Morning arrived with violence.
Her alarm clock screamed like it had a personal vendetta.
Ji-Ah shot upright. "What year is it?!"
She squinted at the time.
Late.
Very late.
She whipped her head to the side.
Seo-Yeon's bed was empty. Blanket folded. Pillow neat. Betrayal.
"You didn't even wake me?" Ji-Ah gasped at the air.
She sniffed herself.
Beer.
And regret.
"Fantastic."
She launched out of bed and into the bathroom like a disaster evacuation drill. Shower on.
Cold water.
Quick apology to her future self.
By the time she stepped out, steam trailing behind her like battlefield fog, she was moving with purpose.
White blouse. Skirt pressed.
Hair tied back, not in her usual ponytail but secured neatly at the nape, sleek and professional.
The kind of hairstyle that says I am responsible and definitely did not debate life at midnight.
She stepped into the hallway.
Earth trotted over first, tail wagging like it ran on batteries. She bent down and patted him.
"Good morning, guardian of chaos."
Yuri followed, dignified but hopeful. She patted him too.
"You too, prince."
From the kitchen, Min-Hyuk's voice floated out. "Coffee?"
She paused at the doorway, adjusting her bag strap. "I think I will pass."
He peeked around the corner, holding a small, ridiculously cute lunch box decorated with tiny vegetables.
"For who?" she asked.
"Seo-Yeon," he replied, smiling as he packed it carefully.
Ji-Ah blinked.
Then she leaned closer and whispered, "Great job."
He grinned like he had just won a medal in Brother of the Year.
She turned toward the door, slipping on her shoes.
That was when she saw it.
A key.
Resting on the small entry table.
Pip's key.
Her brain stalled.
Ha-Joon never left it there. Never. That key had a designated spot, practically a shrine.
She picked it up slowly.
Her heart did a small, hopeful somersault.
She stepped outside.
And there it was.
The motorcycle stood in the driveway like it had been waiting for a dramatic cue. Helmet resting on the handle like a crown.
Her face lit up instantly.
"Pip!" she called, running forward.
She wrapped her arms around the bike's front like it might hug back.
"Wow, Pip, I missed you, my cutie."
She patted the seat affectionately.
Behind her, footsteps.
Measured.
Calm.
She froze.
Straightened.
Turned.
Ha-Joon stood a few feet away, already dressed for work. Impeccable. Controlled. As if he hadn't been emotionally assaulted by tipsy honesty twelve hours ago.
"You will be using Pip now," he said evenly.
Her eyes widened. "As I wish?"
"As you wish."
No sarcasm. No lecture. No corporate thunder.
Just that.
He turned and walked back toward the house.
Ji-Ah stood there holding the helmet, staring at his retreating figure.
Something about the way he said it felt deliberate.
Gentler.
She looked down at the key in her hand.
Then at Pip.
Then back at the door he disappeared through.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
Maybe corporate thunder had learned volume control.
Ha-Joon stepped back inside.
The door clicked shut behind him, sealing in the quiet morning air.
Min-Hyuk was still standing there.
Holding the tiny lunch box.
Brown shirt. Sleeves rolled once. Dark trousers. He looked annoyingly reliable, like someone who remembered birthdays and read instruction manuals fully.
He lifted the lunch box slightly. "You did good."
Ha-Joon removed his watch, checking the time. "I allowed her to use a motorcycle."
"You listened," Min-Hyuk corrected gently.
That word hovered.
Ha-Joon didn't respond.
Min-Hyuk leaned against the counter. "Ji-Ah is…" He searched for the right word. "Sensitive. But not weak. She laughs at everything, but she feels everything too. If you shout, she won't fight back. She'll just shrink a little."
Ha-Joon's jaw tightened almost invisibly.
Min-Hyuk continued, tone light but intentional. "She admires you, you know. Even when she's mad. She tries harder because of you."
A small pause.
"And when you're softer, she glows."
