Work Text:
My date made reservations for us at some high-end restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, which speaks volumes of their wealth.
I'm not sure how I'll fare with someone who is probably some corporate nepo, based on the information Agent Mud gave me. A friend's direct boss. Still, I’ll do my best to entertain.
I'll cash in my weight's worth in food, at least.
I get to wear the nice clothes I rarely get the chance to use. Summer hasn't ended, but I chose a light gray wool trench coat over pressed pants and a black turtleneck, hiding my scars. I added gloves and a mask, to keep up the appearance of a germaphobic civil servant. Maybe it's in bad taste to cover up the biggest parts of me when I'm meeting someone to start a relationship, but I'm not really expecting something serious, or something that lasts more than two months.
After giving the reservation name my date gave me, I'm guided to a private room in an area that blocks off most of the noise. They've certainly spared no expense. I amuse myself with the idea of a sugar daddy before pushing the door open.
A man stands with his back to me, staring outside the window. When he hears me come in, he turns around.
Wow. For the lack of a better word, he's handsome. Like an angel, his white hair glows faintly in the light, his perfectly structured face settled in a blank expression. His eyes are sharp, and when they land on me, I inexplicably feel a jolt up my spine.
I fix a smile and move to the table, taking off my coat and hanging it on the back of a chair.
"Wow~ a private room! You must have spent a lot, especially with the reservations for this restaurant." I drag my chair out and sit down, and he copies my movements.
"Yes."
"Hahaha. Hi there, Lee Jaheon-ssi. You're much more handsome than I expected! I mean, I was told you were good-looking, but to this extent? I'm wondering why you don't have anyone special in your life yet."
“Yes. I am often told I have a bad personality."
"Pffft- haha! So straightforward! What if that scares me off and makes me not want to see you again, huh?"
"I will tell my colleague that my date did not go well."
"Ehhh? Giving up so quickly? What if I'm the one meant for you, hm? It's not good to simply watch good things slip away. You should chase them while they're still within reach!"
"Noted."
"Haha, Lee Jaheon-ssi, your way of speaking really makes me feel like I'm at a work meeting."
"I apologize. How would you recommend I speak for the duration of this date?"
"Oh, I was just making a comment~ No need to make a change. It's unique. Anyone who speaks to you will remember you for a long time."
"I see. Yes."
"Haha, you kind of remind me of someone... it's cute."
"?"
"That's not meant to be an insult. I like cute people~!"
"Noted." He pauses. "I did not take offense."
"Anyway, do you know what you're ordering?"
"Yes."
"Alright~! We should call the waiter, then." I call the waiter and give our orders.
When I turn back, I catch a glimpse of his arms, deliciously emphasized by his rolled up sleeves. Oh. His veins…
I've seen them before.
He's someone I met, but when? Did he change his appearance? Everything about him, from his voice to the way he moves, is unfamiliar. Ah, I thought this was just going to be a normal date, but I guess nothing in my life can stay normal for long.
I tuck away the observation for later, deciding to act like I'm just on a blind date, not that I'm suddenly harboring suspicions about my date.
"So, why'd you decide to go on a blind date?"
"I was advised that having a romantic relationship is normal for my age."
Silence.
"...So, you're looking for a relationship because you want to appear normal?"
"Yes." Okay, this guy isn't normal, for sure. There has to be some sort of atrocity or ambiguous events happening around him. But anyone who was faced with his red flags probably pushed it aside for that handsome face...
My eyes lingered on his shoulders. And that great physique.
As expected of a person who booked reservations and a private room at a high-end restaurant, he was dressed impeccably. A crisp two-piece suit with the jacket removed and hung on the back of his chair, a designer watch on his wrist, and his hair slicked and parted neatly.
He really was unbelievably handsome. Even without the expensive fit, he would have drawn eyes on the street with the structure of his face and how well-built he was. Honestly, his face was so perfect, it was almost uncanny.
"Lee Jaheon-ssi, you're dressed up really nice. Are you into fashion?"
