timeless hearts | woosan

𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚

𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲

it was monday, the first day of wooyoung's new job as a manhwa artist at the publishing agency. he had been waiting for this day ever since he got the call. two weeks had passed since the interview, and a week ago, they finally informed him that he'd been chosen. the excitement had been bubbling inside him ever since—this was what he'd been dreaming of. a chance to bring his art to life on a bigger stage, to be part of something meaningful.

as he walked toward the metro station, the weather seemed to match his mood. the sun was out, casting a warm glow over the city. the sky was mostly clear, with just a few clouds floating by. so far, so good, he thought, feeling a little more confident with each step.

he had always had a passion for sketching, and now, it was time to turn that passion into something real. this is it, wooyoung. your big break. don't screw it up.

the ride on the metro was uneventful. wooyoung spent most of the time imagining how his first day would go—meeting the team, seeing the office, and getting to work on a real project. nerves fluttered in his stomach, but he brushed them off. you've got this, he reminded himself.

but as soon as he stepped out of the station, his mood took a sharp nosedive. once sunny and clear, the sky was now dark and ominous, and heavy rain poured down. his heart sank. of course, it's raining, he thought, rolling his eyes. on the one day i forget my umbrella.

he stood there for a moment, staring at the downpour, hoping it would ease up. but it only seemed to get worse. amazing first day of work indeed, he groaned inwardly. there was no point in waiting—it was clear the rain wasn't going to let up anytime soon.

wooyoung tugged his jacket over his head, though it was a pitiful shield against the heavy rain, and made a dash for it. his shoes splashed through puddles as he ran, water soaking through his clothes in seconds. could this day get any better?

by the time wooyoung finally reached the agency, he was drenched. water dripped from his hair, his jacket clung to him uncomfortably, and his shoes squished with every step. as he stepped inside, the warmth of the lobby hit him, but it did little to dry him off. he glanced around, feeling the eyes of the front desk staff on him.

the two women at the front desk exchanged glances, whispering to each other as wooyoung approached. great, this is just what i need, he thought, trying not to look too embarrassed. he forced a small smile.

"hi, um... it's my first day," he began, his voice a little shaky. "i'm the new manhwa artist."

one of the women smiled softly, her expression more welcoming now. she picked up the phone, dialing quickly before speaking into the receiver. "he'll be here soon," she said after hanging up.

he? wooyoung's mind raced. was she talking about the author choi? the thought made his heart speed up. he had admired choi san for years, devouring every one of his books the moment they were released. he'd read them all multiple times, and now, he was about to meet the man in person.

calm down, wooyoung told himself, trying to suppress the mix of nerves and excitement swirling in his chest. he ran a hand through his soaked hair, attempting to fix it, then tugged at his clothes, trying to look at least a little more presentable. i can't believe this is happening. stay cool, act professional.

just as he was starting to feel a little more put together, the soft ding of the elevator echoed through the lobby. wooyoung's breath caught in his throat, anticipation building. this is it, it's him...

but when the doors slid open, his heart sank slightly. it wasn't mr. choi. it was mr. song.

well... okay. not who i was expecting, wooyoung thought, trying to mask his disappointment. still, he bowed politely as the man approached. 

song mingi greeted wooyoung with a small smile—warm, but still professional. there was an air of maturity in the way he carried himself, making it clear he took his role seriously. without much small talk, wooyoung followed him to the elevator, feeling a little nervous but keeping his cool. the ride was short, and soon, they stepped into a smaller, open-space office.

inside, wooyoung was introduced to a few people. first was sana, the editor. she seemed serious at first, her face focused as she worked, but as soon as wooyoung introduced himself, her expression softened into a big, welcoming smile. she was two years older than him, but her friendly demeanor quickly made him feel at ease.

next were hwang yeji and hwang hyunjin, part of the designer team. they both had the same sharp features and striking presence, though they assured wooyoung they weren't related at all. still, wooyoung couldn't help but wonder. they look so much alike, they must be long-lost siblings or something, he mused quietly to himself.

then there was kim younghoon, the marketing team lead. his demeanor was different from the others—he seemed reserved, even cold. wooyoung gave a polite bow, but younghoon merely nodded in return, his expression unreadable.

after introducing him to everyone, mingi led wooyoung to his desk. it was neat, tucked into a quiet corner of the office. "you'll be working closely with author choi," mingi explained as they walked. "so for now, you'll mostly spend your time in his office."

the mention of choi san brought a fresh wave of excitement and nerves. working closely with him... this is really happening, wooyoung thought.

he couldn't help but wonder—where was author choi? the whole point of the day was meeting him, after all. curious, wooyoung turned to mingi, who had just finished showing him around. "uh, where's author choi? is he coming in today?"

mingi smiled slightly. "he should be in the office soon. don't worry, you'll meet him."

with that, wooyoung was left at his desk, nervously spinning in his chair as he waited. he couldn't help but fidget—it wasn't every day that you got to meet someone you admired so much. stay calm, wooyoung, it's just another day at work, he kept telling himself, though it wasn't helping much.

sana sat next to him, which made sense. she was the second most important person on the team when it came to the manhwa adaptation. her job was to review everything he did, so they would be working closely. at least she's friendly, he thought, glancing over at her, remembering the warm smile from earlier.

after what felt like forever, the air in the office seemed to shift. it turned cold, almost tense, as the soft sound of the elevator doors opening reached wooyoung's ears. he looked up, and noticed that everyone else seemed to change, their postures straightening, their focus sharpening.

choi san had arrived.

he walked in with an air of quiet authority, his presence instantly commanding the room. he's handsome, wooyoung thought, though there was something distant about him—cold, even. more reserved than younghoon sunbae, with an almost aloof expression. san greeted everyone with a simple nod, acknowledging their existence but nothing more. no small talk, no pleasantries.

wooyoung's heart raced as he watched san make his way to his office, a separate room from the open space where wooyoung and the rest of the team were stationed. that's him. i'm actually going to work with him. it felt surreal.

now, all that was left was to wait for the moment when san would call him in.

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a/n: Notice how Wooyoung has a LOT of inner monologues? Thought that might fit his character :3

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you think in the comments! Another one coming very soon...