The three of them fell into an easy rhythm as the car moved through the quiet night streets, shifting naturally from celebration to practicality.
Oscar Sparks opened his tablet first, already switching into work mode.
"I'll run through the schedule," he said evenly to Mingyu Lee. "Starting tomorrow, we begin internal staff notification regarding your promotion and the Chairman's retirement."
Mingyu nodded once, listening.
Oscar continued.
"After that, you'll be meeting each department individually over the next month. Your grandfather specifically requested it—he wants staff alignment, not just announcement-level recognition. He wants them to actually know you."
Dasom glanced over from the passenger seat but stayed quiet, letting them work.
Oscar tapped the screen again.
"Once that's complete, there'll be a three-month preparation period. Training, transitions, and external briefing alignment. Then the official press conference announcing your succession as Chairman."
Mingyu exhaled slowly through his nose. "Geez…No pressure."
Oscar didn't look up. "There is pressure. It's just structured."
That earned a faint scoff from Mingyu.
Dasom smiled to herself, then leaned back in her seat. "I've condiemed my schedule too," she added casually.
Both men looked her way.
"I'll be at my programming and computer science camp for three weeks," she explained. "Twelve to nineteen-year-olds. Same camp I went to when I was younger."
Her expression softened slightly at the memory. "It feels weird going back as a mentor this time."
Mingyu glanced at her. "You'll scare the kids."
"I will not," she replied immediately.
Oscar, without hesitation, added, "You absolutely will."
Dasom turned her head toward him. "Whose side are you on?"
"The side of accuracy," he said calmly.
Mingyu let out a quiet laugh.
Oscar continued, shifting the conversation back.
"I'll also be transferring all remaining responsibilities from the previous Chairman to you," he said to Mingyu. "That includes financial oversight, overseas contracts, and operational approvals. I'll assist you in managing the workload until you're fully stabilised."
Mingyu's expression turned more serious again, but he nodded. "Good. I'd rather learn it properly than be handed shortcuts."
Oscar finally looked at him then. "That's why your grandfather chose you."
The car fell into a brief, comfortable silence after that—each of them sitting with their own version of what the coming months would demand.
Outside, the city lights kept moving.
-
The three of them finished the night with burgers, easy laughter, and the kind of relaxed conversation that didn't come often in their world.
For a while, there were no titles, no schedules—just food, jokes, and the comfort of familiarity before responsibility crept back in.
-
At the Lee Family Estate
Eventually, they made their way back to the Lee Family estate.
When the car stopped, Mingyu got out first, stretching slightly as he stepped onto the driveway.
Dasom followed, then paused at the open door. Before she fully stepped out, she turned back toward Oscar.
He was still seated, one hand resting lightly on the steering wheel, posture relaxed but attentive.
Without overthinking it, Dasom leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thank you so much for everything," she said softly. "Truly. I appreciate your support more than you'd think."
For a rare moment, Oscar didn't respond immediately. His usual composed expression faltered, just slightly. Like he hadn't quite processed it fast enough.
"…You're welcome," he managed, a little quieter than usual.
Dasom smiled, unbothered by his silence. "I can't wait to see you and my brother succeed together. He has the best executive secretary in the Hassano Isles, after all."
That earned the faintest shift in his expression, something between embarrassment and restraint.
"I'll be watching you two," she added lightly. "We should catch up like this more often. You have no idea how much I needed today."
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Their eyes met—and held.
Not heavy. Not dramatic.
Just… understood.
Then Oscar finally spoke, his tone steady again but softer than usual. "I'll be watching you too," he said. "I know you'll accomplish great things."
That made something in Dasom's expression soften. Before she could answer, Dasom's phone rang sharply in her hand.
She blinked and physically tore her eyes away from Oscar to glance down at the screen, checking who could possibly be calling at this ridiculous hour.
"Bee," she murmured, recognising the name immediately.
She gave Oscar a small wave, already stepping back.
"I have to take this. I'll see you soon."
Oscar nodded once. "See you soon."
And with that, she turned away, answering the call as she moved toward the estate, leaving the night to settle quietly behind them.
-
"Hi Bee." Dasom said happily.
"Have you seen the chat?" Bee asked immediately.
"No—why?" Dasom replied, already moving through the hallway.
There was a pause on the other end.
"Girl—" Bee dragged the word out. "We've all been trying to get a hold of you. HELLO! What happened with Yixing, and where the hell have you been?"
Dasom exhaled softly, pinching the bridge of her nose as she walked.
"Bee, I'll explain in person," she said. "It's a bit hard to do that over the phone."
Another beat of silence.
Then Bee huffed dramatically.
"I'll be over within the hour. We only have seventy-two hours before you're mentoring for three weeks, ughhh."
-
After hanging up, Dasom spotted her brother waiting nearby—clearly still holding onto the conversation they'd started earlier. His expression said he wasn't done yet.
"…Yeah, I'm coming," she said with a small sigh, adjusting her bag as she walked toward him.
Mingyu Lee nodded slightly as she approached.
"I don't need it to be too deep or anything," he said, tone calmer than before. "We just need to clear the air."
Dasom glanced at him, then let out a faint, knowing smile.
"Okay," she replied. "Bee will be over in a little while, which means Asher and Jean will be here too."
