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.af0ca39087d5f8e9

“…So, you’re saying he was… fired?”57802b67e0b0ee7b

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“Simply put, yes.”0682bd15a63374e3

The new 3d5a9cb20f hire, Song d994a71d3d Junseo, had 732394c863 been fired.b7f5adf2170d709b

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While Yiho was suffering b0f7fa56fb through his nightmare the 629e5a8f2e previous night, a lot 1fdf381f56 had happened.6debe539dc37007a

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.ca00fc71e9fdb117

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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.c7a0fbdd8d5276a6

Overcome by alcohol, 42f95499fc the two fell 4adb49cb80 asleep on the f91789b997 bench. A few hours e77924e514 later, at dawn, 129700e27e the entire company 8f7eb5a69d learned that the bfd10750c9 location in question 2c0df39a4d was the playground 26967d1d59 of a nearby d34fa1e0fa elementary school. A security guard on 6a2832b409 patrol had found them, 0003469275 noticed their employee IDs, e96df27a05 and called the company 6506ffd7b6 to have them picked 00e70a19f1 up.65857d18f69b2085

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As Song Junseo was still on probation, HR fired both of them for violating the company’s code of conduct.ad296e7f51956d09

“B-but, they fired him just like that?”a55f0dcf7b31af98

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“Team Leader Song, which elementary school is near here?”00888f9e5435791a

The children’s protection zone, which Yiho occasionally passed by, came to mind. It was a private elementary school funded by Taejang.e90b04871716a007

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“Of course they cut him loose immediately.”42569ea132afef65

“…”5042730fc9bd9d9c

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Wow.43f87edb97ac5654

Just wow…d5e0b0a2e198fad1

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Yiho, dumbfounded, trudged cf8280c0c3 back to his 70b122ba0e desk like a bad26b827b zombie. He ran into Manager 0355a56c76 Gye on the way, e6b016fd61 but even he simply 34e9b0c6a7 shook his head at 7aee4a5aeb Yiho and walked away b34d25aa26 without a word.72a69a2ef284c90b

When he returned b1e12cffb9 to his desk, f9ded152c4 everyone looked at f2284b0d69 him with similar ff141e0715 expressions. News about the f0ac90a942 new hire would 882bb9422f naturally spread from c11a10f22f the junior employees, fcdaae9716 so everyone must 54d09f9576 have known by dcbc6f9b03 now. Yiho sank into 40a9425546 his chair as a86b108a19 if into quicksand.a8278787895408ca

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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…169588eead6bd4e2

In the 2784aa3df0 asteroid-stricken atmosphere 1fcdd78946 of the 48e2ad008c development team, 246b75bd8e Yiho forced 8be0bf59ac a cheerful f5a13907f7 voice.083ad9ae0cdfe3ac

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“An unexpected incident occurred, but… let’s get to work.”e29e4bc2d74771ac

“Yes.”58f3343e7c4b9c4b

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“…Yes.”395a9d3d8396cbac

Taekyeong, his eyes 072e6bf36d wide, spoke quietly.fb20d7a63e1c8eb0

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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…”c4be09991e539eb6

His words seemed to eb39772d62 break the tension, and ea9665cb7a relieved chuckles rippled through 389e66c177 the development team.fc82cefef81d23c4

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Yiho, also bewildered 301b39d6c4 by the unprecedented 6eaebee22b situation, finally took 48d25f0c9f a deep breath.5413de24c252d0d6

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.b5911ab59d42c744

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“So… shall we still have the team dinner to cheer up Taekyeong-nim?”e3254e8ffff86a02

No one objected.f1dbc4f83e927c9e

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💼98bfdd242fbab73a

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.57db3ea3f9a8bd25

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“Our team’s average age has gone down, and the atmosphere is so much more lively thanks to Taekyeong-nim.”8b0325e1775df05b

“Right. Yesterday, I was reminded of when Taekyeong-nim first joined. It was a tough time for our team, but he really pulled through.”ee63ae964b94b916

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“Taekyeong-nim is truly a unicorn new hire.”4d03e8ab7735afee

Yes, yes, they 2acd280d5c were all right. Someone initiated a aeb144ca17 toast, glasses filled e6ca98b087 with a mixture bc4ef35609 of soju and 8e39db8952 beer clinking together. As Yiho was e909427971 about to take 8f61320730 a sip, a beb7fd7a17 small voice asked 9eee9da4ad him,8d0cc20a60dd729c

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“Team Leader, what… what do you think of me?”7fda663a71258a62

Ah, this had to 294a2a0794 be answered with complete 0eae690132 sincerity.df6b99ee9c4d706f

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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.”94e9325215e31090