That landed somewhere inconvenient.
Ha-Joon exhaled slowly. "You seem very observant."
"I am," Min-Hyuk replied proudly. Then he added, "I like her. She makes this house louder. In a good way."
That landed somewhere… dangerous.
Ha-Joon looked toward the door she had just walked out of.
The silence she left behind did feel… noticeable.
Min-Hyuk straightened. "Aren't you going to work?"
"I am," Ha-Joon said calmly. "I'm visiting Do-Hea's snatched company today."
Min-Hyuk's eyes brightened. "Right. The new subsidiary."
He grinned. "You really kept the name?"
Ha-Joon's expression softened slightly. "I like it. Do-Hea may have chosen it, but it suits me. I won't change it."
The company was called Lunaris Atelier.
Min-Hyuk nodded approvingly. "Ooooh… and my crush, Seo-Yeon, works there too?"
Ha-Joon gave a small nod.
Min-Hyuk's eyes widened. "Oh… ohhh!"
Ha-Joon adjusted his cufflinks. "Do not get distracted. Keep your focus."
Min-Hyuk nodded vigorously. "Yes… yes Hyung!"
Ha-Joon gave one last glance toward the driveway through the window.
He imagined Ji-Ah riding Pip, probably talking to it like it was a living creature.
His chest did something subtle.
Unhelpful.
He picked up his coat.
Min-Hyuk opened the door dramatically. "To the empire."
Ha-Joon walked past him with quiet authority.
"Try not to shout today," Min-Hyuk added casually.
Ha-Joon didn't answer.
But he didn't deny it either.
-----
The glass doors of Lunaris Atelier slid open.
Sunlight bounced off polished floors. Sketches, boards, and high-end design displays reflected the morning.
The studio hummed with controlled chaos.
Ha-Joon strode in first.
Tall. Cold. Precise.
Every movement measured, every eye in the room tracking him. Behind him, Min-Hyuk carried a small bag of sweets, cheeks faintly pink, smile warm and inviting.
Staff paused mid-step.
Whispers began. Curiosity. Excitement.
"Is… is he really the CEO now?"
"He looks like Ha-Joon… but softer."
"Wait—he's smiling? At us?"
"From today, he'll be Director and CEO of Lunaris Atelier," Ha-Joon said, voice sharp, cutting through murmurs.
Min-Hyuk stepped forward. Calm. Warm. Approachable. "I brought sweets for everyone—let's start the day right. I hope we can work smoothly together."
He handed a sweet to the nearest designer. Another. Another. Eyes met eyes. Smiles appeared.
Seo-Yoon froze mid-step. Shock. Delight. Composure. So… this cutie is our boss? And we'll actually work with that?
"Will you be overseeing projects directly, sir?" someone asked, voice small but curious.
Min-Hyuk chuckled softly. "A bit of both. I want to understand your work, and I hope we can do this together—not just me giving orders."
Staff leaned in, whispering to each other. He actually… cares.
Ha-Joon's cold gaze swept the room.
"Go back to work, everyone." Staff scattered, heads high—but eyes kept flicking to Min-Hyuk.
A blur of motion.
Yura. Curls wild. Grin bright. Bowed deeply.
"Good morning, sir! Welcome!"
Min-Hyuk blinked, amusement lighting his face. "Can you… breathe like that?"
Seo-Yoon noticed.
Yura—once Do-Hea's PA—now fully devoted to Min-Hyuk. Energy unchanged.
Loyalty shifted.
Ha-Joon's lips twitched. "Yura. Escort Min-Hyuk to his office."
"Right away!" Yura said, bouncing, gesturing for him to follow.
Min-Hyuk walked beside her, warm smile lingering on every face he passed.
Staff whispered again, barely audible:
"Better than Do-Hea…"
"He looks like Ha-Joon… but nicer."
"Can someone actually like their CEO this much?"
Seo-Yoon followed at a distance. Heart racing.