Chapter 05 …

Jaeyoung wet his dry lips as he watched Seorin stride into the meeting room ahead of him. With a slightly nervous expression, he carefully opened the door.

Creak—

As the old Special Materials Department meeting room door swung open, Seorin came into view, standing with the dazzling morning sunlight streaming through the window behind him.

He stood with one leg casually crossed, arms folded tightly over his chest. The meeting room’s trademark outdated atmosphere seemed to transform instantly, solely because of Seorin’s presence, into either the set of an expensive magazine photoshoot or a ruthless PMC interrogation room.

“Uh…”

Jaeyoung flinched and froze right by the doorway.

Without realizing it, he tightened his grip on the doorknob.

There was no invitation to come in. No instruction to sit.

The cold eyes staring directly at him were so overwhelming that his feet refused to move. As he stood there blankly, only his eyes shifting around, Seorin frowned slightly and let out a short sigh.

“What are you doing? Come here.”

His low voice echoed through the room.

Jaeyoung nodded reflexively and moved forward with stiff, robotic steps.

I guess he wants me to sit down first.

Thinking that, he reached for the plastic chair placed right beside Seorin.

Screech—

The sound of the chair being pulled out had barely begun.

A cool gust suddenly swept before his eyes, and in an instant a large shadow swallowed his vision.

“…?”

Something solid shoved against Jaeyoung’s shoulder, forcing him roughly into the meeting room wall.

The cold concrete pressed against his back.

Startled, Jaeyoung sucked in a breath.

When he looked up, he found himself face-to-face with Seorin, whose expression remained completely blank. Their faces were so close their noses could practically touch.

Seorin stretched his opposite arm out and blocked the wall beside Jaeyoung’s face.

His escape route was completely sealed.

It was the exact kind of move seen in dramas and movies—pinning someone against a wall and trapping them there.

Before he knew it, Jaeyoung had become completely cornered in the arms of the nation’s Rank 1 S-Class Esper, in a secluded corner of the meeting room.

Seorin was close enough that his breath brushed against Jaeyoung’s forehead.

Whether it was cologne or something else, a refreshing scent flooded his senses.

Even the faint rattling of the suppression-device piercings hanging from Seorin’s ears sounded crystal clear.

Jaeyoung was utterly flustered.

His heart began pounding as though it would break through his ribs and leap out.

“S-Seorin M-Manager?”

“Jaeyoung-ssi.”

“Y-Yes.”

When he answered like a frightened puppy, Seorin let out a low hum.

Then, narrowing his sharp eyes slightly, he began openly and relentlessly examining Jaeyoung’s face.

Starting from his forehead.

His trembling pupils.

His flushed cheeks.

His increasingly dry lips.

And finally, the nape of his neck exposed above his shirt collar.

It was a slow, lingering gaze, as though searching for something.

As though confirming something.

Jaeyoung swallowed hard.

The movement of his Adam’s apple sounded as loud as thunder inside the silent meeting room.

The atmosphere was strange.

It wasn’t the murderous intent of someone about to use violence.

But it was definitely not the expression a workplace superior should be directing at a subordinate either.

What kind of tension is this supposed to be?

“My face should be familiar to you.”

The words fell in a low whisper.

Jaeyoung’s eyes widened.

W-What? Don’t tell me…

Cold sweat trickled down his spine.

The worst possible scenario began replaying wildly in his mind.

Did he figure out that I used to be one of his fans?

Jaeyoung had watched every interview video Seorin appeared in.

Whenever he could take annual leave, he even went to watch Draft Show broadcasts in person.

There were a few posters he had collected hanging in his room.

He also owned Seorin photo cards.

And the keychain he had bought to cheer himself up whenever work got difficult was carefully stored in his bag.

The problem was that Seorin was famous throughout the industry for absolutely despising obsessive fans—so-called sasaeng fans.

Because of his striking appearance and overwhelming strength, people constantly crossed the line around him.

