Work Text:
It had been an office meet-cute like any other. On her first day, Yona had been struggling with the copying machine (which was renowned for its belligerence), and her senior coworker, Jae Ha, had stepped in, taking time out of his busy schedule to help her out. With a casual confidence, he showed her how to get the damned machine to work, shooting her a wink or a mischievous smile when he made fun of the office equipment.
He had left her with thirty copies of the fiscal report, and a pounding heart. It was painfully mundane, and yet, she had replayed that memory for months while she brushed her teeth, poured coffee, or took the train home. Such memories were usually accompanied with a deep, lovestruck sigh, and some unfortunate mishap— such as pouring too much coffee, or squeezing out too much toothpaste.
That is to say, she was in deep.
That was only the first time he helped her out, too. Almost twice per week, he would help her out with some menial task or another, or check in with her, or offer to buy her a drink from the vending machine downstairs. The only problem was, she couldn’t figure out if he was interested in her, or if this was just some unspoken rule of office etiquette. She wasn’t the only one he helped out, after all, and he didn’t even seem to harbor any sense of favoritism towards her.
And yet, on the other hand, the way he smiled at her, the way he’d try and buy a little more time for them to be together, the way his eyes almost seemed to linger on her when they were alone together... that couldn’t all be in her head, could it?
Then again, it was almost idyllic. There she was, 25 years old, and working in a proper office for the first time, and she just happened to be coworkers with an absolute babe ? Better yet, that absolute babe seemed interested in her ?
The job had fallen into her lap shortly after a messy breakup with her ex-boyfriend, and was the perfect way to get herself back on her feet. It was the most autonomy she had had in a while, and she wanted to enjoy it.
After all, her ex’s idea of her life goals were to be a stay-at-home trophy wife while he provided for her. What did she need to work for? He would take care of all of it for her. She didn’t need separate finances, because she could just ask him for money any time she needed it, and he’d be happy to provide.
It was living in a gilded cage, at its finest. She might as well move back in with her overbearing father— it would’ve been the same treatment.
When she stood up for herself, and told him that she had goals and ambition in life, he had the audacity to get angry with her, to accuse her of being ungrateful.
“Why’re you givin’ me attitude? Can’t you see I’m just tryin’ to help you out?!”
It was that very argument that ended with her dumping him, and moving out. She moved in with her friend, Lili, and had gotten this job after sending out innumerous applications. Freshly single, and ready to conquer the world.
It had been about four months since she had started working there, and, subsequently, since she had met Jae Ha. Getting onto the elevator that morning, she texted Lili, keeping her phone close to her chest.
I’m asking him out today! Wish me luck! :)
Why shouldn’t she pursue him? He was nice, and attractive, and wasn’t wearing a wedding band— that was good enough for her! She wouldn’t ask for much, just a simple coffee date would suffice. They could get to know each other a little better outside of the office, see how they get along… she had nothing to lose, really.
Well, she wouldn’t have had anything to lose… if she had seen him even once for the entire working day! He wasn’t where he usually was, and she didn’t even see him stop in for water during her lunch break! Where the hell was he? He wasn’t sick, was he?
At the end of the day, she was ready to cut her losses. At least her heart had been in the right place— she’d just have to ask him out the next day. What a shame. She had gone through so much effort to make herself look extra cute that day, and it had ended up being a complete waste.
With a sigh, she pressed the call button for the elevator, and walked in. Right as the doors were closing, however, a voice called out.
“Hold the elevator!”
On pure reflex, she shot out her hand to stop the door. She hadn’t even registered who had called out to her. When Jae Ha slipped into the elevator, though, her heart flipped and fluttered in her chest, her eyes going wide as she looked up into his face.
“Thanks,” he grinned. “You had to work late, too, huh?” She hardly wanted to admit that she was only there so late because she was waiting for him , so she just nodded. His gaze lingered on her face, taking in her hair, perhaps her makeup. She blushed under the scrutiny, though she didn’t mind all that much. “Did you do something different with your hair today?”
Leave it to Jae Ha to notice!
“Yes, I did.”
“It looks really nice.”
She could have cheered, right then and there. But, no! She had something else she had to do first! With every floor they passed, she was losing more time!
