Chapter 14

Monday hits her like a brick.

Chaeyoung barely remembers the drive in. Her body goes through the motions—badge scan, elevator ride, the familiar hum of the office—but her mind is still stuck on last week, looping the same thoughts over and over like a broken record.

Tzuyu. Lunch. The gift.

She drops into her chair at her cubicle, heart already racing, and the first thing she does—before even logging in—is glance down. The tiny bag is still there. Tucked under her desk, half-hidden behind her purse. Exactly where she left it.

Chaeyoung feels her stomach twist. Fuck. She presses her lips together, forcing herself to breathe like nothing’s wrong, like her entire life isn’t potentially about to implode because of a pink lace mistake.

She spends the morning pretending to work. Clicking around. Typing emails she barely reads. Every time footsteps pass by her cubicle, her shoulders tense. Every laugh down the aisle makes her flinch. She keeps expecting Tzuyu to appear out of nowhere—leaning casually against the divider, smiling like she knows something Chaeyoung doesn’t.

Or worse—HR.

By lunch, she’s not even hungry. She sits there with Nayeon and Mina, staring at her food, pushing it around with a fork, replaying the moment over and over. Tzuyu’s expression. The way she’d looked at her. The way Chaeyoung hadn’t known whether to laugh or panic or disappear into the floor.

By the time lunch ends, she feels hollow. The afternoon drags. The clock seems to move slower the more she watches it. Thirty minutes left. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight.

She keeps telling herself to calm down. Nothing has happened. You’re spiraling. But the sense of doom won’t let up. It sits heavy in her chest, buzzing under her skin.

She leans back in her chair and peeks around her cubicle wall. Mina’s there, focused, typing away like everything in the world is perfectly normal. On the other side, Nayeon’s in her seat too, scrolling on her phone, legs crossed, looking annoyingly unbothered.

Chaeyoung swallows. They’ve both been on her for days now, and even today. Not aggressively—but enough to show that they’re worried and care. They showed concern through text messages, phone calls, and even in person at work. She’s been getting a lot of:

“Are you okay?”
“You’ve been weird all morning.”
“Did something happen?”

It’s been like that for the past hour now too. And every time, Chaeyoung brushed them off.

“I’m fine.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Just tired.”

Because what the hell was she supposed to say? She hadn’t even processed it herself yet. Her leg bounces under the desk.

Should I tell them?

The thought alone makes her chest tighten. Saying it out loud would make it real. Messy. Complicated. But keeping it to herself feels worse—like she’s carrying something too heavy for one person. Her fingers curl into the sleeve of her botton-up.

Maybe they could help.
Maybe they’d tell me I’m overreacting.
Maybe they’d tell me what the fuck I’m supposed to do.

She exhales slowly.

I can’t do this alone.

The urge hits her all at once—sharp and unavoidable. If she doesn’t say something now, she’s going to lose it. Her eyes flick back toward Mina. Then Nayeon. They’re both there. Waiting—even if they’re pretending not to be.

Chaeyoung straightens in her chair, heart pounding. Okay, she thinks. Just… say it. Or at least start. She stands up.

Her legs feel unsteady as she steps out of her cubicle, but she keeps moving anyway—because whatever happens next has to be better than sitting alone with this knot in her chest.

Chaeyoung clears her throat for what feels like the fifth time in the last minute. “Hey,” she says. A beat passes “You guys.”

Mina looks up from her screen first. “Mmm? What’s up?”

Nayeon follows a second later, clearly irritated. “What is it? I’m in the middle of something.”

Chaeyoung swallows. “Uh… can I tell you something?”

Both of them pause. Mina swivels her chair slightly. “Sure.”

Nayeon squints at her. “Why do you look like you’re about to confess to a crime?”

Chaeyoung winces. “Because it kind of feels like that.” She motions awkwardly with her hand. “Can you come closer? Like—closer closer.”

Mina immediately scoots her chair toward Chaeyoung’s cubicle, curiosity piqued. Nayeon sighs but rolls her chair over too, arms crossed.

“Okay,” Mina says gently. “What’s going on now?”

Chaeyoung lowers her voice to a whisper. “I need help.”

Nayeon raises a brow. “Help with what, exactly?”

“I need advice,” Chaeyoung stresses. “Like… real advice.”

Mina nods. “Okay.”

Chaeyoung hesitates, then blurts, “It’s about the intern.”

Nayeon’s face immediately shifts. Her lips twitch. “Ohhh. Chewy-ah? Finally!”

Chaeyoung already regrets everything. Nayeon grins. “Can you tell us what happened between you and your little girlfriend now?”

“She is not—” Chaeyoung groans, dragging a hand down her face. “Please don’t start.”

“Okay, I’ll relax,” Nayeon continues, clearly enjoying herself. “So how was that cute little lunch date you went on last week?”

Chaeyoung drops her forehead into her palm. “God.”

Mina frowns. “Was it bad? What happened?”

“It was,” Chaeyoung mutters, “really fucking stupid.”

Nayeon perks up. “Stupid how?”

Chaeyoung exhales sharply, staring at the desk like it might swallow her whole. “Because it went from ‘normal lunch’ to ‘HR violation speedrun’ in under ten minutes.”

There’s a beat. Nayeon blinks. “I’m sorry—what?”

Mina’s eyes widen. “Chaeyoung….”

Chaeyoung squeezes her eyes shut. “Chewy-ah did something to me.”

“What?” Mina asks, already stressed.

Chaeyoung hesitates. Then, very quietly—”We were at the cafe… and her foot… was on my—”

Mina gasps. “Oh my god—Momorin was right!”

Chaeyoung’s head snaps up. “What?”

Nayeon turns to Mina immediately. “What did Momo say?”

Mina winces. “…I talked to her about Tzuyu, and you last week, when we were working on our project.”

Chaeyoung narrows her eyes. “Of course you did.”

“And Momo said,” Mina continues, a little hesitant now, “that Tzuyu was being, like… creepy towards you.”

A beat passes. Nayeon already looks like she’s about to laugh. Mina pushes through anyway. “She said she acts like an old man and that she escalates things and that—” She falters. “—you might be in danger.”

Silence hits them. Chaeyoung just stares at her. Then at Nayeon. Then back at Mina. “You guys are shitty-ass fucking friends.”

