You fling your phone across the bed like it burned you, and your life flashes before your eyes—not the sweet nostalgic kind, but the HR-violation, resume-rewriting, LinkedIn-updating kind.

Your group chat explodes within seconds.

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

Juri: what did u do.

Hana: Y/N. SAY SOMETHING.

You: it was supposed to go to Minjae THE PLAYLIST TEXT i sent it to SEUNGCHEOL

Juri: YOUR. BOSS???

Hana: pack your things. dye your hair. flee the country.

Juri: can i have your bluetooth speaker

You: THIS IS NOT THE POINT

You don’t know whether to throw up or scream into your pillow, so you do both, in that order.

Minutes drag by. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he’ll think it’s spam. Maybe you typed so fast autocorrect changed “Minjae” to “Seungcheol” somehow?

Your phone buzzes.

You sit up slowly, dreading the notification, a gulp caught in your throat. Your worst fear is confirmed.

—

[Text — CEO (ok, that’s new)]

CEO: Well… I wasn’t expecting that kind of honesty. But I did cry. Twice. Taylor hits hard. Also—want to make your ex cry harder?

—

You blink.

What.

—

You: sorry??? that was not meant for you oh my god please don’t fire me i can bring you coffee and delete the servers

CEO: Don’t worry about it. I have a stupid idea, but it might actually help you. Want to make him jealous?

He’s joking. Has to be. You pace, holding your phone like it’s made of live wire. He texts again.

CEO: I’ll be your fake boyfriend. You get closure, I get to avoid another company dinner alone. Win-win.

You nearly choke on your own breath. Your boss—your unfairly attractive, sometimes-too-nice, definitely-too-intimidating boss—is offering to be your fake boyfriend?

You respond the only way you can:

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: what the actual hell is going on

Juri: YOU’RE FAKE DATING YOUR BOSS NOW????

Hana: this is better than any drama i’m making popcorn.

Juri: you’re going to catch feelings

You: i will not

Hana: you absolutely will

You: i’m still spiraling can we circle back to the part where i ACCIDENTALLY EMOTIONALLY BLACKMAILED MY BOSS

Juri: he emotionally bonded instead.

Hana: did he use a taylor swift lyric?

You: NO …i think

—

You don’t sleep that night.

Instead, you stare at your ceiling, thinking about Taylor Swift, corporate doom, and the way Choi Seungcheol’s name sits in your messages like it was always meant to be there.

—

It’s supposed to be a soft launch.

Just a casual post on Seungcheol’s Instagram story—a blurry photo of two coffees, one marked “Y/N” in loopy handwriting. No tags, no faces, no captions except a single emoji: 💘.

You choke on your tea when you see it.

“HE POSTED YOU?” Juri screeches through the phone, voice distorted by wind and fury. “HE JUST? SOFT LAUNCHED YOU? ON HIS MAIN?”

“I didn’t even know he took a picture!”

“Do you know how many employees follow him?” Hana yells from the background. “You’re already on gossip accounts!”

“What-” you open Instagram, hands shaking. “No way.”

You search. You find it. An account called @/KworkKtea has already posted a collage of evidence:

“mystery girl’s coffee name = confirmed Y/N from finance”

“seen walking into his building twice in the last week 👀”

“source says she made him smile at the Q3 report meeting???”

And the worst part? There’s a poll.

Is Choi Seungcheol in love? — YES, 72% — no, 28% (these are the delulu exes probably)

You consider walking into traffic. Or HR. Whichever is closer.

—

You storm into Seungcheol’s office first thing the next morning. He’s mid-sip of an energy drink when you slam your phone on his desk, screen open to the post.

“What. Is. This.”

He blinks. “Public perception?”

“I said fake dating, not PR chaos!”

He has the audacity to look confused. “People love us.”

“People don’t even know me.”

He shrugs. “They will.”

You nearly combust. “You soft launched me without consent!”

“I thought it was a nice coffee picture!”

