* * *
The team members had come to regard Junhee as one of their own.
They scolded him, argued with him, and celebrated with him.
“Assistant Manager Yoo, you have to attend this time! It’s not just any gathering; it’s also your farewell party!”
“Farewell party? It’s not like you’re leaving the company—just transferring to another department, right, Assistant Manager Yoo?”
All eyes turned to him, their warmth making his chest tighten and his eyes prickle slightly.
There wasn’t much Junhee could say to them.
“…Alright. I’ll be there.”
The next day.
Junhee’s belongings fit into a single box.
The handover was complete—or as complete as it needed to be.
Since he wasn’t leaving immediately, he planned to gradually transfer the remaining tasks while taking only the essentials.
Five years of Junhee’s presence in the department summed up in one box.
“You’re really leaving just like this?”
“But didn’t the CEO say it’s a temporary task force? That means you’ll come back once it’s over, right?”
The new team was created specifically for the development of a matching app.
Still, Junhee’s ultimate destination was never intended to be Team Couples 4.
“…I’m not sure. We’ll see.”
As Junhee held the box in both arms, Jiyeon and the youngest team member trailed behind him, soon joined by the rest of the team.
“Deputy Manager, we’ll drop by with coffee now and then!”
“If anyone bullies you there, just let us know. You can report them for workplace harassment.”
It felt like they were baby birds following their mother, but Junhee felt more like a helpless duckling under their care.
Their procession came to a halt in front of the elevator.
“…It’s not like I’m going far. No need to see me off.”
The elevator doors slid open, and Junhee stepped inside.
Facing his team, he gave them a deep bow, filled with gratitude.
By the time he straightened up, the doors had closed completely.
Though he had long wished to escape that place, an unshakable restlessness lingered in his heart.
‘I can’t use the matching app anymore, but maybe that’s for the best.’
The gray spare phone, tucked away in his drawer with its 99% matching rate, flickered in his memory.
Instead of excitement for a fresh start, the brevity of his goodbyes left him with a bittersweet aftertaste.
The elevator came to a stop.
Junhee’s new workplace was several floors above Team Couples 4.
It was located just beneath the conference room where he had once received the “Top Employee Award.”
Rumors swirled that the higher you went in the building, the closer you got to success, as the CEO’s office occupied the topmost floor.
Junhee glanced around, spotting the sign for the “Business Development Team.”
‘…No one’s here yet?’
An unusual stillness filled the space.
Junhee cautiously stepped inside.
A man stood with his back to him, gazing out the window.
Even at a glance, the man was tall, his broad shoulders filling out a crisp dress shirt.
Setting his box down on a nearby desk, Junhee approached him.
“Hello.”
A faint breeze slipped through the open window, carrying the man’s scent to Junhee.
As he bowed, an unsettling feeling crept up his spine.
‘Wait. This pheromone… it feels oddly familiar.’
And as always, bad premonitions never failed.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Assistant Manager Yoo.”
The man turned, smiling as he extended his hand.
It was Cha Junwoo.
Junhee’s eyes caught glimpses of multiple “Top Employee Award” plaques lined on the shelves behind him, their sheen glaringly bright.
‘Why does he always draw such clear lines?’
The lingering trace of his pheromones teased Junhee’s nose, bringing back vivid memories.
“Assistant Manager Yoo?”
Junhee froze in place, his eyes fixed on Junwoo’s hand, which waved in front of him.
“Oh… Yes. It’s good to see you, Team Leader Cha.”
“You seem surprised.”
“Just a little.”
“I thought they would’ve informed you?”
“…If you count yesterday as advance notice. I was too busy wrapping things up and handing over tasks to process it.”
It was the truth, even if it sounded like an excuse.
Junhee had assumed he would meet new colleagues from other departments when he arrived.
Asking questions about who or what awaited him had never been his style.
‘But I didn’t expect Cha Junwoo to be the team leader.’
For a fleeting moment, he wondered if staying in Team Couples 4 would have been better.
“You don’t seem too thrilled to see me.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s written all over your face.”
“…I was just caught off guard.”
“Hmm. I thought about giving you a heads-up but figured it might be more fun to surprise you. Not that you would’ve answered my call anyway.”
