The same routine was repeated for an entire month.
Her days were tight, stretched thin till they almost snapped. Extended hours, unfinished tasks, and sharp words from her manager. Meals skipped, sleep stolen, a body that moved on habit rather than will. She was always tired. Always stressed.
And yet, every single night, he was there.
Waiting in front of her office building. Making sure she ate. Feeding her when it got too late. Sending quiet check-in texts. Never complaining. Never asking for anything in return.
Life moved on autopilot. But his feelings didn't. They grew, quietly, stubbornly, every day. Her walls, however, remained standing. Unmoved by his warmth.
She stayed quiet—few words. Mostly nods. Most nights, she fell asleep in the car, exhaustion claiming her before home ever came into view. The only moments they shared were those short meals he guarded like treasure, waiting for them all day.
And tonight was no different.
It was 11:30 p.m.
Instinctively, she glanced out through the glass.
There he was.
His car pulled into the same familiar spot. He stepped out, coat wrapped around him, took his phone, and dialed.
Her phone rang.
A tiny, barely noticeable smile curved her lips.
"Ye… coming," she said.
Without a second thought, she shut her laptop, packed her bag, and logged off.
She crossed the road. He was already there, smiling like she was something he had been waiting for all day.
"You're stressing yourself because of me, Ji-hoon ssi," she said, her tone firm. "This will affect your health."
He looked at her. "I'm just worried about you. Don't worry, I'm fine," he said, opening the door for her like he always did.
She shook her head slightly and got in.
He started driving, automatically turning toward the restaurant. Before he could unbuckle, her voice stopped him.
"Ji-hoon ssi… can we skip dinner today? I'm really tired."
His hands stilled on the steering wheel. He turned to look at her. She truly was exhausted. The color drained from her face just a little, but he nodded anyway.
"Okay," he said softly. "Let's go home."
She watched him for a second.
Just then, his stomach growled loudly.
The car fell silent.
His eyes widened as he froze. Her gaze dropped instantly to his stomach. A beat passed. Then another.
She felt it. That sharp tug of guilt.
He was about to start the car again, just then she suddenly reached out and held his hand.
His heart skipped so hard it almost hurt. He looked down at her hand over his, then up at her face. She quickly pulled her hand back, as if realizing what she'd done.
He blinked, still processing.
Then she spoke, quieter than before. "Let's… eat something. I'm feeling hungry."
He looked at her for a second… then suddenly smiled, bright and effortless. "Come," he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt, already moving. "Today I'll feed you steak."
She didn't say anything. Just looked at him, then followed.
He immediately brought out the food, set up the small stove, and began cooking the steak. The flame was just right. His hands moved with calm confidence, adding ingredients in perfect measure, flipping the meat with practiced ease. She watched him closely, the way he cooked like a professional, focused yet effortless.
Soon, the rich aroma filled the space, warm and mouthwatering. Both their stomachs growled at the same time.
He glanced at her.
A wide smile spread across her lips.
His heart skipped again.
The tong slipped from his hand and hit the counter with a soft clang. She noticed his reaction instantly, pressed her lips together to hide a smile, and looked away.
He grinned, bright and a little shy, picked up the tong, and went back to cooking.
For a while, there were no words. Just the gentle sizzle of meat meeting heat.
He took one large piece, cut it carefully into neat, perfect pieces, and placed them on a plate. Then he handed it to her.
She smiled again. "Thank you."
He smiled back, served himself another big piece, and started eating, cooking the remaining meat as he went, placing more on her plate whenever it was ready.
She ate without hesitation.
He watched her quietly, happiness softening his features as he saw the way she enjoyed the steak, completely at ease.
"Want some beer?" he asked in between bites.
She looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah…"
He smiled, brought two glasses of beer, and placed one in front of her. "Thank you," she said again.
He smiled back and, without asking, added more meat to her plate.
She glanced at it, amused. "Hmm… that's enough. I've already eaten too much."
He didn't listen. Just served a little more. "I know you're liking this," he said simply. "You can eat a little more."
She smiled again. And every time she did, it sent a flutter through him, butterflies bursting and energy surging, like her smile alone was fueling his hands, urging him to feed her more.
"Your cooking skills are amazing," she said between bites.
He looked at her, slightly proud. "I started cooking when I was in high school," he said. "I used to help Omma back then. Most of the Korean dishes I know, I learned from her."
He paused, then continued, a quiet pride in his voice. "That's when I started getting interested in cooking. That's how I got the idea of opening a restaurant. After high school, I enrolled in advanced cooking classes to learn different cuisines."
He added, almost shy but proud, "I know a lot of Japanese and Chinese dishes… and a few Italian ones too."
