The owner of the voice was none other than Ayane, who stood at the threshold, waiting for a replay that never came.

 She tilted her head slightly, wondering for a second if anyone was even there .

She could sense someone nearby ـــ and more than that, she recognized the faint trace of a familiar perfume hanging in the air. 

unbeknownst to her, the two men were locked in a silent battle ـــ one fought entirely through glances. 

Neither of them heard her voice.

Then, another voice floated gently through the hall. 

Soft. Calm. Angelic.

Not loud, yet it filled the space with an almost sacred warmth.

The kind of voice you'd want to hear again and again.

Dean, curious, glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the speaker.

Daiki glanced sideways, his expression shifting as he bowed his head slightly and quietly replied:

The way he said it made it clear ــ this woman wasn't ordinary.

" And don't call me that," she replied, placing a steaming plate of food on the table. 

She moved with effortless grace, like every step she took belonged in a painting.

She gave Daiki a sideways glance, the corner of her lips lifting into a smile. 

She waited for his reaction, but Daiki only gave a small nod. His posture softened, his presence less rigid in her company.

Though she was technically speaking to Daiki, the way she said her name felt like an indirect introduction to Dean as well ــ as if she was including him without needing to say so.

"I can't do that." Daiki replied instantly, without a beat of hesitation.

Mrs. Cho nearly laughed. The way he looked so troubled by such a simple request amused her deeply, though she managed to hold it in.

Dean, still standing, was utterly captivated by her.

She wasn't just beautiful ــ she was ethereal. Otherworldly. 

The kind of beauty that stories are written about. 

No one would believe she was over forty.

Mrs. Cho turned her gaze to Dean, offering him a warm smile.

"My daughter told me how you rushed to help her when she fell." she said gently, her voice like a breeze.

Dean's eyes widened at her radiant expression. He felt his cheeks grow warm.

He lowered his gaze, shy and nervous in her presence.

"I.. no, I ... I didn't ... I just ..." he stammered, unable to string together a full sentence

It wasn't just her beauty that left him speechless ــ there was something else.

Something he couldn't name.

Sensing his discomfort, Mrs. Cho offered kindly,

Dean nodded silently and obeyed, as if under a spell.

Watching from the side, Daiki's jaw tightened. Without a word, he turned and followed Mrs. Cho into the kitchen. 

She glanced at him, waiting patiently, knowing he had something to say.

Once out of Dean's hearing range, he finally spoke.

"Why are you two like this with him?" he asked, trying to keep his tone respectful.

 "We don't know who he is."

Though frustration simmered under the surface, he added more firmly,

A pause. He thought for a moment, then continued,

Mrs. Cho said nothing at first. Then, with a soft smile:

That wasn't the answer Daiki expected.

But she wasn't finished.

She added calmly, as she plated more dishes:

"There's something about that boy," she added while handing him a stack of plates.

Daiki glanced at her, his face puzzled. A hundred questions tumbled in his mind.

Mrs. Cho tone softened.

Daiki simply nodded , quietly absorbing her words.

Seeing him so serious, Mrs. Cho playful side flickered to life.

She turned to him with a playful glint in her eye.

She tried to hold back her laughter as Daiki nodded absently ـــ then froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

His face was priceless ــ shock, panic, and confusion all at once.

His thoughts raced back to Ayane's strange behavior. Her interest in Dean. her curiosity. Her unusual openness.

"You're joking, right?" he asked, voice half pleading.

Mrs. Cho didn't answer. She just walked ahead, shoulders shaking with laughter, leaving Daiki trailing behind ـــ still waiting for confirmation.

TO BE CONTINUED.....