* * *

Yoonjae was just as flustered as Junhee.

“Junhee, what should we do? I don’t think we’ll be able to find the exact same dress…”

“Customer, how about this product? It’s almost out of stock as well. It was one of our best-sellers along with the dress. It’s made of the same material, with a brighter color and a more comfortable fit…”

The store staff continued explaining, but Junhee was no longer listening.

“…Junhee? Junhee?”

Yoonjae’s voice brought Junhee back to reality.

“I told the staff we’ll keep looking for now.”

“Yes, I’ll need to… think this over a bit.”

“Let’s go up to the lounge. It’ll be easier to talk there.”

Junhee thought it was just a regular café, but it turned out to be a private lounge reserved exclusively for VIP customers of the department store.

Junhee took a moment to gather his thoughts.

“Junhee, what are you planning to do?”

“I think I’ll have to contact Member Moon Doyoung and ask if we can replace it with a different product from the same brand.”

“That’s the best option, but… if he hears it’s sold out nationwide, he might get even angrier instead of understanding.”

“Yeah… I’m thinking the same.”

It was obvious that Moon Doyoung would berate the youngest employee, demanding they somehow obtain the exact product.

If it escalated, he might even show up at the company, causing a scene that everyone would hear about.

If that happened, the blame would clearly fall on the youngest employee, and there would be no way to avoid repercussions.

“Should I call my mom? She gets a lot of sponsored products, and sometimes they’re left unopened. Maybe there’s a chance she has the same dress.”

“No, I should handle this myself. I can’t rely on you for that.”

Junhee was already grateful that Yoonjae had taken time out of his schedule to help.

“Haa… Coffee stains are tough to remove, but how about we take it to a professional cleaner? If that doesn’t work, we could look into a reseller.”

“Yes, I think that might be our best shot.”

Yoonjae, seeing Junhee’s dejected expression, let out a long sigh.

“No, I can’t leave it like this. I’ll go visit my mom’s company.”

“No, Yoonjae-ssi, it’s fine.”

“It’s not a big deal. I’ve been avoiding visiting because I didn’t want to hear her nag, but this might be a good excuse to see her.”

Yoonjae stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed behind Junhee.

“Hold on a second, Junhee.”

Suddenly, he jumped up from his seat and headed toward the lounge entrance.

He spoke briefly with someone who had just walked in and then started walking back with them towards Junhee.

Junhee stood still, waiting for the two to approach.

“Junhee, this is my mother.”

“Hello, I’m Yoo Junhee.”

“Ah, so you’re Junhee! Yoonjae couldn’t stop bragging about meeting someone who gets along with him so well. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Cha Haetsal.”

The person standing before Junhee was none other than the famous makeup artist ‘Haetsal.’

Even Junhee, who didn’t own a TV, had heard of her.

She was practically a household name in Korea.

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

Her smile was gentle yet firm, like an evergreen tree.

As Cha Haetsal’s gaze scanned Junhee’s face, he felt inexplicably stiff, almost as if he were on display.

“Junhee, you’ve got a striking look. It’s very in demand these days.”

“Mom, please, stop evaluating people like that. They’re not objects. You do this every time. It’s rude.”

So it wasn’t just Junhee’s imagination.

Judging by Yoonjae’s reaction, this must happen frequently.

“It’s just my professional habit. I look at people’s faces all day, applying makeup. I can’t help but notice these things.”

“Yeah, but keep those thoughts to yourself, please.”

“Yoonjae, what’s going on with your face? I told you to take care of your skin. And why are your nails so messy? How many times have I said that proper self-care is…”

“…important, yes. I’ve heard it a million times, Mom. I get it.”

The two of them were alike, yet different.

Yoonjae was dressed modestly, while Cha Haetsal’s appearance screamed wealth.

It was clear why Yoonjae didn’t want to live with his mother.

Cha Haetsal gave off a fresh scent, like pine trees by the seaside.

‘So she’s the dominant Alpha.’

That explained why Yoonjae had taken her surname.

Once Yoonjae managed to get his mother to sit down, the conversation resumed.

“You’re still in Seoul on a weekend? I thought you’d be at the family home.”

“I’m busy with work. There’s an important event, and I can’t afford to travel back and forth. One of the event’s key models canceled last minute due to acute appendicitis. I’m scrambling to find a replacement.”

