CRND Ch 3

“SongYi.”1a6b4fbe42c1c7ea

“…”bdb5b8e8c4b84e02

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“Are you sulking?”e49000a03bec04ec

“…”580db9bd97a9f112

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“SongYi Song Yiho.”574d9b42fab5f427

“Hey.”7c664f06b936c2d2

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Yiho, feigning a 372d3af9ad fierce expression, whipped 7e44848458 around.776b67c41630c198

“Stop clinging to me.”861f442203f6d4b0

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He was genuinely annoyed, 07c6d5970c but the bigger reason e786c52a05 was something else.911faecf4b9fd271

‘Does it have to get hard even at work…’e479a030eb82bda6

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At home, he fbc98e32c4 could blame it 744d0398c0 on morning wood, eb20550444 and luckily, the 1876e209e9 witness was the e7ac51a53f oblivious Cha Minkyu. But if that happened b40b102486 at work, it would 217938db08 be social suicide.2b7d1cada8adbfc3

The stinging had subsided, but the sensation around his backside was still strange. Why touch someone else’s butt? He really didn’t know how scary the object of his affection could be.c1b8a03c2e789347

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Yiho, on edge from the commute with his still-racing heart, growled. Minkyu seemed to want to tease him further, but seeing Yiho’s genuine annoyance, he held back.20bd7472650c2acb

They rode the 005ed353ee elevator from the cab2b99487 parking lot in f0997a4eb8 silence. The unusually frosty ec5f73befb atmosphere between the 6c1095e6ab two team leaders ea1fa8b5e1 was witnessed by ce6358c750 the employees, inevitably 0f8125b409 leading to misunderstandings.e5c76770c13d1650

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“Oh dear, still at it, I see.”4fc0e5d1af46ca64

“It’s about time you two warmed up to each other…”1fde83bf050800ee

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When superiors 43db416b3a are at 9d355acd72 odds, their 4d999ae9ae subordinates suffer. As they 60e54eb6a2 rolled their a9f71e3319 eyes in 1757ab9218 exasperation, they 9cb73efd3a spotted a 198a0dd4b7 kindred spirit 0a09dc57ff from the c2cc48a0fb neighboring team, 1129fe0334 and a 7393012666 rapid camaraderie b8ea408db1 formed.2966a63c1edf8f8d

Cha Minkyu’s marketing team members and Song Yiho’s development team members boasted an unprecedented level of closeness, despite working on conflicting tasks. In stark contrast to their silent team leaders, the two teams chatted amongst themselves on the way to their desks, only separating when they reached their respective areas.5209a39684158c04

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“Okay, then we’ll do the code review Friday morning, and um…”70f264e7cd71bdbe

As always, finishing one task at work meant another quickly took its place. Moreover, perhaps because it was March, there was a constant influx of menial tasks unrelated to his actual work. Tedious tasks, but the kind that became even more bothersome if left undone… And Yiho was the one who had to delegate them.81ec0c40801373af

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Paid tool expense reports, 017b69d72f simple Excel sheet work, 0ee0fe470a test case organization.c9ef79949ff5e459

His gaze, flitting 3061c5e0f3 around to avoid 6cd9e72934 awkwardness, settled on 46ed6b47fc one person.247f5c6f3e306a30

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“These three tasks… Taekyeong-nim, would you mind taking care of them?”c07e26df604d83ac

“…Yes.”b861a486810df4dd

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There were two people in their twenties on Yiho’s development team. One was Kim Miso, a senior developer with five years of experience, and the other was Kwon Taekyeong, a junior developer with two years of experience. Taekyeong, sitting at the far end of the team’s area, looked as dejected as he had when Minkyu had anonymously criticized him the other day. But he quietly accepted the assigned tasks without complaint.5433e5b079babe70

A company worker’s day rolled along like a rusty gear. The monitors in front of them were gray, the partitions gray, the chairs gray, and the team members’ attire gray—astonishingly, they had simply brightened the shade from the black they wore all winter to mark the arrival of spring.d2fabb9453ca2cd9

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The only splash of color was the sky-blue sweatshirt worn by the young Taekyeong. But today, his face was clouded with such gloom… that it seemed he might soon be absorbed into the grayness.0efbec015e235f3a

His dejected appearance particularly ba96f76b8e bothered Yiho.c299c8c24f7c1299

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About ten minutes c59d2d7543 after lunch break, d5b1326e1d Yiho sent a e2a862b803 message through the 4df9d48648 company messenger.6301b9d8445bbdd2

Song Yiho (Team Leader)3214be89b6db9cdf

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Taekyeong-nimf65efe81d3245c9d

Are you busy?a4ad54ec35dd6486

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If you’re free, would you like to grab a coffee?7dc96c515a7cc5b2

A forehead popped b363d83b8a up from behind 0280f9db0d the partition at d01ab0721b the far end, 0760074905 then disappeared, followed 7ca126f34f by a reply.d39bffe601216852

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Kwon Taekyeong 15d69881dd (Junior Developer)fe1add7d8fdc776e

Gasp5a10fbffe951e9d0

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Yes! Team Leader, sounds 8a72daa254 good!44a1c8093e9fd1df

Yiho took 33a6a9fa19 Taekyeong out, aae84285aa got takeaway c3e3ecda06 drinks from 1b2ceeb68e a cafe, 02bccbdf25 and entered d860f7caf5 a meeting 423ebc34ff room. Sitting next to Taekyeong d16cd37dc1 in the quiet room, 7ad3f5e646 Yiho turned his chair d3cdd42c2c to face him.112a363093b94596

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Even he, who had started with “Hello, World!” and was now more comfortable with programming languages than Korean, had to carefully choose his words now. Yiho softened his voice as much as possible.a94c200f8e683869

“Taekyeong-nim, things have been tough lately, haven’t they?”328468132ffe5f0d

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“Huh? Ah… no. I’m fine.”7d12a9c6b993a187

“Who isn’t struggling with work life? I called you because part of my job is to listen to the team’s concerns. Feel free to tell me whatever’s on your mind.”072ed972dec4ea32

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“…”623c8367471c8365

Taekyeong’s eyes, behind his glasses, darted around, seemingly surprised by the question. After a moment of silence, he replied.b7970f6db4a7848c

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“Everyone on the team is so supportive, so it’s definitely not to the point of being difficult… It’s just… I’m a bit frustrated that I’m only working with SQL and not doing any actual development…”151929fbf0f9cde9

That was a serious issue. Yiho had also been surprised by the lack of coding when he first joined the company. In reality, most development teams outsourced a significant portion of the work and primarily acted as project managers, overseeing and supplementing the outsourced work. Yiho’s team did more development work than most, but the core tasks were generally handled by those at the manager level or higher.573fa2f1df8c0d46

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And in Yiho’s team, there was another, unique problem specific to Kwon Taekyeong…db23ab3f7fb4ba6e

“It’s unfortunate that the new hires have all been senior to you. …It wasn’t intentional.”152b4a5db43ccf4f

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Kwon Taekyeong had been the junior-most member of the development team for years. Perhaps because the team leader was specially recruited, Yiho’s team had seen more experienced hires than new graduates. At twenty-eight, Kwon Taekyeong remained the youngest and least experienced member of the team, year after year. It was inevitable that he would be saddled with various menial tasks.4ce6b57e4a875dde

It was an understandable source of stress. Yiho awkwardly patted Taekyeong’s arm.ba17dd6dd16acc28

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“I’ll… do my best to bring in a junior developer under you from the new hires this time.”fb435042ba3bcab6

“Really? That would be great, but don’t overexert yourself.”9a8b00dd435a1eb1

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“No, it’s something I should have addressed sooner. And after we finish the urgent project the marketing team, or rather, Cha Minkyu, dumped on us, let’s discuss your tasks. Have you used AWS much?”0aaa9c96e713c577

“I worked on a project using it at the academy I attended while preparing for my job application. Not extensively, but…”6b8552bc9257f074

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They talked a bit 511921ffdd more, and Yiho pointed 19d281a013 out areas Taekyeong could 28a1f29cf9 study further in his 062871114f free time.4d4f200df5ce0b93

“…Th, thank you.”b78a7287ca965e38

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Taekyeong, bowing his head, looked slightly bewildered. Perhaps emboldened by Yiho’s gentle approach, Taekyeong’s voice became more relaxed.9b85e27f3cfe96ca

“I thought you’d be the type to just tell me to do as I’m told… I didn’t expect you to be so comforting…”09f7a5449464a95c

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“Me? Was I being authoritarian?”c270402f1babcd1a

“Oh, no, not at all. It’s just, you give off this engineering vibe, like you wouldn’t understand anything that doesn’t lead to the most efficient outcome…”fbbc7149bc0978ad

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“Ah…”743389f6dbd7a639

What did 5e91600ad8 that even 6c90b1fb8e mean? Taekyeong, also seeming 6573053b30 unsure of what 39d9152bfd he had just 906f856b5c said, scratched his 3770ec1e58 cheek. An awkward silence followed.d81353a8aa484e13

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Engineering curriculums definitely needed a “Communication Skills for Smooth Social Interactions” course. And people like Song Yiho should be forced to attend until the day they quit their jobs.b562ce0182737ed9

