UX Chapter 4

“Are you out of your mind?” 

Chiwon furiously covered the man’s mouth. He intended to firmly shut it, uncertain of how much more scandalous words would spew from those enticing lips.

He glared daggers at the man, who simply smiled brightly, his dark gaze fixed on Chiwon.

Chiwon gasped, realizing he’d almost been charmed. This devilishly handsome man, even upon second glance, landed a direct hit in his strike zone.

The man chuckled softly. Chiwon’s shoulders flinched at the warm breath against his palm, yet he didn’t remove his hand.

A few minutes passed. Lick. A strange sound, followed by something wet and soft, brushed against his palm.

Lick? Lick?

Doubting his own ears, Chiwon recoiled in shock.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

This crazy bastard is licking my palm!

He jumped back, and the man, as if pleased with his reaction, laughed leisurely.

“You weren’t showing any signs of letting go.”

The man dismissed his bizarre actions as casually as if he’d just mentioned having eaten. . Thanks to him, Chiwon finally understood the meaning of simmering rage, an emotion he’d never truly grasped before.

His chest felt tight. Being toyed with by a complete stranger was far from pleasant.

Exhaling a hot breath, Chiwon decided it was best course of action to get this man out of the building as quickly as possible. Suppressing his rising anger, he spoke as calmly as could.

“I’ll call you after work. Please leave now.”

His tone, however, was anything but polite. Chiwon continued to stare at the spot on his palm where the man’s tongue had touched. He rubbed it repeatedly against his thigh, but the feeling of the man’s saliva lingered, making him uncomfortable.

Strangely, the man didn’t respond. He should’ve left by now, but instead, he stared at Chiwon even more intensely than before.

Chiwon finally took a good look at the man’s appearance. Dressed in a neat suit, the man exuded impeccable style. His moderately styled hair and appropriately formal attire were an office-ready perfection, to the point of nausea.

What? Did he have an interview or something?

Pondering, Chiwon suddenly recalled the man’s words, “I just said my name and they opened the door for me personally.”

I haven’t heard anything about interviews today.

He tilted his head, and the man spoke, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You seem to be mistaken. I’m not here to see you.”

“Sure, whatever.”

Interview, job, whatever.

It must be a coincidence that he happened to come to ‘ON,’ and another coincidence that we ran into each other in this huge building, so he tried calling me.

He scratched his eyebrow, thinking it was quite a string of coincidence. He couldn’t fathom what kind of connection they had to keep crossing paths like this.

“Then go ahead and do your business. I need to get back to work.”

He turned to leave, but the man suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

“Uh, where’s the Fashion Business Division?”

Huh?

The man abruptly mentioned the department where Chiwon worked. Chiwon’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why are you asking?”

“Because that’s where I need to go.”

Chiwon’s mind raced.

Was there an external meeting scheduled for the office today? I heard all the meeting rooms were booked for weekly meetings. Did another meeting suddenly come up?

However, the office was vast, and the Department Store team wasn’t the only one there. The man could have business with another team.

Just as he opened his mouth to give a vague direction, the job posting he’d seen that morning flashed through his mind. He quickly closed his mouth.

Could it be…?

Chiwon stepped back, scanning the man up and down. Nah, no way. It can’t be. He recomposed himself.

“Which team are you going to, by any chance?”

“Why? Do you work in the Fashion Business Division?”

“Never mind.”

Chiwon swiftly shut down the man’s inquisitive questions as if on cue.

The man checked his watch, then urged Chiwon with a glance. Chiwon simply stared back, and the man wiggled his eyebrows.

“I asked where the Fashion Business Division is.”

“Oh, it’s on the 9th floor. Have a safe trip down.”

The route was somewhat complicated, but Chiwon didn’t care. The man would run into another employee along the way, and that employee would kindly answer any questions he had.

He purposely avoided walking with the man because even the thought of walking together made him uneasy. He also wanted to arrive at the office before the man to see if he was heading to the Department Store team or a different team.

True to his word the man really seemed to have no further business with Chiwon and headed straight for the elevator as soon as their conversation ended. Even as he did so, he made a phone gesture with his hand and dangled it next to his ear, as if making a call.

Chiwon winced and deliberately headed for the opposite elevator. His goal right now was to get back to the office as quickly as possible while the man was wandering around, but…

“No, wait a minute.”

Chiwon, who had been walking briskly, suddenly stopped.

Wouldn’t it be better to follow the man and find out where he’s going?

It seemed much more efficient to accompany him rather than agonizing over whether he had arrived at the office or had finished his business and left.

“Hey, wait!”

At Chiwon’s loud call, the man turned around. Chiwon, having hurried after him, didn’t bother answering the man’s silent question of why he had returned.

