorized it. "You’ve never worked in fashih-level corporate roles," he said. "But you have handled crisis ma aiations under Chairman Kang." He gnced up. "Not an easy man to work for."

  Seul-bi didn’t blink. "No, he isn’t."

  "A, you sted three years as his chief aide."

  "Four," she corrected. "I romoted in my first year."

  Yeon-jin, standing off to the side, arched a brow but said nothing.

  Joon-ho set the file down. "Your background is impressive, but I have to ask—ly here?" He leaned forward slightly. "You know my reputation. People doly line up to be my secretary uhey have… ulterior motives."

  Seul-bi met his gaze, unshaken. "I don’t work fossip. I work for results."

  Joon-ho smirked. "Good answer, but still doesn’t expin why me."

  She folded her hands in her p. "You may have a reputation as a pyboy chaebol, but you also have a reputation fetting what you want. IMFG is struggling, yet you refuse to let it fall. That tells me you’re not just another heir pying at business—you actually io win."

  Joon-ho’s smirk deepened. "And you like w with winners?"

  "I like w with people who refuse to lose," she corrected smoothly. "More importantly, I know how to handle difficult situations. If you pn t IMFG back from the brink, you’ll need someone who won’t crader pressure."

  Yeon-ji out a quiet huff. "fident, aren’t you?"

  Seul-bi turo her. "I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t."

  Joon-ho chuckled, clearly enjoying this exge. He leaned back, tapping his fingers on the desk. "I have one more question."

  "Go ahead."

  He tilted his head. "In my experience, people who handle crisis ma tend to be cautious. They analyze risks before making a move. Yet you applied to be my secretary without hesitation. What made you so sure you’d get this job?"

  For the first time, a small smile tugged at the er of Seul-bi’s lips. "Because you need me more than I his job."

  The room went silent.

  Then, Joon-ho ughed—a full, amused ugh. He turo Yeon-jin, who looked less than thrilled but also couldn’t deny the sharpness of Seul-bi’s answers.

  "I like her," Joon-ho announced. "She’s hired."

  Yeon-jin sighed, crossing her arms. "You’re seriously making this decision based on vibes?"

  He shrugged. "Vibes and a little thing called future potential."

  Yeon-jin frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

  Joon-ho didn’t answer. Instead, he looked at Seul-bi, a knowing glint in his eyes.

  In another life, she would bee the FG—a powerhouse in the industry.

  This time, he wouldn’t wait years tnize her value.

  The feren was filled with key department heads, each flipping through reports and adjusting their notes. Park Yeon-jin sat beside Joon-ho, scrolling through her tablet, while Yoo Seul-bi observed the discussion with quiet focus.

  Joon-ho leaned ba his chair, tapping a pen against the table. “Let’s get to it. Saint Regis is a powerhouse in luxury branding. If we want this deal, we o position IMFG as an essential partner, not just another fashion house trying to stay relevant.”

  Yeon-jin looked up. “That’s a polite way of saying we have to make them need us.”

  Min-seok, the marketing head, nodded. “Saint Regis doesn’t just work with any brand. Their partnerships are built on exclusivity aatiht now, gest challenge is proving that we still have both.”

  Joon-ho smirked. “Which is why we need a bold move—ohat gets people talking before we even step into the meeting.” He set his pen down aheir gazes. “We need a name. Someone who carries weight but isn’t already tied to another luxury brand.”

  Seul-bi furrowed her brows. “A celebrity endorsement?”

  “Not just any celebrity,” Joon-ho said. He let the suspense hang for a moment before tinuing, “Seo Ji-an.”

  The room fell silent.

  Yeon-ji out a slow breath. “Of course. I knew you were going to say that.”

  Min-seok frowned. “Isn’t she…” He hesitated before finishing, “…out of the industry?”

  Seul-bi, who had remained posed until noed her pen lightly against the table. “She vanished after the sdal. No interviews, no endorsements, no public appearahere’s no guarantee she’d even sider returning.”

  “Exactly,” Joon-ho said. “Which is why she’s perfect. She’s undervalued, but still reizable. If we position this correctly, we don’t just revive her career—we make IMFG the brand that brings her back. That’s influence, exclusivity, and narrative power all in one.”

  Min-seok leaned back, sidering it. “It would definitely get media attention. But has anyone even tacted her?”

