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“This is Jungwon,” Jay introduces, the other five members of the team gathered around him.
Sunghoon stares, mouth wide open like an unattractive Venus flytrap and eyes bulging like a pug. A cute pug if Sunghoon was to defend himself.
The boy has big fluffy eyebrows and soft hair with a fading red. If Sunghoon were a poet, he’d write a sonnet about the mole on his chin and a ballad about the crater on his cheek but there’s a reason Sunghoon never took literature. Though, the main thing that catches Sunghoon’s attention is his eyes. He looks like a cat. An animal person. Exactly Sunghoon’s type.
Sunghoon hurriedly wipes his hands on his pants, about to eagerly extend them in greeting and sweep Jungwon away with his strong manly grip when someone beats him to it.
“Hi Jungwon! I’m Jake!”
Sunghoon watches with disdain as the blonde-haired man wrenches Jungwon’s delicate hand in strong up and down motions. He would never be that rough.
As he’s walking forward to one-up the other man, his shoe gets stuck in the piece of carpet sticking out, causing him to stumble forward and land face-first into Jake’s heaving bosom. He hastily turns around, Jake’s arms still caught around his waist and gives Jungwon a beaming smile.
“Welcome to Wind and Bind! If you’re open, we could dine?”
Immediately, his face flushes red, and Jake snickering behind him is no help. Sunoo, god’s saviour, pushes him away and shows Jungwon the full effect of his whiskers.
“Ignore them. We’re really happy to have you on board. If you ever have a problem, I’m your person.”
“Sunoo’s HR,” Jay tells Jungwon. “Heeseung over there is IT. These two buffoons are our sales team. And you’ll be working with this tall fellow Niki. Niki, Jungwon is the new accountant so show him the ropes. I’ll be checking in with all of you on Wednesday.” Jay gives Jungwon another soft smile before heading into his private office already pulling out his phone. Probably Barty begging Jay to come work in the main office rather than managing this small understaffed branch.
Niki motions to the shared back desks where finance and HR are situated together. “I’ll give you a tour!”
“He’s adorable,” Jake sighs happily. “I’m so glad we have another cute face in the office after Taki left.”
“You need to learn to keep your tongue in your mouth,” Sunghoon mutters.
“Why? Scared to remember what it can do?” Jake taunts.
“More concerned that you’ll scare Jungwon off with how it keeps rolling out of your mouth,” Sunghoon snarks back, the tips of his ears lightly flushing.
“You guys need to stop doing this in the workplace,” Heeseung sighs exasperatedly. He looks at Sunoo beseechingly, “Surely this is some kind of HR violation?”
“Unfortunately they're within their rights to say anything as long as they’re not explicitly giving details,” Sunoo grimaces. “But the real problem here is you only calling Taki and Jungwon cute. I’m plenty cute.”
“Well yes, but you’re also terribly scary and keep shooting daggers at me anytime I suggest we get dinner together,” Jake points out.
Sunoo hums in agreement, satisfied with his reputation and flounces away.
“Jungwon is really cute, isn’t he?” Sunghoon says in wonderment.
“Nope. I refuse. You are not dating Jungwon,” Jake vehemently shakes his head.
“Of course not! I have to win him over first to date him.”
“He doesn’t even know your name.”
“Ariel didn’t know Eric’s name and she still fell in love.”
“Did you just compare Jungwon to Ariel? Because of his red hair? You suck.”
“Well, I have a better chance than you. I’m better looking.”
“Jungwon’s not that shallow,” Jake defends despite having met the lad for a mere 30 seconds. “Jungwon would choose someone who could give him a stable life and as the one bringing in more sales for this branch, that is clearly me.”
“Shut up, you two,” Heeseung puts a stop to the banter. “Neither of you is dating Jungwon. Leave the poor kid alone.”
Sunghoon and Jake face each other head-on.
Sorry, Jungwon. There are two fools coming your way.
***
Jake watches, camouflaged by the large money plant conveniently situated in front of the breakroom window, as Sunghoon stirs sugar into the freshly made cup of coffee. Or at least what he thinks is sugar.