Junhee remained silent, unable to agree or deny the claim.
Junwoo chuckled, seemingly unfazed.
“Well, we have plenty of time to get acquainted. Don’t we?”
“…Yes. I look forward to working with you.”
“Should I call you Assistant Manager Yoo? Or maybe Assistant Team Leader now?”
“Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“And how long should my hand stay hanging in the air like this?”
Startled, Junhee quickly took Junwoo’s hand.
Junwoo’s large hand enveloped his, the firm grip reminiscent of another pair of hands—strong and rougher, perhaps.
‘Stop. What are you even thinking?’
Embarrassed by his wandering thoughts, Junhee pulled his hand back, only to find Junwoo studying him intently.
“Your wrist okay?”
“…It’s fine.”
“Fully healed?”
Junhee hesitated but answered truthfully, knowing everyone had seen him in a cast.
“No. I had a ligament strain and wore a brace for a while.”
“Didn’t I tell you to go to the hospital immediately?”
“…I went that same day.”
Though not by choice—if not for Chairman Ki’s teacup, he wouldn’t have gone at all.
“Well, good. How about dinner to celebrate your arrival?”
It hadn’t even been five minutes since their introduction, and Junwoo was already suggesting a meal.
“Do you mean a team dinner?”
“No. Just the two of us.”
That familiar clinginess—unchanged from before.
At first, Junhee couldn’t understand Junwoo’s intentions. Now, he did.
“I’m sorry. I prefer to keep personal and professional matters separate. If it’s work-related, I’m always available, but…”
“Yet you were fine meeting with clients privately?”
The words felt as though they lifted Junhee straight up, only to slam him back down again with force.
The content itself was steeped in mockery, but the tone remained so composed it almost seemed devoid of any malicious intent.
His expression mirrored the tone perfectly.
Junhee’s voice faltered, breaking into uneven fragments.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“You haven’t changed, Assistant Manager Yoo Junhee.”
Behind the smiling face, it was impossible to discern how sharp a blade was being honed.
“Drawing those boundaries… and that pheromone scent, too.”
Cha Junwoo’s smile teetered dangerously, like a fragile glass mask that could shatter at any moment.
The team meeting to draft the initial project plan continued.
Cha Junwoo, the team leader, Junhee, and three others from various departments made up the group of five.
The new team members gathered around two tables in the cafeteria, chatting animatedly.
‘…I’m not even that hungry.’
Junhee had reluctantly joined them, knowing it would be awkward to skip lunch on the first day.
Normally, he barely ate breakfast and often skipped dinner out of laziness, so he figured he should at least try to eat lunch.
“Team Leader Cha, when did you move to Seoul?” one of the designers asked before even taking a bite.
“I took Friday off to move early. Sent my belongings ahead by courier and spent the weekend settling in.”
“So, did you find a new place?”
“I’m staying with family in Seoul for now. I’ll move out once I have the time to look for a place.”
The group seemed very curious about Cha Junwoo, who had transferred from the Daejeon branch.
Junhee half-listened while mechanically shoveling food into his mouth.
“By the way, Assistant Manager Yoo, are you okay?”
“…Sorry?”
Caught off guard by suddenly becoming the topic of conversation, Junhee froze.
“You know, ‘that incident’ last week. The rumors spread like wildfire, and now those people can’t even hold their heads up.”
Junhee didn’t want to discuss it. Especially not in front of Cha Junwoo.
Oblivious to his discomfort, the team members carried on.
“Those two were always known for gossiping, though.”
“Seriously, why are people so obsessed with others’ love lives? It’s not like it’s weird for Assistant Manager Yoo to have a partner.”
From across the table, Cha Junwoo watched Junhee intently before speaking up.
“Assistant Manager Yoo has a partner?”
“Oh, you wouldn’t know, Team Leader Cha. So, last week, there were five couples…”
Clatter.
Junhee set his utensils down and stood abruptly.
“That’s all in the past, so I’d appreciate it if you stopped discussing it. I’ll take my leave now.”
The atmosphere froze.
Someone started to say something, but Junhee picked up his barely touched tray and left the cafeteria without a backward glance.
* * *
