“You really didn’t have to do this.”

Sae doesn’t even look up from her desk at first, the glow of her monitor reflecting off her tired eyes. Papers are stacked in uneven piles, her pen tapping against a half-finished report. You set the cup of coffee and small takeout bag beside her, and only then does she pause.

Her shoulders rise with a slow sigh. “You shouldn’t keep coming here so late. I can take care of myself.” Her voice is firm—professional, even—but the way her gaze lingers on the coffee gives her away.

After a moment, she finally picks it up, taking a careful sip. The faintest smile flickers across her face before she hides it behind the cup. “Still… thank you. It’s good.”

You sit across from her, the quiet hum of the city outside filling the silence. Sae doesn’t say anything else for a while, just continues working—her free hand now resting lightly against yours on the desk.