Lip Balm | Wooyoung

8

Monday

Hyunmi gets ready for work and steps out of her house, feeling fully refreshed.

However very quickly, a gasp escapes her. She nearly steps on a glass box at her feet. She bends down and picks up the box, revealing a note under.

She reads the note, this situation feeling somewhat familiar.

I'm sorry about what happened
last night. I can explain though, can we
meet up again whenever you're free?
Here's my number:
XXX-XXX-XXXX
-Wooyoung
(P.S. I cooked you some pasta as an
apology, I hope you enjoy it at work)

Hyunmi's eyebrows furrow as she reads it. He seems to be quite fond of notes despite literally being her neighbour.

She takes a glance at the pasta in the box with a sigh and slides it into her bag. She feels annoyed at him, but at the same time indebted. Either way, it does feel a bit nice to have a packed lunch for work for once.

She gives in to his sweet antics and pulls out her phone, saving his contact. This must be how he pulls girls in. She wonders if he's really this kind or if it's just an act. The only way to find out would be to get closer to him.

And Hyunmi knows that deep down, she wouldn't mind getting closer to him at all.

But she's stubborn. With a huff, she storms out of the building and enters her car. She should stay focused.

Not too long later, she's walking into the office. She walks in confidently and slowly shrinks smaller and smaller when Jongho's glare lands on her.

"Good morning! How-" Seonghwa chirps, but he doesn't get to finish his greeting. "Hyunmi, you're here! I hope you had a nice weekend," Hongjoong comes storming out of his office, flashing her a knowing grin. She chuckles in response.

"I did, I hope you did too," she directs back to him as well as Seonghwa with a friendly smile. This leaves both of the men beaming, while Jongho's face only turns more bitter.

Mingi walks in next. He smiles and greets Hongjoong enthusiastically and approaches Seonghwa silently while ignoring the presence of everyone else in the room. Hyunmi shrugs it off and walks towards her own private office.

"Wait!" she pauses when Seonghwa calls out in her direction. She stumbles backwards when she sees Seonghwa and Mingi storming in her direction. Mingi awkwardly shuffles his feet behind Seonghwa while the other grins widely.

"You usually buy your lunch from a convenient store before work, right? I need to go too today, want to go together?" he asks sheepishly. Hyunmi nearly nonchalantly agrees until she remembers.

"I'm sorry but I actually packed food today," she smiles, cheeks heating up at the thought of Wooyoung cooking for her.

Seonghwa's face grows sad, however. "Oh, I see. Maybe another day then. Have a great day!" he exclaims while turning around. Mingi offers her a nod and a tight smile before following his friend.

Hyunmi finally enters her office and lights her fragrant scented candle first and foremost and smothers on some lip balm, before immediately getting to work at her desk.

And just like that, hours pass by quickly.

When she hears low chatter outside her door, that's when she realises that it must be lunch time. Her heart flutters as she pulls the glass box out of her bag, smiling at the fact that Wooyoung even added a fork.