The next day, Minjae woke up early for the next thing on his schedule.

The dress fitting for Winter's Ending.

Unlike the seminar yesterday, today felt a bit more official. He arrived at the studio building a little before 10 a.m., holding a cup of coffee in one hand. As he walked in, staff members were already moving around busily, carrying racks of clothes and boxes of shoes.

It wasn't only he who would get the fitting but also the rest of the cast. However, the difference was, it would be done in batches. And for the whole morning, it would be for the main casts.

When he stepped into the fitting room, he saw it was already alive with activity. Stylists were steaming clothes, pinning fabrics, laying out accessories on tables. In the middle of it all stood the head stylist, Park Somin.

Somin was in her late thirties, known for her sharp eye and calm but warm presence. She had started her career styling indie film actors before moving to big drama productions. People often said she could understand a character just by reading a single line of dialogue, and it showed in her work.

The moment she saw Minjae, she turned with a bright smile.

"Minjae-ssi! You're here right on time," she called out, waving him over.

"Good morning," Minjae replied, bowing politely. "I didn't want to keep anyone waiting."

"That's good," Somin said, giving him a quick but kind once-over. "We have a lot to go through today."

He glanced around the room. Clothes were everywhere.

There were racks lined up neatly along the walls, each labeled with tags. Some pieces had small brand cards clipped to them, showing they were sponsorship pieces from well-known labels.

There were also others that looked unique. They were made by hand by the stylist herself.

Somin noticed his eyes moving and laughed softly.

"We borrowed some items from sponsors, but many pieces were made by our team just for Joon. We wanted his look to feel lived-in, quiet, a bit gentle, but still strong."

Minjae nodded. He could already feel the care that went into every creation.

Soon, he was handed his first set of clothes: a soft cream-colored turtleneck, a dark gray overcoat, and fitted black trousers. As he stepped behind the partition to change, he could hear Somin talking to her team in low tones, adjusting the plan as they worked.

When Minjae came out, Somin stepped forward immediately. She tugged at the sleeve, smoothed down the shoulder line, and took a small step back to look at him fully.

"Ah… this is good," she said finally, a small satisfied smile on her face. "This feels like Joon during his late-night writing sessions. Thoughtful, quiet, a little distant."

Minjae turned to look at himself in the mirror. The colors were soft but not dull. The overcoat gave him a more mature silhouette, and the light turtleneck softened his expression.

"It looks nice," he said quietly.

Somin gave a small nod, clearly pleased by how the clothes looked on Minjae.

They moved on to the next outfit — a pale blue knit sweater layered over a simple white shirt, paired with slightly loose beige pants. When he stepped out again, Somin walked around him slowly, studying every angle.

"This one is for the daytime scenes, when Joon is at home or working at the small café," she explained. "It needs to feel warm but not too heavy. He's approachable here, but still a little reserved."

Minjae adjusted the collar lightly, then sat down on a chair, folding his hands on his lap. Somin and her team watched carefully, taking notes and snapping quick photos.

They continued like that for hours.

There were moments when Somin would pause and discuss small changes — whether to add a scarf, whether to change the length of the sleeves. Sometimes she pulled out fabric samples to compare shades, or asked her assistant to bring different shoes from a pile stacked neatly against the wall.

Some clothes came directly from big fashion brands sponsoring the drama. These usually had tags and were more polished, designed to give Joon a subtle elegance in certain scenes.

But many of the pieces were hand-selected or custom-made by Somin's team — simple cardigans with careful stitching, coats that looked almost ordinary but had small details in the buttons or cuffs that told a story.

Somin once explained, while Minjae was changing into his next set, "I think clothes are like silent lines. They say something without saying it out loud. With Joon, everything needs to feel chosen, but not in a loud way. Like he didn't try too hard, but somehow it still fits perfectly."

Minjae listened to her words from behind the divider, feeling a quiet sense of respect.

When he came out again, this time in a dark brown wool coat and a muted green sweater underneath, Somin gasped softly.

"Ah… this is it. This feels like the final look. The Joon who has grown, who's ready to stand outside in the cold but still feels warmth inside," she said. Her voice was soft, almost as if she were talking to herself.

Minjae looked in the mirror and felt something shift inside. The combination of colors and textures almost made him see Joon standing there instead of himself.

They took more photos, and Somin wrote more notes on a clipboard. Her assistant marked each chosen look with small colored stickers for easy reference later.

Between changes, they joked and shared small snacks. The stylist offered him a piece of tangerine, and he quietly thanked her while wiping his mouth. At one point, someone turned on a small speaker, and light background music filled the room, making it feel less like work and more like quiet preparation among friends.

By the end of it, they had narrowed everything down to a final rack labeled "JOON FINAL."

Somin gave him a gentle pat on the arm.

"Thank you for your patience today. I know fittings can feel endless, but you were focused and diligent the whole time. It makes our job easier too," she said, smiling.

Minjae bowed his head slightly, a soft laugh leaving him.

"Thank you for taking care of me today."

"it's our work, Minjae-ssi."

Before leaving, they took a group photo. Minjae stood in one of the final chosen outfits, smiling quietly while Somin and her team surrounded him, some flashing peace signs, others leaning in close.

After the long fitting, Minjae thanked everyone again before slipping out of the studio quietly.

As he walked through the hallway on his way out, he noticed a few more staff members rushing in with extra racks of clothes. The hangers rattled softly against each other as they moved, the fabric covers swaying.

He paused for a moment, watching. He noticed that some racks had floral prints, long coats, delicate blouses. They were clearly for Hayeon.

He didn't see Hayeon herself. From what he heard, she was assigned to a different fitting room on the other side of the floor. A room that was much larger than his. It made sense—styling a woman always took longer and harder.

There were more accessories, more layers, more tiny details to fix.

He caught a glimpse of one stylist carrying a large box labeled "HAIR & ACCESSORIES," another pushing a cart piled high with boots and different heel types.

Somin's assistant, who was passing by, noticed him looking and gave a small laugh.

"It's always like this," she said, lightly rolling her eyes but with affection. "Women's fittings take double the time, sometimes triple. Hayeon-ssi is still inside. She probably won't finish until late afternoon."

Minjae nodded, letting out a quiet chuckle. "She has a tough day ahead, then."

The assistant agreed with a small sigh. "Yes, but it's all worth it in the end. Hayeon-ssi really cares about every detail, too."

Minjae just nodded again, then gave a polite wave before continuing toward the exit.

Once outside, the cold air hit his face, and he pulled his jacket tighter around him. He glanced at the sky, the sun was now more higher. He took a slow breath, feeling the air fill his lungs.

His steps were unhurried as he made his way to the parking area. His mind felt strangely clear despite the long day.

"Are you done, Minjae?" Donghyun was surprised to see that Minjae was already out after just a few hours.

"Yes, Hyung. It went quite well. They had my size and everything so it wasn't that hard." Minjae answered.

Donghyun tilted his head slightly, still a bit surprised. "That's good to hear. I thought I'd have to wait half the day for you," he said with a laugh, reaching out to ruffle Minjae's hair lightly.

Minjae ducked away with a small, embarrassed smile. "Hyung, I'm not a kid," he muttered, though he couldn't hide the warmth in his voice.

They walked together toward the car. Donghyun opened the door for him, and once Minjae settled inside, he felt his shoulders drop a little more.