âwell he is the most wanted single man of his company, handsome, womanizer, ceo' is what sheâd said. she being seonhee, one of the girls who worked in the advertisement sector of their branch. sooyoung made it her job to know everyone each time she walked in the break room, as being assistant meant she had to deliver the awful news of another overnight project or a proposal that needed revising.Â
that also meant she was in charge of delivering the news of about the company retreat to everyone. the weather was getting hotter and the offices were getting stuffier and somehow the rooftop lunch breaks didnât do it for anyone anymore. people were stuffy and cranky and sooyoungâs lovely director suggested taking everyone go on a retreat near jeju island, enjoy the beach for a little and celebrate a successful fashion week.
everyone meaning the proposal was given to other departments as well and sooyoung was busy for delivering the impulsive news. to where seonhee asked if she had anyone else to ask and she showed her extensive list of directors, assistants, departments. thatâs when dylanâs name was spotted, someone sooyoung planned on asking alter as she knew he had a packed schedule today. that had brought laughter, and seonheeâs insistence that dylan would never come and not to waste her time.
to which sooyoung is once again enlightened by how much the break room seems to know about dylan though she spends a lot of time outside the office. the dylan who is always suggesting they go out places ( for research ) and sooyoung always insisting he needs his rest.
so color her confused and thatâs when the response comes.
âthatâs why he wouldnât come out to a retreat, itâs prime territory for the hawks to pounce.â
âexcuse me the hawks?âÂ
âevery department with a single young woman who just got her swimsuit body ready.â
to which sooyoung doesnât understand the purpose of showing off a beach bod to a ceo when theyâll still have assignments during the retreat, and dylan will most likely be surrounded by his team and his associates but - thatâs not her business. her business is technically just to deliver the news and be about her day. but every time sheâs in the break room thereâs something else happening. and itâs always more interesting than the dozen coffees she needs to pre-made for her boss who drinks them like water but always wants them a second into room temperature.Â
âthough, itâs something guys thrive off, maybe heâll attend.â
âwhich is?â
âego sooyoung-ah, e-g-o. they love having their ego stroked.â
at this point sooyoungâs taken to just texting people about the news since obviously seonhee has more she wants to tell her about everything she knows regarding the retreat that hasnât happened and the questions she hasnât asked.
[ sent: dylan ] director cho wants everyone to take the following weekend off for a retreat to busan beach resort. please click the link to rsvp if youâd like to go! once youâre confirmed you will receive a message from me regarding the itinerary. message me for any questions you might have!
âego,â she really should brush up on her english again.
âhere listen to this while you finish your errands today.â seonheeâs typing a song into her phone, sooyoungâs surprised that she already has it, and also surprised that dylan is responding to her when she knows he has a meeting in,
[ received: dylan ] are you going?
she also has two more floors to cover before her own meeting begins.
âsooyoung-ah.â seonheeâs calling to her as messages flood her phones, rsvpâs and questions alike. âmake sure to tell dylan youâre going, bet thatâll change things.â
[ sent: dylan ] yeah iâll be assisting with whatever company bonding shots the director wants. and finishing her unfinished tasks. why? did you need me in the city?
âyeah okay.â thatâs one side of beak room gossip sheâs not about to get in on.
RSVP INCOMING!
[ received: dylan ] iâll drive us.
before sooyoung can explain to him why he will not be driving her, sheâs headed out the door and engaging more employees in the news of their upcoming trip.
so sooyoung spends the time planning the trip. helping to plan what catering they might need for the beach parties, the reservations for the rsvpâs and the occasional people who change minds last minute. arranging and making sure everyone has accurate transportation and reports are in way before deadlines so that no oneâs blaming midnight parties on missing deadlines and director cho is ripping their ass in a lobby during the breakfast bar. itâs happened and sooyoung would rather not wake up to that level of damage control. sheâd had to play nice with the barista that morning to assure this was normal and she lived a decent life as an intern.
