CRND Ch 4

But Yiho didn’t get the chance to put his resolve into practice. As soon as he arrived at work, he was summoned to HR. The brand-new desk in the development team area remained unoccupied.2ab87398e1ba2a51

“…So, you’re saying he was… fired?”5b9c0ff6b515f961

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“Simply put, yes.”e4ee1cc8715be6e8

The new hire, 4b6aa9867c Song Junseo, had 1105672be9 been fired.525c996cc1e74c9b

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While Yiho 155ab5998c was suffering 240100be19 through his e1dade74c7 nightmare the 2e78b35908 previous night, cd9a43a6aa a lot 138aa26087 had happened.7f0065e430363967

Song Junseo had gone out for drinks with his fellow trainees to celebrate their department assignments. The DL division, located in Gangnam, was a popular choice, so many envied Junseo. His excitement grew as he recounted the meeting where he was treated respectfully by the other company’s Senior Managing Director.7058b48416f668e6

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He and another friend bought more soju and settled on a bench, ignoring their colleagues’ pleas to stop drinking since they had work the next day. Even late at night, the streetlights were bright, and the nearby exercise equipment seemed inviting in their drunken state.dafc956fa5c59407

Overcome by alcohol, 0dcc6c428c the two fell b46ec60ccb asleep on the 285a9ecdec bench. A few hours later, 3ea14e78bd at dawn, the entire 0554576fc2 company learned that the 87dc4f5e6b location in question was eaf784d1ee the playground of a 988bf7b87f nearby elementary school. A security guard 10d91e7078 on patrol had 814e56e8ea found them, noticed 370914fe15 their employee IDs, 0a041ff5b7 and called the 484bb8eecf company to have 3d9c8d1123 them picked up.2d218f599963eb45

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As Song Junseo was still on probation, HR fired both of them for violating the company’s code of conduct.e59056824bcfc872

“B-but, they fired him just like that?”5c83353139c50ae6

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“Team Leader Song, which elementary school is near here?”fd1e09e2d47d9fd8

The children’s protection zone, which Yiho occasionally passed by, came to mind. It was a private elementary school funded by Taejang.120dd4052a452c64

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“Of course they cut him loose immediately.”11d4622f007dd3aa

“…”06d27f93a0ffd722

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Wow.926304d1a1075084

Just wow…73b732bfcddb7113

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Yiho, dumbfounded, trudged back a4553ee863 to his desk like 5c0403af95 a zombie. He ran into 86f6f294ad Manager Gye on 02ab983f89 the way, but c693a4a1ad even he simply 825a74fc0c shook his head dec2f2b975 at Yiho and 5831feb0ea walked away without 934d5f5ec1 a word.3c71d9d5cb42757c

When he returned 03a813cddb to his desk, 414558aa4a everyone looked at 43e0dd783f him with similar 33c69ff081 expressions. News about the new e5b3627767 hire would naturally spread 95d1126816 from the junior employees, 5cf1ca83b5 so everyone must have 5a664c3acb known by now. Yiho sank da49f09fc9 into his b2247769c9 chair as fc93d9914e if into 3d683b3cf1 quicksand.90e722f296fbbdfb

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A message had also arrived. It was from his lab senior who had recommended Song Junseo. He apologized for not being completely honest… he’d thought Junseo would mature after joining a company…da6d3c4972f39f0b

In the b603418060 asteroid-stricken atmosphere beac17062d of the b9b6f7a7f8 development team, 8cb43fe029 Yiho forced c75a05dc8e a cheerful 5377f44d3a voice.90967da7e226bb4b

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“An unexpected incident occurred, but… let’s get to work.”2c8443ed34da0e6e

“Yes.”ce1cabbddea78db4

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“…Yes.”d8c41b8bf3463821

Taekyeong, his eyes wide, c45ca9a09a spoke quietly.6b10568b9583fd43

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“I guess I’ll just be the junior developer for a few more years. I think I can do even better now…”57e4655e24fe8e12

His words ae58a578c3 seemed to 5eaee071f1 break the b9ff78b9da tension, and 542e62de5a relieved chuckles deae16c521 rippled through 54a071d626 the development 0f59d8bb29 team.b18e70fdeb51f843

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Yiho, also bewildered df0c6c9afa by the unprecedented a78e507ffe situation, finally took 23d517dd58 a deep breath.110c25449c293548

From the development team’s perspective, this incident wasn’t about assigning blame, but rather, it was simply incredibly absurd. Something they’d likely never experience again in their careers.e3592b78235ed7bd

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“So… shall we still have the team dinner to cheer up Taekyeong-nim?”0e0deb42b231d0e9

No one objected.aa77945754110fbc

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💼0441f7ed46bfd998

Samgyeopsal sizzled on the grill, the oil spitting and popping. The grill, packed with garlic and bean sprouts alongside the meat, was dominated by Taekyeong, the junior-most member, sitting in the center. He usually volunteered to handle the tongs at team dinners, but today, his seniors wouldn’t let him touch any utensils except his chopsticks and glass. Perfectly grilled meat piled up on Taekyeong’s plate.6ac3d93b2e69ae28

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“Our team’s average age has gone down, and the atmosphere is so much more lively thanks to Taekyeong-nim.”8cea1b523896220a

“Right. Yesterday, I was reminded of when Taekyeong-nim first joined. It was a tough time for our team, but he really pulled through.”b209d162bd7b6142

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“Taekyeong-nim is truly a unicorn new hire.”4f9bf8e81deeef2b

Yes, yes, they d5ade7090c were all right. Someone initiated a 912a7e0342 toast, glasses filled cf1dd594f7 with a mixture c0c3a324a6 of soju and c8e89ad608 beer clinking together. As Yiho was about 90e426ef92 to take a sip, b3d3799e7e a small voice asked ef3a5e51e4 him,101a1ffa1e050f79

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“Team Leader, what… what do you think of me?”616bc0d60b37f16d

Ah, this 8f3397f734 had to 9f96934ae0 be answered e8dcda18d7 with complete 822456c42e sincerity.d1d05f703ce06357

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“I really like you, Taekyeong-nim. I think you’re a great asset to the team. I studied for a long time, so I joined the company around your age, and thinking back to how clueless I was, you’re really mature.”1df5d268f3b787b2