If Cha Minkyu were having this conversation, it would probably be a hundred times more pleasant. He might have even prevented this issue from arising in the first place… As Yiho indulged in his admiration for Minkyu, separate from his romantic feelings, he suddenly stopped, his thoughts turning sour as he recalled the morning’s incident.14f6229536304939

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Anyway, it seemed like the precious junior developer’s frustration had been alleviated. Yiho squeezed out a final remark, as a team leader.a45b4fa5842b75b8

“Um, is there anything else you’d like to say, now that you’ve had a chance to think?”456b7057895fcd3b

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“Uh… yes. Yiho-nim, this might be presumptuous, but there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”a3e88a204b2dbefe

What, what is it? What could it be e6ae062140 that required such a 855d55eb8c preface? Yiho nodded gravely.76b073ba1555883b

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“Go ahead… tell me…”f01493a22d3e31e4

If it’s about transferring departments or quitting, please don’t…f188dd9c679f094c

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“I think you drink too much coffee. You know, it’s good to be healthy.”ce0a1d86f661fd56

Oh?128b40f27330b1be

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That was… cute. He wasn’t sure how to react.67779d4f23abff5e

“Uh, huh… Wouldn’t the team celebrate if their boss got sick? Taekyeong-nim, you have a sweet side.”e1d2fe39bfe6a707

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“You need to stay healthy. I want to work under you for a long, long time. I don’t want you to get sick, and I don’t want you to leave for another company without me.”5a3fd5581e7f9503

…What? How does he even say things like that? Why had he suddenly become so eloquent? The eyes behind his glasses, previously unfocused, now seemed clear. It appeared Taekyeong didn’t need any “Communication Skills for Smooth Social Interactions” classes. The one who needed them was Song Yiho, who could only awkwardly nod and say, “Is that so…?”33542f8314a1f2a1

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Yiho, slightly bewildered, left adceb2aa14 the meeting room with 0d039b02b4 Taekyeong, who was now d0adb4cd38 beaming. Taekyeong, his mood 4ef20a0ac4 significantly improved, stayed f6e599a2bd unusually close to 18f237ceb0 Yiho as they a9b9da356e walked back, practically 3e28450397 glued to his 6128ab28fc back.ec59da5ceb5de266

It didn’t feel disrespectful, but rather like a physical manifestation of the affection Taekyeong had expressed in the meeting room.856d6b05d2413796

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Kids these days… no, maybe it wasn’t just kids these days. Cha Minkyu was always clinging to him too. But being physically close to your direct team leader was a different matter, wasn’t it? In contrast to Taekyeong’s light steps, Yiho, unused to physical contact, walked stiffly. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was unsettling.e61bb09f7c0bbaeb

‘Should I really look into speech classes? I’m always verbally defeated by Cha Minkyu, and today I even got flustered by a kid who was probably in middle school when I was mixing drinks in the department lounge…’bfaa9a0c430aa9e3

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Returning to his desk, 8a1bbe10c2 lost in thought, Yiho 862af1a861 found an unusual splash e27eeba5c1 of color amidst the a4d807c932 gray cubicles, like a a8ed3d2246 blade of grass sprouting 5494d8ba06 through concrete.0fe966bc11c96db0

“…?”a119d03a63ad2ed9

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It was a ea8939f3e9 lime-green cafe drink, bd15921ac3 the kind Yiho 0ea1e1ba39 would never order 603aa56ce6 for himself.134169e6425cdd17

“Someone seems to have left this. Is this anyone’s?”f4fb4392ee7d3ead

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Yiho held up the 9a7f5b968e plastic cup, its surface cb4d0b7310 covered in condensation. The team members looked b44c6108b1 at him and shook ebfd83a414 their heads.233dae6c99ecab46

He examined the cup 487f503688 and found the name dbfdfecdc8 on the sticker.5042345205776d53

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charming ggyu Choco Green 5aca7c4934 Tea Latte71738ad6c7d90d9f

Charming…?d78dadb67fe3fbd9

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He turned to see 9be99f1e29 Charming Ggyu, or rather, d6fd074407 Cha Minkyu, sipping an bd5ddc61d7 iced Americano.820f403a5f714893

The dark Americano Minkyu was drinking was Yiho’s preference, while the Choco Green Tea Latte he’d left was Minkyu’s. He must have bought both, but why leave this one and take his (Yiho’s?) coffee?4e6d2f4d3f302fbd

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“…Is this really no one’s?”17a8452d01b501f4

Yiho asked again, deliberately looking at Minkyu, but there was still no reaction. He finally took a sip through the straw. The sweetness assaulted his tongue. He couldn’t handle more than three sips. He wanted to ask what this was, but Minkyu wouldn’t even look at him.f8b156fabeea6988

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And there 47cf42ba45 was a 2b24e4effc message waiting 0d98df36ac for him.45dc50dbf4cff8e0

Cha Minkyuae653bf8557cce39

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SongYi SongYi73213f4fe37d3dcd

1:17 PM44ddc415964f33ee

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(Anxious emoticon)21d250f90d5ee07e

Cha Minkyu card-raiding coffee d702a52621 time, how about it?c251662af16b0917

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1:18 PMafcfb1f140a8710e

(Urgent) Team Leader Song f7c3bf1653 Yiho, please review this 45a511eb4a matter promptly.e5b9bfba4fd2bc75

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1:25 PM507ec7e0fc341a94

Where did a75263ba7b you go?7a6d3a4a2e340cf6

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1:41 PMd14f8aa4a1ab70ca

Why aren’t you coming?8179f3c018c2411f

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1:41 PMaa7307658118b1ce

He had missed Minkyu’s messages while talking to Taekyeong. It seemed like an apology for teasing him so much that morning. Although he had switched drinks in the end, for some reason.a681b05408b8c89c

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Sigh… he should have gone for the talk around three or four. He and Minkyu usually had meals or drinks together, rarely just coffee. He lamented the missed opportunity to sit across from Cha Minkyu, looking particularly sharp in his suit today, in a cafe, and took another sip of the swamp-colored drink, punishing his tongue with the sweetness.847ee1904f0a233e

Seeing Yiho continue 6fbb99b55e to drink, Minkyu 239f56fb0c turned towards him. Yiho, wincing at the 3a2f28b2ee cloying sweetness, continued to 4e856b5b69 sip through the straw b693089ee6 without breaking eye contact.4587c683fb26e3ce

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After 15 years of friendship, they didn’t need an awkward “I’m sorry about earlier,” “It’s okay, let’s make up” conversation. This was enough to end the morning’s teasing and the brief sulking. After work, they’d casually share chicken and beer as usual.6f220fc329c2db7e

But for 6d1df79850 some reason, 7771468c43 contrary to 90e4f6797d his expectations, 67c07b075e Minkyu still 7ca5c06732 seemed annoyed.f24c2bed95aac851

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“Oh, by the way, Yiho-nim. Chaeyeon-nim from the planning team stopped by.”8dffb27328de24cb

“Why?”9c2305fd890226ed

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“She was handing out wedding rice cakes. Since you weren’t at your desk, she said she’d come back later. I already got mine.”d6f4e1f8d770e69a

Deputy Manager d64d36f96d Yoon held 879d2d0391 up a 270d2bd2fa small assortment ae263b1791 of rice e33672c6ad cakes. A square white rice 6d5136fb0e cake with a heart d952128a1d drawn on it, three e1da502c74 honey rice cakes, and 3433cb484e two steamed rice cakes.f348561caa76ddfe

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Numbers scrolled across Yiho’s vision like a panel from a sci-fi movie. The inherent rice cake appraiser within him, the son of a rice cake shop owner, couldn’t help but evaluate them.292bf17803ded2b2

The white rice cake wasn’t fluffy, it was soggy. The coloring from the honey rice cakes had bled onto the others. It was clearly a mass-produced product from a company with no conscience. If Mr. Kim, the owner of Mokdong Rice Cake Shop, saw this, he’d have a fit. Just then, a slightly louder voice spoke from nearby.d2eff17a69fb8c51

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“Thank you for the treat. But would you mind if I shared these with the team? My childhood friend’s family owns a rice cake shop, and I’m used to their mother’s cooking. I can’t really eat rice cakes from other places.”be259975035d566c

“Aha, sure. Go ahead. You must be really close if you’re childhood friends. That’s nice.”58a67a4972db07f5

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“Yes, we’re incredibly close. Lately, he seems to be clinging to other people and pushing me away, which hurts, but I guess the one who needs it more wins.”f52f4ef90ed9857f

Yiho’s head turned automatically. Even as he stared at Minkyu with a “What are you doing?” look, Minkyu avoided his gaze, only glancing sideways before pretending not to notice.061d063cdeb38b29

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“What’s with him…”cd184187b365f9e6

“Oh, Yiho-nim! You’re back. Here’s your rice cake.”62305e8b8c8565aa

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Manager Kim walked straight from Minkyu’s desk to Yiho’s. Yiho accepted the rice cakes with both hands.e7f0d5c1b4d28acb

“Thank you…”d6883ab79f753211

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He quickly placed 46dbd184b5 them on his 921704715f desk, lest the 4b8f423a67 price estimation reappear. Manager Kim lingered for ceb8a7fd3a a moment before speaking.51ffa0d79f8d5429

