Marriage Mate: 27

He is not that petty after all. While chewing the sushi, Yu-young came to that conclusion.

After finishing the sushi, Yu-young patted his stomach like a satisfied cat. After finishing the soup and tidying up, a pleasant feeling of fullness washed over him. After tying up the bag and putting it in the bin, he sat down to get back to work when, suddenly, he craved for coffee.

Can’t resist post-meal coffee. Yu-young muttered to himself and went to the break room. Holding the warm coffee in both hands, he felt good walking back, but for some reason, his heart felt uneasy.

He bought me food twice already…

After some hesitation, Yu-young went back to the coffee machine and brewed another cup. Of course, considering the team leader’s appearance, his obsessively clean home, and his abrasive personality, he could easily imagine him saying, I don’t drink this kind of cheap coffee. Throw it away immediately. In fact, Yu-young had never seen him enter the break room.

Thinking about it, Yu-young wondered if this was a pointless gesture. But just then, the coffee machine made a loud sound and finished brewing, and another hot Americano appeared in front of Yu-young. Should he throw it away, or maybe drink both? Or should he just take it to him? After debating between the three options, Yu-young decided to just take it to him. Well, if he doesn’t like it, he’ll come out and throw it away himself.

Returning to the office, Yu-young placed the coffee on his desk and walked to the team leader’s office. Suddenly, he felt nervous. His heart started pounding for no reason, and he tried to calm himself down. Before he could, he knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Hearing his usual stern voice, Yu-young’s heart began to race even more. Oddly, it felt ten times more nerve-wracking than entering his office for work.

Why am I overreacting over coffee? It was ridiculous, but the deed was done, and he already knocked. Taking a deep breath, Yu-young entered the room.

Sitting at his desk, Do-won silently looked up as Yu-young entered. His cold gaze asked for the reason without saying a word, and Yu-young swallowed dryly.

“Um… this…”

“…”

“I… thought you might like a drink after eating… so I made it.”

Do-won, still looking at Yu-young without speaking, made him feel increasingly anxious. Maybe this was a mistake. Hesitant, Yu-young placed the coffee on the desk, keeping his eyes on the cup.

“If you don’t like it, you can throw it away.”

“After going through all the trouble to get it, are you telling me to throw it away?” Surprised by Do-won’s slightly amused tone, Yu-young quickly looked up at his face. However, his expression remained unchanged, just like usual. Startled by his unexpected response, Yu-young hurriedly continued speaking.

“No, I didn’t mean that! It’s just… you seem like you wouldn’t like this kind of thing… so I thought I’d just offer it.”

“Well, I’ll just go then. Enjoy your drink… and if it’s bad, feel free to throw it away. Thank you.”

Sigh… Another awkward closing sentence. Like an work email. Walking quickly out of the office, Yu-young closed the door and sighed in despair. He had grown up hearing that he was decisive, and he had never been this awkward in front of anyone before. So why is it only when I’m in front of him that I get like this?

Was it because he was afraid of him? No, that wasn’t it. If he hated him that much, he wouldn’t have brought him the coffee. I don’t know. Why does this feel so awkward?

It was probably because of what had happened a few days ago. Anyway, I must have done something unnecessary. I should have just left him to buy his own coffee… After washing his face, Yu-young quickly returned to his desk and sat down.

Focus, focus…

He had eaten, and now it was time to focus on work. Yu-young concentrated as he stared at the monitor. The table full of numbers needed his full attention—one wrong formula or a missed step would throw everything off.

Tick. Tick. The clock in the office kept ticking as the sky outside gradually darkened. After stretching his arms and leaning back, Yu-young smiled contentedly at the monitor.

Done. It’s done. He feel so refreshed now that it’s finished. Not urgent, but finishing it early is such a relief.

Now he could go home and enjoy the weekend. What should I do this weekend? Smiling happily, Yu-young started packing his bag, tidying up the coffee cup, and shutting down the computer. His eyes landed on the picture next to the monitor. He picked it up and lovingly traced his fingers over it.

I’d love to visit this place someday.

