Chapter 4

It was two days later, and the office still felt like it was recovering from a natural disaster.

Those meetings—all of those meetings—had dragged on for nearly that one entire day. No one had been prepared for it. Not the teams, not the managers, probably not even the people who scheduled them. By the time everyone had finally been released back to their desks, the collective mood was foul. Emails went unanswered. Slack messages sat unread. Half the floor looked like they’d aged five years overnight.

The following day hadn’t been much better.

It was quiet in a way that felt wrong. Phones barely rang. Printers barely whirred. People stayed planted in their cubicles, shoulders slumped, staring blankly at screens like ghosts haunting their own jobs. Even Nayeon had been subdued, which honestly said a lot.

Mina hadn’t gotten a call that day.

She told herself she wasn’t surprised.

Honestly, she hadn’t even wanted one—not after that morning. Not after the way her heart had tried to escape her ribcage every time she replayed Momo’s voice, her grin, the way she’d leaned in like she knew exactly what she was doing.

No call had been fine. Good, even.

At least, that’s what Mina kept telling herself.

Now, it was the second morning after the chaos. Things still felt sluggish, like the building itself was tired. Mina sat at her desk, posture perfect out of habit, hands folded neatly in front of her keyboard like she was trying to convince the universe she was calm.

She glanced at her phone.

Face down.

She sighed and flipped it over anyway.

Still nothing.

Her screen stared back at her, blank and innocent, like it hadn’t been the source of most of her internal turmoil for the last forty-eight hours. Mina leaned back in her chair just slightly, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

Am I really going to get a call from this girl?

The thought felt ridiculous the moment it formed. She shook her head, exhaling quietly.

“No,” she muttered to herself, barely audible. “It’s been a day. Well—two days. And yesterday was exhausting for everyone. She’s probably busy.”

That made sense. It was logical. Responsible. Very Mina-coded.

Still…

Her gaze drifted back to the phone.

What if she’s not going to call at all?

The thought slipped in uninvited, sharp enough to make her stomach twist. Mina straightened, forcing herself to look back at her computer screen, but the words there blurred together uselessly. She hadn’t processed anything she’d read in the last fifteen minutes.

God, she was doing it again.

She checked the time in the corner of her monitor.

10:57 a.m.

Almost lunch.

She had packed one, like she always did—something simple, something safe—but suddenly the idea of sitting with Nayeon and Chaeyoung felt… daunting. What would she even say? Oh yeah, by the way, I’ve been internally spiraling over a girl I met for five minutes at a coffee table?

Her foot bounced under her desk without her realizing it.

She glanced at her phone again.

Nothing.

Mina sighed, shoulders sagging just a little. She told herself—again—to focus. To work. To stop waiting for something that might not even happen.

That was when her phone rang.

The sound cut clean through the quiet office.

Mina jolted so hard her chair squeaked loudly against the floor.

“Oh—!” She clapped a hand over her mouth immediately, eyes darting around her cubicle like she’d just yelled something obscene. A few heads lifted briefly. No one said anything.

Her heart was pounding now, fast and unforgiving.

Slowly, she looked down at her desk.

Her phone was vibrating against the surface, screen lighting up insistently.

Unknown number.

Mina froze.

Her fingers hovered over the phone, hesitating, pulse roaring in her ears as the ringing continued, loud and relentless.

This was it.

And she had absolutely no idea what she was about to say.

Mina picks up the phone almost too fast, fingers fumbling just slightly as she brings it to her ear.

“H—hello?”

“Oh, hey,” a familiar voice slips through the line immediately, warm and smooth. “It’s me. Uh—Momo.”

Mina’s heart stutters. Like actually skips, then trips over itself trying to catch back up.

“Oh—hi,” she says, way too quick. Then softer, “Yeah. Hi. Um… how are you?”

She hears a quiet hum on the other end, low and thoughtful, like Momo’s smiling to herself.

“I’m good,” Momo says. “Been a crazy past two days, though.”

Mina lets out a small, relieved breath. “Yeah. Tell me about it.”

