Chapter Text
It was a normal day to an extend at the branch where kim soleum was currently employed. At this moment he was eating breakfast alone at a table, it seemed that the others realized he wasn’t an easy target and decided to leave him to his own devices after the whole yellow resort fiasco. “I wonder how everyone is doing..” he reminisced, scooping up rice and eating it.
Looking around, he searched for the familiar butterfly figure to no avail. Feeling slightly dejected, he decided to focus and think of how to escape from this place instead. Lost in his thoughts he didn’t realize someone was calling his name until moments later.
“—Z999! are you done spacing out?” An irritated researcher standing besides his table questioned. “…oh! sorry…I didn’t notice you were there..” it was best to continue pretending.
The researcher’s glare only intensified until he let out a harsh sigh, “you’re done eating right? Go to the office down the hall immediately.”
“….but I didn’t finish my breakfast?..” Kim soleum nodded with his head down, shooting a sharp glare at the man next to him without him noticing, “yes…I’ll go now..” the researcher nodded and walked away quickly.
Letting out a silent huff soleum stood up and just walked towards his new destination, if he was so rudely called somewhere the others can clean up the mess he left. Walking down the hall he soon reached the office. He knocked twice and waited a moment, “I’m coming in!”
As soleum walked into the room, someone exclaimed, “What took you so long?” It was baek saheon, or should I say section chief goat of the H squad? saheon was standing next to a table in the temporary office he’s been given to do his report.
“if you must know I was eating breakfast before you called me here” soleum replied easily, baek saheon tilted his head slightly, looking away. “hm.” was his only reply. “…did you need me for something?” Asked soleum, that got his attention.
“of course I do. Why would I call you here for no reason?” ah, it’s still nice knowing that even after a year passed(in soleum’s perspective) baek saheon was still mostly the same, albeit he acts more like viper from <DER> than the goat he intimidated. That thought brought a small smile to his lips before he once again returned to his poker face.
“so why did you call me here? I don’t think you need my help writing your report and I’d rather not have rumors spread that someone from the bottom of the barrel like me is in cahoots with a figure as prominent as you.” soleum asked dryly. He was getting increasingly bored with just standing next to the door, deciding to walk into the middle of the office instead; but still keeping a comfortable distance from baek saheon.
Speaking of the devil, saheon finally turned soleum’s way and he swear the former’s face was more red than before. muttering something under his breath soleum had a questionable expression on his face. Baek saheon noticed it, letting out a sharp breath.
“ah damn it!” baek saheon muttered loudly, pulling his left arm from behind his back revealing a bouquet containing flowers like roses and lilies. Kim soleum stared in confusion at the gesture.
“…are you feeling well?” he asked worryingly, if only assistant manager jin was here right now..maybe kim soleum could ask to borrow one of her painkillers, unfortunately only he was called here. The two both stood there in silence, baek saheon was breathing extra hard though,
“maybe he really is unwell..” soleum thought. Meanwhile, saheon was fighting an internal battle debating whether to confess right now before he chickened out or yell at the idiot standing in front of him acting like a clueless rookie. His hands were shaking quite a bit—it was cold in the room! Not because he was nervous.
Taking a deep breath saheon told soleum, “I been wanting to tell you what I thought of you these past years after you left. I hated you and I also trusted you,” he stuttered on the last few words, “you saved me but also made me feel insignificant..Tsk I cant do this sentimental bullshit, I like you, date me kim soleum, agent grapes, roe deer—I don’t care anymore!!”
…..
“Wow! He must really want the items that I have to put on this act!” Kim soleum, thinking this, smiled at baek saheon.(No saheon’s heart didn’t skip a beat, it didn’t.)
“I understand, if you really—” Jin nasol slammed the door opened, “one of the researchers is looking for you soleum-ssi.” Both men turned to look at her.
“ah, okay ill be right there. I’ll talk to you after saheon-ah” kim soleum replied, turning briefly to look at baek saheon before hurrying out the door. Jin nasol moved aside so soleum could pass through.
The room plunged into a tense, silent moment. Baek saheon stared(glared) at the cockblocker intruder who interrupted his confession. She looked at him with a cool, impassive expression, “that was a terrible attempt you know.”
“Shut up. You’re just a lowly employee now who are you to criticize me?” He shot back angrily. he turned to grab water from the desk and remembered he was still holding the flowers, glancing at them he decided to throw them out.
Jin nasol watched his actions, curious and somewhat amused. “I thought those were for him? Don’t tell me a section chief is afraid of feelings?”
baek saheon ignored her, he wasn’t going to explain himself to someone unimportant. He grabbed the water and angrily drank half of it, still fuming at the failed attempt he set down the cup, spilling some water out.
“Hm, who is he to decide that my proposal isn’t the most important thing right now? It’s not like I saved his—and YOUR life,” saheon muttered before sharping turning towards the women who was silently staring at him, arms folded with an irritated expression, “he should be grateful I’m even helping..” The energy radiating off him was radioactive, it gave Jin nasol a headache.
“Tsk, I’m leaving you’re giving me a headache.” She turned around, walking sharply through the door and leaving baek saheon alone in his empty office.
It’s safe to say that baek saheon is still fuming to this day, is he mad at his stupid confession, kim soleum, jin nasol, or all of the above? We will never know.