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

S E V E N T E E N

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE SCANDAL HEARD 'ROUND THE OFFICE

Sunghoon's morning started like any other—he dragged himself out of bed, half-asleep, and vaguely irritated at the world, especially Heeseung. The previous night’s “boyfriend debut” was still fresh in his mind, and he spent half his shower replaying every awkward smile and forced laugh in agonizing detail. He stepped out of his apartment with a sigh, ready to bury himself in work and forget Heeseung’s little stunt.

But as soon as he walked into the office, he knew something was wrong.

Everyone was staring. Not the usual side-eye glances or polite nods, but full-on gawking, like Sunghoon had grown a second head overnight. He froze, his instincts screaming that he’d walked into something big, and not the good kind. Whispers followed him as he navigated the hallway, snippets of gossip catching his ears—“Is that him?” “I can’t believe it.” “Do you think it’s true?”

Sunghoon’s anxiety spiked. He ducked into the break room, where his work friends were gathered around a phone, staring at the screen like it was broadcasting the end of the world. Sunghoon cleared his throat, startling them out of their hushed conversation. “Uh, hey. What’s going on?”

His friend Eunji, always the blunt one, thrust her phone into his face. “This is what’s going on, Sunghoon.”

Sunghoon squinted at the screen, reading the headline that made his stomach drop:

“CEO Heeseung Lee Spotted with Mystery Boyfriend! Exclusive Pics of Last Night’s Event!”

The accompanying photos were a disaster for Sunghoon’s sanity. There he was, in all his awkward glory, with Heeseung’s arm casually draped around him, smiling like he was having the time of his life. One particularly damning photo showed Heeseung whispering something in Sunghoon’s ear, the caption underneath reading, “Could this be the next power couple?”

Sunghoon’s face flushed. “Oh. My. God.”

📌🖇

Sunghoon’s mind was spiraling. This wasn’t just a misunderstanding—it was a full-blown scandal, splashed across the pages of Dispatch for everyone and their grandma to see. Sunghoon’s reputation, his job, his sanity—it was all hanging by a thread.

He stumbled into his office, shut the door, and stared at his reflection in the window. “This can’t be happening,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair in utter panic. “How did I end up as the main character of a rom-com disaster?”

The knock on his door startled him, and Sunghoon whipped around to see Heeseung standing there, looking far too relaxed for someone whose face was currently plastered all over the internet.

Sunghoon immediately launched into a tirade. “Heeseung, have you seen the news?! We’re on Dispatch! They think we’re dating! My life is ruined!”

Heeseung blinked, utterly unbothered. “Yeah, I saw. It’s kind of funny, isn’t it?”

“Funny? FUNNY?!” Sunghoon sputtered, throwing his hands in the air. “Heeseung, this isn’t some quirky sitcom moment! This is my life! People are going to think we’re actually dating. And do you know how many people I’m going to have to explain this to? My family, my friends, the random lady at the coffee shop who loves to gossip—everyone!”

Heeseung leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms with a faint smile. “Relax, Sunghoon. It’s just a tabloid. People will move on to the next scandal in a week.”

Sunghoon gaped at him. “A week? I don’t have a week! I have to live with the fact that I’m now officially Heeseung Lee’s ‘mystery boyfriend.’ My mom is probably already planning our wedding.”