See, Jake had seen this coming. Jake remembers when he dated Sunghoon and he insisted on being a gentleman. It was the whole shebang: holding the door open; pulling out the chair; draping his jacket over his cold shivering form; and sure, Jake enjoyed it. Guys like romance too! But what he clearly remembers was the tea.
Jake never liked coffee. He was always a chocolate milk kinda guy but there was a limit to how much milo one could consume in a day. So he compromises. Green tea in the morning and milo in the afternoon, like a strong healthy boy.
Sunghoon found out one time when he stayed over for the night. After that, every day at work he’d have a steaming cup of green tea placed right in front of him at 10 am sharp.
But the difference with Jungwon? He’s a coffee person. Not the sort that’s grumpy and can’t function without swimming in their monstrous caffeine concoction, but rather the sort that enjoys an occasional cappuccino and would never say no to a cup.
Which is why one of the first things Sunghoon did when Jungwon joined was ask his coffee preference - full cream milk with a spoonful of sugar. As soon as he had said that, Jake knew what was brewing because Sunghoon was also a tea person. Black and bland just like his soul.
Friday morning, Jake woke up feeling like Trewlany after three bottles of sherry, which is: prophetic. He had a premonition that sometime soon, Sunghoon was going to try and win Jungwon over with his bastardly gentlemanly ways. The most obvious method? Coffee.
This is in no way related to why Jake stayed in the office till late Friday evening, spending his meagre disposable income on miscellaneous items, painstakingly transferring the sugar into a new container and filling the old one with sugar’s more spicy twin sister, salt.
Which brings us to Monday, re: Sunghoon making Jungwon coffee.
The hair on Sunghoon’s nape stands up in foreboding. He can’t help but feel that there is someone watching him with beady little eyes, praying for his downfall.
His money is on that jerk, Jake.
But Sunghoon isn’t going to let Jake make a joke of his life, no siree, because today is the day Jungwon will blush looking into his eyes as he sips the best coffee he’s ever had. He’s bound to fall in love.
Holding the cup of coffee, he strides purposefully towards Jungwon, who's engrossed in some paperwork at his desk.
"Hey, Jungwon," Sunghoon says smoothly - is what he wants you to think. If his voice cracks like a pubescent teenage boy confessing to his crush, that’s a secret between Sunghoon and Jungwon. And Jake. Jake’s always there.
Thankfully, Jungwon seems to not have noticed his tiny misstep, too busy with numbers and whatever else accountants do. Probably taxes.
He coughs again to get Jungwon’s attention. Jungwon looks up, his eyes meeting Sunghoon's. "Oh, hey Sunghoon. What's up?"
“Made you coffee,” Sunghoon declares, presenting the cup of coffee like a trophy. “With sugar.”
Jungwon's eyes light up. "You remembered. Thanks, Sunghoon!"
As Jungwon takes the first sip, Sunghoon watches him intently, awaiting the anticipated reaction. Sadly, what awaits him is not the blissed-out face of a satisfied customer, it’s the sudden incessant gagging accompanied by watery eyes and a hoarse plea for water. What could’ve possibly gone wrong?
Desperation creeps into Sunghoon’s voice as he realises his plan might not be foolproof. “Jungwon, are you okay?”
Before Jungwon can respond, Jay stops in front of them holding two cafe coffee cups. “Oh, you didn’t use the sugar from the break room, did you?” he eyes the mug placed in front of Jungwon. “I forgot to mention it earlier but I think someone accidentally switched the sugar and salt labels. I was going to go out tonight and buy new containers.”
At the announcement, Sunghoon whips his head to look into the breakroom and makes eye contact with Jake. Jake gives a jaunty little wave, casually holding the supposed sugar container. Sunghoon feels hatred.
“Oh hyung, it’s okay!” Jungwon pats his back as if he had sensed Sunghoon was about to start blubbering apologies. “Jay hyung got me this coffee anyway!”