  “Not yet,” Yeon-jin admitted. “Her manager has kept a low profile, and Ji-an has rejected every offer that’s e her way. But that doesn’t mean she’s pletely off the table.”

  Joon-ho rested his elbows oable. “The’s put her on the table. We reach out, gauge her i, and see what it would take t her in. If she’s hesitant, we find a way to make the offer too good to refuse.”

  Yeon-jin sighed. “You make it sound easy.”

  “I make it sound possible,” Joon-ho corrected. “And that’s all we o get started.”

  Min-seok drummed his fingers against the table. “Alright, let’s say we go after Seo Ji-an and she refuses. What’s our backup pn?”

  Seul-bi nodded in agreement. “It’s risky to rely on one person, especially someoh no guaranteed public goodwill. If she rejects the offer, we ’t afford to scramble at the st minute.”

  Joon-ho crossed his arms, already expeg this question. “If Ji-an is a no-go, we pivot to one of two alternatives: a rising star with strong publitiment or an ued colboration with a luxury influencer who already has ties to Saint Regis. The key is maintaining the exclusivity factor.”

  Miilted his head. “Rising star—anyone specifi mind?”

  Yeon-jin tapped her s and tur toward the group. “There are a few up-and-ing actors and models we’ve kept tabs on. They have growing influe aren’t yet attached to major luxury brands. We could sign them before they hit peak popurity, ensuring exclusivity for IMFG.”

  Seul-bi g the names. “Smart move, but risky in a different way. A rising star’s influence isn’t guaranteed.”

  Joon-hed. “That’s why we also sider influencers. Some high-profile fashion influencers have massive reach, and if we bring in someoh iional reition, it adds a new dimension to the deal. Saint Regis values exclusivity, yes, but they also value buzz. If we create a colboration that dominates social media, it bees an asset they ’t ignore.”

  Min-seok exhaled. “Alright, so Pn A is Seo Ji-an. Pn B is a rising star. Pn C is a strategifluencer partnership.”

  Yeon-jin smirked. “And Pn D?”

  Joon-ho grinned. “Pn D is me charming the hell out of the Saint Regis executives and ving them IMFG is their best option, no matter what.”

  Seul-bi scoffed under her breath, while Min-seok chuckled. “Let’s hope we don’t rea D.”

  Joon-ho stretched his arms. “The’s make sure Pns A, B, and C are solid. We move forward with Ji-an first, but if that doesn’t work, we shift gears fast. ation.”

  Yeon-jin nodded. “I’ll start reag out quietly. Let’s see if we get a response.”

  “Good,” Joon-ho said, a fident gleam in his eyes. “The’s get to work.”

  The pn was in motion. Now, they just had to see if Seo Ji-an was willing to step bato the spotlight.

  Park Yeon-jin pced her phone oable, tapping the speaker button without warning. Across from her, Joon-ho and Yoo Seul-bi exged gnces but didn’t protest.

  Joon-ho smirked. “No heads-up?”

  Yeon-jin shrugged. “It’s better if she doesn’t have time to prepare an excuse.”

  Seul-bi folded her arms. “And if she gets mad?”

  “She sulk ter.”

  The ph twice before a familiar voiswered, ced with mild suspi.

  “Yeon-jin? Seriously? Haven’t heard from you in ages, and now you’re calli of the blue?”

  Yeon-jin’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “o hear your voice too, Ha-neul. Been a while.”

  Kang Ha-neul snorted. “Yeah, since you vanished from ag and decided you were too good for the rest of us.”

  Yeon-jin chuckled. “I could say the same about you. You went from being everyone’s favorite set assistant to Seo Ji-an’s personal shield. Impressive career ge.”

  “Fttery won’t work on me.” Ha-neul’s tone was amused, but guarded. “What do you want?”

  Yeon-jin leaned back. “I’ll be direct. We’re ied in Ji-an.”

  The silence was immediate, stretg long enough that Joon-ho and Seul-bi both noticed.

  Finally, Ha-neul sighed. “I hope you don’t mean in the ‘we want to cast her in some fshy eback’ kind of way.”

  “More or less,” Yeon-jin admitted. “IMFG is preparing a major campaign, and we he perfect face for it.”

  Ha-neul scoffed. “Then look elsewhere.”

  Joon-ho raised an eyebrow. Direct. He liked that.

