The interior of the sleek luxury sedan was enveloped in a thick, suffocating silence. Both Choi Sun-woo and Ma Ha-rin sat rigidly in their respective leather seats, the thick quietness between them vibrating with a strange, highly charged nervous energy. Sun-woo kept his intense executive eyes glued firmly to the dark city road ahead, his long fingers gripping the steering wheel exceptionally tight, while Ha-rin sat frozen in the passenger seat, staring straight out the windshield. The only illumination cutting through the dark cabin came from the soft, pale blue glow of the digital dashboard lights.Sun-woo cleared his throat awkwardly, trying desperately to break the heavy ice between them. He lifted his left hand slightly off the leather wheel, gesturing toward his wrist with a casual nod. "Oh... by the way, Ha-rin, this unique wristwatch you gifted to my hands a few days ago... it's incredibly beautiful. I really, truly like it. But... it is a little bit peculiar, isn't it [21]?"Ha-rin's heart violently skipped a panicked beat, her mind spinning into absolute terror. 'Of course it's peculiar!' she screamed to herself inside her thoughts, a cold sweat hitting her neck. 'It's definitely not a normal watch, it's a commercial couple watch! Wait... oh my god, where on earth is my matching watch?! Oh no... I completely forgot it and hid it underneath those thick blueprint documents back on my office desk!'Forcing a nervous, highly transparent smile onto her flushed cheeks, she answered quickly. "Ah... yes, Sir. It's just a highly unique, modern design [21]."Sun-woo bit his lower lip, frantically racking his brain for the next line. 'Ugh, what else should I say to her?' he thought to himself, his chest tightening. 'Come on, Sun-woo, think of something! Ask her something personal to keep this car conversation rolling [21].'Trying his absolute best to sound casual, he cleared his throat again. "So... Ma Ha-rin... are you currently single in your personal life [21]?"Ha-rin's eyes widened in pure, unadulterated shock, her jaw dropping. 'Wait... what?!' she thought, her cheeks burning like fire. 'Why on earth is this strict billionaire boss suddenly asking my face about my relationship status? This is so incredibly out of nowhere [21]!'Stuttering slightly, she turned her head to look at his sharp profile. "Oh... um, yes, Sir. I am single. But... why exactly do you ask [21]?"Sun-woo blushed slightly, his executive composure cracking as he turned the steering wheel. "Oh, it's completely nothing! No professional reason at all, just... just asking out of casual, friendly curiosity. But actually, Ha-rin... there is something highly important that I've been wanting to explicitly tell your face [21]."Ha-rin's heart began hammering frantically against her ribs like a trapped bird. 'Oh my god, please no!' she thought in total panic. 'Dear Lord, don't tell me he somehow found out the absolute truth about this watch freezing time or the hidden love code [21]!'Gulping nervously, she stared at his intense profile under the dim dashboard light. "What... what exactly is it, Sir [21]?"Sun-woo's chest tightened with a deep, roaring wave of pure nervousness. 'Just say the words, Sun-woo,' he scolded himself fiercely inside his mind. 'Stop being a corporate coward and just confess your genuine feelings right now! Just say the words to her face [21]!'Taking a deep, ragged breath, his low voice trembled slightly as he leaned forward. "Ha-rin... I... I lo..."Before the final, monumental word could fully leave his lips, the smooth sedan rounded a sharp corner and came to a gentle, automatic halt. The bright LED headlights illuminated the towering front gates of her residential complex.Glancing out the side window, Ha-rin instantly interrupted his sentence, letting out a loud, massive sigh of pure relief. "Oh! Look, Sir, we've already arrived at the gate! We're here! Wait... what were you trying to tell my face, Sir? Please tell me quickly. It's already incredibly late into the night, and my family is sitting upstairs waiting for my return anxiously. You were just saying 'I lo...' something [21]?"Sun-woo's face turned bright, violent red in a single microsecond. His courage completely vanished into thin air, and waving his hands dismissively, he quickly backtracked. "Huh?! Oh! No, no, it's absolutely, completely nothing! It's not important at all. I'll just tell you some other time. Go on, you should head upstairs immediately [21]."Slightly confused by his sudden shift in energy, Ha-rin grabbed her handbag from the seat cushion. "Oh... alright then. Thank you so incredibly much for the midnight ride, Sir. I really, deeply appreciate it [21]."She opened the heavy car door and stepped out into the crisp autumn night air. As she walked with brisk steps toward the main entrance lobby, she thought to herself, a soft, fluttering smile breaking across her lips. 'What on earth was he trying to say to my face just now?' she wondered, her heart beating softly. 