When Grace returned with his request, Nia agreed to a private call after her shift.
She didn't want the other executives listening.
She especially didn't want Holloway turning the conversation into entertainment.
Min-jae accepted those conditions without hesitation.
At eleven-thirty, after the dinner service had ended, Grace escorted Nia into a small meeting room normally used for private tastings.
Min-jae was waiting alone.
He stood when she entered.
For a moment, he seemed almost shy.
"Ms. Brooks."
Nia smiled.
"Mr. Han."
He gestured toward a chair.
"Please."
She sat.
Then he took a slow breath.
"I've thought about thanking you for a very long time."
Nia shook her head.
"You don't have to."
He smiled sadly.
"Perhaps not. But I'd like to."
For several minutes, they spoke about the subway emergency.
Min-jae asked what happened after Nia left the station, and she explained that she assisted other passengers briefly before returning home.
She told him about her mother's stroke.
Her hurried return to New York.
And the graduate fellowship she never finished.
He listened carefully.
When she mentioned her mother, his expression softened.
He understood what it meant to reorganize a life around someone you loved.
Then he asked whether she'd like to speak with Soo-bin.
Nia felt her heart pounding.
"Is she awake?"
He glanced at the time.
It was already morning in Seoul.
He smiled.
"She's getting ready for school."
Nia laughed nervously.
Then nodded.
"Yes. I'd love to."
Min-jae placed a video call.
The screen remained dark for several seconds.
Then a young girl appeared, her dark hair neatly braided and a pale blue sweater visible beneath her school jacket.
She was eleven now.
Her face had changed.
But Nia recognized the eyes immediately.
Soo-bin smiled at her father.
"์๋น , ๋ฌด์จ ์ผ์ด์์?"
Dad, what's happening?
Min-jae's expression softened.
"Soo-bin, I have someone here who wants to say hello."
The child looked curious.
Then Nia leaned toward the screen.
Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it.
"์๋ , ์๋น์."
Hello, Soo-bin.
The little girl's expression changed.
She stared.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Then she leaned closer.
"์ธ๋?"
Nia smiled through sudden tears.
"์. ๋ ๊ธฐ์ต๋?"
Yes. Do you remember me?
Soo-bin covered her mouth.
Her eyes widened.
Then she cried out.
"๋ ธ๋ ์ธ๋!"
The singing sister!
Nia began laughing and crying at the same time.
The child looked toward her father.
"์๋น ! ์ฐพ์์ด! ์ง์ง ์ฐพ์์ด!"
Dad! You found her! You really found her!
Min-jae nodded, tears running down his face.