“Thank you for the meal.”
After eating the bibimbap deliciously for a while, Surim greeted after thoroughly chewing and swallowing the last spoonful.
It was a truly satisfying meal. As expected, Koreans should eat Korean food. Since most of the restaurants his hyung had starred were Western restaurants, he’d mainly been eating rich food lately, but eating bibimbap loaded with gochujang gave him energy.
“…Huh? Manager-nim, didn’t you have much of an appetite today?”
“Yes. Somehow.”
“If you don’t like Korean food…”
“What do you take me for? I’m not a foreigner.”
“But this is the first time you’ve left food like this.”
Song Hanyeong’s bibimbap was half left over. Starting from the company dinner, he wasn’t someone who left food when eating.
At Surim’s worried gaze, Song Hanyeong shook his head.
“I’m just not feeling well. Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not worry?”
When Surim protested, Song Hanyeong chuckled.
“Then worry a lot.”
“…What?”
“You don’t like that either?”
“I-It’s not that I don’t like it…”
Looking closely, Song Hanyeong was also quite good at wordplay. Surim glared and started grumbling while cleaning up the lunchbox.
“Anyway, Manager-nim, go to your seat and at least take a nap. Don’t worry about this.”
“Then I’ll ask you to do that.”
Song Hanyeong, who usually helped clean up together when there was no work, stood up saying thanks. Surim looked worriedly at Song Hanyeong leaving the conference room.
Surim, who had been worried the whole time while cleaning up the lunchbox, saw Song Hanyeong sitting leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, so he went to the company cafe and bought two cups of citron tea.
It was when he quietly approached the desk and gently set down one cup of citron tea. Suddenly Song Hanyeong grabbed his wrist.
“Wah…!”
The startled Surim let out a short scream.
“M-Manager-nim… You scared me.”
Fortunately he didn’t spill the citron tea, but he was so startled his heart was pounding.
“…Did you go to the cafe? Alone?”
“Yes, I went alone…”
“I see. Well done.”
Song Hanyeong took the citron tea. Although he was praised, Surim furrowed his brow and rolled his head, feeling like he’d received a strange compliment. What came out after a long while was a protest filled with injustice.
“You’re wondering if I met Seongchan-ssi right now, aren’t you?”
“Yes, in case you secretly met a man again.”
To think he’d admit it this easily. Surim’s mouth fell open.
“I reflected enough earlier, and I will absolutely never call Seongchan-ssi, no, anyone over to this side again.”
“Yes, do that.”
“But why are you suspicious?”
“I didn’t know you’d resolved so firmly.”
“…I resolved very firmly.”
“Yes. Then do that.”
Although he’d expressed his opinion and heard words of agreement, Surim felt angry for some reason at how unfair this was.
“…I really won’t do anything that would harm Manager Song-nim…”
“Jin Surim-ssi.”
“Yes.”
“Do I look like I’m being suspicious right now?”
“Yes.”
Song Hanyeong twisted his lips as if dumbfounded. Surim declared confidently, paying no attention.
“From now on, I’ll report not only where I’m going but also who I’m meeting.”
“…You’ll report all of that?”
“Yes. Everything. So don’t be suspicious.”
Surim nodded. Song Hanyeong looked at Surim quietly with somewhat mystified eyes, then soon nodded.
“Yes. Then do that.”
“You promised not to be suspicious.”
“I understand.”
Only then did Surim smile broadly and return to his seat.
A little later, Song Hanyeong was able to receive a report from Jin Surim.
[Jin Surim] Manager Song-nim, I’m going to quickly go buy headache medicine for you. By myself.
Song Hanyeong quietly let out an empty laugh.
[Song Hanyeong] Do that.
Surim, who had received an answer, clenched his fist tightly as if he’d succeeded.
What happened in the morning was his fault. So it was okay that he was scolded for that. But after being scolded, reflecting, and firmly resolving to absolutely never commit such a thing again and to pay more attention to security, he didn’t like hearing continued suspicious words. It would have been okay if it were Lee Myeongho or someone else instead. But he absolutely didn’t want to be suspected by Song Hanyeong.
From now on, wherever he went, he would report everything in detail and escape from this swamp of suspicion.
Surim firmly resolved. Not knowing that Song Hanyeong was seeing an unexpected side of him and laughing in disbelief.
* * *
[Jin Surim] Manager Song-nim, I’ll go water the flowerpots for a moment alone.
[Song Hanyeong] Do that.
[Jin Surim] Manager Song-nim, I’m going to the company cafe. I’m going alone. I’m going to drink watermelon juice.
[Song Hanyeong] Yes, go ahead.