From those who camped outside his residence and invaded his privacy, to the trashy individuals who stole his belongings and sold them to paparazzi or exploited other fans for profit.

Seorin looked upon such people with the same disgust one would reserve for insects.

He had openly expressed his contempt for them countless times in interviews.

If he finds out his coworker is one of his fans… he’ll probably look down on me…

Jaeyoung wanted to keep that secret hidden at all costs.

No—he wanted to keep it hidden until the day he died.

He didn’t need the joy of becoming a successful fan.

His only goal was to remain an ordinary, harmless coworker, admire Seorin’s handsome face from a distance, and quietly collect his paycheck.

“Y-Yes, of course! O-Obviously I’m familiar with you! T-There’s no way I wouldn’t know Manager Seorin… haha… hahaha…”

Jaeyoung forced the corners of his mouth upward into an awkward smile so stiff it nearly made his eyes twitch.

He desperately acted like a completely ordinary member of the public.

As though it was only natural for anyone in Korea to know Esper Seorin.

“…Well, that’s true. No way you wouldn’t know me. Haha.”

“Right… haha.”

“But.”

“Yes?”

Seorin bent the arm that had been resting against the wall and leaned even closer toward Jaeyoung’s ear.

The distance between them shrank until their breaths mingled.

Jaeyoung’s flustered, red face was reflected clearly in Seorin’s dark eyes.

“Haven’t we met somewhere before?”

“Huh?”

Instantly, a chill shot down his spine.

His heart dropped.

Don’t tell me he remembers me from the fan signing event three years ago? Or did I end up in one of those airport arrival photos last year?! I had my cap pulled down and was wearing a mask! We barely even made eye contact! Is he seriously remembering all that with those insane S-Class reflexes and eyesight?

Blinking furiously, Jaeyoung looked up at Seorin with a pale face.

But something about Seorin’s expression seemed strange.

It wasn’t the look of contempt someone would direct at a stalker fan.

Beneath his hardened expression lingered traces of hurt.

Of betrayal.

Of resentment.

He looked deeply angry, yet at the same time desperately longing for something.

It was a complicated expression.

Unfortunately, Jaeyoung’s panic-stricken brain had absolutely no chance of reading those subtle emotions correctly.

Instead, he completely misunderstood the situation.

He’s setting a trap to expose stalker fans.

“N-No! I’ve never met Seorin-nim—I mean, Manager Seorin—in person before!”

In his panic, he nearly slipped and called him Seorin-nim.

Jaeyoung hurriedly raised both hands before his chest and made a large X, desperately proclaiming his innocence.

“Ha… really?”

Seorin’s voice sank even lower.

The hand braced against the wall tightened, thick veins rising visibly across the back of it.

“Y-Yes! Really… really! I swear this is the first time in my life I’ve ever seen you this close!”

“Do you really think that?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking if you really think that.”

“Y-Yes…? M-Manager, did I do something wrong—”

“Assistant Manager Shin Jaeyoung.”

Just then—

Bang!

“Seriously, making this much noise at the very first meeting—oh my.”

The meeting room door flew open with impeccable timing, and the other Special Activities Division staff members poured into the room.

At the front stood Esper Lee Gabi, who had been transferred to the division alongside them.

“Gah!”

Jaeyoung jumped as though struck by lightning.

Reflexively, he shoved both hands against Seorin’s firm chest, pushing him away before he could say anything.

Thud—

Crash!

Though Jaeyoung only managed to push him back a single step, Seorin’s leg happened to catch on a metal chair behind him.

With a loud scraping noise, the chair toppled over.

Silence.

For a brief moment, the four assistant managers standing at the doorway stared back and forth between the fallen chair, the expressionless Seorin, and the bright-red-faced Jaeyoung pressed against the wall.

Jaeyoung swallowed hard.

His face had turned so red it looked ready to explode all the way down to the back of his neck.