Chapter 2

The next hour unfolded in a surprisingly cathartic stream of consciousness.

Yujin found herself pouring out every frustration—the client who stiffed her, the job market being absolute garbage, how she felt like a failure at twenty-three, how she missed her family but couldn't afford to visit them.

Jiji listened. Actually listened. He made tea and handed her a cup without interrupting, without trying to fix anything. He just let her talk.

"And then what happened?" He asked.

"I just... broke down," she admits, taking a sip from the mug. "I cried in front of my laptop because of the stress and burnout. I haven’t slept well in weeks.

"Weeks?!" his eyes widened.

"Probably closer to a month," she admitted, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Sleeping pills don't work anymore. Stress about money kept me up at night."

"Girl, how are you still functioning?"

"Caffeine and adrenaline are hella drugs," she says with a weak laugh. "And occasionally napping between breaks. I've even become a master at sleeping upright in chairs." She pauses, looking down at her mug. "But truth be told... I'm exhausted. Physically and mentally.”

“No shit, baby girl. You need a break. A whole vacation, even,” Jiji commented.

She scoffed. "Who has the money for that? I can barely afford a bus ticket home," She bit her lip, realising she might have revealed too much.

“Well, you don’t have to travel or go anywhere. You can just chill at home. Sleep in. Watch a movie. Read a book. Or even take a walk around the neighbourhood. That’s way cheaper.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Well, doing something for yourself should be easy,” He answered, his expression sympathetic. Not judging her in any way.

It felt… nice.

“Bottom line is, you need to take it easy. A pretty girl like you deserves it," he added.

She blushed slightly at the compliment, ducking her head toward the mug to hide it. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like she was being hit on. It felt just… genuine. A kind word from someone who had sat through an hour of her venting without running for the door.

"How about this?" Jiung leaned forward. "You take a long shower because you deserve it. I'll get us some snacks. And I'll ask one of our technicians to have a look at your car tomorrow morning."

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. "Wait. What? My car? But—" She stopped herself. "You don't have to do that. That's way too much. I can't—"

"Nope." He cut her off gently but firmly. "It's the least I can do to make up for this situation. Plus, the guy owes me a favour. Saves you money."

She bit her lip, torn between protesting and giving in to the unexpected kindness. The thought of not having to worry about car repairs right now was incredibly tempting.

"Okay," she finally whispered. "But… you're really doing all this for free? Just because I talked to you?"

"It's bare minimum kindness, sweetheart." He smiled.

Her eyes softened. Something warm spread through her chest at the endearment. No one had ever called her sweetheart like that before—without romantic or sexual undertones. Just warmth. Just care.

"Thank you," she said softly, meaning it more than she could express.

"No biggie." He waved it off. "Now take your pretty girlboss ass into the shower and pick out a movie. I'll get snacks and sort out your car issue. Oh, and the room comes with shower essentials. We make sure those are provided in the event our clients stay overnight."

She smiled—a real one, small but genuine and nodded. She got up from the bed and made her way to the bathroom.

She heard Jiji moving around outside, talking on the phone about her car. His voice was low, calm, and controlled. She turned on the shower and stripped off her clothes before stepping inside.

Wrapped in a plush towel, Yujin stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and clean for the first time in weeks. Her hair was damp and messy, clinging to her neck and shoulders. She was surprised to find herself actually looking forward to picking out a movie and just… relaxing.

She spotted Jiung in the living room, surrounded by bags of snacks and drinks like he was preparing for a siege.

"Oh shit—" He quickly got up. "I'll give you some privacy."

"Wait," she called out, stopping him mid-motion. She looked down at herself, suddenly aware she was only wearing a towel. But instead of feeling self-conscious, she felt oddly… comfortable. Safe. "I'm decent. It's fine."

"Yeah, but you’ll still need to get dressed, though" His gaze was careful, respectful. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

He’s right, though, she thought, biting her lip.

He was giving her space without making it weird. Without making her feel weird.

"You're sweet," she said with a soft smile, clutching the towel a little tighter around herself. "But you don’t have to leave the room. I'll just go back to the bathroom and get dressed. I’ll be out in two minutes."

Later, Yujin was settled in bed, wrapped in a bathrobe she'd found hanging behind the door. Jiung had claimed the couch, lying on his side with a blanket draped over his legs. The movie played on the big screen, filling the room with bursts of light and sound.

Every time the screen flashed bright, Yujin found herself looking away from the plot and toward him instead.

Jiung was casually munching on popcorn, completely relaxed, legs stretched out, eyes half-lidded in that comfortable way people get when they're exactly where they want to be. He was just… good. 

She caught herself staring a little too long and snapped her head back to the TV, cheeks burning.

Stop it. Stop it right now.

She tried to focus on the movie. Some action flick he'd picked. Explosions. Gunfire. Very manly, very safe, very not romantic.

But her eyes kept betraying her, drifting back to his side profile. The slope of his nose. His buzzcut. His lean, muscular build. The way his jaw relaxed when he laughed at something on screen. He was so comfortable. So unbothered. 

It was confusingly attractive.

She grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed her face, using the chewing as a distraction. And to hide the fact that she was definitely checking him out.

Then the scene changed.

The music softened. The lighting went warm and amber. Two characters on screen drifted toward each other, and Yujin's heart dropped into her stomach.

Oh no….

A kiss. Then another. Then clothes started coming off.

She froze, he cheeks burning instantly and the heat spreading through her body—and between her legs. And it wasn’t the good kind. It was the ‘Oh God, why us this happening right now,’ kind.