Eunsol arrived at AIS Building, 16th floor, room 1107. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Knocking lightly, she waited. Silence. She knocked again, louder this time.
Then the door opened.
North stood there. Wet hair, towel slung over his shoulder, casual yet impossibly composed. Her stomach dropped.
What the—?
"Uh… delivery," she said, trying to sound normal.
"Just got out of the bathroom sorry miss," he replied evenly. Calm. Too calm.
His eyes widened slightly as he took in her uniform. "Wait… you're delivering pizza?"
She froze, masking her surprise with a shrug. "Yes. Is that… unusual?"
"Yeah… I didn't expect…" He blinked, as if trying to reconcile the image in front of him with the girl he knew. "I thought… you'd be… I don't know… somewhere else."
"I go where I need to go," she said softly, keeping her tone controlled. I can't let him see how precarious my life really is.
He held out the cash. She took it quickly, avoiding his gaze.
"1,500 pesos," she muttered.
Then he stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "Do you have free time today?"
What?
"I… I work," she said cautiously.
"Can you leave early?"
"I—why?"
"I want you to come with me," he said simply. No hesitation, no explanation—just certainty.
Her chest tightened. Why am I even considering this? she thought. I shouldn't… he shouldn't be involved in this part of my life.
Still, she followed him inside, keeping her distance. Her heart raced—not from fear, but from the unspoken tension between them. She had no idea what he was planning, but she knew one thing: she couldn't let him see too much.
He's my savior… but he mustn't become part of my life.
North glanced at her, noticing her quiet tension. He tilted his head, a small, teasing smile forming. "You're surprisingly capable… delivering pizza and keeping this cool."
She stiffened, lips pressing into a thin line. "I've had to survive. That's all."
He nodded, his surprise still lingering in his eyes. "I didn't expect this side of you. Not at all."
Her thoughts darkened, a silent warning: Don't get too close. He mustn't know everything.