[After a few days]
(In office)
It was already past 5 p.m. when Taekyun finally stood from his desk, straightening his coat.
Another day ended exactly the same quiet, efficient, distant.
Employees outside his office bowed as he passed by,
Whispering under their breath about how calm yet terrifying their boss always looked.
Outside,
The sky was pale gold, wind brushing through the parking lot.
Lihan was waiting by the sedan, engine already running.
Taekyun got inside without a word.
The door was just about to close when a voice echoed from behind, sharp and full of panic.
"Wait.... wait! Stop! I'm coming!"
Before Lihan could even react, a woman in pastel pink heels came rushing toward the car, hair flying everywhere, handbag slipping off her arm.
She almost tripped, barely caught her balance, and in the next second.
Thud!
She fell right inside the sedan, landing straight onto Taekyun's lap.
Lihan sighed, already rubbing his temple. "Here comes the storm "
Taekyun didn't even flinch. Just looked down with that calm, unreadable face of his.
The woman looked up, blinking before bursting into an awkward laugh.
"Hehe… surprise?"
Lihan muttered low,
"More like a heart attack."
"Yah, Lihan! Don't ruin my mood!"
She snapped, brushing her skirt, finally sitting up.
Then she turned toward Taekyun, grinning brightly.
"Taekyun-ah, I just got back today! You know, I came straight here to meet you but your employee said you already left, so I ran literally!"
"And miss the chance to surprise you? Never." she said, clasping her hands dramatically.
Taekyun looked at her quietly, voice calm as ever.
"You could've called, Jina."
"Oh my, totally forgot"
Lihan gave her a look through the mirror. "You almost broke your ankle for that surprise."
"Worth it," she said proudly.
Taekyun leaned slightly back, tired but not unkind.
"What are you doing here, really?"
"I told you I just came back! I haven't seen you in months. You didn't even text."
She pouted, eyes wide asking for attention.
"Come on, let's go eat dinner together. Your treat!"
Lihan's hand froze on the steering wheel. "aishhh"
"Quiet, you!"
Jina said, pointing at him with mock anger.
Taekyun finally spoke, tone low but firm.
"I'm busy, Jina. Not today."
She gasped dramatically, clutching her chest.
"Busy? At this hour? You really don't miss me, huh?"
He didn't answer..
Just looked at her once that look that always made people stop talking.
But Jina wasn't people. She was Jina loud, chaotic, the complete opposite of him.
She slowly raised her hands in surrender.
"Okay okay fine. I'll stop talking. But you're still having dinner with me. It's not up for debate."
Lihan turned slightly.
"And where exactly are we going, Miss Trouble?"
"To Eunhwa Garden! You know, the new luxury Korean fusion place."
Lihan arched a brow at the mirror toward Taekyun..
Taekyun said nothing. Just gave a short nod.
As the car began moving, Jina sat back humming softly, swinging her legs.
Taekyun stayed silent beside her, eyes fixed outside,
Even if she was annoying sometimes, she was someone he couldn't hate.
Because years ago, when the world had fallen apart for both of them, he had been the one holding her through it.
Maybe that's why, no matter how much she disturbed his quiet life now, he never pushed her too far away.
As the car glided through the golden evening, Jina leaned back, humming softly to a tune only she remembered.
Her laughter filled the quiet sedan carefree, and a little broken beneath the surface.
Taekyun didn't tell her to stop.
He just stared out the window, the reflection of her smile flickering against the glass.
Because no matter how loud or reckless she became, he could never bring himself to scold her.
After all, she was Jina his late wife Harin's younger sister.
The same girl who had almost lost her mind after Harin's death,
who still blamed herself for something she could never have changed.
And maybe that was why Taekyun stayed silent whenever she appeared,
letting her noise fill the spaces his grief never could.