“Really…”735902e81b33619c

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His gaze, 5070c1e092 flushed from b163780fcd the heat 594cf5118c of the f543421a6c grill, fell 10d3296e35 to the 01c71fa289 glass in 7a951b518b his hand. Taekyeong was 12f83fd7f9 wearing contacts 5b9833cd81 instead of d22722616b his usual 6eb1fd6282 glasses today. His gentle eyes, 3da6e2ac84 usually hidden behind cc5f3a3035 thick lenses, blinked.34463b3433fffc42

The sight of his cute team member brought out Yiho’s hidden social skills.6db9a637b588a100

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“From now on… if anything bothers you, please talk to me. I’ll help you in any way I can.”fb45a4f9d6d03b45

“Yes…!”b463b6887414c7e3

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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.f2a647ceba6b7568

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!”68eaa482db811e4e

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Broad shoulders blocked the f3af7aff02 dimly lit cityscape visible ddc0eca31d through the sliding door 0e85d50bbd before entering. A group fcabc6de6f of similarly ed7d143762 suited people b9bab7a63c followed.dc936d9778db0d1c

“Looks like the marketing team is having their dinner here too.”c8d155c818037859

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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.cb1efc5476abb0c6

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?aa47a61ff5a74f39

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“Team Leader Song, would you mind if we joined you? We’re short on seats.”a788758799dfd9b7

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.aab4a83050a4d75b

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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.aaad3c8b1ab557a8

“Let’s gather around, development team. I’ll move over here. Team Leader Cha, you can sit here.”3d5bb16dba0e9e2c

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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.92f996df84b9f192

Minkyu immediately c664c427a3 took off 750ca396c2 his jacket. His broad shoulders filled 5601a090a4 out his shirt. He raised 51923a8f5f his hand 4a7524566d to call dc8689bb39 a server, 2c6652dde6 the movement c941b6f69d stretching his 2646299b5d shirt taut f0bf9ee116 across his fe21d89362 chest.30eb051d59107af7

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“Six servings of samgyeopsal for each of the three tables, and eleven glasses, please.”64aa8e1454a862bd

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.cb856966657c6cad

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Then, a beer bottle 567c34b8c2 appeared before Yiho.9ec5caa2cf2fcb46

“Team Leader Song, let me pour you a drink.”3c2ebc9748d221c3

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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.d9678a0f5e4a50b3

Eight parts foam, two d6f560e684 parts beer. It looked more a774b86331 like a cotton 7475517a03 candy concoction than 17f4be3712 a beer.2aff48d7bba18941

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“…Enjoy.”ef0bea861da7a984

The unspoken message was, “Why did you ask me to pour it, knowing I’d do this?”acf39779f226e040

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“Thanks to you.”94922bc4ad30583a

Minkyu replied casually, then 660fd18231 added soju to his 710fa519d3 glass, dissipating the foam.c65e432643e10481

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“The development team had it rough today.”c477c7748814e14b

Translation: I heard. What a crazy situation.3b5f6578110a60a7

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“That’s not a topic I want to discuss with Team Leader Cha right now.”4366d330ea2fe82c

Translation: Don’t bring that up. I just managed to erase it from my team’s memory.de00d0307c562e23

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“It’s Team Leader Song’s team, so it doesn’t feel like someone else’s problem.”5a0beedb75c5620e

Translation: Worry about 3df559061a yourself, idiot.f3cb6c83489bc5b6

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“That’s not necessary. Just drink.”90924943331a8a67

Translation: Let’s just drink.80d44e4abd88bbc2

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Except for the sizzling 6f3b5f74d0 of meat, conversation had 1891cb0ea6 ceased at the table. Minkyu suppressed cfca8166db a laugh e6d61bc662 as he d757f08cef watched Yiho f70a43956f avoid the a782c049d0 topic and e848f37ca4 focus on 1b38a302d0 drinking.6e10d990e87da8b6

“Both the development and marketing teams have worked hard in many ways. Would you mind if I filled everyone’s glasses?”84456f9b8f6ae60b

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Minkyu asked Yiho. Yiho readily agreed. It was better 45c9913896 than him doing 9899d0b3a7 it.6415b6ae61acd684

“Go ahead.”38e70cc70a1fd1c7

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“…”cfa471fd779c09c9

“…”70f31cad841d278f

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Minkyu, suppressing e658867a09 the occasional bf186c459b tremor in e5727e2c2c his shoulders, ea9a10613a silently made 7b1778916d his rounds.887aec33faee8168

Then, nearly twenty glasses d8c798a6ab were raised simultaneously. People clinked glasses b5d4b83a90 and drank. Minkyu, staring intently at 58b7bc8271 Yiho, grinned from behind 6f1c221fb6 his round beer glass, da4c85518c his face comically distorted. The beer, touching 17653f20ec his lips, scattered af9a090049 some foam into 15bbba7623 the glass.b5c57b4ca39aa560

