Lianna thought about visiting the hospital to see her son. But before that, she planned to stop by the mall across the street to buy him some toys.
Spending even a short time with Yeri had made her feel lighter.
The world suddenly seemed different—brighter, more hopeful—if you looked at it with color, just like Yeri said.
What exactly did Yeri mean when she mentioned helping her see beyond her black-and-white vision? Could it really be possible to change how she saw the world?
While she mulled over the thought, a chat notification from Zahn appeared.
Lianna hesitated. Should she read it now or later? After a brief pause, she decided to check it.
[Zahn: How did you get acquainted with Yeri Zhi?]
[Lianna: I met her by chance at a café. We just talked.]
[Zahn: Do you know who she's dating?]
Lianna wasn't sure what Zahn was getting at, but they both already knew the answer. There was no point in hiding it.
[Lianna: Yes. It's Shin Keir.]
A few minutes passed before Zahn replied again.
[Zahn: Why did you approach her? Don't you have other friends to spend time with?]
She couldn't see his face or hear his voice, but that message alone made her feel like she had been pulled back into the abyss.
Why? Why was he asking that? Was he worried she had bad intentions?
Whether she poured her heart out or stayed silent, Zahn Neri always assumed the worst of her.
At this point, calling it a "misunderstanding" felt far too mild.
---
Meanwhile, at KGG's skyscraper headquarters, Shin stared at Yeri's message: "I'm working part-time now."
One phone call was all it took. His subordinate quickly reported the exact café branch where she worked.
It turned out it was just a few blocks from his office—no surprise, really, since the area was packed with cafés. It was the business district, after all.
Unfortunately, he was stuck in the middle of a meeting.
For the first time, Shin regretted insisting on holding the meeting at that hour.
Employees were busy looking into the reports being handed out, questions raised, plans made, yet Shin had remained mostly silent.
Now, his sharp eyes landed on the files stacked in front of him. He casually flipped through a few pages and finally spoke.
"These presentations are lacking. You skipped several pages. And where's the IT department's report on the new project?"
Beside him, Secretary Yun swallowed nervously. As expected, even distracted, his boss could scan a report once and still catch every detail others missed.
Shin's sudden statement sent a ripple of tension through the boardroom.
"C-CEO Keir, which pages did I skip?" the presenter asked, already drenched in sweat.
"You tell me. You're the one presenting, aren't you? Didn't you notice everyone looked confused? That's because you jumped from one report to another. Is your brain muddled? Did you even review it before this?"
Dead silence.
Everyone froze. The meeting had been scheduled to end soon, but Shin Keir was infamous for making them restart from scratch. If that happened, they could be stuck there until sunset.
But who had the courage to argue?
The presenter bowed repeatedly, fumbling through the documents in panic.
Shin stood up and adjusted his suit. "Since your brain's clearly muddled, let's change the environment. We'll move this meeting to a coffee shop. It's already past my tea time. Let's see if your brain works better after it's been rinsed with caffeine."
Everyone: "..."
T-Tea time?
Did they hear that right?
"CEO Keir, you mean we're all moving to a coffee shop... for the meeting?" one brave employee asked.
"Yes," Shin replied flatly, then turned to Secretary Yun. "Find a place."
Another dead silence followed.
Shin Keir's sudden decision made everyone feel like they were sitting on hot seats.
Was this another culling? A bloodbath? Were mass layoffs coming again?
Meanwhile, Secretary Yun was also caught off guard. He hadn't expected Shin's abrupt change of plans either.
But the moment he met the CEO's piercing gaze, sharp enough to slice through bone, he knew Shin wanted him to read between the lines.
Secretary Yun's brain briefly turned into a tangled math equation.
Thankfully, years of working with Shin Keir had trained him well. He quickly collected himself.
'Tea time… coffee shop…' he muttered under his breath, then cleared his throat and spoke up.
"The boss is right. A change of scenery might help us think more clearly. Cafe Zhillion nearby has private meeting rooms. Since today's a holiday, it shouldn't be crowded."
Everyone exchanged glances, wide-eyed, then rushed to pack up their things.
So… he wasn't joking?
---
At Cafe Zhillion, Yeri lounged on one of the cushioned seats, laid-back and half-distracted.
There were only a few customers around, so she didn't need to help at the counter. She scrolled through her phone, occasionally checking the time.
Just an hour left.
"Welcome!"
One of the staff greeted a new group of customers cheerfully.
