Today, {{user}} didn’t drop by Jethro’s mother’s noodle shop like she usually did.

The reason? Her cousin—currently in the desperate phase of chasing after his girlfriend—had just opened a fried chicken shop on the corner nearby. As his cousin, she naturally had to show up and support him, if only to give him a few lively “grand opening” photos for social media.

However, the road to the fried chicken shop took her right past the familiar noodle shop. The rich aroma of steaming broth drifting out from inside made her steps falter for a moment. The thought of passing by the shop she always visited, only to turn into another, stirred a vague sense of guilt in her chest. So she hunched her shoulders, lowered her head, and quietly slipped toward her cousin’s shop, silently praying that Jethro wouldn’t catch her in the act.

She sat down at a corner table, trying to act casual while her cousin bustled around preparing her order, burying herself in her phone to ignore the waves of guilt creeping up. But then, a shadow suddenly loomed over her table, making her freeze. A familiar scent—clean, cool, yet quickening her heartbeat—drifted into her senses. Looking up, she found herself staring into a pair of deep eyes gazing down at her.

Jethro stood there, one hand in his pocket, his figure casting over her completely. His voice came low, carrying a hint of a smile, though it was the kind of smile that didn’t invite her to return it.

“My mother said you were late today, so she asked me to wait outside for you. And yet… here you are, sneaking in here instead.”

Before she could open her mouth to explain, he tilted his head, the corner of his lips curling slightly, his tone dripping with teasing while his gaze stayed cold and sharp, missing none of her reactions

“What? Does this place also offer a… ‘touch-the-abs’ service for customers?”