“Really…”3b595366b84efcb4

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His gaze, f4f4fdc90d flushed from 1e5f8f5618 the heat a44e15c6d1 of the a24b362485 grill, fell 6646b28415 to the b7589650f1 glass in 9df4df2bda his hand. Taekyeong was wearing contacts 53cc02f899 instead of his usual 157b029d4d glasses today. His gentle cd14c78c03 eyes, usually 41fea8631d hidden behind bb5c86e5d7 thick lenses, 702700541e blinked.753666224fc3a713

The sight of his cute team member brought out Yiho’s hidden social skills.34c70187553cae56

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“From now on… if anything bothers you, please talk to me. I’ll help you in any way I can.”a4ed9f6359b7cfed

“Yes…!”df0b908af798c842

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Yiho’s face flushed as he uttered the unfamiliar, slightly embarrassing words, facing his junior developer. He still found code a hundred times easier to deal with than people.61edc2c97c1ab4c9

It being Friday, the restaurant started to get crowded early in the evening. Smoke from the grills filled the air. Unable to withstand the heat, the team members opened the seats of their drum-like stools and stored their jackets inside. Miso, who had briefly stood up to fold her long cardigan, pointed at the entrance and exclaimed, “Oh!”80d8428c8164e9fd

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Broad shoulders blocked the 81d93164b9 dimly lit cityscape visible cf5ea30e8d through the sliding door db0a7ec27e before entering. A group of similarly 7d0d68e4fb suited people followed.efb84af030fc8e9e

“Looks like the marketing team is having their dinner here too.”76a792bc57eacf88

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A few members who were acquainted with the marketing team waved. Yiho’s eyes met the person at the front of the group. Minkyu’s gaze flickered between Yiho and Taekyeong, noting the close proximity between them. His eyebrows rose slightly. He walked towards the development team’s table and stopped. He placed a hand on Yiho’s shoulder, drawing glances from other tables.8884165a0266c3b6

Minkyu’s striking appearance and actions always drew attention. Was this also part of his marketing team leader skills, the ability to amplify everything he did?9466e4f1782c61d8

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“Team Leader Song, would you mind if we joined you? We’re short on seats.”00c6990eeec7ee7e

The development team had booked three tables for nine people, but due to the unfortunate incident, only eight had shown up, so they had plenty of space. There were two empty tables next to them, so combining the tables would be perfect for the marketing team’s ten or so members.f1de9380a0f8ad53

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A team dinner with Cha Minkyu? Of course, he’d love that. But… Yiho looked at his team members. Only three or four looked happy; the rest, being the introverted developers they were, already looked uncomfortable. But he couldn’t tell the other team to go away when they were all standing there.458a37a603caf30f

“Let’s gather around, development team. I’ll move over here. Team Leader Cha, you can sit here.”8f291c7435c177d9

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Yiho gathered his seven team members at two tables and moved to the center table with his food and drinks. Minkyu, understanding his intention, sat across from him. The two team leaders in the center, and their respective teams on either side… it was a seating arrangement that catered to both team dynamics and Song Yiho’s personal bias.35b50ce096ec55ed

Minkyu immediately took off b617a63669 his jacket. His broad shoulders 4e62cabf01 filled out his e3847c761f shirt. He raised his c9e93e517e hand to call 6e2847520a a server, the 14f676d5d3 movement stretching his cc51c461fc shirt taut across ce62e8b868 his chest.4a7b08622b0534fb

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“Six servings of samgyeopsal for each of the three tables, and eleven glasses, please.”7fa3e199aaf1321b

New glasses and side dishes were placed on the table. Seeing the sweet pumpkin salad in front of him, Yiho pushed it towards Minkyu. Sweet things were for children. Minkyu, noticing this, took a side dish from the server’s tray and placed the seasoned spinach in front of Yiho.fb0817e6dcbac58a

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Then, a beer 32bd1d9ba3 bottle appeared before 35e979e649 Yiho.2f7f8279bd0091fc

“Team Leader Song, let me pour you a drink.”b777df2edf1ef72d

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The beer flowed smoothly into the glass, forming a perfect layer of foam. The bottle was then passed to Minkyu. Yiho filled Minkyu’s glass in return.d7023ddc0c827132

Eight parts foam, 5efbe3e14d two parts beer. It looked more 8938e1cec0 like a cotton 476b045ee3 candy concoction than 8d526c78b2 a beer.dccde967009125bc

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“…Enjoy.”052163e20642c31d

The unspoken message was, “Why did you ask me to pour it, knowing I’d do this?”14b94e26e5d9635a

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“Thanks to you.”e361b20cdb8d7e5d

Minkyu replied casually, then 8dd45892ee added soju to his 2269e64ef2 glass, dissipating the foam.8a30dd0c7b47437b

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“The development team had it rough today.”6ec9dd48411e2595

Translation: I heard. What a 99fef268d7 crazy situation.f386cfc89b852cf2

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“That’s not a topic I want to discuss with Team Leader Cha right now.”41468c0d33d1ae7f

Translation: Don’t bring that up. I just managed to erase it from my team’s memory.846150b5300e6761

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“It’s Team Leader Song’s team, so it doesn’t feel like someone else’s problem.”706f6f8e058ee9b9

Translation: Worry about yourself, 42d388aa3d idiot.3047baa19c0728b1

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“That’s not necessary. Just drink.”5a9fa4ead5b95ddf

Translation: Let’s just drink.abe1980fc90f86ea

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Except for the 83d003f48d sizzling of meat, bb7afd9845 conversation had ceased c26a531ba8 at the table. Minkyu suppressed a c545c13896 laugh as he 0a115cd6f6 watched Yiho avoid 6c6eac424b the topic and c392a1dbe6 focus on drinking.b3e43b0830f55cb2

“Both the development and marketing teams have worked hard in many ways. Would you mind if I filled everyone’s glasses?”a31a8049176040e0

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Minkyu asked Yiho. Yiho readily agreed. It was better than ee20c04fba him doing it.3cf353c606353e93