"Hello, could we use one of your private rooms?"
"Yes, sir! Feel free to use the ones on the second floor."
Yeri heard the exchange but didn't look up. Probably more office workers. This café was popular with the business crowd.
Around her, the group of stiff-looking employees who had just arrived slowly started to relax. The addictive scent of coffee and cozy warm lighting helped soothe their tense nerves.
"CEO Keir is pretty chill today, huh?" one whispered.
"Shh! Are you saying he's usually not? What if he hears you? And hey, do you think he's actually treating us?"
As everyone settled in, Secretary Yun made an announcement. "The boss says you can all order any drinks or desserts you like—he's covering it."
A wave of stunned silence swept through the group. Some looked happy. Others looked suspicious. No one knew how to react.
This had never happened before. Company meetings usually felt like walking into a torture chamber—every sense on high alert.
Meanwhile, Shin Keir paid no attention to his employees' reactions.
The moment he stepped into the café, his eyes scanned the room—and locked onto a familiar figure sitting near the counter.
Yeri.
He walked over, pretending to glance at the menu on the wall. Then he cleared his throat, trying to get her attention.
But Yeri didn't even glance up.
Wasn't she supposed to be working? What was keeping her so focused she didn't notice anything?
Without a word, Shin reached over and dropped a menu right over her phone.
Yeri jumped. Who on earth had the nerve to almost hit her in the face with a menu?
She looked up—and nearly fell out of her chair.
Shin Keir?!
"Coffee. And a butter croissant," he said flatly.
Yeri blinked. A few more people had entered behind him. The employees didn't seem surprised by his behavior. After all, she was wearing the café's apron. And Shin Keir had a reputation for scolding employees who slacked off—his own or anyone else's.
To them, it probably looked like a typical Shin Keir moment: catching a worker lazing around and calling them out.
Yeri, however, could barely suppress her disbelief.
Or her annoyance.
Yeri forced out a polite smile and stood up.
"Pardon, sir. What did you say again?"
"Coffee and a butter croissant," Shin repeated. His face was as unreadable as ever, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
Yeri gritted her teeth. "What coffee?"
Shin Keir, this lunatic.
She seriously wondered how a CEO of a massive conglomerate had this much free time. Shouldn't he be, you know, running the company?
"Long black," Shin replied, then leaned in slightly and added in a low voice, "Could you do it yourself?"
Yeri nearly rolled her eyes.
Technically, her job didn't require barista-level skills—she mainly welcomed customers and served pre-made orders. She hadn't been trained to operate the espresso machine, especially for more complex brews.
'So this is what you came for? To see if I'd mess up making coffee?'
Yeri forced another smile, this one a little more genuine—because her pettiness was now fully activated.
"Of course I'll make it," she said sweetly.
'Oh, I'll make it alright. I'll make sure you never forget this coffee.'
Already feeling victorious, she strutted toward the counter.
Shin's eyes trailed after her, unconsciously following her movements—until Secretary Yun let out a discreet cough, snapping him back to the moment.
"Boss," Secretary Yun began, "I reviewed the documents we brought—nothing's missing, everything's accounted for except the IT department's project report."
As soon as he finished, a breathless voice cut in behind them.
"CEO Keir, Secretary Yun—I'm Lucia Hera from the IT department. I deeply apologize for the delay in our report. I heard the meeting was moved here, so I came right away."
Lucia held out a folder, chest rising with exertion.
She had made sure she'd be the one delivering the report today, even though it wasn't her job.
Most employees were off for the holiday, but she'd planned to be present—Shin Keir was infamous for working even during breaks, and this was a rare chance to interact with the top executives.
So, she'd strategically delayed the report, betting on the fact Shin Keir would ask for it. That way, she could personally bring it to the executive floor.
But to her surprise, no one had shown up. When she asked around, she learned the meeting had moved to a café. She'd rushed over immediately, high heels clicking against the pavement, braving the sun and sacrificing her usual polished look.
Contrary to her expectations, Shin didn't even acknowledge her. He simply took the folder and walked straight to the second floor.
Secretary Yun followed shortly after. As he did, Shin spoke without turning his head.
"Re-evaluate the IT department. Remove the incompetent ones immediately. IT isn't a disposable branch—if they're flawed, the whole company suffers."
Secretary Yun gave a silent nod.
Left behind, Lucia stood frozen. Her hands clenched the hem of her skirt.
Is it because I didn't look perfect today?