3 AM – A Soft Victory.
The digital clock on their nightstand glowed faintly as Luca shifted under the covers, careful not to jostle Seo-in—who was currently using his bicep as a pillow and drooling slightly onto his "World's Okayest Programmer" T-shirt.
He stared at the ceiling, listening to her steady breathing and replaying tomorrow's dreaded dinner in his head.
Then a sleepy mumble against his shoulder,"...Tell your dad ... I know judo..." followed by an incoherent grumble about "...respect or perish..." before she nuzzled deeper into sleep.
Luca bit back laughter hard enough to shake the bed, which earned him an elbow jab from Seo-in. But something warm unfurled in his chest anyway—a quiet certainty that even if Seoul's most stubborn chaebol stood between them?
"She'd fight for him." And maybe that was worth more than any acceptance letter.
At least that's what Luca hopes for now, but he still wonders, is he allowed to think like that? It doesn't feel right, but it's not wrong either. As long as Seo-in still loves him.
"Am I wrong if I hope she will defend me in front of her family?" Luca thought in his head.
He looked at his girl who was still sleeping next to him. He really didn't want her to be owned by someone else. His hand gently brushed aside a loose strand of hair from Seo-in's face, his expression unusually sober as he watched her sleep. She looked peaceful, content—her usual defenses down in the quiet hours of the night. He studied her profile in the shadows, tracing the familiar curves of her nose and jaw without disturbing her. His gaze dipped to her hands, so much smaller than his own. She could probably fit inside a single one of his palms. And she wanted to use those fragile fingers to fight for him?
***
The next morning, Seo-in woke up to find their apartment empty as usual; Luca had undoubtedly left for work. The aroma of fried eggs and toast wafted from the kitchen. Breakfast had been prepared as usual. But that meant Luca would be coming home late again. She shuffled into the kitchen, her bare feet dragging slightly against the cool tiles.
Sure enough, a plate of eggs and toast sat waiting under cling wrap on the counter, still faintly warm, as if Luca had just left. Next to it was his usual scribbled note on sticky paper:
"Ate already. Microwave for 30 secs—don't burn it this time."
Underneath, in smaller letters as if added as an afterthought:
"Also … Maybe wear flats today? -L"
Seo-in rolled her eyes at that last line but smiled anyway, pressing the note between her fingers before tucking it into her pocket like a secret. She reached for her phone—then paused at an unread message from Luca sent just ten minutes prior:
[Luca] 7:43"Meeting ran late last night. Client wants revisions by noon. Might be home after you sleep. But, promise I won't pull another all nighter like last week."
She snorted at that blatant lie they both knew he would and fired back a quick reply while poking at the eggs with a fork:
[Seo-in] 7:44"Liar liar fried-rice on fire 💢 also your DAD DINNER IS TONIGHT DON'T YOU DARE "FORGET" AGAIN."
No reply came after that—expected, but disappointing. Seo-in knew what would happen. Luca would stay focused on his programming until he finished the project or, more likely, until his coffee wore off and a headache set in. Then he'd stagger home at some unholy hour and promptly pass out in bed. She'd see him for maybe five minutes and probably have to shove a protein bar in his mouth before he fell asleep. And then the cycle would repeat itself.
She glanced at her phone again. Still nothing. Sigh. Sometimes, dating a tech nerd was ... incredibly frustrating. Seo-in had to make the most of her last summer vacation.
She decided to take the bullet train to Hamburg. She wanted to go shopping there. She quickly got ready, doing her hair and makeup after quick breakfast. But as she was choosing shoes, she remembered Luca's warning to avoid heels for long trips, but she felt a little odd pairing sneakers with the mini skirt she was wearing. In the end, stubbornness won out over practicality. Seo-in slipped on a pair of sleek ankle boots—technically flats but with just enough height to feel stylish and winced internally at Luca's inevitable I told you so look later. She grabbed her bag, double-checked for her wallet and keys, and stepped out into the summer heat with a determined stride.
The train ride was peaceful; Hamburg's bustling streets greeted her with familiar energy. But halfway through browsing a boutique. Her arms already weighed down by shopping bags. Seo-in's phone buzzed—a new message from Luca:
[Luca] 12:17"Just saw your location Update ... you really went to Hamburg? ALONE? Don't tell me you're wearing high heels again 😑."
Seo-in smirked and snapped a photo of her boots propped up on a café chair, captioning it:
[Seo-in] 12:19"Worrywart. Look how foine they're! 👢💅"
[Seo-in] 12:20"Also, shouldn't YOU be working instead of stalking my GPS!?"
[Luca] 12:22 "😠💢"
[Luca] 12:22 "Bring me back those chocolate croissants from that bakery near the station. Or I'm telling your mom you ghosted her calls again!"
Seo-in gasped dramatically at the threat but grinned as she tapped back:
[Seo-in] 12:23"... Fine. But because I love you."
And maybe because she HAD ignored three calls from Seoul this week.
By this point, she was practically skipping toward the bakery. The thought of Luca stuck at a computer screen for hours while she had her own little day trip was almost too satisfying. But she couldn't help hoping he'd take a break soon. Even tech nerds needed fresh air and real food, after all. Seo-in quickly placed a to-go order for a box of croissants and an iced coffee. The cashier smiled sympathetically at Seo-in's shopping bags, like we've all been there. Seo-in smiled back, a little sheepish.
The things we do for love...
Seo-in hummed absently to herself as she left the bakery, box of croissants tucked into her bag. Just as she was about to slip her phone back into her pocket, though, an unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. She hesitated—strangers' calls usually spelled telemarketers or, at best, wrong numbers. Seo-in was almost tempted to decline, but curiosity won out. What the hell. Maybe it was the bakery calling her back. She swiped to answer and held the phone to her ear.
"Annyeonghaseyo?" she greeted cautiously, shifting her shopping bags to one arm.
The voice on the other end was crisp, formal—and unmistakably Korean.
"Miss Choi Seo-in? This is Assistant Kang from Hansung Group."
Seo-in froze mid-step, nearly dropping her phone. Hansung Group. Her father's company.
"Shit."
The assistant continued smoothly, as if unaware of the tension seizing her spine: "Director Choi requests your presence at the family estate in Seoul this weekend. A car will be sent to your residence tomorrow at—"
Seo-in didn't let them finish. "No. Tell my father if he wants to discuss anything, he can call me himself. Like a normal person." She hung up before they could protest—only for her hands to start trembling the second the line disconnected.
Her phone buzzed again almost instantly ... but this time it was Luca:
[5 missed calls] [12 unread messages]
[Luca] 15:02"Where are you? Your mom just called me, PANICKING about some 'urgent summons'."
[Luca] 15:02"WHAT DID YOUR DAD DO NOW?"
Seo-in grimaced, glancing at the call log. Of course her father would pull something like this. He'd gotten fed up with the voicemail game and decided to rope Luca into the mix as well. Classic move. She took a deep breath, composing herself.
Luca didn't need to worry about her parents' family politics right now. He was probably still buried in programming revisions, and she was determined NOT to add stress to his already ridiculous workload. Luca had been pulling all-nighters for a week on his project as well, and her phone calls would only distract him further.