You stare at him. He stares back. This is, technically, your boss. This is also, technically, the man who is now listed as your alleged boyfriend on three workplace forums.

“I’m going to have a stroke,” you whisper.

He softens, setting down the drink. “Hey. I’ll fix it, if it’s too much. I’ll post a meme or distract the algorithm. But… can I say something?”

You blink. “You’re going to anyway.”

“I meant it as a thank you,” he says, voice quiet now. “For helping me. For making things easier. For being someone I can trust to hold this chaos with me.”

Your stomach flips.

It’s not even the words that undo you. It’s the way he says them — not like a script, but like a secret.

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: he soft launched me and then soft confessed???

Juri: define “soft” because i think you’re in love

Hana: trusts you with chaos??? it’s over for you girl

You: i’m being normal about it i’m being CHILL i’m not rereading the text 6 times

Juri: you’re lying

Hana: and shaking

You: mind your business

—

A week later, he asks if you want to join him for a company dinner. A very public, very board-filled dinner.

“It’ll sell the illusion,” he says, straightening his sleeves. “But no pressure. We can always say you’re sick or in Bali.”

You exhale slowly. “Do I have to wear heels?”

He grins. “Only if you want to see me flustered.”

—

The dinner is ridiculous. The room is full of power suits, champagne, and cautious small talk.

You expect to be ignored. You expect to be judged.

Instead, you are introduced—officially introduced—by Seungcheol himself.

“This is Y/N,” he says. “She’s brilliant. She’s keeping me sane.”

It shouldn’t mean anything. You’re playing a part.

But when his hand lingers at the small of your back, warm and protective When he laughs at your joke before anyone else does When he looks at you during a toast instead of the room

You realize something terrifying.

You’re not soft launching anymore. You’re falling.

—

You wake up to the kind of email that makes your soul leave your body.

Subject: URGENT: Meeting Request – HR From: [email protected] To: [email protected], [email protected] Cc: [email protected]

You sit frozen in your desk chair, eyes wide, until your chat pings.

Seungcheol: don’t panic 😇 i’ll handle it come to the 9am with snacks

You reply with:

You: YOU GOT US HR-SUMMONED. FOR YOUR INSTAGRAM STORY.

Seungcheol: correction: for my aestheticand your coffee handwriting

You: I should’ve just sent that breakup text to my ex. At least HE wasn’t being monitored by compliance.

—

9:00 AM – HR Office (Aka The Firing Room)

The HR rep, Haein, is devastatingly pretty, unreadable, and sipping a colorless green juice. She gestures to two chairs. You take one. Seungcheol—of course—leans casually against the wall like this is a press shoot.

“So,” Haein says, smiling like a guillotine. “I just wanted to follow up on some… observations.”

You open your mouth. Seungcheol beats you to it.

“We’re dating.”

You nearly fling your bag across the room.

Haein raises a brow. “Officially?”

“Yes,” he says smoothly. “Romantically. Exclusively. Legally, if necessary.”

You make a choking noise.

Haein types something ominously into her laptop. “Interesting. And this relationship began…?”

“Last week,” you blurt. “Roughly. A little after the Q3 wrap meeting.”

“I see.” She pauses. “Just so you’re aware, interdepartmental relationships aren’t prohibited, but they must be disclosed. And should any conflicts of interest arise, especially with one of you in a supervisory role-”

“She’s ungovernable,” Seungcheol says solemnly. “Definitely not under my influence.”

“Choi,” you hiss, elbowing him in the ribs.

Haein stares. “Right. And you understand that public social media displays, especially when involving direct reports, can create an appearance of favoritism?”

You nod so hard your brain rattles. “Totally understood. No more soft launches.”

“Mm.” She clicks her pen. “And—purely hypothetically—if this were a fake relationship…”

You stop breathing.

Seungcheol leans in slightly. “But it’s not. We’re disgustingly into each other.”

“I made him a Google Calendar invite for our first kiss,” you lie.