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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.898bc558982b18b7

The awkward atmosphere created d0fe6d9cf6 by the two team cad0436345 leaders dissipated as the d3a21ce6c7 alcohol flowed, and after df04ca2f94 the lightweight drinkers left, c3820e29e6 the remaining members shuffled 147f33c11d around and mingled.5ee692999fe19f84

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“Yiho-nim, are you really a doctor?”a272e18368474cbc

Manager Kim from the 04f98c74e0 development team asked, as bd50ad56a8 if suddenly remembering something.8166dc2f7d362e4d

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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…”2a238c3710b14d49

“Ah… yes. I did a combined Master’s and PhD program, so I graduated a bit early.”0ec035b7ea672fdc

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“With those credentials in Korea, wouldn’t you normally pursue a professorship?”6d869edc7c6822db

“I… originally planned to, but…”92cad0bb6c317b85

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Yiho paused, then 9a790dc91b replied calmly.9c3e05d6f4cc137b

“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.”e67d117ccde94176

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His advisor, who 009efc050a had been involved 23afeba90c in industry-academia collaboration b4c4f3c3c9 with Taejang, had 525d532ef1 pulled some strings a53b8b6b27 at the company, d93812a722 landing him a dffbe13085 good starting position. Thanks to 932215b74a that, he cb34b31a70 became a 28964a3ea7 team leader 45434e0af8 at a bf912f2c38 relatively young 38f9e43958 age. The only other team 72c371aa17 leader his age was b37aea448d Cha Minkyu, known for 3c7342744c his exceptional performance in a04b283387 another division after graduating e19058d455 early. It was an 4c67cd33be unusual appointment.8304395b455097d1

Even though he’d spoken as casually as possible, the topic of his parents inevitably brought a somber mood to the table.0699bb624d6f2192

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“It’s been a while.”f497ca9332126045

“You’ve been through a lot.”19297247a7be6b38

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And it was the a106fa57aa person who had just 5e1198229d offered him those simple eefd4aa148 words of comfort who 16df0e6b75 had helped him through 53c55410e1 that difficult time.57bbe181ae2a8dfc

‘You… go back to work. Why are you still here…’68e2eea5ef337b4e

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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…’f68785257bead090

‘…’ba8c260b8f3dce67

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‘I’ll take care of the funeral arrangements, so get some rest and contact your professor when you wake up.’a36965a4bae0ee03

‘Okay…’eb99c215d2828f3d

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‘Don’t cry… no, never mind. It’s okay. Cry. …Cry as much as you want.’95be26e38b37805f

‘…Sob… ugh…’e3433e1671c910ab

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After that 2dfb3a1032 period, his 7ec0e55a5a unrequited love d0d7201802 had deepened 2cda3bac08 irrevocably.8295d10fba27f2aa

“It wasn’t as hard as what you went through.”b1a9dd88067a0f72

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Yiho secretly infused 0b9ad75602 his words with 624cfcb00e the meaning of 229bf3447b his unrequited love. To others, it would db73541b37 have sounded like he f3afdb0e86 was referring to the 347135546d recent tasks assigned by 1822024193 the marketing team.6dd487383cadc958

“Don’t be so dramatic, you handled it well.”7747164b7cbce882

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Fortunately, his words 7873087674 lightened the mood f6248a927d again.42548475025f4380

A while later, 8d84412c67 a slightly drunk 5730607406 marketing team member 792f6e71ce nudged the person 368e7eba2c next to him.f877c7d91111504e

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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?”76884ccceba2fb6c

“Huh? Uh… well… does he…?”3ba2f6fb5b28f70a

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“That’s right. I initially thought he was a designer who came to the wrong place.”48680ef367cd4d64

Even someone from the dbb41b8c78 development team chimed in.23c4bc9f8217b129

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“But after exchanging just five words with him, I knew he was in the right place.”3470baffb70a921c

“…”37a69567fe5666f7

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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.2a87c842c1430901

“I agree! Yiho-nim is really handsome.”50c1806d3b4223f7

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Taekyeong, his head swaying 37dff7c4f2 slightly from the alcohol, b35a55fc2c suddenly joined the conversation.1bd8de0cc7a03106

“And…”6f6198533aaf2deb

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“Yes?”8efb21718a0f106f

Taekyeong fidgeted with the bc30eb8102 hem of his sweatshirt.b37a6cc0d59d4c09

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“A fashionista.”830f9d7fe319fc4c

“…?”c18aa12ecdce6c1d

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He must be 1b1ca04274 really drunk. Laughter rippled through the 2fd20221f8 group.41478c3354272dc3

“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.”3cb9dafef76f3be2

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“Is that why Manager Jeong was confused?”3e3bc03fdba09056

“Ah, well, it’s not really me. I don’t choose my clothes myself.”109802fc76dccf97