“About the coding class in the company lecture list… you’re the instructor, right?”764360a0cb0d9c4d

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“Yes.”7b50bce422411f6b

“Can I sign up through you?”5ba96a053b2da07e

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“No… I think there will be a separate announcement with registration details later.”6f3a0472a7fbd63d

Yiho was the cf3b0df0e8 instructor, not the c15fdbc6b0 organizer. If they asked him 89f10360e2 to handle that too, 2ace58947a he might just lie f21bcdc714 down in the hallway.ad8adb6545722ffc

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“Aha, I’ve always wanted to try a coding class. I’ll definitely sign up. Enjoy the rice cakes.”d88f7ee9a0ee369f

“Yes, thank you.”3a58e496ad91368c

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After Manager Kim left, 67c59d33e1 Yiho put the rice 6a30cd1bc1 cakes in his desk cabc39c86b drawer. He turned towards a a3970dbbe1 lingering gaze to find 4e45ac8f5e Minkyu raising an eyebrow 151c545ad0 at him. Why? What? He mouthed dc4da9d142 the words, 51588dd3b3 but Minkyu 308095db5f just turned 4f18fc8670 away, aggressively 20c5373b3b sipping his 6eaa2de5b3 Americano.d142f1c4950ab060

He was definitely sulking, wasn’t he? But why?99081f744bc2acd1

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Just as 775b0a264b he was 203fc3f7a0 blinking in abdb3eff35 confusion, a fffabc5382 message popped 42cf970d45 up.b457db610438aea4

Choi Ari (Deputy aee6f40fd7 Manager)76ceba3a5b5275d9

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Team Leader Song Yiho, hello. This is Choi Ari from HR. I’d like to speak with you…377202c0bd855bca

“Oh…”fbf3350862c7782d

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Usually, Yiho would tremble at a summons from another team, inwardly cringing and asking, “What error has exploded now…?” But today, he shot up from his seat. A “Can we talk?” message from HR in the blossoming month of March? His heart couldn’t pound any faster.4485af5d22ba722d

“Their grades were the best among those who listed the DL division as their first choice after training. And your team has had an open position for a junior developer…”8962ec17aa46cc31

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“!”c7ca93829701a8ff

Confetti rained down and fireworks exploded in Yiho’s mind.367ad7283ff58bf8

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Taekyeong-nim, I said I’d do my best to get you a junior developer, but I didn’t think HR would actually listen. But now, I don’t even have to beg, they’re just handing one over.74fbe650a2c6700f

Deputy Manager Choi 681b87d6bf from HR handed ab49c6b041 Yiho a document. It contained 31775dcf89 information about 5635d247f8 his new a9d1e1ad3b team member. A 27-year-old male. Oh, even younger b0ee71cfdb than Taekyeong.aa01cd7daac9e483

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“You’re alumni, do you know him?”dbb6ab19569dc053

“Ah, yes. But we’re not acquainted. The age gap is too big…”cff2d8880793f068

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Korea University, Department of Computer Science, Bachelor’s and Master’s. Yiho’s eyes scanned the information. It wasn’t a particularly close-knit department, so he didn’t feel any particular connection despite being an alumnus. Deputy Manager Choi mentioning their shared alma mater was simply giving him a chance to do a background check.4b330732ae908bc7

There was no f895c150ea reason to refuse 6cb6b0a763 the offered opportunity.054ab079253d26ad

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“Then… just a moment.”449f92346ecffa06

“Sure.”ec169713ca163c6a

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Yiho stepped into 849c72da36 the hallway and 8d84037506 looked up the fe6bee8c9c number of a ae125dad78 senior from his 67634af4af lab days. He was still at 3f471cbad4 the university, preparing for 7ee9c04488 a professorship. The call connected d541e88a8e quickly.8d6093d46b4eafe7

— Hello? Song Yiho, what’s up?8c57ce69aa5c0788

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His voice was as stale as the lab’s air. He seemed to be doing well.16c09874bd725dd8

“Hyung, I have a question. Do you know Song Junseo? Class of XX.”803840b4a5faa6cc

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— Song Junseo…? I’ve heard the name. Hold on, let me ask around.5843c13635b00086

A flurry of voices efa88ce91e followed. Two or three were 5475bcf5f9 familiar, the rest unfamiliar.89a4a88cfab3207f

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If he had chosen to stay in the lab instead of joining the company, Yiho would probably be among them. With dark circles under his eyes, poring over research papers and leading research projects. He didn’t regret his current life, dressed neatly and working at a company, but the desire for pure research, not just result-oriented projects, sometimes surfaced like a lingering regret.7b2d553368a42855

— Ah, him? Yeah, I’ve met him. He’s quite skilled. He’s been bragging about his various contributions since his freshman year.bc10af7de5d5d6ce

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“Oh…”1adcaac099fc8d93

— You’re asking out of the blue, so I assume he joined Taejang? I hear he lacks social skills, but as long as he’s good at his job, that’s all that matters.0f32336a7f551b45

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That was true to some extent in the lab, but in a company, being good at your job wasn’t enough. However, the development department required the least social skills in a company. Song Yiho himself was probably seen as a socially inept engineer by some.4f30a23446fa1add

“Anyway, I understand. Thanks for letting me know.”e9d2554aa16188a5

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— Sure. Hey, things will get better as you work. He’s your junior, so look after him. You’re coming to visit the professor on Teacher’s Day, right?146afa969e5c01b5

“Yes, I have to. See you then.”724f6485f6a76adb

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Yiho hung up, his 32383a3d6c mind grappling with the 5c5dcf63e8 sudden dilemma. If the 841e985bad response from 7d8cb3edce the lab 4b6e5ff35a had been 2ec910f2a0 more positive, ca60e42c59 it would ecfd27802b have been 3f08755a08 easier to f11a668a67 reach a 89c6fbb7de decision.346cfd074e43a7e2

“Team Leader Song, what have you decided?”2ce6eed972b0ab5e

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But he’d just boasted to Taekyeong a few hours ago…da41ef1179bc9602

“Yes. Please assign him to our team.”d7f19cfc8d09140c

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“Alright.”7aea404a14be22a3

Back at his desk, c30facf497 Yiho was met with 5a61912877 the expectant gazes of e7f4f76d1f his seven team members. Taekyeong, seemingly aware of baf1d72881 what had transpired, looked 50c081279d at Yiho with clasped 478efb03d7 hands and a hopeful 5dfd90516c expression. Yiho nodded before 0ce5c65cfc even sitting down.81d1e453c9fb4560

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“…Yes. We’re getting a new team member. He’s currently at the training center and will join us for training next Wednesday or Thursday.”7e48d47a7a2e015e

Yiho saw it then. Kwon Taekyeong pumping his fists like a soccer player who’d just scored the winning goal.c9bf7beed7ba67a5

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“Wow, how about we have a team dinner next Friday? A welcome party. If we feed him delicious food right away, he won’t run away.”c6cd0a8cc3087487

“No, Yiho-nim. He might run away if he knows our team has a strong 회식 (drinking party) culture. Let’s keep it simple, just one round.”ea80710cc82f78ee

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Even the usually quiet fca1461eea Deputy Manager Lee chimed ce9b8636a0 in, adjusting his glasses.2ef907f79c804c27

The relatively gloomy 2a89fbcf22 development team was 732ff78d8d more cheerful than 5e4514e92c the marketing team 33526b3502 next door for ae81abb85d the first time 7664e4c796 in a long 322b9f5ab3 while.1298e3635dec0cd0

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Assigning the new hire to his team was definitely the right decision. Yiho nodded, saying, “Alright, let’s have a team dinner next week,” and returned to work.2f70ceb6d8db894f

💼89aecf0e05af7a14

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After work, Yiho’s hand froze as he unlocked his door. The door was slightly ajar, allowing faint sounds from inside to escape. Song Yiho’s usually dull senses suddenly sharpened. Years of accumulated data flashed a warning sign. A crisis was imminent.e06a5a0b30f921ad

Time was da21c4b663 of the 7916bce8dd essence. Yiho quickly pulled out 80fe738659 his phone and typed 8c14876de6 a message.2746e97886ae657e

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Come home slowl4f2bde62f488c6f4

6:37 PM4d8ebccb23f4e260

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Even with the typo, Minkyu would understand. Without waiting to confirm the message was sent, Yiho pushed the door open. As expected, a pair of unfamiliar women’s shoes sat in the entryway. Hearing him, the owner of the shoes appeared.9bf99fce75b1c4f7

“Yiho! When was the last time you mopped the floor! I told you to wipe the baseboards by hand! How often do you even vacuum?”03996973195607eb

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Ah… as expected.a8e71353edb426e6

“Why do you mix your whites and darks even though I bought you two laundry baskets? You’re over thirty and you can’t even do that, huh? Huh?”d03c5087eb1b0322

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“Why are you cleaning my apartment? Just… leave it. I’m managing fine.”4e31dd23f76a4c35

“Managing fine? You’re not even married, and your apartment reeks of bachelorhood.”7a167c0f6a715a07

