Alina tried to sound confused even though her cheeks were warming. "What conversation?"
Kai lifted his gaze for a brief moment their eyes met. It lasted no more than a second, but the quiet intensity in his gaze made her heart stumble over its rhythm. She immediately looked away, focusing somewhere near his shoulder instead.
A faint smile touched the corner of his lips before he lowered his gaze again and continued fastening the buttons. "The one about the movies."
His fingers brushed against the fabric near her stomach while he secured the next button. The touch was light and almost accidental, yet the moment it happened a sudden warmth spread through her like a quiet electric current.
Alina felt it instantly. The sensation traveled up her spine and settled somewhere deep in her chest, making her breath uneven. Kai, meanwhile, reached into his pocket and pulled out her phone. He held it casually between them.
Alina recognized it immediately and her eyes widened. "My phone—"
Kai tilted the screen slightly so she could see it. The watch history was still open. His movies. His dramas. Episode after episode bearing his name. The color in Alina's cheeks deepened almost instantly.
Kai studied her reaction with quiet amusement. "So," he said slowly while fastening another button, his voice soft but teasing, "Miss Princess…"
Alina shook her head before he could finish the sentence. "I didn't watched it" she protested, though the embarrassment in her voice betrayed her.
Kai raised one eyebrow slightly. "So what about this?."
He tapped the screen once. "I remember my shooting schedules very clearly."
Another button slipped neatly into place. "These episodes were watched when I wasn't around."
Alina tried to maintain her composure, but the closeness between them made it nearly impossible.
Kai reached upward to adjust the collar of her shirt, his fingers smoothing the fabric carefully near her neck. The touch was gentle. Yet the moment his fingertips brushed the skin just beneath the collar, a small shiver ran through her.
Kai leaned a little closer so he could see the collar properly. Because of the short distance between them, his breath brushed softly across her forehead. The sensation made Alina freeze. Her heartbeat began racing so loudly that she felt certain he could hear it.
Kai continued adjusting the collar calmly, unaware or perhaps unconcerned about the way the closeness was affecting her. Alina tried to look at him, but the moment her eyes lifted and met his gaze, the quiet warmth there made her glance away again.
"You can't even look at me now?" he asked softly.
She tried again, forcing herself to meet his gaze for a few seconds. It didn't last long. The nervous flutter in her chest made her look down again
Kai noticed. A small, knowing expression crossed his face. "Because I'm right?" he murmured.
He smoothed the collar once more before letting his fingers rest briefly against her shoulder. The contact was fleeting, yet the warmth of it lingered.
Kai stepped a fraction closer while adjusting the knot of her tie. Alina leaned back instinctively, the cool surface of the mirror touching her back as the distance between them nearly disappeared.
His fingers worked slowly, straightening the tie with careful attention. "So when I wasn't around," he said quietly, his voice softer now, "you started watching my movies."
Alina managed to respond despite the way her heart was racing. "I was bored."
Kai's lips curved into a faint smile. "Every movie?"
She didn't answer. His fingers paused briefly near the knot of the tie before tightening it properly. "Every drama too?"
The warmth in her cheeks deepened. Kai finished adjusting the tie and stepped back slightly, allowing a little space to return between them. For a brief moment neither of them spoke. The air still felt heavy with something quiet and unspoken.
Finally Kai said in a calm, teasing voice, "Next time you decide to hide a secret, try doing it better."
Alina lifted her gaze and looked at him properly this time. "This is so embarrassing," she said under her breath. Kai's faint smile returned and he turned back towards the door
The car was parked at a safe distance from the mansion, far enough to avoid suspicion yet close enough to keep the entire entrance in clear view. The night had settled in completely, wrapping everything in a quiet tension that made even the smallest movement feel louder than it actually was. The mansion stood ahead of them, heavily guarded, its lights glowing against the darkness like a warning.
Inside the car, the air was thick with unspoken coordination. Kai adjusted the collar of his long coat, pulling it slightly higher as his hat cast a shadow over most of his face, leaving only a fraction visible. Anyone looking at him would see nothing more than an unremarkable figure—someone easy to ignore, which was exactly what he wanted
He turned his head slightly toward Alina, his voice low and controlled. "I'll go and stand there first. You remember what you need to do, right?"
Alina nodded without hesitation, her expression sharp beneath the disguise she had put on. She no longer looked like herself at all. The fake mustache, the slightly loose uniform, the cap pulled low—she had transformed into someone completely different, someone no one would bother questioning twice.
Ryan, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced between the two of them with growing confusion. "Did you two just change the plan without telling me?"
Kai didn't look at him directly. "Not exactly. I just… added something."
Ryan frowned. "That doesn't sound reassuring."
Alina leaned slightly forward, her voice calm but confident. "If we go in pretending to be guards, they'll question us immediately. Their security is already tight. But when someone is distracted… or not fully aware… they stop noticing details."
Ryan blinked. "I still don't get it."
Kai opened the car door, stepping out without rushing. "Just wait and watch. I'll explain everything once we're back."
With that, he closed the door quietly and walked toward the opposite side of the mansion, his steps steady and unhurried. He positioned himself near a house directly across from the target, standing there as if he belonged, as if he had a reason to be there. He waited. Minutes passed. Fifteen, almost.
From inside the car, Ryan kept watching him, his confusion only growing. "What is he even doing?"
Before he could think further, the passenger door opened. Alina stepped out.
Ryan turned immediately. "Hey—where are you going now?"
She didn't answer him directly, only adjusted her cap and walked off with complete confidence, slipping into her role so naturally that it was almost unsettling. Ryan leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair
"What are these two up to…"