The morning was dull, quiet, and gray — but Kai Harlon sat in the back seat of his black car, not really seeing the road. The driver waited with the engine running outside the building, but Kai's eyes were fixed on something… or rather, someone.
River.
Across the street. Sitting on the bench near the entrance. Laptop on his knees. Typing away like the world didn't exist.
Kai leaned slightly forward, eyes narrowed.
He didn't understand.
He had deliberately messed with River's schedule last week — overlapping meetings, unlisted appointments, three time zones crammed into one itinerary.
And yet…
River fixed all of it.
Not just fixed — but handled it. Clean, smooth, no mistakes.
"Unbelievable," Kai muttered to himself.
He watched as River adjusted his tie, still typing, then checking his notes. Calm. Focused. No complaints.
Kai scoffed. "How did he do it?"
His eyes lingered. He noticed the way River held his pen — firm but not stiff. The way his expression didn't shift, not even when a group of employees passed by and barely looked at him.
There was something annoyingly stable about River.
And for some stupid reason… Kai found himself admiring it.
"He really didn't run away," Kai muttered, almost to himself.
"Handled what I gave him. Clean. Sharp. Like he's done this forever."
He blinked, then frowned suddenly.
Wait.
Was he praising him in his head?
He leaned back quickly and shook his head.
"No. No, no, no. What the hell is wrong with me?"
He looked away, as if forcing his brain to shift. But his eyes still drifted back.
River closed the laptop now and stood up. He started walking toward the building, his posture straight, his expression unreadable.
Kai sighed heavily.
"Damn it."
---
Ten minutes later, River was seated beside Kai in the back seat. They were on the way to the client site for a short inspection meeting. The driver focused ahead, not saying a word.
Kai didn't speak at first either. His eyes darted to River now and then, noticing how he was already working on something on his tablet.
"What are you doing?" Kai finally asked, breaking the silence.
River didn't look up. "Adjusting the client profile for your two o'clock. Their assistant sent an updated file last night. It conflicted with your current summary, so I'm correcting it."
Kai stared at him for a second.
"You caught that?"
River nodded. "Yes, sir."
Kai leaned slightly forward. "And the board lunch schedule?"
"Already arranged. I placed it between your finance call and Mr. Lin's check-in."
Kai went quiet again.
He didn't say it out loud, but a part of him… respected the way River handled things. With calmness. No begging for recognition. No overconfidence. Just results.
His gaze softened for a moment.
"Smart bastard," he muttered under his breath.
River didn't seem to hear it.
Then River closed his tablet, turned slightly, and asked calmly, "After work today… would you like to grab a drink?"
Kai blinked.
"What?"
River looked at him directly. "I said… a drink. Just one. Nothing big. You look like you could use one."
Kai's lips parted slightly. For a second, he didn't hate the idea.
A drink.
With River.
Alone.
He imagined it — sitting across from him, just talking, maybe even forgetting the mess between them for a few minutes.
But then…
Reality hit.
Memories returned.
The anger crept back in.
He looked away sharply.
"No."
River raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
Kai's voice was cold now. "Because I don't drink with people who lie."
River frowned, just a little. "You think I lied?"
"I don't think. I know," Kai snapped.
Silence filled the car again.
River turned away slowly, but not before giving Kai a look — not pity. Not sadness. Just… something Kai couldn't explain.
And that was what made him angry.
"Stop looking at me like that," Kai said suddenly.
River glanced back. "Like what?"
Kai's temper snapped. "Like you're better. Like you're innocent."
"Why are you making something out of nothing," River said calmly.
River stared deeply at him, " You are still a whiny baby" said while smiling.
Kai frowned his face and clenched his fists. "Get out."
River's smile dropped and he blinked. "What?"
"I said, get out. Now."
River stared at him, shocked. "Are you serious?"
Kai's voice was firm. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
River looked out the window. They weren't even near a proper stop. Just halfway down the business district. Sidewalk crowded. No bus stop. No shelter.
"You're not thinking straight," River said quietly. "You can't just—"
"Watch me," Kai snapped. Then turned to the driver. "Pull over."
The driver looked into the mirror. "Sir?"
"Now."
The driver obeyed.
The car rolled to a stop.
Kai looked at River, expression unreadable. "Get out."
River stared at him for a long moment. Then, without a word, he opened the door and stepped out.
The door closed behind him.
The car pulled back into the road.
River stood still on the sidewalk, watching the black car speed off without him.
People around him passed by in a blur — office workers, couriers, tourists — all moving like normal. But River felt like time had frozen.
He exhaled slowly.
"No problem," he murmured to himself. "I'll figure it out."
He straightened his tie, tucked his tablet under his arm, and started walking. He didn't know where he was going exactly — maybe back to the office, maybe to a nearby café to clear his head. All he knew was, he wasn't going to give Kai the satisfaction of seeing him broken.
Inside the car, silence settled in.
The driver kept glancing at the rearview mirror, his lips tight. It took almost five full minutes before he finally spoke.
"Sir… are you sure that was okay?"
Kai didn't answer.
The driver tried again. "Mr. Harlon, that road's not safe for someone alone. Especially this early. A lot of pickpockets. It's not a good place to leave someone—"
Kai cut in, voice sharp. "He'll manage."
The driver hesitated. "Still, he's your employee. And the meeting—"
Kai's glare shot through the mirror. "Do you want to walk too?"
The driver went quiet immediately.
But deep inside, Kai's chest wasn't quiet.
His jaw was clenched. His fingers drummed against his thigh. He stared out the window, but all he could see was River's face.
That calm voice. That invitation for a drink. That look he gave before stepping out — not anger, not fear. Just quiet understanding.
It made Kai feel small. Exposed.
He leaned back in his seat, muttering under his breath.
"Why do you have to act like you don't care? Like none of this broke you?"
He hated that River stayed calm. Hated that he didn't fight back or raise his voice. It would've been easier if he yelled or begged.
But no. River just… walked away.
And now Kai couldn't stop thinking about it.