There’s a brief pause—not awkward, just… close. Like they’re both suddenly very aware they’re on the phone together.

“So,” Momo continues, voice casual but not really, “are you still… uh, interested in that collaboration with product management? The one we talked about the other day?”

Mina’s stomach drops.

Oh my god. That thing.

“Yeah,” she says immediately. Too immediately. “Yeah, for sure. Definitely.”

She has absolutely no idea what she’s agreeing to. Not even a little.

“Good,” Momo replies, sounding amused. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Mina swallows.

Then Momo adds, almost offhand, “What are you doing for lunch today?”

“Oh—um,” Mina glances down at the container tucked into her bag. “I packed my own.”

“Oh, same,” Momo says easily. “Guess we’re both responsible adults.”

Mina can hear the grin in her voice now, and it makes her chest feel tight in a way that has nothing to do with anxiety.

“I didn’t know you were the cooking type,” Momo continues. “That’s kinda cute.”

Mina’s face goes hot instantly. Like someone turned a dial.

“Well—yeah,” she says, embarrassed but honest. “I like cooking. I cook a lot at home.”

There’s a beat. Then Momo, softer now, teasing without trying to hide it: “Yeah? That’s… definitely my type.”

Mina nearly short-circuits.

She grips the edge of her desk like it’s going to keep her grounded, heat crawling up her neck, into her ears. She has no idea why this is affecting her so much. It’s just a voice. Just words.

And yet—

“Anyway,” Momo says, clearing her throat lightly, like she’s pulling herself back. “Would you wanna have lunch with me today? Like—at noon?”

The way she says it makes it feel different. Intentional. Almost careful.

Mina’s heartbeat roars in her ears.

For a second, everything flashes back—the club, the tension, the thrill, that strange sense of being seen. Something steadies inside her. Confidence, sudden and electric.

“Yeah,” Mina says. “Let’s do twelve. If you’re free, of course. I’m—uh—kind of busy otherwise.”

She immediately regrets how cool she tried to sound.

“No, no,” Momo says quickly. “I’m free. Totally free.”

Mina smiles despite herself.

“Okay,” she says. “We can have lunch and, um… talk about the collaboration.”

She hears Momo clear her throat again, just slightly.

Then reality hits Mina like a brick.

Oh my god. I don’t know anything about product management.

Her heart drops straight into her stomach.

Panicking, she peeks up over her cubicle wall—and spots Chaeyoung just returning to her desk.

Oh. Thank God.

“Oh!” Mina blurts. “Um—would it be okay if my colleague comes too? Chaeyoung?”

There’s a pause. Just a fraction too long.

“Yeah,” Momo says. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

Mina swears she hears a trace of disappointment under it.

Then Momo adds, quickly, “Actually—would it be okay if one of my colleagues joins too? Her name’s Jeongyeon.”

“Yes,” Mina says immediately. “Yeah, that’s totally fine. We can all have lunch together.”

She checks the time.

11:15 a.m.

Forty-five minutes. I have forty-five minutes to mentally survive this.

“You can come up to our floor,” Momo says. “We’re on the seventh.”

“Seventh,” Mina repeats. “Okay. Yeah. We’ll be there.”

She thinks that’s it. That the call’s done. Then Momo’s voice softens.

“Thanks for this,” she says. “I… can’t wait to see you later today.”

Mina’s breath catches.

“Bye,” Momo adds gently.

The line clicks dead.

Mina just sits there, phone pressed to her ear long after the call ends, heart pounding like something irreversible has just happened.

Because somehow—It feels like it has.

Mina immediately pops up over her cubicle wall like a startled meerkat.

Forty-five minutes.

She has forty-five minutes to get her shit together.

She whips her head toward Chaeyoung’s cubicle. “Hey. Hey—Chae.”

Chaeyoung looks up slowly. “What.”

“No—like—hey,” Mina says again, waving a little too urgently.

Chaeyoung squints. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Can we have lunch together?” Mina blurts.

Chaeyoung blinks. “Um… we literally always have lunch together.”

“No,” Mina says, shaking her head. “No, this time is different.”

