2 weeks later: on a rainy Monday afternoon as we walked out the Cafe Nari was glued to her phone watching SangMins latest interview for his upcoming movie, "look at our boss, isn't he so handsome!" She said excitedly as she turned the phone towards me.
"Yeah, sure he is." I replied bluntly, I knew he was handsome I mean I grew up going to school with the guy and I literally see him almost everyday so it was nothing new to me.
"Lately you've been aloof from your social's lately, fans are being to wonder if you have a secret lover." The interviewer asked. "I'll die if he was dating anyone." Nari said.
"Well, since I've taken over my family business and being on set for the new movie I don't really have much time to myself let alone for someone else." Sangmin replied. By looking at the screen I could tell that he was nervous answering that answer.
I mean being a celebrity and a owner of a manger company you wouldn't want the whole world you were dating a man. "Poor baby, he must be over worked." Nari said turning off her phone as we entered the company building.
"That's a grown man we're talking about." I said as I closed the umbrella, "still, he also needs a rest." She replied.
As we stepped into the elevator, Nari leaned against the mirrored wall, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Seriously, Joon, couldn't you care a little for our boss? I mean, he's not just some regular guy. SangMin works so hard for all of us, and you barely seem interested."
I rolled my eyes but kept my face neutral. "I care. I just don't think fawning over him like you do is going to help him get any rest."
Nari huffed, crossing her arms. "It wouldn't kill you to show a little admiration. You act like you know him personally or something."
My lips twitched in amusement, but I held back a smile. She had no idea. "Maybe I just have other things to focus on, like getting my work done."
"Ugh, you're so boring sometimes," she grumbled as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. She breezed out into the hallway, leaving me trailing behind.
I followed her to the main office, where the usual bustle of employees filled the space. "Finally took you guys forever, I was getting impatient." Kyong said as he walked up to us and grabbed the drinks out of my hand.
"Oh, the CEO was looking for you. You should head up to his office seems important." He said taking a sip of his drink and walked away. Nari turned to me with a smile, "tell him I said hi."
I sighed, handing her the umbrella. "I'll pass along your greetings, fangirl," I muttered, earning myself a playful glare as I headed toward the stairs.
The thought of SangMin "looking for me" was nothing unusual. He always found reasons to call me into his office, whether it was to drop off paperwork or just to talk about something trivial. Still, the way Kyong said it made me wonder if this was actually important.
When I reached SangMin's office, I knocked lightly and pushed the door open without waiting for a response. "You were looking for me?" I asked as I stepped inside.
SangMin was standing by the large window, his back turned to me as he watched the rain streak down the glass. His suit jacket was draped over the back of his chair, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing his forearms. It was a sight that would probably have Nari swooning if she were here.
He turned to look at me with a smile played on his face, "where were you?" He asked.
"Grabbing lunch with Nari." I replied closing the door behind me.
He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, "you promised to eat with me today." He complained. "I'll eat dinner with you, just us in private." I replied. "You promise?" He asked.
I smiled and nodded. "Because last time you ditched me to hang out with Han and Ujin, you won't this time right." I he stated.
"I'm not, I hate third wheeling them."
SangMin's arms tightened around my waist as he leaned closer, resting his chin lightly on my shoulder. "Good. I don't like sharing you, Joon." His voice was low, teasing, but there was an undertone of sincerity that made my heart skip a beat.
"You're awfully clingy for someone who's supposed to be my boss," I said, trying to sound unaffected, though the warmth radiating from him made it hard to keep a straight face.
He chuckled, the sound vibrating against my back. "Boss or not, you're mine. And I don't care who knows it."
I felt my cheeks flush, and I pulled back slightly to give him a look. "You should care. You know we have to be careful. If anyone finds out—"
"I know, I know," he interrupted, his playful smile fading just a little. "I'd never do anything to jeopardize your career or mine. But it doesn't mean I can't be greedy when we're alone."
I sighed, a small smile tugging at my lips despite myself. "Dinner tonight, then. Just us. I'll even let you pick the place."
"Deal," SangMin said, his grin returning in full force. "And I'm holding you to it. No last-minute excuses."
I rolled my eyes and stepped out of his grasp, smoothing down my shirt as I moved toward the door. "I'll see you later, then. Try not to overwork yourself until dinner."
"I'll try," he said, leaning back against his desk, his eyes following me as I opened the door. "Oh, and Joon?"
I paused, glancing back at him. "What?"
"That shirt you're wearing…" He smirked, his gaze dropping for just a second before returning to my face. "It looks good on you. But it'd look better off."
