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Seungmin, can you—" The sudden voice made Seungmin snap out of his thoughts.
His gaze fell on the figure standing at his cabin door; it was the person he hated the most but still called his friend.
Jisung.
Slightly leaning against the glass door with a smirk on his face.
"Why are you here?" Seungmin asked as he went back to focus on the work he had abandoned hours ago.
"Well, I came here because these files needed to be checked," Jisung spoke as he placed the files on the desk. "But I guess you're already busy missing your crush."
"Shut up," Seungmin groaned.
"Why don't you just accept you're missing him?"
"And why don't you just accept that you've been drooling over Lee Minho when he wore that black shirt?" Seungmin smirked.
"EXCUSE ME! I wasn't drooling over him! I mean, he was looking hot, like so damn hot. But still not my type," Jisung defended himself.
"You were literally confessing your love for him after two beers last night."
"Saying the one who was crying because he hadn't seen his little crush for 4 days?"
"Shut up, Jisung, before I kill you."
"You won't be able to live without me, Seungminnie," Jisung chuckled, waving at him from the glass door.
"Unfortunately," Seungmin sighed.
One of the biggest mistakes Seungmin had made in his life was telling his friend about his crush—and the other one was falling for the CEO.
Christopher Bahng.
Seungmin still remembered the day he saw Chan for the first time. Chan was mesmerizing, and Seungmin forgot to breathe for the first time in his life.
Seungmin had been working in the company when Chan still hadn't taken over.
Seungmin respected Chan's father so much; Mr. David was like an inspiration to him. One of the reasons for joining this company was to follow his role model.
But then Chan came and turned his world upside down.
Seungmin wanted to get over his tiny crush, but their constant running into the same elevator every time—morning and evening, like Chan was a ghost who lives there—made it impossible.
Seungmin could try to use the stairs instead of the elevator, but his office was on the fucking 15th floor.
Whenever he went to the elevator and met Chan, it became a usual routine. He always greeted him and tried to act professional, but the way Chan was always there, at the exact same time, with eyes only on him, like he was the only person who existed in the world, made Seungmin feel butterflies in his stomach.
Seungmin didn't know when his tiny crush developed into something more.
No matter how much he tried to shrug it off and call it only a tiny crush, he knew this wasn't a tiny crush at all.
Because Chan's eyes didn't only follow him in the elevator. Seungmin had noticed that whenever he had a meeting with Chan, he felt Chan paid more attention to him than the meeting itself.
So why wouldn't he fall…
When Chan is so damn hot, attentive, and super kind.
Before Seungmin could get over these feelings, he was already head over heels for Chan.
But Seungmin hadn't seen Chan for 4 days, because Chan had to go to another country for a project. And now, as Jisung had already said, he was kinda missing him.
Sighing, he averted his gaze toward the files lying on the desk before picking one up and starting to work again.
The evening came, but Seungmin hadn't stopped working, trying to put his mind into work instead of missing Chan.
He didn't notice that he was the only one left working. The others had already gone home. Stretching a little, Seungmin's gaze fell on the clock hung on the side wall; that's when he noticed how late it was.
He quickly stood up, packed his stuff, and saved the files on the laptop he had been working on.
He yawned as he closed the door of his cabin after checking that everything was organized one last time.
Walking toward the elevator, Seungmin put on his AirPods and played some music, eyes half-closed, shoulders slumped, clearly exhausted.
As he waited for the elevator to come, he closed his eyes, feeling the soft music. The elevator arrived, and Seungmin stepped inside without noticing the person already waiting for him.
It was Chan, standing on the same spot, with the same smirk, watching Seungmin, knowing the boy hadn't noticed his presence.
Chan had always been curious about Seungmin. His father had mentioned Seungmin when Chan still hadn't taken over as CEO—how the boy was intelligent, well-mannered, and most importantly, efficient in his work.
Chan was always fond of Seungmin. When he met Seungmin for the first time after joining the company, something stirred inside him.
Well, Seungmin was not only intelligent, well-mannered, and efficient, but also beautiful.
So beautiful that it always made Chan’s breath hitch whenever he saw him.
He had always loved watching the younger man. Chan knew Seungmin was different, and he had fallen for him from the very beginning.
That's why he had noticed Seungmin's elevator timing, so he could meet him; their cabins were far apart, and they had meetings occasionally.