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Hey, I shower and do laundry regularly because of work… it’s much better than my lab days. Knowing that saying that would only invite ten more complaints, Yiho chose to remain silent, putting his hands together and stepping inside.5d174f286cff5158

“The only clean place in this house is the inside of your refrigerator.”5d42242eb52f0543

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“Dust doesn’t accumulate there…”19ba2ee744d2e13b

“Which means you haven’t cooked anything!”ee9dfc508c09c233

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“…”7b80c164fe6a890a

What was the point of graduating with a PhD and getting promoted if he was still a child in his mother’s eyes?74be63c9058692f4

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Mr. Kim, formerly of Mokdong Rice Cake Shop, had closed the shop that had bent his back for years after his business partner, Mr. Song, passed away, and had acquired a new title: Deaconess Kim at the local church. Her hobby remained cooking, which she now showcased at church, and her specialty was surprise inspections of her son’s apartment.bd5c1535ef2026b9

Yiho put down his bag and looked around. His apartment was noticeably shinier than when he’d left that morning. If she gave him some warning, he would clean up the night before, but his mother’s appearances were always sudden. Yiho prided himself on keeping a clean apartment, especially compared to the squalor of the computer science department lounge and lab at Korea University…8847664c91034471

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But it seemed his mother had already finished cleaning his pathetic son’s apartment. Moments like these made him feel like a terrible son.5590aef4eb55353f

“Mom, what about dinner?”aab317dbadec8de2

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“I ate a late lunch.”7e67af923bb5cbb8

“Still, you must be hungry after cleaning and running around. Let’s eat out.”197cca9d9347e14d

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“Oh, you just got home, why go out again? It’s fine. Don’t bother.”9e84505eccf423af

“Then let’s order in. What do you want to eat?”f1130b0b7d3b78e7

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“Order some chicken, something you like.”f7344ce934c3b921

“Not what I like, what you like.”a214c796c1076f13

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“Then order jjajangmyeon. Jjajangmyeon.”8606e23f2ae9577e

“Okay.”a3991f6147879f14

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Since both his father and Yiho, who took after him, weren’t assertive, Mrs. Kim was adept at making decisions for the men in her family before they could hesitate for too long.5b6f2428f86f2953

Yiho sat his fec3b7c161 mother on the 111411123d sofa, handed her dadaf98294 the remote, and b1c29dc4f7 told her to 9546fc2757 rest. But when he f0872aa3ae came out after e18f12a7d6 a quick shower a822d05063 and change of df758c8caf clothes, his mother 3729d4aceb was wiping the ebf7be4a94 top of the e36707df70 TV with a ae2b773a30 wet wipe. Fortunately, the food 640f5dffb4 arrived before she 4882b9911f could discover the 8a9bf3b705 state of the b3da364fe4 rest of his 40eed7a514 apartment.5147726d10b3290d

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“Why did you order so much for just the two of us?”2fbd577b7efe1fdd

“Ah.”1498390b9831c4db

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Out of d859b366fd habit, Yiho fc9398808b had ordered e43e49a1e7 their usual 02ae056a81 set. Jjajangmyeon, jjampong, 20b62d036e fried rice, 829c499380 and sweet aee5db9475 and sour f37f913878 pork, enough ea444d2fb2 for him a3a8bb8337 and the a774f08071 big-eater Cha af7649bc03 Minkyu.d2665666ab3b2931

“…This place is good.”295c4d9890500473

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“Oh, Yiho, I know you’ll eat anything, just like your father.”56154730a305367d

Cha Minkyu said it was good… so it must be a verified culinary gem. Minkyu was a big eater, but he would immediately put down his chopsticks and find another restaurant if the food wasn’t to his liking. This was one of the places they frequented.1b035522f7f79019

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“Huh? This is really good!”2d9a4742057db8eb

His mother’s eyes widened as she mixed the jjajangmyeon and took a bite. As Yiho, who had chosen jjampong, slowly stirred the noodles in the broth, his mother called out to him.32941bcb7189ff1e

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“Yiho.”928a2a0600afe04d

“Yes.”b836a8e2125989da

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“You graduated from a good school, got a good job at a good company, and you’re doing well. You even inherited the best features from your father and me.”2040f2392dd4719f

“…”fa3e6329803250f6

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He knew what was coming. This was the reason he’d sent the preemptive message to Minkyu.239c1d65c994cf13

“It’s been a few years since your father passed, and I’m lonely. I want to see a new member of the family.”c46f412c8c214157

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“…I understand.”7eff7427227d8e14

“When are you free? There are so many people at church who want to be introduced to you.”8bfaa4280bcfd19d

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Yiho buried his face in his jjampong bowl and slurped the noodles. He heard her sigh, “There he goes again, pretending not to hear.”fd6dc3ed33287891

But there was cc93c2a51b nothing he could d996e8a778 do.070a791df4e66ed6

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Ever since he acknowledged his feelings for Cha Minkyu, Yiho had stopped categorizing himself as “marriage material” in Korea. It was a firmly established fact now.17c97fbdf4dec02e

He had lost interest in dating women, so his identity had gradually shifted towards being gay. Although the only man he was attracted to was Cha Minkyu… Regardless, he had gone through an abnormal unrequited love process that made marriage unlikely.88ffa483f6934b4f

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‘Putting a decimal into an integer variable causes an error, Mom…’ab8d0132ad3f2c8c

Yiho silently nibbled 3e0846f436 on the edge bd41866fa0 of a fried 85a4efc990 dumpling.700cb6c9e8ba4b07

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“Oh, just look at the picture. She plays the violin at church, and she’s very respectful to her elders.”fae1fe9325cebe16

“No, I’m really not interested…”a0a175ef500cf6b6

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“Just take a look. Just one look.”b44c24005c1cedac

He was wondering how 40d7652fec to dissuade his mother 7745233906 from opening her phone db5baf3e0c case and flipping through bb1b55aeba her photo album when 2ea8f18050 he heard the door 7fd721fd4b code beeping.69705b0dd6698722

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“Who’s here at this hour? What, do you have someone hidden here?”d9b6b9a78e765ff5

“Uh…”4644382abdeb3db8

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Only three people knew the passcode to his apartment. The owner, Song Yiho, his mother, and the person living right across the hall…77e2199258c9cbb3

“Mother, your daughter-in-law is here!”cfd21239d165e8a6

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Minkyu burst 8fa41acd69 through the c35822fa32 door. He was cb3797f954 still in 06c102d5ce his suit, 9d03a64734 seemingly straight 2b3bd9c762 from work. He approached the 74fb79a5f7 two of them, a21d958982 grinning like a 837df44a58 door-to-door salesman.973a20734701457d

“Yiho said you were here, so I came to say hello. Are you eating?”bf08c3a4f39be812

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“Yes, come in. Our messy son’s wife.”d40f6a138d1198df

His mother took Minkyu’s “daughter-in-law” comment as a joke between close friends. Which was undoubtedly Minkyu’s intention.657caa78d0542057

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“Ah, Yiho’s habit of leaving his clothes everywhere and not cleaning out expired food from his fridge has finally been exposed. Please scold him, Mother. I couldn’t stand it any longer and cleaned up for him this morning when I borrowed some eggs. This kid never listens to me.”085eb40c35e0133b

“I thought the refrigerator looked suspiciously clean. You have a friend living right across the hall, and you embarrass the neighborhood!”b5d8f0b36b3fcc6c

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“Ouch.”df9d13fcb7ba7543

Yiho’s back was mercilessly pummeled. He was too flustered by Minkyu’s joke to defend himself.53655b0a386d0a91

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“Thank you for always helping him, Minkyu. We just started eating, but would you like to join us? Yiho ordered too much, the fried rice is still untouched.”948ea14853329d27

“Mom, he just got off work, he must be tired…”01d1b940f9106e10

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“Sure, I’d love to. Thank you. Ah, you ordered from there? This place is a hidden gem, Mother.”2126306dba4aa8d7

“I know, it’s really delicious.”bd8ded525f301cba

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“If it has your approval, Mother, then I can trust this place from now on.”24b52e0e04ac069a

Amidst the scene that made it unclear who was whose mother, Yiho quietly ate his noodles. Then, his eyes met Minkyu’s. A mischievous smile, his nose slightly wrinkled, reached him.f6877aa493bcf3d3

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What, why is he smiling like that? It’s making my heart race and giving me indigestion.17149881cda0a3bf

“Minkyu, don’t you have any thoughts about marriage?”fd5c1088c768d651

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And then, 79cc740025 his mother feebb4eba8 turned her 39c5dd14d7 attention from b677f0d7da Yiho to 35f243254d Minkyu.edc0ddea2efe6439

“Mother, can you get married alone?”9e58acad77cb8d2b

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…Ah, that’s a good answer. Yiho mentally noted it down for future use. Though he couldn’t guarantee he’d pull it off with Minkyu’s nonchalance.8f9a1ef4e25bf693

“I understand our son’s situation, but why doesn’t a handsome, eloquent young man like Minkyu have a girlfriend? Would you like to be introduced to someone? There’s a young lady at church who plays the violin…”7f83719ef3018b13

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“Mom, stop. Stop it.”5532e4f9cb2a585a