“Actually, Jae Ha,” she piped up, hiding her shaking hands behind her back. It had been so long since she had been this nervous about a date— it was exhilarating! “I was wondering if maybe, uh, if you weren’t busy, if you’d want to get a coffee or something this weekend?”
She said it. She had actually said it! Sure, it might’ve been a squeaking, unintelligible mess of syllables, but she had said it, and that was all that mattered.
His eyes went wide, but only for a moment. His first response, however, was to chuckle. The sound of it sent her heart slamming towards the floor— did he really find it so outrageous that his first reaction was to laugh ?
“You beat me to it, huh?” Instantly, her hope resurrected itself from its spontaneous death. Looking up into his face, she could practically feel herself sparkling as she searched his face, looking for any hint of trickery. Alas, he seemed to be completely serious. “Honestly, I’ve wanted to ask you to a coffee for a while, but I didn’t want it to seem weird, or put you on the spot, so I’m glad you asked.”
“You didn’t want to make me uncomfortable?” she asked, still a little dumbfounded by his genuine interest in her. Not only that, but it was the first time a romantic interest had put her feelings before their own, which was even more confounding.
“Of course not.” The elevator came to a stop on the ground floor, the doors slowly sliding open. Stepping out, he dug his phone out of his pocket, and let Yona add her number to it. “I’ll text you. I know this great, little spot by the train station— maybe we can go there?”
“Sure,” she tittered as she finished inputting her number. Her fingers were shaking, and she had to double-check her number before handing it back. “I’ll see you on Sunday, then?”
“It’s a date.”
It sure is!
Before she could offer to walk to the train station with him, a familiar, unwanted voice cut through the din of the lobby.
“Yona.”
Tensing, she lowered her gaze, too angry to look at her ex, and too ashamed to look at Jae Ha. Why did he have to show up now , when things were finally looking up for her? Why, when it had been four months since they broke up?
She thought she had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him, and now he was showing up at her office ? Of all the audacious things to do— he had to resort to practically stalking her?!
Her hands closed into fists, trembling at her side. A small part of her was nervous, of course, as she didn’t know what he was willing to do, or what he felt entitled to. The overwhelming majority, however, was filled with a deep, muscle-throbbing rage that threatened to completely wipe out all sensibility within her.
“Hm? Do you know him?” Jae Ha asked, glancing between her and Hak.
Taking a deep breath, she set her jaw, and straightened her posture. She still refused to look at either one of them, if only because she was afraid that she would lose whatever remained of her self-control.
“Yeah,” she grumbled, keeping her voice low. “That’s my ex-boyfriend.”
“Yona. C’mere.”
Gritting her teeth together, she finally looked his way, fire in her eyes. They had been broken up all this time, and he still had the gall to tell her what to do.
“Excuse me,” she muttered, striding towards Hak. Forcing her expression to remain as neutral as possible— she didn’t want him knowing he had any sort of hold over her, even if it was pure rage— she looked up at him. “Yes? Can I help you?”
“C’mon. Don’t be like that.”
It was what he had always said to her when she acted on her own, when she started having too many opinions, or too much autonomy. Lili had been the one to point it out to her first, and now, she just hearing the phrase made her skin crawl.
“How did you find out where I work?” she asked, her patience wearing unbearably thin. Crossing her arms across her chest, she drummed her fingers against her forearm, wondering what it felt like to strangle someone. “Did you follow me?”
“Listen, babe, that’s not important, okay?”
How can you say it’s not important? It certainly seemed important to her! If he was following her around, then she’d have to file for a restraining order, at this point! Had he found out where she lived, too? Would he follow her home next?
“Come home, Yona. You don’t have to work, okay? I’m gonna take care of you, I told you that.”
“You weren’t ‘taking care of me’, you were suffocating me,” she said, her voice threatening to break. It was one thing to think about telling him off, it was something else entirely to actually do it. “Hak, I’m not going back to you. I don’t love you anymore, okay? I haven’t for a long time, so just leave me alone. ”
Tightening her hold on her purse strap, she tried to side-step around him, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in place.
“What do you mean you don’t love me?” he scoffed. “I get that you think I did something wrong, but you don’t have to say you don’t love me ‘cause of something like that.”