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“So someone gives you advice?”30a747691f5387e5

Minkyu, his tie loosened ebf217417a from the heat of 1bdd3b0ed2 the grill, also seemed 90be90fab5 slightly tipsy. He looked at 26fc8be04c Yiho with a 66450380cc sly smile, his 4ac5c14566 eyes crinkling.d9b49849852a1540

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“…Yes. I have a friend who’s very interested in that sort of thing.”9c1e28900b12aded

“Wow, whoever that friend is, they saved Team Leader Song. You should cherish them forever.”d618cbc8036aa1c9

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Every time the 459df975f3 seasons changed, Minkyu 3e73a96a76 dragged Yiho to e9ad4f8be9 the department store. And when dcf97742e6 Yiho inevitably 45c06f680a stopped at 7d0d1db555 the Polo 56796a3413 Ralph Lauren 9327b224e7 store like e9a2a333a7 a moth 70a74347c3 to a c8e22fd562 flame, rummaging 49bada541c through the 4b23a8cb56 checked shirts, 44aa7e55f8 Minkyu would 25f95cdc44 put his d3a95d98c8 arm around 7deefaef9b him and ac8676efd0 lead him d5f8c76eb2 to other 4ebbd5b67c stores.7cb94425dcfbed3e

Yiho had no reason 597be0ac1c to refuse clothes chosen 056958f9c6 by the person he 33f3e8ec18 liked. Minkyu had much better 1d3630e080 taste than him anyway.6f30e73f0e7b44e8

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“Yiho-nim, was getting your ears pierced also your friend’s advice?”e45ceb4ab5616b2b

“No… this was, uh…”5f813eb5ed68a002

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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.c4dd7ba7654d912d

“When I was younger… someone I was dating suggested it, so I got them pierced.”737a47aadc5199c4

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“You dated someone with terrible taste.”a5225bdbbfd30c44

Deputy Manager Shin 9d47b5690c from the marketing 2c8fc5dc64 team blinked, then c6d6c5dccd tried to smooth 02657c2901 things over.e1163a609989c6d5

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“Hey, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”9393dea6c966ed46

“It sounds like Team Leader Song was being led around in that relationship. I’m just upset for him.”2c7c0a1a914eeff0

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“True, I think Yiho-nim would be very accommodating to his girlfriend.”cdff4d7033a759dd

“…I don’t have strong preferences, so it was easier that way.”519b2ecd54d1c23b

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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.bc977ef03bcc7853

Back then, seeing 66c2595700 Yiho fidgeting with f82e80fbbf his infected piercing, a890ba1165 Minkyu had flipped deda34cbc7 out, yelled at 0c2c6a4f01 him to take 35034ffa6f it out immediately, d52ef4289d and dragged him 605d876544 to the hospital. He broke 8efbea8088 up with b307acfb46 his girlfriend 11b5133ece shortly after.c494571cedeb8faa

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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…253d5d6c8069a584

“Yiho-nim, are you the youngest in your family? Isn’t that typical of guys with older sisters?”4f5c1401fe25d01f

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“Oh, no. Can’t you tell just by looking at me? I bet he has an older brother.”1d0c8b0b7744f0d1

“Why?”4b37632b4409530c

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“His name. The older brother would be Ilho (meaning ‘one’ + ‘number’), and the younger brother Yiho (meaning ‘two’ + ‘number’).”711b014062b5e09b

“…I’m an only child.”e2dc5a69e72a378d

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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.039e8902793ef550

“That’s surprising. What about Taekyeong-nim? He seems like the youngest child type too.”1de2f1f1c96570d9

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“I have an older brother.”e01ff659497e31e9

“Oh, I think I remember hearing that before.”088ff17b553e996e

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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.f367b761c51a0e80

“What about Minkyu-nim? I have a feeling he’s an only child.”f6212b3a6c1a762c

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“Really?”3726750155efa34d

“But then again, I also have a feeling he has a lot of siblings.”87682bb7d308f63d

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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.7e6396dc61b9e3af

The majority guessed he c5abf16428 was an only child, 24ee074bed citing his characteristic laid-back 4452ce5b8a demeanor. They figured he 8f293c4ebf was spoiled as 201e71525d an only child. Of course, Yiho, knowing 1e65bfa96d the truth, remained silent.2eb689ea5ebb2fec

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“What do you think, Team Leader Song? Do I seem like an only child?”592caa1bd5c3ebdd

“…?”94037ad77eb1ff1a

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Why ask me?bea5593ed06294c7

“Do you really want to hear my opinion?”7e9f34aefb1dfdd9

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“Yes.”72593ec116a7f9f8

“…I think you have a younger sibling.”cf778e7dd94e504a

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I was 5275db28de there the 381dc0ab16 day your 4bcb1ac362 younger sister b7732e02e1 was born.352fb4fe3637a7ec

