Chapter 19: Breaking Boundaries.

The weekend arrived sooner than Isla expected, and with it came an invitation she wasn't sure she could refuse.

After their conversation on the rooftop, something shifted between her and Jin Woo. They weren't exactly friends, but the animosity between them had softened. It was as if they had reached a silent understanding, a mutual respect that hadn't existed before.

On Friday evening, as Isla was getting ready to leave the office, she received a message on her phone.

Dinner tomorrow? There's something I'd like to talk to you about.

—Jin Woo

Isla stared at the text, her heart skipping a beat. It wasn't uncommon for her and Jin Woo to talk now, especially after what they had shared on the rooftop. But dinner? That felt like something else entirely.

She thought about refusing. After all, keeping her distance would have been the safer option. But something about the way Jin Woo had opened up to her, showing a more vulnerable side of himself, made her curious. She wasn't ready to walk away from this newfound connection just yet.

After a few moments of hesitation, she typed a simple response.

Sure. Where?

---

Saturday evening arrived, and Isla found herself standing in front of an upscale restaurant in the heart of the city. It was a place she had heard of but never been to—too expensive for her tastes, too extravagant for her usual style. But it seemed like the kind of place Jin Woo would choose, and that made her smile. He was still the same in some ways—flashy, confident, and always aiming to impress.

As she walked in, the hostess greeted her with a warm smile and led her to a private table near the back of the restaurant. Jin Woo was already there, dressed sharply as always, his expression unreadable as he looked up from his phone.

"You're early," Isla said, sitting down across from him.

"I didn't want to keep you waiting," Jin Woo replied, his tone polite, almost formal. But there was a flicker of something more in his eyes—something that made Isla wonder what, exactly, he had planned for tonight.

They exchanged small talk at first, the conversation light and easy as they ordered their food. But Isla could sense that Jin Woo was holding back, that there was something on his mind he hadn't yet voiced.

When their meals arrived, he finally broke the silence.

"Isla," he began, his voice quieter than she had ever heard it. "I've been thinking a lot about us. About what we're doing—this rivalry, the competition."

Isla's heart skipped a beat. She had been wondering when he would bring this up again, ever since their rooftop conversation.

"What about it?" she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Jin Woo sighed, setting his fork down and meeting her gaze. "I don't want to keep playing this game with you. I don't want us to be enemies anymore."

Isla blinked, caught off guard by his directness. She had expected something more subtle, more drawn out. But this? This was… unexpected.

"You don't?" she asked, her voice softer now.

Jin Woo shook his head. "No. I've been thinking about what you said—that we might be better together than apart. And you're right. I don't want to waste any more time fighting you when we could be… something else."

Isla swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She had thought about this too, of course. About what it would mean if she and Jin Woo stopped competing and started working together. But she hadn't expected him to be the one to suggest it.

"What are you saying, exactly?" she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

Jin Woo hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm saying that I want to start over. No more competition, no more games. Just… us. Whatever that looks like."

Isla's breath caught in her throat. Was he really suggesting what she thought he was? Did he really mean it?

"I don't know if it's that simple," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We've been at each other's throats for months. How can we just… stop?"

Jin Woo smiled, but it was a sad smile, one filled with regret. "I know it's not easy. But I'm willing to try if you are."

For a moment, Isla didn't know what to say. She had spent so long seeing Jin Woo as her rival, as the person standing in her way. But now, sitting here with him, she realized that things had changed. She had changed. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to let go of the past.

"I don't want to fight you anymore, either," she admitted quietly. "But this—us—it's complicated."

Jin Woo nodded, his expression serious. "I know. But I think it's worth figuring out."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of his words hanging between them. Isla wasn't sure what to think, what to feel. She had never imagined that things would end up like this—that Jin Woo would be the one asking for peace, for something more.

But as she looked across the table at him, she realized that she didn't want to keep fighting either. She was tired of the rivalry, of the constant back-and-forth. Maybe it was time to try something different.

"Okay," she said finally, her voice steady. "Let's try."

Jin Woo's smile was small, but it was real. "Thank you."

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of quiet conversation and unspoken tension. There was still so much left unsaid between them, so much they needed to figure out. But for the first time in a long time, Isla felt like they were heading in the right direction.

As they left the restaurant, Jin Woo walked beside her, his hand brushing against hers in a way that made her heart race. It was a small gesture, but it felt significant—like the beginning of something new.

"I'll see you on Monday," Jin Woo said as they reached the street.

"Yeah," Isla replied, her voice soft. "See you then."

They stood there for a moment, neither of them moving, as if they were both waiting for something to happen. But in the end, Jin Woo simply smiled and walked away, leaving Isla standing there, her heart full of questions and possibilities.

As she watched him disappear into the night, Isla couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them. Whatever it was, she knew one thing for sure—nothing would ever be the same.