In the distance, there was a single tree standing alone in a vast snowy field. With the hot summer days continuing, it was the perfect place to dream about. He wanted to throw himself into the chilling snow and lay down, staring at the sky. The winter sunlight would pour down on his face, and if he closed his eyes, the warmth would spread across his eyelids…

“Assistant Manager Han.”

“Ahh! Please, make some noise before you approach!”

As Yu-young was lost in his daydream of a winter trip, a low voice interrupted him. Startled, Yu-young jerked and the chair rolled to the side.

Looking down at the startled Yu-young, Do-won tilted his head slightly.

“Looks like you’re done with work, but what are you still doing here?”

“I-I was just about to leave. What about you, Team Leader?”

“I’ll finish up a little more and then head out. Good job.”

“Yes, then… I’ll go ahead.”

It seemed he had just gone to the restroom, and was heading back to his office. Do-won noticed Yu-young’s awkward greeting, he hesitated before speaking.

“Do you like that photo, Assistant Han?”

“…Pardon?”

Yu-young, with wide eyes like a rabbit, blinked up at Do-won. Come to think of it, he was still holding the frame in his hand.

“Oh, this? Yes, I like it. It was taken by my favorite photographer,” Yu-young said with a small smile on his lips. However, Do-won’s expression was subtle.

“Why do you like that photographer?”

“Uh…”

Honestly, Yu-young hadn’t expected him to take an interest in something like this, let alone ask about it. Stunned, Yu-young stared at him for a moment before recalling that there were also photos hanging in his living room.

It seemed like the photo he owned was a similar one in style. He likes this kind of photography. Suddenly, Yu-young was pleased to have met someone with a similar taste. His expression brightened without him realizing.

“Ah, I just… I really like their photos. Well… if I had to say why, it’s because the angles are straightforward, almost honest? They’re upright, earnest.”

“…..”

“Because of that, the subjects appear that way too. Whatever they shoot, it comes out so honestly that it feels rigid. Some might call that lacking in liveliness, but I completely disagree. To me, the lack of embellishment and falseness makes it more vivid. It even feels clean. Sometimes it looks a bit lonely, but to me, that’s a bit more….” Yu-young rambled, but suddenly stopped when he noticed the sharp gaze Do-won was giving him. Why was he looking at him like that? He had simply explained why he liked the photographer.

Then again, this person might not be very interested in photography. The photos in his living room might just be there for decoration. Yu-young quickly ended his explanation, wondering if it sounded too over the top or awkward.

“…Anyway, I just like their photos. There’s no need for a grand reason, right? If you like it, you like it. Haha.”

Still, Do-won said nothing. However, Yu-young could clearly tell that the emotion in his sharp gaze wasn’t contempt or disregard. He wasn’t annoyed by what Yu-young had said. What had triggered his reaction, Yu-young didn’t know, but Do-won seemed to be suppressing some emotion.

The muscles in his jaw tensed for a moment. His eyes, narrowed sharply, blinked before opening again. Without any extra effort, his fierce gaze reflected Yu-young, who was looking up at him, confused.

The atmosphere became tense, and Yu-young felt suffocated. He quickly blinked. He was flustered, and he couldn’t understand why Do-won was looking at him like that without saying a word.

Did I say something wrong…? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with anything. He hadn’t badmouthed the photo. Actually, why did it matter whether he praised or criticized the photo?

After a moment of silence, Do-won finally spoke.

“Assistant Han”

“Yes?”

“If you’re done with work, you can go now.”

The sudden farewell drained Yu-young of his energy. What…? He had asked why he liked the photo, and now he was just telling him to leave? As Yu-young stood there in disbelief, Do-won slowly turned around. Before leaving, he added a final comment.

“Thanks for your hard work this week.”

Footsteps echoed as Do-won walked back to his office. After the door closed, Yu-young stood there, still stunned and unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Why is he like this…? He had asked for his thoughts, then his only response was to say goodbye.

Well, I don’t need to understand him. What mattered was that a fun weekend was waiting for him.

Starting the car, Yu-young began to sway his shoulders to the music, excited. For some reason, he had a strong feeling that this weekend would be unforgettable. Even though he didn’t have any special plans, he couldn’t shake the sense that it was going to be something special.