The phone asked for a password. A faint, knowing smile formed on his lips, the kind that appeared when he was quietly confident about something.
"Let's see how predictable you are," he murmured softly.
He entered a guess. The phone unlocked without hesitation. "So predictable." Kai let out a soft breath, tilting his head just slightly as if confirming something he had already expected.
There was no surprise in his reaction, only a quiet acknowledgment as his fingers moved toward the application mentioned in the notification. He opened it, his attention narrowing as the screen loaded.
What appeared in front of him made him go completely still. Every section on the screen carried the same presence. His presence. His films, his dramas, his shows—every single project he had ever worked on was there, carefully saved, organized, and watched. Not just the recent ones or the popular ones, but even the older work that had long faded from public conversation. It wasn't random. It wasn't occasional. It was deliberate.
Kai leaned back slowly against the dressing table, his grip on the phone loosening just slightly as he took it all in. His eyes moved across the screen again, slower this time, as though trying to understand what this meant beyond what was visible.
A quiet realization settled in. The kind that didn't need words. A small smile touched his lips, softer than anything he usually allowed himself.
"So this is your secret, Miss Princess." There was no arrogance in it, no amusement at being admired—only something warm, something almost careful, as if he had just uncovered a part of her she had never intended to show.
He locked the phone gently, his thumb lingering for a brief second before lowering his hand. For a moment, he simply stood there, his thoughts drifting through memories of her—small moments, unnoticed glances, the way she reacted to him when she thought he wasn't paying attention.
And suddenly, those moments made sense in a way they hadn't before. Without rushing, Kai pushed himself away from the table and walked out of the room, the phone still in his hand.
The hallway was quiet, the kind of silence that came after a long day filled with too many emotions, yet his steps remained steady as he moved toward Alina's dressing room.
He stopped in front of her door, his hand hovering for a second before he finally knocked gently, the sound soft but clear in the stillness of the house.
Inside, Alina had already changed into the black uniform shirt and trousers. She had buttoned only the first four buttons and was just reaching for the tie when the knock interrupted her. Without thinking, she opened the door. Kai stood there. His eyes moved instinctively from her face downward. Then he immediately looked away. Her shirt wasn't fully buttoned.
The open fabric revealed her waist and a glimpse of her stomach. Alina followed the direction of his gaze and looked down. But she misunderstood. She was only wearing socks.
"Oh, the shoes?" she said casually. "I'll wear them later."
Kai stared at her in disbelief. Before he could say anything, someone approached from behind him.
"Ma'am, are you ready? Shall we move to makeup?" the makeup artist asked.
"Yes," Alina replied quickly. "Come in—"
But before the man could step inside, Kai placed a firm hand against his chest and stopped him.
"She's not ready yet," Kai said calmly.
The man blinked. "Oh… alright."
Kai stepped inside the room and shut the door behind him. Then he turned to her. "Are you on your senses?"
Alina frowned. "What happened?"
She still didn't understand. Kai gently directed her by the shoulder and turned her toward the full-length mirror. That's when she saw it. Her shirt was open and her belly button was visible.
She turned quickly and her forehead bumped straight into Kai's chest. Embarrassed, she grabbed the edges of her shirt tightly with both hands.
"There's no need to hold them like that," Kai said calmly. "Just button them."
She slowly released her grip. Before she could move, a voice came from behind Kai.
"Kai?"
Ryan stood at the doorway. He couldn't see Alina because she was hidden behind Kai. Kai instinctively shifted his stance, one arm moving behind him to hold Alina in place, so she stayed out of Ryan's sight.
"I'll be there in a minute," Kai said casually. Ryan nodded and walked away.
The dressing room grew unusually quiet the moment Ryan walked away. The distant sounds of the studio faded behind the closed door, leaving only the soft hum of the lights above and the faint rustle of fabric in the still air.
Alina stood near the mirror with the edges of her shirt gathered in her hands, clutching the fabric instinctively as if it were some fragile shield protecting her from the awkwardness of the moment. Her gaze was lowered, and she was trying very hard not to look at Kai.
Kai, however, was looking at her. Not in a hurried or impatient way, but with a calm focus that made her even more aware of how close he was standing. For a brief moment he simply observed her, the slight tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers held the shirt too tightly, and the faint color rising in her cheeks.
Then his hand moved. Without asking for permission and without announcing his intention, he reached for the loose fabric of her shirt and caught the lowest button between his fingers.
Alina's breath hitched softly. Kai slid the button through its loop with slow, steady precision, fastening it as naturally as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. His movements were unhurried, almost deliberate, and the calmness in his expression only made the moment more unsettling for her.
"You said something earlier," he began in a quiet voice while his fingers moved to the next button.
Alina swallowed before answering. "What?"
He continued fastening the button, his knuckles brushing lightly against the fabric near her waist. "That you watch my movies sometimes."
The casual tone of his voice did nothing to calm her racing heart. She gave a small nod, though she already suspected where this conversation was heading.
Kai stepped forward slightly as he worked on the next button..The movement caused Alina to step backward almost automatically. Her back soon met the edge of the dressing table.
She had nowhere else to retreat.
Kai seemed completely unaware of the effect his closeness had on her, or perhaps he was aware and simply chose not to acknowledge it. His attention remained fixed on the task in front of him as his fingers carefully slipped another button into place.
"You weren't supposed to end that conversation until I said so," he continued calmly.