Haein doesn’t blink. “You’re both insufferable. Meeting adjourned.”

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: hr hates me

Juri: hr is jealous of you

Hana: what’s the legal status of pretending to kiss someone for a calendar invite

You: spiritually illegal

Juri: was he hot in the meeting tho

You: unreasonably leaned against the wall like a ceo/vampire hybrid

Hana: you’re going to fall for him for real

You: gonna? bestie i’m already on the floor

—

After the HR incident, you expect Seungcheol to back off.

He does not.

He sends you morning coffees with sticky notes that say things like "for my favorite corporate liability 💖."He walks you out of the building with his hand at your waist like this is some K-drama and not a financial district. He flirts. Constantly.

And you—professional, stable, emotionally intelligent you—flirt back.

It’s not real. It’s not.

Until it starts to feel like it is.

—

You’re at your desk, finishing reports, when he sends a message.

Seungcheol: got a meeting in 10. do i look okay?

You glance up. He’s across the office in the glass boardroom, holding his phone like a teenage girl at a sleepover. He’s wearing his navy suit—the one that does things to your pulse—and that dumb dimple’s showing.

You type back.

You: you look like a man who just made someone fall in love with him in a google calendar

He doesn’t respond immediately. Then—

Seungcheol: i hope it’s you.

—

You sit frozen, half-blinking, heart punching your ribs.

You don’t know what’s happening anymore.

You’re fake dating. You’re soft launching. You’re flirting across boardrooms. You’re surviving HR.

And you’re starting to wonder:

What if none of this is fake anymore?

—

There’s something deeply humiliating about crying in a copy room.

Maybe it’s the sound of the paper tray thudding like a heartbeat. Maybe it’s the way the fluorescent light reflects off your tears like a bad indie film. Or maybe it’s because your fake boyfriend is standing outside the door, knocking gently like a damn Hallmark character.

“Hey,” Seungcheol says. “Y/N? You okay in there?”

You swallow a sob, which only makes it louder. Fantastic.

“Fine!” you croak. “Totally fine! Just the toner fumes!”

A pause. Then, quieter: “Is this about the press leak?”

You freeze.

Of course he knows.

The article had dropped half an hour ago: “CEO Choi Seungcheol Dating Internal Hire?”

Complete with blurry photos, fan theories, and a very smug screenshot of his Instagram soft-launch.

The whole building saw it. The company Slack is one wrong emoji away from imploding.

“It’s not your fault,” he says through the door. “It’s mine.”

You wipe your face with your sleeve, a piece of copy paper stuck to your wrist. “No, it’s not. I should’ve said no to all of this. I should’ve—god, I don’t even know what we’re doing anymore.”

“Then let’s figure it out,” he says softly. “Together.”

You laugh. It’s watery and sharp. “We’re not actually together, Seungcheol. Remember?”

Another silence. Longer.

Then, very quietly:

“But I want to be.”

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: so the ceo of this company just confessed to me

Juri: ???

Hana: wait like confessed confessed???

You: said he WANTS to be together

Juri: omg do you want to be together with him

You: i don’t know it was supposed to be fake

Hana: babe your heart is not fake

You: he’s my BOSS

Juri: and you’re his BRAIN

Hana: and you’re hot. like, professionally hot. so he’s right.

—

You expect him to pull back after the confession.

He doesn’t.

He brings you tea the next morning. Doesn’t say anything. Just places it on your desk like it’s a peace offering.

Later, you find a message:

Seungcheol: i’m not expecting anything just wanted you to know i meant it no more pretending if you don’t want to but i still like you. fake label or not.

You stare at the screen.

Then your heart does something dangerous.

It softens.

—

That night, you sit on your bed, staring at the Google Calendar invite from weeks ago.

Title: First (fake) kiss Time: 6 minutes after our imaginary anniversary dinner Location: Somewhere cinematic

You click on “Edit.”

Then, without thinking, you change the title.

Title: First kiss (maybe real?) Note: Just in case.

—

The next day, you pass him in the hallway.

