Scene 1 – Morning at the Campsite
The sound of waves gently crashing against the shore filled the air.
Kiara slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then she remembered.
The beach.
The camp.
Jiho.
A smile appeared on her face.
Just then—
A shadow appeared above her.
Jiho stood there holding two cups of coffee.
Jiho:
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Kiara laughed.
"You're already awake?"
Jiho handed her a cup.
"I've been awake for an hour."
Kiara:
"Why?"
Jiho:
"Someone had to make breakfast."
Kiara:
"You cooked?"
Jiho:
"Don't sound so shocked."
Kiara:
"Because I'm scared."
Jiho gasped dramatically.
"I'm offended."
Before she could reply—
Her phone started ringing.
The caller ID showed:
Dad.
Kiara immediately froze.
Jiho noticed.
"It's okay."
She looked at him.
Jiho smiled.
"Pick up."
Kiara nodded.
"Hello?"
Kiara's Father:
"Are you with Jiho?"
Kiara:
"...Yes."
A short silence.
Then—
"I want both of you to come for dinner tonight."
Kiara blinked.
"What?"
"Come together."
She looked completely confused.
Jiho silently mouthed:
"Say yes."
Kiara sighed.
"Okay."
The call ended.
Jiho smiled.
"What?"
Jiho:
"Nothing."
Kiara:
"Don't give me that face."
Jiho laughed.
"Uncle is trying."
Kiara looked away.
"I don't know what to say to him anymore."
Jiho gently squeezed her hand.
"It'll be okay."
Kiara nodded.
"Yeah."
Then Jiho checked his watch.
His eyes widened.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"It's 9 AM."
Kiara froze.
"My phone."
She looked at the screen.
102 missed calls.
20 messages from Ryu.
15 messages from Hyun.
7 from Aura.
Kiara:
"...We're dead."
Jiho:
"We're very dead."
Both immediately packed everything.
Scene 2 – Back To Work
Office Building.
Secretary Ryu stood with crossed arms.
Waiting.
The elevator opened.
Kiara stepped out.
Ryu immediately hugged her.
Kiara:
"Ryu?"
Ryu:
"I missed you."
Kiara:
"It was one day."
Ryu:
"One very stressful day."
Kiara laughed.
Ryu looked her up and down.
"You look refreshed."
Kiara smiled.
"I am."
Ryu nodded proudly.
"Good. CEO Kiara is back."
Kiara straightened.
"Okay. We don't have time."
"Let's start preparing for the promotional event."
Ryu smiled.
"There she is."
Meanwhile...
Jiho entered his agency.
Manager Hyun immediately grabbed him.
And hugged him.
Jiho:
"Hyun."
Hyun:
"Jiho."
Jiho:
"Let go."
Hyun:
"No."
Jiho:
"Hyun."
Hyun:
"No."
Jiho:
"...Help."
Hyun finally released him.
"We have work."
Jiho collapsed dramatically.
"No."
Hyun:
"Yes."
Jiho:
"I want another vacation."
Hyun:
"Denied."
Jiho:
"Cruel."
Scene 3 – Secret Romance
The entire day was filled with meetings.
Schedules.
Photoshoots.
Interviews.
Preparation for the campaign launch.
But somehow—
Jiho and Kiara kept finding excuses.
Small moments.
Hidden moments.
During lunch—
Jiho secretly left a coffee on Kiara's desk.
No note.
Just her favorite order.
Ryu immediately noticed.
Ryu:
"He was here."
Kiara:
"..."
Ryu:
"You're smiling."
Kiara:
"No I'm not."
Ryu:
"You are."
At the photoshoot—
Jiho walked past Kiara.
Without stopping.
Without speaking.
Completely professional.
But as he passed—
He slipped a small chocolate into her hand.
Nobody noticed.
Except Ryu.
And Hyun.
Both stared.
Ryu:
"Did you see that?"
Hyun:
"I saw that."
Ryu:
"They think they're subtle."
Hyun:
"They're not."
Scene 4 – Mr. Aura Arrives
The conference room doors opened.
Mr. Aura entered carrying several bags.
Aura:
"Breakfast."
Everyone looked confused.
Aura:
"It's 3 PM."
Aura:
"I know."
He started placing food everywhere.
Aura:
"Creative people need food."