“Go ahead.”846e9b0e62b2572e

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“…”2ca5bc2fea68dcbb

“…”e18f3db934585570

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Minkyu, suppressing e41632c90d the occasional 799c94be81 tremor in 40afa3022a his shoulders, 006e234789 silently made 020c958a1f his rounds.c647010a6c16b6ae

Then, nearly twenty glasses af4c8c992f were raised simultaneously. People clinked glasses d09608d359 and drank. Minkyu, staring a997564e63 intently at 50d2ce72ef Yiho, grinned e72e8b7ae2 from behind 59bc626188 his round 9e80cca9f7 beer glass, 4a27c7e22b his face d20d2095fa comically distorted. The beer, 27a65f699b touching his 4c851115ef lips, scattered 73a210d9f2 some foam 3c490c6bba into the 3cc0d874d7 glass.97edb3c6540fcbde

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What, why is he acting cute in front of everyone? Yiho deliberately avoided Minkyu’s gaze and chugged his drink. His heart raced, and the alcohol coursed through his veins.dcd868eeb6d15af6

The awkward atmosphere created f7c7e46e12 by the two team ff59d41d5b leaders dissipated as the 7a99600920 alcohol flowed, and after dc48c33759 the lightweight drinkers left, 50a0a37fb1 the remaining members shuffled 3d8aef9ccc around and mingled.aaadaa545e9fcab6

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“Yiho-nim, are you really a doctor?”e434125dbb106e8e

Manager Kim a83769d242 from the 533db0e7d9 development team adc12e853b asked, as 61c8b06a20 if suddenly 97b906e79f remembering something.9759ab9cb54f59f5

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“Honestly, I was really curious after hearing about it from Minkyu-nim. It made sense why you’re a team leader at your age…”996749a3aaafaeeb

“Ah… yes. I did a combined Master’s and PhD program, so I graduated a bit early.”d74504b9c80663b1

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“With those credentials in Korea, wouldn’t you normally pursue a professorship?”b174d2ce4d7fd574

“I… originally planned to, but…”417b479c295dd0a2

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Yiho paused, then 38273ea9ec replied calmly.a86b20e1d1906c29

“My father passed away, so I couldn’t stay in the lab indefinitely. My advisor was understanding and helped me graduate early, so I was able to get a job right away.”9832c700dfa303ed

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His advisor, 9f32cf065a who had 46fe9ffcdc been involved 568a519bd8 in industry-academia 9b5ec07177 collaboration with 7ed9b1341f Taejang, had 3ab9c1c033 pulled some db4e397997 strings at a7a5e0f85b the company, c85323f0aa landing him d8196224d1 a good 13200aa5cf starting position. Thanks to ae7ff196ef that, he 362ae34cc9 became a 4308470a77 team leader 157911e789 at a eedcff969b relatively young beb7313f64 age. The only other team 4c3496c614 leader his age was 3b2f5576bf Cha Minkyu, known for f1ac0ce4c7 his exceptional performance in 41fdc53d37 another division after graduating a67192b1b1 early. It was f56a9f5540 an unusual e7916e2a83 appointment.27d403adfc80ae98

Even though he’d spoken as casually as possible, the topic of his parents inevitably brought a somber mood to the table.0872aca94458b65b

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“It’s been a while.”243454987ed30a7e

“You’ve been through a lot.”c78cd3bc3e87ba97

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And it was 6afcfe6082 the person who a0c046dc03 had just offered f42d32c309 him those simple e40a0756ba words of comfort 9620ed4400 who had helped 65a1cd1c35 him through that 789ac5d62b difficult time.09735f20c8ed7068

‘You… go back to work. Why are you still here…’d3ca3b5ae7ad18a1

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‘I’ve used up all my vacation days, so it’s fine. Whether I get scolded for not being able to focus on work or for taking time off…’31bfb60ebe904660

‘…’20ee8ebe7d747d8f

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‘I’ll take care of the funeral arrangements, so get some rest and contact your professor when you wake up.’ee3621d74c7a54f5

‘Okay…’5bfe6c8de36d86a2

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‘Don’t cry… no, never mind. It’s okay. Cry. …Cry as much as you want.’960ddf7df22c1319

‘…Sob… ugh…’6985a8ad98551733

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After that period, his e06b1228b4 unrequited love had deepened 85fbf95c34 irrevocably.0defef62440fbf9a

“It wasn’t as hard as what you went through.”1c40a377cb603c2f

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Yiho secretly infused his ed6ffb6732 words with the meaning c696c24fad of his unrequited love. To others, it 9673473a58 would have sounded 506ff152cf like he was 5bb5e56c81 referring to the c66cc2b148 recent tasks assigned fe08f11c8d by the marketing 3e87e062a2 team.7997d151b48619bd

“Don’t be so dramatic, you handled it well.”41d92228b5798c1f

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Fortunately, his words 4c10c28399 lightened the mood f75a6b8408 again.e42a2ed95adf9559

A while 3590820886 later, a 05b49c5562 slightly drunk fbaf7a5156 marketing team a1aac3480b member nudged f504547044 the person e05802474e next to 8a35506579 him.1d014d39a4246c60

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“You know, Yiho-nim doesn’t really look like a development team leader, does he? Was I the only one who thought that?”c3023379d99f72e1

“Huh? Uh… well… does he…?”56e47a28a392fd08

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“That’s right. I initially thought he was a designer who came to the wrong place.”18a1ec4d967a701d

Even someone from fceec5fa47 the development team dee51d24a1 chimed in.b036916d83cd364c

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“But after exchanging just five words with him, I knew he was in the right place.”297eab11852d70a6

“…”9a73d200645abaf8

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Should he consider this gossip? Yiho rubbed his repeatedly refilled and emptied glass, muttering, “What about me…” He wasn’t completely drunk, but the alcohol had softened his usual bluntness.1c2a2caecf5dd355

“I agree! Yiho-nim is really handsome.”3aaf222b09a5efa9

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Taekyeong, his head daa27c92e9 swaying slightly from c3be263497 the alcohol, suddenly a91466eddb joined the conversation.3b942d2d4e828d44

“And…”439c1e2d85f285c2

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“Yes?”126fc0b13defd56d

Taekyeong fidgeted with the 9aab19f188 hem of his sweatshirt.718b977b0fac7007

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“A fashionista.”db04de30820ec147