He doesn’t say anything. Just gives you a little smile.

You almost don’t do it.

But something in your chest takes over.

You reach out and slip your fingers around his wrist.

“Seungcheol,” you say softly. He stops. Looks at you like you’re gravity itself.

“If we do this for real,” you say, “you can’t soft launch me again. The next time you post me, I want it loud.”

His eyes crinkle. “Deal.”

Then, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, he lifts your hand and kisses your knuckles. Just once. Just long enough to make your bones melt.

The copy room doesn’t feel so embarrassing anymore.

—

You wear your best Casual Friday outfit and feel anything but casual.

Because how are you supposed to look effortlessly chic when the CEO (your fake boyfriend, maybe-real crush, habitual knuckle kisser) keeps glancing at you like you’re the sun and he’s never seen light before?

He doesn’t say anything at first. Just watches as you sip your coffee and scroll through your inbox, entirely pretending to not be melting under his gaze.

Then: “Are you doing anything after work?”

Your hand jerks. Coffee spills on your desk. “What?”

Seungcheol blinks. Then quickly grabs tissues. “I meant like—dinner? As two people. Who enjoy each other’s company. With possibly…romantic undertones?”

You stare at him. “You’re asking me on a real date.”

“Yes.”

“After I spilled coffee all over myself.”

“You still look incredible.”

“Seungcheol.”

“Yes?”

“Stop flirting. I’m vulnerable and damp.”

—

You say yes.

Of course you say yes.

And the office explodes with theories when he walks you out of the building.

He opens the door for you like you’re royalty. Offers you his coat when the wind picks up. You catch the reflection of a coworker’s jaw physically dropping in the elevator glass.

You lean in.

“Bet they think we’re doing this for show,” you whisper.

He looks down at you.

“Let them,” he murmurs. “But this part’s for me.”

And then, in full view of the security camera, he presses a kiss to your temple. Gentle. Reverent. Real.

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

Hana: SOOOOOO

Juri: [image attachment: you and seungcheol on a sidewalk, his hand on your lower back, both of you glowing like a pinterest couple] Hana: CARE TO EXPLAIN????

You: um it’s casual friday

Juri: BABE YOU’RE IN HIS COAT

You: okay. it’s slightly less casual friday.

—

Dinner is… magical.

Not in the grand, candlelit, cinematic sense.

It’s just a tiny place tucked behind your apartment complex, where the staff knows your name and the food is warm and greasy and perfect.

But he listens when you talk. Really listens.

You tell him about your old dreams. Your worst heartbreak. The fact that your favorite flower isn’t roses, but freesia, because your grandmother used to grow them outside her window.

He absorbs it all.

At one point, you realize he’s not even eating anymore.

He’s just watching you.

“What?” you ask, self-conscious.

He smiles. “Just memorizing.”

—

Afterward, he walks you to your door.

“Want to come in?” you ask.

His brows lift. “That’s bold.”

“I just meant for tea.”

“That’s somehow bolder.”

You both laugh.

But then—he steps closer. His hand lifts to your cheek.

“You don’t have to invite me in,” he says softly. “I’d wait outside all night if you asked me to.”

You blink.

“Why?”

“Because you’re the first thing that’s made sense in months.”

Your heart trips. He catches it. With his voice. With his eyes. With all the stupid, tender feelings wrapped up in this ridiculous arrangement you fell into by accident.

He doesn’t kiss you.

He just…leans in. Foreheads touching. Breath shared.

And somehow, it’s better than any kiss.

—

[Late Night Text — Seungcheol]

Seungcheol: just wanted to say thank you for not being afraid of how messy this got i know we didn’t start this the normal way but i don’t think i’ve ever liked someone this much and i’m terrified but also really, really happy

also: freesia noted 🌼

—

You should have said no.

You should have blocked your ex the moment his name popped up on your screen with a casual:

“Hey, I’m in town. Want to catch up?”

You meant to ignore it.

But you’re an idiot.

