The rest of the week flew by in a blur. By the time Friday evening came, I was beyond exhausted. Between doing runs at the hospital and dealing with Harley's quiet, frustrating distance, I barely had a chance to breathe.
Which was exactly why I didn't hesitate when Amy texted about dinner.
I needed the distraction.
Something normal.
Something that didn't involve overthinking every word, every look, every shift in the air between me and Harley.
By the time I finished getting ready, the tension that had been sitting in my chest all week hadn't disappeared—but it had softened just enough for me to ignore it.
And for once, that felt like enough.
As soon as I stepped out of the Huang mansion, the evening air grazed my skin—cool and refreshing.
As Mr. Lu pulled up at the entryway in the BMW, I took a deep breath and slowly released it. I climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up.
"Good evening, Miss Huo. Where to?" Mr. Lu asked.
I met his gaze through the rearview mirror. "Seora Dining."
Mr. Lu nodded as he started the engine. I turned my attention to the window as we drove off toward my destination.
The ride was quiet as usual, with Mr. Lu occasionally glancing at me. My thoughts drifted as I stared out at the city—red and blue lights blurring together in the distance.
The BMW came to a stop at the entrance of Seora Dining. By the time I finished unbuckling my seatbelt, Mr. Lu was already at my door with his hand extended.
A small smile touched my lips as I took his hand and stepped out of the vehicle. After thanking him, I made my way inside.
Soft music and the low hum of conversation filled the air as I approached the hostess stand. "Hi, I have a reservation under Amy."
"Yes, ma'am," the hostess said. "Please follow me."
She guided me through the restaurant toward our table. From the corner of my eye, I caught a few lingering glances—whether they were directed at me or simply part of the atmosphere, I wasn't entirely sure.
My face lit up when I spotted Amy and Daisy already deep in conversation, laughing like they hadn't a care in the world. Our table sat near the center of the dining hall, just noticeable enough to feel like we were part of the scene without being the focus of it.
"Sophie!" Amy called out the moment she saw me.
Daisy turned around right after, her eyes lighting up. "Finally. We thought you bailed on us."
I let out a small laugh as I approached the table. "I almost did. My bed was looking really tempting."
"Rude," Amy said, standing up to pull me into a quick hug. "We're clearly the better option."
"Debatable," I teased, hugging her back before turning to Daisy.
Daisy wrapped her arms around me next, squeezing a little tighter than necessary. "You look tired."
"I am tired," I admitted, pulling away slightly.
Amy narrowed her eyes as she took in my face. "That's not just work tired."
I paused for half a second before forcing a small smile. "You're reading too much into it."
"Am I?" she asked, sliding back into her seat.
"Yes," I replied quickly, slipping into my chair before she could press further.
Daisy exchanged a look with Amy but didn't say anything, thankfully.
"Anyway," Daisy said, grabbing her menu. "We already ordered drinks for you."
I raised a brow. "Should I be concerned?"
Amy grinned. "Absolutely."
I shook my head, a quiet laugh escaping me as I reached for the menu. For the first time all week, the tension in my chest eased—just a little—as their voices filled the space around me.
"So," Daisy said as she leaned forward, her arms crossed on the table. "How was Paris?"
"Tell us every single thing that happened," Amy added.
Putting the menu down, I leaned back in my chair and let out a sigh. "It went well, but… during the middle of our vacation, Harley started acting weird again. He's been distant ever since."
Daisy and Amy exchanged glances before turning their attention back to me.
"You guys had a pretty good vibe going too," Daisy said.
Amy spoke. "Let me guess, Harley tried expressing his feelings and you pushed him away again."
"…"
Amy opened her mouth to continue when our waitress showed up with our drinks.
"Are you ready to order?" she asked in a chirpy tone.
"I'll have the soy-marinated grilled beef," Amy said.
Daisy added brightly, "And I'll have the miso-glazed salmon."
When the waitress turned to me, I ordered the tofu rice bowl, along with Korean-style fried chicken for the table. She nodded, jotting everything down before excusing herself.
"Sophie, is that you?"
I turned in my chair and gasped softly. It was Sasha—accompanied by Samuel.
I stood up and gave them both a quick hug. "What are you guys doing here?"
Samuel smiled at me. "I heard this was the best place in town for a nice supper."
"It certainly is," I replied, returning his smile. "Why don't you guys join us?"
Samuel pulled two chairs from a nearby table and placed them between me and Amy. He sat down, and Sasha took the seat beside him.
I glanced at Amy and Daisy, gesturing toward him. "This is Samuel, Sasha's older brother. We met in England."
Amy and Daisy greeted him, and within seconds, they were already laughing at something he said.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched them.
For as long as I've known him, Samuel had this effortless way of drawing people in. Watching him talk to them now, it felt like they had all known each other for years.
The conversation carried on easily after that.
Too easily.
Between the food arriving and the constant back and forth at the table, I barely noticed how much time had passed. At some point, Amy had ordered another round of drinks, Daisy had taken over telling some story from work, and Samuel—
Samuel had somehow become part of it all without effort.
I found myself leaning toward him more than once, laughing a little too quickly at things he said, finishing his sentences without thinking.
It didn't feel strange.
If anything, it felt… natural.
Which was exactly why I didn't notice the look Amy and Daisy were exchanging across the table.
Not until Sasha did.
She leaned back slightly in her chair, her gaze flicking between me and Samuel, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.
"So," she said lightly, resting her chin in her hand. "Should I be concerned, or is this normal?"
I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
Amy let out a quiet laugh, clearly entertained now. "Oh, this is definitely not normal."
"Guys," I said, shooting them a look. "Don't start."
"I'm not starting anything," she replied innocently. "I'm just saying—I've never seen my brother this… talkative before."
Samuel glanced at her, unimpressed. "I'm always talkative."
"No," Sasha said flatly. "You're polite. This is different."
Daisy leaned forward slightly, clearly enjoying herself. "Wait, so it's not just us noticing?"
Sasha shook her head. "Not even a little."
My fingers tightened slightly around my glass. "You're all exaggerating."
"Are we?" Amy asked, one brow lifting.
I opened my mouth to respond—
Then hesitated.
Because for a second…
I wasn't entirely sure.
The conversation shifted after that, slipping back into lighter topics like nothing had happened. But the ease from before felt different now, quieter, like something had been noticed that couldn't be unseen.
By the time we stepped out of the restaurant, the night air felt cooler than before.
I wrapped my arms loosely around myself as Amy and Daisy walked ahead, still talking about something I wasn't really paying attention to.
My thoughts lingered behind.
On the way Samuel had smiled at me.
On how easy it had been to sit beside from him.
On how, for a moment, I hadn't thought about anything else.
And somehow…
That unsettled me more than it should have.