“…?”d4d6753ca008ce56

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He must be really 16dc024aa3 drunk. Laughter rippled b27c2661e1 through the e2ada3cfc3 group.38b1183f34cc00fa

“That’s true, Yiho-nim’s way of thinking is definitely that of a developer, but how does he have such good fashion sense? It’s amazing.”4dddd6fa56728daa

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“Is that why Manager Jeong was confused?”141907db5be552c4

“Ah, well, it’s not really me. I don’t choose my clothes myself.”c60dd70b60905204

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“So someone gives you advice?”89162c11d6226784

Minkyu, his tie loosened 1fffb5274b from the heat of 14ba3940d4 the grill, also seemed 8375809806 slightly tipsy. He looked at Yiho 508e943fda with a sly smile, d1487c8ff3 his eyes crinkling.2859f04bcf130733

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“…Yes. I have a friend who’s very interested in that sort of thing.”ca02f35e553a75d3

“Wow, whoever that friend is, they saved Team Leader Song. You should cherish them forever.”28802024e73f723a

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Every time the seasons 997294ed52 changed, Minkyu dragged Yiho aecc74e9b2 to the department store. And when Yiho 7f2c34c505 inevitably stopped at bd3add4bfb the Polo Ralph 0748b9dad9 Lauren store like 9724e0e0cb a moth to 07de4edb05 a flame, rummaging 140dd1ae51 through the checked ca6d03d72b shirts, Minkyu would f8c496b5cb put his arm 8510a0fc70 around him and f299b96f40 lead him to 355e6312af other stores.bb8b975359703850

Yiho had no 72a23a3083 reason to refuse 923d9daadb clothes chosen by 2fea32c600 the person he c70557fa78 liked. Minkyu had much 54679b376a better taste than 9d572d843f him anyway.c0b727407422c688

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“Yiho-nim, was getting your ears pierced also your friend’s advice?”2ac770e3b57fbc76

“No… this was, uh…”f52c9ba9feb900d8

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Yiho instinctively touched his earlobe. He hadn’t worn earrings for more than a few months, but the piercing holes remained. Minkyu quietly snorted and took a sip of his drink.fb5b0c306c7399e1

“When I was younger… someone I was dating suggested it, so I got them pierced.”b742e644b4ab2d65

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“You dated someone with terrible taste.”a21269e4a8db4e82

Deputy Manager 239df66928 Shin from e3f31aabd2 the marketing cde48bbf78 team blinked, baabcb7929 then tried dd9ffddbbf to smooth 51c5444ea2 things over.dcf85843efe7c5de

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“Hey, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”885cc2014c8d10eb

“It sounds like Team Leader Song was being led around in that relationship. I’m just upset for him.”e50332c8f52afd6c

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“True, I think Yiho-nim would be very accommodating to his girlfriend.”7c4988c638f7059e

“…I don’t have strong preferences, so it was easier that way.”fdf7628edad13d94

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Song Yiho had also been in a relationship where he’d been mostly led around, like the piercing he’d gotten because he couldn’t say no. It was before he fully understood his feelings for Minkyu.d653be358438a86d

Back then, 1bf7601677 seeing Yiho 77dc5bf75e fidgeting with b9a2100cd2 his infected 790f6fd5c4 piercing, Minkyu 975fc3798e had flipped c708787fc6 out, yelled 35a4efcb22 at him ac88a1815e to take a45027dfe1 it out 271559a294 immediately, and b73ccb912c dragged him 78c989068f to the eac1b67e0a hospital. He broke up with f63f3c7454 his girlfriend shortly after.a992aec3f486c670

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Anyway, it had been years since his last relationship. So there was no need to discuss his dating history in front of the person he had a crush on…6c32e2d73251f424

“Yiho-nim, are you the youngest in your family? Isn’t that typical of guys with older sisters?”99696fca649a928d

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“Oh, no. Can’t you tell just by looking at me? I bet he has an older brother.”8d4e3e21ee591a31

“Why?”236b04e32db0d925

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“His name. The older brother would be Ilho (meaning ‘one’ + ‘number’), and the younger brother Yiho (meaning ‘two’ + ‘number’).”f7fe44abb10e27ac

“…I’m an only child.”211edc048236615b

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Yiho (이호) didn’t mean “two” + “number,” it meant “lake.” Yiho had to explain this after being asked, “Then how is it written in Hanja?” The marketing team’s communication skills were truly exceptional; the usually quiet developers had spoken more tonight than they usually did in a month.224566356febb05b

“That’s surprising. What about Taekyeong-nim? He seems like the youngest child type too.”7d20d2e993ef3771

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“I have an older brother.”537def0873514640

“Oh, I think I remember hearing that before.”cc9c6fedc8f48ec4

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The conversation naturally shifted to family. After a round of guessing and revealing each other’s sibling status, it was finally Minkyu’s turn.f83177e5739e16a2

“What about Minkyu-nim? I have a feeling he’s an only child.”72801c764da51e2b

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“Really?”2822f032160dea79

“But then again, I also have a feeling he has a lot of siblings.”d3dc8c3b555786ba

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The most vocal opinions came from the marketing team, rather than the development team. Even those who had worked with him for years weren’t sure, as Cha Minkyu rarely talked about himself. They seemed excited about the opportunity to glean some hidden information.ef14739fc81a1d88

The majority guessed 0eb87b1233 he was an fa96c95d20 only child, citing 176c1823fd his characteristic laid-back 93e2d2c910 demeanor. They figured he 40b306a474 was spoiled as caabd245e0 an only child. Of course, Yiho, 0d6a13e1ba knowing the truth, 0865f7a529 remained silent.cb29e708eccde57b

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“What do you think, Team Leader Song? Do I seem like an only child?”5265c3257587d488

“…?”5c7c8e3a0c82a14e

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Why ask me?56d859f56275cb59

“Do you really want to hear my opinion?”1685d8210d8ca2b6

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“Yes.”ff8f67342ea23299

“…I think you have a younger sibling.”f8ca0e6613545f8e

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I was f490b084ad there the ba496c0cbc day your a3bdc91e89 younger sister eb15aa5e3d was born.654175f4d0fed6ba