“Team Leader Song has good intuition. I have a younger sister.”a3a7595347ee1209

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“Wow, your sister must have incredibly high standards. Having someone like Minkyu-nim as her older brother.”42e4c9f434d74864

“There’s a significant age gap, so I don’t think she sees me that way. She’s still in school.”9fd97a0ad1f04f70

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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.”b1547a0153f907ca

“My close friend is quite handsome for a guy, and she likes him more than me, so I guess I’m not her type.”a68b50c7a6c50b93

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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?”c508ea79cb342f91

“Ah, yes. We’ve been close since high school, best friends who know everything about each other.”fbc23ed72dae2a48

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Yiho, about to take fa6c695225 a sip of his a8a5c540c9 drink, paused and looked 7eef45067e at Minkyu. Why did he keep 043f273368 subtly bringing him up?87532e65fb168bdb

“Should we order another bottle? It feels like the last hurrah before next week.”27ab6d68b668fb03

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“Oh, does the marketing team have something going on next week?”9742b4a5556a630c

“Yes, we’re preparing for something big.”fd48fb8e74c6bf47

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Deputy Manager Kang from 2b6525b52c the marketing team glanced 5746b371d4 at Minkyu after speaking. Minkyu gave 5f18832354 a slight 3ddb62ccc7 nod, as 967d191527 if to 8dd1049ad5 say it 0302a870ef was fine a1314efd01 for the 3100185e9a development team 9e1479324f to know.3746934d2a89deef

“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?”d9980411368ce27a

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As his voice 294156ea58 lowered, everyone leaned 7827975a34 in. He mentioned the d806f74632 name of a 07e05f1213 popular idol who a812ae608e had recently gained d15afa62fe popularity through YouTube bf9dd4f54b content.84f98f2ec0862476

“Wow, how did you manage to get them?”68b8ab7e848497e6

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“Things have been going well for us lately. When we sent an email to their agency, it just so happened…”16c74587e1eed3ae

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.a84bcfb40f6b6bf0

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“Minkyu-nim gave me the lead on this project to gain experience, so I really put my heart into it.”5ff7208b13dc0333

“Make sure you see it through to the end and add it to your resume.”ac6f48f03aa8b97f

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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.b8d69ef7f297d403

At times like this, 681a9880fa Yiho felt that Minkyu 08e1b24740 was much more mature d14c00854a than he was, as e4073f923d he himself still struggled 6701dbe15c with simple task delegation.f641ed7638e3db4e

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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!”7de32689b3dba615

“It’s not us who keep the servers stable, it’s AWS…”99dd1e64b58b7147

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Fortunately, another developer 9d3352d1a5 intercepted the mood-killing 6e94ed46f0 remark.753fe3a05fbcabcb

“Then, shall we have a toast to celebrate?”3cc5d4b3adcbed85

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“Yes!”9f70824ff62a7a46

The remaining 4c8d1dc09a members, now 704dc03018 less than 0813994305 ten out e3819d8256 of the 187f7ac357 initial twenty, fa14c55576 clinked glasses. Yiho took 527a25ae5c a small c43473c550 sip and f74d032b74 put his 976abe8c49 glass down. Minkyu, catching his e5730f2802 eye, did the c3202dde0c same.180f2b2e8dbd79c3

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The drinking party, which adbb80ec3a had started after work, fb00de62c3 finally ended around 11 92a7ce7d3e PM.60df4554a1407fb3

💼8dbaba501e5cea26

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“Yiho-niiiim, get home safe…”9065271bce6afa7c

“Yes, Taekyeong-nim. Have a good weekend.”bb84318038a80906

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“Yeees…”b4164358c620365b

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.1cf13b188ca93925

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“SongYi, round three?”6cb615d2e418becc

“Go.”07260e0f719279d6

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Team Leader 2ff9649ace Song instantly 7e23e1a4d8 became SongYi. Maintaining sobriety 28741f21c2 amidst the 1dc0c0b8d6 drunken revelry e0369926af was quite 8661cc3629 a feat. The two team feac2bfa30 leaders, who had b8ce68c09b paced themselves since 901eccff0c the middle of f987dac7ed the second round d5a60bf20c to take care 9cc4dd6dc4 of their teams, ecdc237f4f were now completely 6440f8ff3b sober.216e5317c0c41fb0

So, their real 4a23d6ec66 drinking party was d21ea52737 just beginning. With no one e73584d8f9 watching, they could ff3dd3448b finally let loose.ec4d2831be485a51

