Thursday during lunchtime I went to a phone shop near the office and got a new phone. I texted Kwon to inform them that I had my phone stolen so this was my new number, to which he showed some pretense of sympathy.
Friday was another quiet day at work and passed by uneventfully. Kwon sent me a few friendly messages, to which I replied. It's not that I came to like him in any way or whatsoever, but the more we communicated the more unease I started to feel. Talking to him during the day like this as part of a daily routine normalized our relationship, no matter how brief or shallow. It was no longer a singular event where I met him for dinner for the first time. I was actively interacting with him and connections were being built, no matter how superficial and short-lasting.