Chaeyoung leans back in her chair. “What do you mean ‘different’?”

Mina lowers her voice like she’s about to confess a felony. “Momo called.”

Chaeyoung’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh. Finally. Good for you.”

“Yeah,” Mina says quickly, “but she wants to have lunch. Like—today. In forty-five minutes.”

Chaeyoung glances at her screen. Then her phone. Then back at Mina.

“…Yeah, I can’t do today.”

Mina freezes. Full system shutdown.

“What do you mean you can’t do today,” she whispers sharply. “You always do lunch with me. You’re always free.”

“I know,” Chaeyoung says calmly, “but I’ve got a lunch meeting with my supervisor. About the intern for next week. I can’t skip it.”

Mina stares at her like she’s been betrayed on a spiritual level.

“Are you serious?” Mina hisses. “You put me in this situation and now you’re abandoning me?”

Chaeyoung scoffs. “Abandoning you? Girl, I helped you. You wanted to talk to her. She got your number. Now you’re having lunch with her. That’s a win.”

“This is not a win,” Mina says, horrified. “I don’t know anything about product management.”

Chaeyoung shrugs. “Okay. So… make something up?”

“No.”

“Or just be honest.”

“No!”

“It’ll be fine.”

“It will not be fine,” Mina insists. “She’s bringing a colleague. It’s not even just us.”

“Oh,” Chaeyoung says, pausing. “Well… shit.”

“Exactly.”

Chaeyoung thinks for a moment, then shrugs again. “I don’t know. You’ll figure it out.”

“I will not.”

“You will.”

Mina does not look convinced.

She drops back into her chair and stares at her monitor, checking the time.

11:25 a.m.

“Oh my god,” she mutters. “I have thirty-five minutes.”

“Thirty-five is plenty,” Chaeyoung says. “You’ll survive.”

Mina absolutely will not.

Then a head pops up from the other side.

“Jesus,” Nayeon says, frowning. “What is wrong with you two? Can you keep it down? It’s not even lunchtime yet.”

And then—

Something clicks.

Her eyes widen.

A terrible, brilliant idea sparks into existence.

Mina slowly turns toward Nayeon, eyes wide like she’s about to ask for a kidney.

“Nayeon,” she says carefully. “Can we… have lunch together today?”

Nayeon doesn’t even hesitate. “Yeah, of course. We always have lunch together.”

Chaeyoung immediately cuts in. “Not me. I’m busy today.”

Nayeon blinks once. “Oh. Okay.” She clearly does not care.

Mina opens her mouth, then closes it, then blurts, “We’re—uh—we’re having lunch on the seventh floor.”

That finally gets Nayeon’s attention.

“The seventh floor?” she repeats slowly. “Why?”

Chaeyoung snorts. “Momo called her. Look at her. Of course it’s because of Momo.”

Nayeon’s eyebrows lift. “Ohhh. Okay. So we’re having lunch with Momo.”

“Well—no,” Mina rushes in. “She’s bringing a colleague. So it’s gonna be like… four of us. Probably.”

Nayeon just stares at her.”…So you’re using me as a buffer,” she says flatly.

“What? No—well—okay, not like that,” Mina says, waving her hands. “It’s just—this is our first time actually hanging out and I don’t want to be alone with her yet. Not yet.”

Nayeon considers this for exactly two seconds. “Alright. I got you. I’ll come.”

Relief floods Mina’s face. “Thank God.”

“When does this start?” Nayeon asks.

“Uh—twelve.”

Nayeon checks the time. “It’s 11:40.”

Mina’s face drains. “Oh my god. I only have twenty minutes.”

She groans, dropping her head into her hands. “Fuck. I don’t know anything about product management. I have to talk about collaborating and I don’t know what I’m saying.”

Nayeon tilts her head, thinking. Then she shrugs.

“I mean… you could just say you want to work on content and campaign alignment.”

Mina looks up slowly. “What.”