“Chaeyoung—”

“I WAS in danger,” she snaps. “because she pulled some crazy shit on me, and you guys knew she would be weird as fuck, and encouraged me to go anways!”

Nayeon is trying—trying—not to laugh. Mina immediately panics. “Okay, but I didn’t think it would escalate that much—”

“You two told me to go to that stupid-ass lunch,” Chaeyoung shoots back.

Mina covers her face. “I’m so sorry.”

Nayeon holds her breath, trying not to laugh. “I’m sorry too.” She clears her throat slight, as she realizes the situation is pretty serious. “We didn’t mean to like put you in danger or anything.”

“It’s fine. I wasn’t like….it actual danger with her. It doesn’t even matter anymore,” Chaeyoung mutters, throwing her hands up. “I knew some bullshit was gonna happen with her anyways, in due time. So you guys are forgiven.”

Nayeon finally loses it, laughing under her breath. “How bad was it?”

Chaeyoung glares at her. “Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not laughing,” Nayeon lies immediately.

“What did she do?” Mina asks again, more cautiously now.

Chaeyoung exhales hard, dragging a hand down her face. “…Okay,” she says. “So back to what I was saying—”

The two lean in now. Chaeyoung hesitates for a second. Then, very quietly—”We were at the cafe for lunch last week and…… her foot… was on my—”

Nayeon squints. “Like on your di—”

“Under the table,” Chaeyoung mutters.

Silence hits them. A beat. Two beats. Then—Nayeon chokes. “OH MY GOD—” she slaps a hand over her mouth, immediately doubling over in her chair, shoulders shaking. “NO—NO WAY—”

“Shut up!” Chaeyoung hisses, panicking. “Keep your voice DOWN—”

“You’re DONE!” Nayeon whisper-yells, losing her mind. “You’re actually getting fired—what the hell is wrong with you??”

“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING—” Chaeyoung snaps, grabbing her head. “I was just sitting there eating—”

Mina is frozen. Completely frozen. “…Chaeyoung,” she says slowly, like she’s trying not to explode, “please tell me you’re joking.”

“I WISH I WAS JOKING,” Chaeyoung whisper-yells back. “I thought I was going to die. She fucking edged me.”

Nayeon is still laughing. Fully gone. She turns away, gripping the edge of her desk. “An intern doing that to you?? At lunch?? In public???” she wheezes. “Oh my god, you’re actually insane—”

“I DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS!” Chaeyoung shoots back. “She just—she just does things!”

Mina presses her hands to her face. “Oh my god… oh my god…” She shakes her head in shock. “That is bad,” She mutters. “That is really bad.”

“I KNOW IT’S BAD,” Chaeyoung snaps. “That’s why I said I need help! It got worse!”

Nayeon leans forward again, eyes wide, still grinning like a menace. “No, because I need to understand—like—what did you even do?? You just sat there and was taking it??”

“Yes!” Chaeyoung throws her hands up. “What else was I supposed to do?? Stand up?? Cause a scene?? Call HR on myself??”

Mina lets out a stressed noise. “You could’ve—moved—”

“I TRIED,” Chaeyoung hisses. “Her foot wouldn’t stop, and she kept looking at me like—like—” she cuts herself off, flustered, dragging a hand down her face. “This is not the point!”

Nayeon collapses back again, laughing into her sleeve. “Oh my god. You liked it, didn’t you? You’re so screwed.”

“….I didn’t—I’m not going to answer that, and I’m not screwed,” Chaeyoung snaps. “I just need to figure out what to do before I actually AM screwed.”

“Step one,” Nayeon says immediately, still laughing, “don’t hook up with your intern in public—”

“I DIDN’T—” Chaeyoung stops herself, glaring. “Oh my god, you’re so annoying.”

Before Nayeon can respond— A sharp voice cuts in.

“What is going on over here?”

All three of them freeze. Their supervisor stands at the edge of the cubicles, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed. The energy drops instantly. Professional mode ACTIVATED.

“Nothing,” Mina says quickly, spinning her chair back toward her desk.

“Just discussing work,” Nayeon adds, already clicking random things on her screen like she’s been busy for hours.

Chaeyoung straightens immediately. “Sorry.”

The old man eyes them for a second longer. “Keep it down. This is still a workplace.”

“Yes, sir,” all three mumble in unison.

He lingers for half a second—then walks off. Silence hits them. A long, painful silence. None of them move for a full five seconds. Then—Nayeon slowly rolls her chair back toward Chaeyoung’s cubicle. Mina follows. Chaeyoung buries her face in her hands.

“…continue,” Nayeon whispers, deadly serious now—but her shoulders are still shaking.

Mina nods quickly, equally serious but visibly stressed. “Yes. Please continue.”

Chaeyoung groans. “I hate both of you.” She takes a huge deep breath, like if she doesn’t she’ll disaapear. “But anyways, after the lunch, she gave me something,” She blurts.

Nayeon leans forward immediately. “Okay. What kind of something?”

Mina hesitates. “Like… a gift?”

Chaeyoung nods miserably. Nayeon starts listing on her fingers. “Flowers? Chocolate? A handwritten confession?”

Chaeyoung looks up, dead serious. “Pink. Lace. Underwear.”

Silence hits them. Then—Nayeon explodes. “SHE DID WHAT?”

Mina clamps a hand over her mouth, half horrified, half laughing. “Oh my god.”

“And,” Chaeyoung adds quietly, “it’s currently under my desk. In a bag. Like it’s cursed.”

Nayeon doubles over, laughing. “I knew it. I knew that intern was unhinged! Holy shit!”

“This is not funny,” Chaeyoung snaps, even though she’s barely holding it together herself. “I’m like two emails away from unemployment.”

Mina winces. “Okay, yeah—no. That’s… really bad.” Then a beat passes. “…I knew she was teasing you,” Mina admits, more carefully now. “We both did.”

Nayeon nods. “Yeah, like—it was obvious she liked you.”

“But we didn’t think it would get that far,” Mina adds quickly. “Not that fast.”

Chaeyoung lifts her head slowly, staring at them. “Yeah. Well. It did.”

Mina exhales. “I’m really sorry, Chae.”

Nayeon nods, a little more sheepish now. “Yeah… that’s on us.”

