Being engaged to Zayne Li hadn't changed Nana's daily routine as much as people might expect.
She still lived in the tiny apartment with Mina and Jisu—Zayne had offered repeatedly to move her somewhere nicer, or into his place, but she'd insisted on maintaining her independence until after the wedding.
"It's proper," she'd said firmly. "Traditional. I want to do this right."
What had changed was the lunch routine.
Every day, Nana would wake up early—earlier than necessary—to prepare Zayne's lunch.
Homemade meals, packed carefully in a simple lunchbox, made with love if not expensive ingredients. Then she'd take the bus across the city to Linkon Hospital during her break between classes.
At first, the hospital had been intimidating.
The massive building, the rushing staff, the beeping machines and clinical efficiency.
But the nurses on Zayne's floor had quickly adopted her.
"Dr.Li fiancée!" they'd greet her warmly.
"He's in surgery—you can leave it in his office."
"Thank you for feeding him," another would say. "He forgets to eat otherwise."
"You're so sweet to come all this way!"
Today started like any other Tuesday. Nana packed Zayne's lunch—stir-fried vegetables, rice, grilled fish, a small container of fruit—and caught the bus, mentally reviewing her afternoon classes while the city passed by outside.
The hospital lobby was its usual chaos.
She navigated to the cardiac wing, clutching her simple lunchbox, wearing her comfortable jeans and a soft cardigan—nothing fancy, just her.
The nurses' station was busy, but Nurse Kim spotted her and smiled. "Nana! Dr. Li is in a consultation but should be back soon. You can wait in his office if—" She paused, expression shifting to something uncomfortable. "Oh. Actually. Someone's already there."
Nana stomach dropped. "Someone?"
"Dr. Melissa Chen." Nurse Kim's tone was carefully neutral. "She arrived about ten minutes ago. Said she was waiting for Dr. Li."
Of course. Of course Melissa was here.
Nana took a breath, steadied herself.
"It's fine. I'll just leave this and—"
"Don't you want to wait?" another nurse asked, concern in her eyes. "Dr. Li would want to see you—"
"I have class soon," Nana said, managing a smile. "It's okay. Thank you."
She walked to Zayne's office, her simple lunchbox feeling suddenly inadequate.
The door was partially open, and she could see Melissa inside—tall, elegant, wearing a designer dress and heels that probably cost more than Nana's entire wardrobe. She held a fancy lunchbox from one of the city's most expensive restaurants, the kind with the gold logo that meant you'd spent a ridiculous amount on a single meal.
She knocked softly. "Excuse me."
Melissa turned, and for a moment, something flashed across her face—surprise, then calculation, then a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Oh. It's you. The village girl." Her tone was pleasant, poisonous. "How... unexpected. Does Zayne know you're here?"
"I'm just dropping off lunch," Nana said quietly, stepping inside. She placed her simple lunchbox on Zayne's desk—plain, homemade, humble next to Melissa's restaurant packaging.
The nurses had gathered near the door, not even pretending not to watch. Whispers started immediately:
"Is that Dr. Li's fiancée?"
"Wait, who's the other woman?"
"Dr. Chen from research, I think—"
"Is Dr. Li seeing both of them?"
"No way, he's completely devoted to the small one—"
"But why are they both bringing lunch?"
Melissa heard the whispers and smiled wider. "It's sweet that you bring him food. Very... domestic. Rural." She held up her expensive lunchbox. "I brought lunch from Maison Blanche. Zayne mentioned once that he appreciated their cuisine."
Nana looked at the two lunchboxes side by side. Hers—simple, handmade, wrapped in a cloth she'd embroidered herself. Melissa's—professional, expensive, impressive.
"Your lunchbox looks a bit... out of place," Melissa said, leaning closer, voice dropping to a whisper meant only for Nana.
"Just like you. Out of place. In this hospital, in Zayne's world, in this city. You don't understand what kind of man he is. What kind of life he leads. What he actually needs."
The old Nana—the one who'd cried in the supermarket break room, who'd believed she wasn't enough—would have broken. Would have grabbed her lunchbox and run.
But Nana wasn't that person anymore.
She looked at Melissa—really looked at her—and saw something she hadn't noticed before. Desperation. Loneliness. The same kind Zayne used to carry before they found each other.
"You must love him very much," Nana said softly. "To keep trying even though he's engaged. Even though he's made his choice clear. That must be really hard for you."
Melissa's eyes widened, not expecting sympathy. "I—what?"
"You love him," Nana repeated. "I understand. He's easy to love. He's brilliant and dedicated and underneath that cold exterior, he's incredibly kind. I can see why you'd want him. Why you'd keep hoping."
"I don't need your pity—
"It's not pity." Nana's voice was gentle but firm. "It's understanding. And—" She met Melissa's eyes directly. "It's also me telling you that he's not available. Not because I'm holding him back or trapping him. But because he chose me. Every day, he chooses me. And I choose him. And that's not going to change."
"You think you can hold his attention?"
Melissa's voice turned sharp. "You think a village girl with no education, no career, no sophistication can keep a man like Zayne Li interested? He'll get bored. He'll realize what he's missing. What he could have had—"
"He could have had you," Nana interrupted. "His mother offered you to him multiple times. He said no. Every time. Not because you're not accomplished or beautiful or suitable by society's standards. But because—" She paused, finding the right words. "Because love isn't about standards. It's about connection. And he connects with me."
