deal with the devil, chapter one: a hot boss makes everything more complicated
[art by giaonp on deviant art]
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It'd been six months since the breakup with your high school sweetheart, Jake Ji. Six months since you'd seen his pretty eyes, six months since you'd felt his hands on your own, and six months since you had felt like someone loved you. It was a nice day outside when he did it, much too nice for the occasion. Personally, you'd rather it be a rainy, cold day, one that could have foreshadowed the events to come. The worst part was how sad he looked, how he seemed like he didn't want to. That was your biggest question- why was he doing it if he didn't want to? Of course, you didn't say anything, just attempted to hide your sobs as he walked away.
A month after the breakup, you were a complete wreck. He'd completely removed himself from your shared apartment, taking your heart with him. A part of yourself was so fed up with how heartbroken you were, how any thought of him would make you completely crumble in a matter of seconds. Any guide on how to properly deal with sadness was brushed off, you being sure you'd be stuck in this rut forever. You weren't sure how long you spent in your bed, but you wouldn't be surprised if you spent days without showering, as gross as it would sound to strangers. Your days were spent sobbing or staring at the wall, wondering where your seemingly great relationship had gone wrong. Honestly, you were lucky enough to have a journalist job that allowed you to work from home- if it was any other type of work, you were sure you'd be fired from how long it took for you to leave the house.
By the second month, you met your reason to keep pushing, even if it was a little bit each day- a pretty stray who you called Bambi. She had to be the most elegant cat you'd ever met, with a soft, long, white coat, a fluffy tail, and two-colored eyes, green and blue. She'd found you when you were standing by a vending machine, on the verge of snapping when the cash wouldn't go through. You could tell right away she was sick, so without hesitation, you took her to the vet, and used part of the money you'd saved to go on trips with Jake, on her. After learning she had no home, was a month pregnant, and desperately needed someone to take her in, you stepped right up for the job. For a cat who'd obviously been neglected and abused by the humans around her, Bambi had such trust in you to help her. After giving birth to three kittens whom you'd named Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup, Bambi had left such a positive mark on your life that you decided to keep her, slowly giving the kittens away to close friends you'd trusted enough. By the end of the second month, you'd been distracted from your own pain, you could slowly start to accept the reality- Jake Ji was gone.
When the third month rolled around, you slowly but surely started becoming more productive. Though at first you kept the pictures of you and Jake, the evidence of love that had tied you both together, Bambi would never let you be alone in your own sadness. You'd become more involved in your work, and your coworkers noticed how your writing improved. You started to become more caring to yourself, even starting your small renovations to the apartment you lived in. Instead of tabloid articles, you turned to your Aunt Dae for advice. Like always, she was so patient with you, never expecting you to just move on from someone who you'd obviously considered your soulmate. "People who you love sometimes have to leave," she explained to you one night, "And even if you think they've slammed a door shut, if you look a little harder, a better door is now open." After that talk, you deleted the pictures of you with Jake, allowing yourself to cry as you did it. You began to do bigger improvements, growing (cat safe) plants, getting new furniture, even getting permission from your sympathetic landlord to paint your kitchen green. You tried to think of this leaving as another door opening, instead of the love of your life leaving. He lost you, and that was his problem.
Fourth months in and you finally got used to not waking up with him in the morning. The smell of his nice cologne was gone from the pillows, and the lack of his teacups in the kitchen didn't give you the first morning confusion like it used to. You fell into a new routine, Bambi often times being the one who held you to it. When you slept in later, reminiscing of the past, it was her whose constant meowing woke you. When you zoned out, thinking about how different the apartment looked than it did when Jake lived with you, Bambi rubbed herself on your calf, gently purring whenever you'd get too lost in thought, as if to shield you from whatever hurt you were going to feel if you reflected on him too much. You began to do the things your past routine would have contradicted- you made all the crazy deserts you wanting, not having to worry about the space Jake would have needed to do his own thing, you slept in longer because you didn't have to wake up and make him a cute lunch every morning, you even took long drives into the city, stretching to the parts of the city he'd always been nervous to go into. Now and again, you'd slip up- you'd see a video that you'd want to send him, you'd order two coffees on instinct- but with Bambi and Aunt Dae by your side, you'd be able to feel better. It was odd; Jake had really been the one whom you'd shared so many experiences with. From formal dances to high school graduation, it was strange to have to make memories on your own. You began to go out on your own little adventures- every good memory with Jake had a nice independent one as well.
