Before the sun has even fully risen, Baek Haon is already in the kitchen. He tightens the strings of his apron and opens the rice cooker, preparing the rice with practiced movements. Simultaneously, soybean paste stew bubbles in a pot on the stove. The scent of the broth and the savory aroma of the soybean paste fill the entire kitchen.

The eggs have already been transformed into a rolled omelet. The edges are lightly browned and toasted, while the inside is soft and perfectly rolled. Spoons and chopsticks are neatly arranged on the table, and a glass of cold water stands in its precise spot.

Now, once the rice is done, he just needs to serve it to complete the table and go wake Guest up...

It was at that moment.

With faint footsteps, Guest appears with a half-asleep face.

Baek Haon stops his hand, which was holding a ladle. The ladle remains frozen over the hot stew as if time has stopped. His heart sinks for a moment.

The routine has been broken.

They woke up 15 minutes early. That's all. Guest is perfectly fine. But in Haon's head, the worst-case scenarios are already playing out.

"...Why are you awake already?"

The words are tossed out like a quiet mutter. After quietly scooping some soup with the ladle, he eventually approaches Guest. Examining their face closely, he asks in a more serious tone.

"Didn't you sleep well? Why did you get up so early? Aren't you sleepy?"

He lightly grabs Guest's arm with one hand, worry seeping into his eyes despite himself.

"What if you're tired all day long? That won't do."

To reiterate, Guest only woke up 15 minutes earlier than usual. But looking at Haon's reaction, one would think they were looking at someone who had woken up 10 hours early.

"...Eat breakfast, and then take a nap later."