"No. My colleague put it together for me." If you're going to be honest about having your outfit done by someone else, it's best to say it bashfully, you know. Do you have facial paralysis?
"Do you have facial paralysis?~"
"? No."
"Haha! Sorry, sorry. It's just that you have that serious face that doesn't change. I can't tell what you're feeling."
"I feel well, thank you for asking."
"Hahahaha!" I wasn't expecting to meet someone funny. Well, he wasn't doing it on purpose, but his bluntness was endearing. Not to mention, he means his words so earnestly that it's a wonder he still has all this money.
"Hey, have you ever gotten scammed?"
"Yes."
"Oh, no," I make a sympathetic noise. "How did it go?"
"I traced the address and beat them up."
"!!! Pffft- hahahaha!"
God, I haven't laughed like this in a long time. It just keeps happening. I thought of it earlier, but he really does remind me of Jaekwan-ie. Especially when he was a rookie.
He was so stiff back then, and a little less honest. But that honesty came out in bursts, when he really wanted to say something but didn't know how to put it politely.
As I still do now, I found it cute. Back then, Jaekwan's handsome, stern face and earnest, overly serious words made me laugh harder than I ever thought I could. Now that he was a senior in his own right, he no longer had to fear speaking his mind. All that cute innocence was gone. I wasn't expecting to be reminded of those days here.
Before I could keep talking, the food arrived, sooner than I thought. "Ah~ that smells great! Thank you~!" I thank the waiter.
For posterity, I snapped a picture of my meal, angled a little higher than it should, catching a bit of Lee Jaheon's abdomen. "Oh! Were you waiting for me? Sorry for taking a picture without permission."
"Yes. Pictures are fine."
"Let's take one together, then!"
"Yes." I angle my phone so that it would catch a good chunk of the table as well.
"Say cheese~!"
"Cheese."
I burst out laughing when I saw the picture.
He said cheese, but the rest of his expression was stony, so it looked like he was baring his teeth in the world's most awkward attempt at smiling without effort.
"Hahahaha! Lee Jaheon-ssi, you really are adorable!"
"?"
"It's nothing, hahaha. Weren't you ever taught how to smile in photos?"
"I was never told to smile in pictures."
"Wow... You must live an interesting life. Your parents never told you to smile, not ever?"
"No."
"Eh? Really??"
“I do not have parents."
"...I see. I'm sorry for bringing them up."
"It's fine."
"Oh, but you kept your eyes open quite well even though the flash was on! Can I keep this?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Lee Jaheon-ssi~ We should eat before the food gets cold!"
"Yes." I watch his hands, moving gracefully while maneuvering a fork and knife.
He had long, slender fingers, and big palms, with veins easily seen on the backs, tracing down to his wrists. Even his hands were attractive. I couldn't help but notice the calluses on his fingers.
"Lee Jaheon-ssi, have you ever handled weapons?"
"Yes."
"Ooh~ Like, guns and bows or swords?"
"Yes."
"Which one? Wait, all of them?"
"Yes."
"Wow~! I'm impressed. You're a man who is diligent in his hobbies, huh?"
"No."
"Hmm? What, you're not diligent? I think your hands say otherwise."
"No. I do not have hobbies."
"...???"
"I was taught to handle weapons by my superiors." He explains patiently, as though that was something I would have guessed.
"Ah! Were you in the military for a while?"
"No."
"...Eh?"
"My former superiors at my current job taught me how to handle weapons. It is part of protocol after promotion."
"...So, you're not in the military? Do you work for the government, then?"
"No."
"I see. That's quite amazing." I smile and duck my head, eating and moving on. Asking him about his job is on the books, but I shouldn't do it so soon, not after what he just told me.
"Hey, we're supposed to get to know each other on dates, you know. You should ask me questions too."
"Yes." Lee Jaheon thinks for a moment. "What is your profession?"
"...!" So aggressive. I'm starting to think he knows something about me. "I'm a civil servant at Seoul City Hall. It's tiring work, but it's honest, and I have great coworkers~ Plus, the pay is stable."