“Has he ever taken you seriously? Name one time, in the six years that you’ve dated him, that he put you before himself.”
It was something Lili had said to her when she was first contemplating breaking up with him. It was a slap to the face, but it was a slap that she had needed. Desperately.
And now, here he was, just as he had always been. Could he change? By this point, probably not.
“Let me go,” was all she said, prying his grip from her wrist. However, predictably, he just grabbed her again, and yanked her back.
“Yona—”
“Let the lady go, sir,” Jae Ha said, projecting his voice through the lobby. It was loud enough to get the attention of the security guards stationed about fifty feet away, who straightened, and began heading their way. “I think it’s pretty obvious she doesn’t want to talk to you right now.”
Hak looked Jae Ha up and down, sizing him up, and scoffed. “What’s it matter to you? This is between me and her. Stay out of it.”
She, for one, had had enough of his temper tantrums. If her words weren’t going to work against him, she’d have to take action. And, with four months of post-breakup rage flowing through her bloodstream, she had more than enough motivation.
Raising her foot, she brought it slamming down onto his toes, her heel digging into the top of his foot. He inhaled sharply, and shot her a glare, which she returned ten-fold.
“I mean it, Hak,” she warned, pushing herself away from him. “Let me go, and leave me alone. If I ever see you around here again, I will take legal action.”
With wide, disbelieving eyes, he watched her every movement as she moved closer to Jae Ha. Sure, she didn’t need someone to protect her, but Hak was a little too predictably unpredictable for her to feel totally safe. If he was going to fly off the handle, she’d feel better knowing Jae Ha and the security guards were there.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” one of the security guards said, grabbing Hak’s arm in a way that wasn’t entirely forceful, but didn’t give him much leeway, either. It was a threat, though they would allow him the dignity of leaving on his own.
Yona knew he wouldn’t admit defeat so easily. And, unfortunately, he proved her right.
Barking out a derisive laugh, he looked down his nose at her as if she was trash on the street.
“I get it now. You thought you could replace me with this guy?” he scoffed, motioning to Jae Ha. “He’s a little old for you, isn’t he?”
“That’s none of your business.” It wasn’t her strongest comeback, but she refused to sink down to his level. Yet.
The time would come, she was sure, because she still had a lot to say to him. She couldn’t just let him get away with mistreating her for literal years — she’d have to do some serious damage to his ego before she was completely finished with him.
Was it petty? Maybe. Was it well-deserved? Yes.
“Okay, then, princess . Have your little fling with an older man, see where that gets you. He won’t treat you as well as I did, you can bet on that—”
Before he could continue, Jae Ha’s foot collided with his face at breakneck speeds, shutting him up quite effectively. Hak sputtered and coughed, blood dripping from his nose.
“Get him the hell out of here,” Jae Ha growled. Turning to her, he sighed, and, in a low voice, said, “I’m sorry about doing that. I can’t stand it when boys like him run their mouths like that.”
She smiled up at him, mouthing a silent thanks.
The security guards began to drag Hak off, but he thrashed his way out of their grips, desperately clinging onto whatever dignity he had left.
“Hak?” Yona called.
Jerking his head back, he leveled her with an icy glare. He could try to pretend all that he wanted, but she knew him, and she knew he was seething. However, that was not about to stop her from saying what needed to be said. She had lived in fear of his anger for far too long, and she was not about to let this opportunity slip out of her fingers.
Steeling herself, she enunciated her slight with perfect clarity, watching his face contort into an inhuman rage, tinged with shame and betrayal.
“I just want you to know: I faked it. Every. Single. Time.”
The color in his face couldn’t seem to decide between a deep, painful red, or a sickeningly pale purple. The guards, obviously tired of this whole drama, pushed him out of the lobby doors, and escorted him off of the premises.
With trembling fingers, she hugged herself, releasing a shaky breath. Adrenaline coursed through her as she watched the guards escort him away. It had felt so good to say that. She had wanted to get that off of her chest for months, and she had finally been given the chance.
“Are you okay?” Rubbing her arms, she managed a nod, albeit a pitiful one. A few, painful seconds passed, and Jae Ha sighed, running his hand through his bangs. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine. He’s just… y’know, an asshole.”