So now you’re here—wearing your most emotionally detached outfit and regretting your life choices—because apparently closure is a drink you share over overpriced cocktails.

And of course, the moment your ex walks in, he looks exactly the same.

Same smug smile. Same arrogant half-buttoned shirt. Same faint trace of cologne that used to make you weak in the knees.

He hugs you like he earned it.

“So,” he says, already ordering for you. “Still writing poetry in spreadsheets? Or have you upgraded to being the CEO’s pet project?”

You blink.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, come on. I’ve seen the tabloids. ‘Mysterious New Flame of CEO Choi’? That's not accidental.”

You open your mouth to snap something back—but a voice behind you beats you to it.

“You’re right,” Seungcheol says, casually sliding into the booth beside you. “It’s not accidental. I picked her on purpose.”

—

Your ex stares. “Who-?”

“Her boyfriend,” Seungcheol says, clapping a hand on your shoulder like this is his show now.

You whip your head toward him, eyes wide. “How—how did you find me?”

“Location-sharing. You never turned it off after that wine festival.”

You gape. “That was months ago.”

He shrugs. “I’m thorough.”

—

The tension at the table is so thick it might need its own drink menu.

Your ex clears his throat, clearly flustered. “Didn’t mean to offend. Just… surprised. She usually went for less controlling types.”

“Controlling?” Seungcheol repeats, voice suddenly all steel.

“She hated being told what to do,” your ex continues with a smirk. “But I guess every girl gets tired of chasing pipe dreams eventually.”

You make a sound halfway between a gasp and a growl. “You don’t know anything about me anymore.”

“I know enough.”

Seungcheol puts his arm around you. “You know nothing. She’s brilliant. She’s brave. And she’s the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Silence.

Your ex looks… uncomfortable.

Good.

He stands. “Well. It’s been—something. Take care of yourself.”

You don’t say goodbye.

Neither does Seungcheol.

—

Outside, you lean against a wall and exhale shakily.

Seungcheol leans beside you. Quiet.

Finally: “I wasn’t trying to crash your dinner. I just saw where you were and panicked.”

You don’t respond.

He tries again. “You okay?”

You nod. “I should’ve known better.”

He looks at you—really looks at you. “Don’t beat yourself up. Closure’s a liar. You don’t owe that guy anything.”

You glance down at your heels. “I think I just wanted to prove I wasn’t the mess he left behind.”

“You didn’t have to prove anything.”

He reaches for your hand.

“You’re not a mess,” he says quietly. “You’re the whole damn masterpiece.”

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

Hana: did he really show up

You: yes. like a bad haircut.

Juri: AND SEUNGCHEOL JUST???

You: stormed in. defended my honor. held my hand.

Hana: that’s the most romantic thing since juri cried at her own proposal

Juri: IT WAS THE MUSIC

You: i think i’m in trouble.

Hana: oh babe you’re in love.

—

Later that night, you find a small bouquet placed at your front door.

Not roses. Not lilies.

Freesias.

With a note:

“For closure. And for everything after it. -SC.”

—

You are not panicking.

You are simply adjusting to the reality that you are Seungcheol Choi’s date to the biggest company event of the year, where everyone—including your coworkers, your enemies, and that weird guy from IT who always microwaves fish—will be watching your every move.

Your phone buzzes.

Hana: is he hot or is he i might actually fall in love with my fake boyfriend hot

You: shut up

Hana: so hot then

—

The moment you step into the ballroom, it’s like a movie scene.

Crystal chandeliers.

Golden light.

Soft jazz.

And Seungcheol beside you, in a black suit so sharp it could cut glass, offering you his arm like this isn’t fake. Like this is the most natural thing in the world.

"You okay?" he murmurs, his hand brushing your lower back.

"Yes," you lie.

You are not okay.

You are freaking out because his cologne is perfect and his touch is warm and when he turns to you, he smiles like you belong here with him.

—

Across the room, someone gasps.

"Is that the CEO with his girlfriend?"

