Seo-in's expression softened as she listened to Luca's words. She knew he was a proud man, and it was important to him to feel like he could take care of himself. But she could also see the exhausted lines on his face, the signs of someone teetering on the edge of collapse.
"Luca yah, I understand your concerns," she said gently. "But please understand mine. I'm not doing this to make you feel like a burden. I'm doing this because I care about you and I'm worried about you."
Luca sighed. He knew the truth in her words. But his stubborn pride still didn't want to admit that he was in desperate need of help.
"I know," he said, running a hand through his hair. "But I don't want to rely on you financially. I want to be able to take care of myself and take care of you too."
Seo-in scooted closer to him on the couch. "I know you want to be independent, and that's admirable," she said. "But you have to accept that sometimes, we all need help. And right now, you need someone to take care of you. You're working yourself to the bone, Luca. And I won't just sit back and watch you destroy yourself like this."
Luca stared silently at the beautiful brown eyes of the woman he loved as he listened to what she said, then he sighed, "I don't mind Hase, it just seems like I'm using you," he paused for a moment. "I prefer to be fair."
Seo-in took his hand and squeezed it gently. "Luca, you're not using me," she said firmly. "We're a couple, and this is what couples do. We help each other, support each other, take care of each other. It's not about being fair or unfair, it's about being there for each other. And honestly, I'm not going to let you work yourself to death just because you're too prideful to ask for help."
"Ah, let's just say this ... for finances, I'll manage 30/70, you 30%, I 70%, and for housework, you just do what you're willing to do, okay?" he added.
Seo-in smiled slightly at his proposition. She knew he wanted to feel like he was still contributing in some way, and she was happy to compromise.
"Alright, I can work with that," she said, squeezing his hand once more. "But I have one condition."
Luca raised an eyebrow, curious about her condition. "What is it?" he asked.
"You have to promise me that you'll take better care of yourself," Seo-in said firmly. "No more all-nighters, no more neglecting your health. You need rest, you need to eat proper meals. No more living like a zombie, you hear me?"
Luca raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by Seo-in's condition. The project wasn't finished yet, and he still had a lot of things to do at the office. However, he didn't want to add to the argument. So, he could only nod in agreement.
"Okay, I'll give it a try."
Seo-in's stern expression softened, satisfied by Luca's agreement. But she knew him well enough to know that he might still find ways to push himself to the limit.
"I know you," she said teasingly. "You'll probably be back at your computer at three in the morning, working on your project, and drinking coffee like it's water."
Luca chuckled sheepishly, knowing full well that she was right. "You know me too well," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "But I promise I'll try to take better care of myself. No more all-nighters ... at least, not every night."
Seo-in shook her head in mock disapproval. "You're hopeless," she said, smiling. "But I trust you. Just remember, if I catch you pulling an all-nighter again, I'm unplugging your laptop and hiding all your coffee."
Luca let out a dramatic gasp, pretending to be offended. "You wouldn't dare," he said, feigning shock. "I need my coffee to survive!"
Seo-in laughed, enjoying the lighthearted banter. "I would absolutely dare," she teased. "And not just your coffee. I'll hide your energy drinks too. You'll be left with nothing but green tea and water."
Luca shuddered at the thought of being deprived of caffeine. "You're heartless, you know that? Trying to take my caffeine away, it's cruel and unusual punishment." He jokingly protested.
***
After Seo-in decided to move in with Luca, despite her poor cooking skills, she helped him organize the house. She bought him a dehumidifier and a heater, and organized several rooms. She also helped remind him to rest. She did so gladly, but Luca, who wasn't used to such 'kindness', still felt uneasy. He always thought that he had to pay for the kindness he received.
Luca hovered nervously by the kitchen doorway as Seo-in hummed and arranged their new spice jars in alphabetical order.
"You really don't have to—" he started, fingers twisting the hem of his shirt.
Seo-in turned, a jar of cumin in one hand and an eyebrow arched playfully.
"Pay me back? Luca-yah, do I look like a bank?" She laughed when his ears turned pink, stepping closer to boop his nose with the spice jar. "I'm your girlfriend, not your landlord."
The unspoken words hung between them— you're allowed to just be loved.
Luca fidgeted, eyes on the tiled floor. "But ... I should be the one helping you. Not the other way around."
Seo-in placed the cumin jar gently among its fellows, then turned to face him fully. "And why is that? Because you're the man?" she asked bluntly, hands bracing her hips.
"It's not like that, but ... it's not like you should do more than me," he said hesitantly.
Seo-in sighed, folding her arms. "Luca, look at me." She waited until his dark blue eyes met hers before continuing. "You're my partner, not my servant. That means we share the load, equally." Her tone softened. "I do things for you because I want to, because I care about you. It's not a competition, okay?"
Luca chewed his bottom lip, the familiar mix of guilt and appreciation churning in his gut. He knew she was right; it was a conversation they've had before. But the feeling of indebtedness still gnawed at him, a stubborn remnant of his troubled past.
"I just..." he began, struggling to find words. "I don't want to be a burden. I feel … I mean- yeah..."
Seo-in's face softened, and she reached out to gently pinch his cheek—her signature move when he was being especially hard on himself. "Yah, Luca-yah," she scolded playfully, "who bought me medicine last month when I had that awful cold? Who stayed up all night debugging my code when I panicked before finals?"
She let her hand drop to clasp his instead, fingers threading through his. "Love isn't about keeping score." A pause, then a mischievous grin. "Unless we're talking about who hogged the blankets last winter—then you owe me."
The tension in Luca's shoulders eased just a fraction as he huffed out a laugh. "...Fair."
Suddenly Luca remembered something, "You said you have a performance scheduled from campus this afternoon, right?" asked Luca.
Seo-in's face lit up, the earlier seriousness melting away. "Mm! The spring festival ensemble. I'm doing a jazz cover of Fly Me to the Moon," she said, swaying their linked hands between them with sudden excitement.
Then her eyes narrowed teasingly. "You're coming this time, right? No 'forgetting' like during the winter recital?"
Luca flushed, he had hidden in the IT lab that day, too nervous about crowds before sprinting through the rain and snow toward the building where Seo-in was performing at that time— but nodded firmly.
"I'll be front row." He hesitated before adding quietly, "...Maybe record it for me too? In case I ... miss any parts."
A lie. They both knew he'd replay it endlessly just to hear her voice.
Seo-in's smile widened into a teasing grin, but she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Of course, Luca-yah. You can have your own personal concert once we get home. Just promise me you won't delete all your other files to make room, hmm?"
He groaned. They both knew about the time he'd lost an entire research project to his obsession with a video ... of Seo-in practicing her piano scales.
"Then I'll come after I'm done with my business, I need to find a source for a little interview for my project," he said as he walked out of the room, "we can go on a date afterward," he added.
Seo-in leaned against the doorway, watching him go with a fond smile. "Sounds like a plan. But don't forget to take breaks in between your nerd stuff—I'm not carrying you around if you pass out from staring at a computer screen too long again."
Luca shot her a mock-glare over his shoulder. "I one time..." he protested, the corner of his mouth twitching in a suppressed grin.