“Well,” Nayeon continues casually, “we’re marketing. They’re product management. Their floor develops digital platforms, product strategies, and content frameworks. So you just pitch a project that ensures promotional campaigns accurately reflect the product’s actual features, and that new content releases are timed and marketed effectively to generate maximum buzz and engagement.” She then pauses. “It’s not even a bad idea.”

Mina stares at her in complete awe.

“…I have no idea what the hell you just said,” Mina admits. “But that sounded really smart.”

Nayeon smirks. “I know.”

“You should say that,” Mina says immediately. “Like—all of that. You should say it.”

“Me?” Nayeon asks. “I mean, sure. If you want.”

Mina exhales deeply, sinking back into her chair. “Thank God. I’m not alone.”

Chaeyoung glances over and smirks. “See? You’ll survive. It’s not that deep.”

Mina rolls her eyes. “Sure. Whatever.”

“Well,” Chaeyoung says, standing up, “you two have fun at your little lunch meeting. Let me know how it goes.”

She walks off, already done with the chaos.

Mina sits back at her desk, leg bouncing, heart hammering just a little too fast.

Seventh floor.
Momo.
A colleague.
A fake collaboration she barely understands.

God.

She really hopes she doesn’t embarrass herself.

——–

Momo glances at the time on her phone.

12:00 PM on the dot.

She pushes back from her cubicle and stretches, arms lifting over her head with a quiet groan before she looks sideways. “Hey. You ready?”

Jeongyeon doesn’t even look up from her screen. “Ready for what?”

“For lunch,” Momo says, like it should’ve been obvious.

Jeongyeon finally turns, squinting. “Huh? I thought we already—”

“Come on,” Momo cuts in. “Get up.”

Jeongyeon blinks. “Why?”

“We’re having lunch with some people.”

Some people.

Jeongyeon’s eyes narrow immediately. “Some people?”

Momo exhales through her nose. “Mina. And a colleague.”

Jeongyeon looks at the clock. 12:00 PM. Then back at Momo.

“You’re telling me this now?”

“They should be here any minute,” Momo says, glancing down the hall. “They could literally be in the elevator.”

Jeongyeon groans and slumps back in her chair. “Momo, I’m tired.”

“I already told her you were coming.”

Jeongyeon snaps her head up. “Why are you involving me?”

“Because you’re my colleague,” Momo says flatly. “Now get your ass up.”

Jeongyeon stares for a second, then sighs dramatically. “Wow. So bossy.”

“Move.”

“Okay, okay—Jesus.”

They head toward the kitchen area, grabbing their lunches from the fridge. Momo sets hers down neatly—rice, vegetables, protein, everything portioned and organized. She glances sideways.

Jeongyeon plops her lunch down: a cup ramen, a fizzy drink, and an onigiri.

Momo squints. “That’s it?”

“Yes,” Jeongyeon says, already opening the ramen lid.

“You eat like a twelve-year-old.”

“Some of us are poor.”

“We make the same salary.”

Jeongyeon rolls her eyes. “Spiritually poor.”

Momo snorts, about to say something else—when the elevator at the end of the hall dings.

Her head snaps up instantly.

There she is.

Mina.

Momo’s chest tightens for half a second before she even realizes it. She looks exactly how Momo remembers—soft hair framing her face, posture a little stiff like she’s bracing herself for impact.

Then Momo’s eyes flick to the woman walking beside her.

…That’s not Chaeyoung.

“That’s definitely not Chaeyoung,” Momo mutters.

Jeongyeon looks up from pouring hot water into her ramen. “Chaeyoung? Who’s that? Another woman you’re crushing on?”

Momo smacks her arm. “No. Shut up.”

Jeongyeon laughs. “Ow. Aggressive.”

“Chaeyoung’s the coworker who gave me Mina’s number.”

“Ohhh,” Jeongyeon says, peering down the hall. “So who’s that?”

Momo watches as Mina and the woman step fully out of the elevator and start walking toward them. The woman beside Mina looks relaxed—confident. Definitely not Chaeyoung.

“Mina said Chaeyoung was coming,” Momo says slowly. “But that’s not her.”

Jeongyeon squints for a second—then lets out a low laugh, nudging Momo in the shoulder. “Oh, that’s funny.”

