Gomi held the tray of rice, bulgogi, and side dishes, while Jenny walked beside her.

“Thanks for spotting me, Jenny,” Gomi said with a sheepish smile.

Jenny arched an eyebrow. “Don’t mention it. But when was the last time you used your wallet?”

Gomi glanced at the ceiling as if the answer might be written there. “Uh… last night at a meat sale.”

Jenny stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow. “Battle of the ahjummas?”

“You know that’s Bomi’s specialty,” Gomi answered with a soft laugh.

“Well, there are a lot of things Bomi will do for some meat,” Jenny laughed.

Gomi confirmed, a little too quickly. “There’s only so much ramyun a girl can live on.”

Jenny tilted her head, scrutinizing her. “Nothing else happened, right?”

“Define something.”

Jenny groaned. “Gomi.”

“Relax!” Gomi forced a laugh, deliberately avoiding eye contact. “I didn’t do anything. Just… bought some beef.” She left out the part about fighting the old men and almost getting hit by a car trying to save the bastard who stole a kiss. No need to stress Jenny out.

Jenny sighed, setting the tray down on an empty table. “You’re impossible. But seriously, are you okay? You’ve seemed… I don’t know, tense lately.”

Gomi stirred her soup with a spoon, watching the broth swirl in circles. “I’m just… adjusting. You know, new school, new apartment, new job. It’s a lot.”

Jenny softened, pulling out her phone. “Have you at least gotten the rest of your stuff? Or are you still sleeping on the floor like some tragic drama heroine? This is about the time in the drama that you meet some rich boy who’ll sweep you off your feet!”

Gomi burst into laughter. “You’re being ridiculous.”

As if on cue, Gomi’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and nearly sighed in relief. “The moving company just texted me. They’re dropping off my furniture and boxes tonight.”

She’d regretted not bringing her mother’s tea set with her, so it was a relief to hear they were going to be here soon.

Jenny clapped her hands together. “Finally! Do you need help unpacking?”

Gomi looked up, her shoulders relaxing. “You’re a lifesaver, Jenny. Yes. Please.” She accepted graciously. “I’ll even treat you to jjajangmyeon as thanks.”

“And some tangsuyuk!”

“And some tangsuyuk,” Gomi agreed. She’ll finally settle into her new apartment, she secured her new job at the cafe, her father’s treatment was going well and she was finally settling into the new college schedule.

For the first time in a long, Gomi felt like she could breathe.

Across the city, the automatic doors of Incheon Airport slid open. Dukhwan stood waiting by the arrivals gate, looking down at his phone until a familiar high pitch voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Dukhwan!”

He glanced up, his lips twitching into a polite smile as Shinhye strutted toward him. She looked every bit the celebrity, from her sleek designer coat to the sunglasses perched on her nose. Behind her, Secretary Lee stumbled under the weight of her designer suitcases, struggling to keep up.

“Shinhye,” Dukhwan greeted with a warm smile.

“Dukhwan oppa!” Shinhye hugged him quickly.

She removed her sunglasses with a practiced flair, her expression a mix of pride and irritation. “Secretary Lee,” she said without turning, “take my bags to the house. I’ll be leaving with Dukhwan.”

Secretary Lee froze mid-step, blinking. “Ah, yes, Miss Shinhye. Right away.”

Dukhwan gestured toward the car parked outside. “Shall we?”

In the car, Shinhye leaned back against the leather seat, her perfectly manicured fingers drumming against the armrest. “So,” she began, her tone casual yet pointed, “I hear Dohyun’s back in Korea. He’s finishing his last semester at K University, right?”

Dukhwan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened ever so slightly. “He is. But he’s not staying at the main house. I haven’t seen him since he returned to Korea.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of displeasure. “Typical Dohyun. How long is he going to keep this up?”

Dukhwan didn’t respond, focusing instead on navigating the busy streets.

“Let’s get dinner later,” Shinhye said smoothly, adjusting her hair in the mirror, “oh, and let’s invite Dohyun too.”

Dukhwan glanced at her with a soft smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Her smile widened.

The car rolled to a stop in front of a luxurious high-rise. As Shinhye stepped out, she turned back, her voice as sweet as honey. “Don’t forget, Dukhwan.”

With a slight nod, he watched her disappear into the building, her heels clicking against the marble steps.

“Will he even come if I ask him to?” he muttered to himself, his eyes dropping as he thought of the answer.