The flight was smooth.

  Peaceful.

  Quiet.

  Until Minra shifted slightly.

  Felt something firm beneath her cheek.

  Something warm.

  Her eyes fluttered open.

  And then—she froze.

  Because her head?

  Her head was on HyunSeong’s shoulder.

  Her breath caught.

  Her heartbeat? A mess.

  She stayed perfectly still.

  Afraid to move.

  Afraid to make this moment real.

  And then—very, very slowly—

  She glanced up.

  And saw—

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  HyunSeong.

  Eyes closed.

  Breathing even.

  Expression softer than she’d ever seen before.

  She had never—never—seen him like this.

  Never this unguarded.

  Never this peaceful.

  And suddenly—too suddenly—

  She realized something.

  Something she wasn’t ready for.

  She didn’t want to move.

  She wanted to stay like this.

  And that?

  That was dangerous.

  .

  HyunSeong had felt her shift.

  Felt the way her breath changed.

  Felt the way she tensed.

  She was awake.

  He knew it.

  But he didn’t move.

  Didn’t open his eyes.

  Didn’t say anything.

  Because if he did—

  If he acknowledged this moment—

  It would change something.

  Something he wasn’t ready to face.

  Because in this moment—

  In this brief, fleeting moment—

  He wasn’t HyunSeong, her boss.

  He wasn’t Shuun, her secret comfort.

  He was just…

  A man.

  A man who was dangerously aware of her warmth against him.

  A man who was starting to forget why he needed to keep his distance.

  And that?

  That was a problem.

  .

  Minra didn’t say anything.

  Didn’t mention how long she had stayed like that.

  Didn’t mention how, when the announcement came on, she had pulled away just slightly—only to feel his fingers twitch, as if resisting the loss of warmth.

  She didn’t mention how, when their eyes finally met, there was something unreadable in his gaze.

  Something she had never seen before.

  Instead, she just swallowed the strange feeling in her chest.

  And followed him out of the plane.

  But the air between them?

  It was different now.

  Softer.

  More fragile.

  And neither of them knew what to do about it.

  .

  HyunSeong told himself it was fine.

  That the flight meant nothing.

  That he was still in control.

  But then—

  During the meetings, he found himself noticing things.

  Noticing how Minra bit her lip when she was focused.

  Noticing how she was so quick to speak up and defend ideas.

  Noticing how effortlessly she carried herself, even in front of intimidating clients.

  Noticing how, when she got tired, she subconsciously leaned toward him again—like it was natural.

  And suddenly—too suddenly—

  He realized.

  He was paying too much attention.

  And worse?

  He didn’t want to stop.

  .

  Too late.

  HyunSeong, glancing at Minra, hesitated.

  Then—before he could stop himself—

  "You should eat before you sleep."

  Minra, surprised, blinked.

  "Huh?"

  "Dinner." he said simply.

  "Let’s get something before heading back to the hotel."

  Minra hesitated.

  Then—she smiled.

  "Okay, HyunSeong-ssi."

  And for the first time, when she said his name—

  HyunSeong didn’t remind himself that he wasn’t Shuun.

  Because right now, it didn’t matter.

  Because right now—

  He just wanted to be the man sitting across from her at dinner.

  Even if just for one night.

  .

  Chapter 26: "The Dinner That Almost Felt Like a Date"