* * *
[Saheon, Division Director: Good morning, Wookyung. Did you sleep well?]
Wookyung, who had checked his phone the moment he opened his eyes, found the contact name newly irritating.
Just yesterday, he had met with CEO Choi and confidently declared that he was dating Saheon.
So there was really no reason to keep him saved under that stiff, formal title anymore.
“No one’s going to go snooping through my phone anyway.”
And if it really started to bother him, he could always suggest separate profiles.
He didn’t even realize he was already planning to create a multi-profile setup just for Saheon as his fingers tapped away at the keyboard.
[Me: I just woke up.
Me: Did you sleep well, Saheon?]
He initially considered asking, ‘Did you sleep well?’ in a more formal tone, but it felt too distant.
Then again, the revised version felt a bit too casual, and he briefly wondered if it was okay.
“This much should be fine, right?”
After everything that happened yesterday, it wouldn’t be too much to say they were halfway into dating already.
[Saheon: Of course. I slept like a baby. What are you up to today?
Me: No particular plans…]
He was about to say he had no plans, then paused.
‘Would that make me seem too idle?’
Technically, it was true—he hadn’t decided on anything yet. Sure, part of him just wanted to lounge in bed for a few more hours.
But he still wanted to look good in front of Saheon.
“Knowing him, he probably woke up and already got a workout in.”
Why had he carelessly said he’d just woken up?
Not that it mattered much now—Saheon had messaged him two hours ago.
Feeling flustered over something so trivial, Wookyung changed Saheon’s saved contact name before sending another message, similar to his original.
[Me: Just going to relax a bit, then grab some lunch.
Saheon: Then shall we eat together?]
Wookyung stared at the new contact name.
His fingertips tingled for no reason.
The corners of his lips twitched as he typed his reply.
Even after making the lunch plan, he stayed in bed texting back and forth before finally making his way slowly to the bathroom.
He washed his face, shampooed, dried his hair, and then headed into his dressing room.
“Hmm… This one? Or maybe this?”
For some reason, every outfit he picked up today seemed to be missing something.
A T-shirt felt too casual, but a full suit like he’d wear to the office was too much.
He had met Saheon just yesterday and worn regular clothes, so why was today suddenly more complicated?
“This one’s probably decent enough…”
After picking up and putting down several tops and bottoms, Wookyung finally decided on a neat, neutral shirt and a pair of chinos.
As if waiting for that moment, his phone—resting on the shelf—lit up.
As expected, the name on the screen was Saheon’s.
“Yes, Saheon.”
—I parked in front of your place. No rush—come out when you’re ready.
“I’m coming now.”
The thought of keeping him waiting made him anxious.
Wookyung quickly ran his fingers through his slightly messy hair, smoothed it down, and headed for the front door.
But standing in front of the shoe cabinet, a new dilemma struck him: what shoes should he wear?
“Should I go with sneakers? Slip-ons? Loafers? Not dress shoes… definitely not.”
It was odd.
These shoes always looked fine with this outfit, but today they just didn’t feel right.
He glanced at himself in the full-length mirror and tilted his head.
After wasting another three minutes, he decided not to make Saheon wait longer and slipped on the shoes he usually wore.
“I should probably go shopping or something.”
Wookyung had never been the type to enjoy going out or care much about clothes.
But now, everything suddenly seemed lacking.
Ordering online was an option, but sometimes getting recommendations from store staff was better.
‘Or maybe I could just ask Saheon to go with me…’
Judging by his usual outfits, Saheon definitely had a sense of style.
In any case, the priority now was to meet Saheon, so Wookyung quickened his pace.
Ironically, the more urgent he felt, the more things seemed to get in his way.
The elevator, which normally arrived in seconds, was nowhere to be found today.
Wookyung rose onto his toes as he counted the floors, and let out a breath of relief when the doors finally opened.
He stepped inside quickly, hit the button, and checked the time.
Somehow, he had already kept Saheon waiting five minutes.
“I should’ve hurried more…”
He hadn’t even been slacking, so it was frustrating how quickly time had slipped away.
He looked in the mirror on the elevator wall—his carefully styled hair was already a mess again.