[Jin Surim] Manager Song-nim, it seems the supplies I ordered came by delivery so I’m going to go receive them. The cart and I together.
[Song Hanyeong] Go get along well.
Surim hid behind his monitor and twitched his lips. He’d tried reporting with a bit of rebellion, but it didn’t seem to work at all.
It was the third day of reporting everything one by one, even when going to the bathroom. By this point, shouldn’t there be at least a word saying he trusts him now because of his touching sincerity? Song Hanyeong only calmly received reports, and said nothing more about the matter of deciding not to be suspicious.
It wasn’t that he wanted him to say to stop reporting, just saying he seemed trustworthy now would be enough.
“……”
Surim, who had been glaring at the monitor with eyes full of rebellion, soon sighed heavily and dejectedly. It couldn’t be helped. The truth was that it was his fault for not properly checking the security zone in the first place.
Surim slumped his shoulders and went to get along well with the cart to receive the delivery. The supplies received today were items like A4 paper, Post-its, tissues, and so on. After organizing them in layers in the cabinet, Surim secretly stole a glance at Song Hanyeong.
Actually, him stealing glances at Song Hanyeong was an everyday occurrence, so it wasn’t particularly special. But today was somehow different. Song Hanyeong was a bit different from usual. It was the same beautiful face that made his heart pound just from looking at it as always, but strangely he felt a sense of desolation. He felt like he should go over and ask if he was okay and even give him rice cake or something.
Surim, who was forgetting the fact that he was sneaking glances and couldn’t take his eyes off Song Hanyeong, suddenly noticed that his skin was rough, under his eyes was dark, and fatigue could be glimpsed in his furrowed brow.
‘…Is something wrong?’
His clothes were changing every day, so unlike before, it didn’t seem like he was pulling all-nighters in the research lab, but was there some other tiring matter?
As far as Surim knew, there were no special problems in the research lab recently.
Surim, who had returned to his seat, sent a message to Lee Myeongho.
[Jin Surim] Manager-nim, is there some problem with the research by any chance?
[Lee Myeongho] Problem? What problem? Did Manager Song-nim say that?
[Jin Surim] No. It’s not that, but Manager Song-nim’s complexion looks really bad so I was just wondering.
[Lee Myeongho] Ah. It’s not a research problem.
[Lee Myeongho] Well, then it must be a personal problem.
How could a person be so utterly indifferent? If someone in the same office says a person’s complexion looks bad, isn’t it normal to at least worry? Surim shook his head while muttering to himself, then politely greeted.
[Jin Surim] Yes, thank you.
Next, he sent a message directly to Song Hanyeong.
[Jin Surim] Manager Song-nim, may I come over for a moment?
[Song Hanyeong] Where?
[Jin Surim] To your seat, Manager Song-nim.
[Song Hanyeong] Do that.
Having received permission, Surim carefully approached Song Hanyeong’s seat. When he bent slightly to bring his face closer, Song Hanyeong furrowed his brow as if puzzled.
“Manager-nim, is something going on with you lately?”
“Ah.”
“You look unwell. Your complexion is bad too.”
“It’s not to the point of worrying.”
Song Hanyeong avoided his gaze as if troubled. It was clear he wasn’t okay at all. Surim spoke up once more.
“You haven’t been eating well for the past few days either. If eating with me doesn’t suit your appetite, I’m really okay with it, so…”
“No.”
Sharp eyes caught Surim.
“It’s not like that, so don’t make me say it twice.”
“…But…”
“Please return to your seat.”
Surim looked at Song Hanyeong, who turned his body coldly, with dissatisfaction, then impulsively reached out his hand. This was something Song Hanyeong had done to him several times. So if the result was bad when he did the same thing, he wouldn’t be able to say anything different either.
His fingertips, which passed over Song Hanyeong’s neck, touched the nape. Surim didn’t stop there and tried to check the bones of the nape inside there, just as Song Hanyeong usually did when measuring how thin his body was. However, contrary to what he thought, what he felt in his hand was firm muscle.
No matter how bad his current condition was, there was bound to be a difference in the feel of the nape between Surim, who was thin even normally, and Song Hanyeong, who was originally muscular.
“……”
“……”
Surim’s flustered gaze, having groped someone else’s nape for no reason with nothing to say, collided with Song Hanyeong’s cold eyes. Surim belatedly thought his actions might seem very perverted.
The moment he tried to hurriedly pull his hand away, Song Hanyeong grabbed his wrist and pressed it firmly to his neck. His palm pressed tightly against the cool skin. The horrified Surim pulled his hand, but Song Hanyeong didn’t budge.
“M-Manager-nim…!”
“So, what’s your impression?”
“Th-That…”
“Groping your superior at work.”
“I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to do this…”
