Temporary Boyfriend

　　“Tomorrow. Is that too sudden?”

　　“No, not at all,” he replied, showing no sign of discomfort. “It’s just that time is a bit tight, so we need to move quickly.”

　　“Move? Where are we going?”

　　I was still trying to process how he’d agreed so easily.

　　He gave a relaxed smile. “When meeting my girlfriend’s parents for the first time, it’s only right to bring a few extra gifts.”

　　On the way to the mall, I booked plane tickets for both of us.

　　As I was typing the passport details, he glanced at me with a faint smile and didn’t say a word.

　　“What’s the matter? Are you having second thoughts because I’m five years older than you?”

　　“No, no,” he quickly reassured me. “Being the boss’s boyfriend? I’d actually love that.”

　　What a charmer!

　　I gave him a playful nudge. “Just so we’re on the same page, you’re not actually my boyfriend. This is all just for show, alright?”

　　At the mall, while I was browsing, I felt someone grab my hand.

　　I turned to see Zachary holding onto me, his smile wide and his eyes shining.

　　“We’re meeting your parents tomorrow, so we’d better practice being a couple. Don’t mess this up,” he said with a grin.

　　He had a point.

　　I thought about it for a moment, then decided not to pull away, letting him guide me through the store.

　　A thought crossed my mind:

　　Having a boyfriend this handsome wouldn’t be so bad.

　　After we finished shopping, Zachary called a cab and helped me into it.

　　As he shut the door, he leaned in through the window and said with a smile, “See you at the airport tomorrow, Norah.”

　　2

　　The next morning, when I arrived at the airport, Zachary was already there, holding the gifts we’d bought yesterday.

　　I couldn’t help but think about last year, when I had to lug heavy bags through the airport by myself, feeling exhausted.

　　It was nice to have someone like Zachary around.

　　Once the plane was in the air and settled into smooth cruising, I began to feel incredibly drowsy.

　　After staying up late to finish the report, I was still exhausted.

　　Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep, my head resting on Zachary’s shoulder and a blanket covering me.

　　When I woke up, I found Zachary with his eyes closed.

　　“Awake?”

　　As I stirred, he opened his eyes and handed me a thermos.

　　“I just got some milk from the flight attendants. It’s still warm. Drink up.”

　　“Th-thanks.”

　　I was parched and took a sip. The milk was perfectly warm, so I drank it all in one go.

　　“Zachary.”

　　“Yeah?”

　　“Did you know I drink warm milk every day?”

　　“Of course. You have that little milk warmer in your office, right?”

　　I was genuinely moved.

　　After so many years on my own, Zachary was the first person who’d really paid attention to my habit of drinking warm milk.

　　The plane landed smoothly.

　　After a long, dusty journey home, I found myself feeling a bit anxious at the door.

　　“Don’t be afraid,” Zachary said, squeezing my hand and knocking confidently.

　　“Norah’s back!” my parents called out as they opened the door.

　　They paused for a moment when they saw Zachary, but their smiles quickly returned.

　　“Come on in. You must be Norah’s boyfriend,” my mom said warmly.

　　“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Light.”

　　Zachary greeted them with ease, looking more comfortable than I felt.

　　My brother and sister-in-law were also there. They greeted us with big smiles, just like my parents.

　　“Hey, Auntie,” my nephew said with a lackluster tone as he came out of his room. He barely looked at me, gave Zachary a quick glance, and then turned away.

　　Seeing this, my brother quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “He’s just a kid, doesn’t know any better.”

　　If this had happened in the past, it wouldn’t have bothered me much. But at this moment, looking at my nephew’s indifferent face, I felt a surge of irritation I couldn’t quite shake off.