Archive of Our Own ^beta

Songhwa keeps saying that it was not love at first sight. It had been love at first help, that’s the logical reason she made for herself whenever someone mocking her about her crush. It started one day, when she was running late on her first day of her very first job. No, it was not her fault. The bus that she was riding suddenly had a flat tire, which made her find another bus except she was ready for getting late on her first day. Fortunately, she had safely arrived, though she needed to run to get on the lift. She had to land on the 15th floor before 8 AM, yet she was still in the main lobby eight minutes before 8 AM. If she didn't get on this lift now, she would certainly arrived late on her first day. Hence one of the people inside had held the lift button to wait for her to join on that lift before it closed.

It was the first thing that caught her attention on her first day as an employee.

On another day, she had to take a bunch of files from the shelf that was too high, which has been evaluated from her view point. The first attempt she was doing was tiptoeing her feet, her hand stretching far to her limit but the file folder still out of her reach. She racked her brain to find a new idea, the first idea that came to her mind was she needed to nearing closer to the shelf to get a proper hold, the next is taking small jumps to almost outreach that folder. In another second she lost her balance and nearly fell to her back. She had held her breath, closed her eyes, to foretaste the hurt she would get after landing on the hard floor. Thank the stars, she didn’t. Her body has leaned on something, which to be specific was someone had grabbed her from the back. Songhwa immediately stood up straight, tilting her neck to see her savior. Just as she wanted to utter a thank you for that person, the person had taken the folder she had been aiming for.

“Isn’t this that you want? You will need an escalier, which you can get over there.” The person who has the name of Lee Ikjun sunbae pointed to the location with his eyes and gave the files that she wanted.

“Thank you, sunbaenim.” Songhwa bowed to him. That was the second time she received help from him which she didn't expect to meet him this soon with another peculiar encounter.

It didn't stop there. Her today’s task was to copy the paper for the 1 PM meeting later. As the universe turns a blind eye about her having gotten herself into quite a predicament with shelves, the papers have to run out when she is on duty. She slumped her shoulder in the thought of going into the supply room, trying to reach another high shelf to bring out blank papers.

In the first instance after she was turning her heels, someone had hovered behind with a stack of papers.

“You can use this.” The person handed out the blank papers.

The person who handed the paper, adjusting his glasses before leaving her in awe.

He is wearing glasses, Lee sunbaenim is WEARING THE GLASSES. He looked better with glasses on.

The corner of her mouth had turned up, recalling what just happened 2 minutes ago as she is staring to the papers on her hand.

Everything seems just an action for a sunbae helping a hoobae, but when it became a routine, she knew that it had turned to something else, at least for her. The series of unfortunate events she had been through had turned into something momentous, especially where her knight in shining armor was there to save her day. It has grown into something that she couldn’t understand. The person who had cohered there for her slowly has become her crush. To that extent, she is hoping to call him as her oppa, not just a sunbae.

There is only one thing that she needs to take note of, this sunbae is not just an ordinary coworker. He is popular, popular among the women in this company. Songhwa has reflected that she has zero probability to win his heart. Beside the fact that he is popular, he won’t talk to everyone except for work stuff. Her became-favorite-sunbae doesn’t have any interest beside work. It is probably the main reason for him to be called “work-aholee”. Nonetheless, Songhwa has already set her mind whatever it is, Lee Ikjun will always be her favorite sunbae.

Until that day came. Songhwa wasn’t in the mood for anything, probably this kind of work has stressed her out, or else she couldn’t even know the reason. She had been holding her breath over the 30 minutes from a sudden lecture from her sunbae, which keeps talking about this thing and that thing. On top of that, she has to lose on getting the first queue of today’s lunch after hearing that scolding. She grunted under her breath if Lee Ikjun was the one who lectured her, she wouldn't ever be mad for everything. But, it was that sunbae. One of the sunbae that she doesn’t like, named Kim Junwan sunbaenim.

She knew that Kim sunbaenim just likes to test her limits, same as everyone had been told to her too. When he had the opportunity, he would do that to his hoobae.

Chae Songhwa, or who is she today as Ms. Not-Feel-Like-Assistant-Manager is now aimlessly walking through the long queue for having her lunch. At least, I could recharge my energy with today’s lunch menu featuring beef, my favorite. That’s a sentence she had discerned after seeing the full plate of today’s lunch.

