The veins in Dong-sun's biceps emerged as his firm muscles carried a pile of manuscripts to the backseat of the car. Daewon paused in the left side mirror and checked his hairstyle before he got inside. He drank the remaining amount of coffee in the paper cup and crumpled it.
"Hey, where's mine? I bought two cups," Dong-sun said as he wore his seatbelt.
"I drank all of them."
There was no hint of guilt in Daewon's voice. Dong-sun faced him in disbelief.
"Are you that addicted to coffee? Unbelievable."
Daewon pushed the bridge of his glasses and peered at him.
"By the way, why are you talking casually to me? I'm the boss here. Have you forgotten?"
His words echoed inside Dong-sun's ears like a wake-up call from a dream. Like a struck of lighting, he remembered almost the exact line from a different person.
"Why are you talking casually to me? I am your boss. Don't drop the honorifics, will you?" Mee Yoon said and raised her brows. She looked like a wicked stepmother in a menopausal stage.
"I'm sorry, your highness. Your lowly servant has done a grievous mistake. I deserve to be beheaded."
The timbre of his voice came from the Joseon era as he bowed his head playfully.
"Lucky of you. Your highness grants request to her loyal servant," Mee Yoon said and choked him with his hands. He wiggled and twitched while laughing because her hands were on his ticklish spot—the neck.
"That tickles! Stop!"
"What? Are you insulting my strength?"
She gripped his neck until he coughed, and everything wasn't fun anymore.
Dong-sun smirked at his brief memory. Daewon frowned in confusion.
"Oh. We used to... I mean I got used to being Jin Ae. I'm sorry."
He sat back and sighed.
"You are not the same person I used to know. Right now, you are someone I don't plan to be close with."
Daewon's tone was deep enough to drag him into a black hole.
Meanwhile, Nam Jung Hwa came rushing outside the publishing house to meet them outside as soon as she received Daewon's call. The name of Gongsang publishing crafted on a glass door at the entrance glittered as it swung open. Miss Nam stood in front of the car parked near the building. Daewon came out with a ravishing smile she loves the most.
"Good morning, Mr. Do," she said.
"Good morning, Ms. Nam."
She pursed her lips to prevent a smile from spreading across her face.
"Where are the manuscripts ready for printing?"
Daewon turned to his back. Dong-sun stepped out with the manuscripts in his hands. His silky hair undulated through the air and it gave her a chill to the marrow. The inclement wind blew one manuscript to the ground. Dong-sun placed his right hand at the center to balance the papers and gently bent his body to pick up the manuscript with his left hand. His tight jeans accentuated the muscles in his buttocks.
Her mouth parted while adoring such a view. Dong-sun stood beside Daewon. His exquisite scent made her gulp, and she has a memory loss of how much she likes Daewon.
"Where should I put these?" Dong-sun asked.
"Follow me," Daewon replied, and led the way to their working area.
"Uh... Do you need help?" Ms. Nam asked while placing the strands of her hair on the back of her ear.
"No, thank you," Dong-sun said and forced a simper.
Everyone greeted them as they passed by. After setting up all the manuscripts, Dong-sun clapped his hands to wipe the specks of dust away. He was about to leave when he bumped into someone in the corridor. He was a man with a flabby stomach, chubby cheeks, and curly hair. His eyes disappeared when he beamed a wide smile.
"Hey, are you the new guy?" he said.
"Oh, I am Daewon's—"
Before Dong-sun could complete his sentence, he grabbed his hand and shook it.
"Hi! My name is Go Gam Ji. I'm from the marketing department. Nice to meet you!"
He accompanied high pitch with glee.
"I'm Dong—I mean my name is Park... Park Saeroyi."
"What a cute name. Sounds like a brand of popcorn. Anyway, they need some coffee in the middle of the meeting. Here, use the company's money."
Gam Ji gave him a credit card and winked as he left.
"Another set of coffee. Is he for real?" Dong-sun muttered.
He moved like a streak of firebolt with his long thighs. After sneaking inside the office to deliver the coffee, another employee approached him.
"One of the men has a heart attack. They sent him to the hospital. We need a replacement to speed up the job. There are still 200 books that need to be put inside the truck."
Dong-sun nodded.
"Alright. I think I can be a temporary substitute," he said.
Dong-sun flexed his neck side by side and lifted a pile of hardback copies inside the truck. He mesmerized them when he finished the job in a few seconds.
"Wow, are you a construction worker? I never knew office guys could do the heavy lifting," one man commented.
"Maybe he's a regular to the gym."
"I doubt. Gongsang employees don't have so much time for that."
Dong-sun went back to the workplace and as if like a thunderstorm, the employees began calling out his name.
"Mr. Park, the printer is broken. Please fix it."
"Mr. Park, fill the fridge with some water bottles and juice."
"Mr. Park, please shred these files."
"Mr. Park, can you carry these boxes to the second floor?"
"Mr. Park..."
"Mr. Park!"
Dong-sun's ears were flooded with commands not from Daewon, but from people he doesn't know. Their words were whirlwinds reverberating in his mind.
"What happened to you? You look terrible," Daewon said.
Dong-sun slammed the car door closed. He couldn't keep his eyes open.
"The employees kept asking for my help. Is this part of my job as your assistant? I'm worn out."
Daewon pressed the accelerator.
"I think I know what's going on. They assumed you're the new employee under the task support team. Unfortunately, the new recruit didn't show up."
Daewon stopped the car at a restaurant to take out some food while Dong-sun waited inside the car. His vision was blurry as his eyes were about to shut down. But before he could take a nap, he caught sight of a familiar figure inside a bookshop across the street.
"I must be dreaming," he whispered.
He didn't fight the urge to confirm his instincts and walked into the bookshop.
"I miss you," he said and placed his chin on her shoulder.
Mee Yoon stiffened. Although her back was facing him, she recognized everything about him. She tightened her grip on the book in his hands to suppress her fingers from shaking.