Kaoru sits at his desk, the hum of the office fading into the background as he stares blankly at his computer screen. The memory of the festival plays in his mind, vivid and uninvited. His eyes flutter closed, transporting him back to that evening.
Kaoru, cheeks flushed and heart pounding, had looked up at Jae-Hwa. The crowded festival buzzed around them, but for Kaoru, the world had shrunk to just the two of them.
"Can you take me home?" He asked shyly, his voice barely audible over the noise.
Jae-Hwa stared at him, eyes wide with surprise. Then, a bright, almost blinding smile spread across his face. "Y-Yes, of course!"
Kaoru's eyes snap open, his cheeks tinged pink from the memory. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, trying to shake off the lingering warmth.
"Whatcha daydreaming about?" Ji-Yeon's teasing voice cuts through his thoughts.
Kaoru jumps, his heart racing.
"W-What!? Nothing." He stammers, attempting to sound casual.
Ji-Yeon smirks, clearly unconvinced. "Your face had an expression I'd never seen before."
Kaoru straightens, attempting to regain his composure. "Well, what can I say. I'm not a robot."
Before Ji-Yeon can respond, Jae-Hwa approaches their desks. Ji-Yeon quickly bows and scampers away, clearly intimidated by Jae-Hwa's imposing presence.
"Wanna go out for dinner?" Jae-Hwa asks, his tone casual yet hopeful.
Kaoru nearly chokes on air, his eyes widening in panic. He quickly slaps his hands over Jae-Hwa's mouth.
"You can't just ask me that…!" He softly hisses through clenched teeth.
Jae-Hwa's voice is muffled behind Kaoru's hand. "Well do you?"
Kaoru sighs, slowly removing his hand from Jae-Hwa's smooth face. "Fine…"
The moment is interrupted by Dong-Geun's pestering voice as he appears by Kaoru's desk.
"Kaoru, I need you to photocopy these documents." Dong-Geun says, handing him a stack of papers.
Kaoru bows and takes his leave, but not before casting Jae-Hwa a slightly mischievous glance as Dong-Geun locks him in an uncomfortable conversation about weekend plans.
Kaoru emerges from the photocopy room, the muted hum of the office machines a background to his thoughts. Balancing a precarious stack of papers, he turns the corner and nearly collides with Chiun and his two lackeys.
Chiun's smirk is a viper's strike. Deliberately, he bumps into Kaoru, sending the papers flying.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Chiun's voice is saccharine, dripping with insincerity. His eyes, however, gleam with malicious amusement. Before Kaoru can muster a response, Chiun and his cohorts are already retreating, their laughter trailing behind them like a toxic fog.
Kaoru stands frozen, the laughter echoing in his ears. His eyes narrow to slits, burning with the intensity of a forest fire.
"Am I being… bullied?" The words are a whisper, the realization settling over him like a cold, damp blanket.
Rage, a long-forgotten companion, begins to bubble up within him. It's a dark, familiar sensation.
I know shit when I smell it. He thinks, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turn white. His pheromones begin to seep into the air with the subtle burning undercurrent of smoke, a silent warning.
Kaoru stares at the scattered papers, his jaw clenched tightly. His thoughts race, the urge to revert to his old ways of handling disrespect– through force and intimidation– surges within him. He remembers the countless fights, the way he used to command respect and fear.
But he knows that those tactics won't work in the sterile, rule-bound environment of the corporate world.
Violence won't solve anything here. He thinks bitterly. It's a different battlefield, and I can't afford to lose control.
The frustration of his powerlessness gnaws at him. He hates the vulnerability, the feeling of being cornered without the tools he once relied on. His hands tremble slightly as he picks up the last of the papers, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
I really hate this. He admits to himself, swallowing down the anger. He takes a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand and not the simmering rage beneath his calm facade.
Kaoru returns to his desk, trying to ignore the gnawing sensation of being watched. He focuses on his work, but the passive-aggressive bullying continues all day.
It starts with Chiun knocking over Kaoru's carefully arranged desk supplies, scattering pens and papers everywhere. Kaoru clenches his teeth and silently gathers his things, refusing to give Chiun the satisfaction of a reaction.
Later, Kaoru finds his lunch dumped into the garbage when he returns to the break room. The sight of his neatly packed bento lying among the trash makes his blood boil, but he simply retrieves it and throws it away properly, his movements stiff with controlled anger.
The final straw comes when Chiun "accidentally" spills tea all over Kaoru's desk, soaking important documents. Kaoru feels his control slipping as he watches Chiun feign an apology, his eyes glittering with malicious delight. The smirk that plays on Chiun's lips when no one else is looking is infuriating, but Kaoru forces himself to remain composed.
After his lunch break, Kaoru can't take it any longer. He follows Chiun into the bathroom, the door closing behind them with a soft click. Kaoru's face is dark and shadowed as he corners Chiun, slamming his hand against the wall, trapping Chiun between his arm and the cold tiles.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Kaoru's voice is low and dangerous, his red eyes burning with suppressed fury.