Chaeyoung waves it off, dropping her head back into her hands. “Like I said, it’s whatever. Seriously, you don’t gotta apologize. I told you guys already that I knew some bullshit was gonna happen with her anyway.”

Then there was a beat. “…I just don’t get it though,” she mutters. “Like, I told her it was unprofessional. Straight up.”

Mina looks up. “And?”

“She brushed it off,” Chaeyoung says, exasperated. “Like it was a joke. Like it was normal.”

Nayeon makes a face. “Oh…”

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung mutters. “So I don’t know what the fuck that was.”

Mina leans forward slightly, thinking. “…Okay, wait,” she says. “This might sound weird, but—when I saw her in the hallway the other day last week?”

Chaeyoung peeks up. “What about it?”

“There were other interns flirting with her,” Mina says. “Like, very obvious.”

Nayeon raises a brow. “And?”

“She shut it down,” Mina shrugs. “Completely. Like she wasn’t interested at all.”

Nayeon pauses. “…Oh?”

“Yeah,” Mina nods. “Didn’t even entertain it. Just—dismissed them.”

Nayeon leans back slightly, intrigued. “That’s… interesting as hell.”

Chaeyoung just stares at them. “Okay? What the fuck does that have to do with me?”

Mina gestures toward her. “You told us she’s, like, a spoiled rich girl, right?”

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung says slowly.

“Then she’s probably used to getting what she wants,” Mina continues. “Or people throwing themselves at her.” There was beat. “…And you’re not doing that.”

Chaeyoung blinks.

“…So she probably did all that weird shit to you because of it,” Mina finishes.

Chaeyoung just sits there. “…Oh my god.”

Nayeon leans in immediately, making it worse. “And she’s younger too.”

Chaeyoung closes her eyes. “Don’t.”

“She’s probably just—like—” Nayeon gestures vaguely, “—horny for you.”

“OH MY GOD,” Chaeyoung groans, dropping her head back onto the desk.

“I’m just saying,” Nayeon shrugs, laughing a bit. “She clearly wants you.”

“I cannot do this right now,” Chaeyoung mutters into the desk. “I cannot deal with this.”

Mina winces. “Okay—but regardless of why she did it, that was out of pocket.”

“Yeah,” Nayeon agrees. “Like, way too far.”

“Thank you,” Chaeyoung mumbles.

“You need boundaries,” Mina adds, more serious now. “Very clear ones.”

“I know,” Chaeyoung sighs, pushing herself upright again. “I just—” She hesitates. “…I can’t hook up with her,” she says finally. “Like, I would literally lose my job.”

Nayeon tilts her head. “But you like her.”

Chaeyoung freezes. “…Don’t say that.”

“That wasn’t a denial,” Nayeon points out immediately.

Chaeyoung glares at her. “…She’s cute,” she mutters. “That’s it.”

Mina presses her lips together, trying not to smile.

“But I’m not doing anything,” Chaeyoung adds quickly. “I’m trying to be professional. This is my first time mentoring someone, I’m not about to fuck it up over—over this.”

Mina hums, then says, a little more carefully, “I mean… you technically could.”

Nayeon turns her head slowly. “…Girl.”

Mina shrugs. “I’m just saying. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if you did. Just—not at work.”

Chaeyoung blinks. “…What?”

“You’ve literally hooked up with someone from here at the company before,” Mina continues, like she’s reminding her of something obvious.

Chaeyoung’s expression immediately tightens. “That was different.”

Nayeon perks up. “Oh? Was it?”

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. “Yes. And that girl doesn’t even work here anymore.”

“Where is she now?” Mina asks.

“…Canada.”

There’s a beat. Mina stares at her. “Okay? And?”

“That’s not the point,” Chaeyoung snaps.

“My point is,” Mina says, holding up a hand, “you’ve broken the rules before. You survived.”

Nayeon leans back, crossing her arms. “And thrived, apparently.”

“Shut up,” Chaeyoung mutters.

Mina softens slightly. “Look, I’m not saying what Tzuyu did was okay. Because it wasn’t. That was—insane.”

“Thank you.”

“But,” Mina continues, “if you did decide to… explore that—” she gestures vaguely, “it would just has to be outside of work. That’s literally what everyone does.”

Nayeon gives her a look. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m being realistic,” Mina shoots back.

Chaeyoung exhales, dragging a hand down her face. “…You’re both annoying.”

Nayeon smirks. “Says the girl who got edged at a lunch.”

“SHUT UP,” Chaeyoung snaps.

Mina points at her. “And rule number three: don’t get edged in a public café by your intern.”

Chaeyoung groans, dropping her head into her hands. “I hate it here.”

Nayeon grins. “No, seriously though. You have to either give those panties back, throw it away, or burn it.”

Mina nods. “You have to have boundaries, Chae. Like immediately.”

Chaeyoung sighs, slumping in her chair. “I know,” she mutters. “I just—why is my life like this?”

Nayeon smirks. “Because you look harmless. Chaos always picks the harmless ones.”

Chaeyoung groans, dropping her head onto the desk again. “I hate it here.”

Mina reaches out and pats her shoulder. “You did the right thing telling us.”

Nayeon grins. “Yeah. Also? This officially beats my week.”

Chaeyoung lifts her head. “Didn’t you almost hook up with Jeongyeon?”

Nayeon freezes. “—Anyways.”

Mina’s eyes flick between them. “Wait. Almost? What the fuck happened?“

Chaeyoung narrows her eyes. “Oh my god. Don’t change the subject.”

Nayeon sighs dramatically. “Fine. But we’re circling back to your haunted underwear situation first, and you getting edged in public.”

Chaeyoung mutters, “I just wanted a normal Monday.”

Mina exhales, the smile fading from her face as she straightens a little. “But seriously, though,” she says, tone firm now. “Chae… Just talk to her. And too, if she doesn’t take it well….then you might have to actually report her. So just have the conversation with her.”

Chaeyoung nods immediately, rubbing her temple. “I know. I know I should.” She hesitates. “It’s just… it’s a lot.”

Nayeon tilts her head. “A lot how?”

Chaeyoung sighs. “Because I’m nervous already.” She glances between them. “I have to have another lunch with her soon.”

Nayeon’s eyes widen. “Another lunch?”

Chaeyoung groans. “I’m not going into details. The first lunch was fucked, but I basically—somehow—agreed to go on another one this friday coming up now.”