However, the universe has purposely guided her into another despair. She had chosen the wrong seat to enjoy her lunch, which particularly ended her sitting with a group of interns. As a bonus, the interns were overly excited, talking and gossiping about her favorite sunbae.

“Yah yah, have you seen the sunbae of the marketing department? He looks so extremely fine.” The intern number one has started the conversation.

Songhwa couldn’t help but laugh at that statement. She was unintentionally listening through their entire conversation, how could she not? They were talking so loud beside her anyway. Songhwa was focused on her meal, her ears firmly on full alert through their lunch discussion when there’s an unforeseen question that made her turn her head.

“Does Lee Sunbae have a girlfriend yet?” The intern number three with long hair started the topic.

“He does.” Songhwa blurts out.

Damn what did I just do.

Songhwa grimaced on herself, regreting her impulsive action, but it was already too late. The interns already turned their heads towards Songhwa, asking for specific evidence. Songhwa cleared her throat, “He has. It has been 1 year already, you guys have no chance.” Songhwa nodded her head firmly straight to ten pairs of eyes that had fixed on her since she declared her first move. The interns’ eyes were still fixed on her, even though she had already finished her sentence. It had not been mentioned, the interns’ eyes were keeping on her side not just because of her sudden confrontation.

“Ne.. isseo. Have you enjoyed your food, jagiya?” The voice came from somewhere behind her, but she didn’t need to turn to know whose the owner of that voice.

Songhwa thought that her ears had tricked her mind. A touch on her shoulder has made her jolted from her thoughts. She was turning her head slowly to see her sunbae, the one that had been talked about by everyone at this table, was smiling right behind her, then taking a chair to sit next to her side.

“Jagiya? Do you miss so much until you can’t help but to stop eating?” Ikjun chuckled.

Songhwa blinked three times, “Eo..” Songhwa gave him a short nod, eyes still open wide, before she could continue munching the leftover food that was still in her mouth.

After that incident, Songhwa had to pretend as his girlfriend amidst their lunch, Ikjun even offered a help to bring her food tray back to the canteen. As if everyone knew, the interns have returned into silence, finishing their food and also secretly putting an eye on Songhwa and Ikjun’s interactions through the lunch.

Fast forwarding to the night, Songhwa has received many questions that she had lost count on after today’s incident. Songhwa was absolutely happy for today, but it doesn't mean it doesn't added another weight on her shoulders. The rumor has spread that fast to the time she keeps receiving questions from her colleagues and even someone who was never talking with her. She just merely gave them an assured smile or a short chuckle. She even decided to stay in the office longer because she couldn't bear to meet everyone who suddenly became curious or just to hear them talking behind about her sudden relationship with Lee Sunbae from the marketing team.

She heaved a sigh subsequently after she could leave the office avoiding the murmurs, rumors, malicious talks, questions that were directly or indirectly around. She was in the middle of stretching her stiff neck at the time that a white sedan car stopped in front of her.

“Hey, can I have your time for a moment?” said the man who had rolled down his white sedan's window.

Songhwa had taken back a little, he man who had been alleged with her on today’s gossip in their office, had come into her view, freshly in front of her eyes. In that moment, a streak of today’s incident flew across her mind. Her cheeks turned crimson out of reflex and embarrassment.

“Hello?”

“Ne?” Songhwa has awakened from her mind-blank.

“Do you have a time for a cup of coffee?. Um, I think we need to clear out everything that has happened.” The man explained his intention.

“Oh? Sure, sunbaenim.”

After Songhwa gave a simple yes 10 minutes before, she ended up in front of her favorite sunbae, sitting on the same table at the coffee shop not too far from their office.

Ikjun cleared his throat, “Okay, I guess this is the time. I want to say sorry and thank you to you. I think this is the right time to do it. Afar from everybody too, so…” Ikjun looked down to his laps.

Songhwa had believed that today’s coffee meeting would be hard to become their last time. So did Ikjun.

“Oppa..”

“Hm?” Ikjun’s gaze still focused on the screen as they are watching a cliche romance movie together, after some arguments and nags from his girlfriend.

