Their little 'date' was well. Han and Jet had a great time rehearsing—except for the kiss scenes, where Jet was a little 'upset' that he couldn't get from the actor.
As they lounged in the living room, Jet scrolled through his phone, casually turning his head towards Han, who was approaching.
"How's your friend?" Jet asked.
Han frowned. "What friend?"
Jet held up his phone, serious. "The one with the dream?"
"Oh." Han immediately understood. "I haven't told him anything yet. I didn't know what to say."
Jet turned to face him, scooting a little closer. "From what I remember, you said he wasn't sure if she was single, right?"
Han nodded.
"Well," Jet began, "if she is single, tell him to go for it. He won't know how it'll turn out unless he takes the first step."
Han hummed, then, smoothly, "You single?"
Jet barely reacted. "Yeah. And if she isn't, he can either wait or find someone else."
Han chuckled. "I'll be sure to tell them that."
Before either of them could say more, a maid called out.
"Sir," she said. "Would you like me to clean your room?"
"Yes, please." Han stood, heading for the stairs. "Let me put some things away first."
Jet, curious as ever, followed behind at a distance. He wasn't one to snoop, but something about the way Han moved made him want to see more.
At the doorway, he slowed down.
Han was gathering papers from his desk while a maid stood by. She turned to Jet with a polite smile.
"May I introduce myself?" she asked.
Jet nodded.
"My name is Livia Rune. I'm a Beta and one of Han's cleaners."
"Jet Lev, an Alpha," he responded. "I'm a friend of Han's."
"Just friends?" Livia raised a brow.
Jet nodded, unfazed.
"How long have you two been talking?"
"About a month," he said. "Random coincidence."
Livia hummed, taking in the information. Meanwhile, Jet glanced around the room, his eyes scanning the space until something familiar caught his attention.
A book. His book.
He stepped forward and picked it up from Han's bedside table.
Han smirked, plucking the book from his hands. "This book helped me a lot." His thumb idly rubbing the cover, almost absentmindedly.
Jet frowned. Helped? It was just a romance novel—a dream he wrote down with some changes. What part of it could possibly help Han?
"How?" he asked.
Han didn't answer. He just stared at Jet for a moment, something unreadable in his gaze. Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he turned and walked out.
"Maybe a story for another day," he said over his shoulder.
Jet's blood boiled. Of course Han would say something like that. Of course he'd leave it hanging.
Taking a deep breath, Jet followed after him, shaking his head. He was used to people keeping secrets, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. One day, he'd get his answer. One day.
—
"It was fun, Mum," Jet said as he strolled through the mall beside her.
She looked up at him with a smile. "That's good, isn't it? Would you have regretted it if you never decided to text?"
Jet shrugged, giving a small smile before his mother disappeared into the fitting room. Left alone, he wandered through the store, his gaze drifting over the rows of clothing.
The dresses were beautiful. He was used to shops like these, having grown up with two women by his side. Without much thought, he picked out a few, draping them over his arm as he continued browsing.
"Hello, sir," a young store assistant approached him. "Would you like some help holding those?"
"Yes, thank you," Jet said, handing her the dresses. "Could you put them aside for now? I'd like to keep looking."
"Of course," she replied with a friendly smile. "Shopping for your girlfriend?"
Jet scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "They're for my mother and sister."
"That's so sweet of you!" she said brightly. "What about your dad?"
Jet's expression remained steady. "I was raised by a single mother," he said simply. "So, no gifts for him, I guess."
The woman's face fell. She covered her mouth, bowing slightly. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—"
Jet waved a hand, stopping her. "It's fine. It's a normal question."
She hesitated before nodding. "If you say so… Oh! I actually mentioned it because there's a huge sale at the new suit shop—up to 80% off!"
Jet's eyebrows lifted. "That's a pretty good deal. Where is it?"
She pointed him in the right direction, and he promised to come back for the dresses. He walked for a bit before stepping into the suit shop, taking in the neatly displayed collections.
"Welcome!" A salesman greeted him warmly. "Are you looking for something specific? A custom suit, perhaps?"
Jet shook his head. "Not a suit. My friend's birthday is coming up, so I thought of getting him a tie or something simple."
"Great choice," the man said. "Anything particular about this friend of yours?"
Jet glanced around the display of ties, running his fingers over a few before looking back at the salesman.
"My friend's more on the serious side," he said. "Dark colors, clean designs. He's not the flashy type."
The man nodded knowingly. "A sophisticated style, then. Is he in business?"
"Something like that," Jet replied vaguely. "He works a lot, but he still carries himself well—always neat, always composed."
The salesman chuckled as he picked out a few options. "Sounds like quite the gentleman. Close friend?"
Jet hummed. "I guess you could say that. We met by chance, but we've been talking more recently."
"Ah," the man said, a glint of amusement in his eye. "And you're here, carefully picking out something that suits his exact style? That doesn't sound like just any friend."
Jet shot him a look. "What are you saying?"
The man held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing, nothing. No need to get defensive." He grinned. "If he's that polished, have you thought about a collar chain or a pocket brooch instead? Something subtle, but elegant?"
Jet hesitated, eyeing the display case. The ties were nice, but a collar chain or brooch would suit Han better—something small, yet refined. He leaned in, scanning the options before pointing at a sleek silver chain with a minimalist design.
"This one," he said. "It'll go well with the suits he wears."
The salesman nodded in approval. "Excellent choice. It's a classy touch—not over-the-top, but it makes a statement."
Jet paid for the gift, ignoring the man's knowing smirk. As he walked out of the store, he shook his head to himself.
'More than a friend?' He scoffed internally. Please.
But as he glanced down at the small gift bag in his hand, he couldn't quite shake the thought.
Jet hurried back just as his mother was finishing up at the counter.
"Mum! Do you think Minah would like these dresses?" he asked, holding up his selections.
Von glanced at them, then let out a soft laugh. "She already has all of these, dear. I bought them for her a few months ago."
Jet blinked, then chuckled, shaking his head. "Guess I know her taste, then."
Von smiled warmly as they stepped out of the store together. He didn't mind—it just meant his sister would love whatever he picked next.
Jet set the paper bag aside as he stepped into his home. Autumn was approaching, bringing with it crisp air and golden leaves—and Han's birthday.
That distant dream lingered in his mind, one he hadn't forgotten at all.