Seungmin still hadn't noticed Chan's presence, drowned deep in the music. His little dance made Chan chuckle at his cuteness.
But then, suddenly, the elevator shuddered—a violent jolt knocking them slightly off balance before everything went still. The overhead light flickered once, twice, then steadied into a dim yellow glow.
"What the hel—" Seungmin muttered in frustration, pressing the buttons. None responded.
"We're stuck," a voice came from behind, making Seungmin's eyes widen. He knew this voice.
Chan.
Seungmin turned slightly, his breath hitching. "M...Mr. Chan, I... thought... you... were out of the country." Seungmin mentally slapped himself for stuttering.
Chan leaned casually against the wall, hands in his pockets, as if being trapped in an elevator was the most casual thing in the world, that smirk—that damn smirk—on his face.
"Yeah... I was, but the work was already done, so I didn’t see any reason to stay there."
Seungmin blinked slowly, feeling his heart pound in his chest. He had missed him for four days.
And now Chan was there, in front of him. And the worst thing was—he was stuck with him in an elevator out of all places.
The silence was unbearable. Seungmin could swear he noticed Chan moving closer and closer.
"You should stop doing this," Seungmin blurted out, whatever came into his mind, not even thinking Chan was actually there.
"Doing what?" Chan questioned.
"This... appearing in the elevator... like some kind of elevator ghost who lives here." The words slipped through Seungmin's mouth before he could stop them.
To his surprise, Chan chuckled softly. "Elevator ghost, huh? Well, I don’t mind haunting you if it means I get to see you every morning."
"That's not funny," Seungmin snorted.
"And I’m not joking," Chan said in a serious tone, his gaze fixed on Seungmin.
"T...Then what?" Seungmin questioned, cheeks blushing.
"You never notice, did you?"
"Notice what?"
"My father never told me that you're dumb too."
"Hey... what the fuc—I mean, your father, Mr. David, talked about me?"
Seungmin grinned happily, feeling proud that his role model had noticed him—completely forgetting that Chan had just called him dumb.
Chan only chuckled, slightly leaning close to Seungmin, his hands on the sides, caging Seungmin.
Seungmin's heart pounded loudly at the sudden closeness, to the point even Chan could hear it. Every passing second, Chan's face moved nearer.
But before Chan could say anything, the lights returned, and the elevator started again, quickly reaching the ground floor.
"I... It's getting late... I should go," Seungmin muttered as soon as the elevator gate opened, giving him an opportunity to run.
He slipped through Chan's cage, wanting to escape without looking back.
When he was just about to run, he felt a firm grip on his wrist. Chan pulled Seungmin back into the elevator, caging him again.
"Seungmin," Chan's lips curved into a faint smile. His voice was low but steady. "Stop running away from me. Stop pretending like you don’t feel it."
Seungmin froze. "I-I... w...what do you mean?"
The elevator gate closed again. Chan leaned slightly, their shoulders brushing—the confined space suddenly suffocating in the best way.
"I mean... I like you. I’ve liked you from the very beginning, from when my father used to tell me about you, even before I’d seen you. Every time you found me in the elevator was because I chose the exact time as you, so I could see you every morning. Every time I watch you... working hard, smiling..." His voice caught for a second. "I’ve fallen hard for you. And now I can’t hide it anymore."
Seungmin's mouth went dry, words stuck in his throat. His cheeks burned hotter than ever. The person he had been crushing on… liked him back.
"I-I... like you too... I think I should go," Seungmin laughed awkwardly, cheeks burning, trying to slip away from Chan's grip.
Only to get caged again by Chan.
"What did you just say?" Chan smirked.
"I said... I-I like... you too" Seungmin whispered.
"What?"
"I... like yo—" Seungmin was cut off by a peck on his lips, his eyes widening.
"Good," Chan spoke, giving Seungmin another peck. "Because I was going to haunt you every day until you realize," he murmured, letting go of Seungmin's wrist to pull him into a hug.
Seungmin laughed breathlessly, hiding his face in Chan's chest, his heart still beating fast. He couldn’t believe it—everything felt like a dream. But it was real: Chan's words, his feelings, and that small kiss.
Maybe getting stuck in an elevator wasn’t too bad. Especially when you’re stuck with your hot-as-hell boss.