Melissa face flushed red. "You—how dare you—"
"Dr. Chen? Miss Wang?" A nurse called nervously from the doorway. "Dr. Li is coming—"
As if summoned, Zayne appeared, still wearing his white coat from consultation, tablet in hand, looking tired but composed.
His eyes scanned the office, landing on Melissa with polite confusion, then finding Nana—
And his entire expression transformed.
The professional mask dropped. His eyes softened. A small, genuine smile appeared—the one reserved only for her.
"Nana," he said, her name like a breath of relief. "You're here."
"I brought lunch," she said, gesturing to her simple lunchbox on his desk. "I can't stay long—I have class—"
Melissa stepped forward, holding up her expensive lunchbox. "I brought you lunch as well. From Maison Blanche. I know you appreciated their soufflé last time—"
Zayne's eyes flicked to the fancy packaging, then back to Melissa, expression carefully neutral. "Dr. Chen. I wasn't aware we had a meeting scheduled."
"We don't—I just thought—since we're both here—"
"I appreciate the gesture," Zayne said, taking the expensive lunchbox with clinical politeness.
He walked to the door, handed it to a passing colleague. "Dr. Park, you mentioned wanting to try Maison Blanche. Please, enjoy this. Compliments of Dr. Chen."
Dr. Park blinked in surprise. "Oh! Thank you! I've been wanting to try their—"
He walked away with the lunchbox, leaving Melissa frozen in mortified shock.
The nurses at the station weren't even trying to hide their reactions anymore. Suppressed giggles. Wide eyes. Knowing looks.
Zayne turned back to his desk, picked up Nana's simple lunchbox, and held it like it was precious. "Did you make the fish the way I like it?"
"With ginger and scallion," Nana confirmed, trying not to smile at Melissa's expression.
"And I added extra vegetables because you've been working late—"
"Perfect." He set the lunchbox down carefully. Then, right there in front of everyone, he took Nana's hand and bent to press a soft kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you. For waking up early. For taking the bus across the city. For taking care of me."
"Zayne—" Nana's face burned. "Everyone's watching—"
"Let them watch." He straightened but didn't release her hand. "I'm not ashamed of you. I'm proud. Proud that you're mine. Proud to be yours."
Melissa made a sound—something between a gasp and a sob.
"How can you—how can you choose her over—over someone who actually fits in your world?!"
Zayne finally looked at Melissa fully, and his expression was not unkind, but it was absolutely final.
"Because she doesn't try to fit in my world. She makes me want to be part of hers. Because she wakes up at five AM not to impress me, but because she genuinely cares if I've eaten. Because when I'm with her, I'm not Dr. Li, the surgeon, the achievement—I'm just Zayne. And that's enough for her. That's more than enough."
"But I—I could give you—"
"Everything except what I actually need," Zayne finished quietly. "You're brilliant, Dr. Chen. Accomplished. You'll find someone who appreciates that. But it won't be me. It was never going to be me. And continuing to pursue this—" He gestured between them. "—is only hurting yourself."
Melissa eyes filled with tears. For a moment, she looked young, vulnerable, nothing like the polished professional who'd tried to intimidate Nana.
"I just—I thought if I kept trying—if I proved I was suitable—"
"Suitability isn't love," Zayne said gently. "And you deserve love too. Real love. Not someone settling for you because you check all the right boxes. But you won't find that if you're chasing someone who's already committed."
Melissa grabbed her purse with shaking hands. At the door, she turned back, looking at Nana with something that might have been grudging respect.
"He really loves you," she said. "I thought—I thought maybe it was just rebellion or a phase. But he really loves you."
"I know," Nana said softly. "And I really love him."
She left, heels clicking rapidly down the hallway, and the office fell silent except for the muffled sounds of the hospital beyond.
"Well," Zayne said after a moment. "That was uncomfortable."
Nana laughed despite everything. "You gave away her expensive lunch."
"I only eat food made by my fiancée." He pulled her closer. "Speaking of which—you should probably get to class. But thank you. For this." He gestured to the lunchbox. "And for—for handling that with grace. I know Melissa can be—"
"She's hurting," Nana said. "She loves you. That's not a crime."
"But I love you." Simple. Factual. Absolute. "Only you. Always you."
"I know." She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Now eat your lunch. All of it. The nurses will report back if you don't."
"They absolutely will," Nurse Kim called from outside, making them both laugh.
After Nana left, Zayne sat at his desk eating her homemade lunch, and thought about the contrast—Melissa's expensive restaurant food given away without thought, versus Nana's simple meal savored bite by bite.
The nurses gossiped for days about Dr. Li choosing a simple lunchbox over a fancy one, choosing the village girl over the accomplished doctor, choosing love over suitability.
And Zayne let them talk. Because the truth was simple:
He'd choose Nana every time. Over prestige, over convenience, over every "suitable" option the world could offer.
Because she didn't try to fit into his world.
She'd given him a reason to want more than just his world.
And that—that was everything.
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To be continued __