You started month number five on a high note with a cup of hot chocolate from a cute barista, writing your future plans in an adorable little journal you'd gotten yourself a few months back. Scrap booking had been something you'd always wanted to try, but never had found the time to. The sweet stickers managed to encourage you and writing about your feelings every day without fail had a better impact on you. It was at this endearing café that you realized how unsatisfied with your job you'd become. Writing was something you wanted to do without fail, but you needed change. When looking at all your experience and impressive university GPA, you figured somewhere would want to hire you. You wanted to work someplace that you could also focus on your own life, someplace where you'd have the time to keep writing simple drabbles every day. Plus, a better paycheck would never be a bad thing. You started to hand in your resume at bigger companies, ones that would suit your needs better. Bambi was there every step of the way, even starting to foster the small strays who roamed through your neighborhood. The older woman who worked at the corner store near your apartment, Jee, said you spoiled your cat too much, to which you'd always say, "She spoils me back!"
The sixth month had started about a week ago, and you celebrated by making yourself a heart cake. You weren't sure at the beginning of your breakup, if you could ever live without Jake Ji, and here you were! Sure, the first month seemed unbearable, but yet, you still lived. There was some recurring anxiety about the new job you were starting soon, but you figured it was for the best! You weren't sure where, but you could've sworn someone said that if life gets repetitive to the point of being overwhelmed, it was time for change. Bambi purred as she cuddled into your lap, the movie you were playing for background noise became more and more irrelevant as you felt your eyes get heavy. You mindlessly pet Bambi, feeling somewhat bittersweet. Sure, you made a ton of improvements, but for what? You sighed, trying to be more assertive. For me, you thought, I'm doing this for me. With that, you fell asleep, feeling more reassured in yourself and your ability to love the world around you.
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His hands were wrapped around your waist, lips pressing against your skin over and over. You pouted as he let out a pretty laugh, finally kissing you on your lips. Everything was right again- he was here and so were you, and the two of you were going to be okay. Occasionally, he'd pull away to smile at you- when he looked at you, it was like you were the only person in the world he could ever want. He was your absolute world- Jake, Jake, Jake, that's all you could ever think when he kissed you like he was currently. He pulled away again, bending on one knee as you automatically started to tear up and gasp.
"[name], please, marry me?"
Your dream cut off before you could even say yes. The sound of your alarm and Bambi's sweet meows would normally make you feel productive, but honestly, all you wanted to do was cry. You took in a few shaky breaths as Bambi jumped up onto your bed, nudging her head against you. You attempted to give her a smile but couldn't deny how foggy your eyes got from the tears that were beginning to form. You stayed like that for around ten minutes, inhaling and exhaling as Bambi stayed her understanding self and stuck by your side. God, I miss him, you thought to yourself as you gave Bambi some of her favorite food. Taking in another deep breath, you walked into your cluttered bathroom, full of plants and nice smelling perfumes.
Turning the shower nozzle, you waited for the water to warm up before you could wash yourself clean of the remaining tears. Think about something cool, [name]! Your first day at that new job is today, remember? You smiled at the reminder, planning out an outfit in your head. For such a high company, the dress code was relatively simple- pantsuit or pencil skirt and blouse, etc., etc. Though it wasn't the most casual, you had to admit you were excited to look cool. When it came to the work itself, it sure paid a lot for things so standard; write reports, assist higher ups, all the typical office things. You made sure to research the company beforehand, all articles saying it was well respected and reliable. The only odd thing was how very little information was known about the CEO himself, but you assumed that was for privacy reasons. Remember: you are a valuable team member, and they're lucky to have you!
Washing out your hair with sweet smelling shampoo, you internally gave yourself a pep talk as you continued to wash yourself. Okay [name], this will probably be really scary for the first few days, but you gotta do it! Change is the only thing you can count on, remember? From now on, you're a cool girl! I know that maybe you don't always feel like it, but you can only focus on work for now! You nodded to yourself, as if some life coach was giving you the advice. You allowed yourself to relax for a little longer before getting out and starting your skin care.
Once you were completely ready for the day, you had a few minutes to spare, which let you spend more time with a very understanding Bambi. "Now Bambi," you started to explain to the feline, "I'm gonna be out more! Which is good for like, my health and stuff, but I'm gonna miss you so, so much," She meowed in response, only proving to you how incredibly smart your cat happens to be.
"I know, pretty girl! I'm happy too, if not just a little nervous..." Your voice got a tad quieter as it kicked in on how quickly your life changed. Checking the clock once more, your eyes widened as you realized it was time to go if you wanted to make it to the bus on time.
