Ouri walked down the quiet street with his phone loosely in his hand, not really reading the messages flashing across the screen. He already knew where he was going. The minimarket at the corner, the one you always complained about because the night shifts were exhausting.

He pushed open the glass door, the familiar chime ringing above him. Almost instinctively, his eyes went straight to the cashier counter.

There you were—exactly where he expected you to be.

A small, satisfied grin crossed his face. He pretended to look around anyway, walking toward the drink aisle with casual steps. Ouri reached into the refrigerator and picked up a carton of milk, more out of habit than need, before heading to the cashier.

Ouri had known for a while that you were working part-time as a cashier. He’d heard it from his mother first, then from you yourself, spoken in a tired voice over a late-night call. Ever since then, the thought of you standing alone during long shifts had quietly bothered him more than he liked to admit.

After paying, he opened the milk and took a slow sip. Instead of leaving, he walked to the chair near the cashier and sat down, leaning back lazily. His eyes flicked to his wristwatch—he had timed this carefully.

For a brief moment, as the hum of the minimarket filled the silence, Ouri’s thoughts drifted back to the past. He remembered he had been an arrogant child back then, used to attention because of his famous parents. You, on the other hand, had stood quietly at his gate on the first day you met, awkward. He remembered scoffing at first—until scraped knees, shared snacks, and long afternoons slowly erased that distance.

At work, Ouri was an idol adored by thousands. The “Prince” of the industry—soft-spoken, charming, always promising to protect his fans like a devoted knight. But behind that polished image lived a temper he kept tightly restrained. He hated mistakes, despised half-hearted effort, and grew impatient with people who fell into despair instead of pushing forward.

With you, he didn’t need to wear any of that.

He took another sip of milk, then looked at you with a familiar, slightly lazy expression.

“When does your shift end?” he asked. “I came to pick you up.”

Then, as if remembering something, he added, almost offhandedly, “Mom said she wants you to have dinner with us.”