kpop Girl Groups X Reader

Terms of Engagement • UAR

Male Reader X Uchinaga Aeri (Aespa)

Genre: Office Romance

Words: 3419

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Uchinaga Aeri—better known to her office colleagues as Giselle—leaned back in her swivel chair and sighed. It was another long evening at the Seoul headquarters of R&H Communications. Flicking her gaze toward the clock that read 9:00 p.m., she frowned. This was the third consecutive night she was working late, and, annoyingly, she wasn't alone.

Just across their shared floor, Song Y/n sat hunched over a stack of documents. The neon glare of the overhead office lighting threw shadows under his eyes. He was in his mid-20s, the same as Giselle, and the two of them were known as the youngest employees on this entire floor—everyone else was well into their 40s, with a few nearing retirement. Although Giselle and Y/n were the only two in their 20s, they had never been friends. From the moment they both joined the company, something about their personalities simply clashed.

The rivalry started nearly a year ago. R&H Communications was known for its competitive culture, and their department was notorious for high-pressure, tight deadlines. Giselle had quickly distinguished herself with her confidence, her fluency in multiple languages, and her swift project turnarounds. Y/n was more reserved but was equally, if not more, driven. He had an almost uncanny knack for creative problem-solving, often finding simpler, more streamlined approaches to complex campaigns.

From day one, they eyed each other warily—two ambitious young professionals determined to prove their worth in an environment of seasoned veterans. The older employees frequently teased them:

    Coworker 1 (Mr. Kim): "I can't believe how quickly you two get your projects done. When I was your age, I'd take days to do half the amount of work. You're making the rest of us look bad."

    Coworker 2 (Ms. Park): "If you keep going at this rate, you'll be heading the new teams before you turn thirty!"

Their colleagues' praises only fueled their sense of competition. Whenever Giselle pulled off a major contract, Y/n found a way to top her achievement a week later. If Y/n came up with a winning pitch, Giselle would deliver a bigger one the following month. It was a back-and-forth that never ceased, an unspoken tug-of-war with no single victor.

Late-night work sessions became the norm. On this particular evening, Giselle was alone in the dimly lit corridor leading to the kitchenette, refilling her mug with black coffee, when she heard someone's footsteps approach. She instinctively knew it was Y/n. She tensed. Their small talk was usually strained, and they rarely kept it civil for more than a few moments.

    Song Y/n: "You working on the Samsung project pitch?"

    Giselle (glancing at him coldly): "Yes. Not that it's any of your business."

    Song Y/n (raising an eyebrow): "Actually, it is. I'm on the same team. I need your parts of the pitch deck to finalize my closing remarks for tomorrow's presentation."

Giselle rolled her eyes, trying to hide the fact she'd lost track of time. She was slightly behind schedule. Typically punctual and methodical, she despised giving Y/n any chance to look superior.

    Giselle: "I'll have them ready soon. Don't hover over my shoulder like a vulture."

    Song Y/n (with a smirk): "You know, if I didn't check, you might just leave me hanging until the last minute. I'd rather not risk it."

A crackle of tension sparked between them. Their gazes locked before Giselle sighed, turning away as her coffee cup overflowed slightly.

    Giselle (tutting at the spill): "Well, I guess you'd better wait, because I'm not done. Unless you think you can do my part of the job, too?"