Archive of Our Own ^beta

Para kay Jihoon, hindi lang basta normal na libro ito, it was his escape from the reality, from his tiring boring office work. Pano ba naman kasi sawang sawa na sya trabaho, walang love life, walang kahit anong kakaiba. Ordinaryo. Predictable.

Pero sa librong ito, nandoon si Kwon Soonyoung—ang cold, brilliant, at napaka-charming na CEO. Siya ang perfect male lead. Strong and smart, but with a soft heart that only opens to the right person.

At si Jihoon, bilang reader, sobrang invested siya. Every smile, every cold remark, every stolen glance ng male lead—pakiramdam niya siya mismo ang nakakatanggap. Minsan nga, naiisip niya na… baka kung nasa libro siya, siya yung bidang kapartner nito.

Wala delulu lang siya, ano namang masama? Libro lang naman ‘yon. After niya matapos basahin ang isang chapter ay napagpasyahan niyang nang matulog.

“Huy! Zi! Gising na, tapos na break natin, gagi maabutan ka pa ni manager.. Yari ka dyan!”

‘Huh? Pumasok na ba ako sa trabaho? Hindi pa diba? Gagi! Katutulog ko lang!’ he thought.

So he slowly put up his head and rubbed his eyes, pero nanlaki ang mata niya nang marealize na wala siya sa office nila..

Nasa isang malawak na opisina siya ngayon—hindi yung maliit at luma nilang cubicle area, kundi isang sleek modern floor na puro glass walls at mamahaling furniture.

“Uhh… asan ako?” mahinang tanong niya sa kaniyang sarili.”Aray! Bakit ka ba nanghahampas?!” inis na sigaw niya rito.

“Huy! Inaantok ka pa ba? Anong nasaan ka! Tanga nasa trabaho tayo. Katatapos lang ng lunch break na tinulugan mo lang.” Nagtataka niyang nilingon ito.

‘WTF! Sino ba kasi 'to??’

“Tumayo ka na dyan, kasi 5 minutes na lang! Bilis na” Nauna nang tumayo ang kausap niya, at kahit takang taka siya ay sumunod siya rito. Iginala niya ang paningin niya.. May receptionist desk, may mga empleyadong naka-formal, at sa paligid niya, pawang mga hindi pamilyar na mukha.

Gulong gulo na siya kaya napahawak siya sa dibdib niya, napayuko siya nang mapansin na may suot suot siyang ID. Halos lumuwa na ata ang mata nya dahil talagang nanlaki ito.
Woozi Lee, Junior Staff… Kwon Group Holdings..

“HUUUUH?!!”

Mabilis na napalingon sa kaniya ang ilang empleyado, halatang nagulat sa pagsigaw niya. Agad siyang nagtakip ng bibig at yumuko, pero ramdam niya ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso niya.

‘Wait, wait, wait. Kwon Group Holdings? That's.... that's literally Soonyoung's company! As in the book?! Don't tell me...’

“Zi. Tara na! Kita ko na si Manager Na, bilis!” he let this someone who calls him Zi pull him. He’s out of his mind, he kept on thinking what the fuck is happening?

‘Teka!! Baka nasa panagip lang ako?’

“Zi! Ano pa bang ginagawa mo, bakit nakatayo ka dyan?!” singhal ng team leader mula sa kabilang mesa. “Kung ayaw mong masermunan ni Manager, bumalik ka na sa station mo!”

Napaupo siya ulit sa swivel chair, nanginginig ang tuhod. Pilit niyang tinitigan ang ID.

Woozi Lee. Junior Staff. Kwon Group Holdings.

He even slapped his cheeks ng ilang beses para magising siya, feeling niya nananaginip lang siya. He even pinched, punched, at sinabunutan ang sarili pero wala talaga.

Hindi makapaniwala si Jihoon. Sa buong nobela, never naman binanggit ang pangalang iyon. Sigurado siya—kabisado na nga niya halos lahat ng linya. So kung ganito… ibig sabihin, isa siyang background character. Yung tipong dumadaan lang sa eksena at walang kahit anong dialogue.

'PUTA. Nasa loob ako ng libro!!''

Tumingala siya at nagsalita.

“Hoy! Authornim! Ano? Ipapasok mo na lang ako sa libro mo, talaga namang extra pa?!” inis na sigaw niya na akala mo may kinakausap sa ceiling.

“Lee! You’re distracting the others, manahimik ka dyan at tapusin mo yung pinapagawa ko!” Sigaw ng isang employee sakaniya.

He pouted then sit back to his swivel chair. Pakiramdam niya umiikot ang mundo. Gusto niyang sigawan ito pabalikt at sabihing hindi siya dapat nandito. Pero bago pa siya makapagsalita, biglang nag-ring ang intercom.

“Attention, all staff. CEO Kwon Soonyoung will be arriving on this floor in five minutes. Please prepare accordingly.”

Agad na naglinis ng mesa ang mga empleyado, nag-ayos ng necktie, nag-retouch pa ang ibang babae ng lipstick.
Samantalang si Jihoon… halos hindi makahinga.

‘Shit. Shit. Shit. I'm about to see him. The male lead. THE Kwon Soonyoung, The man I've loved from the pages.’

At bago pa siya makagalaw, bumukas ang elevator.

Lahat ay agad tumayo at yumuko.

At doon niya nakita sa unang pagkakataon—live, breathing, walking straight out of the book—ang lalaking ilang beses niyang pinagdeluluhan sa gabi.

Kwon Soonyoung.

He also bowed just like how the others, while nakayuko siya napansin niya na may paang tumigil sa harap niya kaya naman nag angat siya ng tingin at nagkasalubong ang mata nila ni Soonyoung.

Dahan-dahan siyang nag-angat ng tingin.

At doon, nagkasalubong ang mga mata nila ni Kwon Soonyoung.

Jihoon almost jumped in shock. Parang na-freeze ang buong sistema niya. 

'PUTA naman. Bakit siya nakatingin sakin'

“Uhhh…” he tried to speak, pero hindi niya alam kung anong sasabihin kaya itinikom niya ulit.

“Move,” he heard Soonyoung say. His voice was cold, authoritative, and flat—exactly like how he imagined it sa libro, pero mas intense. Mas nakakapanginig.

Agad siyang umatras nang isang hakbang, muntik pang matapilok. “S-sorry!” bulong niya, halos hindi marinig.

Nagpatuloy lang si Soonyoung ng lakad, walang kahit anong bakas ng interest sa mukha niya. Pero para kay Jihoon, abot abot ang kaba sa dibdib niya.

‘Holy shit! Kinausap niya ako. Well.. hindi exactly, pero he talked to me. Tangina, this isn't in the book! In the novel, Soonyoung never interacts with the background staff. NEVER’

At bago pa siya makahinga ng maayos, naramdaman niya ang presence ng isang lalaki sa likod ni Soonyoung. Tall, calm, and collected. May hawak na folders at kape.

Jeon Wonwoo.

The secretary. The canon love interest.

‘SHET! Ang ganda pala talaga niya???’

“Huy! Umupo ka na” kalabit sakaniya ng lalaking kasama niya kanina pag gising niya. He just nodded and sat down.

‘Did I just messed up the story? Hindi dapat ako napansin, hindi dapat ako nka-interact. What if nagbago na yung flow ng buong story just because of me?’

He bit his nails.. and ruffled his hair.

‘So nasa first chapter pa lang ako? Yung original book, dederetso lang si Soonyoung papasok ng office niya habang nakasunod si Wons sakaniya.’

Nagulat pa siya nung biglang tumunog yung alarm sa computer niya, sa book.. this alarm means uwian na.

‘Shit. Kung background character lang ako.. does that mean wala talagang akong existence outside this office?’

Kaya naman sa sobrang gulo ng isip niya, napatingin siya sa officemate niya kanina—the one who kept calling him Zi.

“Uh… h-hey… pwedeng makitulog muna ako sa inyo mamaya?” mahina niyang tanong.

Biglang napangiwi yung kasama niya. “Ha? Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo? Tanga, magkasama tayo sa apartment. Ano ba tinira mo?”

Napanganga si Jihoon. “H-ha?!”

Umiling lang ito. “Ang weird mo ngayong araw, Zi. Seryoso, magpahinga ka mamaya. Para kang nauntog. Tara na bago pa tayo mapagalitan ulit.”

Naiwan si Jihoon, lutang, habang paulit-ulit lang tumatakbo sa isip niya..

‘So may bahay ako dito? AS IN I HAVE A LIFE HERE?’

Pagdating nila sa apartment, Jihoon couldn’t stop staring.

The place was almost exactly his old apartment back in the real world. The layout, the furniture, even the chipped paint on the doorframe—lahat same. Pero may mga maliit na differences din dahil mas lively ang vibes ng bahay, halatang may nakatira.

“Zi, bakit ka nakatayo lang d’yan? Ang creepy mo.” Jeonghan dumped his bag on the couch, stretched like he owned the place, then headed for the fridge.

Jihoon didn’t answer. He’s in trance habang lumapit sa isang pintuan. His room’s door. His hand trembled as he reached for the knob.

When he pushed it open, his breath caught.

“Holy shit…”

It was his room. Almost a perfect copy. His bed, his desk, even the ugly lamp na dapat matagal na niyang tinapon. But one detail shocked him—

The walls. Covered in photos.

Frames, polaroids, collages. Pictures of him smiling, laughing, arms slung around strangers he didn’t know. Group shots from trips he never took. Birthday cakes he never blew. Friends he never had.

‘Who the hell are these people? Why do I look sa happy?’

