Chapter 1605: We did it!

"We... did it!"

Penny and Dean held their breath, not blinking as they stared at the still chemicals in the glass cylinder. Their eyes were wide, emotions swirling in them like a storm.

They had been working nonstop ever since they’d come up with the theory for the antidote to the lethal drug. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they hadn’t spoken a single word in all that time. They’d just worked in silence, in perfect sync—and now, the first word to break that silence filled their hearts with a long-forgotten sense of fulfillment.

A fulfillment they thought they’d lost.

"Oh, my god!" Penny jumped from her seat, about to rush toward the cylinder in excitement. But she froze when Dean suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Wait," he said, eyes still locked on the glass. "Let it sit for a while. It might explode."

She only spared him a glance before focusing again on the cylinder. Both of them narrowed their eyes, watching as the chemical bubbled a little more, then stilled.

They waited.

After all, chemical reactions don’t always happen instantly. Some needed just a few seconds—or even minutes. Better safe than sorry.

After a full minute passed, Penny snatched her arm from his loosening grip and hurried over to it. Bending over, her eyes widened even more as she studied the contents up close. Dean followed, his attention still fixed on the cylinder.

Then—

Penny turned to him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glittering with joy. She pressed her lips together, tapping her feet in tiny, excited hops.

"We did it," she said, her voice trembling with barely restrained excitement. She grabbed his biceps and shook him lightly, almost hyperventilating. "We did it, Dean! We did it!"

She kept tugging at his shoulders, muffling a squeal before letting him go and bending over the cylinder again.

Dean, literally shaken back to reality, blinked out of his daze. His eyes slowly drifted to her, catching the natural blush and the gleam in her eyes. She was still tapping her feet—a habit she used to have back when they made breakthroughs together.

’Uh...’ He blinked again and scratched the back of his head.

The tips of his ears reddened, and a blush crept into his cheeks. Peeking at her once more, he sighed deeply. For a moment, the image of young, chubby Penny overlapped with the adult version in front of him—still reacting the same way to a breakthrough.

’Why am I blushing?’ He clicked his tongue mentally and shook his head, taking a small step back.

While Penny remained lost in their success, Dean quietly removed his protective gear. Without a word, he took off his lab coat and slung it over his arm, knowing he still needed to put it back where it belonged.

As he turned and walked away, Penny’s brows twitched.

She turned and saw him already leaving. "Where are you going?" she asked.

He stopped mid-step, smacking his lips. "Home."

"But we’re not done yet."

"Do the paperwork yourself," he said, waving a hand without looking back. "I already came up with the solution. Don’t tell me you’re that useless that you still need me to do the paperwork too."

Penny winced, her expression souring. But she couldn’t argue—Dean had solved the formula that rendered the lethal drug completely useless. Of course, he’d rub it in her face. Probably forever.

’Damn it!’

Dean chuckled, already imagining her scowling. Shaking his head, he kept walking without glancing back.

But as he stepped out of the lab, the smile slowly faded from his face. He exhaled softly, tossing his blazer over his shoulder and forcing his legs to keep moving. And for all the obvious reasons, the silence on his way out felt far more deafening than the silence he’d just shared with Penny in the lab.

Just as he was in the lobby of the building, his steps slowed. His eyes locked on a figure walking in.

Zoren stopped in the middle of the small lobby as their eyes met.

"Dean," he greeted.

"Uncle," Dean replied flatly.

A few quiet seconds passed before Dean resumed walking. But after he passed Zoren, he paused a few steps later.

"She got her answer," he said, voice low and mild. "When she makes breakthroughs, she usually goes out for a run to burn off the excitement. You might want to take her for a walk or maybe a bike ride."

With that, Dean walked away without looking back.

Zoren turned his head slightly, watching his nephew’s back as he disappeared out of the building. Normally, this kind of attitude would have irritated him. But strangely, today, he felt patient. Understanding, even.

A soft breath left his nostrils as he turned back and resumed his path—to go find his wife and celebrate the achievement together.

---

[SHORT FLASHBACK]

Many years ago...

A young Penny jogged around the track late at night. With her short stature and wide physique, she almost looked like she was bouncing. Some might assume she was working out to lose weight, but anyone who knew her would know that wasn’t the case.

In her words, "If a drought ever hits, my fat will help me survive longer." So, she would never try to lose weight.

"Penny... you’re going to die—"

"Shut up!" she snapped, glaring daggers at young Dean.

Unlike Penny, who was jogging, Dean was shamelessly biking two lanes away. He smirked, making her grumble and pick up her pace. Since Dean was going slow, she quickly passed him and left him behind.

Dean tilted his head, chuckling as he watched her bounce. "We just solved a problem, and instead of eating all the meat she can, she’s celebrating by running." He shook his head, amused—but not surprised.

Whenever they cracked a big problem or completed a project, Penny always dealt with her excitement through some intense physical activity.

Stopping by the side of the track, Dean glanced toward a bicycle parked behind a distant bench.

"She hasn’t tried cycling around the city," he muttered, shifting his gaze to her small, energetic figure on the far side of the oval. He smiled, waiting for her to reach him—hoping to ask her for a ride together.

But alas, before she could, Penny veered off and jogged straight to the exit.