“Don’t look at me. I’m not following you.”

Actually, I am.

“Sure, whatever.”

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over Chiwon at the man’s words. He glared at the man, his eyes wide. The man was echoing his own words back at him, as if returning the favor.

“Huh….”

Chiwon was speechless. He suddenly empathized with the man’s earlier exasperation.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Chiwon rushed in ahead of the man. He didn’t want to give the impression that he was following him, but the man simply chuckled and watched Chiwon’s actions.

Before the man could reach out, Chiwon quickly pressed the button for the 9th floor.

“Are you escorting me?”

“Think what you want.”

“ON has friendly employees. They even provide escorts.”

“Yes.”

After that curt reply, silence fell between them. As the elevator ascended, Chiwon struggled to calm his racing heart.

It can’t be him, he must have other business here, he thought, trying to dispel his growing unease. However, the closer they got to the 9th floor, the more the job posting he’d seen that morning came to mind.

HNo matter how much he thought about it, his gut told him that the reason this man was going to the 9th floor was exactly what he feared. He desperately wished he was wrong, but such wishes rarely came true in situations like this.

With a growing sense of foreboding, Chiwon gnawed on his lip. Inwardly, he desperately pleaded, Please, no.

“Oh, Team Leader Jihyuk! Are you here for introductions?”

And his desperate plea was cruelly ignored.

The moment the doors opened, a deep voice that greeted them made Chiwon’s gaze tremble as he looked up at the man.

I called him a crazy bastard, a fucking asshole, and he’s the team leader. I thought he was someone I’d see once and never again, but hell, I don’t even know how many more times I’ll have to see his face every single day.

This is why you shouldn’t run your mouth carelessly.

He knew regret was useless, but he couldn’t help but berate himself.

Chiwon turned his head away from the man and, swallowing the curses rising in his throat, and squeezed his eyes shut. He instinctively knew a red flag was waving over his future work life.

The man glanced down at Chiwon, then lowered his gaze further to scan the employee ID card hanging around Chiwon’s neck. He chuckled softly before turning to the imposing man standing outside the elevator doors, adopting a rather respectful posture.

“Yes, I got a little lost because I didn’t know where the Fashion Business Division was.”

“Oh dear, I forgot to tell you. But it looks like Chiwon came with you? As expected of Choi Chiwon.”

Team Leader Jihyuk, Team Leader Jihyuk.

The department head’s words, referring to the man as “Team Leader Jihyuk,” echoed in Chiwon’s mind, drowning out everything else. He didn’t even notice the man’s gaze directed at him. Chiwon now understood what it meant for the world to go dark.

Fashion Business Division, Department Store Team, Team Leader Appointment

Name: Ahn Jihyuk

Right, the name I saw on the job posting was also Jihyuk. Ahn Jihyuk.

So, this crazy bastard, the one who called him for three days straight suggesting they have sex, the lunatic who just joked about “Let’s fuck. Just us assholes,’ is now his boss, the team leader, the person he has to see every single day.

This is the crazy bastard who can single-handedly obliterate all my hard work with the single word ‘reject’.

Chiwon desperately wanted to avoid the greatest trial of his life that had suddenly landed on his doorstep.

“Well, since you’ve guided him this far, Chiwon, why don’t you take it from here? He’s your team leader after all, right? I can entrust it to you, can’t I?”

Forcing a smile, Chiwon internally screamed, Fuck!

“Ah, yes, of course, Department Head. I’ll take him.”

The realities of professional life were harsh.

Did they understand that feeling? The feeling of smiling outwardly, but being in absolutely no mood to smile, so the awkwardly upturned corners of your mouth twitch in a spasm.

That’s exactly how Chiwon felt as of the moment.

His sharp mind raced. His only way to survive this situation was to immediately switch gears and prove his worth as a contributing member of the team.

“Shall we go?”

He spoke kindly, but the man burst out laughing, “Pfft.” Chiwon’s face flushed, but he was also someone who could give anyone a run for their money in terms of shamelessness.

Spreading his palm open and gesturing toward the office, Chiwon suppressed his rising fury and offered the man a gentle smile.

Watching the man’s back as he walked ahead, Chiwon sighed deeply. 

How could my life possibly get this tangled?

If he had known this would happen, he would have been a bit kinder when they met at the company earlier. It was a mistake to treat him so dismissively, assuming he was an outsider.

Chiwon closed his eyes tight, chewing over his burgeoning regrets.

Of all the places to come, why did he have to come here as my boss?

He opened his eyes, feeling unjustly treated, and found the man, who had been walking ahead, now turned and looking back at him.

The man smirked, and the expression seemed somehow sly, making Chiwon frown. The man, in turn, simply smiled wider.