Hyun:
"You just wanted an excuse to eat."
Aura:
"Correct."
Ryu laughed.
The entire room slowly relaxed.
For the first time in weeks—
Everyone felt like a team.
Not coworkers.
Friends.
Scene 5 – Dinner
Evening.
Jiho and Kiara arrived at Kiara's father's house.
Jiho stepped out carrying several gift bags.
Kiara stared at him.
Kiara:
"You really came like this?"
Jiho:
"Like what?"
Kiara:
"Like you're asking for my hand in marriage."
Jiho almost choked.
Jiho:
"Should I?"
Kiara immediately looked away.
Her ears turned red.
Jiho laughed.
Just then—
The front door opened.
Kiara's father stood there.
Father:
"Welcome."
Kiara:
"Hello, Dad."
Jiho smiled politely.
Jiho:
"Hello, Dad."
THUD.
Kiara kicked his foot.
Jiho:
"OW!"
Kiara:
"Uncle."
Jiho:
"...Hello, Uncle."
Father laughed for the first time in years.
Father:
"Come in."
Inside the dining room—
Grandpa was already waiting.
Grandpa looked around.
"Hmm."
"One person is missing."
Kiara:
"Who?"
Right then—
The front door opened.
Kiara's mother walked in.
Mother:
"Papa, how are you?"
Grandpa:
"I'm always fine."
Mother noticed Kiara.
For a moment—
Both froze.
Mother:
"Hello, Kiara."
Kiara:
"...Hi."
Jiho smiled politely.
"Hello, Auntie."
Everyone sat down.
And immediately—
Silence.
Complete silence.
A very uncomfortable silence.
Grandpa cleared his throat.
"So..."
Nobody answered.
Jiho tried.
"The weather is nice."
Nobody answered.
Even worse.
Grandpa:
"Jiho, that's the best you could do?"
Jiho:
"I panicked."
Grandpa laughed.
Nobody else did.
The silence returned.
Even stronger.
Kiara wanted to disappear.
Her parents tried acting normal.
Which somehow made everything worse.
Mother picked up a dish.
"Kiara, your favorite."
Kiara looked at it.
"I don't eat that anymore."
Mother froze.
"Oh..."
Father quickly joined.
"What about this one?"
Kiara:
"I have an allergy to that."
Father froze too.
"Oh."
Kiara quietly took her own food.
"I can do it myself."
Neither parent knew what to say.
Jiho silently served food onto her plate.
Kiara glanced at him.
He smiled.
Just enough to comfort her.
Dinner continued awkwardly.
Then suddenly—
Mother and Father spoke together.
"We've decided something."
Everyone looked up.
Mother:
"We thought..."
Father:
"It would be nice if..."
Mother:
"We had dinner together once every week."
Father:
"As a family."
Jiho:
"Oh."
"That's actually nice."
Grandpa nodded immediately.
"Very nice."
Everyone looked at Kiara.
Kiara put down her chopsticks.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
The room became silent.
Again.
Kiara:
"Guys..."
Nobody moved.
Kiara:
"Please stop."
Her voice trembled slightly.
Grandpa's smile faded.
Kiara looked around.
"Whose plan was this?"
No answer.
Kiara sighed.
"Grandpa?"
He looked guilty.
"Maybe."
Kiara looked at Jiho.
"You helped him?"
Jiho:
"...A little."
Kiara closed her eyes.
Then looked at her parents.
"Mom."
"Dad."
"Did any of you think this might be difficult for me?"
Nobody answered.
Grandpa sighed.
"I think it's time for my medicine."
He stood up.
"Jiho."
Jiho looked confused.
Grandpa:
"Come help me."
Jiho:
"Grandpa..."
Grandpa:
"Now."
Kiara:
"Go."
Jiho hesitated.
Then left with Grandpa.
The moment they were gone—
Years of emotions finally surfaced.
Mother:
"Kiara, we just wanted—"
Father:
"We wanted to—"
Kiara:
"I know."
"I know."
Tears filled her eyes.
"But I'm not okay."
Silence.
Mother's eyes became red.
Father lowered his head.
Mother:
"We're sorry."
Father:
"Kiara..."
"It's my fault."
"I ruined this family."
"I let your mother go."
"I failed you."
Mother wiped her tears.
"Blame us."
"Please."