She said it like it was obvious, almost amused.
Mingyu Lee exhaled through his nose.
"You guys have always been inseparable," he muttered, then looked at her more seriously. "But let's not neglect this."
Dasom's expression softened slightly at that.
"Yeah," she said more quietly. "We won't."
"Okay, lay it on me, Gyu," Dasom said quietly, settling into her seat and folding her hands in her lap.
Mingyu Lee exhaled through his nose, like he'd been holding it in all night.
"I'm not even sure where to start," he admitted. "My day was fine until it wasn't."
He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees.
"I got into a fight with my girlfriend," he said bluntly. "And I know that alone already put me in a bad headspace. But then I saw you."
Dasom stayed quiet, listening without interrupting.
"I saw you with Bo," he continued, jaw tightening slightly. "Private conversation, close enough that it didn't make sense to me in the moment."
He paused, running a hand through his hair.
"And then Yixing—"
His voice sharpened slightly at the name.
"…was holding you. And I know what we've always said. About you being older now, about trusting people. But in that moment, it just hit wrong. I got furious. Not because I think you can't make decisions, but because I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you or if someone crossed a line with you and I didn't stop it."
He looked at her then, more honest than defensive.
"I reacted badly. I know that."
Dasom didn't speak immediately. Her expression stayed calm—grounded, steady in a way that softened the room.
"I hear you," she said gently. A beat passed then she exhaled.
"I need to be honest with you too."
Mingyu nodded once.
"I was dating Bo," she admitted, her voice even. "But it wasn't… what you're thinking. It ended last night. Properly."
She paused briefly, choosing her words carefully.
"And Yixing wasn't doing anything wrong. He was comforting me. That's all it was. I was overwhelmed, and he helped me calm down. There was nothing inappropriate about it."
Her gaze lifted to meet her brother's.
"I understand why it looked a certain way from your side. But it wasn't like that."
Mingyu's expression shifted slightly as he absorbed it—still tense, but less sharp.
Dasom softened her tone. "You don't have to like it," she added. "But I need you to trust that I'm not being reckless with myself."
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Then Mingyu nodded slowly.
"…Okay," he said quietly. "I hear you too."
"And I'm sorry," he added, more firmly this time. "For how I spoke to you."
Dasom let out a small breath—relief, but also exhaustion from the weight of the night.
"Same," she replied. "We're good?"
Mingyu gave a faint, reluctant half-smile.
"We're good," he confirmed.
The tension between them finally eased into just brother and sister, not arguments and misunderstandings.
Mingyu leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose as the tension finally eased between them.
"I'll probably need to punch Bo one time," he said flatly, "just to make things even."
Dasom blinked at him.
"Considering he's my best friend," he continued, "and he secretly dated you behind my back… I feel like that's fair compensation."
That earned a reluctant, tired laugh from her.
Mingyu's expression softened a fraction as he looked at her properly again.
"But I need to make it clear," he added more seriously, "I'll always be this protective over you."
Dasom's smile faded into something gentler.
"I know," she said quietly. "And I wouldn't want you to stop being you."
A pause settled between them—no anger left, just understanding.
Mingyu gave a small nod.
"Good," he replied. "Because I'm not changing that part." His tone eased again.
"But I'll try to… not go full chaos mode every time I misunderstand something."
Dasom smirked faintly. "That would be appreciated."
The heaviness between them finally lifted not only just protective but also no longer breaking them apart.
Dasom's expression shifted slightly, her curiosity returning. "Wait," she said carefully, "you said you fought with Xiaoqing? Why?"
Mingyu hesitated for half a second, then rubbed the back of his neck.
"It was… over you," he admitted.
Dasom's brows lifted. "At the banquet?" she clarified.
He nodded once. "She told me I should ease up on how I treat you. That I was being too controlling."
Dasom stayed quiet, letting him continue.
"And I told her," Mingyu added, exhaling, "to mind her own business. That it was a family matter."
Dasom's eyes widened at that. "Gyu..."
"I know," he cut in quickly, already regretting it. "That wasn't my best moment." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"She said she was just trying to help. That she wasn't attacking me or anything—just pointing out I was being intense."
"And then I snapped again," he admitted. "Raised my voice. She—uh… she swore at me. Properly. Then walked off."
Dasom blinked once, then twice, before letting out a slow breath.
"So you yelled at your girlfriend," she said plainly, "because she was trying to help you not be overprotective of me?"
Mingyu gave her a look. "When you say it like that it sounds worse."
"It is worse."
He groaned, dropping his head back for a second before looking at her again. "I didn't like the idea of anyone telling me how to handle my own sister," he said more honestly. "But I also didn't handle it well. I know that."
Dasom's expression softened a little.
"She wasn't wrong, you know," she said gently. "I love you, but you do go a bit… full guard dog sometimes."
"I'm aware," he muttered. Then he added, quieter, "I'll apologise to her."
Dasom nodded once, approving that without hesitation.
"Good," she said. "Because Xiaoqing seems nice. And she doesn't deserve to be yelled at for trying to care."
Mingyu sighed again, but this time it wasn't defensive, just tired.
"…Yeah," he agreed. "She is nice."
He glanced at Dasom again. "And you're still my problem," he added, a hint of his usual tone returning.
Dasom smirked. "Glad we clarified that."