"Alright, I love you! Food is out, and I made sure to give you some fresh water; be good, Bambi!" You locked the door behind you as you sped down the stairs and to the sidewalk where your bus stop would be. Taking a sip of your sweetened tea, you waited at the bus stop, checking your phone for any new stories. Being at a new place raised some anxiety, especially when you'd hear stories all the time of muggings and kidnappings on the news. For the most part, strangers were kind and meant no harm to you, but for protection, you took a small pocketknife wherever you went. Feeling it secured in your new bag that Aunt Dae had given you as a present for dealing with your emotions, you felt much more secure in yourself.
The next few minutes going to work went as well as they could. You got on the bus, read a little more of the news on your phone as you waited, and got off with no problem besides the rude middle school students shoving by you. You tried to find the silver lining- it reminded you to call your doctor about getting on birth control! Shaking off the irritating encounter, you speed walked to the big building in the distance, because although you were on schedule, you'd much rather be early than late on your first day. Brushing down your clothes one last time, you entered the intimidating cooperation.
Of course, you already knew where you were supposed to go- per an email you had received the previous night, you were to head straight to Mr. Donald Na's office and be assigned your first piece of work, as well as get a general feel of the place you'd be working in. You walked like you knew exactly where you were, a faux confidence to hide the fears of rejection from your higher ups and fellow coworkers. You subtly looked at the people who you'd be working with, and suddenly you realized just how attractive a lot of them were. What the hell?
Shaking your embarrassment aside, you stood in front of a grand looking door with the golden title 'Donald Na', feeling utterly relieved you didn't get lost. You were sure everyone here was civil, sure, but having to ask a cute guy to walk you to your new boss's office wasn't exactly an ideal first impression. You gently knocked a few times, before hearing what might have been one of the deepest voices you'd ever heard say, "Come in."
You could barely see him from behind the big leather chair he sat in, only adding to your ever-growing curiosity. Being careful to not be too loud, you decided to introduce yourself, even if he wasn't looking at you. "Hello, I'm [name] [surname], one of the new employees, it's a pleasure to meet you. In your email you said to come see you, so I hope now is an alright time." Your strong tone was a complete lie, because seriously, who doesn't look at someone when they tell the person to come in? What kind of boss-
He turned- his hair was a light blonde that was somehow managed up, and his eyes were a red that you'd never seen before. The most notable thing, though, were the tattoos that covered his body. In all honesty, this guy was shady, but your mom had made you promise as a child that you'd never judge a book by its cover. "Sweet people like you must always keep your heart open, [name]!" So, no matter what your logical side was thinking, you couldn't deny how handsome he was- seriously, you'd never really been into the 'bad boy' type, mostly because you were always dating Jake who was the poster child for being a sweet, brave, kid, but something about him was surely going to make you fall over if he kept staring at you.
"I see. It's good to have you here as well. I'm Donald Na, but I'm sure you already know that." If you weren't completely enamored by him before, you were now, without a doubt. As charmed as you already were, you tried to maintain a professional front to hide the butterflies in your stomach. You gave him a nod as he gestured for you to sit in the seat in front of him. You were practically engulfed in it, still stubbornly attempting to be taken seriously- apparently, bosses and managers had been worse on you in the past because they thought you'd allow them to be.
"[name], how soon do you imagine you can start working? I have projects that need to get done, and I'm interested to see how you'll do on them." He continued to speak with the pretty voice that'd make anyone swoon. You forced yourself not to blush because the idea of being flustered over someone's voice the first time you meet them was just too mortifying to take.
"I can start as soon as possible! I... don't really know my way around the office too well, but, as soon as I do, I'll get started. Do you have any idea of what the project would be?" You tried your best to sound firm yet friendly, and the way he smiled at you only gave you more reassurance.
"Very impressive, I must say." His charm seemed to skyrocket as you nearly melted from the small bit of praise. You could try and say it was just because you hadn't heard something like that from a guy since Jake, but you were never the lying type. Why is this happening? I just wanna be perfectly professional, and my boss is hot? How is that even fair?
"Thank you! That's very kind of you." You couldn't help but smile as he gave you a smirk in return. You were completely ready to start working when he was ready to give you an assignment- honestly, you were itching for some sort of duty or challenge.
"Well then, I'll have one of your coworkers give you a tour and then I'll email you. Technically, you work under Kingsley Kwan, but I want you to send your work directly to me. For now, wait outside my office- he, Sam, should be here soon." He stood up and you followed, shaking hands. Oh my god his hands are so big, you gave him another smile and a nod, thanking him one more time before walking out.
