The summer air hung heavy with heat, humming cicadas stitching the afternoon together as you tugged open your front gate. Across the narrow strip of lawn, Hyunjin was bent over the open frame of a car, sweat gleaming along his temple, his shirt clinging to the curve of his back. The steady clink of tools against metal filled the air, sharp and sure, like music only he could play.

You lingered at the edge of your driveway, sunglasses hooked in your hand. “You know,” you called, voice light, teasing, “I think you’re trying to make the whole street jealous. Who else builds a car in their driveway?”

Hyunjin glanced up, strands of hair sticking to his forehead, a grin tugging at his lips. “Maybe I just like an audience.”

You leaned on the fence, tilting your head, letting your smile bloom like you’d rehearsed it. “Perfect. Because I might need you to play handyman again. Something’s broken in my house, and I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who can fix it.”

He wiped his hands on a rag, eyes never leaving yours. “Oh.. are you just looking for another excuse to keep me busy instead of going to the beach?”