The bell above the Starbucks door jingles as we enter. I follow Kongming to a corner table, my palms sweating more than they should for a simple coffee meeting. The scent of roasted beans hangs in the air, but it does nothing to calm my nerves.

"Relax," Kongming says, placing a reassuring hand on my arm before going to order. "He's my brother."

Easy for him to say, I think. He's not the one about to tell his boyfriend's older brother—who essentially raised him—that they're in a relationship and planning to... well, commit their lives together.

The chair across from me scrapes against the floor. I look up, expecting to see Kongming returning with our drinks, but instead find myself facing Zhuge Jin. His scholarly face is polite, but his eyes hold the scrutiny of someone who's spent years protecting what matters most to him.

"刘总您好," he says with a formal nod, using my business title rather than my courtesy name. "舍弟受您照顾了."

Before I can respond, Kongming arrives with three drinks, placing an iced Americano in front of his brother. "Gege," he says casually, "I want to clarify something."

Zhuge Jin's eyes flick between us, and I can see the moment he begins to suspect. The air in the coffee shop suddenly feels heavier, every sound amplified—the clink of spoons, the murmur of other customers, the distant traffic outside. This is it.

Kongming takes a breath, places his hand on mine where it rests on the table, and looks directly at his brother. "刘备 isn't just my boss."

Time seems to slow as Zhuge Jin's expression shifts from polite confusion to shock. I prepare to say something—anything—to defend our relationship, but the words catch in my throat.