The city was quieter at night.
Not silent, but softer.
Car headlights blurred past the window of the car as Lily sat in the driver's seat, her fingers gripping the steering wheel just a little tighter than usual.
Beside her, Jinhai leaned his head against the window, eyes half-lidded, his reflection faintly visible in the glass.
For a while neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was… heavy.
"What triggered it?"
Lily's voice finally broke through, gentle but steady.
Jinhai didn't answer immediately.
He turned his head slightly, looking at her, not directly, just… enough.
"The dark," he said after a pause. "Pitch black darkness."
Another pause.
Then quieter...
"It triggers my panic attacks."
Lily didn't interrupt.
Didn't rush him.
Didn't fill the silence.
So he continued.
"When I was a kid…" he let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Let's just say I had a few… memorable experiences with the dark."
He rubbed the back of his neck, gaze drifting away again.
"I know it sounds stupid."
"It's not."
Her response was immediate.
Firm.
Jinhai blinked, glancing at her again.
"It's not silly," Lily added, softer this time. "I'm terrified of spiders."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Spiders?"
"Yes, spiders," she shot back. "Those tiny little demons with eight legs and zero respect for personal space."
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"You should be careful then," he said lazily. "The studio's probably full of them. Different sizes… different colors…"
Lily's head snapped toward him.
"HEY!"
She smacked his arm.
"Shut up, asshole!"
This time, he laughed.
A real one.
Warm. Unrestrained.
And just like that, something in the car loosened.
Lily exhaled quietly, shoulders relaxing without her even noticing.
Good.
He was back.
At least a little.
Jinhai tilted his head, studying her.
"You're wondering how I sleep at night, aren't you?"
Lily blinked.
"…maybe."
He smirked.
"I sleep with the lights on."
A beat.
"Or I don't sleep."
The smirk didn't quite reach his eyes.
Lily's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"That's not healthy," she muttered.
"I didn't say it was."
Silence again.
Then...
"Can you drop me home?" he asked, more casually this time. "It's nearby."
Lily scoffed.
"You're actually stupid if you think I'm letting you drive right now."
Jinhai huffed out a small laugh.
"Bossy."
"Alive," she corrected.
-------------
His apartment building rose high into the night sky, glass, steel, and way too expensive-looking.
Jinhai keyed in the passcode, and the door clicked open.
Inside...
It was spotless.
Suspiciously spotless.
Like a showroom.
Or a place where no one actually lived.
Lily helped him inside, his arm slung over her shoulder as he leaned into her slightly.
"Careful," she muttered. "Don't collapse on me again, I'm not emotionally prepared for round two."
"Wow," he murmured. "Such compassion."
"Shut up and walk."
He leaned on her for a second longer, then suddenly straightened and walked off toward the kitchen like nothing had ever happened.
Lily froze.
Her eye twitched.
"…are you kidding me?"
Jinhai poked his head out of the kitchen, completely fine.
"Yes?"
"You FRAUD," she snapped. "I thought you couldn't walk!"
He grinned.
"Which gentleman would refuse a kind maiden's support?"
He leaned casually against the counter.
"Besides… holding onto you made me feel better."
Lily's brain short-circuited.
Her cheeks burned instantly.
OH MY GOD.
Abort. Abort. ABORT.
She turned away dramatically, fanning her face.
He has a girlfriend.
He flirts with everyone.
DO NOT FALL FOR THIS.
Jinhai, completely unaware of the chaos he had caused, called out,
"Want pasta?"
"…I hate you."
"Is that a yes?"
"…fine."
"Red pasta?"
"Ew no! I like white pasta. Don't tell me you like red pasta."
Jinhai took a second longer to respond.
"No I love my pasta white."
Ten minutes later-
The two of them sat across from each other at a dining table that could comfortably host an entire wedding.
Lily stared at it.
"…do you eat alone at this table every day?"
"Don't judge me," Jinhai said, placing the pasta down. "It builds character."
"It builds depression."
He snorted.
"Eat."
She did.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh my god."
Jinhai froze.
"…what?"
"This is AMAZING."
He blinked.
"You're lying."
He appeared to be playing with his pasta rather than eating it.
"I would never lie about food," she said seriously, pointing her fork at him. "This is a sacred matter."
He relaxed slightly, amused.
"You should see me burn toast in the morning."
"That's because toast requires patience. Pasta requires talent."
"I'll take that."
She smiled.
Then he leaned back slightly.
"Lily… you needed a job, right?"
She nodded.
"Yeah. I was thinking of doing food delivery. Pays decent."
He hummed.
"What if I offered you a job that pays really well?"
Her fork froze mid-air.
"…define really well."
"Well enough that you won't have to deliver noodles to strangers at 2 AM."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I like noodles."
"I'm sure you do."
"So what's the job?"
He leaned forward slightly.
"You could be my temporary manager."
Silence.
Lily blinked.
"…what?"
"My manager's leaving for a while. I need someone I trust."
He shrugged.
"You're hardworking. You learn fast. You already yell at me like a professional."
"That is NOT a qualification."
"It absolutely is."
She stared at him.
A job.
Good pay.
Close to him.
Too close.
Dangerously close.
Jinhai misread her silence completely.
He wanted to convince Lily to take the job. He was familiar with her. And liked her company. She was hardworking too. He didn't want a stranger to take the job.
"Oh wait, no pressure!" he said quickly, hands going up. "I'm a great boss. I swear. I give breaks. I don't bite. Much."
She opened her mouth,
DING DONG.
Both of them froze.
Jinhai frowned.
"…did you order something?"
"No."
"…did YOU order something?"
"No."
They stared at each other.
DING DONG.
"…that's aggressive," Lily whispered.
Jinhai stood up slowly.
"I'll check."
He walked to the door and opened the camera feed.
No one.
"…what the hell?"
His phone rang.
He glanced down.
And froze.
Caller ID: Sister Meilin
His soul left his body.
He picked up.
"Hello..."
"JINHAI SHULONG OPEN THE DOOR RIGHT NOW."
He physically flinched.
He turned slowly,
Lily was still sitting at the table.
Eating pasta.
Oblivious.
He looked back at the camera.
Meilin stepped into view.
And showed him the middle finger.
Jinhai closed his eyes.
This was it.
This was how he died.
"GEGE!!!" her voice blasted through the phone.
He whispered to himself,
"…I'm finished."
Behind him,
Lily called out casually,
"Who is it?"
Jinhai turned around slowly.
With the smile of a man about to commit several crimes.
"Just… a problem."
DING DONG.
DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG.
"OPEN THE DOOR OR I'M BREAKING IT."
Meilin barked through the phone.
Lily blinked and resumed eating.
Jinhai inhaled deeply.
Exhaled.
Then muttered under his breath.
"God really said… lets make him have the worst day today."
THIS WAS A DISASTER. A COLOSSAL MISHAP. God must be set on punishing him today.
If Lily met Meilin, she would immediately recognize her. And she would find out the truth that Jinhai was actually Lihyun and Meilin's brother.
"HELLO!?!? GEGE!!!" *means brother in chinese*
Jinhai just smiled to himself. This was going to be a disaster.