THB 3

She had no presence of mind to put on her shoes properly, nor did she have the time to think about calling the hospital.

“Please, please!”

She desperately prayed, not even knowing what she was wishing for or to whom.

Thankfully, her grandmother was still at the hospital.

Since visiting hours were over, the attending nurse took a video for Eunjae instead, seeing how deathly pale she had become.

She checked the small screen over and over again, watching her grandmother lying unconscious in bed.

Just then, a new message notification popped up. It was from Choi Anna.

✉️: So? How was the rehearsal?

It was a warning—next time, it would be real.

Relief lasted only for a fleeting moment.

Back home, Eunjae stared down at the mismatched slippers on her feet and her dirt-stained socks. Then, she reached into her wallet and pulled out a memo she always carried with her.

Jupyeong Construction, Sunwoo Chang.

She had no certainty about whether this man could be trusted.

But she trusted her grandmother.

Her grandmother had considered Choi Chihyeol an irreplaceable benefactor, and in return, Choi Chihyeol had always treated her with the utmost respect, calling her jaesus—the wife of his late friend.

“Why me?”

If the person her grandmother trusted had put her in this predicament, there had to be a reason.

So, she decided to make just one phone call.

If he didn’t answer, especially since it was already past 11 PM, that would be the end of it. She would throw away the memo and erase the name Sunwoo Chang from her mind.

The dial tone rang briefly before the call connected.

Neither Eunjae nor the man on the other end spoke. Each remained silent for different reasons.

Eunjae felt as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff.

Would he become her salvation, or would he only push her further into despair? She didn’t know. But at this moment, he was the only one she could turn to.

—Say it.

The man’s deep, low voice finally broke the silence, making Eunjae flinch.

Before she could even ask Say what?, he spoke again.

—Ask for help.

“……”

Only then did Eunjae manage to part her lips.

Barely holding back her tears, her trembling voice slipped through her lips, barely above a whisper.

“Please help me.”

A single tear fell, landing on the dirty sock of one foot and the frayed slipper on the other—the same feet that had once worn ballet shoes and danced on stage.

And so, she had come here.

Just before stepping into the lobby, she straightened her clothes once more. Then, she walked straight to the reception desk to get a temporary visitor’s pass.

“Excuse me.”

The receptionist greeted her with a polite, practiced smile.

“Good evening. How may I assist you?”

“I’m here to see someone named Sunwoo Chang.”

“Which department is he in?”

“Ah… I’m not sure about that.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes. He told me to come to the company.”

The receptionist studied Eunjae for a moment before responding with a professional smile.

“Could you please provide your name? I’ll check for you.”

“Go Eunjae.”

“Please wait over there for a moment. I’ll provide further instructions shortly.”

“Thank you.”

The receptionist pointed to a row of waiting chairs along one side of the lobby.

How long had she been sitting there?

Despite promising to check and provide further instructions, the front desk remained silent.

Even though she had arrived thirty minutes early, waiting indefinitely like this would only make her late.

Eunjae approached the desk once more to follow up.

“We’re still checking. Could you wait a little longer?”

“My appointment time is approaching. Please check again.”

“Please wait just a moment, and we’ll assist you shortly.”

The receptionist merely repeated the standard response. With no other choice, Eunjae returned to her seat, anxiously checking the time.

Despite arriving early, it was now just ten minutes before the scheduled meeting.

“Excuse me, but could you check once more? My appointment is at 2:30.”

The receptionist visibly looked annoyed, sighing heavily without even attempting a professional smile. In a muttered voice, they even scoffed.

“Two o’clock is two, and three o’clock is three… what kind of…”

“I understand, but I didn’t set the appointment time myself.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re not the only one who just shows up like this.”

“I didn’t just show up—I have an appointment. It’s true!”

“Sure, sure, that’s what they all say.”

Eunjae had Sunwoo Chang’s personal number.

Yet, she hesitated to call him. Because what if this situation was orchestrated by him?

“Is he hoping I’ll feel humiliated and just leave?”

If that was the intention, it had already failed.