Sunghoon clenches his fists. No way is Jake going to best him.
***
“Sunoo, you’re close with Jungwon right?” Sunghoon sidles up to Sunoo, who is firing off emails at an alarming rate. Sunoo doesn’t look up.
“No.”
“I heard the both of you make plans for a sleepover on the weekend. You had that conversation 10 minutes ago?” Sunghoon questions disbelievingly.
“You heard wrong,” Sunoo denies.
“Please, just tell me, do I at least have a chance with him?”
“No.”
“What about with you? Have you reconsidered?” Sunghoon attempts the most classic route of flattery.
“No.”
“We’d be so hot together.”
“A new face in the office and you forget about me. How can I trust you?”
“No, baby please, I promise it’s you I really want.”
“This isn’t going to work. Jake already tried this on me.”
“Dammit,” Sunghoon curses at having his plans foiled. “Wait no, that’s not what I meant. It’s really you I want,” Sunghoon tries his luck again. Sunoo is very pretty with bubbly cheeks, amber eyes and a killer soul. On any day of the week, he looks like a cotton candy fairy. Before Jungwon, Sunghoon had been valiantly trying to win Sunoo’s favour so he would not mind even a tiny feasible chance with him.
“No.”
Sunghoon sighs. “Surely Heeseung hyung will help me.”
***
Jake sits on top of his desk, idly kicking his feet and sipping his chocolate milk from the carton with his non-environmentally friendly plastic straw. Don’t blame him, it came with the carton.
From his vantage point, he can see Heeseung having a private moment with his box of donuts. Jay’s pacing around his office, running his hand through his hair and gesticulating wildly as if the person on the other line can see his obscure hand gestures. Sunoo and co, i.e. Finance, are giggling over something on Niki’s phone. Sunghoon The Shameless is nowhere to be seen and as luck has it, Jungwon is now heading straight in his direction.
Jake perks up, smoothing down the collar of his shirt and leaning back on his desk to appear more effortless. In his haste to look good, he accidentally squeezes the chocolate milk too hard, causing an unsightly brown mark to appear on his crisp (no-longer) white shirt.
Jake curses, jumping off the table and squatting to reach for a napkin from the bottom drawer. Chocolate milk discarded haphazardly on his desk, he doesn’t realise when a new person is now hovering over him.
“Jake, you alright?” comes Jungwon’s melodic voice.
Jake startles, hitting his head on the desk on his way up. “Ha ha yeah,” he mumbles, rubbing the bump on his head. “Don’t mind me. Just cleaning out my drawer.”
“Um, you’ve got a little something-” Jungwon gestures towards his entire torso.
Jake straightens up, brazenly pointing to his now cow-print shirt. “Oh, this? It’s a new trend. All over TikTok. Very fashionable,” Jake nods, trying to gaslight the accountant.
“I believe you.”
Feeling generous at the appraisal and in a mood to endear himself, Jake decides to share a vital piece of company information. “Psst, Jungwon, wanna know a secret?”
Jungwon hesitatingly nods and Jake wastes no time in unleashing his inner Dispatch column writer. “Listen, you didn’t hear it from me who didn’t hear it from Sunoo who didn’t hear it from Niki who didn’t hear it from Heeseung who didn’t read it in one of Jay’s emails, but, we all think the Big Boss is involved in the mafia,” Jake relays.
“Barty?” Jungwon watches on perplexed, “We sell paperclips though?”
“It’s all a front,” Sunghoon cuts in, rudely joining the conversation from wherever he had spawned. Most likely Hell.
“Wait, then why are you all still working here?”
“Good money. I don’t do shit, life is chill.” Niki calls from across the room, sonic hearing turned on while Sunoo is still engrossed in the phone. “We’re here for a good time, not a long time.”
“Jay’s actually planning a coup,” Heeseung mumbles around his donut, deciding the conversation is worth his attention (although not enough for him to look away from his donuts). “He’s talking to some secret guy named ‘K’ about it. I read their emails like the morning paper. They should really use some privacy software or they’re definitely getting fired.”