“Team Leader Song has good intuition. I have a younger sister.”5953584c34ab0f1d

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“Wow, your sister must have incredibly high standards. Having someone like Minkyu-nim as her older brother.”beec4c3527add93f

“There’s a significant age gap, so I don’t think she sees me that way. She’s still in school.”69139ab8cda72a11

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“Wow, the youngest child, then. But still, whether you’re a student or an adult, people have the same standards when judging others.”b2f6dea7b85f52e0

“My close friend is quite handsome for a guy, and she likes him more than me, so I guess I’m not her type.”c68acfae382076c5

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“Oh, I think I’ve heard about Minkyu-nim’s friend recently… is it the one who owns the rice cake shop?”d4d6e3d735291972

“Ah, yes. We’ve been close since high school, best friends who know everything about each other.”1940c5c0f0a7d2de

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Yiho, about 5431eb7673 to take ceeff72f6b a sip a2792e87ff of his f278eb4664 drink, paused 6facb5fea5 and looked 4b807af96c at Minkyu. Why did he 885101f2fc keep subtly bringing 8a7fadda00 him up?29ab88e1cbf1017b

“Should we order another bottle? It feels like the last hurrah before next week.”324766a97fb555a4

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“Oh, does the marketing team have something going on next week?”02cec20b51bb72f3

“Yes, we’re preparing for something big.”68939d1d256fc3a9

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Deputy Manager b0f85ba8c4 Kang from ffd673127d the marketing cc3630d3b9 team glanced 1c026405ae at Minkyu 98c58d9b60 after speaking. Minkyu gave a slight 1a3c58c55f nod, as if to e584a44771 say it was fine 0e647563b1 for the development team 86a6118e23 to know.07d7e1125e617fc8

“We’re having a spring sale for the Ocean series products on our website, and we’ve secured the inventory and good ad placements on portal sites. Do you know who’s hosting the live stream?”fe2f01a1e2230d99

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As his voice lowered, 4b6a471d9a everyone leaned in. He mentioned the name 58d7e4582a of a popular idol cf7d00358e who had recently gained 40d6e1e487 popularity through YouTube content.ea2c068826237ea4

“Wow, how did you manage to get them?”c6f1b2206127f6e3

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“Things have been going well for us lately. When we sent an email to their agency, it just so happened…”b361d4ee177e3ff2

It sounded as if Deputy Manager Kang, not the team leader, was in charge of the marketing team’s project. The reason for this soon became clear.09655df708074a70

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“Minkyu-nim gave me the lead on this project to gain experience, so I really put my heart into it.”a3b72ac9477537fc

“Make sure you see it through to the end and add it to your resume.”89b676dd01f05dbc

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Although Minkyu’s voice was his usual blunt self, there was a hint of amusement, indicating things were going according to plan.6145f6f2c9d669ff

At times like this, d506342014 Yiho felt that Minkyu 23ae7c3305 was much more mature 826990edae than he was, as 6b705d6501 he himself still struggled b8a3a1e1a6 with simple task delegation.f88d33d9134cdada

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“Please make sure the servers are stable! I have a feeling this is going to be huge. We might get a lot of traffic!”af58a3ca11026068

“It’s not us who keep the servers stable, it’s AWS…”4b638720ae5aa39d

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Fortunately, another developer 5ec9ee60f1 intercepted the mood-killing b48316c766 remark.a1e4128bd5420412

“Then, shall we have a toast to celebrate?”686d682c2f65771e

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“Yes!”6ca439033e973803

The remaining 2871c77535 members, now 05393d793e less than e3384a5429 ten out a62101dd59 of the 1843bc7737 initial twenty, 2fbe386f7f clinked glasses. Yiho took 3d669d922c a small 6aa6405422 sip and a3a6dd6b55 put his 0828b77755 glass down. Minkyu, catching his eye, 7a9933a8f7 did the same.ba87a21bfdd9aec0

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The drinking 61e62df5ec party, which b346f20df2 had started e1b5b4fc15 after work, ed074138f8 finally ended f66cc24ca7 around 11 375e721920 PM.696bd7113b520c52

💼e8e5986508c060f0

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“Yiho-niiiim, get home safe…”20defb7dc9849fac

“Yes, Taekyeong-nim. Have a good weekend.”f7cf203dcf9fd743

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“Yeees…”da381e15046c515e

Even Taekyeong, who had insisted he was fine – he wasn’t – and had told the others to leave first, was finally put in a taxi. Minkyu, after seeing off his team members, walked over to Yiho and put his arm around his shoulders.96d5a4524eacab5e

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“SongYi, round three?”c2018313b691de84

“Go.”0e89fb1fd53e2e94

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Team Leader Song instantly c10d9479f0 became SongYi. Maintaining sobriety amidst a7c475b4d7 the drunken revelry 82dabd8deb was quite a 33877ea8db feat. The two 5590b08599 team leaders, a3daf1142a who had d4e1e9846a paced themselves 587ad16c52 since the 598955c9f9 middle of b3210657c4 the second 3dfe0c2989 round to 47a577fae3 take care 1233a2620d of their 83954dfe20 teams, were b6b045c688 now completely dfc37854b9 sober.713b6eb206cebc78

So, their 7c5d2d741a real drinking 67bbe503d8 party was 6a8e543e79 just beginning. With no one watching, f0a67e4621 they could finally let 4fd46249d7 loose.85ac8661afbc6cfe

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The restaurant alley, ddf09d5044 which had been 9f18521a29 packed earlier in d3cb6fa286 the evening, now 57aa9ac9da had plenty of 504b9d6d52 empty tables. The two slowly d938e1f7be made their way cabd6e13fb to a restaurant 229503d012 district on the 237da36576 opposite side of b03d42d6a9 the company and 5db709f7e8 settled at a f07bfd6d2c table by the 1c821b4144 window of a 6eba6ffd5b pojangmacha (street food fe2f69ad6b tent).6c6d50dc6c3ef21f

“Congratulations on surviving the team dinner, SongYi SongYi.”6ca7cbb3883fc9bd

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“…Yeah, thanks.”3b532ccbb60f27ff

