The 20th floor had been quiet for days—
a peace so complete it felt like even her breathing had settled into order.
Once in a while, the three would call or text, but no one had shown up to intrude on her alone time.
She worked through the day, ate late when she felt hungry, and when the day's work wound down, she read whatever she wanted or played music, letting her mind drift.
She was pretty sure it was Daniel's doing—
he must have cleared her travel schedule for her week off.
That Saturday morning,
Celeste left her phone on the nightstand in the bedroom,
determined to enjoy a day with no alerts.
The sky outside was overcast, but the grayness felt warm somehow.
From the kitchen came the faint aroma of fresh coffee.
She carried a bagel with cream cheese to the chair by the balcony window.
"This… this is what peace feels like,"
she murmured, raising her cup—
"Celeste!"
"…"
"We're here."
"…What?"
She turned her head—
and there they were, walking in through the front door as if it were nothing.
Jinwoo held a bag of sandwiches.
Daniel had her favorite mint-scented candle.
Noah carried two iced Americanos.
"…What are you three doing here?"
"You've been alone too long. Thought you might get lonely,"
Jinwoo said, grinning as he slung an arm around her.
"Too much quiet means too much thinking,"
Daniel added, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Even if we're here hugging you,"
Noah murmured near her ear,
"I'll still count it as your 'week alone.'"
"…You're all insane," she muttered.
But the warmth pressing into her back softened something in her chest.
For a moment, they just stood there.
Then—
"…Hold on."
Her face tightened suddenly.
"…What's wrong?"
She clamped a hand over her mouth and stood abruptly.
"Celeste?"
They all reached for her,
but she bolted to the bathroom and slammed the door.
Seconds later came the sound of retching.
In Front of the Bathroom – The Three
The living room froze.
Jinwoo stared at the wall.
Daniel's fists flexed and closed.
Noah fixed his eyes on the paper cup in front of him.
"…No way."
"…"
"…You don't think—?"
They all looked toward the bathroom door.
From inside came the sound of the toilet flushing.
Back in the Living Room – All Four
When Celeste came out, the tension was thick.
"Don't," she said.
"Don't what—"
"I know what you're all thinking," she cut in.
"And no. My stomach's just off. Stop overreacting."
Jinwoo hesitated.
"Still… maybe you should check? Just in case."
"There's no way," she said firmly.
"…Why not?" Noah asked.
"I've been on birth control."
Daniel frowned.
"I've never seen you take anything."
"I had an IUD put in when I was twenty," she said simply.
"Back then it was for my periods, but it works for birth control too. So yeah, you're all being ridiculous."
Jinwoo shut his eyes.
Daniel dropped his gaze.
Noah stared back at his coffee.
"…Still. Just to be sure—"
"Don't."
She looked at each of them in turn.
"Don't ruin my week off. Go downstairs. All of you."
A couple of days later, on the 20th floor—
Steam curled lazily from the bubbling stew on the dining table,
but no one had picked up a spoon.
Instead—
right in the center—
two pregnancy tests lay in perfect, silent lines.
Jinwoo, Noah, and Daniel sat around the table,
stealing glances at one another,
none of them quite ready to speak first.
The one who finally broke the silence was Noah.
"Just… marry her, Jinwoo."
"…What?"
Jinwoo set his spoon down and looked up.
Daniel's gaze flickered, but Noah stayed perfectly calm.
"Officially, it makes the most sense for you.
Your name's the one the press got first, after all."
"…Yeah, but still—"
"Doesn't matter whose kid it is." Noah cut in, voice steady.
"We raise them together.
If it's Celeste's child, they'll be loved—
no matter who the father is."
Jinwoo sniffled quietly at that.
"But… what if my swimmers are just too strong?
And every kid turns out to be mine?
That wouldn't be fair."
——
Silence.
Noah and Daniel both turned their eyes on him.
Noah reached over and flicked the back of Jinwoo's neck.
"…You serious right now?"
"What?!"
Jinwoo shot back.
"Why am I the bad guy again? Come on, be honest—
you're telling me none of you would wonder?
Not even a little?"
Daniel took a slow sip of water, set the glass down, and said evenly:
"He has a point."
"…Excuse me?"
Noah turned to him, incredulous.
Daniel's tone stayed level.
"Simple. When the baby's here, we test.
Whoever it comes back to… gets snipped."
"Yes!"
Jinwoo clapped his hands together.
"See? This is why Daniel scares me sometimes—
he's too smart."
Noah set his cup down, closed his eyes for a beat,
and let out a slow sigh.
"You guys are insane.
Why is it only this kind of conversation
where you sync up so perfectly?"
"What about you?"
Daniel asked.
"Wouldn't you be curious?"
"…I mean… I wouldn't say no."
"Exactly. So we confirm it, the father gets the surgery—
clean and simple."
Jinwoo nodded, lowering his voice.
"But… Celeste can never know. Got it?"
Daniel gave a wordless nod.
Noah pressed his palm to his forehead and shook his head slowly.
——
That night, the stew stayed hot—
but what simmered between the three of them was even hotter,
and far less easy to put out.