Hyun Soo, true to form, stirred an unholy mountain of whipped cream into his bubble tea.
"It's for emotional support," he insisted, like that somehow justified the whipped cream avalanche now threatening to overflow.
Kang Ho sipped his oolong tea with the calm precision of a man who had seen too much today and not enough vacation.
Jaewook, meanwhile, barely touched his black coffee.
He was too busy watching Minah.
She quietly sipped her red bean matcha milk tea, her eyes flicking up—catching him mid-stare.
Without a word, she reached for her phone and showed him her screen.
"Do I have something on my face?"
Jaewook blinked.
Then immediately looked away like he got caught stealing national secrets.
"No..." he said, voice slightly lower than usual.
He lifted his coffee. Sipped it like it suddenly became the most fascinating thing on earth.
Minah tilted her head, amused.
And of course—the two gremlins were already watching like hawks.
Hyun Soo leaned in with his elbows on the table, eyes practically sparkling.
"What's the tea, boss?"
Kang Ho nodded seriously beside him like they were hosting a podcast called 'Romance Surveillance Unit'.
Jaewook didn't look up.
"Drive back before I demote you both to dish duty."
Hyun Soo gasped. "So it is something!!"
Kang Ho: "Called it."
Minah giggled silently into her drink, a smile creeping onto her face.
-----
The next morning was blissfully quiet.
No conspiracies. No trench coats. Just... peace.
Hyun Soo and Kang Ho were still dead to the world, cocooned in blankets on the living room floor like two boba-flavored burritos.
Upstairs, Jaewook was already awake.
He skimmed his emails, checked a few flagged reports, then pulled on a plain black t-shirt in autopilot mode.
He didn't notice it was inside out.
Or backwards.
Or that his bedhead was lowkey giving K-pop idol the morning after a world tour.
---
Minah woke up early too.
After a quick wash and a braid tossed over one shoulder, she padded downstairs in an off-shoulder baby blue tee and soft white shorts.
Quiet. Comfy. Deadly cute.
She walked past the burritos on the floor with expert stealth and headed straight to the kitchen.
The smell of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon soon filled the air.
---
Jaewook walked in mid-sizzle.
Minah turned and greeted him with a soft sign:
"Good morning."
Jaewook smiled and walked closer, typing on his phone:
"Do you need help?"
Minah shook her head, then paused.
Her eyes flicked to his shirt.
She took out her phone and typed, showing him:
"You wore your shirt backward."
Jaewook blinked.
Looked down.
Turned his shirt collar up.
Paused.
Then—he chuckled. Quiet. Low. Ridiculously endearing.
Without saying a word, he turned his back, pulled the shirt over his head—
—and just as he was mid-flip, revealing his broad, toned, post-gym level back and abs—
Hyun Soo cracked open one eye from the floor.
"I smell... bacon…"
He sat up.
Saw Jaewook. Topless.
And screamed (softly).
"OH MY WORD—PUT IT AWAY, SIR!
I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS LEVEL OF TRAUMA!"
Minah turned bright red, immediately ducking behind the fridge.
Kang Ho rolled over with a groan.
"Let me guess. Jaewook's half-naked and Hyun Soo's emotionally unstable."
Hyun Soo clutched his chest.
"I saw abs I wasn't spiritually prepared for."
-----
Breakfast was served.
Four plates, one peaceful table… and two gremlins still side-eyeing their boss like he'd grown a second head.
Jaewook, as usual, ignored Hyun Soo's internal meltdown and Kang Ho's subtle smirks.
Instead, he turned to Minah.
She was quietly nibbling on her pancake, eyes focused, cheeks still a little pink from earlier.
Jaewook reached out and gently placed his hand on top of her head.
"I like your outfit," he said, voice low and warm.
"It suits you."
Minah blinked.
Then smiled—a soft, real one.
Hyun Soo and Kang Ho blinked at the same time like synchronized fish.
They looked at each other, then at them, then back at each other.
"Did… did he just compliment her outfit?"
"And did she just blush?!"
"Bro, we're witnessing a drama scene LIVE."
Jaewook calmly sliced his pancake and chewed like he didn't just soft-launch his relationship in front of his personal chaos crew.
Minah, now a bit more relaxed, glanced at him again.
Then she paused.
Something was… off.
She leaned forward slightly, tilting her head.
A tiny piece of scrambled egg clung to the edge of Jaewook's lip.
She reached for a napkin, gently tapped his shoulder.
He looked up.
"I have something on my face?"
Minah nodded.
She lifted the napkin and—carefully, almost nervously—reached up and wiped the corner of his lip.
The contact was barely a second long.
But Jaewook froze.
Just for that second.
Their eyes met.
His heart definitely skipped something.
And Minah... wasn't breathing.
Hyun Soo immediately choked on air.
Kang Ho muttered, "I can't eat while this live romance novel is happening two feet away from me."