That one message threw my mind into chaos. Distracted, I pricked my finger on a rose thorn I had been trimming, and blood immediately welled up.

The sharp pain brought me back to reality. I couldn't bear to look at my phone, so I hurried to clean the wound. When I returned, the phone was still buzzing nonstop with messages from Susan.

"It's because Felicity got rejected that she kept messing with you afterward. To deal with the mess, Jason worked late every night for a week, often until dawn. Didn't you know?"

She added, "I've gone and said too much. Don't let anyone know it was me! Thanks for the flowers!"

I stared at the phone, lost in thought. Could that really be true? I only remembered that last year, there was a period when Jason had indeed worked extra shifts for several days.

During that time, he broke his usual habit of leaving the office with me. Every day, he insisted I go home first because he had to work late. I couldn't leave him on his own, so I went down for some instant food and returned to sit beside him while he kept working.

He typed so fast it was like the keys were on fire. Between bursts of furious typing, he muttered complaints about his boss without pause. The strange rhythm of his swearing and tapping was hypnotic, and I soon found myself dozing off next to him.

When I opened my eyes, Jason's jacket was draped over me. The sun was just appearing over the horizon outside the huge windows. He was still typing, though now with a softer, slower rhythm.

His swearing had stopped, and his gaze was fixed on the screen. In the reflection, I saw a rare seriousness on his face, so unlike the carefree Jason I usually knew. For some reason, it made him look kind of handsome, and I couldn't tear my eyes away.

With my brain in a fog, I reached out and tapped his face. That poke seemed to cut through the pretense he had so carefully built.

He grabbed my hand quickly, paused for a second, then flung it away with mild annoyance. "You promised to stay and work with me! You just sat for a bit and fell asleep. Buddy, that's not fair of you."

His usual animated, chaotic self was back. For once, I didn't argue with him. Instead, I held my finger in front of his eyes, pointing straight toward the window. "Look, the sunrise."

He slowly turned his head, as if afraid my finger might touch his cheek.

The moment he turned, the sun fully emerged over the horizon.

"Damn it," Jason muttered under his breath.

I remembered every detail, even the warmth of Jason's cheek, as if it were still pressed against my fingers. Yet Susan said he stayed late because Felicity had made things difficult for me.

Why hadn't he told me? And why had he secretly dealt with all those problems without a word?

A ridiculous thought wormed its way into my head. Could it be that he had once liked me as well?

Before I could get lost in such daydreams, a new delivery order popped up. I recognized the number immediately—it was Jason.

It was the same number we had chosen together, differing only in the last two digits.

The pink fantasy I had been spinning was abruptly shattered by reality. I took a deep breath and splashed cold water on my face twice.

Once I had calmed down, I checked the order notes. "Please put this on the card: 'Giselle, happy 100 days together, and to many more years with you.'"

It was so cheesy that I almost felt like scribbling something ridiculous on the card just to mess with it.

At worst, he could leave me a bad review, but in the end, I let it go and began carefully putting together the bouquet.

My name was Winter, yet I had always had a soft spot for passion and color. The flowers I picked were lively and bright, capturing a summer feel that suited Giselle perfectly. I imagined she would like them.

Just as I was about to call for a delivery, the doorbell rang. "Welcome."

I looked up and met Jason's eyes across the room.

"You actually opened this place?" he asked, clearly surprised. "Not bad, Winter. Flying solo at last!"

It was the first time we had met in person since they got together.

Jason wore a striking white suit, his hair perfectly styled, and his dark eyes gleamed as if they could set anyone's heart on fire. I could tell he had an important date tonight.

I passed him the flowers. "Yeah, whoever wants to do this menial work can have it. I'm free from the grind."

With a teasing grin, I added, "Oh, right—you're still a corporate lackey at that big firm, aren't you?"

Jason immediately jumped, holding the flowers in one hand and reaching to tap my head with the other. "You don't get it! I'm Giselle's husband, and that's what matters. Being a lackey outside for a while doesn't take away an ounce of my dignity!"

My playful grin froze for an instant. Realizing my lapse, I looked down, then back up with a mischievous smirk. "You're getting married? So soon?"

I didn't even know what I was expecting inside.

Jason wore that infuriatingly smug grin. "I'm getting a whirlwind wedding! You've been single forever—you wouldn't understand!"

I didn't understand. How could he say things like that so casually in front of me?

At that instant, I could no longer keep up the act. It had taken too much out of me. When Jason saw the shift in my expression, his smile faltered ever so slightly.

A flicker of something complicated passed through his eyes, and I didn't catch it in time.

Just as I wanted to stubbornly ask something for myself, Jason suddenly turned serious. "Winter, you'll meet someone better one day."

He ruffled my hair, hugged the flowers, and turned to leave. I stood there in a daze, savoring the words he had left me.

"Someone better."

Better than whom?