Kiara shook her head.
"You still don't understand."
Her voice cracked.
"You remember me now."
"Now that I'm an adult."
"Now that I'm successful."
"But where were you before?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I already learned how to live alone."
"Eat alone."
"Study alone."
"Cry alone."
"Celebrate alone."
Flashback—
A small Kiara leaving school by herself.
Children running into their parents' arms.
Kiara walking home alone.
Flashback—
Parent-teacher meeting.
Every student sitting with their parents.
One empty chair beside Kiara.
Flashback—
Her birthday cake.
Candles melting.
No one arriving.
A young Kiara pretending not to care.
Flashback—
Headphones on.
Parents fighting downstairs.
Kiara studying quietly in her room.
Trying not to listen.
Back to present.
Kiara's voice shook.
"Do you know the only happy family photo I have?"
She pulled out an old photograph.
"Our first picnic."
"And our last."
Mother stared at the picture.
Father's eyes filled with tears.
Kiara:
"After that..."
"It was always fighting."
"Always work."
"Always divorce."
"You think I hate you because you divorced?"
She laughed bitterly.
"No."
"That's not why."
"I know everything."
"From beginning to end."
The room fell silent.
Kiara:
"What hurts is that neither of you saw me."
Her parents broke down.
Mother:
"Kiara..."
Father:
"We were wrong."
Kiara wiped her tears.
"I tried."
"I really tried."
"But I can't suddenly act like everything is normal."
Outside the room—
Jiho and Grandpa were listening.
Jiho:
"I should go."
Grandpa stopped him.
"No."
Jiho:
"Grandpa."
Grandpa smiled sadly.
"Trust me."
"They need this."
Back inside—
Kiara took a deep breath.
"I don't know what to say anymore."
At that moment—
Jiho walked in anyway.
"Kiara."
She immediately turned.
And hugged him.
Tightly.
As if she would break otherwise.
Jiho wrapped his arms around her.
Holding her gently.
Kiara whispered:
"You don't know what I like."
"What food I eat."
"What clothes I wear."
"What places I love."
"You don't know anything about me."
Her parents stood frozen.
Mother cried harder.
Father couldn't even look at her.
Jiho gently stroked her hair.
"Kiara..."
She shook her head.
"I'm tired."
Mother whispered:
"Kiara..."
Father:
"Kiara..."
Kiara looked at them one last time.
"Mom."
"Dad."
"I'm sorry."
"I need time."
Jiho nodded respectfully.
"Uncle."
"Auntie."
"I'll take care of her."
Then they left.
The front door closed.
Silence remained.
Mother broke down crying.
Then whispered:
"Kiara..."
A small smile appeared through her tears.
"Today..."
"You called me Mom."
Father looked up.
Mother:
"You haven't called me that in years."
Outside—
Kiara stopped walking.
Just for a second.
Then continued.
Back inside—
Father sat down heavily.
"Miho..."
"I'm sorry."
"I should have trusted you."
"My guilt..."
"It's been eating me alive."
Mother sat beside him.
For the first time in years.
"I forgive you."
He lowered his head.
Ashamed.
Mother:
"The biggest mistake wasn't our divorce."
Father nodded.
"It was forgetting our daughter."
Mother:
"She doesn't need excuses."
Father:
"She needs us to understand her."
Mother smiled sadly.
"Yes."
For the first time—
They finally understood.
What Kiara had been carrying all alone.
Convenience Store Noodles 🍜
Jiho drives quietly.
Kiara looks out the window.
Jiho:
"Are you okay?"
Kiara:
"Yeah."
A pause.
"Thank you."
Jiho:
"For what?"
Kiara:
"For staying."
Jiho smiles.
"Touch your heart."
Kiara looks confused.
"What?"
Jiho:
"Does it feel lighter?"
Kiara places her hand over her chest.
For the first time in years...
It actually does.
A few minutes later—
Jiho suddenly stops the car in front of a convenience store.
Kiara:
"Why are we here?"
Jiho:
"You didn't eat anything."
Kiara:
"So?"
Jiho:
"So we're getting noodles."
Kiara finally laughs.
A real laugh.
Jiho grins.
"Come on."
And together—
They walk into the brightly lit convenience store.
Just two tired people.
Finding comfort in instant noodles and each other. 🍜❤️