"I see." This guy is terrible at conversation. I already knew it, but I keep getting faced with that fact each time he gives a response. Perhaps he's not putting effort because he's treating this as work, rather than a date, but I don't think he means it maliciously.
Regardless, I decide to push ahead with the plans he just destroyed. "What about you? What's your job? Must be well-paying since you booked a private room in this fancy restaurant. Honestly, you're really optimistic, pulling out all the stops for a blind date! I could've been a terrible person, you know, and you could have had such a bad time."
"Yes."
"Could you describe your job for me, hm?" Talking to this guy wasn't so hard.
"Yes. I am a section chief at a pharmaceutical company." He adds, after a beat, "I have good coworkers as well." It was the first thing he's shared to me without having to be prompted. A pharmaceutical company, huh. How awfully familiar.
I push aside my finished plate. The food was delicious, but the portions were too small. Even if I had a salary that could justify going here, I wouldn't go since I'd have to order in bulk to actually feel full. What a shame. I wanted to eat more.
I silently mourn the loss of free food, fixing a smile and leaning forward with my elbows on the table, resting my chin on intertwined fingers. "Tell me about your work."
"? It shouldn't be too dissimilar from yours."
"Exactly! I want to know the differences between a paper pusher like myself and a corporate worker like you. I mean, it's not going to be all the same, right?"
"Yes." He pauses. "After completing orders, I write reports. I occasionally meet with superiors for discussion. I edit my colleagues' reports before submission. I make sure my colleagues are healthy. I help my colleagues when they ask. We go out for dinner from time to time." He mechanically lists.
I was kind of impressed with how vague he could make his work out to be, what with how straightforward he's been. Still, one part caught my attention.
"You make sure your colleagues are healthy? Wow~ you must be a pretty great guy to look out for them all the time."
"Yes. It is part of my duty." There was no emotion inflected in his voice, nor any on his face. It could be mistaken for genuineness, that he really is just a good coworker. But what kind of work is he doing that looking out for his coworkers' health is considered a direct responsibility?
"Ah~ our work isn't so different after all. I do all those things too!"
"Yes."
I let a silence settle between us, allowing him time to think of another question. I take a long sip of the wine the waiter had poured for us earlier, humming at the taste.
"Any more questions, or do you want me to take over?" I break the silence, smiling in the way I know made the corners of my eyes crinkle.
Unexpectedly, his gaze lingers. Huh.
"I do not have any more questions." Of course.
I take another long sip of wine, pretending to gather my thoughts, thinking of questions to ask. He copies my movements, red eyes fixed on me as he drinks.
"Hey, hey, I've got a bit of a weird question for you."
That's right.
"Yes?"
Agent Mud used to work at the same company as their friend, didn't they?
"What do you think about ghost stories? You know, those internet posts, and those urban legends. Do you think they're real?"
"Yes."
"Oho~ I didn't take you for the superstitious type. What makes you think they're real?"
"? They're real."
"...?"
"You know they are."
"...!!!"
My fingers play with the handgun I'd taken from my coat pocket. Absent-mindedly, under the table.
"...What makes you think that, hm?" I tilt my head, flashing him a teasing smile. "Do I look religious? Can you tell I visit the spirits a lot? Haha, it's a family tradition, you see. We own this mountain temple..."
"That's not it."
"Hm? Then what is it? Won't you tell me upfront~?"
"Yes." He looks at me with eyes I still can't read. "You are an agent from the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau."
"...Ha." I slip the gun back into my coat pocket, and stand up. "We should go. This isn't a place to have such a conversation, hm?"
"Yes." I called the waiter and Lee Jaheon paid.
We left the restaurant, walking side by side as the city bustled around us. There weren't many places that were secluded like alleyways, but there were areas that people didn't go to at this time of night.
I led us to the divot between a construction site and a closed cafe, stopping at the line of shadows.
"When did you realize I was from the Bureau?" I drop all pretenses. While the smile remained, my eyes were undoubtedly cold.
"I gauged it when you entered the room."
"..Hah. So you knew I was from the Bureau the entire time?"
"Yes."
"How?" I quickly add, "Elaborate. Spare no detail."
