Chapter 27: Revelations and Ice Cream

Tokyo's summer heat clung to my skin like a second layer as I slunk into the office, avoiding coworkers' raised eyebrows. The department head waved off my apology bento with a knowing smirk. "Just keep Shangguan's… *enthusiasm*… out of HR reports," he muttered. 

Zhongjing's doorbell chimed three days later. "Airline stocks crashing from your spontaneous trips?" She blocked the doorway, arms crossed. "Where's your billionaire shadow?" 

"Working." I shoved past her, clutching a peace offering of Okinawan pineapple cake. 

Her interrogation began over instant ramen. "Spill. How many rounds?" 

The noodles turned to ash in my mouth. "Once. Sort of." 

"*Sort of*?" 

"He… stopped." My cheeks burned. "Midway." 

Zhongjing's chopsticks clattered. "The playboy heir *stopped*? For *you*?" 

--- 

The office became our clandestine playground. Zhi materialized at my desk, a contract in hand. "Clause 7-B needs… clarification." His finger traced nonsense circles on the page. 

"Sir," I hissed as his lips grazed my ear, "we're in public." 

"Then stop wearing that perfume." His smirk widened. "Or don't." 

Akira's call saved me. "Dinner at Kei's," Zhi announced, pocketing his phone. "Prepare for interrogation." 

--- 

Kei's penthouse buzzed with champagne and whispered scandals. By the floor-to-ceiling windows, Dr. Iwata—Kazuko—cornered me with forensic precision. 

"Frequency? Duration?" She swirled her martini. 

Ice cream dripped down my wrist. "We're… pacing ourselves." 

Kei choked. "*Pacing*? Zhi? The man who—" 

"—values quality over quantity," Zhi interjected, materializing like smoke. He licked vanilla off my thumb. "Though midnight snacks tempt me." 

The room erupted in catcalls. I burned crimson. 

Later, tangled in silk sheets, his breath warmed my neck. "They're wrong, you know." 

"About?" 

"What I need." Moonlight caught his childhood scar—a jagged line along his jaw. "When you've starved half your life," he murmured, "you learn to savor every bite." 

I turned, finding his eyes darker than Tokyo's midnight sky. "Even if it takes years?" 

His laugh vibrated through me. "Especially then."