The next morning, I arrived at work with a bit of anxiety lingering from the previous day. I hadn't been able to shake the tension between Jun and Ji-Ho, the scene still replaying in my mind. Jun's jealousy had flared out of nowhere, and though I understood where it was coming from, I knew it couldn't continue like this.
I walked into the office, determined to focus on work and keep my head down. But the moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by a colorful bouquet of flowers sitting on my desk. Bright reds, pinks, and whites all arranged in a stunning display that immediately caught everyone's attention.
I blinked, surprised. Who…?
"Someone's got an admirer," one of my coworkers teased, walking past with a knowing smile.
Before I could even respond, I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Surprise."
I turned, and there was Jun, standing at the entrance with a sheepish grin, holding another bouquet in his hands. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
"Jun…" I whispered, my eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing here?"
He strolled over, his gaze soft and apologetic. "I'm here to make up for being an idiot yesterday." He held out the second bouquet, which was even more stunning than the one on my desk. "I'm sorry for how I acted."
I took the flowers, blushing furiously as the entire office turned to watch the scene unfold. "Jun, you didn't have to—"
"I did," he interrupted, his voice low but firm. "I owe you an apology. And I owe your boss one too."
My heart swelled with affection for him, and before I could even respond, he glanced toward Ji-Ho's office door. "I'll be right back."
I watched as he confidently strode over to Ji-Ho's office and knocked lightly before stepping inside. The door closed behind him, and I could feel my heart racing in anticipation.
The whole office buzzed with quiet murmurs, my coworkers clearly intrigued by what was happening. I tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the vibrant flowers in my hands. But my mind kept wandering to Jun, wondering what he was saying to Ji-Ho.
A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Jun walked out, his expression calm and satisfied. He met my gaze, giving me a wink before walking over and—much to my embarrassment—leaning down to kiss me on the lips. In front of everyone.
I froze, my face instantly turning crimson as his lips pressed against mine, his hands gently cupping my face. The kiss was soft, tender, but it sent a wave of heat through me, and I could hear the faint gasps and whispers from the office.
When he finally pulled away, I stared at him in disbelief. "Jun!"
He grinned, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Just making sure everyone knows who you belong to."
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but despite myself, I couldn't help but smile. "You're impossible."
"That's why you love me," he whispered before planting one last kiss on my forehead and turning to leave. "See you at home."
As he walked out, the entire office was left in stunned silence. I stood there, still holding the flowers, trying to make sense of what had just happened. My heart was racing, my mind spinning, and all I could think was how Jun had kissed me—in front of my boss.
I glanced toward Ji-Ho's office, suddenly feeling shy and awkward. He had definitely seen the whole thing. How could I even face him now?
I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I needed to focus on my work, not Jun's dramatic gestures. But the thought of walking into Ji-Ho's office after that made my stomach twist with nerves.
The day dragged on, and though I tried to keep busy, I couldn't stop thinking about the flowers or the kiss—or the fact that I was now incredibly shy around Ji-Ho.
Around lunchtime, just when I was starting to get back into the swing of things, the door to the office burst open, and a young man strolled in. He looked about nineteen, maybe twenty, with stylishly tousled hair and a swagger that screamed "spoiled rich kid." He wore expensive designer clothes, and the moment he entered, everyone's eyes were on him.
He strutted through the office like he owned the place, clearly not shy about drawing attention to himself. His gaze scanned the room, and when his eyes landed on me, something mischievous flickered in his expression.
"Ah, so you must be Censia," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I've heard so much about you."
I blinked, taken aback by his sudden appearance. "Um, who are you?"
"I'm Hyun-Su, Ji-Ho's little brother," he replied, his tone casual as if that explained everything. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh… nice to meet you too," I said awkwardly, not sure what else to say.
Hyun-Su's grin widened as he leaned in a little too close, his eyes trailing over me in a way that made my skin crawl. "You're even prettier than Ji-Ho described."
I stepped back slightly, feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze. "Thanks, I guess."
He didn't seem to notice my discomfort, or if he did, he didn't care. "So, how about you and I grab lunch sometime? I could show you some of the best spots in the city."
I frowned, crossing my arms. "I'm not really interested, thanks."
Hyun-Su pouted, clearly not used to being turned down. "Come on, just one lunch. You might actually enjoy it."
I was about to politely decline again when Ji-Ho appeared from his office, his expression less than pleased. "Hyun-Su, what are you doing here?"
Hyun-Su straightened up, flashing his brother a cocky smile. "Just saying hi to your new assistant. She's even more charming in person."
Ji-Ho rolled his eyes, clearly not amused. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"
"I'm not leaving until she agrees to lunch," Hyun-Su said, his tone playful but insistent.
I shot a quick glance at Ji-Ho, who gave me an apologetic look. "Censia, you don't have to entertain him."
Hyun-Su ignored his brother, turning his full attention back to me. "Come on, Censia. You're too pretty to turn me down."
I opened my mouth to respond when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. A message from Jun.
How's work? Miss you already.
I smiled at the text, feeling a little more grounded. I held up my phone and gave Hyun-Su a firm look. "Sorry, but I'm taken."
Hyun-Su's face fell for a brief moment, but then he shrugged, still smirking. "Doesn't hurt to try, right?"
I sighed, glad that Ji-Ho had stepped in to diffuse the situation, but something told me this wasn't the last I'd see of Hyun-Su. He was persistent, that much was clear.
As he sauntered out of the office, I couldn't help but feel a new wave of tension settle in. First Jun's jealousy, now Ji-Ho's younger brother acting like I was his next conquest.
And as much as I wanted to focus on my work, I knew that this was just the beginning of a whole new set of complications.