PB 1

Chapter 1

Murmurs filled the press conference hall.
Reporters adjusted their laptops and recorders while cameramen secured their positions behind them.

Some who knew each other exchanged hushed words.

“Is it true that Min Ho-je is retiring?”

“Isn’t that why he called for this press conference today? I heard he hasn’t even been attending Han-Yu Group events lately.”

“Why retire so suddenly? He’s a successful chaebol’s poster boy.”

“Who knows what’s going on inside his head? He’s always been extremely private. Not a single scandal, always shrouded in mystery.”

“If today’s really a retirement announcement, I don’t get it. Sure, he’s a model, but honestly, he only ever worked for Han-Yu Group. The only time he was active was shooting one commercial a year.”

“Still, he’s practically walking money. Just his face being tied to a product makes it sell out. I’m curious what outfit he’ll wear today to set the trend again.”

“Must be nice…”

Their conversation cut off as their eyes drifted to the empty podium with envy.

The tightly closed doors suddenly swung open. A middle-aged man entered first, holding the door open. Then, a man walked in with long strides, drawing everyone’s gaze at once.

Camera flashes erupted. Lenses zoomed in, all focused on him.

The pristine white suit fit him so perfectly it was impossible to tell whether the suit had been tailored for Ho-je, or if Ho-je himself had shaped his body to fit the suit.

His neatly slicked-back hair, styled with pomade, and his stoic expression only enhanced his striking looks.

As expected—Min Ho-je.

The words slipped out of people’s mouths without thought. Within moments, photos of him were already spreading online. His suit, his watch, his hairstyle—everything about him would soon be identified and sold out.

Ho-je bowed politely to the reporters, then stepped to the podium. Tapping the mic twice, he slowly opened his lips.

“Good afternoon. This is Min Ho-je.”

His voice was flat, almost monotonous. After scanning the reporters briefly, he pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and opened it.

Pressing his lips tightly, his eyes scanned the page. But as his gaze rose, every eye in the room locked onto him. Their stares carried tension, but they didn’t notice his own unease.

When he lowered his eyes back to the paper, the letters seemed to blur and scatter. His brow furrowed sharply. His pale face grew paler, his chest tightening as his heart pounded painfully.

His vision blurred. Sweat pooled in his palms.

He crumpled the paper tightly in his hand. If he stayed, he might collapse right there. That couldn’t happen. He needed to leave.

Composing himself with a cold, detached gaze, he gripped the mic. His voice, firm and unyielding, rang out across the hall.

“As of today, I, Min Ho-je, am retiring as Han-Yu Group’s exclusive model.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out, not even glancing back.

“Mr. Min Ho-je! Why are you retiring?”

“What will you do afterward?”

“Is it true you’ve had a falling out with Han-Yu Group?”

“What is your relationship with the Group now? Please tell us!”

Questions poured in like rain, but Ho-je ignored them all. Reporters rushed forward to stop him, but security blocked their path.

All they could do was stare at his retreating back, frustration clouding their eyes.

The man had given no reason for retiring, no hint of his future plans.

That made fans even more fervent—and the media even hungrier for his private life.

With no answers, speculation articles flooded the internet.

[Han-Yu Group’s Prince, Min Ho-je! Vanishes After Retirement Announcement!]
[Min Ho-je in Conflict With Han-Yu Group?]
[Han-Yu Group Responds: Considering Legal Action Over Baseless Speculation.]

Driving down the road, Ho-je turned off the radio blaring with news about himself. It had been over a month since his retirement, yet people were still obsessed with his whereabouts. It was exhausting.

Resting his arm against the car window frame, he let the wind whip against him. His once-neat hair had grown long enough to brush his neck, tousled now by the breeze. His partly unbuttoned shirt revealed hints of his well-toned body.

The sports car weaved freely along the quiet mountain road. Stopping at a rest area, he stepped out and climbed into a lone pavilion.

Removing his dark sunglasses, he gazed out. The mountains stretched endlessly, vast and silent. Below, a small village nestled peacefully.

His expression remained calm, but his eyes glimmered—as if he had just discovered a hidden treasure.

Without hesitation, he returned to his car and drove straight toward the village.

Heonin Village.
He had found it by chance—driving aimlessly after his retirement, suffocated by the noise of the world. Despite being on the outskirts of Seoul, it was quiet, free of car horns and suffocating crowds.

Wearing a pulled-down cap and black mask, he explored the clean, orderly village. He stopped in front of an old real estate office.

His lips curled into a faint smile as his gaze landed on a flyer taped to the glass.

“Found it.”

A place to live.

“I think I’m going to confess.”

“Confess…?”

Yeon-shi’s heart skipped violently at Hyun-soo’s words. His small smile tugged her lips upward too.

Could it be… to me?

She couldn’t help the fluttering in her chest. He’d asked to meet her alone—surely he was planning to confess to her. She listened intently, ready to accept his feelings.

“To whom are you going to confess?”

“To Lee Sol.”

“W-what…?”

She had drunk her own daydreams too greedily. The moment she heard it was their close friend Lee Sol, her mind went blank. Her heart, once soaring with excitement, came crashing down.

“I like Sol.”

Hyun-soo’s words struck like a nail through her chest. Yeon-shi’s heart, which had been pounding, sank with a heavy thud. Words died in her throat.

“Can you help me out, Yeon-shi?”

She couldn’t refuse him. The way his eyes lit up when she agreed only made it hurt more.

Inside, she whispered the words she could never say aloud.

I like you too… so much.

But she knew she would never confess. Her heart would stay locked, even as it pointed toward him.

Helping him wasn’t much. Just recommending flowers Sol might like, and giving advice on how to confess. That was all.

Not long after, she heard the news—they were dating.

It felt like losing her closest friend. The three of them had always been inseparable, but now that two of them were together, she knew she’d be pushed aside. She hadn’t realized before how lonely that could feel.

Still, life didn’t stop.

Even with a broken heart, her bakery was busy. Orders piled up, enough to keep her working all day.

That morning, after finishing the deliveries, she was preparing dough for cupcakes when the shop door opened.

Yeon-shi paused, wiping her hands, and stepped out from the kitchen. A sudden brightness filled the store, as though sunlight itself had walked in, making her squint.

“Hello.”

The voice was low, but gentle, tinged with sweetness.

A stranger’s greeting.

Yeon-shi blinked hard, staring at the entrance. It was as if light shone behind the man who had walked in.

He pulled down his black mask, taking a step closer. His lips curved slightly—an elegant smile.

And then, he held something out toward her.

“I’m here to share some rice cakes.”

His eyes crinkled into a charming smile—enough to steal anyone’s heart.

A stranger had arrived in Heonin Village.