Work Text:
Yoo Sangah had always been interested in Kim Dokja. It wasn’t anything romantic, just a stubborn curiosity that she could never ignore.
Perhaps it started when they both joined the company, and were coupled up to participate in a useless ‘team building’ activity. Yoo Sangah was nervous upon seeing that she was grouped up with a man to find some random gift card voucher, and that she’d have to keep up her appeasing personality while ignoring any advances.
Seriously, she was a genius in Korean history, a diligent worker and fluent in a few languages. But all she had ever done in her previous jobs was just smile and make coffees for her useless, perverted colleagues.
Her first impression of Kim Dokja wasn’t great. She knew it was wrong to make assumptions based on people’s appearances, but her partner’s handsome yet gloomy looks made her think he thought he could have anyone he wanted, like a stuck up prick.
Psyching herself up, she put on a reluctant smile and greeted him, “hello! You’re Kim… Dokja, right? I’m Yoo Sangah, let’s work together.” He only gave her a slight nod, not even looking at her.
Yoo Sangah didn’t even realise that her forced smile relaxed.
-
They were surprisingly a great team. The two very different personalities worked perfectly together, with Yoo Sangah using her street-smarts to find clues, and Kim Dokja deciphering them with his imagination.
They even talked about their very similar hobby of reading. Yoo Sangah was ecstatic; to think someone could be interested in her interests rather than her personality or looks, so she felt strangely comfortable around him.
She even learned about webnovels, especially one called ways of… survival? The full name was quite long, but Yoo Sangah was excited to read it and talk about it with him. Maybe it could brighten Kim Dokja’s depressed face.
Her encouraging actions and their harmonious partnership brought them to the end goal faster than anyone else could. Yoo Sangah was a bit disappointed that it was over, but seeing Kim Dokja’s slight smile at seeing the reward of a 10000 ₩ gift card was fully worth it.
She mentally kept the image of his upturned lips and eyes, which looked like a sea - no - an obsidian sky, littered with stars.
She couldn’t wait for them to work together, she was sure that he’d be the eye-candy of any department with those looks.
-
“You three, you’ll be working in the quality assurance department. Go get your name tag.” Pointing at Kim Dokja and two others, a middle aged man with a hairline shakier than Yoo Sangah’s facade was the harbinger of horrible news.
She eyed Kim Dokja as he walked up slowly to receive his name tag, and began to walk over to the other group of his colleagues.
She prepared herself to walk over to him, to say “Hi, what a coincidence we’re both working here,” but the toad-looking man stopped her and rubbed his hands.
“Ah, Yoo Sangah-ssi, you’ll be working in the Human Resources department, I’ll be your boss. Here, I’ll help you with your name tag.” His disgusting tone threw her off guard. What did he mean? Her and Kim Dokja were a perfect team, surely management would want them in the same department?
She irritatedly snatched the name tag off him with a smile, who seemed dejected that he couldn’t put it on her. Who does he think he is? She knows how to put on a damn lanyard, she has a degree in history, for god’s sake!
Typical man.
No, not all men. She should stop generalising all men, after all, she’s found someone who treats her like an actual person. The toad-man began walking her to the department with his hand over her shoulder, which would’ve made her gag if she weren’t already used to it.
She looked back to see Kim Dokja on his phone with an excited expression, making her forget that grimy hand.
Maybe in another timeline, Yoo Sangah would’ve punched that pervert in the face and run over to Kim Dokja, so he could show her what made a sad-looking man like him smile. Then they could spend their time reading together: she could show him her favourite novels, and he could too. Maybe she could’ve read ways or survival, so Kim Dokja wouldn’t be alone anymore.
And neither would Yoo Sangah.
What a naive dream.