He stepped closer, fingers grazing a frame. The Woozi in the photo was grinning ear-to-ear, surrounded by faces na hindi niya makilala.

‘Background character lang dito, pero bakit parang ang saya ng buhay ko rito?’

His knees gave out and he sat on the bed, head spinning. Then suddenl..

“My phone!”

He scrambled to the nightstand. And there it was. His phone. Same brand, same case, even the tiny crack sa gilid. Unlocking it, he almost screamed. Notifications exploded.. group chats, names, and events that didn’t exist in his real life.

When he opened Contacts, his heart dropped.

Jeonghan Yoon.

Jihoon’s jaw fell open.

“WHAT THE FUCK… JEONGHAN?!” he hissed, gripping the phone. “As in… Jeonghan?? The secret lover of VP Choi Seungcheol?!”

He slapped his own forehead, pacing the tiny room.

‘No way. No freaking way. My roommate is literally THE Jeonghan Yoon? Canon side plot?! What kind of cosmic joke is this?’

‘But, how the fuck hindi man lang na-mention even once kung kaibigan ko pala si Jeonghan? Am I a new addition to the book?’

That night, he lay in bed, eyes wide open. Sleep refused to come.

'Why me? Bakit ako naging si Woozi Lee, Junior Staff? Of all characters, bakit hindi na lang ako naging si Jeon Wonwoo? At least siya canon love interest! At least he gets scenes, dialogues, and kisses!'

He groaned, burying his face in the pillow.

‘Pero ako? Woozi. A literal background character. Ni hindi ko nga man lang nabasa yung pangalan ko sa libro! Invisible! Expendable!’

He tossed and turned, hearing again the echo of Soonyoung’s voice in his head.

Move.

Cold. Sharp. Powerful. The kind of voice that could end you.

By the time dawn came, his eyes felt like bricks.

“Zi, what the actual hell?!”

Jihoon flinched at Jeonghan’s voice the next morning as they headed out for work.

“You look like a corpse, I swear.” Jeonghan eyed him up and down, then smirked. “Those eyebags? Parang kang panda. Wait.. more like multo. Para kang baliw. Did you even sleep?”

“I…” he paused. “I…” Jihoon rubbed his face. 

'If only you knew, Jeonghan. If you only knew na I was too busy spiraling about the fact that I'm stuck in this goddamn book.'

“Don’t tell me nanood ka na naman ng K-drama until 3 AM? Zi, you’re literally gonna die before the CEO kills you.” Jeonghan slung an arm around his shoulder, grinning. “Pero sige, at least mukhang comic relief ka ngayong araw.”

Jihoon groaned. “Leave me alone.”

“Never,” Jeonghan shot back, teasing as always.

By the time they reached the office, Jihoon was ready to collapse. Pero wala pang five minutes sa desk niya, nag-ring ang intercom.

“Attention, all staff. CEO Kwon Soonyoung will be coming down shortly.”

And just like that, the entire floor shifted. People fixing their ties, smoothing skirts, adjusting their makeup. Jihoon swallowed hard.

‘Here we go again.’

The elevator dinged.

Everyone stood up, bowed in unison. This time, Jihoon didn’t make the same mistake—though his legs shook violently.

Soonyoung walked out, with his eyes cold and sharp. Behind him, Wonwoo followed, calm and steady, documents in hand.

And then it happened.

Wonwoo leaned in slightly, whispering something to Soonyoung as he handed him the files. Soonyoung glanced at him, expression softening for just a fraction of a second.

A look only Jihoon would notice.

‘Oh my god. The chemistry, The tension. It's starting... the love story;s starting right in front of me. MY OG SHIP!’

Seven days. Seven days have passed and he’s still stuck in this alternate universe. His life here is almost the same as his life in the real world… like a loop. Gigising, papasok sa trabaho, uuwi… walang bago maliban sa may kasama siya kung minsan.

Paulit-ulit. Predictable. Nakakabaliw.

And the scariest part? He knew it was supposed to be like this. Scripted. Written.

He witnessed some of the scenes happen right in front of him, scenes he remembered from the book, scenes he once read with excitement and longing. Pero ngayon, they weren’t just words on a page. They were happening live, with him stuck as an extra in the background.

Soonyoung entering the floor with his usual cold aura. Wonwoo quietly handing him reports, receiving that subtle nod of approval. Small details that once made Jihoon’s heart flutter as a reader… now felt like knives twisting in his heart.

Because every time a canon scene unfolded, he realized more and more: he wasn’t just a reader anymore. He was inside. And his presence… kahit gaano kaliit, was enough to shake the story’s flow.

"Paano kung makagulo ako? Pano kung mag iba yung ending na gustong gusto ko?" he asked himself.

Pero kahit anong iwas niya, parang mas lalo pa nyang nagugulo ang story,

'WAAAAH PAUWIIN NIYO NA AKO'

The elevator dinged at exactly 8:59.

As usual, chairs slid back. People stood and bowed.

Tumayo rin siya, pero he kept his head bowed. He won't look at him, not today. Footsteps passed.

“Zombie Zi,” Jeonghan announced, dropping into his chair and spinning once. “Kumain ka ba? Parang matutumba ka na diyan..”

“I’m fine,” Jihoon said without looking up.

“Liar.” Jeonghan propped his chin on his hand. “Kung may problem ka sabihin mo na sakin, so I can help.”

“Anong problema?” Jihoon finally glanced at him.

“I don’t know? You seem a bit odd to me..”

Jihoon sighed and went back to his monitor. “It’s nothing..”

“Okay, but please Zi, don’t hesitate to tell me ha?.” Jeonghan slid a folder toward him with two fingers. “Ayusin mo ‘to. Pinasa sa team natin, ikaw na mag-format. Huwag mong gawing Comic Sans, ha.”

“Who even.. never mind.” He took the folder, grateful for something normal to do.

For a while, the office settled into its rhythm. Keyboards clacked. Phones chimed. Someone near the pantry laughed too loud then immediately hushed. Jihoon worked line by line, forcing his mind to stay inside cells and margins and page breaks.

At 10:20, the glass door opened.

Wonwoo stepped out with a clipboard. “I’ll need the vendor revisions by 1:30. Please send consolidated files to my email.”

“Yes, Secretary Jeon,” the leads answered in unison.

Jihoon’s fingers paused above his keyboard.. In the book, the office loved Wonwoo for this.. strict but fair, never raising his voice, always precise. He moved like water, the narration had said. He made impossible timelines look normal.

The door opened again, and for a flicker of a second, Jihoon saw Soonyoung standing by the shelf, flipping a document. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.

Jeonghan nudged Jihoon’s elbow with a pen, voice low. “Woozi to earth. Naglalakbay na naman utak mo.”

“I’m working.”

“Uh-huh.” Jeonghan clicked his tongue. “Focus, Junior Staff.” he said and the laughed at him.

He did. He forced himself to. He worked on columns, checked the footers, removed some double spaces in the legal disclaimers at the bottom of each page o kill time..

'Okay, be boring.. don't do anything to stand out..'

Lunch came fast. The pantry was crowded.. the table by the window was full of marketing girls doing makeups, Jeonghan handed Jihoon a paper cup. “Soup. Para sa kaluluwa mong pagod.”

“Thanks,” Jihoon muttered, inhaling the steam out of habit.

Hindi niya man nakita na pumasok sa pantry sila Soonyoung and Wonwoo, naramdaman niya ang presence ng mga ito.

“Boardroom in five.”

“Already prepped,” Wonwoo answered.

After niya maubos ang kinakain niya ay agad din siyang umalis, he really doesn't want to change the story.

While he was working, he heard the CEO’s office door opened.

“Cancel my six,” Soonyoung said, not raising his voice.

“Moved to tomorrow,” Wonwoo answered without looking down from his tablet. “Board package sent.”

“Good.”

The door closed. Jihoon stared at his screen and pretended his hands weren’t shaking.

'What, di ba dapat si Mingyu ang makakarinig sakanila? Bakit ako?'

By the time the end-of-day chime went off, his brain felt overcooked. People started packing up. Someone whined about traffic.

“Uwi ka na?” Jeonghan asked, swinging his bag over one shoulder.

“Mmm,” Jihoon said automatically. Jeonghan nodded and entered the elevator.

Jihoon waited a full minute before slipping into the stairwell. He wanted to clear his mind.

Habang pababa siya sa hagdan ay may narinig siyang familiar na boses...

He stopped.

Nakita niya si Jeonghan na nakayakap kay Seungcheol.. agad nanlaki ang mata niya.

'FUCK! Etong scene na 'to.. dapat si Wonwoo ang makakahuli sakanila.'

He tried to step back quietly, but nakatapak siya ng candy wrapper.

'Tangina, trip mo ba ako author?'

Both heads turned up at once.

Jeonghan saw him first. Of course he did. The smile didn’t vanish, but it was more like relived smile. “Zi,” he greeted, smooth, like he was saying thank God at ikaw ang nakakita samin.

Seungcheol’s eyes flicked over him, assessing, then away. “He’s harmless,” his friend whispered to his boyfriend.

“Right, Zi?” Jeonghan tilted his head. “Wala kang nakita. Wala kang pagsasabihan?”

Jihoon’s mouth went dry. “W-Wala.” His own voice sounded foreign. “Nothing.”

“Good.” Jeonghan pushed off the rail, falling into step beside Seungcheol as they passed.

Jihoon didn’t move for a full ten seconds.

‘Shit? Did I just accidentally steal the scene?’