“It really isn’t fine,” he said softly, but firmly. “If he ever gives you trouble again, feel free to call me, okay?”
Her heart flip-flopped in her chest at the offer. It was nice to be looked after, without being owned, for a change. The ball was in her court, so to speak, and she appreciated the freedom, probably more than he knew.
“Thanks, Jae Ha.”
“It’s no problem.” Relaxing his posture, he stuck his hands into his suit pockets, and gave her an easy-going smile. “Could I invite you over for dinner?”
“Huh?”
“That came out of nowhere, huh?” he chuckled. “We could just stick to coffee this weekend, if you’d like.”
“No!” she cried. “I’d love to have dinner with you! I’m sorry, you just surprised me, that’s all.” With a shy laugh, she fixed a few flyaway strands of hair that had fallen into her face. “Really, I’d love to have dinner with you. Thank you.”
Looking up at him, she could feel her face heating up as she locked eyes with him. What was even better, however, was how his cheeks also turned into a healthy, rosy flush. Clearing his throat, he averted his gaze, though he couldn’t hide the smile pulling at his lips.
“Then, if you don’t mind, I just have one stop I need to make first.”
He held his hand out to her, and, to her surprise, it was trembling, just ever so slightly. He had a reputation in the office for being a bit flirtatious, and being a bit of a playboy, and yet, he was getting nervous over something like this?
No, of course not, she chastised herself. It’s probably just leftover adrenaline.
Sliding her hand into his, her heart squeezed in her chest as they laced fingers, her face exploding into a feverish blush. It was the first time in a long while that such a simple action had given her butterflies, and she welcomed them back with open arms.
How could someone make her feel so at ease, and so girlishly nervous? Her comfort was entirely in her control, and yet, she knew she could trust him with it, as fragile of a thing as it was. Had love always been so carefree? So light?
How long had she been living in the darkness?
Even if it didn’t work out with Jae Ha, she would hold onto this moment with everything she had. She could heal. She could have a second chance. She could be happy again.
Her heart light with gratitude, she squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back, setting a new batch of butterflies loose in her chest.
When he slowed to a stop in front of the office nursery, however, those butterflies took on a much more menacing fluttering.
Wait, what?
He opened the door, and a batch of little kids— all beneath the age of three or four— turned their heads, staring up at him with big, doe eyes. One little girl leapt to her feet, and rushed forward.
“Daddy!” she beamed.
Wait… WHAT?
Jae Ha released Yona’s hand so that he could kneel, and hug the little girl properly.
“How’s my little girl?”
WAIT, WHAT?
Yona hadn’t been at the office long enough to get the full extent of the office gossip. She didn’t know he was a father . Did that mean he was married? Was she now the other woman? No, if he was married, he wouldn’t introduce her to his kid on their first date , would he? Was he divorced ? Why were they divorced? Was it something he did, or something his spouse had done? Had his spouse cheated on him?
… Had he cheated on his spouse ?!
No. NO! Yona, relax. It’s… probably nothing. Though she had thought that, she could hardly convince herself, let alone anyone else. While she was busy having an internal crisis, the little girl— Jae Ha’s daughter, according to all available evidence— was looking up at her, her chubby face screwed up into a childish grimace.
“Who’s that ?” she asked, her petulance breaking Yona out of her thoughts. She couldn’t have been more than three years old. Her dark brown hair was styled into two tiny pigtails sticking up from either side of her head, tied with little pink baubles.
“Mi Young, this is Yona. She’s my friend from work,” Jae Ha explained with a paternal patience that she had never seen from him. It was amazing how, just minutes prior, he had nearly knocked out her ex-boyfriend’s teeth. The dichotomy of this man continued to captivate her. “Yona, this is my daughter, Mi Young.”
Kneeling, Yona gave her a smile, hoping to seem as friendly and likeable as possible, despite the flurry of panicked emotions that were currently eating her alive.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mi Young.” Mi Young hid behind her father’s legs, glaring at Yona with a certain distrust that only children could have. Admittedly, Yona’s experience with children was limited, and she didn’t exactly know what to do. “I hope we can be friends.”