Part of you was still somewhat star-struck from his attention, his words, just everything about him was screaming he was important. Still, you remembered your words to yourself that morning- no matter how hot any guy was, you weren't going to rush into a crazy crush because of it. Even if his words made you feel blush-y, you owed it to yourself to not be that easy to win over. You took in a deep breath, finding the courage to hype yourself up once again. He was totally right; my work is impressive! [name], we're allowed to be flattered by compliments and not get won over right away. Besides, it's not like everyone here can be totally attractive, right? Something about math and probability, I dunno, I didn't really get into math, but-
"[name]?" A quieter voice approached you, and for the second time that day, you swore you were going to have a heart attack. You turned and saw a man around your height, with almost concerningly pale skin and heavy eye bags.
"Yeah, it's nice to meet you. Sam, right?" He glared at the name, making you regret using it almost instantly. He shook his head, straightening his back, almost to appear more intimidating.
"Who told you that was my name?" His sharp tone made anxiety course through you, as you tried to sympathize for him in your head. Maybe it's like, a cruel joke or something? I really hope I didn't just give the world's worst first impression...
"Mr. Na? If you prefer something else, I'm sorry, is there something you prefer?" You attempted to diffuse the situation, speaking softer than you normally would. At the mention of your boss, he froze and shook his head, biting his thumb's fingernail harshly.
"He told you? I don't care, just not that." You nodded, glad to hear his voice was back to normal. He slouched a bit more, making your nerves settle.
"Ah, alright! I'll come up with something as soon as possible, then!" You grinned already planning out possibilities of a sweet new nickname. Well... he has super dark purple hair! That's something I could work with, right? Besides his eye bags it's one of his more prominent features... plus, I'm not sure if calling someone you just met 'eye bags' would be considered polite. I mean, his hair is kinda like the galaxy, I guess! Like one of those Tumblr galaxy leggings? That still doesn't bring any good ideas...
"If you're finished talking to Mr. Na, I can start giving you the tour." He scratched at his neck, exposing bandages hidden below the collar of his shirt.
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At first, going from room to room with a stranger you didn't make a good impression on was awkward. Very little was said, and when the two of you did speak, it was short and uncomfortable. You're not completely sure what broke the ice, but whatever it was, you were grateful to be able to talk to your coworker comfortably. He was fairly nice, informing you on the different departments, managers, and other coworkers in the office.
"One of the managers is Jimmy Bae, he's known for being pretty ruthless." He explained, opening a glass door for you. Luckily for you, since you chose a more 'assistant-y' role, you'd be working straight under Mr. Na and Kingsley Kwan, who you still weren't sure if you should call 'mr' or not. If the other managers of the buildings needed tasks you'd do them, but you primarily would be working straight for the CEO and his assistant. All things considered, you were grateful to have a more open type of roll. If what you heard about the managers so far were true, they all seemed sort of... unhinged, in a sense.
"Another one is... Wolf Keum," Sam seemed to have a personal distaste towards whoever Wolf was, "Everyone thinks he's crazy for good reason- he gets pissed if you make eye contact with him for more than three seconds. Something about his three second rule," His glare only got sharper as he went on and on. "He's absolutely ruthless."
"Three second rule? Isn't that... kind of overboard? Aha, are there any coworkers I should avoid?" You laughed it off as a light joke, but his chuckle was dry.
"Harper Ha, everyone calls him Helmet. He works under Jimmy Bae and for someone almost everyone here looks down on, he's a cocky bastard. And Jared Sun- he likes to act like a manager when he has the same amount as power as the rest of us. Only reason he gets away with it is cause he kisses Wolf's ass so much." He explained, rolling his eyes at the mention of Jared Sun. Letting out a hum, you make a mental note to try and not run into those two.
"You mentioned there was a coffee machine around here, right? Would you mind showing me where it is?" You tried your best to sound polite, knowing Sam already seemed agitated at the thought of Wolf Keum and Jared Sun. He nodded a bit, calming down. As the two of you walked, he gave some important information of who to look out for.
"Who are you working under, anyway?" As nonchalant as he tried to seem, it was clear he was curious.
"Someone called Kingsley Kwan, but I don't really know much about him."
