"Sometimes the silence between two hearts is louder than a thousand screams."
The rooftop was silent, the wind tugging softly at Mira's hair as she stood still, watching him. Leo's words lingered in the air like fragile glass, trembling on the edge of breaking. His eyes, raw and desperate, begged her for something—anything—that would tell him he hadn't bared his soul for nothing.
But Mira's lips curved ever so slightly, and then she shook her head.
"No."
The word struck him like a blade. For a moment, Leo's breath caught, his throat tightening until he thought he might choke. His fists curled helplessly at his sides. He wanted to scream, to demand how she could reject him so easily, but before the fire could rise in him, Mira's voice continued, steady, almost calm.
"No… not until I know the answers."
Leo blinked, stunned. "Answers?"
Mira stepped closer, her eyes sharp as they locked on his. "Why now, Youngjae? Why after all this time? You hated me, resented me, pushed me away every chance you got. Was it guilt? Was it loneliness? Or…" She leaned in, her voice a whisper that sliced through him. "Or do you truly mean it?"
Every question she asked, he tried to respond, but she didn't give him a chance. Her words rained down, one after the other, relentless.
"Would you still love me if I lost everything tomorrow? If my company fell, my name lost its weight—would I still matter to you?"
Leo opened his mouth, but Mira didn't stop.
"What about Jiwon? You've always put her above everything else. Wouldn't you hate me the moment she felt left out of your world? Could you balance us both? Or would you run again?"
Her eyes shimmered, not with anger but with fear—the kind she had buried under power and pride for too long. "Do you even understand what it means to choose me, Leo? To really choose me?"
The silence after her barrage was deafening. Leo's chest rose and fell rapidly, but his eyes never wavered from hers. Finally, in a voice low and raw, he whispered, "Yes. To all of it. Yes."
For a long heartbeat, Mira only studied him, her lips pressing into a thin line. Then, slowly, that sharp edge in her gaze softened. A faint smile tugged at her mouth, and she let out the smallest laugh.
"I was joking."
Leo's jaw dropped. "What—"
Before he could react further, Mira's hands reached up, pulling him into a soft embrace. Her voice was warm against his ear as she said, "Yes, Leo. My answer is yes."
He froze, then melted into her arms, his body trembling as though he was afraid she would vanish if he held too tightly. When she leaned back, their eyes locked, the world around them fading. And then, slowly, she kissed him. A kiss not born of anger or history, but of surrender.
🌙
Later that night, they walked side by side through the quiet streets, her hand slipping naturally into his. For the first time in years, Leo felt light. Alive. Whole. Mira led him toward his home, insisting on walking him back.
When they reached his house, Leo frowned. The windows were dark. Too dark.
"Strange," he muttered. "Jiwon should be—"
Before he could finish, the lights burst on.
"Happy Birthday!!"
Leo froze as his friend, his sister, his mother—and even Mira, who looked equally shocked—stood inside, smiling beneath strings of lights and balloons. His friend held up a cake, grinning ear to ear.
Leo's eyes widened. "It's… my birthday?"
They all laughed at his stunned expression, and for once, Mira laughed too, the sound unguarded and genuine. The night became one of warmth and joy, of cake smudges on cheeks and laughter that echoed through the walls. Mira stayed, too tired to leave, and for the first time, she fell asleep in his home, curled softly beside him.
🌙
The next morning, Leo's phone buzzed on the nightstand. Half-asleep, he reached out and squinted at the screen. A message from Mira.
Location shared. Come when you wake. Bring Jiwon too.
His brows furrowed. Mira always had this way of being mysterious, pulling him into things without explaining. Still, curiosity stirred in his chest. He glanced at Jiwon, who was brushing her hair in front of the mirror.
"Jiwon-ah… Mira sent this. Wants us both to come."
Jiwon turned, lips already curving. "Then what are you waiting for, oppa? Hurry. Maybe she's planning something special."
An hour later, the siblings stood before a tall building with polished glass windows and golden signage that shimmered in the early sunlight. It wasn't just a café—it looked like something from a dream. Modern, elegant, yet warm in its architecture, like it belonged to someone who wanted people to feel at home but also in awe.
"Oppa…" Jiwon's eyes widened. "This place looks like a movie set."
Leo blinked up at the building, hands shoved into his pockets. His throat tightened. "Mira… why are we here? This place looks expensive."
Before he could argue more, Mira stepped out from the glass doors, her heels clicking lightly against the marble floor inside before she crossed to them. Her smile carried mischief, but her eyes carried something deeper.
Without answering his question, she held out a sleek black folder. "Here."
Leo frowned, reluctantly taking it. "What's this now…?"
He opened it—and froze.
Licenses. Ownership papers. Everything was in his name. His name. His vision blurred for a second as though his mind couldn't register reality.