'Lately, his executive behavior toward my build has been getting so incredibly sweet, gentle, and caring... it actually feels really nice [21].'Lost completely in her happy, romantic thoughts, Ha-rin failed to notice a raised concrete block sticking out on the pavement layout. Her boot caught the sharp edge, and losing her balance entirely, she violently stumbled forward."Ahhh!" Ha-rin choked out a sharp, blood-curdling cry of severe physical pain as her ankle twisted.Inside the idling car, Sun-woo saw her entire fall happen through his rearview mirror. His heart instantly jumped straight into his throat. He threw the car transmission into park, tore open his driver's side door, and sprinted out onto the dark pavement with lightning speed, rushing straight to her side. She was sitting flat on the cold ground, clutching her injured foot in pure agony."Ha-rin!" Sun-woo kneeled down next to her, his voice frantic with pure, unadulterated panic. "Oh my god, what happened?! Are you okay?! Are you hurt bad [21]?!"Without waiting for her reply, he gently but firmly reached out, his long fingers carefully sliding her high-heeled sandal completely off her injured foot to inspect the damage."Huh?! Sir!" Ha-rin's cheeks flushed warm with a sudden, overwhelming wave of pure embarrassment, and she frantically tried to pull her leg back from his grip. "What are you doing?! Please don't do that, let it be! I'm completely, entirely fine, really [21]!""Stop moving, Ma Ha-rin!" Sun-woo spoke in a firm, commanding, yet deeply worried executive tone. "Just hold perfectly still for a single second [21]!"He carefully removed the sandal, exposing her delicate foot under the pale, cold glow of the streetlamp. He winced heavily as his intense eyes locked onto a nasty, deep, and bleeding gash right near her toes."Look at this!" Sun-woo's brow furrowed in deep, protective concern. "You're bleeding! There is literally blood coming out of the scrape. What on earth were you thinking about just now? What kind of thoughts were you so completely lost in that you didn't even see the pavement block right before your eyes [21]?!"Seo-ah's roommate began stammering nervously, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she looked up at his close face. "Sir... it's just a tiny, minor stumble, really. I am perfectly fine. I can manage the stairs. I'll just head upstairs now, you should go back home to the penthouse [21]."Ha-rin stubbornly grabbed her detached sandal in her hand, placing her injured foot down on the cold ground to force herself to stand up and walk away. But the exact microsecond her weight touched the pavement, the sharp sting of the cut made her frame flinch violently.Before she could even process the physical pain, Sun-woo stepped in incredibly close. He reached out his powerful arms, firmly but gently grabbing her by the waist from behind to steady her staggered posture. In one swift, effortless, and majestic motion, he swept her completely off her feet, lifting her frame up into his broad chest in a classic, secure bridal carry."S-Sir?!" Ha-rin gasped out loud in absolute, paralyzing shock, her eyes widening to the size of saucers as she tightly gripped his broad shoulders for physical balance. "Put me down right now! What on earth are you doing [21]?!"Sun-woo stared directly into her wide eyes, his strict expression completely resolute, stubborn, and unyielding as he turned his body and began walking straight toward the apartment building elevators. "I explicitly told your mouth to stop arguing with me. You can't even walk straight right now. I am personally carrying your build all the way to your apartment door, and that is final [21]."Ma Ha-rin went completely, utterly silent. Her face burned a violent, deep red as she helplessly hid her face against his broad chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat, while Sun-woo carried her securely into the building, heading straight toward the massive family confrontation that awaited at Kim Seo-ah's doorstep.[Scene: INT. Kim Seo's House – Living Room – Late Night]The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime on the twelfth floor, and Mr. Choi Sun-woo walked firmly into the quiet corridor, carrying a deeply blushing, hiding Ma Ha-rin securely in his arms. Her heart was hammering heavily against her ribs. He stepped up to the panel and pressed the doorbell firmly.Inside the apartment, Kim Jun-u heard the midnight chime and immediately rolled his stainless-steel wheelchair over to swing the front door wide open. The very second the door opened, his eyes widened into absolute, unadulterated shock at the breathtaking sight of Ha-rin locked in the billionaire CEO's tight grip."What... what on earth is all this?!" Junu stared open-mouthed, pointing a stunned, shaking finger at the pair. "Ha-rin?! Who on earth is this tall guy and why exactly are you in his arms [21]?!"Hearing the sudden, chaotic sibling commotion vibrating from the entrance hallway, Kim Seo-ah immediately stopped typing her data reports and got up from her workspace table. The exact microsecond her manager gaze locked onto the tall, sharp figure of her corporate boss walking right through her residential door, her jaw dropped completely."S-Sir?!" Seo-ah gasped out loud in profound, paralyzing shock, her back injury completely forgotten. "Mr. Sun-woo?! What on earth are you doing here at my private house at midnight? And Ha-rin... what is this layout [21]?!"Sun-woo stood tall, completely ignoring their chaotic barrage of questions, and gestured firmly to a completely stunned, wheelchair-bound Junu. "Move back for a minute, Junu, she needs to be seated [21]."[
