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Yuta liked to think he had gotten used to their bickering already. He’d worked for so long with parks enthusiast Taeil, and Doyoung had arrived more than a month ago with the purpose of auditing their expenses. It was an obvious conflict of interests since the beginning, but one that was finally settled. Taeil sometimes could look at Doyoung’s face without utter disgust and Doyoung managed not to correct Taeil every time he spoke.
Yuta had comfortably relaxed in the tense atmosphere between the two, finding it more peaceful than their ardent discussions that had led the entire department to taking peeks through their door and creating gossip that lasted for weeks. Their last epic fight was due to a damn coffee maker, which had had an incredible life span of ten years until the day it broke down and Doyoung refused to allow a budget for a new one. Spiteful, Taeil had prepared an event at the biggest park in town for the coffee fund and they began arguing about it just before Taeil could start taking bids for a date. The auditor had dragged the parks director from the stage, while said parks director yelled in the microphone that someone was jealous, and in the end, Doyoung had to bid for a date that never even happened because they obviously hated each other’s guts.
Yuta, as a good boss, didn’t mention the fights and made sure to let them figure it out by themselves, like the big boys they were. It was harder said than done. He never would have thought he would miss the calm of bureaucracy work, but he did. Greatly.
It had been a week they had had any sort of discussion, and it was easy to return to their old atmosphere. Taeil, a big enthusiast of pattern button-ups, showed his boxy smile once again without an ounce of stress showing in his face, as he presented endless projects on how parks could get more funding (even if they were followed by more endless projects on how that money could be spent) and Doyoung, with his boring grey suits and dark simple ties, merely gave a thin lipped grimace and complimented Taeil on his hard work. No more arguments. Only simple professionalism. Doyoung was back to his office, auditing other departments, Taeil was pitching more and more projects for the department and Yuta was in his office, doing what was good for the government: nothing.
The boss was listening to classical music, eyes closed with the reassurance from his secretary Donghyuck that he had canceled every single one of his meetings. Life was good. That was until Taeil and Doyoung barged in the department screaming. War flashbacks went through Yuta’s mind.
“No, no, no, no!” Taeil was clearly in despair, running away from Doyoung, but stopping at the table in the middle of the department. No one was supposed to be in the office, gone to take care of the mayor’s party. Yuta, however, only followed his own orders and throwing a party for some government bureaucrat wasn’t his idea of fun, so he was at his desk, hiding from anyone who looked for him. He could see perfectly through his office’s glass windows; Tchaikovsky played beautifully in his ears, but not even his orchestra could contain the yells.
Most people who yell don’t do that on their own and, as Yuta imagined, soon Doyoung came up, having picked Taeil’s pace with slight breathing problems. He adjusted his grey suit before he started talking.
“You are against everything I suggest!” He whined, stomping his foot down. Yuta paused the music in his earphones. He might hate the confusion they brought, but their fights sure were worth watching.
“You want to make cuts in my department!”
“I want to help you keep your department!”
“You wanted to fire me!”
Ouch. Even Yuta felt that. He had accidentally let it slip that Doyoung had suggested that in a high staff meeting in the mayor’s office and had begged Taeil not to tell anyone. Taeil was livid. The next second he was banging on Doyoung’s office, screaming that no one could do the job he did and Doyoung could try firing him, but the parks department would be lost. He didn’t lie, but Yuta wished he hadn’t yelled for everyone to see. Doyoung was red-faced at the display, saying nothing and instead choosing to ignore Taeil.
“That was last month! And you do have a big salary.” Doyoung was the one sounding desperate at that moment. That was the closest he had ever gotten to an apology but the parks director turned his head. Doyoung took a step closer to him, towering over him and his tone almost begging. “Please, give me a chance.”
It was no surprise Taeil backed down. He could be the angriest he ever felt, but could never ignore someone in need. “What do you want?”
Doyoung sighed. Yuta couldn’t figure if it was in relief or bitterness. “So many things. But right now I want to take you to the mayor’s party, ask him for our budget. It’ll be nice, I’ll dress nicely.”
Taeil finally faced Doyoung again with a big frown. “Why don’t you ask Johnny to go with you?”
Doyoung shook his head without despair or guilt in his eyes. He stared at Taeil in all of his seriousness. “I want you.”
Fucking smooth. Yuta became more interested in their dialogue by the second.
Taeil wasn't nearly as impressed as Yuta and chuckled. “Sounds like you’re asking me out.” The park's director was almost asking for denial, for Doyoung to mutter a big ”ew” and shake his head emphatically.
Instead, Doyoung remained serious, eyes trying to find Taeil’s once again. When they did, he finally replied: “Maybe I am.”
Taeil probably hadn’t noticed, but he licked his own lips and Yuta could see his eyes dropping to Doyoung’s lips in confusion. “You wanted me fired last month.”
Doyoung looked down, getting shyer. “There were many reasons for me to change my mind.”
Yuta wasn’t breathing. He couldn’t possibly breathe. Taeil had taken a step towards Doyoung. His left hand was on Doyoung’s chest, fingers playing with his suit. The auditor was clearly shaken up by the proximity, eyes blinking fast, face slightly tilted so he would avoid leaning in for something more. Taeil had a small smile on his lips and his fingers brushed Doyoung’s collarbone. The taller man flinched with the touch to his bare skin but didn’t step away as Taeil tiptoed, trying to approach his ears better. Yuta couldn’t hear what was whispered, but the auditor’s eyes closed and he bit his bottom lip. Looking very full of himself, Taeil took a step back and walked out of the office, confidence clear in the way he swayed his hips. Before he was gone, he shouted: “See you at eight. Do dress nicely.”
Doyoung merely nodded. It was the first time Yuta had seen Doyoung completely speechless, but there he was: breathless, wordless and with a date for that night.