Yiho intervened before his mother could shove her phone at Minkyu. Minkyu, casually eating fried rice in his suit, silently studied Yiho’s expression.21d69c91cf618745

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“Why are you stopping her from setting Minkyu up, not you?”e545e8d566f4f20b

“…Minkyu’s grandparents are Buddhist.”3d819a51e70617bd

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“Oh, really? That could be a problem… This family is devoutly Christian…”dc0670eeab5407b4

Fortunately, his mother conceded. Minkyu’s lips curled into a faint smile as he watched Yiho.f327e1d2ddaa9231

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“Yiho.”c66c40d2b28a6cd0

Yiho, his name spoken normally, blinked and turned his head. Ah, right, he couldn’t be called “SongYi” or “SongYi SongYi” in front of his parents.6a5ed0a9e6d935b6

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“Uh… why?”a23f2e5e3b7fd473

Minkyu’s dimples deepened.6d4b5ce94573e29d

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“Isn’t it fun that we live right across from each other?”80f81d32d95e881d

Of course, every day was thrilling enough to make his heart ache. He wasn’t sure if “fun” was the right word, though.cd82e7a7705ebffd

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“Yeah…”3e77dbda7e553875

“That’s why we’ve completely given up on the idea of marriage, Mother. We have fun together, we have drinks after work, we do everything together just by going back and forth between our apartments.”3cdb15ad5d8cfb62

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“Oh… well, that’s good too. You’re still young… But do you both still work so much overtime?”86d7460103ecc742

“Exactly, Mother. Please call the company and complain. The real reason we can’t even dream of dating is because of work.”f1f5986cbaf87632

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“Give me the number, I’ll give them a piece of my mind!”91ef35996d3fab65

“Ah, as expected, you’re the best, Mother.”0a3727857a1703c2

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Thanks to d91abcd58a Minkyu, the fc4a1f9075 dinner conversation 16e8645f86 became livelier. His mother, who had f4c3979c5a been worried about her dbf542fe0d son living alone, was bcc9ad2404 reassured by the presence 7018cfdf12 of his responsible neighbor.ff90975d1565ae42

After dinner, his mother, 12fda86b75 unable to resist their c123057f5e insistence, sat on the 510102748d sofa. She watched Yiho f615929a85 and Minkyu clean 6e890c6e49 up, then picked 3a47543267 up her bag.db2edb2cae0f223e

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“I’ll be going now. Make sure you lock the door.”b27b190127c166d7

Yiho, carrying a stack 0ae864e57e of plastic containers, hurried 89e8a6dbd4 into the living room.9bb3335b75cb7768

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“What do you mean you’re leaving? Of course, I’ll drive you home. Wait a minute.”c1fa6bd63553730f

“It’s fine. It’s not that late. I can take the subway.”caab40ddf4e59240

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“Mother, if we let you go like that, neither Yiho nor I will be able to relax until you get home. I’d like a night drive anyway, so let me give you a ride. Okay?”967171f0954c2165

Minkyu smoothly resolved what would have been a lengthy back-and-forth with his mother, even retrieving Yiho’s car keys from his jacket and handing them over.608df06df1ebb6d0

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Yiho’s mother had sold the building that housed Mokdong Rice Cake Shop and moved into a smaller apartment nearby. When Yiho suggested she move closer to him in Gangnam or somewhere with fresh air, she refused, saying all her lifelong friends were there.470e02f6c5e52b39

A large cafe now stood where Mokdong Rice Cake Shop used to be. It had expanded to the second floor, where their family had lived, changing everything but the building’s frame. Whenever they passed by the gleaming white building, his mother’s gaze would drift towards the window.9f15ca3ec2a34883

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“We should have remodeled our place nicely and learned to make brunch or something, instead of sweating in front of the steamer in our old age.”24a24f1f064f3e63

“…”929d32b7f4cd87e1

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Yiho lacked c9bef733b6 the eloquence c0c63c7e86 to comfort a2ab739906 her wistful 40fe6e4ec1 remark.205b148e8ff4ae5c

“Mother, if you did that, the neighborhood would be in an uproar. So many people loved Yiho’s rice cakes. I lived my whole life not knowing how delicious rice cakes could be until I tried Yiho’s. But then, after tasting your and Father’s rice cakes, my palate became so refined that I can’t eat just any rice cake. Yiho, you saw, right? I gave away the wedding rice cakes today instead of eating them.”cd46368b05e910dd

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“Yeah…”cf8cfcfd01451bf3

The voice from the passenger seat drew his mother’s attention back into the car, a smile blooming on her face.bec2d0241a9b7960

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“Minkyu is so good with words. No one could dislike him.”72f5fcfb906ba816

“I’m only like this with people I like. Like you, Mother, and Yiho.”f093c66d4a0e7aa2

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Yiho’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. It was a fleeting thrill in such a trivial situation. The car slowly entered the apartment complex.004aaaa7ab240a6f

While his mother gathered her things, Minkyu unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the passenger seat, and opened the rear door for her. His mother’s eyes widened at the unexpected courtesy.b4f42510d71ab35a

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“Oh my… this is… My, Minkyu, you really need to get married.”5c0b280bd6d55a68

Minkyu went a step further and escorted her to the entrance, waiting with her for the elevator. Yiho, unable to leave the driver’s seat, simply waved to his mother, still slightly dazed by the smooth sequence of events. Soon, a tall figure cast a long shadow as it approached the car.694f51626bfe6562

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“I made sure to see the elevator stop on the 3rd floor. Let’s go home.”e469c9e98a7d12df

“Uh…”dfe286984cafb9e4

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Yiho pulled out of the parking lot with Minkyu. He knew Cha Minkyu was a master of words. But this was the first time he’d seen him extend such courtesy and manners to someone other than himself, to someone considered an “adult.”dbf8065b72252e0b

Yiho knew Minkyu had had several girlfriends. And he also knew the reason he hadn’t been in a relationship for a few years.5f197304f1697d01

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Was this how Cha Minkyu’s relationships were? Overwhelmingly thoughtful and considerate, leaving no room to think…f2b5a3348363eee3

The car f08162ef9f stopped at e6a9f09ce5 a red e45c554990 light. Minkyu, scrolling through his 1e0e6552d7 phone, spoke.d7474ab27b3074d0

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“SongYi SongYi, want to have a late-night snack when we get back? I’m hungry again.”f9c56296fce5c695

One serving of fried rice wouldn’t be enough for Cha Minkyu. Another layer was added to the emotion that had been subtly growing.62be5ddb42492da0

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“SongYi, what do you want to eat?”9243da43c7b18787

“…Let’s order something after we get there. I’ll buy, since you had to deal with my mother.”37e58b1d6adcda38

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“Don’t mention it. You had it worse.”5442bc5006cb3a72

“Huh?”12f07abfa35bbb3c

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“Ah, your mother seems really eager for you to get married. You’re not interested, are you?”7f3ab5635e517113

That’s right. Not in Korea.7301f96ca5839376

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Maybe in the Netherlands, the US, New Zealand…261d05b9c2f99364

“Cha Minkyu.”43eb793b69dfa248

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“Yeah?”f261c43725f1c74a

Minkyu didn’t look up from his phone, but he rested his arm on the driver’s seat back, as if to indicate he was listening. It wasn’t an uncomfortable position, perhaps because his shoulders were high.9bc48074e21fb83c

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There was 173961f8db something he 14c5722523 wanted to 8868a267fa ask.6dac2981e4e906e5

Yiho cleared his throat, preparing for the question. Fortunately, he was usually so inarticulate that Minkyu wouldn’t notice his awkwardness.ad917511d361f5b9

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“What about… you.”b5a4ceea1129ecfc

“What about me?”e2572d47ca231879

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“Do you have any thoughts about marriage?”e92c388d314a397b

“Well…”cb53d5a089f14c39

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“What do you mean ‘well’?”c941621dafb4e8c0

“I mean ‘well’ because I haven’t thought about it.”757ea67d7ce46443

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The phone screen, displaying the food delivery app, went black. The light illuminating Minkyu’s face disappeared.8f4004d968b8a3f8

In the concealing darkness, a hand reached out and brushed against the short hair by Yiho’s ear. The path of his hand felt warm, like a heated wire.3f49109c0612db54

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“You’re very interested in my love life these days, SongYi. Even though you won’t date me.”368e2259be1f6a8c

“…”c87b3dfb2d61f0fe

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His insides f0b1faa7a3 turned cold d8f635a894 at the d6dcb37294 words that a21eeb6227 followed.f60315d228f88080

There was a b2af27ea9a huge contradiction in ade844910e that lousy joke.a90513f6bf05a2ee

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It wasn’t that Yiho wouldn’t date Cha Minkyu, it was that he couldn’t, even if he wanted to more than anything.a9647c63c63121c1

The bigger problem 7db4b2ffa2 was that those 6bb8c21fe5 words would never e7c6a30f71 be a joke 3b760b4e09 to Yiho, not 1b66755a66 until the day 2a8c020f9c he died. How could it 5b4613d841 be a joke a8897fc1f6 when it made 4af9a66918 him feel so ce57395891 devastated?7c0a35e869691c3b