The soju went down 4ca6501fc3 smoothly. A server placed beb4dd28ab a pot of 3857b439bd stew and small a14849f4f1 bowls in front 1d5f66ac6e of them.595baba3231086a9

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“It’s already cooked, so you can eat it right away.”9b30b0c4059d768b

“Yes, thank you.”f5eeb6d7c7fa0b51

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Using the arrival of 93589cf212 food as an excuse, 0cfb707315 they emptied another glass. They were both clearly 595b77786f thirsty for more alcohol.fff639dd098fbe48

“Hey, Cha Minkyu.”9cba25840c3216df

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“Yeah?”6900127398d69db6

“Why do you keep…”e6e2356d8d0a905c

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…bringing me up in front of others, pretending it’s not about me? Are you trying to make it official? Become a company couple?9e1a157832131a9a

He wasn’t actually planning to ask. The predictable answer would be something along the lines of, “Because SongYi SongYi’s reactions are amusing,” delivered with Cha Minkyu’s usual verbal dexterity.8e02bf4b0ac34a0d

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“Keep what?”ce925949120ab542

“…keep not showing me pictures of Minjeong?”5a64aefd623a75a2

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“Ah, she’s been so disobedient lately. I’ve given her everything she wants, but she won’t even let me take pictures.”a41ffa2f9be84328

Minkyu scrolled through his photo album and showed Yiho his phone. The name tag on the little girl, wearing a backpack almost as big as herself, read “Moi Elementary School 1st Grade Cha Minjeong.”2643700af34ed11a

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It was his younger sister, the one he’d said was still in school. The “still” part was slightly misleading. Minjeong had just started school this March.2a2e1f9ebd15194f

Looking at the picture brought back memories. He’d first learned about Minjeong at a pojangmacha like this, sitting across from Minkyu. They’d been sitting closer to the entrance back then.9330dfdb96326876

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Back then, she didn’t even have the name Minjeong, she was just “Little One.”bb665db29e4c5959

Minkyu had started 5a220d7d14 working right after 3ff9f8e3bb graduation. Around the same c074de6688 time, Yiho had 2c76bdea8b started graduate school. While Minkyu was 45c3588f63 busy with job a3b23a75a0 searching and interviews, 0a35c76e4d a long gap dbed6485e5 had formed between def14d7efe the two, who 0a1c994e01 had been practically 34312d8da3 inseparable throughout their c4d2fa0bd8 teens.673f4819c20a1f69

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Much later, Minkyu had finally broken the silence in their chat group at the start of a new semester. He’d finished his training, been assigned to a department, and since his company wasn’t far from the university, he suggested they meet up. Even after weeks of silence in the chat group, Minkyu acted as if they’d just seen each other yesterday.fce7dec97ddb7bad

His reaction was very different from Yiho’s, who had been startled by the message, rushed to wash his hair in the communal shower he usually avoided, and even borrowed a hat because he wasn’t satisfied with how his hair looked.24c3f06f23b2565e

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As Yiho arrived at 1a0d5bed86 their meeting place and 63b66137a1 was about to ask 080725fd4b Minkyu where he was, d0a0ba933a the chair opposite him 88fb7912d6 was pulled back.15aceb14b7b99278

‘Song Yiho.’38fa9b2c35fe521f

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Minkyu plopped down. He placed his backpack 9d69c33593 beside him, loosened his 93b4b643a6 tie, looked at Yiho, 2d6fc6a034 and grinned. His forehead, revealed as 8b995cbd03 he pushed his hair 6c1b5b5f20 back, was smooth.a50add3a77fddde8

‘What did you order? I’m starving.’f0c4840f7819d7b1

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His voice and tone were definitely Minkyu’s. But Yiho had no data on this version of Minkyu.331c3b8b5013622c

A scent of cologne wafted from Minkyu’s hand as he took the menu Yiho offered. Yiho involuntarily leaned closer, following the scent, then quickly pulled back when Minkyu looked at him quizzically.813cc0f25058f9ec

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‘Did you develop a hunchback from being a developer? I’ll just order the set.’d744957b075bb1c9

‘…Okay…’a10bce08658da3a1

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From the moment they met in high school, Minkyu had always been more eloquent than Yiho. That day was no different. The stories he shared about his life outside of school were more fascinating than any new algorithm. Cha Minkyu, the employee, had a desk at Taejang Electronics, a large corporation, he received a salary, he attended group meetings with other company employees…fb003b2be80929c8

‘…Are company meetings different from the ones we had in college?’6298bfb817515660

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‘They’re similar, but more serious, I guess. In college, most people just want to have fun for a day. But there, many are determined to find a partner. So they’re very forward.’6d7466b56c4c38ce

‘Ah…’daee150da9a098ca

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‘I don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just… different.’151513eb2609b4ac

Minkyu suddenly felt distant. Or rather, it felt like he had suddenly grown taller. Come to think of it, their height difference hadn’t been this significant when they first met, but now it was almost half a handspan. His jawline seemed sharper too…b19779f5cb2cceed

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‘Song Yiho, how have you been?’282a23034e1c5583

‘Me? Well…’92294c2944c225ae

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Lab, home, lab, home. Occasionally, the boxing gym… He was trying to figure out how to make that sound even remotely interesting when Minkyu’s phone rang. Minkyu apologized and turned away to answer the call.cb660fc1176af811

His initial casual tone, “Yeah, what’s up?”, gradually became more serious.ebb71a47bfba1747

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‘What are you talking about? …Really? You’re not kidding, right? Sigh…’b8efae0c3b021fcc

His already 94599638f1 serious expression a5feb86227 crumpled.74f212abc61ba733

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‘No… okay. I’ll go to the hospital now.’ed9279d6698e5b40

Hearing that, Yiho knew b66055e160 it was something serious.12aee0e598134df9

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He stood 0c03c1fb1a up and 29cfb48b36 paid for ae65123b0d their half-eaten 4dae1b102f meal. He watched Minkyu, still f922c9e344 on the phone, gather 7c2632d078 his jacket and bag, 5a294218a5 then went outside to df61e46212 hail a taxi.91fc22ad756654e2

