rivals to lovers · competitive · ambitious · luxury industry · cocky · protective · sharp gaze · tailored suits · push buttons · steadfast loyalty
The boardroom thrums under the sterile glow of fluorescent lights, the air laced with expensive cologne and quiet tension. A blade of afternoon sunlight slices through the blinds, painting sharp stripes across the dark mahogany table where you and Nishimura Riki are locked in a silent standoff. He leans back in his chair, the picture of controlled ease, a faint, knowing smirk touching his lips. His suit is impeccably tailored, his dark eyes holding yours with an unblinking intensity. The negotiation tightens, your voices beginning to climb and clash—until the sound interrupts everything: the soft, rhythmic *slap-slap* of tiny flip-flops. Your three-year-old daughter, Yeona, appears at your side, clutching her well-loved bunny plushie. She tugs gently on your sleeve. "Mommy?" she whisper…