After a night tossing and turning with too many unnamable emotions, Sea woke up earlier than usual. Just as he stepped into the lobby of the publishing house, he detoured into the small coffee shop on the ground floor and ordered himself an iced caramel macchiato. While rummaging through his wallet for his card, a slender hand suddenly reached over the counter from behind.

"One iced americano as well, pleae" came Jimmy's low, familiar voice—calm, composed, unmistakably him.

Sea spun around. For a brief moment, his eyes lit up—unable to hide the joy blooming inside him.

"Good morning, Hia Jim," Sea greeted, his voice gentler than usual. The blush rising on his cheeks had nothing to do with the weather.

Jimmy raised a brow and offered a faint smile without saying anything more. Perhaps he was already used to that nickname from Sea—a name not too special, yet only Sea used it, and only for him.

As they waited for their coffees, Jimmy tilted his head to look at him.
"Did you sleep well, Nong? Had breakfast yet?"

Sea nodded, lips pressed tight to keep his grin from showing.
"I ate. Just a bit of trouble sleeping."

"And who might've kept you up, hmm..." Jimmy murmured teasingly, casting a playful glance his way.

They shifted the conversation toward the upcoming meeting. The topics were simple—reporting highlights, which authors needed more promotion—but the atmosphere between them was something else entirely. Still Jimmy and Sea—editor-in-chief and intern—but every word carried a softness, an intimacy, like the hush of early morning wind. Even if they were talking shop, it felt like the two of them were in a world of their own.

When the drinks were set on the counter, Sea handed Jimmy his iced americano and happily took his own caramel macchiato. He sipped it, the sweetness blooming on his tongue—cool, comforting—so sweet it made the corners of his lips curl up without thinking. He squinted, looking for all the world like a kid got their favourite toy.

Watching Sea's expression, Jimmy chuckled.
"Is it that good?"

Sea nodded eagerly.
"This is the best drink they have here! Do you wanna try Hia Jim?"

Without hesitation, he scanned the counter for another straw for Jimmy. Sea really wanted to share this sweetness with him—not just the caramel flavour, but the warm, fluttery feeling of saying, "Here, try this," to someone he liked.

But before he could pick one, his hand holding the cup was gently pulled back.

A touch—not harsh, not hurried, but firm. Jimmy's fingers wrapped around Sea's slender wrist.

Startled, Sea turned his head, but before he could say anything, he watched as Jimmy leaned in and took a sip straight from the very straw Sea had just used.

Sea froze, his wrist still in Jimmy's hand, his eyes trailing the way Jimmy closed his eyes for a beat as the caramel hit his tongue, how he drew back, licked his lips, and smiled like he was savouring something meant just for him.

Sea quickly glanced around—luckily, no one seemed to notice. But Jimmy's nonchalant gesture had him blushing all the way to his ears.

Jimmy leaned back, smacked his lips playfully.
"Way too sweet. Only kid like you would like it."

Sea looked away from his gaze but couldn't stop the grin stretching across his face.

His wrist was still held gently in Jimmy's hand.

Jimmy let go after a few seconds, as casually as if nothing unusual had happened. Then he strolled toward the elevator, and Sea followed, almost on instinct.

As they walked, Sea found himself wondering: was the sweetness in his mouth from the caramel, from Jimmy's gaze, or from that gentle touch just now? Whatever the answer...

Kumaumi was still the same.
But his heart? It wasn't yesterday's heart anymore.

The monthly editorial meeting began with Sea's report, prepared well in advance.

"New Dawn was reprinted two weeks ago and has already sold out in some flagship stores," Sea began, his voice clear and composed. "Reader feedback has been positive, and several distributors have reached out to request more copies. I'll be sending a survey to major bookstores this week to estimate the quantity needed for a second reprint."

Jimmy glanced over the numbers, brow furrowed.
"If the figures are checked out, I'll talk to sales department. I told them from the start—twenty thousand copies minimum. But no, they wanted to test the waters with five. And now look—guess who's making the calls to get another run?"

Sea smiled slightly and continued,
"E-book purchases also spiked last week—likely thanks to the buzz about the TV adaptation later this year. As for Day's next novel—Against the Wind—it's in its second round of revisions. If nothing major changes, we could have a first draft ready by the end of the quarter."

The room was quiet for a moment after he finished. Then, nods of approval began to ripple around the table. Considering the workload—especially for an intern—Sea's performance was undeniably impressive.

Previously, rumors had swirled about Sea and Day's connection, raising questions about favoritism from Jimmy. But today, watching Sea present calmly, with solid numbers and neatly prepared progress charts, those whispers seemed to dissolve on their own.

Jimmy might've been Day's direct editor, but results spoke for themselves. And to pull together a report this complete and convincing—it was clear that not just Sea, but Jimmy, too, had spent many late nights working side by side, in an office lit only by desk lamps and the scent of half-finished coffee.

