Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 90

The Midnight Flight

​The digital clock on the wall of the Gangnam-gu government office seemed to move in slow motion.

For the rest of the world, Yoongi was currently a dedicated Social Service Agent finishing his shift, but for the man himself, every passing second was a mechanical countdown.

​He had guarded this secret for seven grueling days.

Seven days of biting his tongue whenever Aen asked him if they should hunt for rings again.

He had already found the one-the Darry Ring that required a man's ID for a lifetime commitment-but he couldn't say it yet.

Seven days of him secretly packing their shared suitcase, piece by piece, without Aen noticing a single missing item in their home.

It had been a highly tactical, covert mission—sneaking her favorite travel garments into a duffel bag hidden securely in the back of the closet, all while they living seamlessly under the same roof.

​When 6:00 PM finally arrived, Yoongi clocked out with a quiet efficiency.

He shed the skin of his public service and stepped into his car, the weight of the secret finally ready to be offloaded.

He pulled up to the front of Aen's office building right on time, just as he did every day.

Despite the lingering fatigue from his own day, he climbed out of the car as usual and leaned against the passenger door, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the exit.

He didn't care if a few passersby recognized him; his focus was entirely on the glass doors.

He watched her walk through the glass doors, her shoulders slightly slumped from a long day of content management.

She looked like she was ready for nothing more than a quiet night of takeout and a movie.

​Yoongi didn't wait for her to reach him.

He straightened up and stepped forward, the tired lines around his eyes softening.

As she approached, he reached out, taking her heavy work bag from her shoulder before she could even say hello.

​"Tired, Jagi?" he murmured, his voice a low, comforting rumble.

​"Exhausted," Aen admitted, offering him a small, grateful smile.

"I feel like I've been staring at spreadsheets for a century."

Yoongi didn't say a word.

He simply turned and opened the passenger door for her, holding it steady as he waited for her to settle in.

It was a small gesture, one he never skipped, but today it felt like the start of something much bigger.

​"So, what's the plan for tonight, Yoon?" Aen asked as he climbed into the driver's seat.

She was already reaching down to unstrap her heels.

"I was thinking we could finally look at those jewelry catalogs again. If we don't pick a ring soon, we're going to be walking down the aisle with plastic ones."

​Yoongi felt a familiar spark of mischief as he started the engine.

"I think we can put the catalogs away for the weekend. I already have a 'meeting' set up, Jagi."

Aen's eyes fluttered open, her exhaustion momentarily replaced by a spark of curiosity.

"A meeting? Tonight?"