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The restaurant alley, e89e2f7431 which had been 932bf2708f packed earlier in c89eed341b the evening, now aed5928310 had plenty of 926d77549c empty tables. The two 28561acb5f slowly made 68e3b5f35d their way 642a68822a to a e07385b609 restaurant district 91a9bb921c on the 1164d13817 opposite side e52b6518ad of the 869c03f91b company and e4660c3fe9 settled at 3ef81b79cf a table 94fb2174e3 by the 53ec67e2fa window of 43d3297604 a pojangmacha 4930374be8 (street food 6e8cf514c0 tent).f741a85863cb3066

“Congratulations on surviving the team dinner, SongYi SongYi.”75c5748e34f5d569

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“…Yeah, thanks.”0183f10ac9c8fd62

The soju went down bc23281c3a smoothly. A server placed 069d79c490 a pot of a1cb051779 stew and small ef689d685c bowls in front 6e81a67cb7 of them.832d691514e69960

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“It’s already cooked, so you can eat it right away.”0365601841e0f40a

“Yes, thank you.”135e72f2324a4e6d

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Using the 51fb35b32f arrival of b182b48a90 food as d61e1bfad6 an excuse, 8cb197f777 they emptied 372b342ecb another glass. They were both 08292f87dc clearly thirsty for 528f57ac23 more alcohol.3080eb2b79015a3a

“Hey, Cha Minkyu.”681176e958735d16

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“Yeah?”4fdac06a73e0b118

“Why do you keep…”0623ebdab2830197

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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?57a241cac36a256a

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.d9c0205e78f6055f

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“Keep what?”42bf20c9a473c19d

“…keep not showing me pictures of Minjeong?”4804931512a3f885

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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.”3b172c5a158c8fd9

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.”b384f1cac820760d

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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.40576493afd46ea8

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.c9c043a72dabfba7

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Back then, she didn’t even have the name Minjeong, she was just “Little One.”c3c52098e6b874d1

Minkyu had started 173f942a79 working right after 4be6f14a51 graduation. Around the same a84b79b09f time, Yiho had 6de4359241 started graduate school. While Minkyu was 2201e6bee9 busy with job f296161f8d searching and interviews, cd7f1417ba a long gap b726b89a6e had formed between 857dc4e55f the two, who 3059fde08c had been practically df1559dc4f inseparable throughout their 2938240833 teens.b0052121c83e969e

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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.09b671a0db151993

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.b2d125c27618588b

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As Yiho arrived 7204a0212b at their meeting e8ca7925c4 place and was 3463920305 about to ask cd7cb29d58 Minkyu where he 0d98d70393 was, the chair 0d8ff02dd3 opposite him was afc6dbe30d pulled back.8d2dbc3e7a83b6cf

‘Song Yiho.’0de1c92597fefab6

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Minkyu plopped down. He placed his d00760b904 backpack beside him, 6af264dae5 loosened his tie, dfbf229226 looked at Yiho, 83f479a844 and grinned. His forehead, revealed 979db31ffa as he pushed 9633adcc56 his hair back, 4544b1fef9 was smooth.a10dd57c2f410411

‘What did you order? I’m starving.’770955cb284354aa

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His voice and tone were definitely Minkyu’s. But Yiho had no data on this version of Minkyu.aee95672e760490c

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.4d3a3e2aaaf38a24

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‘Did you develop a hunchback from being a developer? I’ll just order the set.’82accc1add6550dc

‘…Okay…’3dda8d01fa34fc6d

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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…fd9b9c7b1f163e6a

‘…Are company meetings different from the ones we had in college?’e60586ec05331178

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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.’29ef05488e6fb731

‘Ah…’0e93f6c97592c58f

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‘I don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just… different.’e8ce9b2e7b70fde7

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…5d0eac37eae3b34c

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‘Song Yiho, how have you been?’af2fc95bd1d78128

‘Me? Well…’701ba4a1c6933610

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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.bc97a344c138fa9b

His initial casual tone, “Yeah, what’s up?”, gradually became more serious.a8550cdae731bba7

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‘What are you talking about? …Really? You’re not kidding, right? Sigh…’586efc29513f32b8

His already 46b0ec88ce serious expression d9dc9b9d7c crumpled.4dc1f51aa43ba031

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‘No… okay. I’ll go to the hospital now.’d83dd1ae838f6232

Hearing that, Yiho 07e959800d knew it was fa7d37deda something serious.05d01cc48d7878ba

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He stood up 2f321d4ef2 and paid for bba07b26a8 their half-eaten meal. He watched Minkyu, d407f17104 still on the 3d2d4409a0 phone, gather his 6992879b94 jacket and bag, 995c6c9301 then went outside a48c19556b to hail a 98fafca7c2 taxi.3d64226bff96211a

‘Cha Minkyu, which hospital?’5935fce3ede9430c

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‘Ah…’aecd74b35db4bcac

Minkyu briefly d50e1b0f1c lowered his 52a4d4d072 phone and 717ee42d49 gave him 92a9647f1f the address 16662f33de in a 99304652b4 subdued voice.0181ba002896efff