Momo glances at her. “What?”

Jeongyeon grins. “She brought backup.”

Momo says nothing. Jeongyeon keeps going, already amused. “That girl is not ready to be alone with you yet.”

Momo’s face tightens a little. “That’s not—”

“It’s exactly what that is,” Jeongyeon says. “She switched coworkers on you last minute. That is a tactical move.”

Momo folds her arms. “Maybe Chaeyoung just got busy.”

Jeongyeon gives her a look. “Sure. And maybe you weren’t staring, looking for her that day for hours like a creep at that big staff meeting the other day.”

Momo turns to her so fast it’s almost violent. “I was not being a creep.”

Jeongyeon laughs. “I’m just saying after everything you told me, if I were her, I’d bring somebody too.”

Momo rolls her eyes, but the teasing is getting to her a little more than she wants to admit. Still, she lifts her chin and watches Mina get closer.

“She’s into me,” Momo says, like she’s trying to convince both of them.

Jeongyeon makes a face. “You sound unsure.”

Momo exhales through her nose. “I’m not saying I know where this is going.” She pauses, eyes still fixed on Mina. “I’m just interested. I want to see what happens.”

Jeongyeon hums. “Uh-huh. So you like the challenge.”

Momo smirks, just a little. “Maybe.”

Then Jeongyeon goes quiet. Momo notices a second too late and looks over. Jeongyeon is no longer looking at Mina. She’s looking at the other girl beside her. And the look on her face is immediate. Shameless. Interested.

Momo’s stomach drops. “Oh, no,” she mutters.

Jeongyeon doesn’t even blink. “What?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

Momo cuts her a hard look. “Whatever the fuck just happened in your brain.”

Jeongyeon grins, not even trying to hide it. “She’s hot.”

Momo closes her eyes for half a second. “I hate you.”

“She’s very hot.”

“I’m serious,” Momo says. “Don’t do too much. Don’t embarrass yourself. And definitely don’t embarrass me.”

Jeongyeon is barely listening now, already standing a little straighter, fixing her expression like she’s about to audition for something. Momo stares at her in disbelief. “Are you even hearing me?”

“No,” Jeongyeon says honestly.

Momo groans. “Jesus Christ.”

As they get closer, Momo straightens, expression shifting into something more composed—cooler. Testing. The flirtation is still there, just dialed back enough to feel intentional.

Beside her, Jeongyeon is already planning something stupid. And Momo can feel it.

“Mina,” Momo says smoothly as they approach. “Hey.”

Mina visibly jumps—just a little—before smiling. “Hi.”

“And you must be…?” Momo’s gaze flicks to the woman beside her.

“Nayeon,” she says easily, extending a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Jeongyeon takes it before Momo can. “I’m Jeongyeon.”

Her grip is firm—but she doesn’t let go right away. And she’s smiling. Not polite. Not normal. Intentional. Nayeon blinks—just slightly caught off guard. “…Hi.”

There’s a beat. She doesn’t pull her hand away either. Momo sees it immediately.

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.

Jeongyeon tilts her head just a little, still holding her hand. “Nice to meet you,” she repeats, softer this time—like she means something else entirely.

Nayeon’s eyebrows lift, just barely. Surprised. But not… rejecting it. If anything—She looks a little amused. Momo’s jaw tightens.

Mina brought backup and now THIS is happening??

Finally, Nayeon slips her hand back, a small smile tugging at her lips. “…You too.”

Mina, beside her, has gone completely still. Because she sees it. Immediately. And she’s not saying a word.

“Chaeyoung wasn’t able to make it,” Mina blurts out, a little too quickly. “But Nayeon’s here, if that’s okay?”

“Yeah,” Momo says, nodding—composed on the outside. Absolutely not composed on the inside. “That’s fine.”

Her eyes flick to Jeongyeon for half a second. A warning. Jeongyeon ignores it completely. Already looking back at Nayeon. Like she’s found something interesting. And Momo can feel it in her bones—this is about to get annoying.

