Noah's days followed a predictable rhythm, as he immersed himself in what he loved.
He worked regularly, interacted with all sorts of customers, and occasionally experimented with new flavors.
But something strange had been happening. Every time he came home, Ethan seemed to be even more clingy than before.
While they hadn't crossed any lines, Ethan's attempts at conversation had definitely increased... a lot.
Noah wasn't sure if it was because he had gradually gotten used to it, but at this point, he figured he could handle it.
On the other hand, Felix sat with his chin resting on his intertwined hands, watching Sam and Alice chat up close.
Felix's mouth moved, though no sound came out—he was clearly mouthing, "Bitch."
Though Felix and Sam had similar work capabilities, for some reason, most of the time Sam was the one liaising with Alice.
"Why do you look so tired?" Felix felt a warm hand press gently against his forehead, accompanied by the familiar scent of wood.
"I just didn't rest well," Felix replied, sitting up and leaving a red imprint on his hand from the pressure.
"Why don't you take a day off? Alice can handle things. The two of us together can manage for one day," the voice suggested.
Felix wasn't about to give that little temptress Alice a chance to be alone with Sam.
With a warm smile, Felix said, "Come on, let's grab some food together."
He casually threw an arm around Alice's shoulder. "I'll treat you to something interesting today."
"Hey, aren't we waiting for Sam?"
"He can walk on his own."
As Felix's voice faded, he didn't give Alice a chance to turn back and simply pulled her away.
Felix refused to let Sam have any more friends in the office.
After dinner, when they returned, Sam placed a hand on Felix's slightly protruding stomach. "Eating like this—planning to work all the way through tomorrow?"
Felix smacked Sam's hand away. "Don't touch there. And right now, the three of us don't need to work overtime."
Sam withdrew his hand obediently.
"I still have some things to take care of. I'm going to head up first."
As Sam reached into his pocket, the sound of crinkling foil caught Felix's attention.
"What's this you're carrying?" Felix asked, grabbing the package and opening it.
It was digestive tablets.
"I brought them for you," Sam replied.
The sweet and sour taste was perfect for Felix.
"Why don't you give Alice some?" Felix asked, already knowing why Sam had waited until after Alice had left.
But he asked anyway, wanting Sam's answer.
"Because they're specifically for you."
Felix grinned, pleased to get the answer he wanted.
The next day, Sam couldn't smile anymore.
The indirect cause of all this was—Ethan.
A project required a two-day business trip, though it could extend to four or five days if things went poorly.
But Ethan couldn't bear the thought of missing his nightly cuddles with Noah. He was sure that during the days they wouldn't see each other, he would experience withdrawal symptoms.
Noah, too, had his own café to manage and a company to oversee.
For the first time since taking over the company, Ethan considered the possibility of being a hands-off boss.
Believing in the principle of not letting one person suffer alone, Ethan decided that Sam would accompany him on this trip.
"What? Another business trip?!"
Ethan flipped through the papers in his hands, unfazed. "Why are you so surprised? Haven't we had trips like this before?"
Without even looking up, Ethan added, "Alice doesn't have enough experience and hasn't been with me long enough. You should come along."
It wasn't just an excuse—if Ethan wanted the trip to be over quickly, Sam was the best choice. He didn't want to waste time on small mistakes.
"Why don't you call Felix along too?" Sam said, firmly intending to keep these two apart.
"You didn't want him to come last time, right? When that boss kept organizing drinking sessions, you ended up taking all of it on yourself."
—
"Are you going on a business trip?"
A shrimp dumpling, crystal-clear and delicate, slipped from Noah's chopsticks.
It was during their meal that Ethan made the announcement.
"Yeah, if everything goes smoothly, it'll be two days—probably just two."
With Sam accompanying him, Ethan felt confident the trip would be short.
Noah didn't know how to respond immediately. He stared at the shrimp dumpling that had fallen back into his plate, lost in thought. After a moment of silence, he finally said, "I hope everything goes smoothly for you."
"Will you miss me?" Ethan's words felt like a switch had been flipped.
Noah immediately dropped his chopsticks and threw himself into Ethan's arms.
"I'll miss you. Two days without your hugs and kisses... I'll definitely miss you."
Ethan rested his chin on Noah's shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of roses from his neck—Noah's body wash.
"Then let's video call every night, alright? If you can't sleep, I'll tell you a story to help you drift off."
"I'm not a child..." Noah looked up at Ethan. "But you can't lie to me. I want to hear a happy ending."
"Then I'll hug you a little tighter, making sure I get enough of it today and tomorrow," Ethan said, though he only added a little more strength to his usual embrace.
"After I get back, can I still smell your scent?" Ethan asked softly, his voice a tender murmur against Noah's skin.