“What the fuck… ano na ba nangyayare?” he asked himself while walking mindlessly.

At the apartment, nauna siya dumating kesa kay Jeonghan.. nanunuod siya ng tv nung dumating ito “Nakabili na me ng ulam,” he said without looking up. “Tapos it's your turn na magtapos ng trash bukas.”

“Okay,” Jihoon answered. Na para bang hindi ko sila nahuli kanina ni Seungcheol. He sighed. Jeonghan looked at him. “You good?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re a bad liar.” Jeonghan stretched, bones cracking. “Whatever.”

The bathroom door shut. Jihoon stood in the hallway for a moment, then went back into his room.

The pictures were still there. Of course they were. Framed moments of a life that wasn’t his. Woozi grinning with a party hat. Woozi on a weekend trip at a lake he’d never visited. Woozi with an arm slung around Jeonghan, both of them are laughing, the kind of easy laughter that comes from years.

Jihoon turned one frame face down, then felt stupid and turned it back up. Hiding proof didn’t change facts.

He dropped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.. His phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen: group chat names he didn’t recognize..

He locked the screen and let the phone fall onto his chest.

'I'll stay invisible.' he told himself. 'Dapat extra lang ako, never naman nabanggit ang pangalang Woozi sa libro.'

But why the hell did the story keep angling the lights his way?

He remembered the first time he read The Devil Wears a Tie. He loved Soonyoung's personality, but even loved him more when Wons changed him.

He loved them for years. He memorized lines, circled subtext, argued in forums, read essays about why Soonyoung’s softening wasn’t a loss of power but a redefinition of it. He knew the rhythm. He knew where the chapter breaks felt right.

And now he was in the middle of those breaks, siya pa mismo ata ang sisira sa kwentong mahal na mahal niya.

'Baka naman minor changes lang?'

He tried to argue with himself. 'Baka naman etong scene lang, tapos yung mga susunod okay na? Baka naman namove lang onti? Tapos masusunod din yung stairs scene?'

“Siguro coincidence lang ‘to. Baka kaya naman ng story na ayusin sarili niya kahit magkamali ako. Baka tuloy-tuloy pa rin lahat kahit may extra na katulong kong umeepal sa story?"

Grabe. Ang dali siguro kung mawawala na lang ako. ‘Yung hindi na ako papasok, hindi na magpapakita. Hindi na ako variable sa kwento nila.

Except Woozi Lee didn’t skip work. Woozi Lee was punctual. Woozi Lee had photos with friends, and a roommate who trusted him to take the trash out on Tuesdays, and an ID that beeped green at the turnstile every morning at 8:42.

And Jihoon, whether he liked it or not, was Woozi Lee here.

Napatitig na lang si Jihoon sa kisame. Hoping that tomorrow, makabalik na siya or hindi niya magulo ang story.

He lay there until his alarm vibrated against the nightstand.

Then he got up, brushed his teeth, buttoned a shirt that looked like all the other shirts in this world, and left the apartment with Jeonghan at his side.

Pagkarating nila sa lobby, he swiped his ID at dumeretso na papunta sa table niya.

Jihoon bowed with everyone else and, just for today, didn’t look up.

Now, andito na naman siya sa tapat ng computer niya at gumagawa ng report. He even searched sa google, and did everything para makabalik sa mundo niya pero wala talaga. So naisip niya na maybe pag natapos na ang kwento, makakabalik na siya.

He’s in Chapter 12.. 18 chapters left bago mag ending, to his surprise mabilis lang din naman lumipas ang mga araw dito. He tried to be unnoticeable as possible, hindi siya nagsasalita pag hindi kelangan.. lalo na pag nasa office siya.

But fate really wants to play with him, what do you mean he was assigned to work alongside Wonwoo and Soonyoung? Sa original scene, si Mingyu ang maaassign at magiging love triangle sila dahil magkakagusto si Gyu kay Wons. Pero anong nangyayare?

He wants to say no, but ano bang magagawa niya? Wala naman siyang choice kundi ang sumunod. So right now, he’s composing himself because any minute from now ipapatawag na siya.

“Mr. Lee, please go to the CEO’s office.” He heard Wonwoo announced on the speaker. He sighed and dragged himself papunta sa office.
Kinakabahan siya, sa loob ng isang linggo walang nangyaring kakaiba… pero etong nangyayari ngayon will change the whole trajectory of the story.

‘Dapat si Mingyu ang nandito eh, what if ako na ang pinalit? SHET! HINDI KAMI TALO NI WONS! BOTTOM DIN AKO’

His eyes widened at the thought.. napailing iling pa siya. “Ouch” he muttered while caressing his forehead.

“Watch where you’re going Mr…..?” he looked up and saw Soonyoung staring at him with his signature colf eyes.

Napalunok siya.. “L-Lee.. W-woozi Lee.”

Tumango si Soonyoung. “Mm. Go inside, Secretary Wons is already inside.”

“Yes sir.”

He huffed and clutched his chest.. ‘What the fuck?! Tangina ang gwapo ng boses.’

He pushed the glass door and saw Wonwoo sitting at the couch, he smiled and bowed at him. Wonwoo did the same and motioned the seat in front of him.

“Hello.. Woozi Lee.. uhh, what should I call you?”

“Ah! You can call me Woozi, or Zi.”

“Okay, Zi.. I think this is the first time na makakapag-usap no? I haven’t really interacted with you pa..”

‘Malamang beh, background character lang naman kasi ako’ he answered with his thought..

Wonwoo’s voice was calm, polite, pero may lambing—very soft spoken ang atake. Kung ibang tao siguro ‘to, they’d probably blush agad. Pero si Jihoon? He was busy trying not to combust.. hello hindi naman kasi siya dapat ang nandito.

“Y-Yeah… we never really talked,” Jihoon said, fumbling with his tie.

Wonwoo smiled, parang hindi affected sa kaba niya. “Don’t be nervous. I know it’s sudden. The CEO wants us to start on a new project—one that requires a smaller, focused team. And apparently… you’ve been chosen.”

‘Apparently daw, gago! Alam kong hindi ako dapat nandito. Si Mingyu dapat ‘to. Si Mingyu! Tall, charming, canon second lead! Hindi ako, mukha ba akong siya? Eh ang liit liit ko?!’

Jihoon forced a nod. “Ahh… I-I see.”

Before he could say anything more, the glass door opened.

‘Oh shit.’

Soonyoung walked with his stoic face, cold aura, every steps he makes will make you shiver. Like, hindi naman pala talaga OA yung description sa book.

Grabe parang nag slowmotion yung paligid, he can’t help but to stare at the male lead.

Soonyoung’s eyes landed on him briefly, then on the folder in Wonwoo’s hand. “Let’s start.”

Just two words..

Pero parang kinuryente si Jihoon… ‘tangina ang gwapo talaga, shet! Luluhuran!’

Wonwoo opened the file and began explaining the project details—some new partnership proposal, a campaign that needed precision, deadlines na halos imposibleng ma-meet.

Jihoon, meanwhile, was dying quietly in his seat.

‘Stay cool, Jihoon. Nandito ka lang to take notes or whatever. Huwag kang mag-react. Let’s try not to at least change the love interests here in this story.’

“Mr. Lee,” Soonyoung’s voice cut through.

Jihoon almost choked. “Y-Yes, sir?!”

“Are you listening?” Cold. Sharp. Eyes like knives.

He nodded too fast. “Yes, sir. Listening! Very… very listening.”

Wonwoo bit back a smile, tilting his head slightly. “He’s nervous.”

Soonyoung’s gaze lingered on Jihoon for one second longer before turning back to the folder. “He’ll adapt.”

Jihoon slumped in his chair internally screaming. ‘PUTA. Ano daw?! Adapt?! Anong tingin niya sakin, stray cat?!’

The meeting went on. Jihoon scribbled nonsense notes, halos doodles na nga lang, Kabisado na kasi niya yung story diba? So, alam na alam niya na kung anong gagawin niya.

But every time Soonyoung spoke, napapatingin siya. His authoritative aura is so SEXY, so he can’t help but stare at him while he’s speaking.

‘This is it. This is Chapter 12. This is where Mingyu was supposed to join and complicate the triangle. Pero bakit ako ang nandito? Paano na ‘yung love triangle subplot?! What if ako ang maging third party?’

Napahampas siya sa sarili niya, a little too hard. “Ouch!”

Both Soonyoung and Wonwoo turned to look at him.

Jihoon froze. “Ah… uh… mosquito.” He mimed swatting the air. “Sorry.”

Soonyoung blinked once, then continued talking as if nothing happened. Wonwoo, on the other hand, chuckled under his breath.

When the meeting finally ended, Soonyoung stood. “Secretary Jeon, prepare the draft by tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir,” Wonwoo said smoothly.

Then, unexpectedly, Soonyoung’s eyes flicked back to Jihoon. “And Mr. Lee… don’t waste my time.”

Jihoon almost melted into his chair. “Y-Yes, sir!”

The door shut behind the CEO, leaving only the two of them.

Wonwoo looked at him, amused. “Relax. He’s not that scary once you get used to him.”

‘Not scary? He just told me not to waste his time! Ako na ang pinaka-expendable character dito!’

“Y-Yeah… I’ll try…” Jihoon muttered, halos magusot na ang mga doodles niya.

Wonwoo smiled softly. “Good. Welcome to the team, Zi.”

And just like that, Jihoon knew…

Hindi na siya background character, but what should he do then?

Afternoon had passed, and uwian na… he turned to Jeonghan. “Han, tara na?”