Junu instinctively rolled his wheelchair backward to clear the narrow entryway, the rubber wheels squeaking softly against the polished floorboards. Sun-woo walked past him with long, dignified strides straight into the cozy living room, stepping right up to the velvet sofa. Moving with absolute precision, he carefully and gently lowered Ma Ha-rin onto the soft cushions, ensuring her injured foot was elevated and perfectly comfortable against the armrest."You stay right here and rest tonight," Sun-woo said softly, his deep voice rich with uncharacteristic gentleness as he fixed the cushion beneath her ankle. "I will take my executive leave now."Ha-rin looked up at his sharp features with starry, immensely grateful eyes, her face flushing a bright, violent pink under the living room chandelier. "Thank you so incredibly much, Sir... and bye."Junu rolled his wheelchair close to the couch, completely breaking the suffocating romantic silence as his suspicious eyes darted rapidly between the two of them. "Wait a single minute! Hold on right there! What on earth is going on here? Who is this highly stylish guy anyway? Is he the exact same dude who brought you that massive, attention-grabbing bouquet of flowers at the corporate party? Or wait... is he your secret, hidden boyfriend?!"Sun-woo turned his head away slightly toward the doorway, a soft, highly amused, and secretly proud smile breaking across his strict lips. 'Boyfriend?' Sun-woo thought to himself, his chest swelling with pure satisfaction. 'Well, that is an executive title I wouldn't mind holding at all.'"Junu! Shut your mouth this instant!" Seo-ah barked, her face burning a deep tomato red with intense sibling embarrassment as she stepped forward instantly to smack her younger brother's shoulder. "What on earth are you blabbering about in front of our guest?! He is absolutely, completely not her boyfriend! He is our new top boss, the main CEO of our entire architecture company, Mr. Choi Sun-woo!"Junu frowned heavily, looking up at Sun-woo with deep, unyielding sibling suspicion. "Then why on earth did the multi-billionaire company CEO come all the way to our residential gates past midnight just to drop Ma Ha-rin off at the door?!"Sun-woo completely and effortlessly composed his expression, shifting back into his calm, professional corporate frequency as he addressed the wheelchair-bound boy. "Oh, actually, it got extremely late into the night at the design department headquarters tonight. I wanted to make sure she reached home safe, so I insisted on driving her build. But as she was walking toward the entrance lobby, she took a highly nasty, unfortunate stumble on the concrete block. She couldn't even stand straight or walk properly on her own feet, so I had absolutely zero choice but to carry her all the way up to your doorstep.""Oh, thank you so incredibly much, Sir!" Seo-ah let out a heavy sigh of relief, looking down at Ha-rin's swollen foot before bowing politely. "Seriously, thank you for looking after her safety and bringing her all the way up the elevator. I am extremely, profoundly grateful to your actions."Junu scratched the back of his neck, his defensive sibling stance instantly dropping as he looked down at his own plaster cast. "Huh... okay. And... I apologize sincerely, Sir. I completely, entirely misunderstood the situation.""It's completely fine," Sun-woo nodded politely, pulling the lapels of his woolen coat straight with elite dignity. "I will take my leave now. Besides, we all have to clear out our desks and leave early in the morning for our big journey to Gangwon-do. Bye, and please take thorough care of yourself, Ha-rin."He gave a warm, lingering, and incredibly deep glance to Ma Ha-rin, who nodded her head shyly as she hid her face. Sun-woo turned around, walked out of the apartment entryway, and closed the heavy front double doors gently behind his frame.The exact microsecond the metal lock clicked shut, Junu wheeled himself right up to the edge of the sofa cushion, narrowing his eyes in pure betrayal. "Wait a single minute! What exactly did your company boss just say? You both have to leave early in the morning? What on earth does that mean, Ha-rin?!"Ha-rin blinked in absolute surprise, turning her head sharply toward her roommate. "Wait... Kim Seo-ah? Did you literally not tell his face anything about the project parameters?!""Oh my god..." Seo-ah slapped her palm flat against her forehead in pure, unadulterated exhaustion. "I completely forgot to mention the travel notice to his face! My mind was so incredibly packed with the pending data reports and