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‘Okay… okay, I’m on my way. Just… let’s talk when I get there.’08b3a04b81a02213

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,6b588a48c384726d

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‘Hey, what… what happened?’6a26412599aef786

‘I think, ah, wait a minute. Excuse me, where’s the obstetrics and gynecology ward?’c47cdf5a443e38b9

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‘What?’c60c8717a5257140

Obstetrics and gynecology?dc48c14ce9340896

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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.8d057a08defd1370

Cha Minkyu, 0aa24aec05 who had 3b39fcabd4 said he f82d296d54 was at acf4505b1c a company adf9b5a923 meeting.5ed3744a73a1065e

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Cha Minkyu, who had 35c87a788b been popular with girls b6fd754ce1 in college.59149e3a58eef247

Cha Minkyu, who had 9e77426740 seemed so much more 29481860c0 mature lately.4900b7d8dc265f81

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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.91807f06e2552baf

No way.18d71b7ac2171a20

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‘…’29c27bb0a4488d4f

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…d2f130f462ee515a

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His steps slowed, then 2c7ccafd2a stopped. He decided to run, 5edce8f7ea to avoid hearing the eade1442fd presumed truth.8ca582d31f32ffc5

Hey, Cha Minkyu, I’m not going…5c3f92304083da90

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‘Mom!’6f25faaf4756ece1

Just then, 2a52ed848b Minkyu flung 1d7e3de5c5 open the e63f2993a7 door to a313acc76a a hospital 79cea7051f room, yelling,ee6012147a6f536f

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“Mom’s forty-four! Her son is twenty-five! What pregnancy at this age?!”60263e886026f6fb

Huh?dee6c1a31ca75eea

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…Huh?24d6b8addf43c943

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.”472f9e06ee8c2ac2

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As all the pieces finally clicked into place, Yiho’s legs gave way, and he slumped to the floor.7d17c660dcaa1011

“Huh? Hey, hey. Song Yiho!”278df9688b87b9e9

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“…”65dd0e95853db87a

“Oh my, Minkyu’s friend? You must have scared him with your shouting.”8a02a6cc905fe600

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“What? Really? Hey, sorry… but he’s not usually so easily startled.”27b49c632cc16cd7

“You’re Yiho? My son talks about you a lot.”053165ca104d6252

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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.8b317bd6430bc418

“But SongYi SongYi, why did you faint back then?”795d0943990d97f5

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Because I thought 14ed049d15 you got another 876345ce15 woman pregnant.b7710480a01f1a50

The shock of dd5a036c27 that day was 062ec650f6 still vivid. He drained d4740247d8 his glass, 80a14cbf43 the liquid 0ac31997cc sloshing to aaaeb26b50 hide the 97d226650f trembling of 5fea63919d his hand.35049e8ed4f50546

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“…I thought something serious had happened since you rushed to the hospital like that.”b5897abba3c6ae14

“Ah… well, you weren’t wrong. I wasn’t in my right mind back then. And now you know about my parents.”8b0333ad0264d246

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The next 7d364cb1f3 day, at bf7f97af8e the same f4c0c3e1ff pojangmacha, Minkyu 9e06721ab8 had bought 6f44a1eefc him drinks 8e32960e75 and recounted 9e4ccf984e his story 755723bba7 with a 188a58e41b heavy heart.208931e44e5fa65a

“My parents got pregnant with me in high school. Both our families were relatively well-off, so they just decided to get married quickly.”dc1fbe88ea2b0048

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But they were 7f3465b973 too immature to 3215dbe904 handle the responsibility, 27d9b166ae and with his 6473a39c65 grandparents raising Minkyu, eb08596756 there was no 85652ad595 pressure for them 5e5d851d36 to grow up. They were more ac32b831da like an older 66bfa7e98d brother and sister d210a3a2bd than parents, Minkyu 63be59cf52 had said.6c48796eb753fe6b

They loved Minkyu, cfec116abd their son, but a66ece6f9b they were permissive 711f407484 parents, lacking in 3e5b7fe6f7 discipline and hierarchy.55db9c3d67c5cc20

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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.0e6aedd45af42d61

“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.”9ff3ea2d104c4d77

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“…That’s understandable.”8c660f5bdd1eb9e4

Fortunately, his parents, now in their forties, were better than they had been when raising Minkyu, but… people didn’t change easily.787397dd854084c5

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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.64e8ae712a5332bf

Minkyu tilted the soju bottle over Yiho’s glass. The alcohol poured with a steady glug, glug, glug, and he f0d6df8d1e smoothly withdrew the b0c310669d bottle without spilling 03a00319d5 a drop. The glass 212d2c926b was filled 4ddbe7435a to the fc66791c93 perfect level.b0b39a7a4b25ac5f

