Under the gentle glow of the setting sun and the ivory sky above, a young woman walked down a quiet street lined with elegant buildings and neatly paved sidewalks. Her long black hair swayed slightly with each step, and her gray coat billowed softly around her white shoes. But her face carried a troubled expression — as if she'd been lost in thought for a long time.
She lifted her bag and opened it, eyes drifting past the neatly arranged books and a beautiful umbrella tucked inside. Resting there was a coat — pure white, folded with care.
She stared at it for a moment, then looked away and let out a quiet sigh of surrender.
"Did I… steal that boy's coat? How am I supposed to return it to him… or even thank him… when I don't even know how to find him?" she thought.
Today had been strange from the very start.
She had left the house at dawn — quietly slipping out before anyone else had woken up. It was just past 6:00 a.m. when she boarded the bus, nearly two hours earlier than usual. She had planned to arrive early for two reasons: to study in the library… and to get away from home as fast as she could.
But the moment she arrived at the university, she realized she'd forgotten something essential — her lab coat. And without it, entering the lab was strictly forbidden.
Now she was stuck. Her early plans to study were ruined, and escaping home felt pointless. Without thinking, she rushed toward the return bus stop across the street, knowing she'd have to wait until the 8:00 a.m. bus arrived.
To kill time, she opened her phone and started reading one of her lessons, trying to distract herself from the mess her day had become.
At 8:00 sharp, she took the bus back home, hurried inside, ran up the stairs — and luckily, it seemed her siblings had already left for school. She grabbed the coat and rushed back down…
But just as she reached for the door, a familiar voice stopped her.
"Your first class is at eleven, right?"
Her body tensed. She looked down.
"…Yes, it is," she answered.
Her mother's voice came from behind the door, calm and expectant.
"Then help me open up the shop. You've got time before you need to leave."
Her expression tightened, but she didn't argue. She closed the door quietly and turned back.
"And that's why… I was late today," she thought.
Still, even with all the chaos, that didn't justify what she'd done.
"But even after all that… it doesn't excuse me taking that guy's coat and not returning it. Ugh, I feel like I know him… I just can't remember where from."
She let out another deep sigh and continued walking toward home.
On the other side of the street, directly across from her, the very same boy who had offered her his coat stepped out of a quiet house. He was carrying a small shopping basket, walking with his eyes downcast, lost in his own world.
"That's him. It's definitely him!" her heart shouted.
Without hesitation, she broke into a light jog, following him at a distance. But just as she caught up, he reached a charming house with a garage and quietly slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
"Well… I'm obviously not going to follow him inside. That'd be insane," she thought, standing frozen in front of the house. "But I really do want to give his coat back…"
Maybe I'll just go home first, change, and come back later…
---
About thirty minutes later, she was back in front of the same house.
This time, she wore a soft gray cardigan, and in her hand was a small paper bag — inside it, the folded white coat, now freshly washed and carefully placed. Her face, however, was a mix of anxiety and determination. She wasn't used to just walking up to someone's home… but today felt different.
Something inside her insisted: You have to return it tonight. No excuses.
"Come on, Seen… why are you even nervous? You're just returning his coat. That's it. Nothing to be scared of. He probably has class tomorrow… you'd only be helping him."
She took a deep breath, stood still for a moment, then slowly raised her hand and knocked on the door.
Moments later, the door opened to reveal a teenage boy with soft reddish-orange hair, bright black eyes, and a warm, friendly smile.
Caught off guard, she blinked in surprise. Maybe… his little brother? He's kind of adorable… Alright, I need to say something.
"Um… hi. Is your older brother home?"
---
As soon as he heard her words, his eyes widened slightly, and he turned around slowly, looking over his shoulder. She took a few steps closer.
After a brief pause of silence, he faced her, speaking with a mix of surprise and gentleness in his voice.
"Ah, yes… he's inside. Please, come in. But—are you sure you're looking for my brother and not my sister?"
She smiled softly. "Yes, your older brother. The one with the long black hair."
His eyes fluttered shut in shock before he smiled brightly. "Right, that's him. Please, go ahead."
He opened the door fully, and she stepped forward. Her gaze remained low the whole time. She quietly removed her shoes and set them to the side, then spoke in a calm, respectful tone.
"Hello..."
---
Meanwhile, inside, Noon was completely stunned.
Well, this was a first.
Before he could even react, he felt his mother's and sister's eyes boring into him. His sister grabbed him by the collar, whispering playfully and mischievously, "Oh my, brother… Who's this girl?"
Then she raised her voice just enough to tease.
"You've grown up enough to start bringing girls home, huh?"
Noon was completely flustered. He never expected—no, he couldn't have even imagined—that the girl he had lent his lab coat to earlier that morning would be standing in his doorway by evening. This was far beyond anything he could've anticipated.
And yet, there she was. That same girl. Standing at the entrance to his home.
"Hello!" she said suddenly.
The whole house felt like it froze for a moment.
Noon quickly stood up and replied, voice awkward and just a little too loud, "Ah—hey! It's you."
Everyone's eyes silently shifted between the two of them.
She answered, "Yeah… Um, you lent me your lab coat this morning. I couldn't find you on campus, so… I brought it to your house."
He walked toward her in a hurry, clearly uneasy. "Thanks… That really wasn't necessary. But—I'll take it."
He reached out quickly, grabbing the coat from her hands and already trying to retreat.
But just then, his mother's voice broke through. It was soft and warm, her long black hair and gentle black eyes framing her smile.
"Oh, thank you for bringing back my son's lost things. You're Ms. Asiya's daughter, right? Please, have a seat with us."
She shot a look at Noon. "And you—thank her properly, Noon."
Sin quickly responded, her voice polite but flustered. "There's really no need. I just came to return what I borrowed, and now I'll be going."
She paused for a moment, then added shyly, "Actually… I should be the one thanking him. He helped me a lot."
Noon's mother clasped her hands together, beaming. "Oh my, you're such a sweet girl."
She stepped forward, took Sin's hand, and gently led her toward the couches. Sin sat down stiffly, while Noon's mom gave out more orders with playful authority.
"You—sit here. And you—go bring something to drink."
Noon's sister smiled teasingly at Sin before heading into the kitchen. Their little brother darted upstairs, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Meanwhile, their mother took the paper bag with the coat from Noon's hands and followed after him to put it away.
And just like that, the two of them were left alone… in a heavy, awkward silence.
Neither of them had ever imagined themselves in a situation like this.
Noon sat uneasily, fidgeting in every direction on the couch. Across from him, Sin sat stiff as a statue, her thoughts screaming wildly inside her head.
It was—unbearably awkward.
Noon finally forced himself to speak, despite how awkward it felt. "Thanks. And… I'm sorry I couldn't find you at the university. I really did look everywhere."
Her voice was stiff and hesitant, dripping with shyness. "I—I looked for you too. I couldn't find you anywhere either. I'm sorry… You must've wasted so much time because of me."
He softened a little, his tone more relaxed now. "It's fine. I was the one who messed up from the start."
Her reply came more gently than before. "It wasn't your fault. I was the one rushing. From beginning to end, it was my mistake."
He opened his mouth to respond—but then stopped when he noticed his sister approaching.
She carried a tray with glasses of juice, a devilish smile dancing on her face. She set the drinks down on the table, then stared at Sin with glee for several long seconds.
Sin's face was glowing with embarrassment.
Then, Noon's sister looked back at him and grinned.
"So, dear brother… how long have you two been dating?"
---