Jeonghan giggled and leaned closer to him.. “May date kami ni Cheol mamaya, see you na lang sa apartment..” Napahinto siya at napatitig kay Han..

‘Ah the first chapter na dedicated sakanila—the sideship.’

“Okay, enjoy kayo.” he smiled and Jeonhan just giggled.. Halatang excited at kinikilig.

Nang maayos niya na nag mga gamit niya, ay agad na din siyang naglakad palabas ng company. He fixed the strap of his shoulder bag nang makarating siya sa lobby.

‘Ah shocks. Parang uulan pa yata.’

He walked fast papunta sa bus stop, hindi siya pwede maglakad kasi baka abutan siya ng ulan wala pa naman din siyang dalang payong.

While he was waiting for the bus, may isang red sports car ang tumigil sa harap niya… agad kumalabog ang dibdib niya kasi familiar siya sa sasakyan.

He gasped when the windows rolled down.. Kwon Soonyoung.

“Hey, Mr. Lee.”

Napalingon pa siya sa paligid para lang icheck kung siya ba talaga ang kinakausap ni Soonyoung.

Itinuro niya ang mukha niya.. “Me?” he asked.

The CEO just nodded and gestured na lumapit siya. So naglakad siya papalapit.. “Why po? May kelangan po kayo?”

“Hop in.”

“HUH?!” Malakas na sigaw niya, Soonyoung winced. “Ay sorry sorry, nashock lang..”

“Get inside, pabagsak na yung ulan. Idadaan na kita..” He opened his mouth but wala siyang maisip na sasabihin kaya he closed it again… “Bilis.”

‘Ang spotlight naman ngayon is na kila Kuya Han diba? Baka keri lang naman?’

He hesitated but opened the door after, nagtaka pa siya nang makitang nakatitig sakaniya si Soonyoung. “Uhh.. why po?”

The CEO’s eyes narrowed, “I’m not your driver Mr. Lee.”

Napanganga si Jihoon at dali daling lumabas, at lumipat sa harapan.

“Put your address sa map.”

He nodded and inilagay ang address sa map. Kabang kaba siya, after niya mailagay ay wala na nagsalita pa sakanila.

Pagdating sa tapat ng apartment nila ay nagpasalamat lang siya rito, at pagkatapos siyang tanguan ay umalis na din ito.

Bago siya matulog, ay napaisip siya.

“Yung nangyare kanina, wala yon sa book. So ibig sabihin they have a life after the supposed scenes?”

Nakahiga na siya ng maalala niya ang libro, mayroon siyang dalawang copy nito.. Isang sealed at yung isa na gabi gabi niya binabasa.

Napatayo siya at agad na lumapit sa study table niya and opened the lower drawer, and there he saw the book.

“The devil wears a tie..” basa niya rito. He clutched on the book like his life depended on it. He broke the plastic seal and opened the book.

He hurriedly went to Chapter 12, read it whole. Start ng chapter is yung scene na nagmimeeting na sila Mingyu at Wonwoo, yung kanina.. Ang pinakaibihan lang is siya ang naassign imbis na si Mingyu, at ang dialogues.

Inilipat niya ang pahina sa susunod, ang date ni Seungcheol at Jeonghan. Kaya lang habang binabasa niya bigla niyang naalala na parang ang nabanggit sa kwento ay mag-isa lang sa bahay si Jeonghan at wala itong roommate.

He scanned the whole chapter and there it was…

“Jeonghan arrived at his house… HOUSE? Hindi apartment???” nagtatakang tanong niya sa sarili at tinuloy ang pagbasa..

Alone. Kaya may chapter na dedicated sa kanya.. yung narration na nagsasabing kahit surrounded siya by people sa trabaho, pag-uwi niya, there’s no one waiting. That’s why he feels lonely.

“So, pagpasok ko palang sa story may nagbago na agad? WHAT THE FUCK” he stood up and started pacing back and forth..

His brows furrowed ng marealize nya na parang umiilaw yung book, kaya naglakad siya palapit dito at halos manlaki ang mata niya ng makita niyang umiilaw ito.

“What’s happening?”

The pages is turning on their own while its glowing, and closed. He picked it up and opened it..

He saw his name on the cover of the book..

Woozi Lee.

He whispered his name in this story again, half in disbelief, half in terror. The letters were etched clean and sharp sa mismong cover. Hindi mukhang sinulat lang, or printed.. nakaukit ito.

He blinked hard. Once. Twice. Pero hindi nawawala.

“...what the actual fuck…”

His heart pounded like crazy. Pinilit niyang buksan ulit ang libro, pero the moment he flipped to chapter 16—blank. Nagbago na yung prologue, yung ibang mga naunang chapters..

“What?!”

Binuksan niya pa ulit ang ibang pages, mabilis, halos mapunit na sa pagmamadali. Pero lahat ng pahina… puti na. Empty.

‘No. No, no, no. This isn’t happening.’ Kagat-labi siyang napaupo sa sahig, clutching the book like it might explain itself.

“Hindi pwedeng mangyari ‘to…” He placed the book on the table and stared at it like it might bite him.

'What does this mean? Why is my name on it? Am I rewriting the story by existing?'

If the book changed once, it could change again.

And maybe next time… it won’t stop at just swapping Mingyu for him.

Maybe the story will change or erase someone..

He shivered at the idea.

“Zi?”

He almost jumped out of his skin. Jeonghan’s voice echoed from the living room.

“Y-Yeah?”

“Anong ginagawa mo?”

“Ah… nothing! Just… reading!”

“Reading?” Jeonghan peeked from the door, raising a brow. “At this hour?”

“Uh-huh.” Jihoon nodded too fast. “Research.”

Jeonghan gave him a suspicious look but shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to sleep. Don’t stay up too late, baka may multo..”

Jihoon forced a laugh. “Ha-ha… funny.”

When Jeonghan’s door finally closed, Jihoon slumped on the chair, exhaling shakily.

He glanced at the book again. Still blank.

The next day, Jihoon barely slept. By the time he reached the office, mukha na siyang zombie. His mind kept replaying what happened last night. Every time he blinked, he saw the letters on the cover… Woozi Lee.

He sat down at his desk, trying to act normal. Jeonghan arrived a few minutes later dahil nagpunta pa siya ng restroom pagdating nila, humming happily as usual.

“Morning,” Jeonghan greeted, placing his coffee on his desk.

Jihoon just raised a hand in response.

“You look like crap,” Jeonghan added. “Didn’t sleep again?”

“Mm.”

“Lemme guess.. thinking about our scary boss?”

Jihoon froze. “Huh?”

“Si CEO Soonyoung.” Jeonghan grinned. “Come on, admit it. Nakakastress nga naman yung presence niya. Kahit ako minsan naiilang, eh.”

Jihoon just laughed weakly. “Yeah… something like that.”

He opened his monitor and tried to lose himself in work. But his brain refused to focus.

Every time he looked up, he saw the glass office. Every time he blinked, he remembered the blank pages.

At exactly 10:30, Wonwoo stepped out. “Mr. Lee, meeting in ten. Prepare the draft files.”

Jihoon flinched. ‘Wait, ako pa rin ba kasama dito?’

He glanced around at walang pumasin sakaniya at hindi rin tumayo si Mingyu. Just him.

'Oh god. Nagbago na talaga yung libro.. I was hoping na nananaginip lang ako kahapon.'

The panic crawled up his spine.

Wonwoo caught his eye. “Mr. Lee? You’re with us, right?”

“Y-Yes, Secretary Jeon!” he stammered, halos masuka sukang sagot nya.

“Good. Don’t be late.” Wonwoo smiled briefly before turning away.

And Jihoon’s brain short-circuited. ‘WTF! Ipinasok ba ako dito para baliwin?’

He pinched his arm just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. “Ow—okay, not a dream.”

Inside the meeting room, Soonyoung was already there. Arms crossed. Eyes on the screen.

Jihoon kept his eyes glued on the table, praying not to be noticed.

“Mr. Lee,” Soonyoung said.

He jolted. “Yes, sir!”

“You’ll handle the presentation revisions for next week. Work with Secretary Jeon.”

“Ah—uh—yes, sir. Copy, sir.”

“Good.”

Just like that, Soonyoung turned back to the projector. Wonwoo gave Jihoon a small nod as if saying don’t panic. Too late. Panic was already his lifestyle.

The rest of the meeting blurred. All he could think about was how this scene didn’t exist in the book.

This whole conversation never happened. Which could only mean one thing. The story was changing. And he was the reason why.

The next morning, Jihoon arrived earlier than usual. Hindi pa gano’n karami ang tao sa floor, kaya medyo tahimik pa. Hindi kasi siya NA NAMAN nakatulog ng maayos kagabi kakaisip kung paano ba babalik sa totoong buhay.

He set his things down, opened his monitor, and started fixing the presentation slides Soonyoung had assigned to him.

‘If I can finish this early, maybe I can finally have one peaceful day.’

He was so focused sa paggawa ng slides na hindi niya napansin na may pumasok pala..

“Mr. Lee.”

He almost jumped out of his chair. “Y-Yes, sir?”

Soonyoung was standing near the divider, hands in his pockets, “Are the revisions done?”

“Ah—almost, sir. I’m just fixing the layout. A few more minutes.”

Soonyoung nodded, then stepped closer. “Let me see.”

Jihoon panicked internally.

‘No, no, no, wag kang lalapit sakin!!!!’

He stood up too fast, tumama yung tuhod niya sa desk, and the next thing he knew—he stumbled forward.

“Ay, put—”

Bago pa siya mahulog ay nasalo siya ni Soonyoung.. His eyes widened.