all the while, the song seonhee recommended occasionally makes it way to her headphones, catching her off-guard. but beyonce is always a good choice whether sheâs finally reaching home late after finishing up reports or going over designs in her directorâs office.
what sooyoung doesnât do is spend too much time thinking over whatâs said in the break room. itâs usually gossip thatâs spawned from an inability to completely detach themselves from work. those who canât find it in them to work how they should outside the break room find themselves struggling to make the workplace more than it is. not that seonhee is doing that - but as far as gossip is concerned, thatâs what it is.Â
sooyoung listens, learns and then goes about her day. sheâll mull over it when she has time to think about anything other than her assignments. but at that point itâs late and sheâs about to smash her face in a pillow.
thatâs when the lyrics play over again.Â
It's too big (big)
It's too wide (wide)
It's too strong (strong)
seonheeâs words ring next âmen like having their egos strokedâ. visions of dylan in the suit they make sure is tailored perfectly.
sooyoungâs sure that she doesnât need to brush up on her english but maybe, just maybe she needs to check her understanding of the word. thereâs an incoming message from dylan making sure sheâs made it home safe and once again solidifying that heâs going to drive her to the hotel.
with the lyrics playing in her head sooyoung makes it a point to get him to promise he will attend his morning meeting and meet up with everyone at the hotel afterwards. sheâs somewhat thankful that her boss requested her to meet the team early to do head counts and review the hotel reservations. sooyoung goes to sleep with beyonceâs declaration, glimpses of the laughing emoji from dylan as well as the unwelcome sound of how itâd sound beside her resounding in her head.
sooyoung gets the appeal.Â
sheâs never not understood the appeal sheâs just always found it easier to focus on other things. dylan was attractive. figuratively, metaphorically, subjectively, objectively, literally, every -ly that could be thought of. he was attractive and everyone in the break room and the whole of seoul knew that. everyone at fashion week knew that and now everyone at the busan resort who didnât know, would know.
not for the way the interns would flit past him when ehâd entered the establishment. not for the way sooyoung had to call attention to the assistants who still had things to check before their three day vacation could begin. not for the way the hotel front desk associate stumbled over her words when heâd asked if his room was ready, and subsequently gave him the best room ( as if sooyoung hadnât assured he had it anyway but whatever ).
they know because itâs obvious. itâs obvious because heâs shown up to the resort in nothing more than slacks, a button up and shades and heâs commanding attention. heâs the ceo without ever opening his mouth and declaring. things magnetize towards him without so much of a grin and boy when the grin comes.
itâs impossible for people not to know that he is the most single, most sought-after, bachelor if not in the company, in the vast collection of men his age and his status.Â
even the bellboys are staring in awe.
until sooyoungâs reminding them who her director is and they need to take her bags up before she returns from begging the barista to open the day bar.Â
âwhat floor are you?â if dylan means it to be whispered he fails at that. and if sooyoung asks like sheâs not surprised by the sudden onslaught of his cologne and well - stature, she does a terrible job. because dylan doesnât wear particularly overbearing perfume cologne, just something subtle enough to say what it needs to. that he takes care of himself and his bathroom is probably worth more her entire apartment complex. either way, the good news is that everyone has headed up to their rooms, or to the beach. the bad news is that her only escape to the embarrassment that sheâd squeaked - yes squeaked, is the elevator opening and sooyoung scurrying in.
of course with dylan following.
laughing, a sound that bounces off the elevator walls and has one target, only one and itâs each and every pore on sooyoungâs skin. every hair on her neck, every breath when she watches him reach for his number to press. and she knows, she knows heâs asking her what floor she is and it takes a few seconds to properly respond. because hm, was everything about him proportioned so well? but she responds before her thoughts make their way out her mouth.
âdirector cho needed me close so, right below you.â
âeasy for you to visit then right?â
and all responses that are usually so easy and quick when theyâre in the office become stuck. stuck and then itâs silent. itâs silent and then the she forgets her headphones are still playing and the same lyrics play louder than sheâd remembered them.