You almost correct them. Almost.

But then Seungcheol says it first.

“Yeah,” he says casually, like he’s done it a hundred times. “She’s mine.”

—

You turn toward him slowly. “She’s yours?”

“Temporarily,” he adds, mouth twitching.

You squint. “So you do know this is fake.”

He grins down at you, utterly infuriating. “It’s fake. But the dress? That’s real.”

You flush.

You told him not to say anything like that.

He ignored you on purpose.

—

Halfway through the night, after smiling until your cheeks ache and answering a hundred polite “how did you two meet?” lies, you sneak outside to breathe.

Seungcheol follows. Of course he does.

“You okay?” he asks again, this time softer.

You sit on the edge of a marble fountain. “This whole night feels like I’m playing a character.”

“You’re not,” he says. “You’re the main event.”

You roll your eyes. “Smooth.”

“Accurate.”

He sits beside you. You look at the sky.

Quiet hum of city traffic. A streetlamp flickering nearby. The soft thump of music from inside.

Then—

“You’re doing amazing, by the way,” he adds. “People think I upgraded.”

You snort. “You did. From single and brooding to fake-dating a disaster in heels.”

He chuckles. “You’re not a disaster.”

“You haven’t seen my kitchen sink.”

“I’d marry you just to fix it.”

You stare.

He freezes.

"...I didn’t mean that."

“You kind of did.”

“Okay but like—hypothetically.”

You’re both quiet.

Then you laugh, half-crazed. “You can’t say that. Not while I’m in heels and emotionally unstable.”

“I’ll take note.”

—

Inside again. More dancing. More watching.

Then suddenly-

A flash of camera. A reporter. "One photo for the company archives?”

Before you can protest, Seungcheol slips his arm around your waist and kisses your temple.

Soft.

Gentle.

Like it’s not the first time.

Like it’s not a lie.

—

You don’t know how you walk to the car. Or how you manage not to hyperventilate when the driver rolls the windows up and the city disappears behind tinted glass.

You don’t say anything until the silence becomes unbearable.

“…You kissed me.”

“You had glitter on your temple.”

“You kissed me.”

He doesn’t look at you. “Do you want me to apologize?”

You pause. “No.”

“…Do you want me to do it again?”

You don’t answer.

But your hand, halfway across the seat—doesn’t pull away when he touches it.

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: HE KISSED MY TEMPLE

Hana: oh we’re in stage three

Juri: what’s stage three

Hana: delusion and forehead kisses

You: it wasn’t even the forehead

Hana: dear god

—

Later that night, there’s a knock on your door.

It’s Seungcheol.

In sweatpants.

Holding a takeout bag.

“I figured you’d be hungry,” he says, sheepish.

You stare at him. “This is… domestic.”

“I can leave.”

“…No. Come in.”

—

You sit beside each other on the floor of your living room, eating pad thai in silence.

And somewhere between bite five and six, he reaches over and tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

Your heart lurches.

Because this feels real.

And you don’t know what to do with that.

—

Your morning starts like any other—coffee in hand, a playlist humming softly in your ears, and a to-do list that’s already growing.

Except today, Seungcheol’s in the office early, and he’s not alone.

Across the room, his assistant Jiwoo is showing him a presentation on a tablet. You watch their easy smiles and shared jokes, and suddenly your stomach tightens.

Jealousy, you realize with a pang, is a thing.

—

Seungcheol spots you watching and raises an eyebrow.

“Did you miss me?”

You clear your throat, clutching your mug. “You’re here early. Busy day?”

“Always,” he smirks. “But I could be busier if you weren’t distracting me.”

“Me?” You laugh, but the sound is brittle.

Jiwoo waves at you from across the room. “Morning.”

You force a smile.

—

By lunch, the awkwardness is palpable.

Seungcheol slides into the seat opposite you at the company cafeteria, dropping his tray loudly.

“So,” he says, voice low. “How about we make this fake thing a little more… real?”