Halos walang ibang marinig si Jihoon kundi ang malakas at mabilis na tibok ng puso niya. Their faces were too close—closer than they should be. He could smell Soonyoung’s perfume, and ang hininga nito na amoy toothpaste.

“Careful,” Soonyoung said quietly, while looking at his lips.

Jihoon blinked, lost for words. “I… uhhh. Yeahh, uhmm.. Sorry.. Tanga lang….”

One of Soonyoung’s brows lifted, amused at him. “Hmm?”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

Umayos agad siya ng tayo at pinagpag ang damit niya.. Para sana maiwasan ang tingin sakaniya ni Soonyoung.

“Next time, wag kang tanga?” Soonyoung asked and used the tone na ginamit niya kanina..

“Ahhh… hehe, opo naman sir,”

Soonyoung looked at the screen then, brows furrowed. “Fix the alignment on slide seven. It’s uneven.”

“O-Oh! Yeah, I was just about to—uh—do that.”

“Good.”

And then he turned, walking back toward his office like nothing happened.

Jihoon, meanwhile, stood frozen behind his desk, gripping the edge for dear life.

‘What. The. Fuck.’

He pressed a hand over his chest. 'Tangina, bakit ang bilis ng tibok?! Hindi ‘to pwede. Hindi ako dapat magkagusto sa lead! THIS IS AGAINST READER CODE OF CONDUCT!'

Jeonghan’s voice echoed in his head: You look like a tragic side character.

He stared at his monitor, but his brain refused to function. His entire internal system had blue-screened.

‘Okay calm down, Jihoon. Hindi ‘yon big deal. Nahawakan ka lang. Accident lang. Nothing romantic. Walang kilig. Walang kilig.’

But his hand still tingled. And every time he blinked, all he could see was the faint curve of Soonyoung’s smirk when he said “hmm?”

“PUTA,” Jihoon whispered, burying his face in his hands. “This is how people die in fanfics.”

When he got back to the apartment, he threw his bag on the couch and headed straight to his room. His gaze fell on the book sitting quietly on his desk.

Still glowing faintly.

He approached it slowly, inis niya itong tiningnan at inilipat lipat ang mga pahina, nabasa niya ang mga nangyari kanina sa office.

“Alright,” he whispered. “If the author wants me in the story… fine. But I’m not going to be the second lead.”

The words were writing themselves.

From the moment Jihoon stepped inside the office that morning, napansin niya agad na parng may kakaiba. The air felt heavier and lighter at the same time.. like something was rearranging itself while pretending to be normal.

Like, parang normal naman ang lahat pero may kakaiba pa rin sa pakiramdam niya? Hindi niya mapinpoint kung ano.. pero basta meron.

He stood by the hallway for a moment, clutching his ID lanyard, trying to figure out what it was.

‘Maybe I’m just tired. Or hallucinating. Or both. Shuta talaga!’

He took a deep breath and walked toward his desk. Pero habang papalapit siya, napansin niya agad na people were smiling at him.

“Good morning, Mr. Lee!”

“Huy, ang aga mo ngayon ah.”

“Uy, bet mo magcoffee? Gagawa ako, sabay na kita!”

Jihoon blinked, forcing a polite smile. “Ah… good morning.”

Pero sa loob-loob niya, takang taka na siya..

‘No, no, no. Hindi ganito dati. Usually, invisible ako. Walang pumapansin sakin maliban kay Jeonghan.’

He sat down slowly, and opened his computer, pretending to focus, but his eyes darted around the room.

Everything looked the same naman pero hindi pa rin siya mapakali. Wonwoo was sitting at his desk like always, pero may kakaiba sa kanya.

He wasn’t typing. Just… staring at a folder, tapping a pen against the table with this distracted look.

‘Weird. Wonwoo never zones out. Ever.’

And then there was Jeonghan. He was humming again, like every morning pero usually, it’s Love Me Like You Do, the same damn song for everyday. But now, it was some unfamiliar tune.

Jihoon froze.

‘No way. Even background details are changing now?’

He rubbed his temples. “Okay, calm down. Maybe may nagustuhan lang siyang bagong kanta.. Maybe this is fine. Totally fine.”

“Zi!”

He almost jumped out of his seat when Jeonghan suddenly popped up from behind his cubicle wall.

“What?!” Jihoon snapped, hand over his chest. “Jusko, Han, gusto mo bang atakihin ako sa puso?”

Jeonghan laughed. “Relax! Ang sungit. Hindi bagay sa may ‘morning glow.’”

“What glow?”

Jeonghan leaned his chin on his palm, smirking. “You’re smiling at your monitor again.”

“I’m not smiling.”

“Liar. You always do that when you’re thinking about something. Or someone.”

“Jeonghan.”

“Fine, fine.” He raised both hands in mock surrender. “Pero come on, admit it. May crush ka na no?”

“What—no!”

“Mhmm, sure ka?” Jeonghan’s grin widened. “Pansin ko lagi kang tumitingin kay Sir Soonyoung eh, crush mo no?”

Halos masamid si Jihoon sa sarili niyang laway. “WHAT?!”

Jeonghan snorted. “Grabe ‘yung reaction! Joke lang, Zi!”

“Hindi ako—hindi! Wala akong—ang kulit mo!”

“Eh baka naman ‘yung glow mo, galing sa kanya? Alam mo ‘yun, parang napapasama sa aura. You know, in proximity.”

“I swear to god, Jeonghan, one more word and I’m—”

“Fine! Fine!” He backed away laughing. “Just saying, kung crush mo si CEO… understandable. I mean, sino bang hindi?”

“WALA KONG CRUSH!”

Half the office turned their heads.

Silence.

Jeonghan bit his lip to stop laughing. “Shhh, Zi, kalma.”

Jihoon groaned, sinking into his chair and covering his face. “Tangina talaga, gusto ko na lang mag-resign.”

Jeonghan grinned, whispering, “O sige, resign ka… di mo na makikita crush mo.”

“PUTANG— Alis na nga!”

By the time Jeonghan left, Jihoon’s ears were burning red. He waited a few minutes, pretending to type emails while replaying the conversation in his head.

‘Si Jeonghan talaga… if only he knew! I’m not glowing! I’m imploding!’

He sighed, deciding he needed caffeine or divine intervention. Preferably both.

So he went to the pantry. Pinaandar niya ang coffee machine, and popped in a capsule, pressed “brew,” and waited, tapping his foot.

For one blissful moment, he thought, ‘Okay. Normal day. No weird glowing books, no glitching storylines, no boss—’

“Mr. Lee.”

He froze.

‘No. No, no, no.’

He turned slowly, as in sobrang bagal. And there he was.

Kwon Soonyoung.

Neat white polo. Rolled-up sleeves. Watch gleaming on his wrist. The kind of detail the author used to describe with too much fondness.

‘Oh come on, I just wanted coffee, hindi yung babaliwin mo na naman ako!’

“G-Good morning, sir,” Jihoon stammered.

Soonyoung nodded casually. “Morning. You’re early.”

“Ah… yes, sir. Just… coffee.”

“Mm.” Soonyoung’s gaze flicked to the machine. “ I see.”

Tumunong ang coffee machine, meaning tapos na... Jihoon reached for it too fast and of course, karma struck.

Nabitwan niya ang baso dahil sa init nito and a few drops splattered on Soonyoung’s sleeve.

“SHIT... sir, I’m so sorry—”

Hinablot niya ang tissue sa gilid, panicking, trying to dab at the fabric. But before he could touch him—

Soonyoung’s hand caught his wrist.

“Don’t,” he said.. “You’ll burn yourself.”

Jihoon froze.

Feeling niya ay huminto ang buong paligid. Their eyes met.

It was just a second.. two, maybe—pero pakiramdam niya sobrang tagal na. Soonyoung’s hand felt solid, grounding, but Jihoon’s chest was chaos.

“You should slow down,” Soonyoung murmured.

Jihoon swallowed hard. “Y-Yes, sir.”

“Are you perhaps in your tanga moment again?” Soonyoung tilted his head, trying to remember Jihoon’s excuse the last time he fell.

“Huh?”

Soonyoung’s lips curved just slightly, that half-smile again. “You seem to have a habit of falling.”

Jihoon blinked, cheeks burning. “N-Not… on purpose.”

Soonyoung let go, turning away to grab tissue and clean his own sleeve. “Next time, be careful.”

“Y-Yes, sir. Sorry po talaga.”

“Mm, for me to accept your apology, give me that coffee.”

“Ah yes, here po. Enjoy your coffee!”

He just nodded and walked out, cool as ever, leaving Jihoon standing there.. frozen, coffee in hand, feeling like his heart had jumped out of his body.

He stared at the doorway for a solid ten seconds.

Then he whispered, “Putangina… that was a romance trope. That was literally a romance trope.”

He put his hand over his chest, feeling the hammering heartbeat.

The meeting came faster than he wanted. Jihoon sat in the corner, laptop open, trying not to exist. This was supposed to be Wonwoo’s moment. Chapter sixteen.

Wonwoo presents, Soonyoung praises him..and they will have lunch after then magiging close sila..

But here they were. Wala ang secretary ni Soonyoung.

“Secretary Jeon is attending to a client call,” one of the managers announced. “He’ll rejoin us later.”

Jihoon’s stomach dropped. ‘No, no, no, this is wrong.’

Soonyoung’s gaze scanned the room. “Then Mr. Lee will take over.”

“H-Ha?”

Everyone turned to him.