Chiun cowers slightly, trying to maintain a facade of confidence. "Y-You... You aren't supposed to come at me this quickly. You're supposed to bear it and become more pathetic, didn't you know?"
Kaoru stares down the bridge of his nose, his lips curling in disdain. "Why would I give a rat like you the satisfaction?"
Chiun clicks his tongue in annoyance. "Tsk. I'm just trying to teach you your place. You were only hired because Dong-Geun wants to fuck you."
Before Kaoru can respond, the bathroom door opens, and two betas walk in. Chiun takes advantage of the interruption, cowering away further and putting on a convincing act of fear.
"S-Sorry for messing up… I'll fix it right away." Chiun says, his voice trembling with fake remorse.
Kaoru glares down at Chiun, then looks over at the two newcomers. They're staring at him and whispering between themselves, their gazes uncomfortable and judgmental. Kaoru gasps and backs away. Chiun quickly runs out of the bathroom, but not before casting a triumphant smirk back at Kaoru.
Kaoru stares at the two people, their whispers becoming more and more audible. He feels his control slipping, his composure shattering. He rushes into one of the stalls and sits down on the toilet, his face red and his eyes wet.
The walls of the stall feel like they're closing in on him, and he holds his face in his hands, trying to steady his breathing.
"Should we tell somebody…?" One of the coworkers murmurs, their voice barely audible over the pounding in Kaoru's ears.
"Haha, and what do you think will happen? The only reason he's here is because he's a hot omega." The other replies, their tone dripping with scorn.
Kaoru's shoulders shake with silent sobs. He feels utterly defeated, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. His mind races with a thousand thoughts, none of them offering any solace.
What do I do...? He thinks, despair washing over him.
He feels trapped, powerless against the bullying and the judgmental stares. For a moment, he allows himself to break down, the tears flowing freely as he grapples with his emotions in the privacy of the bathroom stall.
In the quiet of the office hallway, bathed in the warm orange glow of the setting sun filtering through the windows, Kaoru walks with his head bowed, lost in his thoughts. The events of the day weigh heavily on his mind, the bullying from Chiun echoing in his thoughts like a persistent ache.
Unaware of his surroundings, Kaoru is startled when Chiun suddenly materialises in front of him. His head snaps up, and his eyes narrow into a glare as he meets Chiun's sneer.
"What do you want?" Kaoru's voice is sharp, laced with barely contained frustration.
Chiun's smirk widens, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Jae-Hwa deserves better than you, Kaoru."
Kaoru bristles but tries to keep his composure. "I don't know what you mean."
"He needs someone who can match his status, not some street urchin like you," Chiun retorts, his tone dripping with disdain.
Kaoru's fists clench at his sides, his control slipping. "You don't know the first thing about me."
"I know that you're a poor nobody. Someone like you could never match up to an alpha like Jae-Hwa." Chiun sneers.
A defiant grin plays on Kaoru's lips despite the anger boiling inside him. "At least I have the abilities to make up for the things money can't buy, Chiun. What do you have to make up for your pathetic personality?"
Enraged beyond reason, Chiun's facade cracks. With a sudden burst of fury, he shoves Kaoru forcefully. The unexpected shove sends Kaoru stumbling backward, his balance lost. He topples over the edge of the stairs, unable to catch himself in time. The sickening thud of his body hitting the steps echoes through the empty stairwell.
Silence follows. Kaoru lies at the bottom of the stairs, unmoving, his eyes closed.
Outside the office building, Jae-Hwa stands anxiously, his eyes fixed on the entrance.
It's late, and worry gnaws at his insides as he waits for Kaoru to appear. His fingers tap nervously against his thigh, each passing minute amplifying his concern.
They were supposed to have dinner tonight.
Chiun approaches, wearing a false mask of concern. "Hello, Jae-Hwa. It's late; what are you still doing here?"
Jae-Hwa stares at the building, his expression guarded. He doesn't respond, his silence a testament to his worry.
"It's getting pretty late." Chiun continues, struggling to maintain his polite facade. "Would you like to go to dinner with me?"
"No. I'm waiting for someone." Jae-Hwa replies firmly, his voice tinged with impatience.
Chiun's composure falters under Jae-Hwa's cold gaze. "It doesn't look like they're coming… Maybe something came up? I'm more than willing to take their place-"
Without another word, Jae-Hwa turns and walks back into the building, leaving Chiun standing alone outside.
Inside, Jae-Hwa's worry intensifies. "He'd text me if he had more work to do. Is something wrong?"
Abandoning the elevator, which is burdened with the toll of overtime workers leaving for the day, Jae-Hwa rushes towards the stairs. His footsteps echo in the empty stairwell as he ascends, his heart pounding in his chest with every step. And then, at the bottom of the stairs, he sees him.
"Kaoru!"