{Kai}
Kai stood outside the door, frozen.
The polished surface reflected the corridor lights faintly, layering his own face over the room beyond, pale and unreal. Inside, May sat on the edge of the bed, shoulders drawn inward, fingers worrying the fabric of the blanket as if it might anchor her to something solid. Her voice lingered in memory, fragile yet unyielding.
"Who… who is he?"
It was not meant for him.
That absence settled deep, cold and precise, erasing without cruelty, leaving nothing to fight against.
Kai's hand lifted slightly before he stopped himself.
He did not touch the door.
He did not step inside.
He did not give in to the instinct that urged him to reclaim a space she no longer recognized.
Control mattered.
He turned away, footsteps silent against the carpet, and descended the corridor. Mr Jin straightened at the sight of him, already reading the tension in his posture.
"Sir…"
"Not now," Kai said quietly.
The elevator doors closed without ceremony. In the mirrored interior, Kai caught his reflection, saw the faint crease between his brows, and smoothed it away. Composed again, at least outwardly, he rode down in silence.
***
The next day unfolded without him. That was what it felt like.
From the hotel's private lounge overlooking the entrance, Kai watched May step inside, William at her side. Sunlight spilled through the glass facade, catching in her hair and softening the guarded lines of her expression. She looked lighter than the night before, less braced.
William leaned close, speaking softly. She laughed a sound that carried farther than it should have.
Kai's fingers tightened around the porcelain cup. The bitterness on his tongue had nothing to do with the coffee.
Distance folded neatly into restraint. Restraint into patience.
He did not approach her.
He did not intercept the elevator.
He did not claim the space she had moved through without him… at first.
He rose, adjusted his cufflinks, and walked toward them.
***
They returned to the hotel in the early afternoon.
Kai felt her presence before he saw her. The air shifted, tightening subtly as May stepped into the lobby beside William. He stood near the reception desk, posture relaxed in a way that was entirely deliberate.
His gaze lifted and found her immediately.
Her steps slowed. His stomach contracted in a subtle twist he would not name.
William stiffened. "What are you doing here?"
Kai's mouth curved faintly. "I could ask you the same."
He noted how she flinched at the sound of his voice, how the scarf at her neck slid nervously as if it mattered.
"Did you enjoy your morning?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, uncertain why her voice felt small. "Thank you."
"For what?"
She hesitated. "For… the arrangements. The room."
"You do not owe me gratitude," Kai replied evenly, watching her reactions with careful attention.
William stepped forward. "She also does not owe you anything else."
Kai's gaze flicked to him, sharp and dismissive. "I was not speaking to you."
The air tightened between them, pressing against Kai's chest. Every subtle movement, every pause, was amplified in his awareness.
"I am tired," May said suddenly. "I think I will go upstairs."
"Of course," Kai said without hesitation. "Mr Jin will escort you."
William opened his mouth to object, but May shook her head slightly. She did not want another argument.
Kai watched her go, noting the curve of her shoulders, the way her steps carried both confidence and fragility. How much he had lost, how much still remained within reach, he catalogued it all silently, storing tension like a blade against his ribs.
***
Later, in the privacy of his suite, Kai made a decision.
The room was immaculate, the city stretching beneath him in controlled patterns of light and motion. He pressed a button.
"Mr Jin," he said. "Arrange dinner for this evening. Private. Discreet."
"Yes, sir. For two?"
Kai hesitated.
"Yes. Send an invitation to Miss May's room. Written. No pressure. She may decline."
"Understood."
He leaned back, eyes closing for a single measured breath. Negotiating hostile takeovers had felt easier than this.
***
Minutes later, the envelope arrived at her room.
Cream paper. Clean script. No excess.
Dinner. 8 PM. Private room.
Kai.
Nothing else. No explanation. No expectation.
Kai did not force himself to watch for her reply. He stood at the window instead, the sky deepening toward evening, traffic streaming below, a world still indifferent to the tension within his chest.
When Mr Jin returned, Kai did not turn.
"She has accepted, sir."
Kai nodded once. Accepted. Not eager. Not resistant. Just willing.
It should not have mattered. It did.