Sharon glanced at the clock, it's 8:47 a.m. Kenzo was late and unheard of. Executives shifted awkwardly around the glass table, the Q4 strategy slides glowing on the screen. She tapped her pen, fighting the urge to check her phone. Where is he?
The memory of last night's kiss in the rain crashed over her mind, his desperate "I need you," her hungry response, their bodies soaked and lips bruised. A shiver raced down her spine, warmth pooling low in her stomach despite the cool AC. Stop it. She crossed her legs, locking her professional mask in place.
But her fingers hovered over a text; Mr. Hayashi, the meeting starts in 3 min. Is everything okay? She was too worried but he'd think she was falling, she deleted.
Her phone buzzed instead. It's Sasha: Spill, girl! That CEO hottie in the rain? HOT AF, Who is he? When's round 2?
A secret smile touched Sharon's lips, her cheeks warming. Kenzo Hayashi. My boss. My fake fiancé? She typed back: Long story. He's... intense. Private jet intense. Don't tell anyone?
Sasha: Jet?! MARRY HIM. Pics or it didn't happen!
She let out a soft chuckle, lost in the memory—
"Why are you smiling alone, Ms. Lee?"
Sharon's head snapped up. Kenzo loomed beside her, his suit looks perfect, his dark eyes smoldering. He'd slipped in silent as a shadow while the other executives gasped softly. Her heart stuttered. "M-Mr. Hayashi! I was just... texting my neighbor, Sasha. Thinks you're late because of traffic."
He slid into the seat beside her, his thigh brushing against hers under the table. "Traffic?" he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. "Try replaying a certain rainy goodnight."
Executives pretended not to hear; Sharon blushed her cheeks turning deep red.
"Let's begin," he announced, his voice carrying CEO command. But his knee nudged hers again with a silent, intimate tease. The entire hour was torture. Every time he passed the presentation remote, his fingers accidentally grazed hers. By the time the meeting adjourned, she was molten.
Noon: Kenzo's Office
He buzzed her in and the door clicked shut, locked. "Sharon." No more Ms. Lee and his voice raw. "About last night—"
"Let's keep this professional," she cut in, holding her tablet like a shield. But her voice trembled. "The hack is fixed. The patent is secure."
He rounded the desk, caging her against it. "Forget professional. That kiss was real, and this trip?" He tapped a folder on his desk: Seoul Database Summit - 2 Days. "It's our business excuse. But reality, it's our real date. The private jet leaves at 3 p.m. Pack light."
Her breath hitched. "Kenzo, we can't... the office policy, the rumors about Nakamura—"
"The policy is mine to break." His thumb traced her jawline. "Say yes. Or I'll resign you to my penthouse instead." The hunger in his eyes was an echo of last night's desperation.
She melted. "Yes. But if we hit turbulence... it's your fault."
3:45 p.m.
The jet was a vision of sleek luxury, with white leather seats, champagne already chilling. Sharon boarded in chic travel wear, her a silk blouse and skinny jeans that hugged her curves. Kenzo waited for her, jacket off, sleeves rolled up. "Beautiful," he whispered, his hand carrying a warm, possessive weight resting on her lower back as the stairs retracted.
Takeoff was smooth and by 4 p.m., they were truly alone at 40,000 feet as the flight attendant already left them. Kenzo poured two glasses of sake. "To real dates."
She clinked her glass against his, nerves buzzing with excitement. "No family. No hacks. Just... us?"
"Just us." He dimmed the cabin lights, the city shrinking to a glittering map below them. They talked for what felt like hours. She confessed her love for cheesy K-dramas. "Okay, fine, I have a thing for the brooding CEO characters. Guilty as charged."
He laughed, a real, careless sound. "I'll have to step up my game then." In return, he shared his secret hobby. "I play piano. It helps me think. I'll play for you in Seoul, if you want."
Laughter came easily. So did the touches, his hand resting on her knee, her fingers lightly brushing through his hair as she teased him.
Then, turbulence hit. The jet dipped sharply causing glasses rattle on the table. Sharon gasped, her hands flying to grip his arm. "Kenzo!"
In one smooth motion, he pulled her onto his lap, their seatbelts forgotten. "I've got you." Their faces were inches apart, the jet rocking in time with their racing pulses. "Tell me you felt it last night," he demanded, his voice low. "That hunger. Tell me it wasn't just me."
"Yes," she whispered, the word a surrender as she straddled him.
Their lips crashed together, deeper and more hungrier than the kiss in the rain. This time, there was no storm to blame, only the pure, burning need between them. His hands traced down her back, drawing her tight against him.
"Ah!!!" she let out a soft moan. Her fingers worked to unbutton his shirt, finding the heat of his skin. Moans were lost in the steady sound of the engines.
"I need you," he growled against her mouth, his hands sliding lower, tracing the waistband of her jeans.
Her fingers shook as they reached for his belt, the edge between desire and need dissolved completely. All that existed was the warmth of his skin, the taste of him, and the aching certainty that this closeness felt like coming home.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed violently on the table, shattering the moment. The screen lit up.
Nadia: Miss you, Tokyo boy. Dinner when you land?
Sharon froze, pulling back as if she'd been burned. "Nadia? As in, your ex Nadia?"
Kenzo cursed, grabbing the phone to silence it. "She's ancient history. A model and It was toxic. Just ignore her—"
But the light in Sharon's eyes had cooled, a flash of hurt visible before her walls slammed back up. "She calls you in the middle of our date?"
The jet steadied, and so did her resolve. "Let's be real, Kenzo. I'm still your secretary. This?" She gestured at the space between them, now charged with tension instead of passion. "This is dangerous."
"Sharon, wait..." He reached for her, but she stood up, smoothing her clothes with trembling hands.
"Business first," she said, her voice tight. "The Seoul summit. Then... we can talk."
The rest of the flight felt frozen. Their stolen glances carried the heat of everything left unsaid. Kenzo watched city lights dim beneath them, Nadia's text still smoldering in his thoughts. The perfect evening had slipped through his fingers, but worse was watching Sharon retreat, the fragile openness she'd shown sealed tight once more.
As the jet's wheels touched down, he made a vow: I will fix this. Tonight.
He had no way of knowing that Nadia's call was no accident, or that Sasha's prying texts to Sharon were about to ignite a war he never saw coming.