Seo-Ju was the one who ended up escorting Ji-Ah out, guiding her toward the car.
The cool evening air wrapped around them as they walked, a quiet space forming between the chatter of the office behind them.
"You… you weren't really like that, right?" he asked, a hint of worry still lingering.
Ji-Ah smiled faintly.
"It was just acting," she said softly. "To convince Hye-Rin and Do-Yoon… that's all."
Seo-Ju let out a long sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders easing.
He leaned closer, voice barely above a whisper. "Let me get you home."
---
Ji-Ah came home, fed Chak and Earth, and then went straight to her room.
She rested, letting herself sink into the quiet, and soon fell asleep.
When she woke, a blanket was draped around her, and a small bag of sweets sat on the side table.
She set them aside and walked into the living room.
Nisa and Do-Hyun were there.
Nisa wore soft pastel pajamas, hair loosely tied, looking effortlessly neat.
Do-Hyun lounged on the couch in flannel PJs, smirking like he had the whole world figured out.
Ha-Joon stood near the window, messy-haired, dark clothes clinging to him, silent and unreadable.
Nisa's voice was light but curious. "How did it go?"
Do-Hyun grinned. "Well...She obviously felt like he'd choke her."
Nisa shot him a glare.
He only smiled, leaned over, and kissed her cheek.
She blushed, but smiled.
Ji-Ah let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
Then Ha-Joon called her. "Ji-Ah."
She stood from the floor and approached. "Yes, sir?"
He straightened, messy hair falling over his eyes.
Their gazes locked—his hard, hers cautious, a quiet tension hanging between them.
Suddenly, he hugged her.
"Oh…" Ji-Ah froze. "Sir…?"
He pulled back slightly, voice low but firm. "You'll be working from home until I deal with Do-Yoon."
Ji-Ah blinked. "What… was that for?"
Ha-Joon's expression softened just a fraction. "A hug."
She whispered, smirking slightly, "Of course. I know it's a hug. Why else would you do that?"
"Because I wanted to," he said, then turned and walked away.
Ji-Ah glanced at Do-Hyun and Nisa.
Both were smiling knowingly, a little mischievously.
She shook her head, smiling too.
Nisa suddenly clapped her hands and turned to Ji-Ah. "Should we play that game again?"
Ji-Ah looked up. "Fruit Frenzy?"
"No," Nisa said, grinning. "Today we play Police and Thief."
She spun around and called out, "Ha-Joon!"
He paused.
"You shouted at her earlier," Nisa added sweetly. "You owe her one."
Ha-Joon stared at her for a second, then sighed. "Fine."
Nisa immediately grabbed some paper and started tearing it into pieces. "This is Police and Thief. I'll cut four papers since we're four."
She lined them up dramatically. "We'll have a thief, a police officer, a judge, and a queen."
Do-Hyun raised an eyebrow. "Queen?"
Nisa nodded proudly. "Queen gets five hundred points. Judge gets two hundred. Police gets fifty. Thief gets zero."
Ji-Ah tilted her head. "Harsh."
"That's life," Nisa replied. "Now listen. I'll shuffle. We all pick one. The thief keeps their identity secret. The police tries to find the thief among us."
She pointed at Do-Hyun. "If the police chooses wrong, he gets the thief's zero."
Then she slowly turned to Ha-Joon. "And if you choose right…"
She paused for effect.
"It's the opposite."
Ji-Ah grinned.
"And if you lose, Ha-Joon…" She leaned in slightly, whispering, "we become friends. I want us to become friends."
He frowned, confused.
Then she laughed, stepping back. "Just kidding. If you lose, you get beaten!"
Do-Hyun choked. "Wait—WHAT?"
"Relax," Ji-Ah said, still smiling. "Emotionally."
Ha-Joon shook his head, already regretting everything.
Nisa clapped again. "Game on. Pick your fate."
And just like that, the living room filled with paper slips, narrowed eyes, and way too much anticipation for a game that was definitely about to go wrong.
Do-Hyun was the first to pick a paper.
He unfolded it, froze, then sighed dramatically. "Of course. Thief."
Nisa gasped. "Already?"
Ji-Ah pointed at him immediately. "Rules are rules."
"Wait—"
Too late. They all jumped him at once.
Nisa swatted his arm with a cushion, Ji-Ah laughed as she lightly smacked his shoulder, and even Ha-Joon stepped in, delivering one calm but very deliberate tap.
Do-Hyun collapsed back onto the couch.
"I can't believe you hit me too," he accused Ha-Joon.
Ha-Joon replied flatly, "Fair is fair."
Next was Nisa. She reached for a paper, but Do-Hyun grabbed it first.
"I'll open it for you," he said quickly.
She shot him a look. "Give it back."
He opened it anyway, smiled, and handed it to her. "Queen."
Everyone groaned.
"Untouchable," Ji-Ah said with a mock bow.
Then it was Ji-Ah's turn.
She picked, opened it, and laughed. "Thief."
Do-Hyun sat up. "Yes!"
"No," Nisa corrected, already smiling.
Instead of hitting her, they surrounded Ji-Ah and tickled her.
She squealed, trying to escape. "This is unfair! I demand justice!"
Ha-Joon turned his head away, pretending not to watch, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Finally, only one paper remained.
Ha-Joon picked it. He didn't open it.
The room went quiet.
Ji-Ah narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. "You lost."
She raised her hand dramatically, biting her lip, eyes wide in that exaggerated cute way. Everyone watched.
Ha-Joon didn't blink.
He stared straight at her, calm and steady, like he was bracing for impact.
"Will you hit me?" he asked.
Ji-Ah paused.
Then she flicked his forehead.
"Of course," she said lightly.
He rubbed his forehead, genuinely surprised. "You're cruel."
She smiled.
Ha-Joon checked the time, straightened, and cleared his throat. "It's Late Let's go."
Do-Hyun groaned. "Just when it got good."
Nisa laughed. Ji-Ah nodded. "Okay."
And just like that, the game ended—with laughter still hanging in the living room air.
--
Ji-Ah knocked on Ha-Joon's door.
It opened.
She blinked once. Twice.
Then immediately turned around.
"Why aren't you wearing clothes?!" she complained loudly, covering her eyes a second too late.
Ha-Joon looked down at himself, unfazed. "I am wearing clothes."
"You were not two seconds ago!" she said, still facing the wall.
Calmly, he picked up his shirt and pulled it on. "You can turn around now."
She did. Still frowning. "You should knock on yourself before opening doors."
He raised an eyebrow. "You knocked."
She paused. "That's not the point."
He sighed. "Why are you here?"
Ji-Ah straightened, then suddenly stretched her hand forward. "I want us to be friends."
Ha-Joon looked at her hand.
Then at her face. Then back at her hand. The silence stretched.
Instead of shaking it, he turned and walked back into the room. "Come in."
She blinked. "That's rude."
But she followed him anyway.
He picked up a guitar resting near the bed and handed it to her. "Play."
She stared at it. "I can't."
"Try."
She awkwardly strummed once. The sound was… painful.
He took it back immediately. "No. Stop."
"Hey!"
He sat on the edge of the bed and adjusted the guitar. "You sit."
She did, crossing her legs. "This is not how friendships usually start."
He ignored that and began to play.
Soft. Steady. Calm.
The kind of sound that filled the room without trying too hard.
Ji-Ah watched quietly.
After a moment, she said, "So… are we friends now?"
He didn't look at her. "You're persistent."
She smiled. "You're avoiding the question."
The music slowed, then stopped.
He finally glanced at her. "We'll see."
She grinned. "I'll take that."
He shook his head slightly and started playing again, and this time, she didn't complain.