"All things considered he's not the worst, especially compared to the other higher ups. Just make sure to get in work on time and all that," You nodded as he heated up water for your coffee, having shown you the tidy break room. You noticed more concerning things about your coworker, like how his hands shook frequently and how his fingers had Band-Aids all over them. Though you were curious, you didn't want to overstep any boundaries and ask about them. If I keep seeing him with them, I'll ask.
"How do you like your coffee?"
"Oh, I can make it myself! You've really helped me enough as is-" In all honestly, you like your coffee so sweet that middle aged men used to mock you at a café. You'd really rather avoid having someone else make it, especially a stranger, but it seems your coworker isn't going down without a fight.
"Just tell me how you like your coffee." He cuts you off, rolling his eyes. You sigh and look off to the side, not daring to make eye contact with the man who you're sure is going to tease you. What's up with him? Seriously, I'm starting to get worried.
"About two teaspoons of cream and two teaspoons of sugar, please." You know rationally it's stupid to get so self-conscious about something as simple as a coffee preference, but you're so nervous about how your coworkers will perceive you that you can't find it in yourself to just chill out. He doesn't say anything as he fixes up your drink, though, and you notice that he puts almost the same amount of sugar in his own coffee as well. You smile, happy to finally have another thing you can relate to, even if it's as small as an amount of sugar and cream.
"I think we're just about done, right? I'll show you your workspace and you can get started. I'll give you my email so if you need anything you can just send me a message." He hands you your drink, and your fingertips touch for just a second, reminding you again just how shaky and cold his own hand is. You simply nod and follow him as he walks to you what your new workspace will be.
I'm ready for this! I know where all the printers are, where to get the supplies, how to submit my reports... I totally got this!
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Your workspace was much larger than you could have ever anticipated. You were used to desk after desk, lined up neatly, with very little room away from your coworkers. Instead, your space was near the back in the corner, away from ruckus or any disturbances. All things considered your office wasn't too small nor too big, having enough comfortable space and blinds to keep away any stares. Although you tried to remain looking calm- This is what you deserve, act like it!- anyone looking at you could see how your eyes sparkled, or the wide smile you were trying to keep off your face.
"Since it's yours, you can pretty much do whatever you want with it- you know, besides painting or damaging anything. As long as you're getting work done, it doesn't matter to Mr. Kwan what you do with it," Sensing your confusion, he continued to explain. "Normally, someone new as you wouldn't get this, but since you're working under Mr. Kwan and Mr. Na directly, they want you to be able to focus, I guess."
Sensing you'd want to try to figure this out on your own, he quickly scribbled something on a spare sticky note and stuck it on your desk. "Email me if you need anything, yeah? I'll see ya around, anyway." You gave him a nod and a small 'mhm', before he finally left, shutting the door behind him. Looking at the sticky note, you saw his email address in messy writing, as well as a little nickname for himself- Grape. Odd, but if that's what he wanted to go by, who were you to call him something else? Honestly, I'm just happy I don't have to come up with a name for him.
Finally, you got to work on your first task, a fairly simple transferring new shipping orders with their money. Although a few times the numbers and numbers didn't exactly match, you figured out how to make a comprehensible table of the money already spent and shipments already made, as well as a prediction as to how much money would be spent in the next month. To be truthful, you weren't exactly a fan of math, you took extra precautions- this was your first task, and you'd be damned if you did it incorrectly. After that, you sent Mr. Na an email outlining what you'd found, just as he'd instructed you to do, and started to head over to the copying room. Hypothetically, you'd be able to save it directly to your computer and send the chart that way, sure, but you weren't an idiot; you knew these files weren't exactly open info, and you were worried that it wasn't something you were supposed to have on your laptop. I can't believe today is going so well, really! Aah, what was I even worried about?
As if fate itself was testing you, another coworker of yours almost slammed into you, making you almost let out an embarrassingly high-pitched squeal. Shaking it off, you looked up at the man you'd almost ran into- tall, sharp eyes, with green hair. He was super handsome, no doubt, but you didn't exactly get good vibes off of him.
"Oh, excuse me." You shot him a polite smile, and bit back the urge to apologize. It was a little thing, sure, but Aunt Dae insisted that if you kept up on not apologizing when it wasn't your fault, your confidence would slowly grow. I can't believe I'm doing so well! God, he was practically like a brick wall- I should really check my nose after he bumped into me.
"Aren't you missing something?" His voice was almost attempting to be kind, but you saw right through his sugar coating. Freezing, you looked over your shoulder, and made eye contact with possibly the fakest looking man you'd ever seen. It was nothing against his looks alone, he could even be considered handsome, yet something felt so off about him, like he thought he was better than everyone else in the room. Trying not to look on edge, you were just about to explain yourself when he started talking again.