“What do you say, Mi Young?” Jae Ha prompted, ruffling her hair. She didn’t answer. Instead, she held her breath, her cheeks puffing out in a squirrely pout. “You say ‘it’s nice to meet you, too’.” However, that did nothing to ebb any of the distrust she seemed to feel towards her. He sighed. “Sorry. She’s a bit shy.”
You can just say she doesn’t like me, it’s okay, she thought with a fake smile, hoping to ease Mi Young’s worries however she could.
“Yona is going to have dinner with us tonight,” Jae Ha said, picking her up. “What should we make for her?”
Whatever worries Mi Young might have had were obliterated at the mere mention of dinner.
“Curry!” she chirped, happily wriggling in his arms.
“Curry, it is,” he chuckled, flashing Yona a wry smile as he fetched his daughter’s pink backpack.
“Are you sure I’m not intruding?” she asked as they left the nursery.
The sight of him carrying both his daughter, and her backpack, warmed her heart in a way she hadn’t been expecting. However, she was at odds with herself— she couldn’t help but feel like she was invading their delicate family.
“I’m sure,” he assured her, hoisting Mi Young farther up on his shoulder. “Honestly, I worry about you walking home with your ex still lurking about.”
Her propriety kicked into overdrive at the realization that he was going out of his way to look out for her. “Well—! My roommate can come pick me up, you don’t have to invite me over for dinner or anything! It’s fine!”
“And what if I wanted to invite you over for dinner?” he asked with a wink, sending a jolt through her. “Would that be okay?”
Would it be okay? It would be more than okay ! Her mind was already racing at the very prospect of going to his home, being in his personal space , seeing a side of him that none of their coworkers had, or ever would.
Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she averted her gaze, her face heating up. There were certain implications to visiting his home . They would be out of the public eye, so, if things began to heat up, it wouldn’t be totally outlandish to…
No, Yona! You can’t think like that! It’ll be written all over your face!
Oh, but she was already taking that train of thought, and it was barreling towards its target, full speed ahead. Needless to say, the blush spread of its own accord.
“That’s fine,” she squeaked, her voice strained and thin as she tried to circumnavigate her less-than-pure thinking. “Lead the way,” she said, followed by an awkward chuckle.
If she could make it through the entirety of the evening without embarrassing herself to hell and back, it would be damn near a miracle. Even as they walked to the train station, she had to remind herself that it was just dinner, and nothing concrete. He might be interested in her, but there was nothing to say it would become serious.
Finally, they reached his apartment. For some reason, it was much more modest than she had been anticipating. Then again, he wasn’t the bachelor she had been expecting, either— it made sense that he didn’t have some luxurious bachelor pad overlooking the city. Quite the opposite, actually; it was just a simple, accommodating apartment.
“Come on in.” He had only just opened the door and put Mi Young down when she shot off, quicker than Yona had been anticipating. Could toddlers really move that quickly? “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Oh— no, I couldn’t…”
“You’re not imposing. I invited you. The least I can do is offer you some tea.”
With no shortage of hesitant mumbling, she eventually agreed that tea sounded lovely, especially after that whole fiasco with Hak in the lobby. God, how could she face the security guards after that?
“I faked it. Every. Single. Time.”
… Great. Now they knew too much about her sex life, too. Oh… but not only the security guards. Jae Ha also knew that tidbit.
Her face exploded into a bright blush, and all she wanted was to bury her head in her hands and curse herself. She just had to have the last word— couldn’t she have done it without an audience? What did Jae Ha think of her now ?
He handed her a glass of barley tea. If he noticed her blush, he at least had the decency to ignore it. Mi Young played with dolls in the living room, right in view of the kitchen. Putting on an apron, Jae Ha loosened his hair from its ponytail, before pulling it into a loose bun.
“My curry is the best of the best,” he boasted, a wry smile pulling at his lips. The sight of it simultaneously put her at ease, and sent swarms of butterflies through her stomach. “At least, according to my daughter.”
“I’ll have to judge that for myself,” she teased. “Can I do anything to help?”
“I’ll peel the vegetables if you’ll dice them,” he said, glancing towards Mi Young. “I can’t cut evenly to save my life. Poor thing has gotten too used to my god-awful knife skills.”
Yona chuckled, washing her hands. She couldn’t keep dancing around the topic of his daughter— she had to say something. But, as someone with little-to-no experience with children, she was struggling.
