The moment they landed in Seoul, Noa knew this trip would be a problem.
Not because of the language barrier. Not because of the work.
Because Ren Kurosawa had that look again.
The one where his grin was slightly too wide and his energy slightly too chaotic for a professional trip abroad.
"We're not here for vacation," Noa warned as they walked through the arrival gate.
Ren adjusted his bag, still smiling. "Of course not. Totally serious. Business mode."
"You said the same thing before getting kicked out of that sushi conveyor place."
"That was a misunderstanding. I was *encouraging rotation.*"
She rolled her eyes. Hard.
—
The real chaos didn't begin until they reached the hotel.
"Reservation under... Aizawa and Kurosawa," Noa told the front desk in English.
The receptionist typed, paused, and smiled brightly.
"Ah, yes! Honeymoon suite."
Noa blinked. "...What?"
Ren leaned forward. "Wait, did she say—?"
"Yes!" the receptionist continued. "One deluxe queen bed, rose petals, complimentary sparkling wine. Congratulations!"
Noa's soul left her body.
Ren looked like he'd won the lottery.
"I'm so sorry," Noa said quickly. "There must be a mistake. We're coworkers. Colleagues. From TV. Not—"
The receptionist tilted her head. "But your agency requested 'shared accommodation, one room, for Aizawa and Kurosawa.' We assumed... honeymoon."
Noa stared at her itinerary. The room number. The "romantic upgrade" checkbox someone had clearly marked.
She was going to kill whoever booked this.
"Maybe it's fine," Ren said casually. "I mean, it's just a room. With a bed. For sleep. Like professionals."
She turned to him slowly. "If you say 'like professionals' one more time, I will professionally throw you out a window."
He lifted his hands in surrender.
They signed the forms.
Took the elevator in awkward silence.
—
The room was beautiful.
Wooden flooring. Mood lighting. Big soft bed in the middle.
Heart-shaped chocolates on the pillow.
Noa stood in the doorway and whispered, "I want to die."
Ren flopped onto the bed with zero hesitation. "I want to live here."
"You are the *problem.*"
"You're just mad it's romantic."
"I'm mad I have to sleep near you."
He patted the space beside him. "Come on. Team-building."
Noa picked up a pillow and smacked him with it.
He laughed.
She didn't.
But her lips twitched—just a little.
—
Later that night, she lay on one side of the bed, arms stiff, staring at the ceiling. Ren was on the other side, wrapped in a blanket like a burrito, humming a BTS song off-key.
"This is not how normal business trips work," she muttered.
"Maybe we're not normal coworkers."
Noa stayed silent.
Because he was right.
And worse?
She didn't mind it.
Not really.