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

E L E V E N

CHAPTER ELEVEN: FEELINGS ARE NOT IN THE JOB OF DISCRIPTION

Sunghoon sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. His focus was supposed to be on the quarterly reports, but his mind was somewhere else—somewhere dangerously close to a certain tall, annoyingly charming CEO who kept invading his thoughts.

Heeseung had been more attentive lately, throwing Sunghoon off balance with his friendly smiles and small gestures. Sunghoon hated to admit it, but there was something oddly endearing about the way Heeseung would hover near his desk, asking for updates on meetings that could have easily been sent in an email. Heeseung’s presence was becoming a constant, and Sunghoon found himself looking forward to it a little too much.

Sunghoon snapped out of his daze, shaking his head. “No, no, no. This is bad. This is really bad.” He whispered to himself, shuffling the papers on his desk as if they were to blame for his chaotic emotions. I cannot be catching feelings for Lee Heeseung. He’s my boss. And he’s—

Before Sunghoon could finish his thought, Heeseung’s voice pulled him back to reality. “Sunghoon, do you have a moment?”

Sunghoon nearly jumped out of his chair. Heeseung was standing right in front of him, holding a couple of coffee cups. Sunghoon blinked, wondering how Heeseung managed to sneak up on him every time.

“Oh, hey. Yeah, sure. What’s up?” Sunghoon asked, trying to sound casual.

Heeseung smiled, holding out one of the cups. “I brought you coffee. Thought you could use a break.”

Sunghoon took the cup, momentarily stunned. “Uh, thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I wanted to,” Heeseung said, leaning against Sunghoon’s desk. “You’ve been working hard.”

Sunghoon tried to ignore the flutter in his chest. Heeseung’s simple gestures were beginning to have an impact, and Sunghoon was helpless against it. He sipped the coffee, hoping it would steady his nerves. “Yeah, well... someone has to keep things running smoothly around here.”

Heeseung chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “I’m glad it’s you. You’re doing great, you know.”

Sunghoon’s cheeks warmed, and he cursed internally. He couldn’t let himself fall for this. Not for the guy who could easily turn his life upside down if he ever remembered that embarrassing date. But the more he tried to push the feelings down, the stronger they seemed to get.

Sunghoon was about to head out for lunch when Heeseung appeared again, leaning against the doorframe of Sunghoon’s office like he owned the place.

“Got any lunch plans?” Heeseung asked, his voice smooth.

Sunghoon shrugged. “Just going to grab something quick.”

Heeseung’s smile was all charm and confidence. “Great. I was thinking of trying that new Korean BBQ place down the street. Come with me.”

Sunghoon blinked. “What, like... now? Together?”

Heeseung nodded, already moving towards the elevator. “Yeah, unless you’ve got a hot date or something?”

Sunghoon snorted. “A hot date with my misery, maybe.”

“Perfect. Let’s go,” Heeseung said, pulling Sunghoon along before he could protest.

📌🖇

Sunghoon sat across from Heeseung, awkwardly fiddling with his chopsticks. The sizzling meat filled the air with a delicious aroma, but Sunghoon’s appetite was more out of nervous energy than hunger. Heeseung seemed completely at ease, grilling the meat with practiced ease.

“So, how’s work been?” Heeseung asked casually, as if they were just two friends catching up.

Sunghoon hesitated, unsure of how to navigate this unexpected lunch. “It’s... busy. But good. Keeps me distracted.”

Heeseung glanced up, curious. “Distracted from what?”

Sunghoon panicked. He hadn’t meant to let that slip. “Oh, you know... just life stuff. No big deal.”

Heeseung nodded, but his eyes lingered on Sunghoon a little longer than necessary. “I get that. Work can be a great escape sometimes.”

Sunghoon nodded, grateful for the topic shift. “Yeah, and this job is... definitely something.”

Heeseung laughed, and Sunghoon felt a strange sense of warmth at making him smile. “You’re not regretting it, are you?”

Sunghoon shook his head. “No, it’s just... unexpected. You’re unexpected.”

Heeseung raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “How so?”

Sunghoon poked at the meat on his plate, searching for words. “You’re... nicer than I thought. And funnier. It’s... confusing.”

Heeseung smirked, leaning in slightly. “Is that a compliment, Mr. Park?”

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, trying to play it cool. “Take it however you want.”

Heeseung laughed again, and Sunghoon couldn’t help but join in. For a moment, it was just the two of them, sharing a meal and a laugh, and Sunghoon’s heart betrayed him with a small but undeniable flutter. He didn’t know what this was—maybe just a crush, maybe something more—but whatever it was, it was terrifyingly real.

As they walked back to the office, Heeseung couldn’t shake the feeling that Sunghoon was different from everyone else. Sunghoon was honest in his awkwardness, and Heeseung found himself drawn to that. He wasn’t sure when it had started, but being around Sunghoon had become one of the best parts of his day.

He glanced over at Sunghoon, who was rambling about some funny mishap with office supplies, completely animated in a way Heeseung rarely saw. There was something refreshing about Sunghoon’s sincerity, his unpolished charm that made Heeseung’s world feel a little brighter.

Heeseung wondered if Sunghoon felt the same pull between them or if he was just imagining it. But he didn’t push. He liked these moments too much to ruin them with his overthinking.

As they parted ways in the office, Heeseung watched Sunghoon walk back to his desk, still talking to himself about something silly. Heeseung smiled, knowing that whatever was happening between them, it was just getting started.

📌🖇

Sunghoon slumped into his chair, burying his face in his hands. I can’t like him. I can’t like him. He repeated it like a mantra, but it wasn’t helping. Heeseung’s laughter, his smile, and the way he looked at Sunghoon kept replaying in his mind like a broken record.

“Why does he have to be so... so...” Sunghoon trailed off, unable to find the right word. Heeseung was everything he wasn’t supposed to want, but the more he tried to convince himself otherwise, the harder it became.

Sunghoon looked at the coffee cup Heeseung had given him, still half full on his desk. He picked it up, staring at it as if it held the answers to his confusion. “Why can’t you just be annoying?” he muttered to no one in particular.

But deep down, Sunghoon knew why. Heeseung wasn’t just the boss’s son or the guy from that terrible date. He was kind, funny, and impossibly attractive. And Sunghoon was in way over his head.

With a resigned sigh, Sunghoon took another sip of the coffee. It was a little too sweet, just like Heeseung. And just like Heeseung, it was starting to grow on him.