Taeyeon Pov:

She was in the office, meticulously lining up the scripts for the manhwa's first chapter, preparing herself for the upcoming meeting with Jimin. The quiet focus in the room was broken by a knock on the door. "Come in," she called out softly, her voice barely carrying through the door.

As the door creaked open, Taeyeon's eyes instinctively dropped to the familiar shoes stepping inside. Her gaze traveled upward, recognizing the figure immediately. Her grip on the stack of papers loosened, and they fluttered to the ground in a scattered mess. She clicked her tongue in mild frustration. "Tch."

"Wait, let me help you," Jimin said, already bending down to assist her.

"No, it's okay, I'll—" Her words caught in her throat as Jimin reached for her hand, intending to pull her up. But the sudden movement caused her to lose her balance, and before she knew it, she was tumbling forward—right into him.

Time seemed to slow down as she collided with his chest, her hands instinctively gripping his shirt to steady herself. For a moment, they were both frozen in place, eyes locked, the close proximity sending a jolt through her already frazzled nerves.

Jimin's lips curled into a small, teasing smile as he looked down at her. "Hm, after a long time, we're like this," he said, his voice carrying a playful warmth.

Taeyeon's heart skipped a beat at his words, her cheeks flushing even deeper. She quickly pushed herself away from him, trying to create some distance. "It was an accident," she stammered, avoiding his gaze as she began to hurriedly pick up the scattered papers.

Jimin chuckled softly, but this time, as he reached for the papers, he caught her wrist and gently pulled her towards him. Before Taeyeon could react, he wrapped his arms around her waist, locking his wrists behind her and holding her close.

Her breath hitched as she found herself pressed against him, her hands resting awkwardly on his chest. "J-Jimin," she managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.

"Huh? Where did that Jimin-shi go?" he teased, his tone light as he looked down at her. The playful glint in his eyes made her heart flutter even more.

Taeyeon bit her lip, trying to steady herself. She didn't know what to do—her mind was a whirlwind of confusion. She wasn't even protesting or pushing him away; it was as if her whole body had become rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"If there's no problem, then let's continue this," Jimin whispered, his voice barely above a breath as he leaned in closer.

Taeyeon's heart raced, and she felt a warmth spread through her, making it even harder to think clearly. She could feel the closeness of his lips; the tension between them was thickening with each passing second. A part of her wanted to pull away, but another part—a stronger, more insistent part—was drawn to the moment, to him.

Beep, beep, beep

"Taeyeon-ahhh, wake up; you're going to be late!" The alarm clock continued to ring, and Taehyung's deep voice called through the door.

Taeyeon bolted upright in bed, her heart racing as she stared at the alarm clock blaring at her. She looked around, exhaling deeply and placing her hand on her chest, trying to convince herself that it was just a dream.

She turned her head to the side, where Ki-joo was groaning and wincing at Taehyung's shout and the alarm's relentless ringing. Ki-joo had buried her head under the pillows, trying to block out the noise and get a few more moments of sleep.

She chuckled at first, but then her mind raced back to the chaotic scene at the bar and the call to Jimin. Taeyeon held her head in her hands, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She glanced over at the bedside, where her phone lay, reminding her of the phone call and the argument that followed.

"Is that enough, or do you want some more drinks, even for breakfast?" Taehyung's sarcastic voice broke through her thoughts as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed with a raised eyebrow.

Taeyeon groaned, not ready to face his teasing. "Please, oppa, no more lectures," she muttered, reaching for her phone to check for any messages or missed calls, dreading what she might find.

To her relief, there were no missed calls or messages from Jimin. She sighed and tossed her phone onto the bed, not realizing it would land squarely on Ki-joo's back.

"Ow! Taeyeon!" Ki-joo yelped, jerking awake as she glared at her friend, rubbing the spot where the phone had hit.

"Yah! Stop yelling at my sister," Taehyung called out from the doorway, his voice carrying a mix of annoyance and protectiveness. He stepped inside, giving Ki-joo a stern look before turning his attention back to Taeyeon.

Ki-joo rolled her eyes, still rubbing her back. "Well, your sister just threw her phone at me!"

Taeyeon gave a half-hearted smile, trying to lighten the mood. "It was an accident, Ki-joo. Besides, you could use the wake-up call."

Taehyung sighed, shaking his head. "You two are hopeless. Now hurry up, Taeyeon, or you'll really be late."

Taehyung pointed at Ki-joo with mock sternness. "And you! Get out of my house."