“She’s a cutie,” she managed. “How old is she?”
“She turns three this November,” he smiled, wistful and almost faraway. “Hard to believe.”
“And her mom—?” she blurted, regret instantly filling in the silence between them. “I’m sorry— you don’t have to— that was rude of me.” Sighing, she averted her gaze. “You don’t have to answer that. Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he said, his voice a little strained. It was obviously not fine , but he was too much of a gentleman to say it flat-out. “She’s out of the picture. It’s just the two of us, now.”
So she’s either gone, or gone-gone, Yona thought. She wasn’t sure which was worse. Honestly, though, it wasn’t her place, and she knew that. If he wanted to tell her, it would just have to come up naturally. The point was, he was a single dad, just trying to raise his daughter as best as he could.
“I’m sorry,” was all she could manage. “Mi Young obviously loves you to pieces, though.”
“Yeah, she’s a sweetie. Has a fiery streak in her, but it’s good. I want her to be able to voice her opinions as she grows up, even if she disagrees with me.” He scoffed, giving a slight shake of his head as he rolled his eyes. “ Especially if she disagrees with me.”
They began their work on the vegetables, as arranged. He scrubbed and peeled the veggies, while she cut them.
“You’re already a good father, then,” she said, smiling at him. “Just let her be who’s she going to be. That’s the biggest favor you can do for her.”
“Daddy!” Mi Young called as she rushed over, holding her doll by the legs, letting it dangle upside-down from her small fist. “Play dollies with me!”
“I’m making dinner, sweetheart.” Although he smiled, there was a certain exhaustion to it. This must have been a nightly debate, then. He gave Yona a sidelong glance, his lips curling at the corner. “But maybe Yona would be willing to play with you?”
Panic immediately electrified her nervous system. Wasn’t there some sort of social rule that said she shouldn’t play with her coworker’s kid until the third date, or something? Wasn’t this encroaching on something sacred? It all seemed to moving too quickly!
“Yeah!!” Mi Young cheered, hopping up and down. Apparently, whatever hesitation she had felt about letting Yona into her home had disappeared. Before she could properly form a response, Mi Young took hold of her hand and began to drag her away with all of her might. “C’mon! I wanna play dollies!”
Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?
A battleground of toys awaited her on the living room floor. Dolls’ clothes and plush animals were scattered across the rug, somehow reminiscent of the war documentaries she had to watch as part of her university history courses. Was she really so out of touch with children that the sight filled her with unprecedented dread?
Mi Young looked up at her with wide eyes, her pigtails bobbing from side to side with each tilt of her head. With a doll clutched in her tiny fist, she shoved it towards Yona’s chest in some sort of barbaric peace offering.
Get a grip. She’s a literal toddler! she thought, taking the doll with a strained smile.
It was a rough start. Mi Young was the enforcer of rules in her world of make-believe, and Yona couldn’t entirely follow the logic. They were normal dolls, as far as she could tell, and yet, Mi Young had them acting as world-conquering sorcerers, robot-piloting adrenaline junkies, corrupted politicians, and sworn enemies conquering their age-old blood feuds for the sake of fighting an evil that was greater than themselves.
Were all children this crazy? Or was Mi Young just a special breed?
Still, Yona became weirdly entranced in this ass-backwards plot that Mi Young had created. When was the last time she could play make-believe, with no holds barred? Even as a child, she was constantly alone, or was stuck playing with a nanny, so she had to watch her actions.
But Mi Young was entirely uninhibited. She was melding genres as if there were no boundaries between them. It was baffling, but somehow, Yona could keep up. She found her hesitation melting away, minute by minute, until it was just the two of them in this made-up world.
They were superheroes and super villains, wizards and princesses, dragons and gundams and everything fantastical in-between. They could save the world from ruin, and start it all over again. It was freeing, and it was fun .
At one point, Mi Young began a villainous monologue about how the dreaded witch would destroy the whole world with her magic. As she went on and on— even throwing in a dramatic, evil laugh to top it all off— Yona’s gaze flicked back over to Jae Ha.
He was watching the two of them, a smile playing on his lips, his gaze soft and affectionate and warm. The sight of it sent a burning blush into her neck and cheeks, although, she wasn’t sure if it was because she had been caught off-guard by such a vulnerable look, or if it was because she had become vulnerable when playing with his daughter.