“This is our kitchen area,” Momo says, eyes back on Mina. “Hope the elevator ride wasn’t too traumatic.”

Mina laughs nervously. “Uh—no. It was fine.”

Momo tilts her head. “So,” she says, lightly. “Tell me more about this collaboration you were so excited about.”

There it is. Mina freezes. It’s quick—but not quick enough. Momo sees everything:

the hesitation
the tension in her shoulders
the oh shit moment behind her eyes

Interesting.

“Well,” Mina starts, clearly scrambling—Nayeon steps in. Smooth. Effortless.

“We were thinking about aligning promotional campaigns more closely with product features—especially for new digital launches.”

Momo’s eyebrow lifts slightly. Nayeon doesn’t falter. “Making sure content timing, messaging, and engagement strategies actually match what users are experiencing.”

There’s a beat of silence when she finishes. Not awkward. Just… full. Jeongyeon lets out a quiet whistle under her breath. “…Damn.”

Momo shoots her a look. Jeongyeon doesn’t even glance at her. She’s still looking at Nayeon. Fully. “Wow” Jeongyeon says, voice low. “That was hot.”

Mina’s head snaps slightly toward Nayeon. Because—Nayeon doesn’t shut it down. She doesn’t laugh it off. She doesn’t deflect. She just looks at Jeongyeon. And smiles. Small. Knowing.

“Oh?” Nayeon says, tone light—but there’s something under it now. “You think so?”

Momo goes still.…What.

She glances between them. Trying to read it. Is Nayeon joking? Is she flirting? Is she—

Jeongyeon leans forward just slightly. Not enough to be obvious. Enough to be intentional. “I do,” she says. “You always talk like that, or were you trying to impress me?”

Momo turns sharply. “Jeongyeon.”

Nayeon’s eyebrows lift—just a little. But she doesn’t pull back. If anything—She tilts her head. “I don’t really need to impress anybody,” she says smoothly. A beat. “This was Mina’s idea anyway.” She glances sideways. “Right, Mina?”

Mina startles like she’d been yanked back into her body. “Uh—yeah. Yeah, it was.”

But she’s barely focused on that anymore. Because—Nayeon is flirting. And not like she usually does. This is—Different. Jeongyeon smiles wider, clearly clocking it too. “So you’re just here as moral support?”

Nayeon hums, tapping her fingers lightly against her side. “Something like that.”

Their eye contact lingers. Too long. Momo feels it like a shift in the air. Like something just… tilted. And she does not like it. Jeongyeon tilts her head, studying her now—really studying her. “How old are you?” she asks, casual—but not really.

Momo stiffens immediately. Nayeon raises an eyebrow, amused. “Isn’t it rude to ask someone their age?”

Jeongyeon smiles, slow. “Depends who’s asking.”

Mina blinks. Oh.

Before Momo can stop herself, she shifts her foot and presses it firmly against Jeongyeon’s shoe under the counter. Stop. Now.

Jeongyeon hisses quietly and shoots her a look. “What?”

Momo stares at her, eyes sharp. Get it together.

Jeongyeon ignores her completely. Already turning back to Nayeon again. Gone.

And Momo—for the first time since this started—has no idea what the hell is happening anymore.

Momo doesn’t even glance back. “Nothing.”

The moment stretches, awkward but charged. Mina clears her throat. “Anyway—um—we should probably warm up our food and, you know… eat.”

“Yes,” Momo says quickly. “Good idea.”

They turn back to the counter. Food containers open. Microwave buttons pressed. Steam curls into the air. Momo ends up standing beside Mina, their shoulders just a little too close. She’s aware of Mina in that quiet, constant way—how she keeps smoothing the edge of her container with her fingers, how her gaze flicks around like she’s trying to ground herself.

Across from them, Nayeon stands next to Jeongyeon. And something has definitely shifted. Jeongyeon keeps glancing over—quick looks, pretending not to stare. Nayeon catches every single one, meeting her gaze with a slow smile before looking away again.

They inch closer. Not obvious. Just enough. Momo’s jaw tightens.What the fuck?