She looked at him, genuinely impressed. "Oh, really…?"
He nodded, smiling happily, as her interest mattered more than the praise.
"Then you can introduce those dishes here in the menu, right?" she said thoughtfully."People are more interested in trying international cuisines these days."
He nodded. "I'm planning to," he replied. "But I haven't been able to find the right person who can cook those dishes perfectly. And I can't involve myself in the kitchen full-time either. I have to handle counter-billing and payments too."
She nodded, understanding settling easily between them. "Don't worry," she said softly. "You'll find someone."
He smiled at her, reassured. "Do you want more?"
She leaned back slightly, shaking her head. "Umm… no. I'm full. I'm already feeling drowsy."
He nodded, finished the remaining meat, and turned off the stove. "Five minutes," he said, gathering the dishes. "I'll put these in the sink."
She nodded.
He disappeared into the kitchen while she finished her beer, the last sip slow and unhurried. He was back sooner than she expected.
"Come, let's go," he said, gently leading her out.
******************
At Home
By the time they reached home, she had dozed off again, her head tilted slightly toward the window. He smiled softly at the sight, eyes flicking to the dashboard clock. 12:45 a.m.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Hae-in," he called gently, tapping her shoulder.
No response.
He leaned closer and lightly tapped her cheeks. "Hae-in, wake up. We're home."
Nothing.
A flicker of worry crossed his face. He checked her breathing instinctively, steady, calm. Only then did he relax. He tried again, shaking her a little harder this time.
"Wake up, Hae-ina. Let's go sleep inside."
She stirred, brows knitting faintly before she murmured, voice thick with exhaustion, "Let me sleep, Omma… I'm tired…"
And just that, she drifted off again.
He froze for a second, then let out a breath somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh. Amusement softened his concern. Poor thing. She was running on fumes.
He stepped out of the car, walked around to her side, and opened the door carefully. For a moment, he just looked at her, lashes resting against her cheeks, face worn down by weeks of overwork. He inhaled once, steadying himself, then gently unbuckled her seat belt.
Carefully, he slipped one arm behind her back, the other beneath her knees, lifting her from the seat. She shifted slightly but didn't wake, instinctively leaning into the warmth of his chest. He nudged the door closed with his foot and headed inside, keeping his steps slow and deliberate.
The house was quiet, lights dim.
As he turned toward the bedroom, a soft voice reached him from the side.
"Sweetie…"
His mother's voice came from the side.
He froze and turned toward her.
She approached, concern written all over her face as she scanned Hae-in's sleeping form in his arms.
"You both are coming home now? What happened to her?"
"Shh… omma," he whispered quickly. "She's sleeping. I took her to the restaurant for dinner, and we got late." Then he added, gently shooing her away, "And why are you awake at this hour? Go back to sleep."
She looked at him strangely, then frowned.
"Aish… omma, we're fine," he whispered again, almost coaxing. "Go sleep. I'm taking her to bed."
"Fine… " She shook her head in disbelief. "Kids these days. No sense of time," she muttered, heading toward the kitchen to get some water.
He grinned slightly. "Good night, Omma."
"It's morning already. Go to bed," she replied without looking at him.
He chuckled under his breath and continued toward the bedroom, holding her just a little closer.
He lay her down on the bed carefully and let out a long sigh.
"Ah… my cutie looks thin, but she weighs a lot," he muttered under his breath, a soft chuckle escaping him.
"I need to take gym seriously now," he added, laughing quietly to himself.
His gaze lingered on her. Slowly, gently, he slipped off her shoes and placed them aside, then gently took off her coat. When his eyes moved to her blouse, buttoned all the way up to her neck, he paused. It looked uncomfortable… almost suffocating.
He hesitated for a second, then carefully undid two buttons, just enough for her to breathe easily.
As soon as he did, she stirred faintly, still deep in sleep, instinctively serching for the blanket closer to herself. He smiled, heart softening, and slid the blanket higher over her shoulders. She tucked herself in without waking, settling back into a peaceful rhythm.
He chuckled quietly.
After that, he changed into something comfortable and slipped back onto the bed. Sliding under the blanket, he turned to face her, studying her sleeping face like it was the most beautiful, precious sight in the world.
Another smile curved his lips.
He reached out gently and tucked the stray strands of hair falling messily across her face behind her ear.
Damn… she's fucking gorgeous even while sleeping, he thought, the feeling hitting him warm and sudden.
Unable to resist, he leaned in and pressed a soft, careful peck to her forehead.
Smiling to himself, he lay there for a moment longer, admiring her, before his eyelids finally grew heavy. Wrapped in the quiet of the night and her presence beside him, he drifted into sleep, carried gently into dreamland.