By Zephyria 
“Something good happen?”
Ian suddenly spoke, placing the approval documents on my desk. I was turning my stiff shoulders when his face, looking at me with affection, caught my eye. Below it, I glimpsed the chocolate placed on top of the file.
He came all the way to my desk to give me this. I deliberately spoke curtly and turned my head away from him. The corners of my lips, which had been raised, drooped down.
“I was called a swan, and now I’m suddenly being turned into a duck by my wicked Team leader, so I’m very upset.”
“You are a swan. Gyeoul is my most cherished and beloved swan. So, please, let go of your anger. I’m even offering a bribe like this.”
“That was originally my share. We agreed on it. What’s mine is mine. What’s Team leader’s is also mine.”
“That’s right. I’ve always been Gyeoul’s. Then, I’ll buy you dinner tonight instead. Okay?”
There were sentences mixed in with subtle meanings, weren’t there?
Even to my illogical grumbling, he flattered me and gently turned my chair. Compared to before, his attitude was much more gentle, but my sharpened heart didn’t soften so easily. Or, I pretended it didn’t.
When I thought about it, it wasn’t Ian’s fault. It was something I should have taken care of from the beginning. What Team leader would take responsibility for relationships with coworkers or data analysis? This isn’t elementary school. It was just that I didn’t like this situation being used as a means.
I nudged his shoe with my foot.
In times like this, it was right to confront him head-on. It would be troublesome to be mistaken by being deceived by words that could be misunderstood. Like last time. One such disaster was enough.
“You’re asking me out on a date in a really unromantic way. Ms. Overtime asked to meet me first today. How about tomorrow?”
“Should I help with your work? I get jealous when you’re alone with Ms. Overtime. It feels like I’m being robbed.”
A shiver ran down my spine at the slightly smiling voice. Goosebumps rose on my scalp. This was a danger signal. Ian’s ‘help’ had never been okay. Not even once.
I urgently grabbed his wrist. I had to stop him somehow. He said he wasn’t responsible for this incident, but it couldn’t be said that he had no influence.
“Don’t say the word ‘help.’ I have trauma from that word.”
“In the end, it will have turned out the way Gyeoul wanted.”
“……Have you ever taken an MBTI test before?”
I’m not someone who believes in this kind of pseudo-science……. The T-zone on that handsome face looked exactly like the T in MBTI. Ian tilted his head, puzzled by my words. He didn’t seem to understand at all.
“……It was popular in Korea.”
I barely muttered, filled with self-reproach. It was a voice as small as an ant.
Ian exclaimed briefly, as if he had realized something. I was even more embarrassed by that sight and lowered my head. Two pairs of shoes touching each other came into view.
Come to think of it, when did we get so close? The distance was too narrow. Mentally and physically.
Can I handle this distance?
“Why do you ask that? Do you think I seem like a strange type?”
Ian squatted down to get into my line of sight and looked up at me. My heart thumped in surprise as his handsome face came close. His appearance was flawless from any angle.
To avoid straining my heart, I gently covered his face with both hands. As the light disappeared from in front of me, my whispering heart calmed down little by little.
Now, my composure was back in place.
“Ian, your face is a weapon, so please refrain from this kind of seduction.”
He burst into laughter, shaking his whole body, at what part of my words was so funny. Attention was focused on Ian’s laughter. Perhaps because of the aftermath of our first meeting, I often felt gazes whenever I talked to Ian. Full of curiosity.
Would he fall on his butt if I pushed him hard like this? Then strange misunderstandings would quickly subside. Instead, there would be gossip about my personality, but oh well…….
It was always like that.
“It’s great news that my appearance is attractive to Gyeoul.”
He grabbed my hands and lowered them. Ian’s beautiful face was revealed again. My hands, trapped in the hot warmth, couldn’t move.
Ah, I just added fuel to the rumors again. It was at a level where it would burn so brightly that it would burn everything down. My face must be that red right now too.
There was only one thing I could do now. Kick him out.
“I’m angry. Go back to your seat and work until I forgive you, Team leader.”
“Look at you changing the subject because you’re embarrassed.”
“No, I’m not. Go quickly.”