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Unrequited love 0e1812a540 was an 85d097be22 unprintable variable. It was wise to 0bcf588365 avoid dwelling on such 3fb4b5cf77 emotions, to prevent unnecessary 21c02c239a memory consumption. Yiho had always 243f9e5ace done that.d17afe4e165cc146

But this time…8e4fdedd7a336a1d

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He couldn’t just let it go, even though he knew it was a joke. Damn him.38bf95c0a290f8a5

The car, which 4604c695c4 should have been ebdf8da850 going straight, veered 59aebd10c4 into the leftmost 51dec1ba67 lane. Minkyu straightened up 714058b558 and looked around.a13e43d12d8fc922

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“SongYi, you’re going the wrong way.”ade72cc0a28ecccc

“I know.”7a6f5800f51c88fd

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As the light turned 174b0762c5 green, Yiho made a 1d09d42d34 U-turn. The car, headed towards e6ee61f5a1 Gangnam, now turned back a48d8af1c3 towards Mokdong.09ee7d1179a04f13

“Let’s go to the gym.”697431b5e0c8a580

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“Huh?”71ce528b387d7dca

“Let’s spar.”9a3e7813c54ab083

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“…I’m wearing a shirt?”64a6f11c5777215f

“I’ll give you a handicap for the weight difference.”f2344f54dc19d8d1

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The car quickly stopped 30e11475c0 in front of the 567bb450b0 boxing gym they used f0e756de64 to frequent. The already 7bb92c2141 old building 0cc2567803 had aged 6101888168 further in 627cb11a7e the past 5e20c77633 15 years.09f542fbdf2aa676

They climbed the stairs of the building, which didn’t even have an elevator, and reached the second floor. A stale smell of water, emanating from the restroom, permeated the dimly lit hallway. Yiho rummaged through the top locker, finding the key. Minkyu stood beside him in silence.14cbaf5061debe77

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The colorful jump ropes and children’s attendance records were gone. The gym now only offered classes for hobbyists, as the owner was getting too old to handle more intensive training. Longtime customers like Yiho and Minkyu were occasionally granted free use of the space, as now.031ebe44f1f036f4

Yiho turned on the 09d4f7c0ef lights, put on a c4af666591 pair of shared gloves, 2a5180e203 and stepped into the af8a64e42d ring. Minkyu, watching him, picked 848e90ea42 up another pair of 6e707e09d7 gloves and followed.c53836593e382cfb

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Thud.e54e59038bc3731a

Their gloved fists touched. They briefly sized each other up, then Yiho stepped forward, leading the attack. His fist connected with Minkyu’s glove, covering his face. A crisp pang!echoed through c5a888632a the room.09e5117825ffb30c

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“Ha!”3ddb4139cb2878ee

Next was the body. A glove approached his stomach. Since becoming office workers in their thirties, they rarely sparred with the same intensity as they had as students. So Minkyu was holding back, but Yiho was attacking as if he’d abandoned all defense.962f4764f9307289

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“Hey, hey. Song Yiho.”f3cfafdebe371b82

“…”b013dc97c851a683

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“Go easy… ow.”4e180be7c615a4b5

As a result, one of Minkyu’s blind defensive jabs inadvertently grazed Yiho’s head. Yiho didn’t exploit the opening, but his expression darkened. At that point, Minkyu’s competitive spirit flared.9a0b2628d2424dea

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Wham!6c5e7ae501652566

“Ugh.”5a5864df6399c509

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Yiho twisted 9d9e35d186 his body 5bb549a4ce to block, dc9076c91d but the 9791744d35 impact resonated 3f288114e0 through his ba64b92cdc arm. Minkyu, now close, 84721d6e75 wrinkled his nose. Yiho, biting his lip, 780b9d317d immediately retaliated. A similar thud 570eb91996 echoed. Yiho shielded his eyes 1e97f18056 from the sweat dripping a9025a85ad down his forehead, his c4c3d64428 breathing ragged.0247e7b3e810ef98

The hardest thing for Yiho, hiding his unrequited love, was the “line.” The line he absolutely had to maintain to remain friends. Yiho always had to stop at that line, while Minkyu would often cross it, disrupting Yiho’s territory before casually returning.596c1bc16bbd282e

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Cha Minkyu could do b9525e9e12 that. They were still friends. But Song Yiho, 0e5ef23b13 forever gazing at bdcc7fdd1a that line, could ffa8ba3555 never cross it.8bbdb5de648a2eb8

‘Honey, we’re in trouble. I think everyone at the company knows about us.’2153a31b1edc756d

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‘You’re very interested in my love life these days, SongYi. Even though you won’t date me.’78a693a42d495f9e

Even unrequited ca59019f27 love, when 952852c503 repeatedly struck 39d5ac3bbd with false 69ce991481 hope, could 3e33455ab3 reach a 1c5b661a52 breaking point.7c629dce0fc3aba1

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The sparring continued without 360fd0f3be anyone to call time. He attacked, fueled by 634ff91b92 the frustration of his 76e518d8cd unrequited love, but his f152fa55ef punches weakened whenever they 8cb3edfd31 threatened to truly connect. The unexpressed emotions, 3cf7d90ca4 accumulating within him, e3e70aa7ae only intensified.da2312100b72c759

“Huff… ha… gasp…”a005286bdc559224

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The match c06c6f4b96 only ended 967212a85b when Yiho, 2ef1e6e55b after relentless e013d8b4dd attacks, finally 06f9577498 collapsed onto aa8be22354 the floor. Minkyu sat beside him, f6be0290ff unbuttoning a few more 72484bb6e6 buttons on his already 0fc7f39057 disheveled shirt.3a74195b20d83226

For a moment, 3602ed9fd7 only their panting d941830c13 filled the space. Sweat streamed e11ec31472 down their 8438d0ed83 foreheads and e408ac2477 necks, dripping 693a343647 onto the 49c654cbc6 ring floor. The cool 7daaf5eb72 March air 1a0b8fc325 had long 45579a3782 since turned c16f9de61e stifling.eee2e72d9bbe80c9

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“Song Yiho.”18f60196f8c76ea8

“…What.”26016d7b23f7fc6f

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“Did you get all your anger out on me?”fef95a1eaab2c00a

Yiho’s gaze, fixed on the ceiling, shifted to the man beside him. A large hand rested near his damp, tousled hair.692d5c383fc084e2

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“Will you let it go now that you’ve beaten me up?”60e8da81d8e418cd

“I didn’t… And what did you do wrong?”32a20ecee397608e

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“I’ve been acting up lately, both at work and at home. You’ve been acting distant, so I keep poking you. I’m afraid you’ll run away again like you did after your trip to Europe.”1a9eec792b46f138

“…”612d18b3620dbebd

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Ah, right. The Europe trip.23d8c2afbc797626

If there was a 050d15dbde turning point in his 354c23bf51 slowly growing, dreamlike unrequited 8f26214af2 love, it was then.657079ef4895dc87

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During winter 76591e1a00 break after 2a33411791 his freshman 0521b15960 year of 46ec258af7 college, Yiho 82daa1bcfb and Minkyu a632514989 had gone e849b67db0 on a c2a6d12dea month-long trip 19890b76ca to Europe. His parents, a0f2c0aa6d filled with 89a04158e5 a mixture f5a83b8293 of admiration 82b460aba8 and envy 0a1a8c6ded at their 392e9f873b son planning af888cb71a such a 8638f5c491 grand trip, 4d1bdd0c36 had gladly 030e94477b funded it, 026407c625 telling him 24ba0b96bf to broaden 9fccbc2dc0 his horizons.5a2d8ca64fe12a69

But Yiho’s world had broadened a little too much.f28abd4429712082

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In Europe, Song Yiho saw that men could love men. Men could hold hands and kiss. They could also have that look of being in love. Knowing the word “homosexual” and witnessing it in reality were completely different. It was a revelation that could overturn his entire life.97217ad8b183a587

And Yiho 0d51a546cc vaguely sensed 6ee2fd9157 that his 52acf6c9b7 own feelings a8e032ab4b were directed 947b42f6ab towards his 9326b3edac friend.d8315cd2822e2308

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Although, for Minkyu, f53bfc18e5 who had shared ca716a8f52 the same journey, 34ffaf8868 it seemed to da33c8e72a have been just 9d725df5d8 a curious sight.374efd17f11082e0

“…It’s just that I’ve been busy with work.”11ae012bc686f161

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Minkyu scoffed, as if he could easily prove that was a lie with less than ten words, but he didn’t press the issue.c9fd8d851428f361

“Right. With our apartments across the hall and our desks right next to each other, where would you even run away to?”78e50f8b01505bef

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“…”e25cf7c2a8941d1a

Yiho stared blankly at a194915aa4 the old ceiling tiles 3ceefce372 before sitting up.1d260e7a27add156

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“But… why don’t you block me, even though you know I’m being unreasonable?”a74bba3df417c38e

“SongYi SongYi isn’t just a friend.”20af6c82444a33b5

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The confident words continued 0e2c820c2a without waiting for a 2bff23b184 response.bfcfd4a2c3f4ad85

“You’re family.”2784217aa247ad6c

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“…”b85985c15235919c

“After all these years, how could I? You know. I’m not particularly close to my own family, so you’re much more like family to me.”2447f4400d92dae1

