# Side Story 2
- What is unavoidable in life?
Fate, misfortune, slumps, and so on. You might think of many answers. But Yeomin thought the answer to this question was simply “company dinners.”
Day 3 of Seol Jiho’s internship.
Even “the” Seol Jiho couldn’t avoid company dinners. Since the chairman’s grandson and the president’s eldest son had come as an intern to the Management Planning Team, it was only right to hold a grand welcome party.
Of course, all the preparations for this grand welcome fell to Yeomin. Making restaurant reservations, selecting menus…
The team leader told him not to worry about money, so Yeomin deliberately chose expensive dishes that he wanted to eat.
Yeomin felt better as he included sashimi in the menu, something Jiho didn’t even like.
“……”
Having finished making the phone reservation, Yeomin spied on Jiho across the partition.
Jiho had been in a bad mood since morning. It was because he and Yeomin had commuted separately today.
On Seol Jiho’s second day at work, they had almost been caught getting out of the same car by the assistant manager. Alarmed, Yeomin declared that from now on, he would take the subway to work separately.
Jiho didn’t understand why they couldn’t commute together. But Seol Jiho was just an intern who would leave in a few months, while Yeomin would likely continue working at this company for a long time…
‘I’d rather die than have it revealed that I’m living with the president’s son.’
Believing such matters should be handled decisively, Yeomin deliberately ignored the sulking Jiho.
This was a workplace, and what they were doing wasn’t child’s play but “work.” Personal and professional lives should be kept separate.
“Senior.”
Spacing out, Yeomin was startled by the voice calling him. When had he arrived? Jiho’s face was uncomfortably close.
Thanks to most team members being away at meetings with other departments, the office had just the two of them anyway…
“I’ve done everything you asked.”
“…Already?”
It was a task of compiling five years of business data into a report. Not difficult work, but time-consuming for someone without experience.
Especially for Jiho, Yeomin had expected it would take all day.
And he’s already finished it?
“Let me see. Send me the file.”
“I’ve sent it to your work email.”
“…Okay.”
Here’s the surprising truth: Jiho was good at work. Quite good, actually.
‘I thought he would struggle with even basic copying. I also thought he’d lack social skills, but unexpectedly, he seems to get along well with team members…’
While Yeomin was being worked to the bone at Ian Group, it seemed Jiho hadn’t just been lazing around either.
Though it was only his third day, Yeomin found himself constantly surprised by how well Jiho was adapting to office life.
But he couldn’t praise him too much, or he’d become arrogant.
“Is there anything else I can help with, sunbae?”
“No, you’ve worked hard. Take a break.”
“Are you very busy right now?”
“…Not particularly. Why?”
As it happened, all team members were away, and Yeomin had just finished making dinner reservations.
Jiho spoke to Yeomin with angelic kindness:
“Then could you show me around the company? I still don’t know where everything is.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, he had forgotten about that. He’d assumed Jiho would already know.
Assumed he’d know everything about Ian Group…
‘Even if he’s Seol Jiho, he probably only visited the president’s office or executive rooms… he wouldn’t know the office inside and out.’
Checking his free time, Yeomin pushed his chair back and stood up.
“Sure. Since I have time, let’s take a look around. Follow me.”
Leading Jiho, Yeomin felt very senior-like and dignified, his shoulders rising about 2 centimeters.
This was his chance to properly show his senior side.
* * *
‘…That was definitely my intention.’
So why was he hanging from Seol Jiho’s neck?
Soft lips teased Yeomin’s earlobe.
“Haa…”
This was even a place Yeomin himself had never been before. An empty room he had only passed by but never entered.
Jiho, who had asked to be shown around the company, suddenly pulled out an access card Yeomin had never seen before and brought him here.
This meant he had planned this from the beginning.
“Ha, is this why you finished your work so quickly?”
“Of course. I worked non-stop after lunch, barely breathing. Hyung… open your mouth.”
Yeomin obediently received Jiho’s tongue. Perched on the table, Jiho’s waist kept pushing between Yeomin’s legs.
“Stop… it’s time for the team members to return.”
“Just a little more. With the company dinner tonight, we won’t have time alone.”
His voice was so tender and pitiful that Yeomin couldn’t refuse.
‘His hobby is really acting pathetic…’
Oh, whatever. As Yeomin closed his eyes tightly and wrapped his legs around Jiho’s waist—
Beep! The sound of the lock being released rang out. For a moment, Yeomin’s heart sank, but before he could jump away, the office door was already opening.
‘I’m screwed…’
Images flashed through his mind of his future as a shameless (male) employee caught with the president’s son, becoming the talk of the company’s internal community.
As if to hide Yeomin’s face, Jiho completely enveloped him in his arms. Yeomin’s vision went dark instantly.
Still crushing Yeomin in his embrace, Jiho turned to the door and said:
“Voyeurism?”
His voice was remarkably calm for an emergency.
“For a married person, you have unique tastes.”
“You kids… have you lost your minds?”
