After the brief, charged interaction at the table, everyone returned to their meals, though the air remained thick with unsaid thoughts.
The A2 team eventually finished their celebratory dinner, and Hajun went upstairs to the hotel suite with his grandparents, Jin-ho and Young-sook, as he would be sleeping with them tonight.
Jin-woo accompanied his colleagues down to the ground floor to say his goodbyes and ensure everyone had a safe ride home after the long weeks of work.
Just as the last of his team departed, his phone rang; it was his mother, Young-sook, calling from the suite.
"Jin-woo, we've booked such a large room; why don't you stay here with us tonight?" she suggested warmly. "It has been a long time since we all stayed together like this."
"Okay, Mom," Jin-woo agreed, feeling the weight of the day's events. "I'll head up in a little while to join you all."
He ended the call and sat in the quiet ground floor lounge, scrolling through his phone to unwind before turning in for the night.
Up on the 7th floor, Eun-soo and Kang Min-ho's food finally arrived, a vibrant and colorful spread of Malai Kofta, Dal Tadka, and Butter Chicken.
They enjoyed their meal while discussing the intersection of arts and industry, finding that as heirs to significant estates, they shared many common perspectives.
Once they completed their dinner, they headed down to the main entrance to wait for their respective vehicles.
Min-ho's car arrived first, and he turned to Eun-soo with a respectful nod. "Miss Eun-soo, I truly had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you for your company."
"I enjoyed my evening as well," Eun-soo replied sincerely. "It was much better than I had initially anticipated."
Min-ho laughed softly. "I'm sure you expected an arrogant man to show up, didn't you?"
Eun-soo joined in his laughter, her black-and-white dress catching the lobby lights. "You guessed right, but I really did enjoy our date."
Min-ho bid her a final goodbye and stepped into his car, leaving Eun-soo standing silently near the main gate as she waited for her Rolls-Royce.
Across the lobby, Jin-woo stood near the elevators, ready to head up to his parents' room, when he spotted her standing alone by the gate.
He felt a strong urge to approach her and speak, but he stopped himself, his mind still clouded by the assumption that the man in the white suit was her boyfriend.
Eun-soo also caught sight of him from a distance and considered walking over, but when she saw him turn toward the elevators, she hesitated and remained where she was.
In that moment of hesitation, her black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up to the curb.
She stepped into the luxury interior and watched the hotel fade into the distance as the car began its journey back to Gleam Tower.