Heat rushed to my face, and I quickly turned away, shutting the door behind me before he could see my reaction. SangMin's laughter echoed faintly through the closed door, and I shook my head, a mix of embarrassment and amusement bubbling inside me.
By the time I returned to my desk, Nari was already waiting, a curious expression on her face. "What took you so long? Did he give you extra work or something?"
"Something like that," I muttered, busying myself with my computer to avoid her scrutiny.
Her eyes narrowed as she leaned closer. "You're acting weird. Don't tell me—did he finally scold you for your terrible attitude?"
I snorted. "If that day ever comes, I'll let you know. Now, can we focus on actual work?"
Nari rolled her eyes but dropped the subject, much to my relief. As I typed away at my desk, I couldn't help but glance at the clock, already counting down the hours until dinner. Just us, I thought, a faint smile creeping onto my face.
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After work as I hopped in my taxi I got a call from Han, "hello" I answered the call.
"Are you free right now?" He asked, "no, I have plans already why? I replied. "Ujin's friends are coming over, and I-" "definitely not!" I cut him off right there.
"Oh come on, open up a little bit." She said. "I told you stop trying to set me up with people." I replied. I hated to hide it from Han the most but I couldn't tell him that I was seeing SangMin again, he would blow my ears away with all the lectures.
"Don't tell me you're seeing someone and you're not telling me."
I hesitated, and that moment of silence was enough for Han to pounce.
"You are seeing someone, aren't you?" His voice was filled with mock betrayal and genuine curiosity. "Who is it? Do I know them? How long has this been going on?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Han, no. I'm not seeing anyone. I just… have things to do, okay?"
"Liar," he accused, dragging out the word. "You're hiding something from me. I can feel it. Spill!"
"There's nothing to spill," I said firmly, trying to keep my tone even. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. Have fun with Ujin's friends."
Before he could press me further, I hung up and leaned back against the taxi seat, letting out a long breath. Han's instincts were always too sharp for his own good.
The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Rough day?"
I gave him a small, tired smile. "You could say that."
As the taxi pulled up to the restaurant SangMin had chosen, I straightened my jacket and tried to push all thoughts of Han out of my mind. This evening wasn't about secrets or stress. It was about us.
When I stepped inside, I spotted SangMin immediately. He was sitting at a private table near the back, dressed casually but effortlessly stylish, as always. His eyes lit up the moment he saw me, and he stood to greet me.
"You're late," he teased, pulling me into a quick hug before we sat down.
"Blame Han," I said, rolling my eyes as I took my seat. "He called and tried to rope me into one of his matchmaking schemes again."
SangMin smirked, pouring me a glass of water. "Let me guess, you told him no, and now he thinks you're hiding something."
"Exactly," I muttered, picking up the menu.
"Good thing he doesn't know the truth," SangMin said, his voice lowering as he leaned across the table slightly. "Imagine how he'd react if he knew we were back together."
I looked at him over the menu, arching an eyebrow. "If he knew, he'd probably storm in here and drag me out by my ear, lecturing me the whole way."
SangMin laughed softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Sounds like Han. But you don't regret it, do you? Us being together again?"
His question caught me off guard, but the sincerity in his gaze made my answer easy. "No, I don't regret it. Not for a second."
His smile softened, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world disappeared, leaving just the two of us in our little bubble.
"Good," he said quietly, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Because neither do I."
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After dinner at Min's penthouse: as i finished freshing up I sat on the bed drying my hair with a towel as i scrolled through mom's a dads messages, each of them were Bible quotes and verses. I never paid much attention to them but then again i couldn't help but feel like I was letting my parents down again.
Not thinking much about it I turned off my phone and placed it on the night stand as I continued to dry my hair, a few minutes later Min walked in his hair down reminding of Highschool Min but older.
He took a seat next to me wrapped his arms around me and started placing soft kisses on my neck, "you smell so good."
I chuckled softly, feeling the warmth of his breath against my skin. "You always say that," I replied, playfully nudging him with my elbow.
"Because it's always true," Min murmured, his lips brushing against the sensitive spot just below my ear. His hands slid around my waist, pulling me closer until I was practically sitting in his lap. "What's got you so deep in thought? You've been quiet since dinner."
I hesitated, not wanting to dampen the mood, but Min wasn't the type to let things slide. "It's nothing," I said, leaning forward to grab the towel from my lap and toss it aside. "Just…" I shook my head not wanting to talk about it.
Min didn't press further right away. Instead, he shifted slightly, pulling me back against his chest as he rested his chin on my shoulder. His silence wasn't impatient; it was patient and comforting, like he was waiting for me to open up on my own terms.
"You're not very good at hiding things from me, you know," he finally said, his voice soft and low.
TBC