“Let’s overtake the place and rebrand to W&B: Worms and Beer. The fishermen are gonna love it,” Jake enthusiastically suggests.
“It’s always you with the fish,” Sunghoon grouses.
Jake frowns in indignation. “Says the one who used to wake me up at 5 am so, and I quote, ‘we could get a good place on the docks’.”
“It’s either you get a good place so you get good fish or you get a shitty place and get no fish! I wasn’t gonna risk my dinner!” Sunghoon defends himself. In their argument, they don’t see Niki stand up and make his way towards them. “Plus you always told me how romantic you found the sunrise!”
“Of course. I’d rather look at the sun than your unsightly face. Just look at Sunoo-”
Abruptly, Niki slaps a hand over both of their mouths, making use of his long limbs to adequately stretch across the distance between them and shut them up at the same time.
“Shut up,” Niki hisses, taking turns to glare at the both of them. “No one wants to hear about your domestic little dates and how you’re gonna go home together and have hot angry sex.”
Sunghoon and Jake angrily grumble against Niki’s palm, quietening down when Niki presses his hand more firmly against their face.
“Jungwon and Niki, I need to go over the refinancing schedule with you,” Jay pops his head out the door, effectively distracting onlookers from the untrue accusations.
Niki pulls his hands away, wiping them furiously against his pants. Head held high, he turns around and stalks away followed by an amused Jungwon leaving Sunghoon and Jake fuming at each other.
“You made him leave,” Jake accuses.
“You weren’t getting anywhere with him with that shit stain on your shirt anyway.”
“It’s fashion!” Jake exclaims. “At least I can tell the difference between salt and sugar.”
“From when I’m standing, you’re both getting nowhere with him,” Sunoo interrupts.
Heeseung, who has been observing the entire spectacle from afar, can't contain his laughter, spraying donut crumbs everywhere. "You’re both so smooth."
***
Jake neatens his stack of papers, lingering around and waiting until Jungwon is the only one left in the meeting room.
“Great meeting, huh?” Jake says casually, trying to strike up a conversation.
Jungwon looks up from his meeting notes. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay liaising directly with the manufacturers? I’ve heard about what happened last time with Sunghoon,” Jungwon asks in concern.
Jake stops short. He has to talk to the manufacturers? Those guys are terrifying. Especially Wonyoung. To be fair, he wasn’t listening to Jay, too busy staring at the little tuft of hair sticking out from behind Jungwon’s ear. It’s fine, he’ll just tell Jay it’s still outstanding at the next meeting until he builds up the courage to give them a call. Paperclips can wait.
“Oh yeah, it’s actually already in progress,” Jake lies through his teeth.
“Oh great! I’ll tell Sunoo to update the meeting agenda, then.” Jungwon says enthusiastically.
“So, what’s your favourite cuisine?” Jake brings up out of nowhere.
“I love Japanese! Curry especially,” Jungwon rambles. For the first time all morning, Jake starts taking notes.
“And got any plans for Valentine’s?” Jake continues his interrogation.
“Oh, not yet. Too early,” Jungwon laughs, finally stepping out of the room.
***
For some reason, the head office decided that the best way for the smaller branches to socialise was at an animal shelter. Build brand image and encourage team bonding all in one go. It’s hard to understand the corrupt minds of corporate sometimes. What brand image are they even talking about? They sell paperclips.
Team bonding apparently means that Hwan from the other branch keeps batting his eyes at Heeseung who is only there for the promised company card lunch and to catch up with the other IT guy, Beomgyu, as if they don’t already spend the entire workday emailing each other.
Sunghoon taps Jake on the shoulder and tilts his head in Jungwon’s direction. Jake glances over and inhales sharply. Jungwon is stuck with possibly the worst person in this entire gathering. Jake gives Sunghoon an understanding grunt and they both make their way over.
“You know, I don’t know how I got stuck at a desk job like this,” the other man explains to Jungwon. “I wanted to be a police officer when I was younger.”