“W-What? Sir, I—”

“You’ve been working on the revisions, haven’t you?”

“Y-Yes, but I—”

“Then proceed.”

‘No choice.. Parang tanga naman kasi!’

He stood up, hands trembling, and began the presentation. Every word came out shaky halatang-halata na kinakabahan siya. He wanted to melt into the floor.

But before he could completely die of shame, Soonyoung spoke.

“He’s right,” the CEO said calmly, cutting through the murmurs. “Proceed with his data.”

Silence. The whole table turned toward Soonyoung. Jihoon’s mouth opened slightly.

‘He… backed me up? That scene didn’t exist in the book.’

“Y-Yes, sir,” Jihoon managed to say. “I’ll… make the adjustments accordingly.”

“Good work.”

Two words… pero halos magwala na ang sistema niya. When Jihoon sat back down, his brain was pure static.

‘Did… did the CEO just compliment me? In front of the executives?’

The rest of the meeting blurred. He couldn’t focus on anything but the cold realization crawling up his spine..

‘The book really changed’

Afterward, Jihoon rushed to the elevator, heart still pounding. The doors closed, finally giving him peace… pero biglang bumukas ulit.

Soonyoung stepped in.

Just the two of them. Jihoon stared straight ahead, forcing his breathing to sound normal.

Silence. Then, napansin nya sa reflection ng salamin na humarap si Soonyoung sakaniya.

“You should fix your tie,” he said.

“Huh?”

Jihoon looked down. His tie was crooked, and before he could fix it, Soonyoung reached out.

He adjusted it carefully, fingers brushing Jihoon’s collarbone for a fleeting second.. “There,” he said softly.

Jihoon’s entire nervous system short-circuited. “Th-thank you, sir.”

Soonyoung nodded, stepping back just as the doors opened. He walked out, leaving Jihoon alone in the elevator, gripping the folders hard and staring blankly at his reflection.

“…I’m so screwed,” he whispered.

When Jihoon stepped out of the elevator, gusto niyang na lang maglaho. Magtago. Mag evaporate.. Gusto na nyang bumalik sa totoong mundo, or kahit malipat na lang sa ibang story as a background character.

But the universe said nope.

Because the first thing he saw when he turned the corner… was Wonwoo.

“Mr. Lee,” Wonwoo greeted, calm as ever, but his eyes flicked past Jihoon toward the elevator, the one Soonyoung had just walked out of seconds ago.

Jihoon blinked. “Ah—Secretary Jeon! Nakabalik ka na pala!”

Wonwoo’s lips curved slightly. “I am. Did I miss much?”

“Oh! W-Wala naman, sir. Just… meeting things. Slides. Boring stuff.”

“Hmm.” Wonwoo’s tone was still calm, pero parang may kakaiba rito. “I heard the CEO asked you to take over the presentation.”

Jihoon froze. “Y-Yeah… uh, temporary lang naman. You were.. uh, busy.. so…”

“Right.” Wonwoo adjusted his glasses. “He must’ve trusted you a lot.”

Jihoon laughed nervously. “Haha! Trust! Haha! That’s… funny!”

Wonwoo didn’t laugh.

He just looked at Jihoon for a moment longer, eyes unreadable, then turned to leave. “Good work, Mr. Lee.”

“Ah, thank you po.. uhmm.. sir.. Uh… bye po!” Napakamot pa siya sa ulo niya.

The second Wonwoo disappeared, Jihoon nearly collapsed against the wall.

‘Nope. Nope. Nope. That was tension. That was suspiciously romantic tension. But not the original kind. ANO BA TO BAKIT KASI NAGING AKO? Love triangle na ba ‘to, author Lakas ng trip mo beh..’

He groaned, dragging himself back to his desk. “I hate it here. I hate this plot twist. Sana all baliw, author. Kagigil ka.”

By late afternoon, biglang umulan ng malakas.

Tahimik na sa office kasi halos lahat ng employee ay naguwian na, except for Jihoon—still hunched over his computer, finishing the revisions Soonyoung asked for.

He was halfway through typing nang may narinig siyang nagsalita mula sa likuran niya.

“You’re still here.”

Napalingon siya agad, narinig pa niyang may tumunog sa leeg niya.. ‘Shet ang sakit..’

“C-CEO Kwon!”

Soonyoung stood at the doorway of his office, jacket draped over one arm, brows slightly furrowed.

“It’s past nine.”

“Ah..uh, yes, sir! Just finishing the final slides. Para maisend ko po tonight”

Soonyoung walked closer. Rinig na rinig pa niya ang tunog ng sapatos nito na lalong nagpakaba sakaniya..“Did I ask you to overwork yourself?”

“N-No sir, I just..uh..wanted to make sure it’s perfect!”

He placed the jacket on Jihoon’s back before he could protest.

“You’ll catch a cold,” Soonyoung said simply.

Jihoon froze. “Sir, I..uh.. you don’t have to—”

“Finish the file,” Soonyoung cut in. “Then go home. I’ll wait.”

‘Wait.. what?!!’

Jihoon blinked. “W-Wait.. what do you mean—”

“I’ll review it before I leave,” Soonyoung replied, already turning toward his office again. “Ten minutes.”

The door clicked shut.

Jihoon stared blankly at the jacket now sitting on his shoulders. It was warm. It smelled faintly of wood with a bit of fruity scent.

He swallowed hard. ‘Tangina. This man has no right to smell this good.’

Natapos niya ang slides within ten minutes, When he finally sent the file, he peeked through the glass wall—Soonyoung was now reading his slides.

He was tapping a pen against a stack of papers, eyes half-focused, hair slightly tousled. Jihoon didn’t mean to stare, but his brain refused to look away.

‘This scene wasn’t in the book. Pero tangina.. Ang gwapo beh!’

In the book, Soonyoung never stayed late for anyone. He was cold, efficient, untouchable.

But here he was.. staying.. For him.

The next morning, Jihoon woke up later than usual. He barely slept, his head was spinning from everything.

Last night, pinapasabay na siya ni Soonyoung, pero hindi na ata kakayanin ng puso niya kaya tumanggi na siya at sinabeng naghihintay si Jeonghan sa may coffee shop.

If this was still the same story, then someone up there was rewriting it in real time.

He stumbled into the office, hair slightly messy, and froze. Everyone was whispering.

Soonyoung walked in.

The usual hush fell over the floor. People stood, bowed slightly, whispering polite greetings. But this time—

“Good morning, Mr. Lee.” Soonyoung said.

To him.

Directly.

Jihoon’s heart stopped.

“G-Good morning, sir,”

Soonyoung nodded and dumeretso na sa office niya.. Narinig pa niya ang ibang employee na nagtataka..

“Did you see that?”

“The CEO greeted him.”

“Wait, seriously? He greeted first?”

He swore he heard Jeonghan’s muffled gasp beside his cubicle. “Oh. My. God.”

“What?”

“He greeted you.”

“So?”

“SO?! Zi, the man doesn’t even greet HR even on New Year’s party!”

Jihoon sank into his chair, face burning. “Shut up, Han. Maybe he’s just… in a good mood?”

“Good mood my ass! Bakit ikaw lang binati?! SHET! Baka tinataguan mo ko ha?” Jeonghan leaned in to whisper, “Siguro nagkiss kayo kagabe no? Kaya ka late..”

Jihoon threw a crumpled tissue at him.

Mabilis na lumipas ang oras at start na ulit ng meeting nila with other board members. Jihoon was halfway through fixing his notes when Wonwoo walked in, behind him, Soonyoung entered, iba talaga ang presence nito dahil natahimik ang lahat kahit pa matataas na tao din ang kasama nila sa board room.

The meeting started.

Jihoon sat quietly beside Wonwoo, typing notes, pretending not to exist.

But something felt different. Wonwoo looked tense, while Soonyoung seemed more serious and focused, yet his eyes kept glancing at Jihoon.

At one point, they were reviewing data when Jihoon nervously raised a point. “Sir, I think the projections for next quarter could be.. uh..higher, if we factor in the—”

Soonyoung turned to him. “Explain.”

Wonwoo frowned slightly. “Sir, I already finalized those numbers—”

“I want to hear his version,” Soonyoung said simply.

Jihoon froze, the entire room’s attention now on him.

“Uh.. yes, sir. I just think the trend from the last campaign shows potential growth, not decline, so maybe…” He trailed off, praying he wasn’t saying anything stupid.

Soonyoung listened quietly. Then, “He’s right. Adjust it.”

Natigilan si Wonwoo at napatingin kay Jihoon..

“Understood,” Wonwoo said quietly.

The meeting resumed, but Jihoon’s hands were trembling under the table.

‘What the fuck was that. What the actual fuck was that?! That was supposed to be Wonwoo’s scene! Pero kasi bakit hindi siya nagsasalita kanina!!!’

That night, Jihoon sat in his room, staring at the glowing book again. He opened it carefully.

A new chapter was written on the page.

Chapter 17 – The CEO’s Heart Falters.

Napabuntong hininga siya… chapter 17 should be the emotional turning point ni Wonwoo at Soonyoung.

He flipped the page.

But the lines described something else.

“The CEO was distracted, not by his secretary’s calm presence, but by someone else’s noise. A kind of chaos that didn’t belong in his world.”

Jihoon’s character name was written right under the paragraph.

Woozi Lee.

He stared, wide-eyed. “...what the fuck.” halos masamid siya sa sariling laway. “So… ako na ngayon ‘yung love interest?”

He looked up at the ceiling. “Authornim, kung naririnig mo ‘ko, I WASN’T ASKING FOR THIS ARC!”

