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

F O U R T E E N

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: FEELINGS

Sunghoon was at his wits’ end. The constant chatter about him and Heeseung had only intensified since yesterday, but there was a new problem. One that Sunghoon didn’t want to admit, even to himself: he might actually be catching feelings for his boss.

Sitting at his desk, he stole a glance at Heeseung’s office. The door was closed, but Sunghoon could still feel the magnetic pull, like he was waiting for an excuse to go in and see him. It was maddening. He had tried ignoring it, brushing it off as a fleeting attraction or some kind of workplace infatuation, but it was getting harder to deny.

Sunghoon groaned, burying his face in his hands. “What is wrong with me?”

“Talking to yourself already, Sunghoon?” Sooyoung’s voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to see her standing with an amused smirk, holding two cups of coffee. “Bad day?”

“Something like that,” Sunghoon muttered, accepting the coffee she handed him.

“Come on, spill it.” Sooyoung plopped down into the chair beside him, giving him that knowing look that made Sunghoon squirm. “Is it Heeseung?”

Sunghoon nearly choked on his coffee. “What? No!” He cleared his throat, trying to sound convincing, but Sooyoung’s raised eyebrow said she wasn’t buying it.

“Sunghoon, everyone in the office can see there’s something going on between you two. You’ve been glued to his side since he took over, and the way you look at him... well, let’s just say it’s not very professional.” She grinned, taking a sip of her coffee.

Sunghoon wanted to argue, but he couldn’t. Instead, he let out a deep sigh. “Okay, fine. Maybe I like spending time with him. Maybe... I might even have a crush. But it’s nothing serious!”

Sooyoung’s eyes widened in delight, and she nearly spilled her drink in excitement. “I knew it! I knew there was something between you two!”

“Keep your voice down!” Sunghoon hissed, looking around to make sure no one had overheard. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Oh, it’s a huge deal,” Sooyoung countered, her voice lowering but still filled with enthusiasm. “You, Sunghoon, have a crush on the CEO. The same CEO everyone’s been gossiping about you with. Do you know how juicy that is?”

Sunghoon sank back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Yeah, but it’s not like anything’s going to happen. I can’t just... I mean, he’s my boss, Sooyoung. And even if he wasn’t, I don’t think he feels the same way.”

Sooyoung’s smirk softened into something more understanding. “You never know. Heeseung’s always hanging around you, and I’ve never seen him act that way with anyone else. Maybe he likes you too.”

Sunghoon shook his head, trying to ignore the hopeful flutter in his chest. “He’s just being nice. Besides, I’m probably just overthinking everything. It’s just... a crush. It’ll pass.”

Sooyoung leaned closer, her expression serious. “Sunghoon, it’s okay to have feelings. But don’t sell yourself short. You deserve to be happy, even if it’s with your boss.”

Sunghoon blinked, taken aback by the sincerity in her words. For a moment, he allowed himself to entertain the idea—what if Heeseung did like him back? What if this stupid office gossip wasn’t just talk? But the fear of rejection, of misreading everything, loomed too large.

“Thanks, Sooyoung,” Sunghoon said softly. “But for now, let’s just keep this between us, okay?”

Sooyoung nodded, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Your secret’s safe with me. But if you ever need to talk—or if you decide to make a move—you know where to find me.”

📌🖇

Heeseung sat in his office, going over some reports, but his mind kept wandering back to Sunghoon. It was becoming a pattern he couldn’t break, no matter how hard he tried to focus. Sunghoon’s smiles, his sarcastic remarks, even the way he awkwardly fidgeted when he was flustered—all of it was starting to get under Heeseung’s skin.

Heeseung leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Was he... catching feelings? He couldn’t tell if it was just the thrill of their playful banter or something more. And it didn’t help that the entire office seemed to have an opinion about their relationship.

A knock on the door broke his thoughts, and he straightened up. “Come in.”

Sunghoon entered, holding a stack of documents. “These are the files you asked for.”

Heeseung watched him closely, trying to decipher the expression on Sunghoon’s face. Lately, Sunghoon had been acting a bit distant, and Heeseung couldn’t figure out why. Was it the rumors? Was he upset about the office gossip? Or was there something else?

“Thanks, Sunghoon.” Heeseung took the files but didn’t look at them, his focus entirely on the man standing before him. “Hey, are you okay? You’ve been a little... off.”

Sunghoon blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. “What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Just... office stuff, you know?”

Heeseung nodded slowly, though he didn’t believe it for a second. He could see the hesitation in Sunghoon’s eyes, the way he fidgeted with his tie. Heeseung wanted to ask more, to get to the root of whatever was bothering him, but he held back. Maybe Sunghoon just needed space.

“If you ever need to talk, I’m here,” Heeseung said softly, hoping Sunghoon would take him up on the offer.

Sunghoon gave him a small, tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, Heeseung. I appreciate it.”

As Sunghoon left the office, Heeseung couldn’t help but feel like there was something left unsaid between them—something important. And for the first time, he wondered if Sunghoon’s strange behavior had less to do with the rumors and more to do with them.

📌🖇

Back at his desk, Sunghoon glanced at his phone and noticed a text from Sooyoung.

“So... are you going to do something about your crush? Or are we just going to pretend it doesn’t exist?”

Sunghoon groaned, feeling his cheeks heat up. He quickly typed back:

“I’m not doing anything! It’s just... Heeseung’s my boss. It’s complicated.”

Sooyoung’s reply was almost immediate:

“Complicated or not, feelings are feelings. Just don’t let them eat you up, okay?”

Sunghoon sighed, staring at the text. It was easy for Sooyoung to say, but for Sunghoon, admitting his feelings felt like opening a door he wasn’t ready to walk through. And with Heeseung’s oblivious charm and the office gossip swirling around them, that door was getting harder and harder to ignore.

But maybe—just maybe—it was time for Sunghoon to stop hiding behind his sarcasm and fear. Because as much as he tried to deny it, Heeseung was more than just his boss. He was the person who made Sunghoon’s heart race, who made him laugh when he wanted to scream, and who, despite everything, was becoming impossible to forget.

For now, Sunghoon would keep his secret safe. But as he glanced towards Heeseung’s office, he couldn’t help but wonder what might happen if one day, he finally found the courage to let it all out.

And with that thought, Sunghoon knew: this was only the beginning of whatever complicated, wonderful thing was growing between them.