Jeongyeon hadn’t even wanted to come to this lunch. She’d practically had to be dragged. And now she’s suddenly all in—leaning, teasing, hovering like they didn’t just meet five minutes ago.

Momo hates that it irritates her. Nayeon is… objectively gorgeous. She’s got this effortless confidence—sharp eyes, soft lips, hair that frames her face perfectly even when she moves. The kind of pretty that doesn’t ask for attention but pulls it anyway.

Momo watches the way Jeongyeon reacts to her and thinks, Yeah. That tracks. Nayeon is absolutely Jeongyeon’s type. Then again… Jeongyeon hasn’t really been with anyone in a while. Maybe she’s just getting her momentum back. Maybe this is nothing.

Momo doesn’t know. What she does know is that Mina notices it too. Mina’s gaze flicks over briefly, then back to her food. Her mouth presses into a thin line before she forces a small smile. And suddenly, this lunch feels way more complicated than it ever needed to be.

Soon enough, all four of them have their food heated up, and they finally sit down to eat. For a moment, Momo feels like she’s in a daze—like the room has softened around the edges just from Mina being there. She glances at Mina’s bento without even trying to be subtle. It looks… really good. Balanced, colorful, clearly homemade.

So Mina wasn’t lying. Of course she wasn’t.

For a few quiet seconds, it almost feels like it’s just the two of them. Momo and Mina. Eating. Existing. Trading small, accidental glances that don’t need words. Momo likes this feeling. Being close to Mina. The calm of it. She could stay here.Then—

“Is that all you’re eating for lunch?” Nayeon’s voice cuts in, playful—too playful.

Momo looks up just in time to see her gesturing at Jeongyeon’s sad little spread: a cup of ramen, a fizzy drink, and an onigiri that’s already halfway gone. The lunch Momo already bullied Jeongyeon for having eailer.

Nayeon tilts her head, studying her like she’s found something fascinating. “That’s… kind of concerning.”

Jeongyeon straightens a little. “It’s not concerning.”

“It is,” Nayeon says lightly. “Funny how you wanted to ask me about my age earlier.” A beat. “Makes me wonder how old you actually are.”

Momo freezes mid-bite. Jeongyeon’s ears start turning red. Fast. Like—noticeably red. Under the table, Jeongyeon shifts her leg. And then—Her foot bumps into something. Nayeon’s. They both pause. Just for a second. Neither of them pulls away.

Momo’s eyes flick down instinctively. Then back up. …No way.

Jeongyeon glances at Momo, eyes wide for half a second—panic flashing—silently begging for backup. Momo looks at her. Then calmly lowers her gaze and keeps eating.

You dug this hole yourself.
Told you to stop.
Not saving you.

Under the table—The contact stays. Not accidental anymore. Jeongyeon shifts again. This time slower. Testing. Nayeon doesn’t move. If anything—Her foot presses back. Just slightly.

Mina pauses mid-bite. She doesn’t look down. Doesn’t react. But she knows.

Oh my god.

Jeongyeon clears her throat, voice a little off now. “Well—I mean—this is just a snack. I had an off day. I’m gonna eat something else later.”

Absolutely no one believes that. Momo almost chokes on her rice. Nayeon giggles softly. She props her elbow on the table, resting her cheek in her palm, eyes locked on Jeongyeon like she’s watching something incredibly entertaining. “Sure,” she says sweetly. “Whatever you say.”

Her foot nudges again under the table. This time on purpose. Jeongyeon’s breath catches—just barely. Momo sees it.

What the fuck.

She looks between them, trying to process. They just met. They literally just met. And they’re already—Momo blinks, stunned. “…What the hell is happening?” she mutters under her breath.

She glances at Mina. Mina is very deliberately staring at the wall now. Eating quietly. Like if she doesn’t look directly at it, it’s not real. But her ears are slightly red. Because she absolutely knows what’s going on. And she is choosing not to get involved.

Momo leans back slightly in her chair, watching the two of them like they’ve lost their minds. This is insane. And the worst part? Neither of them seems bothered by it at all.

