Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 87

The Only Record That Matters

The clock on the wall of the Korea Yakult Office finally ticked past 6:00 PM.

Aen closed the last spreadsheet on her monitor, the familiar hum of the office quietening as her colleagues began to head out.

Since the incident months ago on her route, the CEO's decision to move her to admin had felt like a bittersweet sanctuary-safe, stable, but a constant reminder of how much her life had shifted.

Although she still sometimes missed the rhythm of the streets, she reached for her bag, smoothing out her professional blouse.

She didn't have to worry about sun-faded fabric or the weight of the Yakult Mobile cart anymore, but the transition into the corporate side of the company still felt like a bridge she was learning to cross.

​When she stepped out of the building, the cool evening air of Seoul met her.

She blended in with the sea of office workers heading toward the subway, but she wasn't heading for the station.

Waiting in the designated pickup zone was a familiar car.

​Yoongi was standing right by the fender, his tall frame leaning back against the metal.

He was still in the simple, dark trousers and jacket from his service shift, looking like any other man waiting for the person he loved.

He had his phone in one hand, but the moment the doors moved, his head snapped up.

To any passerby or lurking paparazzi, it was just a man picking up his fiancée after work-but neither of them cared who was watching.

Aen slowed her pace for just a second, a small, breathless smile tugging at her lips.

Even after all this time, the sight of him standing there so openly-unmasked, unbothered by the stares of the people walking by-felt like a miracle.

He didn't wave or make a scene; he simply straightened up, his eyes locking onto hers with a quiet, "there you are" intensity.

​As she walked toward him, he didn't move to get back inside.

He waited until she was right in front of him.

​"Hi, Jagi," he murmured, his voice a low vibration that seemed to settle the entire busy street around them.

"Hi, Yoonie," she whispered back.

He reached out to take her bag, his fingers brushing hers for a brief, grounding second before he walked her around to the passenger side.

He opened the door with a steady hand, his eyes never leaving hers.

​He waited until she was settled, his hand resting briefly on the top of the door frame as he took one last look at her-making sure she was really there-before closing the door with a firm, protective click.

Ever since they had returned from her birthday trip in the Philippines months ago, this had become their new normal: a public servant picking up a corporate admin worker, their soulmate bond lived out in the open air of Seoul.

It was Yoongi's way of ensuring Aen was safe, a silent promise that she would never be harassed again after the incident he had personally witnessed.

​"How was the desk today?" Yoongi asked as he climbed in, his voice softening as he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

​"Quiet," Aen admitted, her seatbelt already buckled.

"I still catch myself checking the weather for my old route, then remembering I don't have to worry about the rain anymore. It's... different."