This path—every editor in the room had walked it.
And because of that, no one wanted to discount the effort they knew had gone in.

As Sea wrapped up, Jimmy nodded.
"Good. Next—personnel. Starting next month, Sea will officially be joining our team as a full-time staff member."

No one objected.

A few even smiled and nodded their congratulations.

Sea bowed slightly, voice soft:
"Thank you for your trust."

Before the meeting ended, Sea opened another report.

"These are five new authors I analyzed this past week," he said, changing the slides. "Based on social media engagement, individual publishing revenue, content quality, and long-term growth potential, Fire seems to be the most promising."

Nods again. Fire was a well-known young writer from the online fiction community with a loyal fanbase. Though none of his works had been officially published, their quality was beyond doubt.

Jimmy agreed,
"Here's the issue. We've got four lead editors in this department. But with P'Jan and P'Yu still on maternity leave, we're short-handed. Anyone got room to take on one more author?"

Silence.

Glances shifted across the room—then slowly settled in one direction.

Everyone was already juggling two, maybe three writers. The end of the quarter was always brutal—manuscript revisions piling high. Taking on someone new now was like signing up for a one-way ticket to hell.

And then, almost naturally, all eyes landed at the end of the table—on Sea.

He looked up, startled, eyes flicking to Jimmy for some kind of sign, some kind of guidance. But instead of the thoughtful frown he expected, he was met with Jimmy's faint smile—arms crossed, voice steady:

"Then Fire will be Sea's responsibility. Tek, you're wrapping up the manuscript with K'Mai, right? Help Sea out if he needs anything."

Sea blinked, caught off guard.

He... wasn't going to work directly with Jimmy anymore?

He had gotten so used to Jimmy's guidance—his quiet corrections, his eye for detail...

Sea had grown used to Jimmy's calm presence whenever he felt unsure, to the gaze that always followed without ever pressuring.

Sea thought — Jimmy would continue to lead you, just as he always had.

There was no reason to object. Sea knew well, especially in a workplace setting, where everything had to be clear-cut and fair. This was a chance for him to grow, to prove himself as a true editor. It was a sign of trust from everyone.

But... why did it feel like there was a small empty space in his heart, as if someone had gently untied a string connecting Sea to Jimmy before he even had the chance to hold on? Somewhere deep within Sea, he still hoped that the first project he was solely in charge of, would have his Hia Jim's imprint on it.

That night, Sea sat in the passenger seat of Jimmy's car. On the way, Jimmy didn't say much. He just glanced over from time to time, as if waiting for Sea to speak up.

But Sea stayed silent.

Only when the car stopped in front of a noodle shop — the familiar wonton and char siu noodle place — did Sea chuckle:

"Still this place?"

Jimmy smiled, resting his arm on the steering wheel.

"First time taking my new boyfriend out, I can only take him to eat his favorite dish. Besides, last time we came here, you were still the editor-in-chief's intern... this time, you're the editor-in-chief's boyfriend. Does that make it more nerve-wracking?"

Sea blushed.

"Can you not bring cheesy lines from novels into real life please..."

They went in, still sitting at the small table by the window. The weather today was rather pleasant. A light breeze slipped through the window slats, easing the heat of the midday sun. The aroma of the broth filled the space, as if bringing with it memories of the old days.

Jimmy rested his chin on his hand, watching Sea while waiting for the noodles.

"Actually... I vaguely remember your face from the very first time."

Sea looked up, eyes wide.

Jimmy gave a faint smile.

"It's not every day a silly kid forgets to eat before an exam and ends up being carried to the infirmary."

"I just didn't expect that same kid... had liked me since then."

Sea blushed instantly.

Jimmy nudged him gently.

"Hey, I didn't say anything that bad. Why is your face so red? What if I say something even cheesier next time, what will you do, little one?"

Sea muttered:

"If you keep teasing me, I won't eat."

Jimmy burst out laughing.

Just then, two steaming bowls of noodles were brought out. Sea lowered his head to pick up his first bite, and a strange warmth bloomed in his chest.

Still the same old table. Still the familiar scent.

But this time, the noodles tasted better — because across from him sat the man he had silently watched throughout his youth.

And now — someone he could openly sit with, chat idly, be teased by, and laugh with like this.

No more poetic words needed. Dinner was already perfect.

When they stepped out of the noodle shop, the night breeze blew by with a gentle chill that eased Sea's heart a little. He walked closely behind Jimmy, lightly rubbing his full belly, though it was his heart that still fluttered — not from the food, but from the lingering thoughts of that morning's meeting, thoughts that hadn't yet settled into words.

Jimmy walked ahead, then suddenly stopped. The streetlight cast a glow on his face as he looked down at his phone. His brows furrowed slightly.