Sunghoon and Jake collectively roll their eyes, one grabbing Jungwon by the elbow and the other wrapping an arm around the other interlocutor.
“Sorry, we have to interrupt this enlightening conversation but Jay’s calling you, Jungwon,” Sunghoon smiles sunnily.
Jungwon looks up in confusion. “Really? But I didn’t hear-”
“Jungwon, we’re trying to help you. Leave while you can,” Jake says through gritted teeth displayed in a disarming smile. Bemusedly, Jungwon is dumped on Jay who is conveniently passing by at that exact moment. Anything to keep him out of these ugly clutches.
They turn to face the remaining person. “Now what is this about being a police officer, Gary? I could’ve sworn last time you said you wanted to be a doctor.”
“No way,” Jake says in mock disbelief. “You told me you wanted to be a physicist.”
Gary looks cornered despite towering over both of them with his 6’3 height.
“What we’re trying to say here is that you need to stop doing this. First Sunoo. Then Kai. Now Jungwon. No one wants to listen to your sob stories, Gary.” Gary ashamedly nods.
“Now move it along.”
Jake and Sunghoon do a victory dap up before realising they’re basically holding hands and quickly power-walking away from each other to go pet the cute animals.
“Isn’t he such a good kitty,” Sunghoon watches endearingly as Jungwon has a conversation with the kitten in his lap. Their meows are clearly understandable to each other.
“Watchya looking at?” Jake peeks over Sunghoon’s shoulder to watch Jungwon. When did Sunghoon invite him to talk? Never is the answer. “Gonna get him a collar as well?”
“What? You said you’d never tell anyone!” Sunghoon exclaims indignantly, cheeks flushing a deep red. Why did he have to be so pale? He hates how he’s the only one out of the two of them who outwardly blushes.
“I was talking about the literal kitten you dirty-minded freak,” Jake looks disgusted. “Plus, you begged me to wear that collar. I’m never letting you live it down.”
“So you admit you wore it?” he tries to grasp onto anything that will give him the upper hand.
“‘Jakey I’ll die if you don’t wear it. Jake, please. Just once, I promise. It’ll look so hot. Trust me.’,” Jake imitates in a high falsetto. “I only agreed because at least you didn’t make me wear a leash. So are you gonna make Jungwon do that too? Or are you finally gonna be a man and wear it yourself?”
“We’ll talk about my collar kink when we talk about your lingerie kink. That lace set probably cost you a fortune.” Sunghoon is determined to have the last word. “And it looks fantastic on me.”
***
Sunghoon sits on Jake’s desk chair, refusing to move. Jake slams his lunchbox on his desk. If he doesn’t want to move, then fine. Jake will use him like a footrest.
“Remember when Sunoo insisted he was cuter than you?” Sunghoon ribs Jake.
“I stand by that statement,” Sunoo walks passed, back towards his finance cult.
For some reason, Sunoo always becomes best friends with finance. First, it was Jay and Taki. Then Jay got promoted and it became Taki and Niki. That little unit was called Sunki Squared. They never questioned it. And now it’s Niki and Jungwon.
When asked once about why he has finance in his clutches, his response was “I like money.”
“Sunoo’s cute and everyone’s into that. But have you considered my irresistible golden retriever charm?” Jake flexes his muscles.
Jungwon watches the two of them and then turns to the other three by his side since Heeseung had joined them for lunch. “So, where did they meet?” he asks.
“Them?” Heeseung points at the two now in a flexing stand-off. “Apparently, they met at a frat party.”
“Oh?” Jungwon sounds intrigued.
“Yep, sucked face first and then thought of consequences after. I was there,” Niki shares.
“You were?” Sunoo needles.
“Oh yeah, it was my frat party,” he shrugs.
“That’s kind of an adorable meet-cute,” Jungwon gushes.
“Oh my god!” Jay’s exclamation cuts through the story. “Put your shirts back on! We don’t need to see who has a more chiselled chest! Oh my god.”
Heeseung sighs. “They’re at it again.”