There’s a pause. Nayeon breaks it immediately. “Yeah. You’re fucking screwed.”

“Excuse me?” Chaeyoung snaps. “Shut the fuck up.”

Mina winces. “Nayeon.”

“I’m kidding,” Nayeon says, not kidding at all.

Mina turns back to Chaeyoung, gentler. “Look. Just… have a conversation with Tzuyu. Like, a clear one. The lunch itself can be fine, but you don’t want to get caught up in whatever shenanigans she’s trying to pull.”

Chaeyoung nods slowly. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” She exhales, shoulders dropping. “Thanks. Seriously. I needed that.”

Mina smiles softly—then pauses, glancing sideways at Nayeon. Her eyes narrow slightly. “Wait.”

Nayeon stiffens immediately. Mina points between them. “So… what’s going on with you and Jeongyeon?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nayeon says way too fast.

Chaeyoung’s head snaps up. “Oh my god, are you serious right now?”

Mina blinks. “What?”

Chaeyoung leans forward, staring Nayeon down. “You literally texted me over the weekend.”

Nayeon freezes. “…No I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did,” Chaeyoung shoots back. “You sent me—’hey, I need to talk to you, I almost hooked up with Jeongyeon’—and then you deleted it like a fucking psycho.”

Mina’s eyes widen. “You did what?”

Nayeon groans, dragging her hands down her face. “Oh my god.”

“I saw it,” Chaeyoung continues, unimpressed. “You didn’t even give me time to respond. Why would you send that and then delete it?”

“Because I didn’t mean to send it!” Nayeon snaps. “I was drunk!”

Mina turns fully toward her now. “So something did happen, huh?”

Nayeon exhales sharply. “…Nothing really happened.”

“Mhm,” Chaeyoung hums. “That’s not what your text said.”

“We just had dinner,” Nayeon insists. “I got a little tipsy, and then she took me home so I could sober up.”

Mina stares at her. “…Sober up?”

“Yes,” Nayeon says defensively.

There’s a pause.

“I thought you guys were just friends,” Mina says slowly.

“We are friends,” Nayeon fires back. “Jesus. We’re just friends.”

Chaeyoung tilts her head. “Are you sure? Because ‘almost hooked up’ doesn’t sound very friendly to me.”

“Will you shut the fuck up?” Nayeon snaps, mortified.

Mina looks between them, completely lost. “What actually happened?”

Nayeon hesitates—then caves just enough. “…We kissed a little bit.”

Silence drops. Mina’s jaw falls open. “Oh my gosh.”

Nayeon immediately backtracks. “It didn’t mean anything! It was just—ugh—”

Chaeyoung bursts out laughing. “You’re such a mess.”

“Stop laughing!” Nayeon snaps.

“You kissed her?” Mina repeats, still processing.

“I hate both of you,” Nayeon mutters.

Chaeyoung wipes her eyes. “Wow. I came in here stressed about an intern and somehow you’re the bigger problem.”

Mina exhales slowly, still watching Nayeon. “Okay… I’m just—” she shakes her head a little, searching for words. “I’m confused.”

Nayeon groans. “There’s nothing to be confused about.”

“No, there is,” Mina says calmly. “Because you’re saying one thing, but then… doing something else.”

That lands. Chaeyoung nods. “Exactly. Like—what are you doing?”

Nayeon throws her hands up. “Nothing! I’m not doing anything!”

“You are though,” Chaeyoung pushes. “That’s the problem. We just don’t know what it is.”

Nayeon goes quiet. Mina watches her carefully. “…You’ve been acting off,” she adds, softer now. “Even before this.”

Nayeon looks away immediately. “I’m not acting off.”

“You are,” Chaeyoung says flatly.

“I’m not.”

“You literally sent me a crisis text and deleted it,” Chaeyoung deadpans.

“That does not count.”

“That counts.”

Mina exhales, leaning back slightly. “I mean… if something was happening, I don’t think it would be that big of a deal.”

Nayeon snaps her head toward her. “It would be a big deal, Mina. You know me. I don’t mess with people at work.”

Mina shrugs lightly. “Okay. But you did.”

Nayeon opens her mouth—then shuts it. Chaeyoung raises a brow. “So have you talked to her since?”

Nayeon blinks. “Why would I talk to her?”

“…Because you’re friends?” Chaeyoung says slowly.

“And didn’t she leave for that trip already with Momo?” Mina adds. “Like… a day or two ago?”

Nayeon looks between them. “Why are you both asking me that?”

“Because you’re being weird,” Mina says simply.

“How am I being weird?” Nayeon snaps.

Mina shrugs. “I don’t know. You just are.”

Chaeyoung nods. “We literally cannot read you right now.”

That hits harder than everything else. Nayeon exhales sharply. “Okay, whatever. Drop it. It happened. I’m over it.” She swivels back toward her desk, clearly done.

Chaeyoung snorts. “Yeah. Sure you are.”

Mina just giggles softly, shaking her head as she rolls back to her desk. Soon enough, all three of them settle back into their cubicles, the office quieting as the day winds down, the clock inching closer to quitting time. Chaeyoung exhales slowly, fingers tapping against her desk. God. She’s still on edge.

She really does have to talk to Tzuyu soon.

——-

The loud clapping echoes in Jeongyeon’s ears, sharp and sudden, and she winces at the sound.

She’s stuck in a massive conference room on this business trip, crammed into a chair with what feels like a hundred other people. Another presenter finishes talking. More applause. Jeongyeon sighs, slouching back.

God. This long meeting shit is boring.

It’s only been a day—barely pushing into day two—and nothing exciting has happened yet. Everything’s been strictly business. She knows by the third day they’ll finally get some freedom, maybe walk around, maybe do something that doesn’t involve PowerPoints and corporate buzzwords. But right now? She’s dying.

Her eyes drift—half out of boredom, half out of habit—scanning the room. And then she pauses.

Up near the front, off to the side—Sunmi, the lead manager of their department, standing close to one of the department heads. One of the big ones. Not someone who usually wastes time whispering mid-meeting.

They’re talking low. Serious.

Jeongyeon squints slightly, leaning just a bit in her chair like that’s gonna help her hear anything.”…What the hell,” she mutters under her breath.

Her gaze shifts. Lands a few seats over. And there he is. Mr. Lee. Their manager. Head tilted back. Mouth slightly open. Snoring.

