The plane landed in Seoul just after sunrise.
I stretched in my seat as the seatbelt sign turned off, rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness from the long flight.
"Finally," I muttered.
Harley glanced over at me from the seat beside mine.
"You slept through half the flight."
"That's because someone refused to let me have the window seat," I shot back.
"You were already asleep when we boarded."
I opened my mouth to argue but quickly realized he was right.
"Still," I grumbled, grabbing my bag from under the seat.
Harley chuckled softly.
Passengers slowly began filing out of the plane. By the time we stepped into the airport, the cool Seoul air hit my face.
It felt completely different from Hawaii's warm breeze.
I pulled my jacket a little tighter around myself.
"Well," I said, glancing around the busy airport. "Vacation officially over."
Harley adjusted the strap of his bag over his shoulder.
"Back to reality."
We grabbed our luggage and made our way out of the airport.
Mr. Lu was already waiting for us at the pickup area. He bowed slightly when he saw us.
"Welcome home, Miss Huo. Young Master."
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Lu," I said warmly.
He took our luggage and loaded it into the trunk while Harley slid into the backseat.
I followed after him.
The car pulled away from the airport and merged smoothly into traffic.
I leaned my head against the window, watching the familiar city skyline come into view.
Seoul looked exactly the same as when we left.
Tall buildings.
Busy streets.
Crowds of people moving in every direction.
Yet somehow, after Hawaii, everything felt louder.
More rushed.
"You're quiet," Harley said beside me.
"I'm just thinking."
"About?"
I shrugged.
"Hawaii felt peaceful," I admitted. "This place feels like chaos."
Harley smirked slightly. "You'll get used to it again."
Maybe he was right.
By the time we reached the mansion, the sun had climbed higher into the sky.
Mr. Lu parked the car in the driveway.
I stepped out and looked up at the large house. For some reason, it felt different.
Quieter.
Harley grabbed our luggage from the trunk and headed inside while I followed behind him.
The moment we stepped into the mansion, the silence was noticeable.
No laughter from Mrs. Huang in the kitchen.
No sound of Mr. Huang reading the morning news in the living room.
Just quiet.
I slowly set my suitcase down.
"It feels empty," I said softly.
Harley glanced around the living room before shrugging slightly.
"They'll get used to Hawaii."
"That's not what I meant."
He looked at me briefly but didn't say anything. Instead, he grabbed his suitcase.
"I have work," he said. "Board meeting at ten."
Of course, he did.
Harley Huang was back in CEO mode.
"I have a shift tonight," I replied.
He nodded.
Then he paused for a moment before walking toward the stairs.
"Get some rest," he said.
"You too."
Harley disappeared upstairs, leaving me alone in the living room.
I let out a quiet sigh before dragging my suitcase toward my room.
Unpacking was easily my least favourite part of travelling.
Clothes that once fit neatly into a suitcase now somehow refused to cooperate.
By the time I finished, the clock on my nightstand read noon.
I collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
My mind drifted back to the wedding.
Amy's smile.
The ocean.
The warm breeze.
It already felt like a distant memory.
My phone buzzed suddenly on the nightstand. I grabbed it and saw a text from Amy.
Amy: We landed safely in Italy! Honeymoon officially started!
Me: Enjoy every second of it, Mrs. Lu.
Amy: How are things back home?
Me: Too quiet.
Amy: Give it a few days. Chaos will return.
I laughed softly. She was probably right.
After taking a short nap, I got ready for work. Going back to work after a nice relaxing vacation is never easy.
By the time I arrived at Seojin General Hospital, the halls were already buzzing with activity.
Doctors moved quickly between patient rooms while nurses gathered around the nurse station.
The familiar smell of disinfectant filled the air.
"Dr. Huo!"
I turned and saw Nurse Beatrice waving at me. It took her a while but she finally let the Harley thing go.
"You're back!"
"I am," I said with a smile.
"How was the wedding?"
"Beautiful," I replied, recalling every second of it.
Several nurses gathered around immediately.
"Was it a beach wedding?"
"Did the bride cry?"
"Was the groom nervous?"
I laughed.
"Yes, yes, and extremely."
Beatrice grinned.
"You missed the hospital gossip."
"That bad?"
"You have no idea."
I shook my head as I walked toward the charting desk.
It felt strange being back. Yet oddly comforting.
This was my world. My routine. My purpose.
Meanwhile, across the city, Harley stepped into the conference room at Huang Group.
The moment he entered, the board members immediately stood.
"Good morning, Mr. Huang."
Harley walked past them and took his seat at the head of the table.
"Let's begin."
His voice was calm but firm.
A large screen lit up with company reports and financial projections.
One of the board members cleared his throat nervously.
"There are some concerns about the expansion project—"
Harley raised a hand, cutting him off.
"We'll address them."
The room fell silent.
Harley leaned forward slightly.
"Start the presentation."
The meeting continued for the next hour.
By the time it ended, the board members looked exhausted.
Harley stood and straightened his jacket.
"Meeting adjourned."
After everyone left, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window with his hands in his pockets, looking at the city that stretched endlessly below.
Yet for some reason, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Back to a beach.
To the moonlight and Sophie walking beside him along the shoreline.
Harley shook the thought away and grabbed his jacket.
Work first. Everything else could wait.
That night, long after my shift ended, I returned home exhausted.
The mansion was dark when I stepped inside.
I slipped off my shoes and headed toward the kitchen.
A glass of water sounded perfect right now.
Just as I reached the sink, the kitchen light suddenly turned on.
I blinked.
Harley stood leaning against the doorway.
"You're back late."
I nearly dropped my glass.
"Don't sneak up on people like that."
He smirked slightly.
"You're easy to scare."
I filled my glass with water.
"Rough day?"
He shrugged.
"Meetings."
"Sounds exciting."
"It wasn't."
For a moment, we stood there in comfortable silence.
Then Harley glanced toward the hallway.
"Goodnight, Sophie."
"Goodnight, Harley."
As he walked away, I couldn't help but feel something had shifted between us.
Something small.
But noticeable.
And somehow… I had a feeling things were only going to get more complicated from here.