CHAPTER 1 8:47 A.M.
" Some meetings are written by fate. Ours began with being three minutes late "
The alarm rang.
Once.
Twice.
Five times.
Ren buried his face deeper into the pillow, completely unaware that golden sunlight had already filled his tiny apartment. The room wasn't luxurious—just a narrow bed, a wooden desk covered with design books, and a black backpack hanging from the chair beside the window.
His first day.
He had dreamed about it for weeks.
His phone vibrated again.
8:47 A.M.
Ren's sleepy eyes opened.
For three long seconds, he simply stared at the glowing screen.
Then reality hit.
“I'm dead…”
He jumped out of bed so quickly that the blanket landed on the floor. His heart raced as he rushed to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and caught his reflection in the mirror.
Messy brown hair.
Sleepy amber eyes.
“Great… I look terrible.”
He pulled on his favorite oversized white T-shirt, black baggy jeans, and white sneakers. His black backpack was already packed from last night, but in his panic he almost left without it.
The apartment door slammed shut.
Outside, Seoul was already awake.
Office workers hurried toward the subway. Coffee shops were crowded with people holding warm cups in their hands. Ren sprinted across the street, checking his phone every few seconds.
8:55 A.M.
His interview letter flashed across the screen.
Valora Group — Reporting Time: 9:00 A.M.
“Please… just let me make it.”
He skipped breakfast.
He skipped coffee.
He only kept running.
Across the city, a black luxury sedan stopped in front of Valora Group's headquarters.
The driver stepped out first and opened the rear door.
Polished black shoes touched the ground.
Noah adjusted the cuff of his tailored suit before walking toward the entrance. Silver hair shimmered beneath the morning light, and every employee standing in the lobby immediately bowed their heads.
“Good morning, Director.”
“Good morning, CEO.”
Noah answered with nothing more than a small nod.
He disliked unnecessary conversations.
To everyone in the company, Noah Kang was perfect—young, successful, and impossible to read.
Ren finally reached the towering glass building.
He looked up.
The Valora logo reflected against the blue sky.
9:03 A.M.
His heart sank.
“No…”
He rushed through the revolving doors, almost colliding with the receptionist.
“Sorry!”
The elevator doors were closing.
Ren threw his hand forward.
Ding.
The doors opened again.
Breathing heavily, he stepped inside and bent over, trying to catch his breath.
Only then did he notice someone else was already there.
A faint scent of cedarwood filled the elevator.
Slowly, Ren lifted his eyes.
A tall man in a black suit stood beside him, calm and expressionless. Silver hair framed sharp features, while amber eyes watched the digital floor numbers instead of Ren.
The silence felt heavier than the building itself.
Ren lowered his head.
“S-sorry…”
The man finally spoke.
His voice was low and steady.
“You're three minutes late.”
Ren's eyes widened.
The elevator continued to rise.
Neither of them knew that this ordinary Monday morning would become the beginning of a story neither had ever expected.