Ki-joo gasped dramatically, clutching her chest as if she'd been wounded. "Oppa, how could you? After everything we've been through?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of confusion and amusement. "What the hell?" he muttered, shaking his head at Ki-joo's theatrics.

Taeyeon couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, grabbing her clothes to get ready for the day. "You two are like an old married couple," she teased, earning a playful glare from both of them.

"Yah! Don't even joke about that!" Ki-joo protested, still clutching her chest as if Taehyung's words had genuinely hurt her.

"I would rather marry a raccoon than your brother," Ki-joo shot back, her voice dripping with mock disdain.

Taeyeon burst into laughter, while Taehyung narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh! I feel so sorry for that poor creature," he retorted. "I know no human would dare to marry you."

Ki-joo shot back, "Look who's talking, the one who hasn't even had a kiss!"

Taehyung's eyes widened in mock outrage, while Taeyeon's laughter only grew louder. "Yah!" Taehyung began, but Taeyeon quickly interjected.

"Oppa, Ki-joo, please; I'm really getting late."

"Okay, okay, I'll just leave," Taehyung said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But tell your friend that I had a French kiss in Paris!"

Taeyeon's laughter spilled into a groan of embarrassment as Taehyung left the room, his playful remark lingering in the air.

Ki-joo gasped dramatically, her eyes wide with mock scandal. "How shameless!" she exclaimed, putting a hand over her heart as if deeply offended by Taehyung's remark.

Taeyeon chuckled, shaking her head as she hurriedly got ready. "Oh, come on. He's just messing around.I'm going to have bath Just stay still and don't fight."

(Outfit of the day reference)

After getting ready, Taeyeon walked out of her room and immediately noticed the unusual silence in the apartment. Taehyung was sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone, while Ki-joo, surprisingly, was in the kitchen making breakfast.

Taeyeon shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the couch, plopping down with a small sigh.

"When did you actually come back from Paris, oppa?" she asked, her tone casual as she glanced at him.

Taehyung looked up from his phone with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You're asking me that now?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I came back yesterday evening, but when I got to the apartment, you were nowhere to be found. I called you, but there was no answer," he continued, his tone slightly teasing. "So, I figured you'd be at the bar—and, as it turns out, I was right. You both were making quite the fuss."

Taeyeon cringed a little, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Anyway, congratulations for getting a big project," he said instantly with his boxy grin.

"Finally, my sister got a huge manhwa project... Oh, I heard there is a guest artist too. Is that true?"

The first line of Taehyung makes her smile, but the guest artist part makes her smile shudder.

"Anyway, congratulations on getting a big project," Taehyung said, flashing his signature boxy grin.

"Finally, my sister landed a huge manhwa project... Oh, and I heard there's a guest artist too. Is that true?"

The first part of Taehyung's statement brought a warm smile to Taeyeon's face, but the mention of the guest artist made that smile falter.

Her thoughts immediately drifted to Jimin and the complicated feelings that accompanied their recent interactions. The excitement she felt about the project was now tinged with a sense of unease.

"Yeah," she finally responded, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Just then, Ki-joo, noticing the tension, chimed in. "Yah, you're going to be late! Eat breakfast and go. Even I need to get ready for work," she said, her voice light but firm.

Taeyeon shot her a grateful look, relieved for the timely intervention. Ki-joo, the savior of the moment, was always good at reading the room and knowing when to step in.

Taehyung sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Who even told you to make breakfast?" he asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.

Ki-joo rolled her eyes dramatically, not missing a beat. "Oh, you see, I cooked for my friend because her brother is a terrible cook who always makes a mess in the kitchen," she shot back, a smirk playing on her lips. "And besides, this is my second home, so I can do whatever I want."

Taehyung clicked his tongue in mock annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tch, you're lucky I tolerate you," he muttered, but the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips betrayed his true feelings.

Ki-joo smirked, clearly pleased with herself. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that, Oppa."

"Okay, I'm done eating now, Ki-joo, Are also getting late."

"Oh! Don't worry about that; I'm a fashion designer, so I make my own rules. Besides, I have a flexible schedule today." Ki-joo said it to her with a playful wink.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Just don't blame me if you get stuck in traffic."

Ki-joo shot back with a grin, "Oh, don't act like you're the one dropping me off."

Taeyeon chuckled at Taehyung's comment as she headed toward the door. "I'm leaving; bye, Oppa. See you, Ki-joo."

"Wait up, I'm coming too!" Ki-joo called out, dashing into Taeyeon's bedroom to grab her things.