Jeongyeon blinks. “…No way.”

It’s not even subtle either—low, rough, completely out of place in a room this quiet between applause. A couple people nearby glance over. Someone further down presses their lips together, trying not to laugh.

Jeongyeon nudges her foot lightly against Momo’s. “…You seeing this?” she whispers.

Momo doesn’t respond right away. Still looks irritated. Still avoiding her a little. But then—she glances over. Sees it, and there’s a pause.

“…Wow,” Momo mutters under her breath, flat.

As if on cue, Sunmi breaks from the conversation and walks over. Calm. Professional. Like this isn’t embarrassing as hell. She leans down slightly and taps Mr. Lee on the shoulder.

He jolts awake. Too fast. Too loud. Straightens up like he’s been paying attention the whole time—except everyone definitely saw that.

Jeongyeon presses her lips together, barely holding it in. “…That man is finished,” she whispers.

Momo exhales quietly through her nose. “…He’s been finished.”

Jeongyeon glances back toward the front, where the department head is already looking over again. “…You think the forms did it?”

There’s a small beat. Momo shrugs, but her eyes are still on Mr. Lee. “Hope so.”

There’s something a little sharper in her tone. Still irritated. Still not fully here with Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon leans back again, crossing her arms slightly. “…Damn,” she mutters. “All that complaining finally paid off.”

Momo doesn’t respond this time. The silence between them settles again. Not as heavy as before—but not gone either. And then—

A soft buzz.

Momo’s phone vibrates. She pulls it out just slightly, trying to be subtle. Jeongyeon, being nosy as hell, leans just enough to catch the screen.

It’s Mina.

Jeongyeon raises a brow. She leans closer and whispers, trying to sound playful, like nothing’s wrong. “Ohhh? You got a text message?”

Momo doesn’t even look at her. She just rolls her eyes and turns her phone back over, jaw tight, attention pointedly forward. Jeongyeon slumps back in her chair. Yeah. This trip is gonna be long.

A couple minutes pass. Jeongyeon tries—really tries—to pay attention to the meeting again. Someone’s droning on about quarterly projections, and she lasts maybe thirty seconds before she gives up. She sighs, then leans toward Momo, lowering her voice. “Okay,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry. Like—actually sorry. Are you still gonna be mad at me? I told you nothing happened that night.”

Momo finally turns to look at her. She huffs, unimpressed. “I don’t believe you.”

Jeongyeon lets out a small laugh. “Yeah. Of course you don’t.”

Momo just shakes her head and looks forward again, arms crossed. Jeongyeon watches her for a beat, then smirks a little. “So,” she whispers, “how’re you and Mina doing?”

Momo glances sideways at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Jeongyeon grins. “Seriously. How’s it been?”

Momo sighs, shoulders relaxing just a bit. “We kissed before I left. It was… awkward, but good. Mina liked it…. and we’re actually… gonna go on a date when we get back.”

Jeongyeon’s eyes widen. “Wait—seriously? You guys kissed??? Look at you!” Then she snorts. “Wow…. and you have a date now to? So much for taking it slow.”

Momo immediately stomps on her foot under the table.

“Ow—fuck,” Jeongyeon whispers, biting back a laugh. “What was that for?”

“You’re a fucking asshole,” Momo mutters. “You wanna poke fun at me about taking things slow?” She shoots her a look. “What the fuck were YOU doing that night?”

Jeongyeon lifts her hands defensively. “What? Nothing really happened. I just—I helped Nayeon sober up, that’s all.”

Momo turns fully toward her now, voice still low but sharp. “Cut the bullshit. What the fuck did you do?”

Jeongyeon blinks.

“You text me an SOS,” Momo continues, clearly letting it all out now, “all anxious, saying she wants you to come to her place. Then you’re at her place for who knows how long. You stop answering me. I’m texting you, calling you—nothing. You’re full of shit.”

Jeongyeon exhales, rubbing the back of her neck. “Damn. Okay. You don’t gotta say it like that.”

“Well, that’s how it was,” Momo says. “I’m not sugarcoating shit anymore.”

Jeongyeon looks at her for a second… then chuckles quietly, shaking her head. “God,” she murmurs. “You know me way too well.”

Momo doesn’t smile—but the tension in her shoulders eases just a little. Silence settles between them. The meeting keeps droning on in the background, but Jeongyeon barely hears it. She shifts in her seat, jaw tight, then finally exhales. “Okay,” she mutters. “Fine.”

Momo glances at her.

“We had a moment,” Jeongyeon admits. “We… kissed.”

Momo squints at her. “Kissed?”

Jeongyeon winces. “Okay—like, a couple times. We made out a bit. But that was it. It didn’t go any further. It stopped right when you called me.”

Momo holds her gaze for a second, then nods slowly. “Alright. Okay.”

That’s it. Jeongyeon blinks, surprised. “That’s… that’s it?”

“Yeah,” Momo says quietly. “I’m okay.”

“You don’t care?” Jeongyeon asks.

Momo shrugs. “I don’t.”

Jeongyeon studies her, then tilts her head. “Is this because you and Mina are basically dating now? So it doesn’t matter?”

Momo immediately flushes. “We’re not dating yet,” she whispers sharply. “We’re… starting to though. She’s not my girlfriend—not yet. But it’s something I want. In the future.” She exhales, rubbing her face. “I’m playing the long game here.”

There’s a beat. Then she sighs, shoulders dropping slightly. “…But also—no. That’s not it.”

Jeongyeon watches her. Momo leans back in her chair, quieter now. “I talked to Mina about it,” she admits. “About you. About Nayeon. All of it.”

Jeongyeon’s expression shifts—subtle, but there.

Momo continues, a little more steady now. “And she basically told me… whatever happens between you two—” she gestures vaguely, “—that’s not gonna affect us.” There’s a pause. “She said she trusts me to handle my own boundaries.”

That lands. Momo exhales slowly, like she’s still getting used to that idea. “So I’m trying to do that,” she says. “I’m trying to not… insert myself into your situation like I usually would.”

Jeongyeon raises an eyebrow slightly. “Usually?”

Momo gives her a look. “Don’t start.”

Jeongyeon almost smiles. Momo shakes her head, then adds, more honestly—”…I care. Obviously I care. You’re my friend.”