“Am I really yours?” Songhwa pops up a question, throughout the time they are watching the movie on Ikjun’s living room, enjoying each other company as Ikjun stroking her hair softly.

“Why do you keep asking the same question every month?” Ikjun laughs off before he is giving a soft pinch on her cheek while she is laying her head on his lap.

“I guess, I still can’t believe it, yet..” Songhwa touches the back of the hand which has caressed her cheek after giving a light pinch.

“It has been more than 100 days and yet you still can’t believe it?”

“Eo, it still feels like a dream until now. How could I meet you one time, then I just lied about your relationship status, suddenly became your fake girlfriend, to the times at the coffee shops, and now I have become your real girlfriend.” Songhwa playing with his hand deliberately, before intertwining it with hers.

“It just happened? I didn’t regret my decision though. Even though you suddenly freaked out and ran away from that coffee shop when I confessed my feelings.”

“Why did you suddenly bring that back?” Songhwa’s cheeks reddened, unpleasantly withdraw her hand from their hand holding.

“That was a part of our journey!”

“Tell me then.. When do you start to like me?” Songhwa sneers.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Maybe? I have a hunch in my mind but I want to hear directly from you.”

“What’s your hunch?”

“All I can suspect is that it started on the day when I helped you to hide your single status from hungry-of-love-interns?”

Ikjun holds his gaze towards her, who is still laying her head on his lap. “Daeng. You are wrong.”

“Huh? Then?”

Ikjun knows where this conversation will go, in the meantime he suggests something. “How about another story? You never knew when I first met you, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Wasn’t it the first time we worked at the same company?”

“Ani.” Ikjun plants a quick peck on her lips, her confused look was too cute to be ignored.

Songhwa returns with a smile on her face.

“It was raining cats and dogs that day, I didn’t bring an umbrella so I am walking to the bus stop soaking wet after I got an annoucement that I didn’t pass the job interview because I lost it to the kid of the CEO. My day has been really bad. When I met a stranger who suddenly gave their umbrella to me.”

Songhwa keeps mum, eyes and ears fixated on Ikjun, she is waiting for further explanations.

Ikjun gives a small smile. “Do you remember giving away your umbrella when it rained heavily to a stranger?”

“Me?! How could you be sure that person was me?” Songhwa found herself to be confounded by Ikjun’s impromptu question.

Ikjun fixes his gaze to Songhwa’s eyes, hoping she can register what he has said.

“Yellow umbrella, with a big duck face on it.”

“I.. don’t think I have a memory about that. But, I did borrow an umbrella from my friend.. then my friend got angry with me.” Songhwa tilts her head a bit, “becau—se I can’t return– AHHH!” Songhwa jerks from her lying position, seated up straight sprightly which almost knocked Ikjun’s chin. She is fixing her position to sequencing herself to face Ikjun, then halts her gaze to him.

“I promised my friend to return the umbrella, but I said there’s someone who really needs an umbrella so I gave it away. My friend was really angry that time because it was her precious umbrella. So you were the person who took it?” Songhwa clasped both of her hands over her mouth.

“So, it’s not yours but your friend’s. I think I need to thank her, not you.” Ikjun tilts his head then narrowing his eyes to Songhwa.

“Plausibly, all I can remember is there was a person who looked like a drenched lost kitten walking to the bus stop where I sat. He looked very depressed walking down without a proper shield in heavy rain, but I didn’t know what to do. So, I was offering something that I have.” Songhwa defends herself.

“Mwo?.... Drenched?... Lost kitten?” Ikjun stutters after hearing her explanation.

“Eo.. So, was it you?” Songhwa laughs at the moment she has slapped Ikjun’s arm.

“Yah! Are you sure that we are sharing the same story? I think you are mistaken.”

“Huh? But I’m sure enough have only done it once. I don’t want to hear another lecture from my friend about stop being too kind to a stranger.” Songhwa says nonchalantly.

“How?!” Ikjun’s eyes look like they want to fall out.

Songhwa shakes her head, “Hahaha.. I’m sorry. I really did that only once, which unexpectedly I gave it to you.” she leans to his shoulder, circling her arm to him, “So does that mean, you have liked me since that day? Not when I kept appearing at your sight in the same company?”