At this rate, rumors of an office romance would spread. Even though we’re not like that at all. Some copier would know and label us as an official couple, saying something about romance.
I was the one who got 0 confessions and 1 rejection!
Resentment filled my head. Perhaps sensing my mood, Ian smiled gently and stepped back.
“I’ll let it slide because you’re cute. Make sure you keep tomorrow free. I’ll come pick you up around closing time.”
He said only what he wanted to say until the end and disappeared. These days, Ian would nonchalantly throw bombs into my ordinary life and leisurely escape.
Compared to Korea, which was precarious like standing on a cliff, it was much more stable, but now it felt like…… I was on a shaky bridge. There was a tension that I couldn’t figure out where it came from.
“There’s something going on between you and Team leader, isn’t there, Winter?”
A face suddenly popped out over the partition. This was the wreckage of the ruined surroundings. What Ian had passed on.
Michael’s eyes sparkled with the most lively expression I had ever seen. His excited voice approached, gradually branching out.
If I wasn’t mistaken, the office had become rapidly quiet. As if trying to listen to my answer. Even if I wasn’t their concern, Ian’s case was different.
“Have you ever seen smoke without fire?”
“Heok! Is it…… real? Are you two dating?”
With a bizarre sound, Michael brought his face even closer. As if trying to find evidence from me somehow.
As soon as I finished speaking, various noises were heard simultaneously, such as the sound of wheels rolling and a pen falling.
I barely managed to hold back the corners of my lips from twitching. I made a subtle expression and slightly rolled my eyes to the monitor. There was one more number in the mailbox I had just opened.
In an instant, my attention was focused on that email more than anything else. What kind of words would amuse me again? I wanted to open that email quickly. Sirius was a surprisingly funny person.
Suddenly, Michael grabbed my hand and drew my attention. I felt a momentary drop in mood at the touch of someone who wasn’t within my boundaries. I wasn’t usually this sensitive. I realized that I had been on edge about the gossip surrounding me these days.
I slipped my hand away and replied. It seemed best to end the joke here.
“It means there wasn’t even smoke.”
“Liar. As you know, Ian is a scary person, but he’s only like that to Winter. There’s a lot of smoke.”
“Are you perhaps interested in me? I’m sorry. Michael is not my type. I’m really sorry. Even if I make a hundred concessions…….”
I blocked his words with absurdity. His face gradually hardened. Irregular teeth were glimpsed between his slightly open lips.
He wouldn’t bother me for a while now. The rest of the people full of curiosity weren’t close enough to ask such personal things.
“Don’t say such ridiculous things!”
“Look, Michael. There’s smoke even where there’s no fire.”
I left him with a dumbfounded look and turned my gaze to the monitor. As expected, the protagonist of the email was Sirius.
Why was this trivial postscript so welcome? Perhaps it was a sense of kinship as a fellow Korean. There was a world that only we knew. Sharing it made me feel like my loneliness was fading away.
To Mr. Winter.
I hope you always have happy things happen. The data you sent earlier is fine to proceed with as is. We will contact you later through Mr. Richard regarding the briefing you requested. He will be visiting in person.
Thank you for your quick reply despite your busy schedule. Please feel free to contact us if you have any difficulties.
Thank you.
Sirius, Dream.
P.S. If I have the opportunity, I will share some gochujang with you. However, the store you mentioned earlier has closed, so I bought it from another store that someone I know liked. If you have a traditional palate, it should suit you well. If you need anything from Korea, please let me know and I will consider bringing it. I have one question…… Do you also need doenjang?
I barely managed to hold back the laughter that almost burst out at doenjang. Yes, this was what was pleasant. He asked something completely unexpected and yet the other person was calm.
There’s no more email content to send. Can I just reply to the postscript?
I drew a star with the mouse. Sirius, the brightest star. What’s his Korean name? Of course, I knew it was rude to ask more. Although he could roughly infer my name.
After much deliberation, I sent a simple reply to the postscript. It seemed okay to say something trivial like it would be nice if he brought doenjang.
Now I have to work again. I closed the email window and turned on Excel again to avoid the overtime ending late. It was still a busy afternoon.