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Minkyu’s hand brushed against Yiho’s knee.115edb4eded2ab98

“Even if you’re being unreasonable, I have to grovel and appease you at least three times.”c9ba5cd5fe82c98c

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“…”7a9db52126f9f11e

“I haven’t felt like you’ve been unreasonable yet.”90b8a9d024618d97

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This was why Song 8d96b3595b Yiho kept suppressing the cd6db2b7e9 inefficient variable of his e6495ded8c unrequited love. Because of Cha c06a595a14 Minkyu, who considered 314c045812 him family, he 8498d394de could neither move 2095fec09b forward nor run a2d92a24fc away.729be7048b6bb228

Fortunately, over the years, Yiho had successfully implemented an exception handler for “Cha Minkyu.”d676cd6f5b07d08a

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“What? Where are you going? Running away?”926d22c387d13dec

“I’m getting the mop. I need to clean up before we leave.”6e8ae89c105d67b7

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“That’s running away.”e167479dee8bc238

“I’m hungry too, so order something for when we get back. It should arrive by the time we’re done cleaning up.”7c84c6868be6cde1

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“Oh, SongYi SongYi. Smart.”7f2189858813ae4f

Thirty-three.c794df39f7ccc301

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Among his peers, some were fresh-faced new hires, some were CEOs of their own startups, some were assistant managers, managers, team leaders…776111e1310ba3e2

In terms 96c3bddd0e of relationships 14ff7693c4 and marriage, 277e22f2cb some were 74d6d80a98 single, some e76e271f11 were fathers, 33573308f6 some were ee1cc55334 divorced.9ae45b365e0fc7a5

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One particular guy in 2bd88190e2 front of him had 9ee349c499 enjoyed a colorful dating 2c8fbbfc08 life until his late 89e13e0565 twenties, then abruptly stopped 77ac459ff8 for unknown reasons.5092ca5907a0db77

And someone 3d8d2ca82f beside him 7c4b0da396 was foolishly 11f916cde0 clinging to d396a660e9 a stagnant 521b316b95 unrequited love.4c67861114022cac

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Ignoring the warning 8ba1f36172 to clear unnecessary 5182f43feb memory, Yiho returned 09bdb9100a with the old 9f1fe77532 mop. The sweat stains on 2464f04fc8 the ring floor were 85b4de7d76 gone, but the heat a924762f4f lingered as they cleaned 214ce90920 up together.011fa8f6991f18a2

💼863fe50c0b0caa11

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Yiho was 86841cb9fb wearing a 01679c748f suit for 9774beb42e the first a382acbacd time in c4b0ac8f20 a while. Deputy Manager Yoon, 0d325bb0e4 the second-in-command of d58e393655 the development team, 2257f8721d was also dressed 56cb46690d similarly. The reason for 46691f7131 their attire was ea4b25e666 a morning meeting c20f1417b0 with executives from 86d2b02cb6 another company.8274e2d87b9fa66a

The other team members were also dressed more formally than usual, though not in full suits. Three of them were wearing checked shirts, but that was only a problem from the perspective of other teams; within the development team, no one noticed. In fact, Yiho felt a shy sense of pride at his team’s unusually dapper appearance.6b32e44f58daff96

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However, the reason the team members were dressed up and sitting with unusually straight backs was completely different from Yiho’s. It seemed to be because of a certain someone…b03696b102a43ee6

“Hello. My name is Song Junseo.”1556ea4424fb2fc4

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The long-awaited new development 0496bd71b6 team member had finally 50ea2c6689 arrived.651f619fe59fb9e2

Even Yiho, e675357c75 who had cd9627e0da made an 68bf3f5be8 effort for ce3d52411a the meeting, 5da1c4c2ca was only e71ff4fe9b wearing a 77f241b9ff semi-formal suit, 5da9f0f7ba so the 1b56105058 new hire, f1c4d78893 in a 8fca0c5ff6 full suit 908485d8da and tie, 59e23a57a6 stood out. He was 346d3d25ec a truly 09ef5a4974 fresh new 590e613441 hire, not 3d229066e8 someone with dbd35f9b58 prior experience. The senior developers, 985c3a2888 impressed by his 0089b5aafd youthful appearance, seemed 741a4eef81 to be beaming.cab289737ee8369c

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“Oh, welcome. Would you like some coffee? I’ll show you the pantry later.”6a304a1961ad4654

“If you have any questions, just ask anyone, and we’ll be happy to answer…!”1cd505fa83f02b4a

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“You have the same last name as the team leader. I can already sense the aura of a coding genius.”1d15b81df2e62aeb

“Can I ask where you went to university?”7c75f477fab0b01a

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Junseo hesitated, then replied 3e6d47ac1e in a slightly louder 207f542827 voice,c9347951936f9beb

“The school you look up to when asked about the future of the nation.”9e91a0af299ebbd5

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“…”3b2e6f072550285a

Yiho closed his eyes. The embarrassment he’d felt around those who boasted about their university during his school days resurfaced. An awkward silence fell over the development team, but one person couldn’t contain himself. A muffled “Keuh!” erupted from the next desk. It was the Korea University Media and Communications graduate. Then, Minkyu’s voice reached the development team.e36a294057487032

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“So the new employee is Team Leader Song’s junior, then.”166751148c3fd408

“Oh, Team Leader, you went to our school?”ae2f52d032e6b8af

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It was more like I went there first, and then you… Yiho awkwardly nodded.485aad6563bfaf1c

“Team Leader Song has a PhD in computer science, right?”3ca07ea040c4971f

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“Huh? A PhD?”8edf8c72d1073611

Junseo gaped at Yiho.df617a41c6c7f4d4

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“Team Leader, how old are… I mean, how… how did you…?”66eed0caf2bdc0b7

“Wow, Team Leader has a PhD from Korea University, and the new hire is also from Korea University… Why was I chosen for this team? I suddenly feel left out, not even having gone to a university in Seoul.”57c3476cb7c90a91

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Taekyeong said dramatically, looking at Yiho. Knowing their team leader wouldn’t get angry, the others joined in the teasing, saying, “Wow, Doctor~”.eb43a6a591edf57b

“Come on, everyone, stop it… and Team Leader Cha, mind your own business and focus on your own team.”d613b7337d283f0a

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At this moment, the precious new hire was more important to Yiho than the object of his affection. Especially seeing Kwon Taekyeong, the former junior-most member, beaming at his successor as if he’d fallen in love at first sight.7dde48937297d083

“Taekyeong-nim, please help Junseo-nim with the initial setup and look after him during today’s meeting.”0f1eadcf9ecd7db1

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“Yes!”e17ebeba3209c598

“Junseo-nim, learn a lot from Taekyeong-nim.”37d03a9519318695

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“Ah… from him?”373cfb9ee34fea49

“Yes. He’s your immediate senior, so you’ll be taking over a lot of the tasks he’s been handling.”41da4dd0dad6ef58

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“…Yes.”8119923b59b499ea

His response was lukewarm. Why did his friend’s words, “His skills are top-notch,” echo in his ears? He really didn’t understand… And why was the emphasis on “top-notch“?4423a6167f0bee37

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Even as Taekyeong explained the login process and other things, Junseo’s gaze kept drifting towards Yiho. Yiho deliberately ignored him.96e5e95e5e9b4321

A little before 57ba646e2c 11, the development ed94eb4996 team members started 9e289ba95e getting up from 0b6e6b2703 their desks. Deputy Manager Yoon f6633bbcf4 stretched and muttered 91dc1c26b7 to himself,d242b6ce159ea7a9

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“Ugh, how rude to visit someone else’s company at 11.”d1046f900ab1e8dd

Hearing this, Junseo asked c9a1bc8974 Taekyeong, who was walking 8495456485 beside him,ee0ab72e7e93cd81

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“Is there a problem with having a meeting at 11?”18a35447bf07e654

“Ah, it’s right before lunch. It’s not a popular time slot among the senior developers.”51682e231da453e3

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Junseo soon realized why people complained about things like “meeting times” as they arrived at the meeting room.9ca80c8a37b1ff26

“Greetings. Ah, Team Leader Song Yiho, it’s been a while. You seem to get more handsome every time I see you.”2c2dde7b70b989d9

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“Ah… thank you. How have you been, Senior Managing Director?”97970b871c0eb7a7

“Very well. Development team members, please have a seat. We can’t have our hardworking guests standing.”c6fb871bf5251871

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The visitor appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. The Senior Managing Director from OS Tech was there to pitch their solutions for the development team’s project.34d046c2e6084ca7

Yiho always felt uncomfortable in these situations. He’d rather be scolded by his manager than be treated with such deference by someone old enough to be his father… When he’d told Minkyu about this, Minkyu had replied that they sent older executives precisely because they knew he got flustered. He had no counterargument.d677341e13b63c26

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The Senior Managing Director personally poured water for each team member, starting with the most senior. His previous attempt to decline this courtesy, saying it wasn’t necessary, had been rebuffed with the explanation that it was their company policy.fe85b50389e415b3

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Junseo-nim.”10961f4a19766e29