“Humm.. No, honestly, it is more likely to show my gratitude if someday I meet the person who has saved me from that cruel day. I never thought that I would meet you in the company where I work that has extended to that lunch time incident.” He replies.

The story has gone long, nevertheless is intriguing to Songhwa. It’s the first time for her to hear point of view from Ikjun’s side. After another piece of puzzle has been found, Songhwa can conclude that Ikjun is not really aware of their very first meeting at the lift on the day she went as a new employee in their company. Ikjun reveals the truth that he just figured out she was his angel of his bad day with a yellow umbrella after their second meeting, which took place at their pantry. Songhwa was there, making a cup of coffee while talking with her colleague.

Since that moment, Ikjun has set his mind to be 24/7 to help Songhwa whenever she needed it. The reason is simple, she has been a hero for keeping his spirit to keep applying for jobs until now he can reach this stage and enjoy his recent job. Ikjun has also said that he is just doing the deeds because he wants to sincerely thank her. Songhwa has replied that he is too much for taking her to that point and she is also thanking him for helping her until this time on adapting herself in her first job.

Ikjun hasn’t finished yet, beforehand he asks Songhwa if she wanted to continue to listen to his story rather than watch the movie which much surprised Songhwa that the movie has played to another movie that their netflix has suggested without anyone noticing it. Songhwa then nods a yes, to know that he still has much to tell.

“Just go on.” Songhwa takes the remote to pause the movie, then propping a cushion above her crossed legs.

Ikjun gives a smile then conjectures his story. He starts out by telling that everything started to get out of his control, latterly he ceased to sightsee her struggles from every back or even on that day. He said that it was destined that he was infallibly there wherever or whenever she needed a hand. In a frank way, he confessed that he really appreciated her when she stood out for telling the interns that he’s already in a relationship, helping him get out of that situation which he really hates, surrounded by almost every woman, single and married woman by all odds. In other, he needs to highlight that he was not too sure back then, so he took the chance of the coffee talk in the night. He said that he was grateful at that time for Songhwa deciding to agree and not taking blame on him for that day’s incident.

“Then, when did you start to like me? I think you haven’t told me about that.”

“Um.. We still have a lot of time to catch that later.” Ikjun takes her hand to interlace with him, softly rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

“Hm.. Okay. But, oppa. Do you by any chance still keep the umbrella? I think I need to return it if you still have it.”

“Yah! Is the umbrella more important than me now?”

“Eo. My friendship has almost got ruined because of that umbrella! It was a gift from her crush back then.” Songhwa sticks her tongue out cheekily.

Ikjun can only shake his head as he is circling his hand around her torso, “Ugh, this woman is really.” Ikjun gives her a tight side hug ever, then starts jabbing her on her waist.

“Sto–stop stop! HAHAHAHA, please don't do that, that's ticklish.” Songhwa has wriggled around, to avoid Ikjun’s numerous tickling attacks.

The sofa isn't really wide so it didn't take a long time before Songhwa lost her balance and landed herself on the ground.

“OW.” Songhwa lets out a loud yelp, after touching her buttocks on the floor.

Ikjun suddenly got up from his seat, squatting beside her. “Are you okay?” Ikjun is asking in full of worries.

“Nooo–noo.. but, YES I AM.” Songhwa kicks him back with a sudden attack of tickling.

“Got you!” Songhwa smirks when she starts her plan to take revenge on him.

“Oh gosh, this woman is really full of surprises.” Ikjun retrieves a quick defense after sudden tickles landing on his weakest point, as tiny as she is, Ikjun thrives on it. He gets the hold of both of her hands with his right hand, and her buttocks on his left hand. Before he suddenly props himself up to uphold Songhwa on bridal style.

“Woah.. What are you doing?” Songhwa quirks one of her eyebrows as she feels herself being lifted up.

“May you help me for today, ms. Chae?” Ikjun has already carried Songhwa steadily with his muscular arms.

“What can I help you, sir?”

“You. Stay. Here. Tonight.”

“I don’t have any objection to disagreeing, sir.” Songhwa is circling her hands on Ikjun’s neck.