It won't fit (fit)
It's too much (much)
It's too tough (tough)
and sheâs swallowing quick when dylanâs eyes land on her. sooyoungâs suddenly aware of her own entire, on how flushed she seems when she catch her her reflection in the elevator doors. a peasant blouse and jeans. off the shoulder and with the sleeves barely clinging to her shoulders and the red blush that definitely isnât from the sun sticking to her cheeks.
sheâs aware of, how small the elevator is. how dylanâs height is one of his strongest points. how the strongest might be the smile, the one that she thinks she sees it more than anyone else at the office can attest to. and then she doesnât want to think about why. why itâs so blinding and why this elevator is small and her lips feel like they donât know what they should do.Â
sheâs brought back by the sight of her floor, and dylan watching, waiting.
âsee you tonight?â and thereâs a question in that, one hidden by the laughter that follows it after. and heâs smug because sooyoungâs sure, that for the first time in a while, sheâs been occupied by the very thing that halts voices and girls at front desks alike.
âyeah iâll be there!â
sheâs greeted by a friendly text the minute sheâs out the shower, and picking an outfit for the bonfire.
[ received: dylan ] didnât know you were a beyonce fan?
and sooyoung wants to crawl under her blanket and scream but her room is soon taken over by co-workers ready to get ready for the starting bonfire. a tradition, to ensure that the weekend is full of fun and no work, they commemorate by getting shit-faced by the beach and keeping the stories a secret for the next bonfire a year later.
sooyoungâs heard tales but the excitement is enough to have the girls barging in her room to get changed, and help her because quote âi doubt youâll actually pull out the outfits we suggestedâ.
one knit top, black shorts and knee-high boots later and sooyoung is already through with the night. but the partyâs just started and everyone is attendance. can barely make it to a meeting on time but theyâre bright and early for the bonfire, even early to account for all the drinks and even buy extra if there wasnât enough.
the breeze from the beach makes up for the heat from the bonfire and the excitement makes up for the long week theyâve had and the long hours put into making sure this ran smoothly.
âcanât believe he came.â
seonheeâs leaning against her, watching from where dylan chats with his team and fellow co-workers ( as sheâd predicted ) the older members, the directors. because a retreat doesnât mean all business ends even if assistants like to think so. the girls stand to the side, the newer interns mostly, waiting for their chance. theyâll have a better chance for their own superiors before chancing at dylan.
sooyoung of course had said that slight aloud but she doesnât regret it. she sips at the champagne and watches dylan in the same way that the others do. just observing, taking in the presence he commands even when he laughs, itâs another way in which he works and itâs so efficiently done she doesnât know how he juggles it all. how he manages it so effortlessly. itâs admirable.
sooyoung needs to put down this glass now before her mouth opens again.
âi just think he looks nice like this.â
âwith his sleeves pulled up and his hair back?â
ârelaxed, seonhee relaxed.â
âitâs okay to have the hots sooyoung-ie, everyone does.â
and for reasons unrelated to the champagne, sooyoungâs face colors again.
âgo stroke the ego a bit.â
âseonhee!â
but seonheeâs pushing her off, in the exact moment the crowd disperses as people head for the beach. girls ready to draw their bossâ attention move to strip and get as wet as possible in the water and sooyoung, sooyoung comes face to face with dylan.
dylan who, maybe itâs the bonfire, or the moonlight but his smile has sooyoung catching her breath.Â
sheâs discarded her shoes when they start walking, enjoying the grounding feeling of the sand. the sound of co-workers screaming in delight, in joy at freedom.
âyouâre not supposed to work on vacations.â comes her response. sheâs not scolding him, and she doesnât look up from watching the imprints her feet make in the sand. mainly because looking up means catching all that dylan has to offer and sheâs not about that right now.Â
what she means is, youâre not supposed to look this good relaxing.