The fact that he was handsome even while being annoying frustrated Chiwon.

‘Ahn Jihyuk’.

Even his name, which seemed somehow carefree, bothered him. Despite being newly assigned to the company, he didn’t show even a hint of nervousness, looking as though he was prepared to take on any task.

Well, just how good can he be at his job?

As they reached the office, Chiwon hid all his inner grumbling and put on a bright smile again.

I have to share an office with this Apple Villain, so I have no choice but to smile.

He repeated this mantra to himself.

“This is our office.”

“You’ve become very polite. You’re a completely different person from earlier.”

“Haha, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Chiwon smiled even more brightly and prettily, acting as if he truly had no clue.

It wasn’t enough for the man to just let it go. Why did the man have to nitpick at everything? It was annoying.

Is this guy some kind of major old fashioned man? 

He was already exhausted from his previous team leader’s condescending behavior, and he was worried about getting on the wrong side of another one and face retaliation through work.

Oh well. If that happens, I’ll just quit.

Plenty of companies would be happy to have him.

After watching the man hesitate for a while, Chiwon gave up waiting and finally opened the door himself. He intended to see his escorting duties through to the end.

The window that had been opened in the morning was still open. As a result, a chill permeated the winter office, making him shiver.

Chiwon, who had been scowling just a moment before, flipped a switch the moment he entered the office, his face breaking into a radiant smile.

“Hey, Chiwon, you don’t even smoke. Why were you up on the rooftop for so long?”

“What! Chiwon, who’s that behind you?”

“Oh, he’s our new Team Leader, Ahn Jihyuk.”

Almost simultaneously, the team members’ eyes lit up.

There was one undeniable fact that couldn’t be argued now. Ahn Jihyuk definitely had a captivating presence, and Chiwon wasn’t about to pretend otherwise. Even Chiwon, who had been so vehemently opposed to him, had been completely captivated at first glance.

Towering over him, significantly taller than average with a large build, An Jihyuk was also handsome. The admiring gazes directed at him, dressed in his sharp suit with his hair styled back, were perhaps only natural.

Click, clack. 

The sound of his dress shoes echoed with each step he took. In an office where hardly anyone wore dress shoes, people turned to look at the source of the sound, their eyes widening in surprise.

Ahn Jihyuk walked straight to the front of the partitioned area, as if he already knew where his place was. He ran a finger across the empty desk, vacant for quite some time. At least the company, despite its flaws, kept things clean; no dust collected on the surface.

After briefly inspecting the desk, An Jihyuk met the gazes fixed on him. The sparkling eyes were filled with anticipation and curiosity about the newcomer.

Then he smiled brilliantly. Gasps of undisguised admiration rippled through the room. Accustomed to such reactions, An Jihyuk’s smile deepened.

“Hello, I’m Ahn Jihyuk, and I’ll be working as your team leader for the Department Store team starting tomorrow. The Department Head had nothing but praise for the team, so I’m quite excited. I look forward to working with you all.”

A round of applause followed after his concise yet charming introduction. The team members, their spirits lifted, whistled and cheered, welcoming Ahn Jihyuk.

A lively energy filled the usually quiet office. Despite it being Monday, their faces, as bright as the clear sky outside by the arrival of the new team leader, began chanting for a “company dinner.”

Only Chiwon’s expression was different. Normally, regardless of the other person’s position, he would have been the first to stepped forward, teasing, “Sing us a song!” But today, he remained sullen, his lips sealed.

He couldn’t force a smile, no matter how hard he tried. In his mind, he was weighing between two options: quitting or being shameless.

He had never considered quitting since he joined the company, but the events of the past three days felt like they were turning his life upside down, causing a splitting headache.

His colleague nudged him with an elbow.

“What’s wrong? Did the manager cause trouble?”

“Ah, no.”

Chiwon shook his head weakly.

The words I’m fucked flashed brightly in his mind.

‘Yes! I’m going to become the new team leader’s favorite!

He remembered himself exclaiming confidently just a few minutes ago. Back then, oblivious to the impending twist of fate, he had been completely absorbed by the excitement and curiosity of meeting someone new.

He wished he could go back to that moment and smack himself in the head.

Fuck… Forget being the favorite, I’ll be lucky if I don’t become his most hated.

“Ugh,” another sigh escaped his lips.

“Choi… Chiwon?”

Chiwon, who had been making a long face and muttering to himself, quickly raised his head. An Jihyuk had called his name, and the other team members’ gazes were now fixed on him.

An Jihyuk smiled, his lips curving upwards.

Was it just his imagination, or was that smile ominous?

“Are you going to answer the phone now?”

Hell no.

It was his survival instinct kicking in.

Ah… should I really quit?

Chiwon squeezed his eyes shut.