‘Cha Minkyu, which hospital?’4c0c42ad02b69696

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‘Ah…’ddb15fa226c4f0c0

Minkyu briefly a9c804ecf8 lowered his 8d9e265358 phone and fe7db052dc gave him d0316bc5c9 the address 43371e6e8d in a 3b3bfcd776 subdued voice.acd012540311291a

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‘Okay… okay, I’m on my way. Just… let’s talk when I get there.’bd301cb82e613c60

The call ended shortly after they got into the taxi. Minkyu’s face was so grim that Yiho couldn’t bring himself to ask what had happened. The taxi ride to the large hospital was silent. As they arrived, Minkyu seemed to snap out of his daze and handed his card to the driver. As they walked through the hospital lobby, Yiho hesitantly asked,803dc023e0d3e753

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‘Hey, what… what happened?’446b86c27a27f220

‘I think, ah, wait a minute. Excuse me, where’s the obstetrics and gynecology ward?’7cc056a4447b8fd9

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‘What?’b411612ab34b00a7

Obstetrics and gynecology?c95f62ebce505628

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Before Yiho could even question what he’d heard, Minkyu started running in the direction indicated by the staff member. Yiho ran after him, his vision blurring. The white hospital walls seemed to ripple and engulf him.8846453f006c5656

Cha Minkyu, who had 56c9871cb3 said he was at 1fa8483fb5 a company meeting.8ed7523ee992e733

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Cha Minkyu, who had a8a984f67f been popular with girls 02abc4baf6 in college.bdf857e53921fca9

Cha Minkyu, who had 2dae6390c5 seemed so much more abf0ffd3cd mature lately.cc852df75d5fae17

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And when he put all that together with “obstetrics and gynecology,” a certain assumption formed. Yiho covered his mouth with his hand.5517b9122aa17caf

No way.dd493c61711fba29

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‘…’4048e30ed8d9c203

It was an unrequited love he hadn’t planned to act on. But he didn’t want it to end like this. If he’d known, if he’d had some warning, if he’d known Cha Minkyu would be connected to someone else like this…b14b20fd07d364af

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His steps slowed, fdf78c43c1 then stopped. He decided 2c56beab7b to run, f10ade3e59 to avoid 3dad5b2251 hearing the 6eb039e71c presumed truth.415a54dcc4303a5d

Hey, Cha Minkyu, I’m not going…1d42c4631e3749b5

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‘Mom!’4f08ebc4b6c4bec8

Just then, Minkyu flung 9a0602ceeb open the door to 21beb61e21 a hospital room, yelling,ed49ea1c39097f82

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“Mom’s forty-four! Her son is twenty-five! What pregnancy at this age?!”c2f8d90326386619

Huh?773c510d9015fd18

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…Huh?19b7f79f648761cb

The world, which had been tilting precariously, abruptly stopped, reversed, and regained its balance. Yiho stumbled towards the hospital room where Minkyu had disappeared. Inside, a couple who resembled Minkyu sat. They looked so young that Yiho would have mistaken them for an older brother and sister if Minkyu hadn’t called the woman “Mom.”ce9b0161480f788e

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As all the pieces finally clicked into place, Yiho’s legs gave way, and he slumped to the floor.a3e964b475ddcdde

“Huh? Hey, hey. Song Yiho!”c83100c12440f396

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“…”76f155a75a3a8be7

“Oh my, Minkyu’s friend? You must have scared him with your shouting.”f28a8fb13ab8b4ba

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“What? Really? Hey, sorry… but he’s not usually so easily startled.”c8c89747835872db

“You’re Yiho? My son talks about you a lot.”9dfcd42137047443

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It was the day Yiho met Cha Minkyu’s entire family at once: Cha Minkyu, his parents, and the sibling yet to be born.5915a71ec1c7baa4

“But SongYi SongYi, why did you faint back then?”8936ada8a5ac0e2b

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Because I thought 084ae2250a you got another 6c4f7aa354 woman pregnant.3c6ab489ae2b6f27

The shock of a13ebf655d that day was bec29757e1 still vivid. He drained his glass, 1619d8facd the liquid sloshing to 54602a9755 hide the trembling of e9bbe46ca1 his hand.58f5f0c136b9bed7

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“…I thought something serious had happened since you rushed to the hospital like that.”014815ce89aa2737

“Ah… well, you weren’t wrong. I wasn’t in my right mind back then. And now you know about my parents.”bf90ca11b51dc5b6

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The next 9a36702582 day, at 08c85b4a16 the same 0e8a6d83b7 pojangmacha, Minkyu ac1d549691 had bought d54559c63a him drinks 64a93430c8 and recounted 588020a17a his story 61021b71ee with a 4c9ab2e89b heavy heart.0e4e7440e52ee3f5

“My parents got pregnant with me in high school. Both our families were relatively well-off, so they just decided to get married quickly.”080951700fb7deca

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But they were too dfc2a12cb3 immature to handle the e30e38738d responsibility, and with his 75db0b1e14 grandparents raising Minkyu, there 498324c9ef was no pressure for b18a5eb665 them to grow up. They were more 79b40c4f1f like an older a907cd2393 brother and sister 260fde2204 than parents, Minkyu bf9e13b9c6 had said.b8da8678622098ef

They loved 894bc35955 Minkyu, their 5ed3738ab9 son, but 4645179413 they were 41048a4eee permissive parents, e9250fb3d7 lacking in 5c668b73c1 discipline and 896edb415d hierarchy.fc82f9d4c8548212

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After that, Yiho had seen many new sides of Minkyu. Since that day, Minkyu had lowered one of the walls he’d kept between them.19fdfe56cf7fb905

“Think about it. Now that my grandparents can’t help out anymore, if my sibling is born, wouldn’t they become my responsibility? I seriously thought I was going to be a father at twenty-five.”11f3efa00d64dd37

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“…That’s understandable.”8cf5cb49388a5b64

Fortunately, his parents, now in their forties, were better than they had been when raising Minkyu, but… people didn’t change easily.e8429cb7715c3f67

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Still, Cha Minkyu adored his much younger sibling. He’d even stopped dating since Minjeong became old enough to understand the conversations around her.23dd40ba3b48417c