file layout syncs that it completely, entirely slipped my mind.""What?!" Junu shouted in absolute, heartbroken betrayal, waving his hands through the air. "You completely forgot about my existence?! So you both are basically just abandoning my build and leaving me behind like this in the middle of Seoul?!""Oh, listen to the corporate logic carefully, Junu!" Ha-rin quickly explained, waving her hands to calm his temper down. "Our entire architecture company is heading out tomorrow morning on an official, mandatory business trip. We are going deep into the mountains for a massive tourism, restaurant, and temple restoration project, so we mandatory have to leave town.""Yeah, all that commercial development is completely fine, but what about my recovery line?!" Junu whined, pointing a finger down at his leg cast. "What am I supposed to do here all alone in this apartment on a mechanical wheelchair? And did you both completely forget that this upcoming week is the exact milestone week I was scheduled to go back to Daehan University Hospital to get this heavy plaster cast officially removed?!""Oh, yes!" Ha-rin gasped, nodding anxiously as she locked eyes with Seo-ah. "Kim, he's absolutely right. If our branch is gone for the whole week, who on earth is going to navigate his wheelchair to the clinic? Our restoration project work might take at least until next weekend to fully wrap up in the mountains."Seo-ah let out a deep, defeated sigh, rubbing her throbbing temples in frustration. "Then what on earth are we supposed to do for his schedule? Why don't you just go stay with Mom and Dad for a few days? Everyone can look after your recovery over there at the old house.""No way, sis!" Junu shook his head instantly, turning highly stubborn and defensive. "I absolutely do not want to go back there. I want to stay right here in the city, and my local cafe business is extremely close to this area too, I mandatory need to look after the staff. And I promise... I completely, solemnly promise on my life, I will never ride my sports bike fast ever again!""Yeah, sure," Seo-ah narrowed her eyes, walking over to his wheelchair with her arms crossed, her sisterly concern instantly turning into a strict, commanding lecture. "But who on earth is going to cook, clean, and look after your build here alone on this wheelchair? And besides, you wouldn't even be able to face Mom and Dad's eyes right now anyway. I haven't told their lines a single word about your motorcycle injury! They would get completely, entirely stressed out for zero reason from so far away, which is the exact reason why I hid the charts. Now tell my face, what should we do with your leg?""Wait!" Ha-rin suddenly raised her right hand high in the air, her dark eyes lighting up with an immediate stroke of genius. "I have a truly brilliant, flawless idea!"Junu looked at her suspiciously, pouting. "No way! I definitely do not want any of your chaotic ideas, Ha-rin. You always end up creating a massive, catastrophic disaster for our family!""Hey!" Ha-rin snapped back, glaring at him. "Just shut your mouth and listen to my words first!""Yeah, go ahead, Ha-rin," Seo-ah sighed, leaning against the counter. "What's the actual idea?""Why don't we just hire a professional, full-time caretaker nurse for Junu?" Ha-rin proposed excitedly, snapping her fingers. "Just until this upcoming weekend. Once the specialist surgeons at Daehan University Hospital officially remove his heavy plaster cast, he will be able to walk perfectly fine on his own feet and manage the cafe everything by himself."Junu paused, thinking over the clinical parameters before nodding slowly. "Yeah... that caretaking idea is actually completely fine with my schedule.""Alright, fine," Seo-ah agreed, letting out a breath. "I will look into arranging a highly verified, good caretaker first thing in the morning before our charter bus leaves the curb. Now, I am completely, thoroughly exhausted, so everyone go straight to your bedrooms to sleep. Today has been an incredibly heavy, draining, and chaotic day for all of us.""Yeah, that is absolutely true," Ha-rin muttered, standing up carefully from the cushions as she stretched her arms.As she walked exceptionally slowly toward her bedroom corridor, her fingers suddenly clutched the fabric of her coat pocket, and a nervous, terrifying shudder shot straight through her veins.'Ugh... I have a massive, dangerous task waiting for my fingers tomorrow morning,' Ha-rin thought to herself, her eyes widening in pure panic. 'I completely forgot and left that unique, antique couple watch hidden right on top of my office desk terminal! I mandatory have to fetch it before the corporate bus leaves the building complex! If some nosy employee accidentally finds it and presses that side button... huh! It will be a total, unmitigated romantic disaster!'The scene cut away briefly as Kim Seo-ah gently guided Junu's wheelchair back into his bedroom quarters. The quiet midnight hours slowly slipped away, and the residential apartment dropped into a peaceful, brief rest under the autumn moon.