Momo exhales, then forces herself back into work mode. “Anyway,” she says, turning to Mina, “I do think your idea’s good. I can write up a proposal. We could do it together, send it to our supervisors, come up with a timeline—”

Mina blinks, snapping back into the moment. “Oh—yeah. Yeah, for sure.”

“What’s your email?”

Mina pulls out her phone, scrolling quickly. She shows it to Momo, and they exchange contact info. Simple. Easy. Grounding. Momo relaxes just a little. And then—

“So what about you?” Jeongyeon says suddenly, turning fully back to Nayeon.

Momo’s head snaps up. Oh no.

Jeongyeon doesn’t even hesitate. “Are you gonna be around?” she asks. “Like—on this floor? Ours? Or—” she stops, then just says it, completely abandoning subtlety, “Can I get your number?”

Momo nearly drops her chopsticks. What the actual hell are you doing? That is WAY too soon.

She stares at Jeongyeon in disbelief. Mina notices too—her eyes flick up, then back down to her food, choosing silence—but she’s definitely listening now. The air at the table shifts.

Jeongyeon, realizing just a second too late how that sounded, tries to recover—badly. “I mean—like—work stuff,” she adds quickly. “Or not. I mean—it doesn’t have to be work. I just—”

She stops. Because she’s digging herself deeper. Momo closes her eyes for a second. This is embarrassing.

Across from them, Nayeon is very, very still. Then—She smiles. Slow. Dangerous. “Oh?” she says lightly. She leans forward just a little, elbow resting on the table, eyes locked on Jeongyeon like she’s found something entertaining. “Just my number?” A beat. “My work number?” Another beat. “…Or my personal one?”

Momo freezes. Mina freezes. Jeongyeon? Completely gone. Her face goes red instantly—ears, cheeks, everything. She looks like she just got hit with a truck. “I—uh—”

Nothing comes out. Nayeon giggles. Actually giggles. And she doesn’t let her off the hook. “That’s a pretty big difference,” she adds, tilting her head. “You should be specific.”

Momo presses her lips together, trying not to physically intervene. Because what the fuck is this. Jeongyeon swallows, then just commits—recklessly. “…Personal,” she says, too fast. “If you want. I mean—if not, that’s fine too. Email’s fine. Email is good. Email works.”

Momo stares at her. Oh my god.

Nayeon watches her for a second longer. Like she’s deciding something. Then she leans back slightly, smiling to herself. “I don’t know if I’m really interested in a collaboration,” she says, voice smooth. “That’s not really my forte.”

Jeongyeon’s face drops just a little. And Momo feels it. There it is. Then— Nayeon continues, softer. “But I could give you my email.”

Jeongyeon lights back up immediately. “Yeah—yeah, that’s good. That’s perfect.”

Of course it is. They both pull out their phones. Exchange emails. Simple. Clean. Contained. Jeongyeon looks at her phone like she just won something. Like this is a victory.

Momo watches the whole thing in stunned silence. Because to her? This does not feel like a win. At all. She glances at Nayeon. Trying to read her. Trying to understand if she’s serious—or just playing. And the worst part? She can’t tell.

Momo leans back again, exhaling slowly. Already dreading how this is going to end. Across from her, Mina quietly sets her chopsticks down. Not saying anything. But very clearly thinking the exact same thing. Then suddenly, Momo’s phone buzzes in her hand. She checks the time.

1:00 p.m.

“Oh,” Momo says quickly, standing a little straighter. “It’s one o’clock now. I think—uh—I think everything should be good, right? Mina?”

Mina snaps to attention. “Yeah—yeah. Everything’s good.”

All the food is gone anyway. Containers empty. Chopsticks set aside. There’s nothing left to stall with. Good. Momo is done.

They do a quick, awkward debrief—polite smiles, vague comments about following up, timelines, emails—before the group naturally splits back into their pairs. Mina and Nayeon head toward the elevator. Momo and Jeongyeon turn back down the hall.

The moment they’re walking away, Momo exhales hard. She’s in complete fucking shock.

God.

This lunch did not go according to plan.