MY COWORKER - KIM DOYOUNG

.5

The morning light kisses your eyelashes through the window, forcing them to part. The first sound that your ears pick up is that of running water, nicely mixed with the birds' song coming through the window. Checking your phone, you realize you overslept, with the wedding being only a couple of hours away. You're lying right in the middle of the double bed, your roommate already awake and taking a morning shower, apparently.

Last night's events flash before your eyes like a film strip. Remnants of embarrassment from having to ask for three extra pillows from the reception desk warm up your cheeks. Then the both of you, two fully grown adults, went up to your room to line them up in one straight pillowy border that separated the double bed evenly. Your blood boils at the memory of Doyoung telling you, a math teacher, that you weren't dividing the mattress into two even halves. "I wish I could split you into two even halves", was the last thing you remember murmuring before falling asleep. Curious, you look around for the missing pillows, noticing they're scattered on the floor, and that is when the bathroom doorknob turns.

The first thing you notice is Doyoung's naked torso, toned abs and tiny waist triggering your eyes to close. You feel him move towards the center of the room, and when he turns around to look for something in the closet you squint your right eye open to steal a peek. His hair is damp, waterdrops falling from the edge of his locks and dancing over his shoulder blades. You follow one as it travels down from his broad shoulders to the deep line of his spine, landing on the towel that hangs lowly from his hipbones. He bends over then, showing off a nice outline of his ass, and you are so invested in the view that you barely manage to go back to feigning to being asleep when he walks towards you.

You feel the bed dip next to you, and a little droplet of water falls on your cheek. His chuckle almost startles you as you fake deep, steady breaths.

"You know, I never pictured you to be a cuddler."

Pretending not to hear him, you keep your eyes shut tight, yet you can't stop the blood from accumulating on your face.

"As soon as you fell asleep you threw all the pillows to the floor and grabbed on my waist like a koala. It was cute."

Cute.

The urge to scream and hide and ask about the details of your embarrassing actions was overwhelming. You can feel his hot breath as he examines your face closer, begging your racing heart to calm down when he chuckles again. A small yelp leaves your lips when you feel a towel thrown at your body, convinced that it is the same one you wished would magically slip off of Doyoung's hips a minute ago. Opening your eyes, you see his lower body covered still, and yours veiled with a clean hotel robe.

"Stop playing dead, you're a terrible actress. You should go get a shower now if you don't want us to miss the wedding."

You swirl the champagne around in your glass, staring at the bubbles that float to the top until they burst one by one.

The ceremony went as smoothly as the rehearsal, with the sky staying bright and the bride looking brighter. Nighttime came already, and everyone had now settled down for the reception, gathering around their designated tables. Your eyes wander away from your drink for a while, focusing on Doyoung's lithe fingers instead. They toy with a small baby's breath from the bundle of flowers you caught earlier during the bouquet toss: your cousin couldn't have aimed at the top of your head better even if she was a javelin throw champion.

The mere sound of his breathing next to you annoys you at this point. By the end of the night, there wasn't a single guest at this damn wedding that didn't gush over your date. Why the hell did he act so completely different when he was around you? What kind of sick satisfaction did he get for being an ass?

"Are you ready to address your little problem?"

You feel the little hairs on the nape of your neck rise up as his low voice grazes your ears.

"What problem?"

"Your little staring problem. Staring at me to be exact."

Instantaneously, you rip your gaze away from his hands, glaring at the glass in front of you instead as if it was the most interesting thing you've ever laid your eyes on.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't act like you didn't try to catch me naked this morning."

"Excuse me?", you shriek before lowering your voice after collecting a few worried stares from the people at your table, "I didn't 'try to catch' you. You got out of that bathroom barely naked on your own!"

"Oh?", he feigns surprise, his lips forming into a smirk that you weren't sure whether you wanted to kiss or punch off his face, "I thought you were asleep?"

"I was trying to save us both from the embarrassment", you mutter under your breath, placing the back of your palms on your cheeks to force your face to cool down.

"In my defense, I didn't know you'd wake up anytime soon. You were snoring really loudly."

"So while I was sleeping I snored, threw the pillows off the bed, and cuddled you", you groan, exasperated. A numb headache was moving slowly but steadily from the inside of your brain outwards, and you try to shut it out by pouring yourself another glass of champagne. "Great. Anything else?"

"Stop drinking so much", Doyoung scolds you, grabbing the bottle out of your grasp just as you manage to fill your glass to the rim.

"Doyoung. I had at least ten people today ask me when I'm getting married when I don't even have a boyfriend, and now I'm stuck in this lame wedding reception with a person who hates my guts. I am going to drink. Now if you pulled that stick out of your ass and had a glass yourself maybe we'd even manage to have some fun instead of subjecting me to that nonstop nagging of yours."

"You tried to kiss me."

"What?"

"Last night, in your sleep. You tried to kiss me."

Frustrated with the situation you found yourself in and completely embarrassed, you have no other choice but to take a brave sip of the champagne you just served, emptying half a glass.

"Guess I'm doing charity while sleeping. If you'd experienced the loving touch of a woman maybe you wouldn't be such a dick."

"When your friend said that you were wild in bed I didn't think that practically attacking me in my sleep was what she meant.", he fired back, ignoring your insult.

"Did she tell you that before or after you asked her if I was single?"

"Like I would ever sleep with you. You're insufferable."

"Please. You'd probably cry after I was done."

Doyoung scoffs and grabs the champagne bottle again, this time filling a glass for himself. He downs the drink in one go, and the burning in his throat fires a new passion inside him.