from which a garden grows / purinz

Chapter 3/02

Fine.

It's not just sex.

Chaewon's made enough progress to at least admit that.

Yes, they still have it, and yes, it's still as great as it was the first time, but it's no longer the main event.

Sometimes it's only the opening act-a precursor to the rest of the night's planned activities.

A saucy greeting like: "Hey, nice to see you again now let me see all of you again."

Or sometimes it's the encore-a lovely way to cap a night of drinking, dancing, then tipsy baking in Yunjin's kitchen at 4 AM and licking raw cookie batter off the spatula because fuck salmonella, right?

It's not just sex any more, which at first Chaewon perceived as a good thing. After all, sex is what made-whatever Chaewon and Yunjin originally had-complicated.

But now, there's a new complication: the in-betweens. Those moments before and after sex that aren't driven by physical desire and lust but rather emotional connection and... whatever the antonym of lust is, Chaewon supposes.

Those quieter moments where they can simply exist together are the moments Chaewon treasures most of all.

So they take Shiro for walks and they scour garage sales for bean bags (because Yunjin admits to needing more furniture and to being a child at heart); they eat breakfast in bed and Chaewon lets the clock run a little longer and a little longer each time until eventually, she starts arriving to work on time as opposed to early.

Chaewon's boss, the balding man in the ill-fitting suit, who never-not once-gave Chaewon so much as a "thank you" or a pat on the back or a smile for doing a superb job (because Chaewon never settles for "good"), of course notices this miniscule imperfection.

Then again, being on time is hardly an imperfection-for most people, after all, but not for Chaewon. She's spoiled her company with her excellence. She's done way too much for them.

"Chaeyoung?" Chaewon's boss pokes his head through her office door, "You're here at 9? Something wrong?"

"No, sir, I'm fine," Chaewon answers demurely.

(Yes, it's demeaning to answer to the wrong name after being a valued employee of five years, but Chaewon's still "Chaeyoung" to the egghead no matter how often she tries to correct him).

"Good. I can't have you slipping up at a time like this. Old... what's-his-face is retiring which means I'm going to need a new senior consultant. Now, I'm thinking it could be you..."

Chaewon's dwindling self-control hits an all time low when she jumps from her chair and excitedly cries, "Me, sir! I'd be honored to fill the position. I won't let you down!"

Chaewon's boss chuckles and rubs at the patchy tuft of hair that he thinks is a real beard. "Easy, doll, job's not yours just yet. The other candidate is the new guy, Logan. It's going to be tough choosing between the two of you. Wish me and the rest of the hiring department luck!"

Chaewon fights every urge to roll her eyes. Of course her boss remembers Logan's name-that schmuck has kissed so much ass, his lips have swollen.

"Oh well, I'll let you get back to work. May the best man win- sorry! Or woman. Here at Hybe Corporations, we're all about inclusivity, as you know. Especially with you females. Nice blouse, by the way."

(There's a chance Chaewon's wet napkin of a supervisor is also a sexist pig).

Chaewon waits until he leaves her office (and the toilet paper stuck to the bottom of his shoe drags behind him) before peeling off that self-taught fake smile and sharing the good news with Yunjin.