Her voice softens just a little. “But I’m also trying to trust her,” she finishes. “And not make everything… bigger than it needs to be.”

There’s a small pause after that. Jeongyeon’s expression softens. “I know. We already talked about this, remember? I get it. I told you—I’m not gonna do anything to mess that up. Ever.”

Momo looks at her, really looks at her, then nods once. “Okay,” she says. Then, quieter: “So… what’s your plan with Nayeon?”

Jeongyeon freezes. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Momo presses, “what are your intentions with her?”

Jeongyeon opens her mouth—then closes it. She stares ahead at the conference room, the screens, the people, the pointless notes on the table. Her mind flicks back to that night. The kiss. The tension. The way everything felt unfinished.

“I…” she starts, then stops. She swallows. “I don’t know yet.”

And that uncertainty sits heavy between them. Momo exhales through her nose. “See, Jeong—this is exactly why I told you not to go all in.”

Jeongyeon’s ears immediately turn red. “What do you mean? I didn’t go all in. Nothing happened. I told you.”

“Girl,” Momo says flatly, “I genuinely do not give a fuck anymore.”

Jeongyeon scoffs. “Seriously? Momo, I did take your advice. I didn’t do what I usually do. I was at her place, yeah, and—okay—some things happened, but—”

Momo cuts in. “Yeah. You kissed her.”

Jeongyeon grimaces. “Okay, yeah, I kissed her.”

Momo tilts her head. “At this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised if you fucked her too.”

Jeongyeon nearly chokes. “Momo! That did not happen. Not—not yet, at least.”

Momo immediately points at her. “Uh-huh. YET. There it is. That’s the word. That’s the problem.”

Jeongyeon groans, dropping her head into her hands. “Jesus Christ. I literally cannot win with you.”

Momo just hums, satisfied. Jeongyeon straightens, lowering her voice. “But seriously. We just made out a bit. And Nayeon hasn’t really talked to me since. Like—at all.”

Momo looks at her now, more focused.

“I didn’t want to fuck anything up,” Jeongyeon adds, quieter. “I’m being serious.”

Momo studies her for a moment, then sighs. “Yeah… okay. I believe you.” She pauses, then smirks. “Still doesn’t mean you’re not a mess.”

Jeongyeon huffs. “Rude.”

Momo grins. “Accurate.”

The two of them chuckle softly, and Jeongyeon feels the tension in her chest loosen a little. Momo’s still annoyed, but she’s not as heated as before. It’s nice. Momo is, like, damn near her best friend after all.

There’s a beat as the meeting drones on around them—someone at the front talking about quarterly numbers neither of them are paying attention to. Momo leans back slightly in her chair, tapping her pen against the table. Then, quieter—”…Hey.”

Jeongyeon glances at her. “What?”

Momo hesitates. That alone is enough. Jeongyeon’s eyes narrow immediately. “…Why do you look like that?”

Momo exhales. “…This is gonna sound weird.”

Jeongyeon doesn’t even let her finish. “Oh my god—don’t tell me this is about that déjà vu shit again.”

Momo blinks. “…What?”

“You literally said this already,” Jeongyeon mutters, leaning back in her chair. “That day. When you first met Mina. You remember? You were talking about how she felt ‘familiar’ or whatever.”

Momo goes still. “…Oh,” she says under her breath.

Jeongyeon stares at her. “Don’t ‘oh’ me. Is this about her again?”

Momo rubs the back of her neck, already annoyed. “…Yeah.”

Jeongyeon lets out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not joking,” Momo mutters. “It’s just—” she exhales, frustrated, lowering her voice, “—it’s happening again.”

That makes Jeongyeon pause. “…Again?” she repeats.

Momo nods once, jaw tight. “It didn’t stop. It’s just… random. Like—it’ll hit me out of nowhere. Little things. The way she moves. The way she—” she cuts herself off, shaking her head. “I don’t know. It just feels like I’ve been around her before.”

Jeongyeon stares at her for a long second.”…You haven’t talked about this in weeks,” she says slowly.

Momo shrugs, defensive now. “Yeah, because I thought it would go away.”

“And it didn’t.”

“No.”

Jeongyeon leans back, dragging a hand down her face. “…Momo.”

“What,” Momo snaps quietly.

“You sound insane.”

Momo glares at her. “I’m being serious.”

“No, I know you are,” Jeongyeon says, which somehow makes it worse. “That’s the problem.”

Momo scoffs. “Fuck off.”

“I’m not even trying to be mean,” Jeongyeon mutters, lowering her voice. “But this is weird. Like—really weird.”

“It happened,” Momo insists.

“You were drunk,” Jeongyeon fires back automatically.

“I was not that drunk.”

“You went into the men’s bathroom.”

“And I stand by that,” Momo snaps.

Jeongyeon shakes her head. “Jesus Christ…” There’s a beat. Then, quieter—more serious now:”…Have you told Mina this?”

Momo pauses. “…No.”

“Good,” Jeongyeon says immediately.

That makes Momo’s head snap toward her. “…Good?”

“Yeah, good,” Jeongyeon repeats, firm now. “Because if you start saying stuff like this to her, she’s gonna think you’ve actually lost your mind.”

Momo’s expression hardens. “Wow.”

“I’m being real with you,” Jeongyeon says, leaning in slightly. “You’re talking about feeling like you’ve been with her before based on—what? Vibes? That’s creepy.”

“It’s not like that—”

“It sounds like that,” Jeongyeon cuts in. “I’m just saying—maybe keep that one to yourself.”

Momo goes quiet. That hits. Jeongyeon watches her for a second, then exhales, tone shifting—less harsh, but still dismissive. “…Or maybe go talk to someone or something,” she adds. “Because that’s not normal.”

Momo looks away, jaw tight. “I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Jeongyeon nudges her lightly. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Yeah,” Momo mutters. “Great job.”

Jeongyeon snorts quietly. “You’re the one out here connecting a girl, that’s potentially about to be your girlfriend, to a random glory hole experience.”

Momo glares at her. “Shut up.”

“No, seriously,” Jeongyeon continues, grinning now. “This is what happens when you don’t get laid properly.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m being serious! Your brain is just filling in gaps at this point.”

“I am not touch deprived.”

“Mhm,” Jeongyeon hums. “Sure.”

