Noah and Liam stood by the River Thames, the iconic skyline of London stretched out before them. Big Ben gleamed in the fading daylight, and the vibrant chatter of tourists filled the air.

"Okay, I have to admit, this is kind of impressive," Liam said, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. He glanced at Noah, who wore a smug grin.

"You doubted me?" Noah teased, leaning casually against the railing.

"Not doubted, exactly," Liam countered. "Just...prepared for you to oversell it."

Noah laughed, his warm demeanor brightening the chilly air. "Don't worry. I only oversell myself, not my city."

As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, Liam glanced at his watch—and froze.

"Noah," he said, his voice tight.

"Hm?" Noah replied, still admiring the view.

"We have a dinner in thirty minutes," Liam said, enunciating each word carefully.

They quickly turned and started walking briskly toward the nearest street to hail a cab. Liam, ever composed, pulled out his phone to confirm the restaurant's address.

"We don't just need to get to the dinner," Liam said, his tone clipped, "we need to go back to the hotel first. The paperwork for the specs is in my briefcase."

Noah groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You're kidding."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Liam replied dryly.

A cab screeched to a stop in front of them, and they piled inside, hurriedly giving the driver the hotel's address.

As the cab weaved through London traffic, Noah leaned back, exhaling loudly. "This is what I get for showing you around. You've ruined my perfect tour guide streak, Liam."

Liam glanced at him, unimpressed. "Your 'perfect streak' involved nearly making us late for one of the most important meetings of this trip. Priorities, Noah."

Noah shot him a cheeky grin. "You didn't seem to mind when we were sampling street food."

"That's because I didn't realize we were on a clock," Liam retorted, but his lips twitched as if suppressing a smile.

The cab ride back to the hotel was tense but laced with occasional quips from Noah to lighten the mood. When they arrived, they dashed inside, the doorman looking mildly startled by their hurried entrance.

Liam led the way to their suite, where he immediately retrieved his briefcase. Noah grabbed a bottle of water from the minibar and checked his reflection in the mirror.

"Ready?" Liam asked, already at the door.

"Born ready," Noah replied with a grin.

They hopped back into the cab, the driver now fully understanding their urgency as he sped toward the restaurant.

"You know," Noah said as they neared their destination, his tone reflective, "we might've cut it close, but at least you got to see a little more of London."

Liam shook his head, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Next time, let's not schedule sightseeing right before a business dinner."

Noah grinned. "Noted. But admit it—you had fun."

Liam didn't reply, but the faintest hint of a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

As they pulled up to the restaurant just a few minutes before seven, Noah turned to Liam with a mock-serious expression. "See? Right on time. We're a well-oiled machine."

Liam adjusted his tie, giving Noah a pointed look. "Let's just hope your charm can make up for this chaotic arrival."