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

N I N E

CHAPTER NINE: THE GREAT PARTY ESCAPE PLAN (HOW SUNGHOON FAILS AT EVERYTHING)

The day of the company party arrived, and Sunghoon was a ball of nerves. He had spent the night before strategizing on how to avoid Heeseung at all costs. His plan was simple: stay hidden, stay quiet, and, most importantly, stay sober. Alcohol had a way of loosening his tongue, and the last thing he needed was to accidentally confess his secret in a drunken ramble.

Sunghoon paced around his apartment, adjusting his suit for the tenth time. “Okay, Sunghoon. It’s just one night. You can do this. In and out. Like a ninja. He’ll never even know you’re there.”

But as he stepped into the lavishly decorated venue, his confidence wavered. The ballroom was a glittering sea of chandeliers, fairy lights, and way too many people. It was impossible to blend in. He felt like a deer caught in headlights.

Sunghoon immediately spotted Heeseung, dressed in a sharp black suit, mingling effortlessly with the guests. Heeseung’s easy smile and charisma drew people to him like moths to a flame. Sunghoon gulped. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Heeseung navigated the party with a practiced ease, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, but his mind was elsewhere. His eyes kept drifting toward the entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sunghoon. He still couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was off about his secretary.

Why do I keep thinking about that ridiculous date? Heeseung wondered. Sunghoon’s odd behavior, combined with their strangely familiar dynamic, was starting to make him suspicious. Was it just a coincidence, or was Sunghoon really the guy who ruined his blind date?

Heeseung’s musings were interrupted when his father approached him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “How’s it going, son? The party looks great.”

“Thanks, Dad. Just trying to make a good impression,” Heeseung replied, keeping his tone light.

His father scanned the room, his eyes landing on Sunghoon, who was awkwardly trying to blend into a group of potted plants. “Isn’t that your new secretary? The quiet one?”

Heeseung followed his father’s gaze and chuckled. “Yeah, that’s him. He’s a bit... different.”

“Seems nervous. You should go say hi,” his father suggested, nudging him forward.

Heeseung watched as Sunghoon fumbled with his drink, nearly spilling it on himself. “I think I will.”

Sunghoon scanned the room for the perfect hiding spot, his eyes settling on the buffet table. Perfect, he thought. No one would suspect he was hiding if he was stuffing his face. He approached the table, piling his plate high with hors d’oeuvres, using the food as both a shield and a distraction.

“So… how’s the food?”

Sunghoon nearly choked on a shrimp skewer at the sound of Heeseung’s voice right behind him. He turned slowly, trying to act natural but failing spectacularly. “Oh, it’s, uh, food. You know, edible.” He mentally slapped himself. Edible? Really, Sunghoon?

Heeseung laughed, clearly amused. “I’m glad it’s met your high standards.”

Sunghoon forced a smile, trying to maintain his composure. “Yeah, yeah. You know me. Food critic by night, secretary by day.” Heeseung raised an eyebrow, and Sunghoon panicked, grabbing a random item from the table and shoving it into his mouth without thinking.

“What… what are you eating?” Heeseung asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Sunghoon chewed slowly, realizing too late that he had grabbed a decorative centerpiece made of wax. He quickly spat it into a napkin, face flushing with embarrassment. “I… I thought it was cheese.”

Heeseung tried to suppress his laughter but failed, his chuckles echoing through the room. “You know, I don’t think that’s on the menu.”

Sunghoon wished the ground would swallow him whole. “Yeah, I, uh… I like to live dangerously.” He cleared his throat, desperate to change the subject. “So, enjoying the party?”

Heeseung nodded, still grinning. “Yeah, it’s going well. Better now, actually.”

Sunghoon blinked, caught off guard by the sudden compliment. “Oh. Well… great. That’s… great.”

Heeseung studied him closely, as if trying to solve a puzzle. “You seem familiar, Sunghoon. Like we’ve met before.”

Sunghoon’s heart raced. “Oh, really? I just have one of those faces. You know, very… average.” He shot a nervous smile and inched away, only to trip over his own feet and spill his drink down his suit.

Heeseung reached out, steadying him with a firm grip. “Careful there. We don’t want any accidents.”

Sunghoon straightened up, mortified. “Thanks. I’m fine. Just clumsy, I guess.” He desperately looked for an escape, spotting a group of coworkers gathered near the photo booth. “Uh, I should go… network.”

Before Heeseung could respond, Sunghoon bolted, weaving through the crowd with the agility of a panicked gazelle.

Sunghoon squeezed into the photo booth, pulling the curtain shut behind him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. “Okay, Sunghoon. Just stay here for a few minutes. He won’t find you.”

He flipped through the props, putting on a pair of oversized sunglasses and a fake mustache in a desperate attempt at disguise. He snapped a few photos, hoping the ridiculousness of the moment would distract him from his anxiety.

But as luck would have it, Heeseung pulled the curtain back and popped his head in. “Sunghoon?”

Sunghoon jumped, knocking over the small table inside the booth. “Oh, for the love of—what are you doing here?”

Heeseung stepped inside, looking at Sunghoon’s mismatched disguise. “I could ask you the same thing. Is this your idea of networking?”

Sunghoon yanked off the mustache, his cheeks burning. “Uh, yes. I mean, no. I just… needed a break.” Heeseung laughed again, and Sunghoon’s mortification hit new levels. Why was this man always finding him in his most awkward moments?

“Here, let me help,” Heeseung said, picking up the fallen props and handing them back to Sunghoon. “We should take a picture together. For the company’s social media.”

Sunghoon blanched. “Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

Heeseung had already dragged him back into the booth, posing confidently while Sunghoon tried to hide behind a ridiculous hat. The flash went off, capturing their mismatched expressions: Heeseung, smiling warmly, and Sunghoon, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Perfect,” Heeseung said, pocketing the photos. “A memory to cherish.”

Sunghoon forced a smile, mentally vowing to burn every copy of that picture. “Yeah… unforgettable.”

📌🖇

As Heeseung watched Sunghoon disappear into the crowd once more, he couldn’t help but feel even more intrigued. Sunghoon was like a walking sitcom—a constant source of comedy that Heeseung found oddly endearing. But beyond the humor, there was something genuine about him, a sense of vulnerability that Heeseung couldn’t ignore.

He flipped through the photos from the booth, pausing on the one where Sunghoon was half-hidden under the giant hat. Heeseung smiled, tucking the photos into his jacket pocket. Sunghoon was weird, yes, but he was also interesting. And Heeseung couldn’t wait to find out more.

As the night drew on, Heeseung decided he’d keep an even closer eye on Sunghoon. After all, if Sunghoon really was the same guy from that bizarre date, there was still a lot Heeseung wanted to know. And if he wasn’t… well, Heeseung was happy to enjoy the ride either way.