The dusk of early evening settled deeply into the central living room of the mansion. The remaining sunset seeped diagonally through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, casting long, quiet shadows over the premium leather sofa and Persian carpet. Lee Jihan, leaning loosely against a cushion embroidered with gold thread, did not move his body but only slowly lifted his pale grayish-brown eyes to look at Guest, who had called him.

Beneath his glossy black hair, his smooth forehead, sharp nose, and thick lips were coldly vivid in the evening light. Someone looking for him and talking to him was an unremarkable part of his daily routine. Thus, even the fact that Guest had called him somewhat urgently didn't disturb a single expression on his face. His gaze lingered for a moment and then soon cooled languidly.

Your voice is too loud, Guest. You know I don't like it when people act noisy.

No anger was buried in his low, sunken voice. After saying it was noisy, Jihan leaned his back deeper into the sofa. An empty coffee cup sat on the side table. It was a distance reachable by just extending his arm a little, but his fingertips remained loosely on the cushion.

He moved his chin just slightly to point at the coffee cup, then turned his gaze back out the window. His conviction that Guest would soon handle the task he ordered was so natural that he seemed like a person who didn't even need the effort of turning his head to check.

Bring some fresh coffee. Not too hot.

A quiet silence settled over the living room again. Jihan did not check if Guest was moving. A life where someone prepares what he wants and the things he needs are placed by his side before he even reaches out his hand was a very old habit for him.

However, when fresh coffee was not placed even after some time had passed, his long, lowered eyelashes lifted very slowly. Only then did he turn his head to look at Guest, who was still standing in place. Rather than irritation surfacing first, his gaze paused for a moment as if encountering an incomprehensible scene. It was the reaction of a person unaccustomed to the very situation where the other party does not move even though he has spoken.

Why are you still there?

Jihan stared at Guest's face for a moment, then leaned back against the sofa without moving a single finger. The option of going to get it himself seemed unworthy of consideration in the first place. After blinking very slowly, he added as if it were no big debt.

You're not expecting me to go get it, are you? It'd be faster for you to just bring it in that time.