âi didnât think i was working.â
âmaybe iâm so used to you working then, it looked like it.â
âthatâs not good, i try to work less when itâs the two of us.â
sooyoungâs not cold but thereâs goosebumps rising on her skin and she fights the urge to itch at them, to calm them down and keep the warmth from spreading to her cheeks from sheer will alone. theyâve walked a considerable distance from the bonfire, she can still hear the fun, the music but itâs slowly fading in favor of the waves and the sound of their feet.
âi think it comes with the position.â itâs a whisper. just like the sound of his laughter, closer than it should be, the feeling of fabric on her shoulders. and a touch as light as that.Â
âshould we go back? you look cold?â but thereâs a shake of her head since words are going to fail her, they always fail her. instead sooyoung grips the edges and keeps walking. so dylan follows along. if she doesnât focus on how her mindâs been betraying her lately, itâs nice.
maybe itâs the silence, maybe its the comfort that she always slips into when sheâs around him that brings the comfort. maybe itâs the glass of wine that she probably shouldnât have asked be refilled.Â
âwhen we walk back the new interns are going to lose it.â
âis that so?â itâs half of a hum, half a response and sooyoung can hear the smile, see it out the corner of her eye. she dares not look up or sheâll lose her train of thought. wherever it comes from, she rolls with it for now, nothing to judge her really but the moon following them along.
âthey love it, iâm sure you know that.â
âare you saying i love the attention?â
âno! no, iâm saying, well, guys know that.â
âhm? guys know what sooyoung?â
when theyâre so gorgeous itâs unfair.
sooyoung knows she mutters it, but she tries so hard to keep it under her breath. she tries, even pulls his button-up closer to where it might muffle it.
âyouâre surprisingly candid tipsy. itâs cute.â
âiâm not tipsy!â
âyeah? you havenât let go on of me though.â
thatâs - unfortunately true. and the revelation doesnât cause any changes really because if sooyoung tries to pull away it results in her just holding tighter on his arm. she wonât look up though, not yet.Â
âitâs an ego thing right?â
âego, the song you like?â
âit was recommended!â
it comes out as whine, immediate and reactive. embarrassed as she may be, as much as she wants to curl in and head right back to the bonfire, sooyoung holds her ground. even if that means staring at the ground because she knows theyâve stopped walking and dylanâs full attention is on her now. much like the way people always tease her that it is. in a way that she knows if she were to look up she wouldnât be able to handle.Â
It's too big (big)
It's too wide (wide)
It's too strong (strong)
It won't fit (fit)
It's too much (much)
It's too tough (tough)
so listen, sooyoungâs been attracted to guys before. sheâs had crushes so intense theyâve filled pages of books and the corner of seminar notes. theyâve maybe filled playlists too or been the recipient of her using the caps lock on her phone too much. but sheâs never had something that quite literally attacks every part of her. from the way her toes curl in the sand just at the thought of the look dylan gives her, the smile, the idea of what he might say next. the timbre of his voice, a warmth that comes from the short space where her hand curls against his arm.
nothing so overwhelming and so subtle that it simmers until it thrashes full force.
like now when dylan is facing her, and when did he get the time to stand in front of her?
why is he so goddamn tall. why is she reminded now that heâd had nothing under the button-up, why did he have nothing under his button-up? why does everything from the smile to the touch he has on her chin make her weak. any thoughts of removing her gaze from the hold he has on her, die from the words he speaks next.
âare you sure itâs an ego thing?â
sooyoungâs responses stutter so deep she feels it in her chest. sheâs not given time to recover because the smile shifts, brightens from how consuming and dizzying it had been to his regular mirth.
âmaybe itâs just your attention i like.â
she canât handle this any easier, but she can breathe through it a little better. thatâs the most familiar feeling sheâs felt since the trip started. so familiar that all sooyoung can do is smile instead of give her usual fluter, and stumble. itâs automatic and she feels his fingers on her chin move as she does so. sooyoung finds her word, trips through them as their gazes remain locked.
âare you saying itâs not an ego thing?â
âiâm saying - only you get to find out.â
and sooyoung, quite literally goes weak at that.