"Yes. You wore clothes and accessories that covered all of your skin except the face. Your gloves are an item. When you first entered the room, the first thing you did was look for exits and unusual objects."
"Most importantly, you have traces of confamination."
"...!" So he noticed even that.
"Are you still in recovery?"
"...Yeah. But it's been a while, so I was cleared to go out in public. I can't harm anyone."
"Yes."
"You... hahh. Why were you speaking so vaguely when I asked about your work?"
"I believed you wished to be discreet in speaking of our work in public." Since I introduced myself as a civil servant belonging to Seoul City Hall, not the Bureau.
"So, you didn't book a private room because you wanted privacy?"
"I was told that booking a private room should be done in the case an argument breaks out between us."
"...Pfffft." Who the hell was giving him all this advice? They were right, but seriously. If he's such a frustrating person, why allow him to go on a date at all?
"...Give me a reason why I shouldn't arrest you right here and now." Inexplicably, I didn't move to do it. He should know that I would do it without hesitation, yet he was frustratingly calm, still with the same blank face.
"You have no evidence of any crime I may have committed."
"You're a Daydream employee. That's reason enough?" I snarked. If this guy's earlier words could be weighed, then he was not only an average employee, but a squad leader.
"Yes." He pauses. "I have not committed any crime aside from entering Darknesses in the jurisdiction of Daydream."
"Who said you had to commit a crime in the first place?" I laugh darkly. "Crimes can be fabricated, you know.” The Bureau would stop at little to get a section chief arrested and brought to us.
"...Yes."
My lips curl. "Then, let's make a deal."
"?"
I tilt my head, eyes assessing him from head to toe. It was mostly an intimidation tactic, settling my own nerves, even if it didn't seem to affect him.
"As long as you don't commit a crime in front of me, I won't arrest you. Even if I see you enter a, hm, Darkness, even if I run into you in one– I won't arrest you until I see solid proof of criminal activity." I huff. "Well, aside from entering Darknesses as a civilian, without legal jurisdiction."
"In return, you give me information on Daydream." I soften my tone into something reassuring, making my words less threatening.
"Nothing much. Just some updates on, hm, newly-obtained Darknesses, and right before you guys get any new agents, okay?"
I was sure this guy would remember everything I said, so I made sure to be clear about what I needed from him the most. The rest could be wheedled out in between 'details' about who was calling the shots and how it was happening.
"May I make a request?" I quirk a brow. He didn't even tense. Bold.
"I'll hear it out."
"My squad members shall also be exempt from arrest, unless they commit a crime in front of your eyes."
Wow. What a good squad leader, indeed.
"I don't know. That's asking too much. Don't employees drop like flies?" I jab, but he still didn't budge. Statuesque in more ways than one.
"Then, I will tell you when certain Darknesses are deemed unfit for exploration." Oh?
"How would that information help, hm?"
"Unfit Darknesses are subject to recycling, research, or disposal." Jackpot.
"Haah... So Daydream throws away ghost stories when they're no longer of use." How typical. I should have expected it, but hearing it still surprised me. Those Daydream rats, how further down the hole of degeneracy can they go?
"You have yourself a deal." I grin with entirely too many teeth. I doubt it would unnerve him, but I was pleased enough to try.
"Anyway, I'll give you my number. For now, let's–"
"I have a question."
"...Yes?"
"Are we now in a relationship?"
"Well, we have a working relationship, don't we-"
"No. Are we in a romantic relationship?"
...Huh?
"Huh?"
I stared at him. He stared back. When he realized I wasn't going to say anything, he patiently explained, "You're giving me your phone number, and we will be keeping in touch regularly."
Did I say ‘regularly’???
"We went on a date, and you appeared to enjoy it even when you realized I am from Daydream Inc."
"Most of that was an act."
"Even so, you chose to not immediately threaten me or attempt physical intimidation."
"How is that an indication for wanting to date you???"
"Do you want my advice?"
"...Sigh. What the hell, sure."
"Being in a romantic relationship with me reduces suspicion of working together."