Eunjae had endured far worse from Choi Anna and her family. Compared to that, this kind of neglect and dismissal meant nothing.

“I really do have an appointment.”

“Then there would have been an official notice from upstairs.”

“Maybe they just forgot?”

“This isn’t some mom-and-pop store. That doesn’t happen here.”

“Could you just ask one more time? Just once?”

Just then—

“Go Eunjae?”

A woman in her thirties, the embodiment of a career woman, approached and called her name.

The unexpected encounter left Eunjae momentarily confused.

“Yes?”

“You’re Go Eunjae, right?”

“Yes, but… who are you?”

The receptionist seemed to recognize the woman and was about to greet her, but the woman spoke first.

“I’m Jeon Sohee, Executive Director Sunwoo Chang’s secretary. I’m here to escort you.”

Exactly five minutes before the appointment time.

Eunjae let out a sigh of relief and quickly followed Jeon Sohee as she led the way. The two passed through security and entered the elevator.

“You must’ve arrived early.”

“I didn’t want to risk being late.”

“Smart choice. The person you’re meeting today hates wasting time.”

“I see.”

“Don’t be nervous. Just be honest, and the interview will go smoothly.”

“Interview?”

“It’s not?”

Ah, so this was an interview.

It made sense. There was no reason to argue.

Eunjae wasn’t sure how much Sunwoo Chang knew, but in a way, this was an interview.

At least it wasn’t a blind date—that was a relief. If the terms of exchange were clear, bringing up her request would be easier.

Go Eunjae quickly understood and accepted what kind of attitude she needed to take.

Don’t be nervous—just be honest.

Keep it concise—get straight to the point rather than over-explaining.

“Go on in.”

Jeon Sohee didn’t hesitate to go the extra mile, even knocking on the door and opening it for her. From her tone to her gestures, she exuded elegance and refinement—a different kind of grace from Eunjae, who had trained in ballet.

Eunjae bowed politely.

“Thank you.”

Sohee returned the gesture with a slight nod and watched as Eunjae stepped inside. Then, in a voice so soft that no one could hear, she let out a quiet sigh and murmured,

“She’s too young.”

Her voice was laced with heavy emotion.

 

* * *

His gaze lingered for a long time.

Sunwoo Chang watched Eunjae’s footsteps, silent and steady.

Even in heels, she moved lightly, as if there were a layer of air between her soles and the ground.

She didn’t sit right away but stood at a measured distance. Her trembling eyelids were telling, yet she didn’t look away.

Leaning back into his chair with a languid ease, Sunwoo Chang asked,

“Nervous?”

“A little.”

“Why?”

“This is my first time in a situation like this.”

He hadn’t said anything particularly amusing, yet the corner of his lips quirked up.

Under his scrutinizing gaze, Eunjae suddenly felt exposed, as if she had been stripped bare.

She wanted to ask why he was looking at her like that, but this wasn’t a place for her to ask questions. She was here to answer them.

There was only one thing she could offer.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

Taking a seat on the sofa to his right, she sat up straight. The oppressive atmosphere made her shoulders tense. For a fleeting moment, she nearly forgot why she had come.

When Sunwoo Chang stood, he was even taller and more imposing than she had expected.

Even if she stood en pointe in pointe shoes, there would still be at least a 20 cm difference between them. And yet, despite his height, he didn’t feel heavy or cumbersome. His limbs were long, and his waist was high.

A long neck, a small face, striking features that would stand out even from a distance.

His clear skin, thin double eyelids, and dark irises gave his eyes a sharp intensity. Yet, they blended seamlessly with his straight, high nose and slightly full lips, creating a refined yet cold impression.

His slightly prominent cheekbones didn’t look awkward—instead, they added dimension to his face.

Without realizing it, Eunjae found herself assessing him by a dancer’s standards.

Effort was important in dance, but so were natural talent and proportions.

Even just from the way he carried himself, she could visualize the balance of his body, the structure of his muscles.

She knew exactly which muscles to move and how to create beauty through motion.

And Sunwoo Chang, without a doubt, had the most perfect body she had ever seen.

“What do you think?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Eunjae quickly averted her gaze.