Sea quickly stepped up beside him, worry in his voice:

"Is something wrong?"

Jimmy didn't answer right away. He just shook his head slightly, put his phone away, and continued walking.

"It's nothing. Let's go."

They walked in silence for a short while. Only their footsteps and the whisper of the night wind through the trees filled the air. As they neared the car, Jimmy suddenly stopped and turned to Sea.

"I need to grab a manuscript from the bag in the trunk. Can you help me get it?"

"Ok," Sea replied, quickly circling to the back of the car. The trunk popped open with a soft click.

But the first thing Sea saw wasn't the laptop bag he expected.

It was... a bouquet of roses. Wrapped in sky-blue paper, tied with a white ribbon, neat and delicate — just like his Jimmy.

Sea stood frozen. His heart skipped a beat.

Before he could turn around, Jimmy stepped up and gently placed the bouquet in his hands. His hand touched Sea's — steady and strangely tender.

"For you," Jimmy said, voice low and full of affection, "No need to count. There are exactly 50 roses."

Sea held the bouquet, staring at him in bewilderment, unsure how to react.

"What's... the special occasion?"

"Guess."

"Congratulations for me becoming a full-time employee?"

Jimmy chuckled softly and shook his head.

"No. If it were just that, I wouldn't have chosen roses."

Sea looked at him, increasingly puzzled. But Jimmy took a step closer, lowered his head, and gently touched his forehead to Sea's, looking straight into his eyes.

"I'm doing something very cheesy," he said softly. "Can't you tell?"

Sea shook his head, his cheeks already tinged pink.

Jimmy smiled and scratched the back of his head— a rare smile tinged with shyness — the kind of adorable nervousness Sea never imagined he'd see in the usually composed, stoic man.

"I love seeing you smile each morning reading my little post-it notes, love the way you frown with worry just because I skipped a meal, love the way you tilt your head while carefully editing every line of a manuscript."

"And today, I wanted to do one more cheesy thing: give flowers to the one I love."

Jimmy gently gripped Sea's wrist, his eyes shining under the streetlamp.

"50 roses — I promise to love you unconditionally."

"I can't promise to solve all your problems, but I'll be here. By your side. Through every challenge."

"There will be times I become stubborn, times we won't understand each other, maybe even fight. But I want us to always sit down, talk, and work through it together."

He took a breath, then said, slowly and surely:

"Nong Sea... I like you. Will you give me the chance to be your boyfriend?"

Sea looked down at the bouquet in his arms, then at the man standing before him — the once quiet, distant, hard-to-read man...

Now standing here, sincere, gentle, and so full of love that Sea's heart melted a little more with each word.

He lightly tightened his hold on the ribbon, feeling as if every petal pulsed in sync with his heartbeat.

Jimmy gazed at him, his eyes soft and deep.

"I've always let my actions speak. But from now on, everything I do — for you, for your future — I want you to feel it through both words and heart. Whatever you want — even cheesy things like flowers — if it's for you, I want to do it."

"Because I want you to truly feel... my love."

Sea looked up. His eyes rimmed red — not from tears, but from emotions welling up so full they nearly spilled over.

He had never imagined that the little fish who once quietly watched the stars... would one day be given flowers and hear words of love from the very star he admired.

Jimmy gently stroked his hair, his eyes coaxing:

"Don't cry. And don't stay silent either. Are you still thinking it over?"

Then, as if to break the swelling emotion in the air, he straightened up, wearing that familiar teasing confidence:

"Technically speaking, I'm your boss. You should take this chance to win me over, no?"

"Personally, I'd say I'm good-looking enough — otherwise, you wouldn't have stared at me so much back in uni."

"I don't have any bad habits. Except for sometimes erratic eating and overworking."

"I've got a little sister who lives abroad with our parents. So if you marry me, living with your mother-in-law—"

Before he could finish that last sentence, Sea quickly covered his mouth. If he let him go on, who knew how many more embarrassing things he'd say. Then he giggled, and suddenly threw his arms around him...

"You knew I've liked you for a long time already..."

"Baby, that's a separate matter. You've liked me for a long time so what? I still haven't heard you say it to my face. Even Day has heard you say it."

"That... It's not like I said it directly that I liked you..."

"I don't care. Bottom line is, today you must give me an answer."

Sea nudged his head against Jimmy's shoulder, then slowly lifted his head and leaned in close to his ear.
"I like you," he said, soft as a breeze but firm in every word. "I have for a very long time. So much that I couldn't possibly count."

Jimmy tightened his arm around Sea's waist, one hand gently ruffling his hair with affection.
"Yes. My Nong Sea."

The two of them laughed together in that tight embrace. Beneath the cool night sky, Jimmy's words of love etched themselves deep into Sea's heart. Whatever the future might hold, in this moment alone... it was already enough to make Sea feel like the happiest person in the world.