Momo nudges her again. “You’re annoying.”

Jeongyeon grins. “And you’ve officially lost your mind.”

Momo shakes her head, but there’s a small smile tugging at her lips now, the weird feeling pushed to the side again—at least for the moment.

A couple of minute pass, as the two sit through the meeting. The voices in the room a blur.

Jeongyeon takes a breath and then blurts out suddenly, “Also… just so you know, I probably can’t really fuck this up, especially with whatever you and Mina have going on. Nayeon said she doesn’t do hookups with people at the job. Dating either. So I don’t think it’d go that far with me and her.”

Momo stares at her for a second, unimpressed. “I don’t know about that.”

Jeongyeon frowns. “What do you mean?”

Momo leans back, crossing her arms. “I mean—you already got close enough to make out. Who knows? Maybe her boundaries just… disappear at this point.”

There’s a pause. Jeongyeon exhales. “…It wasn’t just that.”

Momo’s eyes flick back to her. “…What?”

Jeongyeon hesitates—then mutters, “We—like… touched each other too.”

Silence hits them. Momo just stares at her. Then—”…Oh, you’re fucked.”

Jeongyeon groans immediately. “Oh my God—”

“No, I’m serious,” Momo cuts in, sitting up now. “So it wasn’t just kissing? You’re actually done. Like—done.”

Jeongyeon drags a hand through her hair. “It wasn’t like that—”

“It is like that,” Momo says flatly. “You don’t just ‘accidentally’ end up there. Come on.”

Jeongyeon goes quiet. Momo watches her for a second, then shakes her head. “Yeah… her boundaries aren’t the issue,” she mutters. “That girl doesn’t want to be your friend.”

Jeongyeon blinks. “…What?”

“She probably wants something casual,” Momo says, like it’s obvious. “That’s literally what this is.”

Jeongyeon’s stomach drops a little. “…I don’t think it’s that simple.”

Momo lets out a short laugh. “It is that simple. You’re just overcomplicating it.” Then she leans forward, eyes narrowing slightly. “So what’s your plan then?”

Jeongyeon blinks. “My plan?”

“Yeah,” Momo says. “Like… what are you actually doing here?”

Jeongyeon opens her mouth—but Momo keeps going.

“Because you already know you’re in deep,” she says, quieter now, but sharper. “You tried to pull away. That didn’t work. You’re still talking to her. Still seeing her.”

Jeongyeon goes still. Momo doesn’t let up.

“So now what?” she continues. “You gonna hook up with her? Keep it casual?” A beat passes. “…or are you just pretending that’s what friendship is?”

Silence drops between them. Jeongyeon has nothing. Momo exhales through her nose, leaning back again. “…God, you’re so fucked.”

Jeongyeon groans, dragging her hands down her face. “Oh my God…”

“And don’t even try that ‘just friends’ bullshit with me,” Momo adds.

“Can you not—”

“I’ve seen the texts,” Momo cuts in. “You showed me, remember? That’s not ‘just friends.’ That’s… whatever the hell that is.” She pauses. Then tilts her head. “And you’re not even built for casual like that.”

Jeongyeon looks up, frowning. “…What is that supposed to mean?”

Momo gives her a look. “Be serious. You’ve tried that before.”

Jeongyeon’s expression tightens slightly. Momo counts on her fingers. “That one guy? It was supposed to be casual—turned into a whole thing. Then that girl after? Same shit.”

Jeongyeon exhales. “Okay—”

“No, I’m serious,” Momo presses. “You don’t do casual. You say you do, and then you get attached, and then it turns into a relationship.” A beat passed. “And this?” she gestures vaguely. “This is already worse.”

Jeongyeon goes quiet. Because she knows she’s right.

Momo watches her for a second, then softens—just a little. “I’m not saying it’s gonna end the same,” she adds. “Nayeon’s… different. Way different then your exes.”

Another beat passed between them.

“But you’re already getting fucked up over this,” she says, quieter now. “I can tell.”

Jeongyeon looks away.

“…So yeah,” Momo finishes. “Whatever you think you’re doing?” She shrugs. “It’s not gonna stay casual, definitely not for long.”

Jeongyeon presses her lips together. Momo shrugs slightly. “And honestly, Chaeyoung didn’t even say anything, so you got lucky there too.”

That makes Jeongyeon pause. “…What?”

Momo glances at her. “You told me she saw everything, right? The messages, all that shit.” She gives a small huff. “If I were her, I wouldn’t say anything either. I mean like, what is she supposed to do? Talk sense into Nayeon? Please.”

Jeongyeon lets out a weak breath. “…Yeah.”

Momo doesn’t drop it, though. Her brows knit slightly, like she’s thinking it through in real time. “…It’s weird, though,” she mutters.

Jeongyeon glances at her. “What is?”

Momo leans back, arms crossing again. “That whole trio. Nayeon, Mina, Chaeyoung.” She shakes her head. “Something’s off there.”

Jeongyeon frowns slightly. Momo continues, more slowly now. “Like… Chaeyoung saw all that, met up with you, and still hasn’t said anything? Not to Mina, not to Nayeon—nothing.”

A beat passes.

“That’s not normal,” she adds.

Jeongyeon hesitates. “…Maybe she just didn’t want to get involved.”

“Maybe,” Momo says. “Or maybe she doesn’t even know what the hell she’s looking at.”

That lands a little heavier. Momo exhales, rubbing the back of her neck. “I was talking to Mina the other night,” she adds.

Jeongyeon looks up slightly.

“She told me Nayeon’s always been private about that stuff,” Momo continues. “Like—hookups, whatever. She doesn’t really tell them anything.”

Jeongyeon nods slowly. “…That sounds about right.”

“Yeah, but this is different,” Momo says, frowning now. “This isn’t just some random thing. And Mina’s still… kind of in the dark.”

There’s a beat.

“Like she knows something’s off,” Momo adds, quieter. “But she doesn’t know what.”

Jeongyeon goes still.Momo lets out a small breath. “It’s just… weird,” she says again. “Feels like everyone’s missing pieces except you—and even you don’t know what the hell is going on with her.”

Jeongyeon lets out a dry laugh. “…Yeah. That sounds about right.”

Momo glances at her, studying her for a second. “…I can’t even tell if she’s playing you,” she admits, blunt as ever. “Or if she actually likes you. Or if she doesn’t even know what she wants.”

