Cielo's POV
I stood at the roadside, glancing left and right, waiting for a taxi when a sleek black car pulled up beside me. The tinted window rolled down slowly.
My breath caught.
It was him.
The man from the rainy night. The man whose kindness I hadn't stopped thinking about.
He was even more handsome in the daylight, like a painting come to life. For a moment, I froze in disbelief.
"You," he said, his calm voice snapping me back to reality. "Are you waiting for someone?"
His tone was cool, effortless—chilling in a way that only made him more captivating.
"No, sir," I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.
"Then get in."
I didn't hesitate. I opened the front door and slid into the passenger seat. He was driving, and something about that made me want to sit beside him—close enough to steal glances but not his attention.
Silence wrapped around us like a second skin.
Then he spoke again, his voice low but direct. "I remember telling you my name last time. Why do you still call me 'sir'?"
I swallowed hard. I had no answer. My tongue refused to cooperate. So I dodged his question.
"I'm sorry for not returning your suit," I said instead. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again. And thank you—for the other night."
I finally dared to say it. "Le."
"You can keep the suit," he said, without hesitation.
I blinked. Keep it?
"That suit looks expensive," I muttered, more to myself than to him. "And... I'm not a man. Why would I keep a man's suit?"
The words tumbled out in frustration. He didn't seem fazed. Instead, he simply asked, "Where do you work?"
"In the Coopers Industry. I'm an actress... though lately, I've started to hate it."
"Why?"
I looked out the window before answering. "Because he's trying to have me—like all the other girls. But I'm not like them. I'm different."
My voice came out sharper than I intended. I glanced at him.
He was already parked in front of my apartment.
Oh no.
I hadn't even noticed we were here. I'd been so caught up in my own emotions, my awkward rambling.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled.
And then again, flustered, "I'm so, so sorry."
I scrambled out of the car and rushed to the door, closing it behind me with a loud thud.
I leaned back against it, heart pounding. That was so embarrassing—just a few minutes ago, I was sitting next to my idol, and now I'd probably ruined the moment completely.
I shook off the shame and went to the kitchen to cook. Rice and chicken stew—it calmed my nerves, somehow.
Hazel came home while I was still stirring the pot.
"Wow, something smells special today," she said, setting down her bag.
"Not really," I said, trying to sound casual.
She sat down, still grinning. "So... anything new?"
I ignored the loaded tone and changed the subject. "Hazel, has Ryu met your dad yet?"
She sighed. "Not yet. He says he's not ready."
"It's just a simple introduction…"
"Cielo," she cut me off gently. "He says he's not ready. Why rush? He's not going anywhere."
I didn't want to upset her, so I let the topic drop.
But inside, I smiled.
I had met Ceo Le again.
And even if it was awkward, even if I said all the wrong things, it was enough to make my whole day feel brighter.