"Since you're new here, I'll be understanding- don't expect that to be a common occurrence. When you bump into someone, apologize. Weren't you taught that in the first grade?" He continues to glare down at you, but before anything else can be said, someone intervenes.
"Fuck off, Jared. Shouldn't you be kissing Wolf's ass?" Your hero isn't exactly dressed in what you would deem office appropriate attire- he's wearing a leather jacket, and a white button up, collar loose. If he hadn't known exactly who this Jared person was, you wouldn't believe he'd worked in the office at all. Upon closer look, you noticed a pair of finger-less gloves, bruises all over his hands. He looked almost rough around the edges, but after remembering how your boss looked, you just assumed Mr. Na was less strict about appearance than the handbook let on. Jared looks absolutely disgusted, tearing into him as soon as he can.
"Forrest Lee; I would have thought the boss would have fired you by now, seeing as you don't contribute anything anyone else couldn't." Forrest looks more irritated than before, and if they were anywhere else, you're sure they would start fighting. Trying to stop the tension, you try to calm the two men down.
"Look, let's all just relax! I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding, right?" You smile, though nervously, and turn to Jared.
"Jared, right? I'm really sorry to make such a bad first impression- let's just try to all get along, okay? No need to bring up someone's job. Besides, Mr. Na is smart! I'd like to think we were all chosen specifically because he knows what we could bring to the company." You decide against scolding Forrest. You know it's petty since he's the one who helped you, but you really don't know how you would've handled it without him. This is your first day, there's no way you could risk losing your job for getting into a fight with some jerk of a coworker. As pissed as he looks, Jared rolls his eyes and walks away, murmuring something about Forrest you can't quite hear.
Sighing a breath of relief, you turn towards Forrest. Quietly, you lean closer, almost like you're about to share a secret. You don't catch on to the slight surprise in his eyes as you smile at him. Without even meaning to, your formal persona drops, and you whisper shout to him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! That would have been a nightmare on my own, thank you!" Immediately, you're embarrassed about overdoing it, and fidget with your watch. Even if it was unprofessional, Forrest didn't seem to mind.
"It's no problem, really. Jared likes to pull rank on the new hires, even when he doesn't even have power. Here, let me help you with your papers?" He offers kindly, and without thinking, you let him, chatting about everything. Your hand brushes his while you hand the papers over (backside, of course! what kind of an employee would you be if you let everyone see private files?), and you notice how he gives a slight grimace.
"I don't mean to be impolite, but is your hand alright? There are bruises all over..." Unintentionally, your mind wanders back to Jake, thinking about how he always seemed to have bruised hands. He had always refused to elaborate on where they came from, insisting that he was just someone who bruised at basically anything, and that he had been running errands all day. Looking back at Forrest, you could tell he was caught off guard. Oops.
"It's nothing, just had to get some shipments and ran into our rival company." Almost a second after, he rushes to explain himself further. "We just had to move a bunch of boxes, that's all." Letting out a giggle, you tell him how much that sounds like they got into a fight.
"We have a rival company? I would've never guessed one would be so close. What are they like, anyway?" You inquire, oblivious to how pissed your coworker seems at the mere mention of them.
"Bunch of assholes, the whole lot. The worst of them is Ben Park, the boss." He doesn't explain further, and sensing tension, you try to change the conversation as you leave the copy room.
"Thank you for all your help!" You thank him once again, as he gives you a nod.
"It's really not a problem. Have a good rest of your day, [name]." He gives you a small smile, and you find yourself smiling at how much sweeter he looks when he's relaxed.
On the way back to your office, you hum a bit, taking in a deep breath before turning the corner, bumping into someone. Your papers fall to the ground as you immediately apologize, not looking up at the person.
"Ah, I'm so sorry! Here, lemme get those-" As soon as you stand up, you realize why the person hadn't said anything. Your eyes widen, and it feels as though your entire blood is running cold.
Jake Ji, once the love of your life. Jake Ji, now a painful memory to revisit. Jake Ji, standing in front of you, is your new coworker.
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a/n: hello! welcome to my new story! honestly, i dunno if the weak hero fandom is still around, but i've been writing this story since like, 2020, and just wanted to publish it. i've reviewed it a couple times, but some of the dialogue still sounds clunky, so sorry about that! also sorry that some of the characters are ooc, hopefully it'll get better as it goes on. anyway, requests are open currently, and i hope to have another chapter out soonish!