Niki's shouts echo throughout the office. “You can do this in the privacy of your own rooms! You don’t need to subject the entire office to your foreplay!”
Properly dressed once more, Sunghoon holds up two halves of a cut paper heart. “Jungwon, can you clip these together for me?”
“This is why I left you Sunghoon,” Jake shakes his head. “It’s the stupid dad jokes.”
***
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Sunoo is decked out in a pink cardigan with white wings behind him.
“Why are you dressed up? It’s not Halloween,” Sunghoon asks in bafflement.
“I’m Cupid’s Assistant!” Sunoo shakes the bow in his hands. “And you are going to be my first victim!” He shoots an arrow at Heeseung, successfully knocking him on the head. When he turns around in outrage, Sunoo gives him a wide smile and his face instantly softens. It’s disgusting.
“Well then Cupid-”
“Cupid’s Assistant.”
“Cupid’s Assistant,” he corrects himself. “Can you get me a date with our resident cat?” Sunghoon requests.
“So you are a furry,” Niki declares with glee. “Jake was right this entire time.”
“I meant Jungwon! You know I meant Jungwon!”
“Sorry, I don’t have real magic. I can’t achieve the impossible,” Sunoo says solemnly.
“Listen, I’ve already got the dinner reservation at this really nice Japanese restaurant and the deposit really put a hole in my wallet. I just need your help to get him to say yes.”
“Did you say dinner reservation,” Jake strolls in wearing an obnoxiously loud red-heart sweater.
“Oh, no,” Heeseung says preemptively.
“You can’t possibly be talking about taking Jungwon to a Japanese restaurant, right? Because I am taking Jungwon to a fancy Japanese restaurant tonight.”
“I guarantee that your restaurant choice is subpar to mine,” Sunghoon sticks his nose in the air.
“Nope, I chose the fanciest Japanese restaurant there is. It’s-”
“It can’t be better than-”
“Kissmé.”
They both look at each other in horror.
“Did the deposit rid you of your riches too?” Sunghoon puts a hand on his shoulder in solidarity.
“It did. It really did,” Jake turns his head onto Sunghoon’s shoulder.
“Well, there’s only one way to solve this. You’ve gotta ask the man yourself,” Sunoo gestures to an incoming Jungwon walking through the sliding office doors. "Remember, subtlety is key."
Jake nods and delicately clears his throat. He opens his mouth and promptly screeches Jungwon’s name. “Jungwon, we’ve got a question for you!”
Jungwon jumps in fright, not having expected to be roused out of his terrible and semi-conscious state. “What’s up, guys?”
Sunghoon coughs a little. “Well, we wanted to go to this Japanese restaurant tonight-”
“You’ve probably heard of it,” Jake chimes in. Niki passes his newly acquired popcorn packet to Heeseung.
“And, well, we wondering-”
“Ifyouwantedtogotonightforvalentines,” Jake rushes out unable to handle the tension any longer.
Jungwon stares at them. Sunghoon and Jake stare back. Niki, Heeseung and Sunoo crunch on popcorn. Jay’s distant cries of frustration are heard through the soundproof glass.
“I’m sorry, did you just say you want me to go with you tonight for dinner?” Jungwon repeats. They nod. “Oh no, I wouldn’t want to interrupt your date. Besides, it’s my 3-month anniversary.”
“Anniversary?” they exclaim in simultaneous shock, choosing to ignore the date allegation.
“Guess Jake and Sunghoon will be going to dinner together,” whispers Heeseung.
“Maybe they can have a double date with Jungwon,” Niki adds.
“I tried to tell them,” Sunoo sounds disappointed in their stupidity. “But they chose not to listen.”
Polished dress shoes thump on the carpeted floor, coming to a still beside Jungwon. “Oh babe, I got the reservations at that Japanese restaurant you really like. Kissmé.”
Jungwon reaches up to place a peck on the cheek in thanks. “Can’t wait, babe.”
Jake and Sunghoon’s mouths fall open in abject horror.
“Jongseong?”