The Scent of the First Snow

<p>Bae Eun-mi left Seoul five years ago trading a life of privilege for the quiet solitude of Gyeongju Korea's ancient Silla capital. Now she runs a dusty <em>hanok</em> bookstore a peaceful sanctuary built on a foundation of guilt and secrecy. She believes her carefully constructed world is safe until the notorious city architect arrives next door.</p><p>Kang Jae-won the famed Wounded Genius architect has returned to his hometown on a mission critical to saving his debt-ridden corporate firm. Stoic scarred and driven he is haunted by the concert career he lost-a tragedy Eun-mi knows was her fault. Their accidental reunion under a winter drizzle reignites a painful unforgettable spark.</p><p>Jae-won doesn't just recognize her; he sees the truth in her eyes and deliberately maneuvers his project to force a partnership exposing their shared painful past. As Gyeongju's first snow falls melting the professional distance they are drawn into a quiet intense slow-burn romance. They find solace in shared ramen and simple rooftop confessions battling the interference of Jae-won's disapproving mentor and his opportunistic rival Director Park.</p><p>But when Eun-mi discovers the full scope of Jae-won's financial crisis-a massive corporate debt tied entirely to her bookstore's stability-she believes the only way to save him from complete ruin is to sacrifice their reunion and disappear.</p><p>When their final confrontation triggers a crisis that threatens to collapse not just the historical site but Jae-won's entire future will Eun-mi finally trust him enough to face the wreckage together or will the silence of the second separation cost them their only chance at healing?</p>