You blink. “Excuse me?”

He leans in, lowering his voice. “Jealous, huh?”

You almost choke on your salad.

“I caught you watching me and Jiwoo.”

You fold your arms, trying not to smile. “Was I supposed to pretend I wasn’t?”

“You’re impossible.”

“Same goes for you.”

—

Back in the office, you catch him stealing glances at you, his usual confident composure faltering.

You decide to play along.

Later, when Jiwoo drops by your desk to chat, you keep your voice light but a little pointed.

“So, how long have you two been ‘business partners’?”

Jiwoo laughs. “Since last month. But you’re the one I hear about most.”

You smirk. “Lucky me.”

—

Seungcheol catches your eye across the room, then suddenly strides over.

“Enough games,” he says, voice serious.

You raise an eyebrow. “What games?”

He cups your face gently, surprising you.

“Fake or not, I don’t like sharing you.”

Your heart pounds.

“Good.”

—

Later that day, he texts you.

Seungcheol: Let’s stop pretending.

You: You mean keep pretending at work?

Seungcheol: Only there.

You smile to yourself.

—

That night, you replay the day’s moments in your head—his jealous looks, his touch, the way your heart raced.

Maybe the line between fake and real isn’t so clear after all.

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: He’s jealous. I’m jealous. Send help.

Hana: officially shipping you two hard

Juri: “Let’s stop pretending” is literally a romance novel title

You: now you’re just making me want to write fanfic

Hana: please do

—

You're typing a report late one evening when Seungcheol appears in your doorway, arms crossed, eyes unreadable.

“Can we talk?”

You nod, heart thudding.

He walks in, closes the door, and leans against your desk.

“This fake relationship…” He trails off, then meets your gaze. “It stopped feeling fake a while ago.”

You stare. “What are you saying?”

“I think I was in trouble the second you marched into my office and yelled at me over a coffee machine.”

You blink. “That was not my best moment.”

“It was my favorite.” His voice softens. “I like you, Y/N.”

The room stills.

And then, because your heart is stupid and brave all at once, you whisper, “I like you too.”

—

He grins—boyish, wide, like he’s just won a prize he didn’t dare hope for.

“I’m your boss,” he says, like he’s reminding himself.

“I sent you a breakup text that wasn’t meant for you,” you counter. “We’ve both made choices.”

He laughs, takes your hand.

“Can I take you on a real date?”

You squeeze his fingers. “You better.”

—

The next morning, you walk into work with a coffee in each hand.

When you hand one to Seungcheol, he grins and says loud enough for the office to hear, “Wow, thanks babe.”

You nearly drop yours.

Jiwoo, across the floor, snorts into her tablet.

“Still fake dating?” she asks sweetly.

You and Seungcheol exchange a glance.

“No,” he says, slinging an arm around your shoulders.

“Not anymore.”

—

[Group Chat: Chaos Coven]

You: WE’RE DATING. OFFICIALLY. I THINK.

Juri: HE ASKED YOU OUT???

Hana: caps lock ON for romance

You: i hate all of you

Hana: u love us

Juri: send kissy selfies rn

You: bye

—

That weekend, you have your first official date—real food, no staged paparazzi, no fake smiles. Just the two of you, laughing like you’ve been doing this forever.

Afterward, he walks you to your door, fingers brushing yours.

“You know,” you say, “you never did fire me.”

He leans in, voice low. “Should I?”

“You’d have to fake date someone else,” you tease.

“Terrifying thought,” he murmurs before kissing you.

—

It’s sweet, slow, and a little dizzying—like every built-up emotion finally unraveling in the best way.

When you pull away, he’s smiling.

“Worst mistake you ever made,” he says, “was sending me that text.”

You grin. “Best mistake I ever made, actually.”

—

Later that night, he sends you one more message.

Seungcheol: CEO. Crybaby. Crush. You’re stuck with me now.

You: good. i don’t want out.

Seungcheol: come over?

You: you had me at “crybaby”

—