Junhee half-listened to their conversation, his gaze drifting towards the window.

He already felt overwhelmed by Doyoung’s issue, and now with this added on top, he felt like the protagonist of ‘The Truman Show’.

“Can’t you reach out to the agencies? You know plenty of models, don’t you?”

“Of course I did, but the client is extremely picky. They don’t want any well-known models, saying they’re too boring. It was hard enough finding this one, so where am I supposed to find a last-minute substitute? Someone with the right height, build, even neck size… wait a moment.”

The room fell silent.

Sensing something off, Junhee slowly turned his head, only to see Cha Haetsal eyeing him up and down.

“Junhee, could you stand still for a moment?”

She pulled out a notepad and scribbled something down, then took out a measuring tape and started measuring Junhee’s neck and shoulders.

“No way… it’s a perfect match!”

“Mom, you’re not seriously thinking of asking Junhee, are you…?”

While Junhee was still confused, Yoonjae seemed to have figured it out, covering his mouth in shock.

“Yoo Junhee, would you consider working with us for just one day?”

“Excuse me? What do you mean, all of a sudden…?”

“The model who canceled has almost the exact same measurements as you. You’ve got the right look, and you’re not a familiar face. The more I see, the more perfect you seem.”

Junhee was too taken aback to respond, so Yoonjae spoke up for him.

“Mom, Junhee has a regular job. He’s never modeled before. You can’t just spring this on him.”

“It’s no big deal, really. It’s just a one-day gig over the weekend, Junhee. The event is mainly for an accessory brand launch, so it’ll be simple. It’ll only take about three hours. Are you sure you’re not interested?”

Junhee didn’t even need to think twice.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. You were the perfect fit. If you change your mind, please let me know.”

Cha Haetsal withdrew gracefully, without pressing further.

Yoonjae had worried she might insist, but that wasn’t the case.

“Well then, I need to get back to work. Junhee, have a great time, and Yoonjae, call me more often. It’s hard to get a hold of you. I swear I see top stars more frequently than I see my own son, Yoonjae.”

It sounded like a complaint, but her words were filled with the sweetness of strawberry jam-level affection.

As Junhee got up to tidy up and say goodbye, Yoonjae quickly grabbed him.

“Ah, right. Mom! Just a moment.”

Then, Yoonjae pulled over Junhee’s shopping bag and took out a piece of clothing.

“Mom, does your company carry this dress too?”

“Oh, that’s the new S/S collection dress. Of course, I made sure to stock up on several pieces in different colors. It’s bound to become hard to find later on.”

At Cha Haetsal’s response, Junhee and Yoonjae exchanged a glance.

---

“Make sure to double-check the storyboard, everyone! Don’t make any mistakes!”

“Why is this rack empty? We’re missing an outfit here!”

Backstage was filled with hurried voices shouting from every direction.

With the lights blaring all around, Junhee felt dizzy, his head spinning from the chaos.

“Yoo Junhee? What are you doing here? You need to get to hair and makeup.”

As soon as a staff member dragged him to a chair in front of a mirror, two or three people started working on him immediately.

They pinned his hair back, exposing his forehead, and a cool cotton pad dabbed across his face.

“Your skin is so smooth.”

“Right? And it’s so fair too. Aren’t you a professional model?”

“No, Cha Haetsal brought him in. Remember how we were in a panic because the main model had to drop out due to appendicitis? She must have called every agency out there.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

Before Junhee could say anything, they were chatting amongst themselves, working swiftly.

Brushes and blow dryers flew past his face every time he blinked.

“Actually, isn’t his face better suited than the original model’s? The clients will love his look.”

“Love it? They’ll be drooling all over him. That client is notorious for being a pervert.”

“It’s good to have money, isn’t it? You get to do whatever you want without a care. When will we ever escape this low pay?”

Junhee, already nervous, let their words go in one ear and out the other.

‘Just one day. No, just three hours, and I’ll be done.’

The idea of standing alongside professional models was absurd to him, but he had no choice.

If it weren’t for that dress, he wouldn’t even be here right now.

“Junhee? Where’s Yoo Junhee? Yoo Junhee!”

Someone was urgently calling out his name backstage.

* * *