One of the rooms inside Giselle’s penthouses acts as her home office.

Karina hated the idea, but it did make sense to set up one since most of the time, Giselle prefers to stay coped in her room rather than visit their branches, or even stay in her own private office from their main headquarters.

Plus, Yuri tends to make Giselle work even at night (Karina would always make remarks about it when she’s given the chance), and not having an actual office was just never ergonomic. 

Karina recalls all the times Giselle would whine about back pain, working on her laptop in bed, or in her couch.

It was one of those late nights when Giselle had to review some key performance indicators for one of their remote branches, and Karina had stopped checking in on her after four attempts.

Giselle glanced briefly at the wall clock above her desk, before standing up and stretching for a bit. She glanced around the room looking for her phone, which she tends to disregard when she’s nose-deep in paperwork.

2 missed calls, and 10 unread text messages.

Giselle can’t help but smile when she sees that it was all from Winter’s Kakaotalk.

She opens the missed call notification to see that the first attempt was an hour ago, and the latest one was just 5 minutes ago.

She opens the messages and smiles at what she sees.

8:45 PM Kim Minjeong: sorry! i accidentally dialed your number when i was hovering at your profile

8:45 PM Kim Minjeong: i mean, i was just checking if you’re online and i accidentally hit the call button

8:45 PM Kim Minjeong: but looks like you’re busy…

8:45 PM Kim Minjeong: sorry!

11:02 PM Kim Minjeong: jimin unnie says you’re still working, have you eaten dinner yet?

11:02 PM Kim Minjeong: ummm sorry for saying sorry

1:46 AM Kim Minjeong: ok that one wasn’t an accident, i did call you this time, just wanted to check in and see if you’re still working…

1:46 AM Kim Minjeong: it looks like u are

1:47 AM Kim Minjeong: im being a bother… ummm

1:55 AM Kim Minjeong: pls eat something when u can?

Giselle hits the call button, chuckling when she hears Winter cursing on the other line, and the sounds of the phone falling.

After a few seconds, it seems like Winter got her phone back.

"He-Hello?"

"Hello, Minjeongie." Giselle walks over to the glass window overlooking the city lights.

"Hi! Hi, unnie. I- how are you?" 

"I've been feeling a bit stressed, but now that I heard your voice, I feel so much better."

Giselle scrunched her eyebrows when she didn't get a response, opting to look at the phone screen to see if the call is still connected. 

"Are you there?"

"Yes, yes, sorry, yes I'm here." Comes Winter's response, before a loud yell which sounds like it's coming from another room, hits Giselle's eardrum.

"Minjeong unnie stop squealing like a pig! I'm sleeping!!"

"Shut up Yi Zhuo!"

"Sorry about that, I was-well, umm, have you eaten yet?"

Giselle glanced at the clock again, it was almost two in the morning.

"No, not yet. Why are you still awake?"

"I was waiting—well, it's Saturday night, technically Sunday morning. Can afford to stay late." Winter chuckles.

"Oh yeah?" Giselle walks over to her table to grab her keys and heads to her closet to grab a coat. "I'm feeling hungry, can you join me for an early breakfast?"

"Like—now?" Winter's voice was laced with confusion.

"Yeah, I was planning on just sleeping it off, but since you can't stop talking about eating, figured I should eat something."

"Su-sure. Umm, should I drop by your place? Well, I haven't been to your place so I don't know where it is but I guess if you send me your address I can call a taxi and drop by and cook you something?" Winter rambles.

"You're going to cook for me?" Giselle asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Yeah, well, you probably have your own personal chef but I'm a pretty good cook too!" Winter laughs, hustling in the background, probably getting dressed to head over to Giselle's.

Giselle was quiet for a few moments, thinking about when was the last time someone cooked for her.

Even with their business in the food industry and her sister Yuri being a well-known chef, Giselle has not eaten a home-cooked meal since forever. It would always be eating out somewhere, or grabbing takeaways whenever Karina craves something, but she can't recall the last time someone used her kitchen.

It was probably her, back when she still loves to cook.

Shaking her trip to memory lane, she started heading down the building, pressing the elevator keys with her phone still in her ear.

"I'll pick you up. Are you getting dressed?" Giselle asked instead.

"You're gonna—wait, how far away are you from my place?" Winter asked, voice a bit far from the phone, probably still getting ready. "I'll just call a taxi so you don't have to drive."

"I'm already walking to my car, Minjeongie. I'll be there in 20. Wait for me?" Giselle stops in front of her car, waiting for the other's confirmation.

"Oh-um okay, okay. I'll wait for you then? Take care, unnie." 

—

Giselle should have started counting the oohs and ahhs the moment Winter entered her place.

It's fascinating, really. Winter's wide-eyed gaze and amused smile.

Giselle thinks that if she can bottle it up, it'll probably be the cure for depression.

Giselle drops the paper bags into her kitchen counter, to which Winter assisted right away.

"I'm surprised. How can you have this place and have an empty pantry?" Winter asked, mostly teasing.

"It wouldn't make sense for me to store anything that needs cooking." Giselle shrugged.

"Well, I was hoping to cook you something- more.... more edible." Winter paused. "Are you sure you'd want to eat ramyeon?" Winter asked again.

"It's the only thing we can buy at this hour," Giselle assures. "If you're going to make a regular appearance in my kitchen, I'll have to make sure it's never empty, then." Giselle adds.

Winter blushed at the idea. 

A regular appearance in Aeri-unnie's kitchen? Like—like living here??

Winter clears at the thought. 

"Umm okay, well, I make the best ramyeon so you won't regret it." Winter smiles. 

Giselle watched as Winter moved back and forth, grabbing things left and right, preparing the best ramyeon she won't regret.

It's almost domestic. Winter in her la