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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.730b67d73354dbfd

“Cheers.”49ad568c3cfdd4a5

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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.bc49aa2913cc2418

Cha Minkyu, the 00792efede intern, had once cc866e9f51 seemed so mature, cab75edf1e but now, seeing d66924b91d him act younger 6561d4644c than Kwon Taekyeong, 512e1ecefa the junior developer, 27e6391152 made Yiho want 5244e0e55a to laugh.e9d713b2aca1dd14

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And even 334d096719 now, past d98ad922e3 their mid-twenties, a5ab49defc with the 3a23b5c272 same job faf04efc7a title and 1849def58a considered adults, cc445e1f17 Song Yiho 1a5b22e38a still felt 4859707a10 that Minkyu 46e73b30d2 was much 860d980c17 more of f5c340dadc a grown-up. This thought, which would 51d0323f33 probably seem ridiculous when c69617303e they reached their forties, 3ca70904aa was also part of 1e5551aa27 his long-standing unrequited love.989cd2c42ecfe57f

“…You’re usually the one doing the entertaining at meetings, right?”ddcc23cd55c256fc

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“Why, Team Leader Song, do you want to be wined and dined by me?”79ca256e677b2002

A playful nudge brushed 18af7af9be against his foot. Yiho inhaled sharply, ad86e78e08 the alcohol suddenly 6b3ea927a4 making him dizzy.227b824a1d08fdc9

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“How do you do it? Show me.”f7fe4b14d2ea2f26

The alcohol fueled 6b39fa0e4e his boldness. Minkyu chuckled and 17dd94388c picked up the 3e035bfc6b soju bottle.7fab4c474d0574f9

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“Anyone can be polite. To stand out, you need to evoke emotions that move the other person.”817dfb0e51d361f9

Having attended a 79668d2f5e few external meetings 78e5ba58e2 himself, Yiho understood 8e6252abe2 what he meant.779e75ade3384bf0

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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.”8940801a6571dbff

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.71246ed831cfdec6

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“I’ve heard so much about you. I’ve been wanting to meet you, Team Leader Song.”56ca6c8371a95609

“…Me? Why?”c4ab85804e99bdd6

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“You’re famous as a developer, but also as the DL division’s top…”8cf0ece29dbb2463

He paused for a moment, his gaze piercing Yiho’s.a657bc74c5668c04

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“…baby-faced beauty.”ab7337f0c1d43cf3

“You’d say something like that?”47248a362079dd6d

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“Of course not. I’d be in handcuffs if I did.”e9a362e07448f6ed

Minkyu’s voice returned to its usual casual tone.b3eea0e43a878ae6

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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.”9fef25414b482380

Minkyu grinned and topped off Yiho’s still-full glass. The liquid formed a dome, held by surface tension.5c1c9646b8e12b54

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“That earlier pour was for business, this one is for a friend.”f53afaa6d6ec4e3d

“…Isn’t the friend version worse?”dc4ef74d35285069

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“You pour as much as you love, right?”a3aab46183e47ee7

“…?”21fe273ff6644ad1

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Minkyu’s gaze, which had been lowered towards the bottle, now met Yiho’s.b4196a5658623adf

“The glass is much smaller than my love, SongYi.”b79be813f7a06771

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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.70ca777d91cc9c1e

If this were 5107a61810 a business meeting, bc06bbe609 Yiho would have 90d1aa6f94 signed any contract 241093a5a1 Minkyu offered, regardless 6d673a5b8f of the content.f74917577a8e8900

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“…Stop saying weird things.”c550d0afa103e4b3

“Okay. That reaction means I succeeded.”596266baec68441a

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“…”65a1e9a83fe602a5

Ah, so b6d01b04b3 this was 9ba3bd47cf why their be5a7b5f18 company had 0bbae837d1 record profits f9c07dc01f last year. Because of Cha e741dced26 Minkyu in the 0862c0b1b3 marketing team, because 022b473b10 Cha Minkyu was 29470f59d4 leading the charge. His bonus was 374a83819d all thanks to 3ab261eb4b Cha Minkyu.60a6f445ac354dda

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As much a72d35f233 as you da887fd642 love.77f59ac2ea62e1db

The words Yiho could never utter became a joke, accompanied by Minkyu’s brief smile.016ec308501c0e6a

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‘You bastard.’41601806b481e313

Yiho could ff96d80d1f already picture 0060e6451c his future 5be86271cd self, falling 5ae52fe19b asleep while 889077cc73 searching for 4cbda1ba22 oversized luggage 92900c752b fees and 1f8a2d779f plane tickets b894ad66e7 to the 35a5728602 Netherlands.6fe429d972bcc420

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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.6480c548483be35b