“I love you.” Ikjun whispering behind her ear before tilting his head, closing proximity between them; get a full grasp on her lips. The session has slowly getting hotter and Ikjun has decided that they need a proper place to make it last longer and better. He is retracting his position, saunters himself and Songhwa sloppily to his bedroom; trying his best to not run over the things around his apartment as he is still focusing on her lips. Knocked to the door, the wardrobe, the table, the book shelves and finally Ikjun’s feet touchs the bed’s foot. His hand has slipped a few inches under her rib cage whilst Songhwa hitched out of breath. Their lips have parted, catching the breath with chest rising, henceforth slowly shifted to holding each other gaze of their blushed faces for a quiet while.

“Have I told you before? I love seeing you on your specs.” Songhwa speaks her mind as he is stroking her hair out from her face.

“Your every wish is my command, ma’am. So, wait a minute, I'll be right back!” He removes himself from the bed, then runs as fast to find his glasses which he has left in the living room.

“Lee Ikjun, what have I done in the previous life for having you?” Songhwa chuckles.

Lee Ikjun opens the door then runs lightheartedly out from his room, making a beeline for the living room on a mission to find his specs, which he gladly knows that Songhwa likes to see him with. Before he landed himself in the living room, he is hearing a resonance.

“You sure enjoy your time alone, don’t you?”

Ikjun startled hard. He freezes on the spot, when something icy crawled over its way up to his neck. He is looking over his shoulder weakly, discovering his roommate, sitting on the chair of their dining table, with a can of beer in his hand.

“Oh? Hi! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the airport right now?” Ikjun grins as wide as he could, hiding his nervousness.

“Yep, but I’m here now.”

“Did you leave something behind? You should have contacted me if you need something, I will bring it to you.” Ikjun smiles stiffly.

“Absolutely no, I am here because I am not going.” The roommate gives a simple reason.

“Oh, why? A reschedule?”

“Well, there's a sudden change for the meeting in Hawaii.” He is fixing his glasses with point finger.

“So, are you really not going?”

“So, are you really sad to know I am here? — where I have invaded the space of your making out session?”

“Wh–what do you mean? Of course no, I am happy you’re back, I— I have never been ready to be left out by you for three months ahead.” Ikjun grinned, cold sweat flowing down from his forehead.

“Who is that?”

“That is who?”

“Don’t twist my words. I heard woman’s voice from the bedroom.” His roommate is getting himself out from the chair, taking some steps forward.

Ikjun, who can see the danger, discern his roommate’s move. Ikjun slowly retreated back to the his bedroom, drawn knocking himself to the door.

“So who is that? Is that woman from the club you’ve been coming to?” The roommate has halted his movement just 5 steps across Ikjun's, crossing both of his arms.

Songhwa has waited for more than 10 minutes, however there is no hint of Ikjun coming back. She has waited for this moment, but where is Ikjun now? Can’t he find his specs? Songhwa is starting to wonder, to the moment she decides to follow Ikjun outside by herself. Before she could open a door, she heard a loud thud come from the door which she almost turned its doorknob.

“I can exp—”

Songhwa heard her boyfriend's voice but it went into faint air, she couldn’t hear the rest of the sentence clearly. Songhwa’s mind has rummaged through every possibility that could happen, from Ikjun fainted in front of the door to the worst case about a robber coming into his apartment to knock him down.

Songhwa comes panicking, she abruptly opens the doorknob that makes Ikjun stumbles backward because he had leaned into the door.

“Are you okay, oppa?” Songhwa murmurs to his ears.

The person who has stood across them opens their mouth, eyes blinking hard; utterly in shock after hearing the words from Songhwa’s mouth.

Yet, Ikjun never answers her, he is too nervous to speak whereas a pair of eyes have burned holes into him. Songhwa immediately looked in the same direction. There’s someone else with him. The person looked fiercely at both of them.

He is definitely phisically fine but not mentally. Songhwa comes in a second to recognize the person who has made Ikjun’s face like that. She is late to figure out that the person is none other than her sunbaenim, her manager in her department at their office.

At lightning speed, Songhwa bends her body into half to greet her another sunbae. Songhwa and Ikjun are exchanging looks afterward, not quite understanding each other’s confusion.

Kim Junwan, the one and only manager of her, breaking the silence between them by coughing his non-itchy throat, “Okay, so who’s going to explain this situation now?”