"Good afternoon, Kim DaeSeong-seonsaengnim," she said as her passenger walked up to the car.

 "Good afternoon, Nari," he replied and climbed in.

 She returned to her seat and buckled up.

 "You shouldn't hold the door open for me, Nari," he told her kindly. "I can get it myself."

 "If it's what you wish, I won't do so, seonsaengnim," she replied. "As long as you know it's out of respect rather than judgment on your abilities."

 He smiled in return to her smile.

 "How was your day, Mr. Kim?" she asked.

 "I suppose it was all right, Nari," he replied as he watched her pull into traffic.

 "How is Dong-Geun, Mr. Kim?" she asked when it appeared he wouldn't embellish.

 He was usually talkative, though more serious than clients like Lee Soobin. She felt something was bothering him, but she wouldn't prod him for more if he didn't wish to share.

 He sighed deeply, letting her know that was his concern.

 "Still not doing well, Nari," he answered softly. "As a father, I can give my son the best education, the best food, the best clothes, the best car when he's of age, the best of everything, but I can't give him peace. He's so withdrawn, Nari, and I don't know how to help him. My wife wants him to go to a therapist, but it's a life without scandal he needs more than anything."

 She smiled sympathetically and nodded in understanding. She had met his son once. He was a kind boy, sixteen, and soft-spoken. He seemed afraid of being ridiculed about everything. He constantly nit-picked at his clothes and hair in fear something was out of place. He looked down a lot and watched his words carefully, even though he didn't speak much.

 He was a cute boy, one the girls should have been fawning over and the boys should have eagerly vied for his friendship.

 Kim DaeSeong had his own restaurant that was known throughout the upper circles. The president would even eat there when on his outings. One would think his son would be the most popular at their private school. Instead, he was ignored and bullied by many as if he were the son of a janitor.

 It wasn't until a few months before that she found out why he wasn't popular. He was the son of his father's previous wife, who had a scandalous affair with a broadcast company's CEO. There were rumors Dong-Geun was the CEO's illegitimate son.

 Lawyers became involved to protect the CEO's money and reputation. That's when Yoo SangHoon appeared. The CEO tried to hire Yoo Law Firm for himself, but after looking over the case, Yoo SangHoon offered his services to Kim DaeSeong, instead.

 Yoo SangHoon thought it was disgusting to attack a teenage boy and run his name and future into the ground for no other crime than being born. After DNA proved Dong-Geun wasn't the CEO's son, Yoo SangHoon won compensation for emotional abuse and slander.

 Since many of the parents of the students at the school had sided with the CEO because of his power and influence, they were angered by the suit. Their opinions trickled down to their children, who made Dong-Geun suffer every day for something he didn't have a part in.

 She watched as Kim DaeSeong began to speak but stopped himself. He seemed to mutter something and then shake his head as if changing his mind.

 "Is there something on your mind, Mr. Kim?" she asked worriedly.

 He inhaled and exhaled, still looking out the window in thought.

 "I have something to ask you, but I'm afraid it may be inappropriate," he said in a cautious voice.

 For as long as she had known him, he had never been inappropriate. One of the benefits of having Yoo SangHoon help her screen her clients was being confident none would suggest anything vulgar of her or become enamored with her in a romantic sense. Kim DaeSeong was happily married to his second wife, and he'd been through enough heartache that he would never do anything to lose her or cause another scandal for his family.

 "Say what you wish, Mr. Kim," she invited. "I'm positive nothing you say will be inappropriate."

 Kim DaeSeong looked in her direction and spoke. "Dong-Geun's school is having a dance Saturday. He doesn't want to go, of course, but it's been another tool for his classmates to bully him.

 A girl in his class played a joke on him. She asked him to the dance. He didn't say yes because he was suspicious at first.

 She played him for a fool, Nari. For a month, she's batted her eyes at him and made him believe she was serious. His best friend, Park Daehyun, overheard some boys in the locker room talking about it. A lot of the kids knew it was a prank.

 This girl was going to make him believe they were going to the dance until right up to the time he was to pick her up. They were going to film him being rejected. Daehyun thinks he heard them say something about throwing raw eggs at him.

 Even though the kids were discovered, they've still made fun over his belief he was going to the dance with her."

 "That's horrible!" Nari said angrily. "Kids can be cruel but it's even worse when they're influenced and encouraged by their own parents. I'm so sorry, Mr. Kim."

 "I appreciate your compassion, Nari," he replied and stared at her for a moment.

 Realizing he hadn't said anything that anyone would have labeled as inappropriate, she wondered what else he wasn't saying.

 "Mr. Kim?" she said as he only stared.

 "Would you take my son to the dance?" he quickly blurted.

 Nari stared straight ahead and brought the car to a stop at a red light. She looked back at him through the mirror to find him staring at her with desperation.

 "Forgive me," he said as he briskly shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, Nari. That was extremely inappropriate."

 "It's Saturday?" she asked.

 "Pardon? Oh, yes, Saturday night at the school's auditorium," he answered in a hopeful tone.

 He watched her tap her finger on the steering wheel as she appeared to be considering the request. She looked at the light as she thought of an idea.

 "I believe going with your son to his dance would cause more problems for him, Mr. Kim," she replied. "I'm twenty-three and he's only sixteen."

 "I know, I know," he said with slumped shoulders. He fell back against his seat and looked out again. "I wasn't thinking about that. I only thought if he went with a beautiful foreign girl, they would be impressed. You could pass for eighteen, you know," he said with a faint grin of humor.

 She softly laughed. "I know, Mr. Kim. That would be another issue. Korean girls don't like foreign girls coming here taking their men. He might impress the boys, but you've seen with this latest stunt that it's the girls who run things at the school."

 "You're right as always, Nari," he complimented her, though the praise was laden with regret.

 "Does he have to go to the dance?" she said, a plan forming in her head. "What about something else Saturday night? Something that really would impress them all."

 He turned from the road and looked at her reflection.

 "Let me reach out to some friends," she told him. "I'll let you know something soon."

 "Certainly!" he agreed with a vigorous nod. "Can you tell me this idea?"

 She smiled. "Let me keep that to myself for now, Mr. Kim. I don't want to jinx it by speaking out loud."

 He laughed at her playful superstition and nodded. "I'll be patient, Nari. Even making an effort to help Dong-Geun is enough."

 For the remainder of the ride, Kim DaeSeong browsed the stock market, listened to some news, and was all around his usual self. She dropped him off at his house with a promise to work diligently on her plan to improve his son's school life.