THE BLIND DATE MIX-UP||L.HS X P.SH

E I G H T H

CHAPTER EIGHTH: THE CORPORATE PARTY PREP (HOW SUNGHOON'S ANXIETY LEVELS SKYROCKETS)

The dreaded company party loomed closer, and Sunghoon was running out of excuses. With every passing day, he became more paranoid about Heeseung recognizing him. He spent hours online, Googling “how to disguise yourself at work parties” and “how to avoid your boss’s son after a disastrous date.” None of the results were helpful.

“I’m doomed,” Sunghoon muttered, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. “This is how I die.”

Meanwhile, in the office, the party planning committee was in full swing. The event was set to be a grand affair, meant to celebrate Heeseung’s official takeover of the company. There would be cocktails, a lavish dinner, and worst of all—a speech from Heeseung. Sunghoon’s only hope was to stay hidden in the shadows, maybe behind a potted plant, until the whole thing was over.

“Sunghoon!” A voice snapped him out of his miserable thoughts. It was Soobin, the overly enthusiastic head of HR who treated every company event like a personal mission. “We need your help with the decorations.”

Sunghoon blinked. “Decorations? I’m, uh, really busy with these reports...”

Soobin grabbed his arm, dragging him into the meeting room. “Nonsense! We need everyone’s input. You’re part of the team, aren’t you?”

Sunghoon sighed as he was thrust into the chaos of the party planning meeting. The room was filled with employees tossing around ideas, none of which sounded low-key enough for Sunghoon’s taste. Fairy lights? Too bright. Photo booths? A trap for social interactions. Ice sculptures? A slippery disaster waiting to happen.

“So, what’s your vision for the party, Sunghoon?” Soobin asked, handing him a notepad.

“My vision?” Sunghoon stalled, glancing at the sketches of extravagant decorations. His gaze fell on a minimalist design of dim lighting and neutral tones. “Uh, maybe we could go with something simple? You know, elegant but… dark.”

Soobin looked confused. “Dark?”

Sunghoon nodded earnestly. “Yeah, like… so dark people can’t see each other. Really low visibility.”

There was an awkward pause as everyone processed Sunghoon’s bizarre suggestion. Soobin finally laughed, assuming it was a joke. “Good one, Sunghoon! We’ll keep it in mind.”

Sunghoon sank into his chair, realizing he’d accidentally become the office clown again.

🖇📌

From his office, Heeseung watched the party planning unfold through the glass walls. He could see Sunghoon animatedly talking to Soobin, his expressions shifting rapidly between confusion and terror. Heeseung found it hard not to smile; Sunghoon was just so unpredictable. One moment he was awkward and bumbling, the next he was throwing out the strangest suggestions with complete confidence.

Heeseung couldn’t put his finger on why, but Sunghoon fascinated him. There was something familiar about him—something he couldn’t quite place. Every time Sunghoon laughed nervously or tried to disappear into the background, Heeseung’s mind flashed to that awful date with the weird guy who poured salt into his water and asked about pet rocks. But no, it couldn’t be the same person… could it?

“Mr. Lee,” his employee interrupted, handing over some documents. “The caterer needs final confirmation for the menu. Should I get Sunghoon to handle it?”

Heeseung’s eyes flicked back to Sunghoon, who was now inexplicably wearing a party hat and holding a balloon. “No, I’ll do it,” Heeseung said quickly. “I want to make sure everything’s perfect.”

Heeseung glanced back at Sunghoon one last time, a strange feeling tugging at him. There was something there, buried beneath the layers of awkwardness and bizarre antics, that Heeseung was determined to figure out.

🖇📌

Sunghoon’s day had already been a trainwreck, and it wasn’t even lunch yet. To make matters worse, he found himself stuck in the elevator with Heeseung, who was humming happily to himself, seemingly unbothered by the uncomfortable silence.

Sunghoon stared at the floor, praying the elevator would malfunction and drop him into a hidden basement where he could hide forever. But no such luck. Heeseung glanced over, breaking the silence.

“So, are you excited about the party?” Heeseung asked casually, his voice full of genuine curiosity.

“Excited? Oh, yeah. Super excited,” Sunghoon lied. “Can’t wait to, you know… mingle.” Heeseung’s eyebrows raised slightly, amused by Sunghoon’s obvious discomfort.

“You don’t seem like the mingling type,” Heeseung noted, leaning against the elevator wall. “You remind me of someone, actually. Ever been to Café Miso?”

Sunghoon froze. Café Miso—the place where their disastrous date had happened. He forced a laugh, his voice an octave too high. “Café Miso? Nope, never heard of it. Sounds… fancy.”

Heeseung’s eyes narrowed, and Sunghoon swore he saw a flicker of recognition. But before Heeseung could probe further, the elevator doors dinged open, and Sunghoon bolted out like a man escaping a burning building.

🖇📌

Sunghoon slammed the door behind him, panting like he’d just run a marathon. His mind was racing. Does Heeseung know? Did I blow my cover? Why didn’t I take that job at the sandwich shop when I had the chance?

He sank into his chair, rubbing his temples. “Okay, new plan,” he muttered, scribbling furiously on his notepad. “Avoid elevators. Avoid eye contact. And definitely avoid conversations about Café Miso.”

Sunghoon’s new mantra was interrupted by a ping on his computer—a calendar reminder for the company party, now just two days away. He groaned, knowing he had no choice but to show up and pray that Heeseung remained blissfully unaware of their shared past.

📌🖇

Heeseung stared at his computer screen, the empty café date reservation staring back at him. He had canceled his meeting with the real date when Sunghoon showed up instead, thinking it was a simple mix-up. But lately, Heeseung couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than that.

He scrolled through his calendar, pausing at the upcoming company party. He glanced at the guest list and saw Sunghoon’s name. Maybe I’ll get some answers then, Heeseung thought, a small smile playing on his lips.

Whatever Sunghoon was hiding, Heeseung was determined to find out.