As Ki-joo hurried back, Taehyung raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Wait, are you really going out like that? Are you still smelling like a bar from last night?"

"Also, how are you planning to get there? By bus?" he asked Taeyeon, who nodded in response.

Taehyung stood up from his chair, walked over to his desk, and grabbed the car keys. "Let's go. I'll drop you off."

"Me too?" Ki-joo asked.

"Yes," Taehyung confirmed.

Taeyeon closed her eyes, bracing herself for their usual banter, but to her surprise, it didn't come. Relieved, she let out a quiet sigh and followed them to the door. As they headed out, she couldn't help but smile at the rare moment of peace between the two.

Growing up, Taeyeon had seen countless exchanges between Taehyung and Ki-joo, most of them playful but relentless. Moments like this—where they simply got along—were rare, few enough to count on her fingertips. She sometimes wonders who these two are even called as grown adults. Their constant bickering often made her feel like she was the only one who had truly matured.

As they got into the car, Taehyung started the engine and glanced over at Ki-joo, who was busy adjusting her seat. Without missing a beat, Taehyung shot her a look and said, "Keep your seatbelt on, idiot."

Ki-joo rolled her eyes but complied, muttering something under her breath. Taeyeon, sitting in the backseat, smiled to herself.

But behind that smile, there was a worry hidden in her eyes—a fear that had been growing inside her. It wasn't just about work stress; it felt more like dread. The thought of going to her job now made her feel like a kid who didn't want to go to school. She was afraid to face Jimin now, and the smile she wore was just a way to hide how she really felt, even from the people closest to her.

3rd person POV:

The morning air was crisp as Taeyeon stepped out of the car, her smile fading the moment she turned away from Taehyung and Ki-joo.

"Give me a call when you finish work; I'll pick you up," Taehyung said with a smile, his voice full of warmth and care for his sister.

"Okay, oppa," Taeyeon replied, her voice steady but her heart heavy. She shut the car door behind her and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in her chest.

As Taeyeon walked towards the entrance of the building, she could feel the weight of the day ahead pressing down on her. The anxiety gnawed at her, growing heavier with each step. The memory of yesterday's call, when she'd been too drunk to think clearly, haunted her. She regretted dialing Jimin's number and making all the mess, and the lingering embarrassment from it made her stomach twist.

She couldn't shake the discomfort from her morning dream either, which only added to her nerves. The dream had felt too real and too vivid, and now the thought of facing Jimin again made her heart race. How could she look him in the eye after that?

What Taeyeon didn't realize was that someone was watching her from the parking lot, a soft smile playing on his plump lips. He leaned casually against his car, his eyes following her as she walked into the building. 

As Taeyeon was lost in her thoughts about facing Jimin, a voice called out from behind, startling her. "Kim Taeyeon, good morning!"

She jumped slightly, her heart skipping a beat, but she quickly composed herself, forcing a cheerful smile as she turned around. "O-oh, you scared me, Do-Yoon-shii," she said, her voice light but betraying a hint of nervousness.

Do-Yoon chuckled, his expression warm. "I didn't mean to. You seemed so deep in thought; I'm sorry to scare you."

Despite the unease creeping through her, Taeyeon managed a soft smile. "It's okay; there's no need to be sorry."

Do-Yoon continued, his tone casual and natural as always. "It looks like your favorite artist is pushing your limits."

Do-Yoon's remark seemed to hit a nerve, causing Taeyeon's smile to falter slightly. She shook her head, trying to maintain her composure. "I wouldn't say he's pushing me. It's just... part of the job, and his too."

Her tone was measured, almost as if she were convincing herself as much as him. Do-Yoon noticed the slight shift in her demeanor but chose not to press further.

Do-Yoon offered a playful wink, saying, "Fine, but if you need any help, don't hesitate to ask me."

Taeyeon managed a polite smile, but the gesture didn't have the effect on her it might have had in the past. The doubts she harbored about that night in Tokyo lingered, casting a shadow over their interaction. Where once she might have felt a flutter in her heart, now there was only a quiet unease.

"Thanks, Do-Yoon-shii," she replied, keeping her tone light. 

As they reached the elevator, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to that night than she remembered, and it made her wary of letting her guard down around him.

Meanwhile, Jimin, who had been observing their interaction from a distance, felt a strange burning sensation in his chest. The smile that had been lingering on his lips moments before faded as he watched them. He didn't understand the feeling he felt, but he chose to push it aside, telling himself it was nothing worth dwelling on.