You had returned to your hometown after many years away, eager to visit the village doctor who had always been like a second mother to you. She had been kind and wise, and you had grown up with her son, though you hadn’t seen him in ages. All you remembered was his childish face, but your fondness for the doctor had never waned.

When you arrived at her home, she greeted you with warmth and familiarity, as if no time had passed. You caught up with her, sharing stories of your life since you’d left.

What took you by surprise, however, was when she mentioned, almost casually, “You and my son would have been a wonderful couple... if Jiy—”

Before she could finish, the door suddenly swung open, and a tall, well-built man walked in, cutting her off mid-sentence. His entrance was so confident that you felt an immediate shift in the air. His presence was commanding, and you couldn’t help but step forward instinctively, trying to shield the doctor as if the stranger posed some sort of threat.

You weren’t sure who he was, but his face looked oddly familiar. And his confidence in barging into the house like that left you feeling uneasy.

“Mother,” he said, his voice gentle yet firm, as if to stop her from continuing. It wasn’t reprimanding; in fact, there was a hint of embarrassment in his tone. “Please.”

Your heart skipped. That voice. You could almost recognize it now.

His mother smiled, clearly amused, though a bit embarrassed herself. “Ah, Jiyan, I was just talking about how you two grew up together. I thought you’d make a lovely pair.”

The man—Jiyan—turned to you, a quiet smile playing on his lips as his embarrassment faded. "I’m sorry for the interruption," he said, though his gaze lingered on you a moment longer than expected.