The book only glowed brighter.

He sighed and flopped face-first into his bed. “Tangina. I’m doomed.”

The next day, he came in early again, just in time to see Wonwoo quietly hand Soonyoung a report.

“Sir, these are the adjustments you asked for.”

“Thank you,” Soonyoung replied without looking up.

Jihoon stood by his desk, trying not to stare.

For a moment, everything looked normal again… CEO, secretary, professional distance. But then Soonyoung looked up.

Right at him. Their eyes met through the glass.

Wonwoo followed his gaze, and his jaw tightened.

Jihoon felt the world tilt.

‘In the book, they fought for each other but now, they’re fighting because of me.’

He closed his eyes.. 'tangina, parang nagjojoke lang na ako na lang maging main lead, tangina mo author with respect promise. Pero sigi andito na ako eh.."

Magiisang buwan na si Jihoon sa librong ito, hindi niya alam kung ilang araw ang katumbas nito sa real world.. napagpasyahan niyang sabihin kay Jeonghan ang totoo.

Jihoon stood by the stove, “Han,” he said, turning down the stove. “Promise you won’t freak out.”

“Kung aaminin mong may jowa ka, hindi ako maniniwala,” Jeonghan replied, still scrolling through his phone.

“Hindi yon!” Jihoon rolled his eyes. “Han, seryoso ‘to.”

“Yeah, yeah. You always say that right before dropping a bomb.”

He inhaled sharply. “I’m not from here.”

Jeonghan looked up slowly, one brow raised. “Okay… define ‘here.’”

“Here as in here.” Jihoon gestured around. “This world. This office life. Lahat ng to.”

“Oh my God, kulang na sa sustanya yung utak mo,” Jeonghan muttered. “Can you go one morning without being weird?”

“I’m telling the truth!”

“Okay, sige.” Jeonghan leaned back, smirking. “Saan ka galing then? Mars? Parallel universe?”

“Real life. Eto, nasa book tayo..”

Jeonghan blinked. “Book?”

“Yeah. The Devil Wears a Tie.” Jihoon pointed to his own chest. “This isn’t my life, Han. Nabasa ko na ‘to dati ng ilang beses. I know how everything ends.”

Jeonghan’s smirk faltered a little. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish,” Jihoon said. “But you… all of you… are characters in that story.”

“Pucha, too early for sci-fi,” Jeonghan muttered, standing to refill his coffee. “Nagpuyat ka na naman ba?”

“I can prove it!”

“Sure ka?”

“You had a date with Seungcheol, sa rooftop ng Kwon Hotel. He ordered red wine. You ordered whiskey, kahit hate mo yun, you wanted to impress him. You wore a gray suit kasi sabi mo gusto mong magmukhang ‘serious’ kahit gusto mo nang umuwi.”

The spoon in Jeonghan’s hand stilled.

“He told you,” Jihoon said softly, “‘You’re my biggest mistake and my only comfort.’ Then you kissed.”

Jeonghan froze mid-sip.

“Next morning,” Jihoon continued, “you looked at your reflection and said, ‘Maybe I deserve to be happy because I was lonely once.’”

“...How?” Jeonghan’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“I read it.. Ilang beses na, and” Jihoon said simply. “Before I woke up here.”

Jeonghan’s laugh came out hollow. “You sound insane.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

Jeonghan didn’t answer. Just stared.. too long, too still. Then he said, “If that’s true… what happens next?”

“Soonyoung will find out because makikita niya kayo sa rooftop,” Jihoon admitted. “But things are changing. The book is changing. I think… it’s rewriting itself because of me.”

Jeonghan leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “So what, you’re the new main character now?”

“Maybe.” Jihoon gave a tired smile. “And honestly, I’m not even fighting it anymore.”

“Wow,” Jeonghan said dryly. “Kapal ng mukha mo.”

Jihoon laughed quietly. “If I’m really stuck here, might as well be the lead, diba?”

“Kapal ng mukha mo beh” Jeonghan said, rolling his eyes. “Dapat kami ni Seungcheol ang lead!”

By the time they reached the office, Jihoon felt it again.. that weird vibe. Parang may mali sa paligid pero hindi niya ma-point out kung ano.

He heard the speaker.. “Mr. Lee, report to the boardroom for a project briefing.”

Jihoon sighed. “Another meeting?!”

“Main character ka daw, diba?” Jeonghan said, grinning. “Go do protagonist things.”

He just rolled his eyes at tinalikuran na ito.

The boardroom wasn’t cold like before but it felt… heavier. He could feel the tension the moment he walked in… managers whispering, Wonwoo sitting silently at the side of the table, pen tapping against the folder.

Then the door opened. Soonyoung walked in. No words, no greeting. Just that aura.. the one that always made Jihoon’s brain short-circuit.

Everyone stood. Jihoon followed, eyes down.

“Let’s begin,” Soonyoung said simply.

The presentation went smoothly, too smoothly. Jihoon didn’t even have to speak. He just clicked through slides while Soonyoung led the discussion. It was ordinary, professional, boring.

But every time Jihoon risked a glance, he caught Soonyoung’s reflection in the glass wall. Calm. Collected. Scary. Perfect.

And sometimes… looking at him. He’d pretend to check his notes, pero halos manginig na siya sa kaba.

After the meeting, Soonyoung gathered his files. “Mr. Lee,” he said.

Jihoon jumped. “Y-Yes, sir?”

“Join the internal planning for the expansion proposal. Effective today.”

“H-ha?”

“You’re directly under me for this one.”

He almost choked. “U-under you, sir?”

Soonyoung blinked, nagsalubong ang mga kilay. “Yes. Problem?”

“None, sir! No problem, sir!”

“Good.”

As Soonyoung left, Wonwoo’s pen stopped mid-tap. His gaze lingered on Jihoon for just a second too long.

Jihoon swallowed. ‘Oh no. That look wasn’t in the book.’

Bago pa matapos ang araw ay tulala na lang siya, hindi siya makakeep up sa mga pangyayari.

‘Under Soonyoung.’

Paulit ulit ang mga salitang ‘yan sa utak at niya, feeling niya mababaliw na sya.

“Han,” he muttered. “What if the book’s turning into something else?”

Jeonghan didn’t even look up. “Like what?”

“Like… it’s not their story anymore.”

“Then make it yours,” Jeonghan said simply. “Ikaw naman ‘tong mahilig makisali sa mga eksena.”

“Hindi ko sinasadya!”

“Eh kasi lagi kang lumalapit.”

Jihoon sighed, slumping into his chair. “I think I’m too deep in it now.”

“Then swim,” Jeonghan said, finishing his report. “Just don’t drown.”

After hours of working, he rubbed his eyes and exhaled. “Grabe, kahit fiction world, overtime pa rin?”

He stood up para ihatid ang files sa kabilang department, he grabbed his files, and pressed the elevator button. Kumikislap kislap pa ang ilaw pero hindi na niya ito pinansin, dahil pagod na siya.

“Finally,” he muttered, stepping in.

The doors started closing—then someone’s hand stopped it.

Jihoon froze.

Kwon Soonyoung.

Wearing a dark navy suit, tie loosened. He stepped in quietly, carrying his own stack of folders.

“Working late again, Mr. Lee?”

Jihoon’s soul left his body. “S-Sir! Ah… yes! Just finishing the reports po for tomorrow.”

Soonyoung pressed the ground floor button, at si Jihoon ay sumiksik sa gilid… hindi na nagsalita pa.

Sobrang tahimik and this is the kind of silence that makes your ears ring. Jihoon could hear the faint hum of the elevator, the soft shuffle of paper as Soonyoung adjusted his folders, and the very loud, very illegal beating of his own heart.

‘Oh my god, this is literally a scene from a K-drama. Two people. Elevator. Late night. Stop it, Jihoon. Wag kang delulu.’

But of course, the universe doesn’t listen.

Bigla na lang parang biglang nahulog ang elevator ng mabilis, shaking violently at ang ilaw ay papatay patay.

Jihoon grabbed the railing instinctively. “Wha—”

Then everything stopped, the elevator came to a halt.

“…sir?”

Soonyoung pressed the panel button twice. Nothing.

“Power interruption,” he said calmly. “Stay still.”

“Stay still?” Jihoon squeaked. “Sir, we’re literally trappe—”

The lights dimmed to emergency mode, umilaw ang emergency lights.. dim-yellow. Jihoon could barely see Soonyoung’s face.

Meanwhile, Jihoon’s internal monologue was 80% screaming.

“Okay, um… okay, so we’re stuck? Haha. Nice. Classic. Cool cool cool,” he mumbled, pacing in a tiny circle. “I mean, yeah, why not? Tapos ano? Magkikiss kami? Jusko naman!”

Soonyoung tilted his head. “You’re talking to yourself.”

“I… uh… yeah, sorry. Coping mechanism.”

“Is panicking your coping mechanism?”

“Yes. I mean..no! Just… mild panic. Controlled panic.”

Soonyoung exhaled, pulling out his phone. “No signal. Great.”

“Oh good! So, we die here,” Jihoon said automatically.

One of Soonyoung’s brows lifted. “You always assume the worst.”

“Because the worst keeps happening!”

Soonyoung looked at him, amused. “You really think I’d let anything happen to my staff?”

Jihoon blinked. “Ah… no po, sir! Of course not! I totally trust you with my…uh… life?”

“Good.”

And just like that, the man leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

Jihoon swallowed, forcing himself to breathe. ‘Relax. He’s your boss, not your bias. Don’t do anything stupid.’

