Yixing was leaning against the grand windowsill of his temporary suite in Salzburg, the Baroque cityscape a stunning backdrop to the late-afternoon call. He was halfway through a two-week-long business trip across Europe—a necessary absence that momentarily suspended his Recovery Project duties.

Minseok appeared on screen, looking crisp and slightly weary in his diplomatic attire, seated in what looked like an executive lounge in an airport.

"You look far too relaxed for a man running a multinational conglomerate from a city known for Mozart," Minseok noted, taking a sip from his water bottle.

"It’s the efficiency of delegation, Minseok. You should try it," Yixing replied, adjusting the camera angle slightly. "The view is wasted on a simple status report, but I felt you deserved an update."

Yixing felt a familiar, low hum of impatience. After weeks of intense, almost constant proximity to Jisoo—where his schedule revolved entirely around her recovery and meals—being away for even a few days felt disjointed. The absence was a sharp reminder of how quickly his "efficient system" had adapted to her presence. The required two weeks away felt less like a business trip and more like an unnecessarily long pause in an important project.

Yixing didn't waste any more time on pleasantries, moving straight to his objective. The conversation shifted immediately to Jisoo.

"We are officially entering the fourth week post-accident," Yixing reported. "The physical healing is on track, but the real work starts soon. Dr. Lee has scheduled her for physiotherapy to begin in the sixth week. It’s going to be tough. Because of the previous ligament damage—the one she conveniently 'forgot' to tell you about—her ankle tends to get stiff. She’ll need some serious sessions to get it moving right and build strength back up. I’m coordinating her daily schedule now to fit in the clinic trips and make sure she still gets decent rest."

Minseok sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Of course, she hid the detail about the prior injury. That sounds exactly like her. Always minimizing the damage." He looked up, a knowing smirk replacing his sigh. "Speaking of minimizing, my little cousin has sent me daily intelligence reports on your... activities."

Yixing simply chuckled, a deep, easy sound that betrayed no nervousness. "Ah, the High Court Judge has found a new case to obsess over. Is the verdict in yet?"

"The verdict is that you are either the most dedicated, selfless family friend in East Asia, or you have an agenda," Minseok stated flatly. "Frankly, the fact that you drove out of your way to deliver breakfast and then had the audacity to shower in her guest bathroom—that's not logistics, Yixing. That's a textbook move from a man establishing residency. Sehun is losing sleep over the—what he called—'reciprocal shower' arrangement."

Yixing smiled faintly, confirming the amusement without denying the interpretation. "I call it minimizing unnecessary travel time and maximizing personal comfort," Yixing countered smoothly. "If I have to be there twice a day, it is simply inefficient to be permanently sweaty. But if you insist on calling that a strategy for long-term real estate acquisition... I can live with your interpretation."

Minseok let out a genuine, hearty laugh. "There it is. The real truth, priced like an investment." He shook his head, the amusement fading instantly as his diplomatic facade returned. The shift in his demeanor was sharp and absolute.

"Now drop the professional pleasantries, Yixing. I need to know: Are you genuinely interested in Jisoo? Because if this elaborate support is purely some kind of moral duty you feel for me, I need you to back off before you give her any unnecessary assumptions."

Yixing’s posture immediately straightened. The lightness left his voice, replaced by the confident tone of a CEO making a major acquisition decision. "I am absolutely interested in courting her. And I intend to."

Minseok threw his head back and laughed—a loud, short burst of amusement. "You didn't even ask for permission, you just declared your intent! You handle courtship like a hostile takeover. You really are the worst strategist I know."

"I am the best negotiator you know," Yixing corrected smoothly. "I know my strengths, and I know your love for your sister. What I really need here is the final result, and for that, I need you as an ally, not an obstacle."

"Smart," Minseok conceded, his expression turning serious again. "It won't be easy, Yixing. Even setting aside her usual high standards, Jisoo just isn't the type to roll out the red carpet for anyone trying to date her."

"I know," Yixing confirmed, his gaze distant as he recalled the intensity in Jisoo's eyes. "Breaking through that shell is going to be a tough job, even for me. The wall she put up is huge. She's basically using 'efficiency' to hide how terrified she is of getting hurt."

"Terrified of getting hurt?" Minseok repeated, sounding genuinely concerned. His face hardened, the professional composure momentarily cracking. "I knew the breakup was messy, but I didn't realize it ran that deep. All I know is that Yeongwoo something guy had crushed her." His voice was heavy with fraternal guilt.

"Honestly, I can't always be there to guard her. There are things she hides from me, and there are times I simply fail her. All I care about is her happiness, you know. She is my absolute darling, and she deserves the best man—not the most efficient one."

He looked directly at Yixing. "If you truly believe you can give her that happiness—that you can convince her that opening up is worth it, and that she won't be hurt again—then I will happily give you my backing, Man." Minseok paused, letting the seriousness hang in the air before delivering the threat. "But Yixing, if you ever make her cry, I will use every tool and resource at my disposal to hunt you down. That is a threat I take very seriously."

Yixing gave a curt, respectful nod. "Understood. That is a fair term of agreement."

Minseok visibly relaxed, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Good. Now, speaking of allies. Since you are already in Salzburg, why don't you hop over to Prague? My parents are there this week. My mother, especially, has heard about the 'efficient logistics officer' and is eager to meet the man who finally got Jisoo to eat a decent breakfast. A good impression there will be much stronger than my backing."

Yixing’s calculated demeanor finally broke into a genuine look of surprise. "Your parents?"

He quickly masked his astonishment. Prague? And here he thought meeting Jisoo’s parents would be indefinitely delayed, given that his current travel itinerary never included Canada (where her parents currently reside). This sudden proximity was an unbelievable stroke of luck. The possibility of an in-person family assessment far sooner than anticipated made him instantly reorganize his entire business schedule.

"Yes. You want to court the girl? Get her family on side first. This is Kim Minseok, signing off." Minseok grinned broadly, ending the call before Yixing could reply.

Yixing stared at the frozen image of Minseok's victorious grin, the Salzburg sunset momentarily forgotten. He smiled, an undeniably pleased, sharp smile.

Challenge accepted. And now, the highest level of assessment begins.