His smile grew, and he delicately waved at her from behind the counter. Her face only became redder.
After that, she couldn’t focus on the make-believe anymore. She would become engrossed in it for a minute or two at a time, only to become painfully aware that Jae Ha was watching her, sending her back into her self-conscious shell.
Thankfully, this vicious cycle only lasted for about ten minutes before dinner was ready. Mi Young sat in her high chair at the head of the table, Jae Ha to her right, and Yona to her left. She started scarfing down her curry, but after a warning glance from her father, she curbed her appetite, and ate more like a human being.
At a few points during dinner, Jae Ha’s foot grazed Yona’s. At first, she thought it must have been some kind of mistake— he was tall, after all— however, when his foot trailed up her ankle to her shin, there was no room for confusion. Not that she minded; she just wished her face wouldn’t become so red any time that he flirted with her.
Glancing up at him, he caught her eye, giving her a flirtatious, knowing smile. Her heart hammered in her chest, steady thrums of butterflies sending waves of nervousness through her core.
Damn him! She couldn’t be the only one getting nervous!
When he was distracted with cleaning up Mi Young’s face, wiping away stray grains of rice, Yona struck. Pointing her foot, she trailed it from his ankle to his thigh. He tensed, and jumped in his seat, shooting her an exhilarated glance, eyes wide and excited.
All she did was take another bite of curry, minding her own business— although, she revelled in it. Flashing him a slight smirk, she returned to her dinner.
After dinner, she helped him wash the dishes. Side-by-side, they stood at the sink, giving each other sidelong glances at every opportunity. Mi Young watched a children’s show, blissfully unaware of what was going on behind her.
Leaning his head closer to her ear, he whispered, “You got a little adventurous during dinner, didn’t you?”
“You were the one who was adventurous first,” she said, craning her head back to give him a fake, disapproving look. “Playing footsie? Really?”
“I didn’t want to surprise her by holding your hand,” he grinned, as confident as ever. Her cheeks flushed once more, their rosiness rivaling that of her hair. “I had to be a little sneaky.”
“You are incorrigible,” she teased, bumping her hip against his. He bumped her back, earning him a teasing, fake frown.
Sticking her tongue out at him, she turned back to the dishes. She couldn’t believe she was in his kitchen, flirting with him. Just that morning, she was debating even asking him out, and there they were, acting like a couple of lovestruck teenagers.
With a soapy hand, he gently turned her back to look at him, leaning his face closer to hers. He kept his eyes glued to hers, searching for any signal to stop, as he inched closer and closer.
Yona, however, beat him to it. Grabbing him by the tie, she yanked him closer, her eyes fluttering shut. Their noses bumped as they kissed, messy and imperfect and not at all the cinematic experience she had expected their first kiss to be. And yet, she didn’t care. His lips were on hers, warm and welcoming, and that was all that mattered.
God, how she wanted him to hold her in his arms, to kiss her with wild abandon. She wanted attention again, especially from him.
Their soapy hands reached for one another, forgetting, momentarily, where they were. His lips worked against hers as he pulled her closer, bringing her flush against his chest. Her hands weaved through his hair, leaving streaks of soap suds through the sleek look.
It wasn’t until Mi Young giggled that they realized themselves, making space between them in mere milliseconds. With wide eyes and a flushed face, Yona looked back towards the couch, terrified that the toddler had seen such a display.
However, it seemed that she was focused solely on the show she watching. Thank god.
With red faces, the two of them returned to the dishes, silently and diligently working to compensate for almost being caught in the act.
After finishing the dishes, they watched an episode of some magical girl show with Mi Young. Jae Ha stretched his arms across the back of the couch, occasionally playing with strands of Yona’s hair. Every time he twirled a strand around his finger, she would glance at him with a smile, and he would wink in return.
He hadn’t kicked her out yet, which only left her anticipating what was to come.
As Mi Young’s eyes were glued to the television, Yona stretched her arms behind the couch, taking Jae Ha’s hand in her own. He threaded their fingers together, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand in small circles.
As soon as the credits began to roll, Jae Ha let go of Yona’s hand, instead ruffling Mi Young’s hair.