Jeongyeon’s chest tightens slightly at that.

“Like—I don’t know her,” Momo continues, shrugging. “She’s not like your other situations. This is…” She trails off, then shakes her head. “…different, and she’s confusing as hell.”

Silence settles between them. Then Momo leans in slightly, voice dropping again. “So yeah,” she says. “Nobody’s stopping this.”

And then she glanced over at her.

“Which means it’s on you now,” she adds. “…and her.” That lands. There’s a pause. Then—”…So again, what are you gonna do?”

Jeongyeon’s throat goes dry. She tries to answer—anything—but nothing comes out. The silence stretches. Momo’s expression shifts from annoyed… to something more certain. More knowing. Then she exhales sharply. “No fucking way.”

Jeongyeon freezes. “…What?”

Momo leans closer, eyes locked on her. “You really have feelings for her. Holy shit.”

Jeongyeon’s face goes hot instantly. She looks away, then back, completely exposed now. “Jesus Christ— is it that obvious?”

Momo smirks. “Hell yeah.” A beat. “I mean, it crossed my mind, but damn. It kind of is.”

Jeongyeon starts breathing heavily through her mouth, like she’s been hit in the chest. Momo reaches over and puts her hand on Jeongyeon’s thigh.

“Hey,” Momo says softly. “I got you. Calm down. Get your shit together.”

Jeongyeon stares forward, heart thumping so hard it feels like it’s trying to escape her ribs.

Feelings.

For her.

How did it get this deep? How did it get this far?

Jeongyeon’s still spiraling when suddenly—”And that concludes today’s session.”

The entire room erupts into applause. Jeongyeon nearly jumps out of her skin. She jerks upright, hands flying off her face, posture snapping into something that might resemble professional. Momo pulls her hand back like she’s been burned and immediately pretends to check her phone.

Jeongyeon mutters, “Holy shit,” under her breath.

Momo leans over, whispering, “If HR asks why you were hyperventilating during a quarterly forecast, I’m not saving you.”

Jeongyeon lets out a shaky laugh, rubbing her palms on her pants. “I thought I was gonna pass out.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Momo says dryly. “You looked like you were about to confess your love to the projector.”

They both chuckle, and the edge dulls just enough for Jeongyeon to breathe again. But then it hits her. Hard. She swallows thickly, jaw tightening. “Fuck,” she mutters.

Momo glances at her. “You okay?”

Jeongyeon shakes her head slightly, voice low. “No. This is really bad.”

She looks at Momo, eyes wide and panicked. “There’s no fucking way, right? Like— I’m probably just in my head about her. I’ve only known her for a couple weeks. That’s nothing.”

Momo raises an eyebrow. Jeongyeon keeps rambling. “Maybe it’s just nerves. Or stress. Or— I don’t know— pent-up something and I need to get the nerves out. We’re just friends anyway.”

Momo blinks at her. “Get the nerves out… how?”

Jeongyeon hesitates. “…I don’t know.”

Momo stares. “Do you mean have sex with her?”

Jeongyeon grimaces. “I didn’t say it like that.”

Momo scoffs quietly. “Are you fucking dumb? No. Absolutely not. That would make it worse.”

Jeongyeon groans, dragging a hand down her face. “Well, maybe it’s just pent-up sexual frustration or something.”

Momo snorts. “Jeong. That’s bullshit.”

Jeongyeon looks at her miserably.

“You have real feelings for her,” Momo continues, voice calm but firm. “Actual feelings. That’s not something you ‘get out of your system.'”

Jeongyeon exhales sharply. “Fuck. So what am I supposed to do?”

Momo pauses. For once, she doesn’t immediately have an answer. She leans back in her chair, staring ahead at people filing out of the conference room. “I don’t know,” she admits quietly. “That’s the shitty part.”

Jeongyeon laughs weakly. “Great. Love that for me.”

Momo glances at her, softer now. “Just… don’t be stupid. That’s my only advice.”

Jeongyeon nods, heart still pounding. Don’t be stupid. Easy to say. Harder to do when she can’t stop thinking about Nayeon’s laugh, her mouth, the way everything felt too intense, too real, too fast. The room keeps emptying.

Reality creeps back in. And Jeongyeon realizes, with a sinking feeling, that whatever this is? She’s already in way deeper than she meant to be. Feeling a vibration, Jeongyeon freezes. Like—full system shutdown freezes.

Her phone buzzes again in her hand, and she doesn’t even look at it this time. She just tilts her head back and stares at the ceiling tiles, counting them like they might save her. One. Two. Three. Fuck.

“Please tell me that’s not who I think it is,” Momo murmurs beside her.

Jeongyeon exhales slowly through her nose. “…It’s her.”

Momo immediately sits up straighter. “Oh.”

Jeongyeon drops her head back down, staring at the screen now. Nayeon’s name glows way too brightly for something so innocent-looking.

She doesn’t open the message. Instead, she groans quietly and presses the phone against her forehead. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

Momo peers over. “Well, first of all, don’t pass out again. HR already thinks you’re unstable.”

Jeongyeon lets out a weak laugh. “I’m serious.”

“I know,” Momo says, softer. “What did she say?”

“I don’t know,” Jeongyeon replies immediately. “I haven’t opened it.”

Momo stares at her. “You’re insane.”

Jeongyeon huffs. “If I open it, it becomes real.”

Momo rolls her eyes. “It’s already real. She texted you.”

Jeongyeon’s thumb hovers over the screen, trembling just a little. Her heart is beating way too fast for someone just receiving a text. God, this is so bad.

She thinks about that night. About how messy it was. About how abruptly she left. About how she never followed up. About how she’s been pretending this whole thing would just… disappear. Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

Jeongyeon mutters, “What if she’s mad?”

“Then you deal with it.”

“What if she’s acting normal?”

“Then you deal with it.”

“What if she wants to talk about it?”

Momo gives her a look. “Then you definitely deal with it.”

Jeongyeon groans again, dragging a hand down her face. “I hate this.”

Momo smirks. “No, you don’t. You’re just scared.”

Jeongyeon doesn’t even try to argue that. She finally unlocks her phone. Her chest tightens as she opens the message, bracing herself for whatever’s on the other side—because whatever Nayeon says next?

It’s probably going to change everything.