Namjoon sat at his desk, staring blankly at the stack of papers waiting to be graded. It was only mid-morning, and his lecture for the day was over, but he couldn’t seem to focus. His thoughts kept drifting back to Hana. He had dropped her off at the lab earlier, and though she had reassured him several times that she could take care of herself, he hadn’t liked the idea of her driving home alone after dark. It was a small thing, but it had bothered him enough that he insisted on picking her up later.

He had watched her walk into the building, her lab coat draped over one arm, her usual warm smile on her face as she waved goodbye to him. The memory of that smile lingered in his mind, and now, as he tried to concentrate on his work, he found himself wondering what she was doing at this very moment.

Was she busy running tests? Was her day stressful? Was she okay?

He sighed, leaning back in his chair and glancing at the clock. It was only a little after ten, too early for lunch, but his thoughts drifted to the lunch he had packed for her. He’d woken up early to make it—simple sandwiches with fresh ingredients, a bag of her favorite gummy bears as a small treat, a packet of crisps, and a drink. Namjoon had never been one to fuss over details like this before, but something about taking care of Hana made him want to put in the effort.

The truth was, he enjoyed it. He liked knowing that she had a good meal to look forward to, and he hoped she appreciated the little extra touches, like the gummy bears he had included. It was one of the small ways he could show her that he cared, even if he wasn’t always the most expressive with words.

Namjoon absentmindedly tapped his pen against the desk, his thoughts still on Hana. He wondered if she had eaten the sandwiches yet, if she liked them, or if she had smiled when she found the gummy bears tucked neatly into the bag. He hoped the lunch he had prepared would help her get through the day.

As he sat there, his mind wandered further. It was strange, this shift he had felt over the past few days. He had always been cold and distant with her, not out of malice, but out of habit. His previous relationship had left scars he hadn’t been able to heal from. Trust wasn’t something he gave easily anymore, and love—well, he had all but closed himself off to the idea.

But Hana... She was different. She hadn’t pushed him or demanded anything from him. She had simply been there, warm and patient, and without even trying, she had started to break down the walls he had so carefully built.

Namjoon wasn’t sure when it had happened, but he found himself caring about her more than he had intended. It wasn’t a sudden realization, but rather a slow, quiet shift. Little things like packing her lunch, driving her to work, and wondering about her day—all of it made him feel more connected to her.

His phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at it, half-hoping it was Hana, but it was just a reminder for a faculty meeting later in the afternoon. He sighed and pocketed the phone, leaning back in his chair again.

He had a couple of hours before his next class, and though he had papers to grade and lecture notes to review, his mind refused to settle. He stood up, walking to the window of his office and staring out at the campus below. Students were milling about, some rushing to classes, others lounging in the quad. It was a typical day, and yet, Namjoon felt strangely unsettled.

For the first time in a long time, he wasn’t thinking about work or his past. His mind was filled with thoughts of Hana—her smile, the way she had looked at him when he handed her the lunch, the soft “thank you” she had whispered before kissing his cheek. It was the little things she did, the quiet ways she showed her gratitude, that made him realize just how much he had begun to care.

He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t even noon yet, and already he couldn’t wait for the end of the day when he would pick her up and ask her how her day had gone. He wanted to know everything—what experiments she had worked on, if anything interesting had happened, and most importantly, if she had liked the lunch he packed for her.

Namjoon rubbed his temples, feeling a little ridiculous. He had never been the type to worry over such trivial things before, but now, every small detail about Hana seemed important.

He returned to his desk, deciding to make use of the time he had before his next class. He pulled out his laptop and started typing up his lecture notes, but his mind still drifted. His phone sat on the corner of the desk, and every time it buzzed with a new notification, he found himself glancing at it, hoping it was a message from Hana.

Finally, as the clock struck noon, Namjoon’s phone lit up with a text message. His heart skipped a beat when he saw it was from Hana.

**Hana:** *Lunch was delicious, by the way. Thanks for the gummy bears—nice touch!*

Namjoon couldn’t help but smile. His fingers hovered over the screen as he thought about how to reply, not wanting to seem too eager.

**Namjoon:** *Glad you liked it. Thought you might appreciate something sweet.*

He sent the message and set his phone down, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. It was a simple exchange, but it made him feel more connected to her than before. He wondered if this was what it was like to be in a real, functioning relationship—caring about the little things, wanting to be there for the other person in small, meaningful ways.

As the afternoon wore on, Namjoon found it easier to focus on his work. He delivered his lecture, participated in the faculty meeting, and even managed to grade a few papers. But throughout the day, his mind kept circling back to Hana. He found himself counting down the hours until he could see her again, and when the clock finally neared five, he packed up his things and headed for the parking lot.

When he arrived at the lab to pick her up, Hana was waiting outside, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, her lab coat draped over her arm just as it had been that morning. She smiled when she saw him, and Namjoon felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest.

“Hey,” she greeted him as she climbed into the passenger seat. “How was your day?”

Namjoon shrugged, starting the car. “Same as always. How about you? Anything interesting happen in the lab?”

Hana chuckled, buckling her seatbelt. “Oh, you know, the usual—blood samples, data analysis, and lots of coffee. But it was a good day.”

Namjoon glanced over at her as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Did you like the lunch?”

She smiled, her eyes lighting up. “It was perfect. I even shared some of the gummy bears with my coworkers. They were jealous.”

Namjoon felt a small surge of pride. “Good. I’ll have to pack you more next time.”

Hana laughed, the sound filling the car. “You don’t have to, but I wouldn’t complain.”

As they drove home, the conversation flowed easily between them. Namjoon asked her about the details of her day, and Hana told him about the different tests she had run and the projects she was working on. It was the kind of easy, comfortable conversation that Namjoon hadn’t realized he missed.

By the time they arrived home, Namjoon couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment. For the first time in a long time, he felt like things were starting to fall into place. His walls were still there, but they were slowly coming down, brick by brick. And for now, that was enough.

As they walked inside, Hana turned to him with a soft smile. “Thanks for picking me up today. I really appreciate it.”

Namjoon met her gaze, his voice gentle. “Anytime.”

And for the first time, he truly meant it.