Seoul was its usual whirlwind of motion, and Langley HQ was no exception.
Inside the glass-and-steel tower, the air buzzed with urgency.
Yet amid the chaos, Langley Press had quietly crossed every legal hurdle.
The brand-new media company—Noah's brainchild—made its grand debut as an independent entertainment and fashion outlet under the Langley Group umbrella.
And just like that, the headlines came fast.
Noah Choo.
Editor-in-chief. Now the face of Langley's bold new vision.
"We're not just selling content. We're creating space for youth. Global auditions. New voices. A generation that doesn't just consume culture, but leads it. Langley Press will be there—at every first step."
The announcement of an international audition tour sent shockwaves through social media. U.S., Canada, U.K., Paris.
Teen hopefuls lit up the feeds with tags like
#LangleyAudition, #NextGenIdol, and #LangleyPress.
And elsewhere…
Steel and Petals, Jinwoo's latest drama, was blowing up across Japan and Southeast Asia.
He was now the region's newest heartthrob—and his schedule filled fast with meet-and-greet tours.
One week.
Just seven days abroad. But to him, it already felt like too long.
Departure Morning – Langley Penthouse, 20th Floor
His suitcase was still half open.
Jinwoo sat on the couch, unmoving, just watching her.
"…One week."
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Why does it already feel like forever?"
"It's a good thing, though," Celeste smiled, soft and composed.
"It means you're doing well. Call when you can, okay?"
He didn't answer.
Just wrapped her in his arms—tight and aching.
"…Damn it. How am I supposed to walk away from this?"
He kissed her.
Her cheek.
Her lips.
Her forehead.
Each one slow, deliberate—like sealing a memory.
A low voice broke the moment.
"Well, well. Look at you two, starring in your own morning soap."
Noah.
He strolled in, jacket tossed over one shoulder, watching them with half a smirk.
"Steve's been parked downstairs for twenty minutes. You planning to fly private or miss your flight?"
Jinwoo sighed, standing with a groan.
"Look at you—acting like you run the place already."
He took her hand. Rolled his suitcase to the door.
And then stopped. Turned. Pulled her close again, lips brushing just below her ear.
"Call me before bed, okay? If I don't hear your voice, I won't sleep."
"Okay," she whispered, her fingers squeezing his one last time.
Noah let out a breath.
"Oh for fuck's sake. Wrap it up, Romeo. You're gonna miss boarding."
Jinwoo narrowed his eyes.
"I'm watching you, Editor-in-Chief. Don't get too comfortable."
Noah only grinned.
"Oh no, I'm terrified. Stare all you want, sweetheart—just haul that ass out the door. Some of us have work to do."
With one last look at Celeste, Jinwoo stepped through the door, muttering under his breath the whole way out.
The door clicked shut.
Celeste stood still, staring at the space he'd just left behind.
Noah waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hey. Boss lady? Earth to CEO. Meeting starts in ten."
"…Right."
She blinked back to herself, nodding quickly.
As they walked down the hallway, Noah fell into step beside her.
"Guess it's true—late bloomers steal the most."
He sighed, shaking his head.
"You two are way past saving."