It could also mean I'm fucking and colluding with the enemy, you blockhead. Still, I couldn't deny the merit, even if it heightened the risk of getting caught.
…Oh, fuck it. I probably won't get the chance to have such precious insider information again. If the higher-ups found out, I could always say I'm on a honeypot mission.
"...You're lucky you have such a handsome face." I say, pounding down the urge to give this thick-faced guy a good smack. "Alright, fine. But it'll be a secret relationship. We’ll keep it on the down low."
"Do you want my opinion?"
"Just say it."
"That defeats the purpose of having a relationship."
Ah, right. This guy wants a relationship because he wants to appear normal. I resisted the urge to pester him about it, figuring I could do it another time, since we're now apparently dating.
"It's not like people in our line of work usually date, don't they? Especially where you work. I'll bet that if you mess up, the higher-ups will use anything they can against you. If it's a connection, a close relationship, outside of Daydream, someone who's not detailed on your birth certificate or family records, even better."
"Anyway, if a colleague finds out, no one will judge you for keeping it professional and not talking about your personal life in the workplace."
He seemed thoughtful. "Yes."
Finally.
"Give me your phone." He handed it over obediently, and I input my number and memorized his.
"If that's all, I'll be leaving."
I turn on my heel and walked off, suddenly in the mood for a long, hot bath. Thankfully, he didn't stop me.
It was only when I was dozing off in the bath, the warm water melting the tension in my muscles, that I fully processed what I got myself into. I dragged my hands over my face, sliding against the bathtub until my head was fully submerged beneath the water.
I'm dating a Daydream employee, I think, with bone-deep exhaustion. I think about Bronze, who would inevitably ask if there was something wrong with me if I didn't tell him how my date went, when I always did.
...I'm so fucked.
I tried to sigh, then had to come back up coughing for air.
The moment Lee Jaheon walks into the office, Eun Haje is speeding towards him, ignoring Park Minseong's whispered shouts. She came early for one specific reason.
"How'd your date go?" She demands, standing in front of him menacingly.
Their fearless squad leader is unfazed.
"It went well." He pauses. "We will be having another date soon."
Eun Haje hears the tell-tale sounds of Park Minseong knocking his coffee over. She doesn't turn to give him a look, stunned shock herself. She pulls herself together, throwing out a half-hearted joke. "Hah! They must have stuck around for your handsome face," she laughs disbelievingly.
"Assistant Manager...!"
"Yes."
...Eh?
"Wait. They told you they're sticking around for your face?" Eun Haje quirks a brow.
"Yes." He pauses, thinking of the aspects about himself that Choi mentioned more than once, then adds, "He was interested in my money, as well."
"...Eh? Wait, hold on–"
"He appeared to enjoy my way of speaking. He repeatedly told me I was cute," Lee Jaheon continues, without care for his subordinates' flailing.
Cute??? Their blockhead, brutish squad leader– cute? Park Minseong pauses to think about it. "...I can see it," he whispers, horrified. "Oh my god. Chief is cute."
Eun Haje ignores his burgeoning mental breakdown to put her full attention on Lee Jaheon– though it never really left. "Section Chief, you..."
"Yes?"
"Are you going out with a cougar?"
"?"
Lee Jaheon thinks through his knowledge of human slang and metaphors. In Korean culture, it was common to give people fond nicknames relating to animals, in regards to their personality or looks.
He supposed Choi reminded him somewhat of a wildcat– fierce, wary, with tension always apparent in his muscles, and movements predatory. When he grinned, his teeth flashed in full display. He faintly feels the others crooning in the back of his mind, praising him for remembering human terminology.
"I believe so."
Park Minseong starts coughing on air. Eun Haje blinks once, twice, in utter disbelief, before dragging her hand down her face, sighing like the world was suddenly being weighed on her shoulders.
"Supervisor Park, if you are feeling unwell, I grant you permission to head home early." Lee Jaheon calmly says.
"N-No, I'm fine..."
Eun Haje closes her eyes, feeling an incoming headache. She mutters, "Hah… So even the Chief can fall for a pretty face…"
"?"