He smoothed it with his hands just as the doors opened.
“Wookyung.”
Just stepping out, Wookyung spotted Saheon standing right by the entrance and blinked in surprise.
“Why are you out here? You could’ve waited inside.”
“It felt stuffy. Plus, I wanted to see you coming out. Shall we go?”
Perhaps knowing Wookyung would get flustered, Saheon replied calmly and naturally led him toward the car.
“What do you want to eat for lunch?”
As he fastened his seatbelt in the passenger seat, Wookyung realized—only then—that they hadn’t even decided on a menu.
They had texted the whole time he was getting ready, but neither had brought up what to eat.
“Hmm…”
The problem was, he couldn’t think of anything off the top of his head either.
“Rice? Noodles? Or… meat?”
Why did the list change from carbs to protein like that?
It was just a simple question, yet Wookyung couldn’t help but smile as he replied.
“I’m fine with anything. What about you, Saheon? Korean? Western? Chinese?”
They kept handing the decision back and forth, glancing at each other until one of them let out a soft laugh.
“Are you super hungry?”
“Not really.”
Truthfully, he had only just woken up not long ago, so he didn’t even feel hungry yet.
But that felt too awkward to admit, so Wookyung looked away.
“Then… how about Chinese food today? We could head to Chinatown.”
“Chinatown?”
The unexpected menu and location made Wookyung turn to look at him again.
“We can make it a little drive. Grab lunch, maybe walk around a bit. And we could stop by the sea too.”
“The sea…”
Now that he mentioned it, Wookyung did feel like seeing the ocean—blue waves rolling and crashing into white foam, that refreshing sound following in their wake.
It had been a sudden suggestion, but now that he’d heard it, it didn’t seem like a bad idea at all.
“Let’s do that.”
And just like that, their destination was set—Chinatown, about an hour’s drive away. Thankfully, the traffic wasn’t bad.
They even found a spot easily in the public parking lot, and despite it being lunchtime, luck was on their side as they got seated in the restaurant right away.
Neither of them had a big appetite, so the table held just two bowls of spicy seafood noodles and a small order of sweet and sour pork.
“We could’ve ordered something else too.”
It was the kind of food they could’ve just ordered in at home.
That thought flickered across Saheon’s face, and Wookyung shook his head while scooping up some noodles.
“It’s different when you eat at the restaurant. There’s more variety in the seafood, the portions are generous, and the broth looks richer. It just tastes better.”
As Wookyung slurped the noodles into his mouth, his eyes sparkled.
He really seemed to be enjoying it, which made Saheon smile softly too.
“Glad to hear that.”
“And, um, it’s actually my first time coming here.”
“Chinatown?”
Wookyung nodded.
He wasn’t the type to wander around much, and with little free time, he’d never really thought about going anywhere in particular.
Honestly, the sea—he’d only seen it once.
‘Where was that again…’
He vaguely remembered going with someone, but it was hazy now.
Must’ve been a long time ago.
And even then, he’d just stared blankly at it and come back, so it hadn’t left much of an impression.
“That’s great then. Actually, it’s my first time too. Let’s explore together.”
“Sure.”
The fact that he wasn’t the only one unfamiliar with the area made Wookyung feel strangely happy, and he quickly agreed.
But then, a question popped into his mind, and he looked up again.
“But wait… if you didn’t know the area, how did you think of coming here?”
He thought Saheon must’ve known the place since he’d immediately suggested it earlier when they were deciding what to eat.
But apparently not?
“To tell you the truth… I looked it up while I was waiting for you.”
“You… looked it up?”
Saheon?
That didn’t quite fit the image in his head.
A guy like him, searching for restaurants online?
With a curious look, Wookyung glanced over, and Saheon sheepishly pulled out his phone from his pocket.
He tapped the screen and held it out to show Wookyung.
Right there, Wookyung saw what he had searched:
“Lunch spots nearby.”
“Date places for lunch.”
“Nice lunch restaurants with a romantic vibe.”
“Restaurants good for dates.”
One after another, the search terms filled the screen, and Wookyung couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from rising.
‘What do I do with this alpha… seriously, he’s so cute.’
* * *
I live them, so much fluff