Minkyu tilted the soju bottle over Yiho’s glass. The alcohol poured with a steady glug, glug, glug, and he 11a2c9f6ee smoothly withdrew the 934b519991 bottle without spilling 0156112e4c a drop. The glass was filled 84f08af9d9 to the perfect level.9332f196a7f1cda5

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Yiho held out his hand, and Minkyu passed him the bottle. Yiho filled Minkyu’s glass in return. He tried to imitate Minkyu’s smooth pour, but the soju overflowed slightly, forming a small dome.e366951e863322fb

“Cheers.”2d3fb5ee912f75d4

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Minkyu, unfazed by the overflowing glass, raised it. Their glasses met in the middle with a clink. Some of the spilled soju from Minkyu’s glass flowed into Yiho’s, creating ripples. Cha Minkyu drained his glass without a hint of displeasure and quietly set it down.00bc306107c41b70

Cha Minkyu, d305a048ac the intern, 3adaff8b3a had once 8bfe6de5f1 seemed so d434d8166b mature, but 04f21f5073 now, seeing 5a81cc3357 him act 3f64fec403 younger than c5318c0297 Kwon Taekyeong, 3a19286eeb the junior 284be58a68 developer, made c9322e7a77 Yiho want 077271d71b to laugh.5c5602a5d0f50c19

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And even 8302debe22 now, past eff92e2105 their mid-twenties, 2ef2c1b111 with the c3551416a6 same job 7b4da1b742 title and 933eaf9a74 considered adults, 44492ba18f Song Yiho 473765f7f0 still felt 9a92a5ada7 that Minkyu 5ea3479303 was much a73227c4ae more of a3b025da24 a grown-up. This thought, which ebd5c2fa88 would probably seem cfc6e1d586 ridiculous when they 9b7a0e346c reached their forties, eac1a0064f was also part 5e1a708018 of his long-standing e32d373dcb unrequited love.b0661fec08c8d5cd

“…You’re usually the one doing the entertaining at meetings, right?”112cb85bffd7d09d

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“Why, Team Leader Song, do you want to be wined and dined by me?”da5ab3c0d527e38f

A playful nudge a7ed7a77d7 brushed against his 004eb49eaa foot. Yiho inhaled efd9df5c00 sharply, the df1cdc75de alcohol suddenly 5d378f1bd7 making him 65995babe7 dizzy.6e00a1c548dfe07a

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“How do you do it? Show me.”69dfa7c4f58d2985

The alcohol fueled his ea13598cc9 boldness. Minkyu chuckled ce53f80fdf and picked b57e3fce2c up the f5539c1aa3 soju bottle.f322f8dc643006fe

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“Anyone can be polite. To stand out, you need to evoke emotions that move the other person.”63f3993a70ca6d89

Having attended a few ad8192fd0e external meetings himself, Yiho dd1293dbff understood what he meant.6ccbf968cd395607

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“Respect, affection, romantic interest. If you don’t verbalize it, they all look the same on the surface. Find something you can emulate. In my case, I treat them like a lover. A very difficult and demanding lover, that is.”d097260902c1d1c2

Unlike how he’d poured for his friend, Minkyu held the bottle with both hands, offering it to Yiho. As Yiho raised his glass, Minkyu tilted the bottle. The pour stopped precisely at the 70% mark, just like before.c02d09d5ecd7893b

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“I’ve heard so much about you. I’ve been wanting to meet you, Team Leader Song.”da2588c19fa5dcd5

“…Me? Why?”c6a250e9fba72e51

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“You’re famous as a developer, but also as the DL division’s top…”74c7a8744ed09ded

He paused for a moment, his gaze piercing Yiho’s.4f3f60d5192cc1cb

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“…baby-faced beauty.”de901775bbfbc232

“You’d say something like that?”781b239cbf6add2b

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“Of course not. I’d be in handcuffs if I did.”688b01ccdaa95bab

Minkyu’s voice returned to its usual casual tone.4702290901707ca8

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“But if I meet someone stiff like SongYi, I start with something ridiculous to lighten the mood. I don’t do well in overly formal settings.”770876021e0dec5e

Minkyu grinned and topped off Yiho’s still-full glass. The liquid formed a dome, held by surface tension.52eedc1a1e7e3fa8

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“That earlier pour was for business, this one is for a friend.”5e7c3a40312e863d

“…Isn’t the friend version worse?”29b6aae3621bd54a

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“You pour as much as you love, right?”27a0d9411ce44a5e

“…?”737640197e322649

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Minkyu’s gaze, which had been lowered towards the bottle, now met Yiho’s.6127b8e82272cc65

“The glass is much smaller than my love, SongYi.”36a7c60580dc0496

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Just as he’d said, it was an unexpected attack. The light reflected on the surface of the alcohol trembled like Yiho’s gaze.2dcaf611738f4af1

If this 6a74453587 were a 8a951689b9 business meeting, 00d6a0d05c Yiho would 2feca84a63 have signed 0c7fd1850c any contract 903429e739 Minkyu offered, 7c87e43d93 regardless of a4c7585dc9 the content.7bd290cf4a8d88af

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“…Stop saying weird things.”2cba91f97f5ee4f0

“Okay. That reaction means I succeeded.”21360a510c99e0a7

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“…”565f8ceb42fea8cd

Ah, so 7d46624a60 this was 9545104fbc why their ed5efe22b5 company had 2faf723324 record profits 0a491a2392 last year. Because of Cha bc9620c895 Minkyu in the e647797c1e marketing team, because a458252d31 Cha Minkyu was 9d5b8faf65 leading the charge. His bonus was all 0abfe854ca thanks to Cha Minkyu.cc7926d4055ae6b9

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As much as 457e1776e3 you love.1b53d3af6630e781

The words Yiho could never utter became a joke, accompanied by Minkyu’s brief smile.fab54ff412a92c5c

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‘You bastard.’e7b76c24ba7af248

Yiho could already 2b6e695a26 picture his future 8d6cef52a5 self, falling asleep e46e803480 while searching for 1bdfd67e22 oversized luggage fees 823d7e6137 and plane tickets c268ceb341 to the Netherlands.924d206572fc0ab0

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Minkyu offered him his glass, and it was Yiho’s turn to pour. Like a carelessly poured drink, it was a night threatening to overflow.5fe0b5444c0da63c