"Wait…" His voice cracked as his fingers tightened around the folder. He looked at her sharply, almost accusingly. "Are you serious right now? This—this is mine? My café?"
Jiwon leaned over his arm, peering at the documents. Her grin spread wider and wider until she practically bounced in excitement. She slapped his arm and shouted, "Yes, oppa! It's yours! Look—it says your name! Choi Youngjae!"
Leo's mouth fell open. It felt too unreal. Too overwhelming. He looked from the folder to Mira, then back again, as though he might discover a hidden catch if he stared long enough.
"Mine…? For real? This isn't some prank?"
Mira laughed, light and melodic, pressing her hand to her lips. "No prank, Leo. It's all yours. Consider it… a gift. Or better, a dream finally made real."
He swallowed hard, still reeling. "You—you can't just give someone a café—"
But his voice broke again, strangled by disbelief.
That's when Jiwon, unable to hold back her excitement, reached up on tiptoes and pushed her tiny hand against his gaping mouth. "Oppa, close it. The mosquito will fly in."
Mira burst out laughing, and Jiwon joined in, the sound echoing like sunlight in the empty space. Even Leo cracked, laughter spilling through despite the lump in his throat.
He shook his head, ruffling Jiwon's hair, then looked at Mira again. "This is… really mine? Say it again. Please. I need to hear it."
Mira stepped closer, her smile softening, her voice steady. "It's yours, Leo. 100%. No strings, no tricks. Yours to build, yours to run, yours to dream with."
Something inside him snapped free—years of struggle, of doubt, of protecting Jiwon while sacrificing himself. His chest tightened, and before Mira could react, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her clean off the floor.
"Yaaah—Leo!" Mira squealed, laughter tumbling out as he spun her around in the middle of the café. Her hair swirled in the air, and her laughter rang like music against the high walls.
"Oppa, don't drop her!" Jiwon shrieked, clapping her hands and laughing until her cheeks turned red.
Leo's joy roared from his chest, louder than anything he'd let himself feel in years. "It's really mine… it's really mine!" he kept repeating, spinning Mira once more before finally setting her down, his eyes glassy with gratitude he couldn't yet put into words.
Mira looked up at him, her hands still resting lightly on his shoulders from being carried. "Yes, Leo. It's yours. And you deserve it more than anyone."
Leo lowered his gaze, unable to speak, his heart hammering so hard he thought it might burst. He glanced at Jiwon, who was nodding furiously, eyes shining with pride for him.
And for the first time in a long time, he let himself believe.
Leo set Mira down but still held her arms, his eyes darting back to the papers and then back at her face as if he couldn't trust either. "Is this… really mine? Mira, tell me the truth—this café… it's mine?"
Jiwon piped up before Mira could answer, bouncing on her toes with the brightest grin. "Yes, Oppa! It's yours! Finally, you'll have your own place. No more late-night shifts for other people."
Her voice cracked with excitement, and Leo turned to her, heart thundering. He couldn't stop himself—he swooped Jiwon up, hugging her tight, spinning her around just like he had with Mira. "My little sister… you knew about this?"
Jiwon giggled, clinging to his neck. "Of course! Mira-unnie told me to keep the secret. And now… Oppa has his dream."
Leo's eyes burned with tears, his laugh breaking as he held Jiwon tighter. "My dream…" He looked at Mira again, his voice trembling. "You did this for me?"
Mira only nodded softly, watching the siblings' embrace with warmth glowing in her eyes.
🌙
Months passed, and the café bloomed into life. Customers filled the space, laughter and warmth spilling out onto the streets. Mira and Leo married quietly, without the grandeur of her world but with a depth of love that needed no audience. Soon after, they welcomed their first child, a baby boy whose cry became the sweetest sound Leo had ever heard.
🌙
📅Year: 2028
Leo came home one evening, tired but content, his steps light as he entered the house. It was dark again. Too dark.
"Not again," he muttered with a smile.
The lights snapped on. But this time, there were no balloons, no cake. Just one simple message written across the window in bold letters:
"In happiness of another member in our house."
Leo's breath caught. His eyes widened. "No…"
He ran through the house, searching frantically until he found Mira standing with Jiwon by her side. His heart thudded against his ribs as he grabbed her shoulders. "Are you serious? Mira—tell me—are we having another baby?"
She smiled softly and nodded.
He asked again, his voice trembling. "Really?"
"Yes," she said.
He asked a third time, desperate, almost childlike. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes, Leo."
Overwhelmed, he laughed and cried at once, shouting, "Someone pinch me! I need to know this isn't a dream!"
Jiwon didn't hesitate. She pinched him—hard.
"Ouch!" he yelped, rubbing his arm. "I didn't say that hard!"
The room filled with laughter, Mira's included, and in that sound was every answer he had ever searched for.
And with that, their story ended—not with a goodbye, but with a forever.
The End .