Boss Complex

24. First day abroad

Joonmyeon's cheeks are visibly pink when Baekhyun slides the door to his room open with a loud slam of wood to wood in his pajamas.

"D—did you not get the itinerary for today?" He mumbles, averting his gaze.

"No. I left my charger in Korea and it doesn't matter either way because I forgot to call my provider to activate international so I wasn't getting calls anyway on short notice."

"Right..." Joonmyeon's embarrassed gaze travels briefly to Baekhyun for short second increments before looking elsewhere. "Well... you need to get ready... quickly, please, Byun. You don't have much time."

"Sure. What's first on the agenda?" He slides his still tingling fingers through his mop of disheveled hair and yawns wide and unabashed.

"Breakfast. Be ready in less than 10 minutes."

Baekhyun groans, eyes closing in irritation. He opens his mouth to verbally protest when their boss steps out from the next room, absently snapping his cuff links in place with an easy smile.

"Good morning, I hope Byun isn't about to argue with you." He tisks, stepping closer.

"No. Absolutely not, Mr. Park." Baekhyun mocks, glaring up at the tall man with a blatantly fake smile.

Joonmyeon looks uncomfortable by the exchange but doesn't say anything as Mr. Park winks at the small intern. Baekhyun slams the door closed in response and stands glued in place as he hears the laughter fade and his superiors make their way to meet his other colleagues.

No mirrors in the room make it hard for Baekhyun to look over his face, the shame probably visible as he actively pursues his sister's fiancé. But Baekhyun had him first.

He opens his suitcase and pulls out neatly pressed khakis and a long sleeved button-down shirt dotted with tiny blue flowers, putting it on and tucking it in. He's almost relieved in that moment that there are no mirrors for him to see the atrociously bland outfit he's forcing himself into.

"Alright. This is as good as it gets for now, Park."

He runs a brush through his hair and frowns into the small glass reflection of his dead phone, assessing the damage. The humidity isn't helping anything either.

He slides in his powder pink socks all the way down the hall, stealing a pair of guest slippers as he passes the lobby. The room they were dining in for breakfast required that he take off slippers, but somehow he knows Chanyeol would be irritated if he came with just socks. The gathering is loud in the reserved room where the small crowd discuss the hot springs, their plans for the day, the gifts they want to take back to Korea and how they slept. Baekhyun eyes the empty spot at Chanyeol's side but feeling intense eyes on him from all but one oblivious member at the table, intentionally steers away and sits on the other side of Victoria.

"Good Morning." Baekhyun greets cheerfully.

"You're late." Joonmyeon replies, still refusing to meet eyes as he takes the small bowl of Miso soup to his lips carefully.

"It was short notice." Baekhyun growls back. "but..." His gaze softens, and he bows his head. "I'm sorry."

Joonmyeon's smile is affirmative and forgiving and nothing more needs to be said on the matter.

"Baekhyun, this is one of our Japanese cultural experts in the company, Kim Heechul."

Baekhyun sizes up the pretty cherry red haired man before him, hair silk and shiny in a short bob cut, parted down the middle with one side tucked behind his ear.

"It's nice to meet you." Baekhyun says, with what he hopes is a respectful voice as he takes hold of his chopsticks and digs into the still steaming bowl of rice.