  Yeon-jin, however, remained unfazed. “You shot that down fast. Does that mean she’s pletely ued, or just avoiding the industry?”

  Ha-neul’s voice was firm. “She left for a reason, Yeon-jin. She doesn’t take offers, she doesn’t do events, and she sure as hell isn’t looking to step bato the spotlight.”

  Seul-bi tilted her head slightly, then murmured, “She didn’t say never.”

  Joon-ho caught the same nuance.

  Yeon-jin tapped her fingers oable. “I get it. But let’s say—hypothetically—she were to sider returning. What would it take?”

  Ha-neul let out a shh. “You think I’d tell you even if I knew?”

  “e on, Ha-neul.” Yeon-jin’s voice softened, just slightly. “You know this industry better than anyone. Ji-an disappearing forever isn’t a real solution. If she ever does e back, wouldn’t you rather she had the right people bag her up?”

  Ha-neul hesitated. That was the first real cra her defense.

  “She gets to choose when and how,” Ha-neul finally said. “No amount of corporate strategizing will ge that.”

  Joon-ho leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. “But she hasn’t pletely ruled it out, has she?”

  Another pause. Then, Ha-neul sighed. “I’ll pass the message along. But don’t expeything.”

  That was all Yeon-jin needed. She smiled. “That’s all I ask. Thanks, Ha-neul.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Ha-neul sighed. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you put me on speaker. Sneaky as ever.”

  Yeon-jin grinned. “Old habits.”

  The call ended.

  Seul-bi exhaled. “That wasly promising.”

  Yeon-jin, however, looked pleased. “It also wasn’t a hard no.”

  Joon-ho smirked. “Which means there’s an opening. Now we just have to find out what’s keeping her in the shadows.”

  The apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air purifier. Seo Ji-an sat curled up on the couch, staring bnkly at the TV. The s was on, but she wasn’t watg—just letting the flickering light cast faint shadows across the room.

  The once-rising star, the lead singer everyone had admired, was now a ghost of herself. No music pyed in her home anymore. No mirrors to remind her of the stage she once owned. She had erased every trace of the life she lost.

  Her voice had failed her. And with it, so had everyone else.

  The phone oable vibrated. Ji-an ig at first, but when she saw the name fshing on the s—Ha-neul—she hesitated.

  A call from her manager wasn’t unusual. Ha-neul had stuck by her side even when everyone else abandoned her. But today, Ji-an had a feeling this call wasn’t just a casual che.

  Sighing, she picked up. “Unnie?” Her voice was quiet, rough from disuse.

  “Ji-an,” Ha-neul greeted. “Are you okay?”

  Ji-an’s lips twitched. “Same as always.”

  A brief pause. “I got a call today. From someoeresting.”

  Ji-an leaned back, closing her eyes. “If this is another offer, just turn it down.”

  “You haven’t even heard it yet.”

  “I don’t o.”

  Ha-neul sighed. “Ji-an… don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to e back?”

  The question struck deep. Ji-an’s fiightened around the phone.

  She had wondered. Late at night, when memories of the stage haunted her dreams. When she found herself mouthing lyrics to songs she could no longer sing. When she saw her froup members thriving without her.

  But w and actually believing in a returwo different things.

  “…Who was it?” Ji-an asked softly.

  “Park Yeon-jin,” Ha-neul answered. “She’s w with IMFG now, and they want you for a campaign.”

  Ji-a out a hollow ugh. “Why would a chaebol-owned pany want a fallen idol for their brand?”

  “Because they see something in you.”

  Ji-an scoffed. “Then they’re blind.”

  “You weren’t just a singer, Ji-an,” Ha-neul pressed. “You were Seo Ji-an. The industry might have turs ba you, but the publiever fot. Your ill carries weight.”

  Ji-an ched her jaw. “That doesn’t ge anything.”

  Ha-neul was silent for a moment before speaking agailer this time. “I just wao let you know. You don’t have to decide now. Just… think about it.”

  Ji-an didn’t answer.

  After a long pause, Ha-neul sighed. “I’ll che on you ter, okay?”

  Ji-an nodded absently, even though Ha-neul couldn’t see her. “Yeah. Later.”

  The call ended.

  Ji-an stared at her phone, mind swirling with emotions she had long buried.

  Think about it?

  As much as she wao ig… the thought had already taken root.

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