• Falling For You • |A JongSang love story|

13 - Awkward Kindness

The next morning, Jongho sat at his desk, staring at the blank screen of his computer. Mingi's words from the previous day echoed in his head. Be nicer to Yeosang. If the guilt goes away, maybe you're just being too hard on him. If not... well, then maybe it's something else.

Jongho sighed, rubbing his temples. Being nicer wasn't something that came naturally to him in the workplace. He prided himself on being efficient and professional, but when it came to matters of the heart—or whatever this was—he was out of his depth. Still, if Mingi was right, maybe trying a different approach would help him figure out what was going on in his head.

He pushed back from his desk and stood, determined to give it a try. He needed to make more of an effort, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone.

As he walked out into the office, he spotted Yeosang at his desk, focused on his work as usual. Jongho hesitated for a moment before making his way over. He could do this. He just needed to be... nice.

"Good morning, Yeosang," Jongho said, his voice a little stiffer than he intended.

Yeosang glanced up, blinking in surprise. "Good morning, sir."

Jongho nodded, feeling a bit awkward already. He needed to say something else. Compliments—people liked compliments, right?

"You... uh..." Jongho paused, searching for something to compliment. "Your hair looks nice today."

Yeosang's eyes widened, clearly taken aback by the unexpected remark. "Th-thank you?" he replied, his voice tinged with confusion.

Jongho nodded again, feeling slightly more confident. He could handle this. "Keep up the good work," he added before turning on his heel and walking away, satisfied with his effort.

Yeosang, on the other hand, sat at his desk, completely puzzled by Jongho's sudden change in demeanor. Since when did his boss compliment people on their hair?

As the day went on, Jongho continued his awkward attempts to make conversation with Yeosang whenever he could. During lunch, he casually walked by Yeosang's desk, making small talk about the weather, though it sounded more like a business report. At one point, he even complimented Yeosang's organizational skills—another odd remark that left Yeosang scratching his head.

To Jongho, these moments felt like progress. He believed he was making a good impression, showing Yeosang that he could be more than just a stern boss. But from Yeosang's perspective, it was all just... odd.

Later that evening, Yeosang stood in his small kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner while his phone propped up on the counter buzzed with the sound of his friends laughing and talking. He had decided to FaceTime them while he cooked, hoping to get their take on the bizarre behavior Jongho had displayed all day.

"So, let me get this straight," Wooyoung said, still chuckling. "Jongho—your boss—has been complimenting you all day?"

Yeosang nodded, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Yeah, and it's not like him at all. He even said my hair looked nice this morning."

"Maybe he's finally trying to be nice," Seonghwa suggested, his tone thoughtful. "It's possible he realizes he's been too harsh and is trying to make up for it."

"I don't know," San chimed in, leaning back in his chair on the screen. "It sounds to me like he doesn't really know what he's doing. Complimenting your hair? That's not exactly normal for a boss, right?"

Hongjoong, who had been listening quietly, smirked. "Sounds like he's got a thing for you."

Yeosang nearly dropped the knife he was holding. "What?! No, that's not it!"

"Think about it," Hongjoong said, leaning closer to the camera. "He's acting weird, giving you compliments, trying to make conversation when he never did that before. He's probably trying to impress you."

Wooyoung snickered. "Yeah, or he just doesn't know how to flirt."

"Flirt?!" Yeosang's face flushed red. "Jongho? No way."

Seonghwa laughed softly. "It's not impossible, Yeosang. Maybe he's just trying to show you he's capable of being more than just the strict boss. Maybe he's sweet on you."

"Or," San interrupted, "he's confused. And you should probably keep your distance until you figure out what he really wants. It sounds like he doesn't even know what he's doing."

Yeosang groaned, feeling even more conflicted. "I don't know what to think. He's never acted like this before."

"Just be careful," Seonghwa said gently. "If he's trying to be nicer, that's great. But if he's confused about how he feels, it could get messy."

Yeosang sighed, setting down the knife and leaning against the counter. His friends were giving him conflicting advice, and now he wasn't sure what to do. Was Jongho just trying to be nicer, or was there something more to it? Either way, Yeosang felt like he was in over his head.

"Thanks, guys," Yeosang said with a small smile. "I'll figure it out."

"Good luck," Wooyoung teased. "Sounds like you've got your hands full with that one."

Yeosang chuckled, shaking his head. As the call ended and he finished preparing his dinner, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that Jongho's behavior meant something more. But what?