The person who had just entered sounded very agitated. Still in Jiho’s arms, Yeomin felt relieved. It was the unmistakable voice of Executive Director Ahn.
Though he wondered if this was really something to be relieved about… at least they’d avoided the disaster of being caught by an employee who didn’t know about their relationship.
“Well, being young and full of vigor while trapped in a company…”
“So that’s why you were making such a fuss about getting an access key. Is this what you wanted it for?”
“If your curiosity is satisfied, please leave, Director~”
While Jiho and Executive Director Ahn bickered, Yeomin extricated himself from Jiho’s embrace and straightened his clothes.
He couldn’t exactly advertise that he’d been caught rolling around with an intern in a secret company location…
Executive Director Ahn seemed to feel betrayed by Yeomin as well.
“I thought Yeomin-ssi was a bit more normal.”
“…You’ll pretend you didn’t see this, right?”
“Who would I tell? Ah~ I wonder if there’s something like a bamboo forest. Maybe I should post it on Blind?”
Empty threats from someone who wouldn’t actually do it. Yeomin had returned to normal mode and calmly gathered himself.
“I’ll go ahead. Intern Seol, please come separately later.”
Suddenly using formal speech with Jiho and maintaining distance, he appeared so dignified and aloof.
Watching Yeomin quickly leave, Jiho chuckled. The tuft of hair sticking up, disheveled from their kissing, couldn’t have been more adorable.
“Pfft-“
Executive Director Ahn looked at the hysterically laughing Jiho as if he were insane.
“Is it funny? Is the company a playground? Or a hotel?”
“Whatever.”
“Should I tattle to President Ahn? About what you’re doing at the company.”
“Yes. Please do.”
Jiho eagerly took the bait.
“Let uncle tattle. And ask him to fire Joo Yeomin. So he can stay home all day.”
“Wake up from your dream. If anyone gets fired, it would be you. President Ahn really likes Yeomin-ssi. How is he doing, what work is he handling, what’s his reputation in the team… he’s constantly pressing me for reports.”
“That’s annoying. I don’t even get reports.”
What kind of guy is Seol Jiho to be jealous of President Ahn at a time like this?
“It seems like he wants to train him well and keep him close.”
Executive Director Ahn speculated. Of course, neither he nor Jiho could be certain of President Ahn’s true intentions.
In any case, Jiho knew his mother was paying quite a bit of attention to Yeomin.
At first, she opposed Jiho’s internship, and he had to make a scene to convince her. Said it would interfere with Yeomin’s work life.
Only after visiting his family home for a week straight and staging a sit-in did she finally agree…
“How’s the company? You used to hate even coming near it. Now you’re thinking of coming to work because of Joo Yeomin. You’re really something.”
Executive Director Ahn flopped onto a mini sofa.
Jiho replied with a pessimistic expression:
“It’s mostly terrible, occasionally fun.”
“I bet just now was really fun~ Doing all sorts of things in the company.”
“Today is the most fun day since I started working.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Executive Director Ahn clicked his tongue, but Jiho was being honest.
The company was as boring and unappealing as he had imagined. But in that dull landscape, he really liked seeing Yeomin busy at work, constantly in motion.
Trying to hold back yawns during meetings, frowning while taking phone calls, sighing quietly when sitting down, making coffee in the pantry, gently tapping his own shoulders.
These were glimpses of Yeomin he couldn’t see anywhere but at the company.
“No regrets?”
“No regrets. I’m glad I came.”
“Still, you’re staying quieter than I expected. I thought you’d quit after one day or cause a scene.”
“That would make things difficult for my Yeomin hyung.”
“My, how VERY mature you’ve become.”
Executive Director Ahn applauded enthusiastically.
Whether he did that or not, Jiho didn’t care. He fixed his tie and opened the door. Since Yeomin told him to come separately, he should leave now.
As he was leaving without saying goodbye, Jiho suddenly stopped. He turned to Executive Director Ahn and asked:
“Are there any departments with just two people in the company?”
Working at the same company had its downsides, of course.
While seeing new sides of Yeomin at work was nice… he didn’t like people acting friendly with Yeomin, asking for his help, or trying to impress him.
He wished the company had just the two of them, Yeomin and himself.
“Of course there are-“
“Which ones?”
As Jiho perked up, Executive Director Ahn smirked.
“Work hard to become an executive. And Yeomin-ssi would be perfect as your secretary.”
“……”
“Though it would probably be faster for Yeomin-ssi to become an executive and you to be his secretary.”
But Yeomin-ssi probably wouldn’t use you as his secretary. Executive Director Ahn delivered this fact. Jiho left with a serious face.
“……”
Walking alone through the company corridors without Yeomin felt truly bleak. So much that he regretted not having held him longer earlier.
Even the warmth that lingered on his fingertips was fading, making Jiho feel a little sad.
Today, no matter how much Yeomin complained about being hot, Jiho was determined to hold him while sleeping.
…Though before that, there was still the very annoying and irritating task of the “company dinner” to get through.