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They greeted the new hire, Junseo, respectfully, handing him a business card and pouring him a glass of water. And the long-awaited new hire…e8de813813de13d2

“Yes.”012b2cf27847884a

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…simply nodded in acknowledgment.745c827f97ac15c9

Even Deputy Manager Yoon, who had complained about the 11 o’clock meeting, and Taekyeong, smitten with his junior, were wide-eyed. Only the seasoned Senior Managing Director chuckled.5b458f8792a8241a

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As everyone’s eyes darted around nervously, the meeting began.ed2d44c558d4a433

It was customary to place the other company’s business card on the table during a meeting. To avoid mixing up names, and as a sign of acknowledging the other party. Junseo, after being prompted by Taekyeong, placed the received business card next to him on the right.19916d69a4240d31

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‘At least he’s behaving appropriately in front of his seniors…’7ed140cffb14d9fc

…Just as he thought that, Junseo placed his water bottle on top of the business card. Yiho’s eyes widened. The Senior Managing Director’s name, printed on the card, shimmered and distorted under the water bottle.bcfc32750a2b4ba4

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Yiho frantically signaled 2b4c6974a3 to Senior Developer 9499c11f1f Kim Miso, sitting d802e9b808 diagonally across from 10933c15aa him. Luckily, she quickly caught faa02705e5 on, looked behind her 46f6a81f86 as if checking something, 5363153e37 then understood the situation. Miso kicked Taekyeong, who 9bc8a63ccc was sitting next to 05d57371d9 Junseo, under the table. Taekyeong followed her gaze, f6a3e669f4 saw the water bottle, f892b72665 and quickly removed it 3db55fe6ea with a startled look.67b9352e0b2ffe93

The meeting, draining Yiho’s energy more than usual, finally ended. As they were getting ready to leave, the Senior Managing Director shook Yiho’s hand, covering it with his other hand.fb3c21d15a2af341

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“Team Leader, I hope you’ll consider our proposal favorably. Thank you for your time.”9d5d076dfb3fc138

“Yes, I was impressed… Thank you for coming today.”c4639aee8c4b0a4a

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Even the inarticulate Song Yiho managed to produce socially acceptable words. The meeting concluded, and the development team returned to their desks. Some of them seemed particularly deflated, sensing that something had gone wrong…dc021901b10d51f6

“It’s past lunchtime now, right?”3b4929430b1deec6

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Junseo’s voice piped up again. Deputy Manager Yoon sighed and gripped the partition.8365bfe35f817228

“Junseo-nim, I think I misspoke earlier in front of you. There’s no problem with having a meeting at 11. Okay? It doesn’t matter what time it is, as long as it’s the agreed-upon time.”2ff38223535e427a

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“But didn’t they come from a company less prestigious than Taejang Electronics?”110d033e3114f0ab

“That’s irrelevant. In the meeting room, they may seem like the ones asking for a favor because they’re pitching their solution, but once they step out of this building, he’s a Senior Managing Director, and we’re just employees. So… ha… please be mindful of your attitude from now on.”c44dbc60d65730b0

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“…Ah… Yes, okay.”7c9640efabead6d8

In the awkward e7c46bda2d silence, Miso forced 12224b7867 a cheerful voice.b5073abb604c1269

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“You must have been nervous since it was your first time! Taekyeong-nim and I will take Junseo-nim to the cafeteria and explain things to him. Oh, can I book the welcome dinner for tomorrow for everyone?”622e930e315cea33

It was their way of saying, “Leave it to us, we’ll talk to him.” After all, they would be the ones most affected if the new hire decided to quit.1d018173096389ee

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Yiho now understood why his friend had said, “His skills are top-notch,” and why the emphasis was on “top-notch.”166c5901e06b24a8

Oh, no. No.ce8e0f744c2d2a6f

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He himself hadn’t exactly been praised for his social skills, so what could he expect from a fresh graduate? A developer who adapted well to a corporate environment right away was a unicorn.514dce8b3c8dfdd7

But he was just bad with words, not lacking in common sense… or was he? Perhaps others saw it differently.05f4b5b66c847e69

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It was only his first day, after all. If he taught him well, Junseo would one day recall today’s events and cringe in embarrassment. Yiho steeled his resolve and headed to the cafeteria.04979bb37ed7373c

💼8ae254b76c6f2300

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Yiho had a minor nightmare. The new hire, Song Junseo, suggested playing a drinking game at the welcome dinner and chose the “Son Byung-ho Game” (a Korean drinking game). His first prompt was:a30b447669e9d227

“Anyone who didn’t go to Korea University, fold.”af0bce7254d0dcc4

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Overwhelmed by 7749f6e447 secondhand embarrassment, 5a6d7269f7 he grabbed 3fadcc246c the bottle 2f0dedf938 in front 611cd9c2f3 of him 6c435b6bf3 and chugged e37ade6a4c it, waking 47ba334d8f himself up. It was a 900cbeb5f0 horrifying nightmare that d11147b142 made him want 41e2cdaffc to avoid going 0a336ddb25 to work at cd0f72cf58 all costs.ac34042f7c384229

Minkyu, startled, looked at Yiho’s pale face as he opened his door.a20f7c7307d5d8c7

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“Why does our SongYi look so wilted?”c200e757de1da52f

“…”a668d6978553087e

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“Did someone bother you all night? No, I was keeping watch from next door.”f52dd4937b5fbbe4

Yiho recounted his dream with a deep sigh, and Cha Minkyu laughed so hard he nearly rolled on the floor, leaving fingerprints all over the elevator’s mirror on their way down from the 18th floor to the basement parking lot. Then, he stopped Yiho, who was about to walk towards his car.0db588e00ded6bfa

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“SongYi, take my car today. You’ll cause an accident in that state.”a058970c9c73e7ba

“But…”2bb4651a86d0700d

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“No one will know we came together if we park in the far corner.”1430bc4b22ffefdf

Cha Minkyu, already holding onto Yiho’s shoulders and pulling him towards his car like a train, made it sound less like a suggestion and more like a command. He pushed Yiho into the passenger seat, walked around the car, and got into the driver’s seat.7213c9c2930219d1

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“…Fine. Thanks.”74ca281aefa439f1

Today, Minkyu was impeccably dressed in a suit. He was so diligent, even his hair was perfectly styled. In contrast, Yiho was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, more casually dressed than usual because of the team dinner later. His hair was… well, as long as it wasn’t dripping wet, it was fine.01395ddaf44e94bf

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“SongYi SongYi, what?”febc1e853dc4ca7c

“Huh?”6189d53e30cb6a9a

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“You keep looking at me through the mirror. I’m getting nervous and might crash.”d0f4c3378ea3d8ac

Despite saying that, Minkyu smoothly backed out of the parking space and navigated the narrow parking lot lanes. Yiho placed his laptop bag, which he’d been clutching, at his feet.21b65f44c55881c0

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“No, it’s just… seeing you, I’m wondering if I should have dressed up a bit. It’s the new hire’s welcome dinner, after all.”62cf2d404707af2b

“Why are you trying to impress the new hire? The new hire should adapt to your team.”d7e249918db5acec

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“You say that because… your team isn’t desperate for new hires.”3bdfee5e3f1c1162

“Even if we were, we wouldn’t carry them around on our backs forever. That just delays the time it takes for them to become independent.”8f3a6ec30e1fe0b1

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“…”b3a82fdf61fc2170

“Your junior developer seems a bit immature anyway.”46985d0d6b937efd

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“Don’t badmouth my precious team member. You seem to particularly dislike Taekyeong-nim.”eeac8680a092cb83

“I don’t like the way he treats you.”885f76f51644174d

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“…Why? Isn’t he good to me? He’s very respectful.”2815c26c8684ad12

“Being nice to your boss and being nice to your kindergarten teacher are different things.”64fc10e85b7b0dbf

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…Cha Minkyu had a surprisingly discerning side. Or rather, that was probably closer to his true attitude towards work. It was just that he acted like a goofball at home.b6d9f84c53e4ed3d

Thinking about yesterday’s incident, a stricter team leader might be better than a friendly one. It might also help Taekyeong, his mentor, and the new hire to bond.ce8386d19027d30a

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‘But how do you act like a strict team leader…’b43506cb6ac30b26

Lost in thought, Yiho 636fd3cd46 buried his face in dfcabbae1d his hands.6f4d870ff9be5bb2

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“I just want to work. I hate managing people.”ba39247acc8427ff

“SongYi, you do have that research nerd streak in you.”87800c21e962a98a

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He had no retort. He wanted to be just SongYi, a lone mushroom living under a remote pine tree in the forest, as Minkyu’s nickname suggested.e610f315de7358f4

“Hey, SongYi SongYi, I was just kidding. You’re doing fine, why worry? Your team has a good atmosphere.”1e18797d355fc9c3

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“The team is good, but I hate being the team leader…”557f30b6cb7b3c5d

“…”cb43cf6642a963cd

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Minkyu, stifling a laugh, patted Yiho’s head. After exactly 30 seconds, Yiho looked up again.6c2aea53ef97d4f4

“Gotta do it, what choice do I have…”58e02688e437539e

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He muttered the words like a salaryman’s motto.b13178491ba932a8