“Time for little girls to go to bed,” he said, sending a thrill through her.
“But I’m not tired,” she whined. Still, she held her arms open to him, expecting to be picked up. He hoisted her into his arms, where she rested her head against his shoulder.
“Say good night to Yona.”
“G’night…” she yawned. Yona wished her a good night and sweet dreams, waving at her as she was carried off to her room. Mi Young waved back, already dozing off by the time they reached the threshold for her room.
Diving for her purse, Yona pulled out her compact mirror and makeup, touching up where it was needed. Her lipstick had smeared a bit from earlier, and she had never known until that moment. Freshening up her powder, and clearing away the marks left by the mascara on her lashes, she felt a little more confident for what was to happen next.
… Wait. Wasn’t she getting a bit ahead of herself? It was entirely possible that he would thank her for coming over, and then tell her to go home. Just because they had kissed didn’t mean anything. Or maybe it did! She had been out of the game for so long that she had forgotten how to play!
Before she could fall into a panicked, downward spiral, Jae Ha emerged from Mi Young’s room, shutting the door gently.
“She’s already asleep,” he said, chuckling to himself.
Somehow, the announcement changed the mood entirely. When his eyes flitted up to hers, there was an intensity to them that she hadn’t been expecting. There was no need to tiptoe around the situation anymore, and yet, to simply jump in almost felt as if it would shatter the fragile atmosphere around them.
Backing up to the counter, she kept her gaze locked with his as he crossed the room towards her. She jittered with excitement, anticipation, as he stepped closer and closer. Finally, he reached her, leaning his hands on the counter, almost pinning her in place.
And yet, she knew she was free to leave if she wanted. Wrapping her arms behind his neck, she pulled him closer, craning her neck back to look him in the eye.
“Sorry about all that earlier,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. “I got a little carried away.”
“So did I. You have nothing to be sorry about.” Eyes flicking down to his lips, she pulled herself closer to him, only by mere, cautious millimeters. “But I don’t regret it.”
He chuckled. “Neither do I.”
She chewed on her lip, too conscious of the pounding of her heart. “Would you kiss me again?”
Without a hint of hesitation, he pressed his lips to hers, cradling the back of her head with one hand, and holding hers with the other, fingers intertwined. Breaking away, he dipped towards her neck, trailing kisses along her jawline. With each kiss that he placed, the spot seemed to tingle with lingering electricity, like the air in a summer storm.
“God,” she whispered, complete putty in his hands.
Had she ever felt this cherished in her last relationship? This excited? The physical aspects of her relationship with Hak had always been just another expectation of her— not something she had particularly looked forward to. It had been something Lili had pointed out, but Yona hadn’t really believed her until that moment.
He lifted her with ease, sitting her on the counter, pausing in his kisses to give her a feverish look. There was excitement in his eyes, but also an overwhelming sense of self-control.
“Is this too much…?” he asked breathily.
“Not at all,” she whispered, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Is this too much?”
“Not in the slightest.” She kissed him, untying his tie as she did. Breaking away, he attempted to speak, although his speech was punctuated with kisses. “You just— let me know— if you change your— mind.”
“I will,” she murmured against his lips. “I know what I want.”
The next morning, she was making coffee in the office kitchenette when he sidled up next to her.
“Good morning,” he said, as if the night prior had never happened, as if she didn’t have to rush home early that morning to change clothes, as if she wasn’t interrogated by her roommate for the saucy details of what had taken place.
“Good morning,” she said in return, just as casually. “Does it look busy for you today?”
“A little, but not too bad. How about you?”
“A little.”
Making a big show of glancing around the empty kitchenette, he kept his hands tucked in his pockets as he swooped in and kissed her, quick and fleeting.
“Well, good luck today,” he smiled. “Let me know if I can do anything for you.”
“I will,” she promised. Once more, she yanked him forward by the tie, bringing him in for a kiss. However, it ended quickly, a fleeting promise of what could be. “Thanks for last night, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. Anytime.”
She turned on her heel, and began walking away, shooting him a flirtatious smile over her shoulder. Perhaps she would have to take her lunch in the storage room that day— and if he happened to be there, too, well…
She could cross that bridge when she got to it.