Pinaglaruan niya ang dulo ng suot suot niyang blazer, para sna hindi siya pansinin ni Soonyoung.

“You’ve been different lately,” Soonyoung said.

Jihoon froze. “Huh?”

“You’re now participating in meetings,” Soonyoung continued. “But more efficient. You finish tasks before the deadline.”

“Oh..uh, thank you, sir. I’m just… trying not to die?”

A faint smile tugged at Soonyoung’s lips. “You think too loud.”

Jihoon blinked. “P-po?”

“Even when you’re silent,” Soonyoung said, glancing at him. “You still make noise.”

He wanted to melt into the floor. “I…uh…sorry?”

Soonyoung’s eyes softened slightly, voice lower now. “Don’t apologize. It’s refreshing.”

‘Oh no. Oh no no no no no. Why does he sound like that?!’

Jihoon took one step back, pretending to adjust his bag.. but of course, his heel caught the edge of the elevator's carpet..

“Ah—!”

In a blur, Soonyoung moved, grabbing him by the arm before he could fall.

Jihoon’s palms landed flat against Soonyoung’s chest.

Everything froze.

He looked up. Their eyes met.

“Careful,” Soonyoung murmured.

“Y-Yes, sir. Jusko kasi tong gravity, pahamak!”

Soonyoung didn’t let go immediately. His grip loosened slowly, fingertips brushing against Jihoon’s wrist before pulling away.

“Next time,” Soonyoung said, gaze lingering, “don’t fall.”

Jihoon wanted to say something smart. Something normal.. but all that came out was.. “I—uh—thanks.”

“Hello? Sir Kwon? Can you hear me? Naririnig niyo ba ako?” They heard Wonwoo’s voice at the speaker.

Soonyoung pressed the mic button. “We’re fine. What’s the situation?”

“Temporary power surge. The system’s rebooting. Ten minutes tops.”

“Copy.”

Jihoon exhaled in relief. “Oh thank God.”

But then—

“Mr. Lee,” Wonwoo’s voice came through again, “You’re with the CEO?”

Jihoon blinked. “Uh, yes, sir. We’re… kinda stuck.”

“Understood,” Wonwoo said smoothly. Pero ramdam niya na may kakaiba sa tono ng boses nito, tunog nagseselos. “Stay put.”

Soonyoung turned his head slightly. “He sounded tense.”

“Y-Yeah, maybe he’s just… stressed? You know, work stuff?”

Soonyoung didn’t respond. He just stood there, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on Jihoon again.. unreadable.

Jihoon, on the other hand, was freaking out.

And of course, that’s when the elevator finally moved—slowly, just a little.. Na-out of balance na naman siya at halos mapayakap siya kay Soonyoung.

“Ah, sh—sorry!”

Soonyoung’s hand landed on his back, “It’s fine,” he said quietly, voice low near Jihoon’s ear.

Jihoon froze. Every hair on his neck stood up. Somewhere, in another room, Wonwoo clenched his pen hard enough to snap it.

Gumalaw ulit ang elevator.. Jihoon stepped back too quickly, pressing himself to the wall, face bright red.

“Uh… sir?”

“Yes?”

“Uhmm… matagal pa ba?”

Soonyoung’s lips curved faintly. “Hindi naman siguro.”

After another 5 minutes. The lights flickered back to white. Halos hindi siya huminga hanggang sa magbukas ang elevator.

He stepped out first, mumbling, “Thank you for… you know… saving me from there.”

Soonyoung’s voice followed him. “You keep falling, Mr. Lee.”

Jihoon turned, flustered. “S-sir?”

Soonyoung’s expression didn’t change, but his tone softened. “Maybe next time, you should hold on tighter.”

Jihoon’s heart stopped. “Uh—what?”

But Soonyoung was already walking away, hands in pockets, calm as ever.

Jihoon stood there, watching his back disappear down the hallway. He leaned against the nearest wall, clutching his chest.

“Okay. Okay. That’s fine,” he muttered to himself, staring at the ceiling. “Normal lang ‘yun. Hindi dapat kiligin. Malamang normal na hahawakan ako kasi nahulog nga, tanga lang Jihoon?.”

Then he groaned. “Tangina, pero bakit kinikilig ako?” He smacked his cheeks twice. “Focus, Jihoon. Focus.”

By the time he returned to his desk, halos wala nang tao sa floor. Even Jeonghan had texted earlier na umuwi na siya at wag magovertime pero meron kasi siyang need tapusin.

After few hours.. when he looked up, Soonyoung was still there. Inside his glass office.

‘Sir, please naman. Baka gusto mo namang umuwi,’ Jihoon thought, massaging his temples.

Ten minutes later, he heard the office door open.

“Still here, Mr. Lee?”

He stiffened, “S-sir! I was just about to log out po.”

Soonyoung walked closer, jacket slung over one arm. “It’s almost eleven.”

“I… lost track of time,”

“You skipped dinner.”

“Ah..no, I..well, yes. But I’m okay!”

Soonyoung sighed quietly. “You’re not supposed to overwork yourself for minor revisions.”

“Minor po?” Jihoon blinked. “Akala ko major ‘yung slides!”

“You make everything major,” Soonyoung said, amused.

Before Jihoon could reply, thunder rumbled outside. Biglang kumidlat at umulan ng malakas. “Great,” Jihoon muttered, glancing out the window. “Trapped again.”

“You don’t have a car?”

“Wala po. Naglalakad lang ako, minsan bus pag umuulan.”

Soonyoung looked at him, then at the pouring rain. “Come with me.”

Jihoon blinked. “Po?”

“I’ll drive you home.”

His brain lagged. “Ah—no need, sir! Grabe, nakakahiya! I’m fine—”

“I insist.”

“But sir, commute lang ako, sanay na—”

“Mr. Lee,” Soonyoung said, tone final. “It’s raining too hard.”

And that was that. Jihoon just stood there, drenched in confusion before whispering, “Yes, sir…”

Pagpasok ni Jihoon sa loob ng sasakyan ay agad sumalubong sakaniya ang amoy ng pabango ni Soonyoung, kung ano ang maamoy sakaniya, ay yun din ang amoy ng sasakyan.

“So…” Jihoon cleared his throat. “Nice weather we’re not having.”

Soonyoung gave him a side glance. “You always talk like that when you’re nervous?”

“Y-yes. No. Maybe.”

He chuckled softly. “You’re an interesting one, Mr. Lee.”

Jihoon’s brain short-circuited again. “Ah…uh..thank you?”

The car stopped at a red light. The city outside shimmered through the rain, and for a moment, Jihoon thought it looked unreal.. like something out of a movie.

‘Syempre, nasa loob nga ng libro Jihoon diba?’

He glanced at Soonyoung, whose face was softly lit by the dashboard, calm and focused, one hand steady on the wheel.

Then Soonyoung spoke, “You’ve changed the rhythm of the workplace.”

“H-ha?”

“Since you joined my team. People move differently. Meetings end faster. Even Wonwoo’s reports are sharper.”

“Uh… sorry?”

“That’s not a bad thing,” Soonyoung said. “It’s good, I didn’t realized that I like that better. It’s rare.”

Jihoon blinked. “R-rare, sir?”

“To find someone who disrupts the system, but makes it work better.”

If Jihoon’s heart could scream, ay malamang nagsisigaw na siya rito.

“Ah, wow, uh, thank you, sir,” he mumbled. “That’s… kind of terrifyingly nice to hear.”

Soonyoung’s lips curved faintly. “You always downplay compliments.”

“Force of habit, sir. Hindi ko keri yang mga compliements na yan hehe.”

“Noted.”

He turned his eyes back to the road, leaving Jihoon to internally combust again. They drove in silence for a while.

‘Sir parang mamamatay ako sa sobrang tahimik…,” Jihoon said. “Is it always like this when you drive?”

“I don’t talk much,” Soonyoung replied. “Silence helps me think.”

“Oh, right. That’s… cool. Same. I love silence. My favorite sound.” natatawa niyang sagot na inilingan lang ni Soonyoung.

At nang makarating sila sa tapat ng apartment. “Thank you for driving me home, sir.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s just… no one’s ever done that for me. Usually I just disappear from scenes after work.”

Soonyoung glanced at him. “Disappear?”

Jihoon laughed weakly. “Figure of speech. You know, fade to black.”

There was a pause, a long one.. before Soonyoung said quietly, “I’d notice if you did.”

Soonyoung’s mouth twitched, just barely hiding a smirk. “You’re welcome.”

Lumabas na siya ng sasakyan pero bago pa siya magpasalamat ulit ay ibinaba ni Soonyoung ang bintana.

“Mr. Lee.”

Yes, sir?”

Soonyoung’s expression was unreadable, but his tone softened… just a little. “Don’t fade out too soon.”

And then the window rolled up, the car pulling away into the night. Jihoon stood there in the rain, nababasa na siya pero wala siyang pakielam.. napahawak siya sa dibdib niya at pinakiramdaman ang bilis ng tibok nito.

“Putangina,” he whispered. “Marunong siyang lumandi.”

He dragged himself upstairs, In his room, the book was waiting on the desk… glowing faintly, pages fluttering on their own. He opened it with shaking hands.

New text had appeared.

Chapter 18 – The CEO Drives Home Alone.
Soonyoung already dropped off Woozi, but he can still hear his cute little giggles when he's trying to brush off every compliments he's receiving. He find it amusing.

Jihoon stared at the title.. “Soonyoung’s… chapter?” He flipped the page.

He slumped against the chair, groaning. “I’m really the love interest now, huh?