Ethan Reed rested his head against the cold glass of the passenger window. The February night air slipped in through the small opening Vivian Frost had left in the window. It was freezing outside, but the cold wind felt good against his flushed cheeks.
His head was spinning slightly from the alcohol, but the breeze cleared his thoughts and eased the nausea.
"Should I turn on the heater?" Vivian asked, keeping her eyes on the empty road ahead. "If you let the wind hit you like this, you'll wake up with a headache tomorrow."
After dropping Victor off at the hotel, she was now driving Ethan home. The dinner had gone far better than she expected—but Ethan had drunk more than he should have.
Still, he was a quiet drunk.
He didn't cause trouble. He didn't get loud. He simply got sleepy.
That alone reassured her.
"If you turn on the heater, what about you? It's winter. Don't catch a cold because of me," Ethan murmured.
"You're the one who's going to suffer tomorrow."
"I'm fine now. Roll it up."
Vivian adjusted the window, leaving only a narrow gap for airflow.
A moment of silence passed.
Then she said, "I told you not to drink so much. Why didn't you listen?"
"Because I'm happy," Ethan replied honestly.
"Happy? My dad is exhausting to talk to. And you were sitting there calling him 'brother' like you've known him for years."
Vivian still couldn't believe what she had seen.
When she returned from the restroom earlier, Ethan had somehow moved seats and was now beside Victor. The two were talking passionately. Victor had even put an arm around Ethan's shoulder—a gesture he rarely made.
They had practically become sworn brothers in under twenty minutes.
Ethan smiled faintly. "Some problems I was worried about are gone now. Your father likes me."
Vivian didn't respond immediately.
But she understood exactly what he meant.
After that, Ethan closed his eyes.
"Wake me when we arrive."
Minutes later, steady breathing filled the car.
The streets of Lumen City were nearly empty this late at night. The Spring Festival was approaching, and traffic had thinned considerably. Vivian slowed the car unconsciously, driving more smoothly than usual.
She wasn't foolish.
Even if she had never dated seriously before, she wasn't blind.
She could feel how Ethan treated her.
Women were sensitive in this way.
He never ignored her late-night calls.
He replied to her messages instantly.
He remembered small things she mentioned casually.
He paid attention to her hobbies.
Even when he disagreed, he still stayed by her side.
And most importantly—
He didn't treat every woman like this.
Vivian hated men who acted warm to everyone.
The so-called "universal gentlemen."
The type who offered attention equally to every woman.
Energy was limited. Time was limited.
Who a person chose to invest in revealed their priorities.
And Ethan… invested most of his free time in her.
At least eighty percent.
She tilted her head and looked at him sleeping.
"…Maybe I should be a little braver," she whispered to herself.
---
The Underground Parking Garage
"Ethan. Ethan, wake up."
No response.
She parked the car and shook him gently. His head drooped awkwardly.
With a sigh, Vivian adjusted the seat so he could lie more comfortably.
It was past eleven.
She rested her chin on her folded arms over the steering wheel and looked at him.
"I can't leave you in the car… but I can't carry you upstairs either," she muttered.
Claire Frost wasn't home tonight. She had gone to the company's annual event and would probably return late.
Vivian had no choice but to wait.
Time passed quietly.
The soft interior light glowed dimly.
At some point—
She leaned slightly closer to him.
Then stopped.
And leaned back again.
---
2:17 AM
"Ethan, wake up."
His eyes fluttered open slowly.
He saw the yellow car light. The dashboard decoration. The pink accents.
"Oh… your car."
He rubbed his temples.
"What time is it?"
"2:17."
"…2:17?!"
He straightened instantly.
"Wasn't it just after ten when we left the hotel?"
"You wouldn't wake up. I tried," Vivian said calmly. "Claire isn't coming back tonight. I couldn't carry you upstairs."
Ethan apologized immediately.
Once outside the car, he realized why his body ached. The compact seat wasn't built for someone his height.
"I'll walk you up," Vivian said, slipping one arm around him.
Ethan instinctively placed his arm around her shoulders.
He smelled lavender.
Her hair was slightly damp from earlier.
The warmth of her arm pressed lightly against him.
They rode the elevator up quietly.
When they entered his apartment, Ethan collapsed onto the sofa.
Vivian stood with hands on hips, breathing lightly.
"Next time, if you drink like that, I'm not taking care of you."
"Yes, Boss."
She turned to leave.
But he suddenly spoke.
"Why don't you stay?"
She paused.
"It's almost three. It's not safe to go back now. Claire's room is empty."
Vivian's heartbeat quickened.
This was the moment.
She remembered her silent promise earlier.
Be braver.
"…Should we tell Claire?"
"No need! I'll clean up."
She nodded.
---
The Night Grows Quiet
Ethan showered first.
When Vivian came out later in oversized dinosaur pajamas, her hair wet and cheeks flushed from steam, Ethan froze for a moment.
He handed her the hairdryer.
"Let me help you."
She hesitated.
"…Alright."
He stood behind her carefully, drying her hair with slow, gentle movements.
The sound of the dryer was soft.
They began talking casually.
About work.
About upcoming game projects.
About the demo release for 2077.
About how time was moving too fast.
"You'll be thirty soon," Ethan teased.
Vivian shot him a glare.
"You're only one year younger."
"Yes, Boss is always right."
"Everything I say is right?"
"You're the Boss."
As he dried the strands near her ear, he suddenly noticed her cheeks turning red.
Not from the heat.
But from something else.
Vivian suddenly turned around and pressed down the hairdryer.
She looked up at him directly.
"Do you remember something you said during that livestream?"
Ethan blinked.
"You said a woman's blush is worth more than long dialogue."
Her voice softened.
"And since you said everything I say is right…"
She inhaled.
"Ethan, we—"
Before she could finish—
Ethan nodded firmly and said loudly,
"Boss, I'm willing!"
Vivian froze.
"…I wasn't finished talking."
But she was smiling.
Ethan realized what she meant.
His voice lowered.
"…Then say it."
Vivian gathered her courage.
For once in her life, she didn't hide behind sarcasm.
She didn't speak as a boss.
She spoke as a woman.
"Then… let's date."
Silence filled the room.
But it wasn't awkward.
It was warm.
Ethan stepped forward.
He didn't rush her.
He didn't grab her.
He simply held her hands.
"Okay."
No dramatic confession.
No over-the-top promises.
Just two people who had already been acting like a couple finally admitting it.
Outside, the city was quiet.
Inside the apartment—
Something important had changed.
The careful distance between boss and subordinate had disappeared.
The teasing barrier between friends had fallen.
And in the stillness of 2:20 AM—
Ethan Reed and Vivian Frost officially began their relationship.
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