Work Text:
Ever since Yoo Sangah covered for his presence last Saturday, it was hard not to notice her when she passes by - even before, she was always a co-worker that stood out amongst everyone else because she was very capable, efficient, and objectively pretty. It was obvious, a person like her would be easily promoted to being a regular employee with a contract longer than the others.
Dokja's contract only will last for a year. He still had a lot to prove, but also - he can always just find a job again. Which sounds easy, but of course it wasn't. All he needs is a decent means of getting money to pay for his own rent and other bills.
Dokja never understood why she covered for him that day. It would make sense if she had ignored him, at the very least. But maybe, that was just her nature to be kind.
A person like him standing next to Yoo Sangah would be incredibly humiliating already. Dokja wanted to offer his thanks, but that one thought plagued his mind. So, instead, he kept on working, letting the hours and days pass by.
In the process, though, he found himself watching Yoo Sangah more. Unconsciously, he became aware that she would get herself some coffee at a quarter to eight o' clock in the morning, and 1PM in the afternoon. He remembered, because she would consistently get coffee at those particular hours, no matter the occasion. He also learned that she liked black coffee, no sugar. Somehow, even with her tenderhearted personality, it fit her. He also knows that she bikes to work, as he often noticed her parking her bike before entering the company building - or go ride the train, especially on Thursdays and Fridays.
Dokja had nothing to do. He waited for an update on TWSA everyday, but it never happened. He wondered if the author was sick, so he gave it time - but now, he's found himself really bored of waiting, noticing more of everyone else around him in the process, but Yoo Sangah more than particular. It's not like he wanted to. Yoo Sangah was also, in a way, weird that she approaches his desk from time to time, and gives him a snack to eat, or invites him for lunch. And while he often refuses, there were plenty of times where he obliged to eat with her, because she was persistent - and he could see, already so clearly, how everyone's eyes would follow them. And Yoo Sangah is unfazed.
He wonders a lot about her intentions. There was nothing he could offer to a good and pretty person like her, yet she still hangs around. He doesn't understand why - there was nothing interesting about him. He waits and waits everyday for her to realize that, but she's unfazed.
It must take a lot of time.
----
There was an incident where Dokja's tie got caught on a barbed fence, totalling ripping it off. He could just buy another one, but his money won't last him for the rest of the week if he does. It was the best tie, too - it was just a clip-on and is adjustable, one that didn't require to be knotted and tied.
So Dokja just went off to work without a tie.
He got in the elevator, and before the doors closed - Yoo Sangah ran hurriedly inside, almost already ready to push the doors open if it closed in on her. He was a beat late when he pressed the button open, because Sangah was already inside the moment he did.
"Good morning, Dokja-ssi," Yoo Sangah greeted with a curt bow and flashed him with a smile.
Dokja smiled back and bowed quickly, "good morning." He then presses the button to close the elevator doors again.
Silence.
The ride up to the 15th floor felt excruciatingly long, and the both of them could see their reflection through the elevator's mirror doors. In the silence, Sangah suddenly says: "Dokja-ssi, it's inappropriate not to dress neatly in the workplace."
She points at her own collar, and Dokja realizes with a start that she was referring to his missing tie.
Dokja takes out the tie he hurriedly got out of his wardrobe, one that had never touched ever since getting his clip-on tie. "I have a tie," He begins, nervous, "I just don't... know how to tie it."
There was another long silence. Dokja silently curses himself, wishing he was not too honest. He could've stopped by saying he has a tie and will work on tying it once he leaves the elevator, but he didn't -
"Let me tie it for you, Dokja-ssi," Yoo Sangah offers, stepping closer from where she stood by the elevator.
Huh?
"Huh?" Dokja says.
"I'll tie it so you can wear it," Sangah repeats.
Dokja stares at the number on the LED screen of the elevator. 10th floor. This is awkward. He hopes there wasn't a person waiting at their stop. He dumbfoundedly hands over the tie to Sangah, who steps a little closer to him and takes the tie in her hands. He turns away; shuts his eyes for a moment. This is embarrassing, he chants over and over in his head. Is he turning red? He hopes he's not. He curses himself three times in his head before finally sighing and lifting up his collar —
"There. All done."
The elevator door rings. It's the 15th floor.
Sangah hands him back his tie in his hands. She had formed a loop, so that he was just going to put it on and tighten it around his collar.
"Oh," Dokja mutters, his throat suddenly dry. His knees feel like jelly. "Thank you, Sangah-ssi."
Sangah just smiles. They exit the elevator, with Sangah first to leave, while Dokja mutters and tightens the tie around his neck before fixing his collar. What was he expecting? What the hell was he getting nervous for? He had forgotten ties can just be tied like that; they didn't need to be tied around the neck. That was embarrassing.
Her desk was clearly the opposite way as his, so as they entered, he saw people's heads turning to her direction as he turned to the opposite way. It was relieving, to say the least, that he wasn't being eyed for once for entering. Maybe walking in the office with Yoo Sangah wasn't so bad at all.
He swears that when he gets home, he'll search how to tie a tie so he'll never experience the same thing happening again.