"do you guys think i can do it?" sungchan said, looking at doyoung and johnny in front of him with nervous eyes.

while sungchan is nervously biting his nails, thinking of the worst possible things to happen, both of the older men blankly stared at him with rice in their mouths.

they were speechless, to say the least. the three of them were just causally eating their lunch, having their small chit-chatting as usual but their conversation made a huge turn that led sungchan into confessing his feelings towards donghyuck.

they don't know how it led to this but doyoung was just ranting about work-related things and at the same time praising donghyuck about how hard he works with sungchan agreeing with everything he says. and the next thing he knows is sungchan saying all the characteristics he liked about donghyuck.

johnny and doyoung—well, mostly doyoung—saw it happening yet it still caught them off guard.

now here they are, sitting at the cafeteria, not knowing what to reply to sungchan.

"why are you guys looking at me like that?" the younger whined, "was i not obvious enough?"

"oh you were so obvious about it." johnny replied while shaking his head as a 'no' to sungchan's question.

"you like him that... much?" doyoung soon asked, trailing his words. just recalling all the words sungchan described donghyuck inside his head.

the younger slowly nods his head as a 'yes'. his hyungs' reactions are slowly making him think that he was that obsessed with donghyuck. but he was just admiring, that's all! "you two still haven't answered my question," he added, "do you guys think i can ask him out?"

"you're the only one who knows your own capabilities, sungchan." johnny told, taking another spoonful of his food, "but i say, go for it. even if you get rejected or not, it's still fine to let him know about your feelings."

"so you think i'll get rejected?" the younger looked at the taller with a frown.

doyoung shook his head in disbelief, "he doesn't mean it like that." he butts in.

sungchan leaned back on his chair, still not feeling confident about himself, "but what if things get awkward between us after i confessed?"

"gosh, sungchan." doyoung brushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "don't think too negatively, come on. donghyuck is a very bubbly person, either way, i don't think things will change."

"confessing does need a lot of courage, doyoung." johnny breathes out a chuckle seeing how doyoung is tenser than sungchan. maybe this just proves how much doyoung supports the younger. "anyway, i'm done with lunch, and break time's about to end soon so let's go back."

———

putting it mildly, mark feels lost and confused.

he knew himself he liked donghyuck. he already told his feelings to him and made it clear that his intentions were pure. but he can't say the same thing to donghyuck.

donghyuck doesn't push him away, clings onto him at any time given moment and sometimes the younger even initiates the first move. they even go to an extent where donghyuck will give him random pecks on his cheeks throughout the day, to giving kisses that turns into a small make-out session.

this kind of setup has been going on for a long time. mark doesn't want to assume anything but these acts are giving him hope that donghyuck likes him back. because if he doesn't then it will be the complete opposite.

yes, donghyuck still hasn't confessed any feelings towards the older and mark has just been guessing every move donghyuck does, and maybe from that, he can get clues about donghyuck's intentions towards him.

perhaps donghyuck is still finding the right time to say his feelings? maybe he's just too shy to say it or mark is just mistaken and the younger doesn't have any feelings towards him at all.

which leads us here. mark leaning his back on his chair while his eyes are, once again, fixated on his secretary from the distance with thousands of thoughts floating inside his head.

a sigh fell on donghyuck's lips once he saw the clock on his wristwatch.

he was once again left inside their office as he was too busy taking care of the sudden increase in the company's products. more products being produced meaning more work to take care of.

"hey, donghyuck hyung..." a voice was heard from behind the secretary's monitor screen.

donghyuck looked at the direction where he heard his name being called, "sungchan?" he calls as his lips curved up to greet the latter with a smile.

"are you done working?" the taller asked, springing himself up from his seat before grabbing his bag to sling it over his shoulder.

donghyuck can already tell where this is going. while for sungchan, this obviously has become a routine to him. every time their working hours end, he'll come to donghyuck to ask him if he's done with work, and if he is, both of them will leave the building together.

the tanned male's eyes wanders around his surroundings before slowly shaking his head as a no, "oh uh... i still have more work to do." he awkwardly rubs his nape while looking at the finished task in front of his monitor, "i think i might work overtime tonight."

"ah, i see..." sungchan said, trailing his words off. he attempted to not sound disappointed but failed.

"but you should go ahead first!"  donghyuck suggested, still looking at sungchan with a small smile. "you don't have to wait for me."

the taller slowly nods his head, now turning his heel around but didn't forget to bid goodbye to donghyuck.

when donghyuck finally saw sungchan's figure disappear from the distance, his hands slowly reached to close his monitor screen and clean his desk.

yes, he lied. he has no work to do after this but one thing is for sure he still has something to do that is not work-related.

leaving his belongings on his desk and swivel chair, he made his way towards the ceo's door and knocked.

"donghyuck?" mark immediately said, lifting his gaze up once he heard a knock on his door. he was certain it was his secretary behind it.

and he was right. donghyuck revealed himself and almost instantly, mark can feel himself smile. it's as if his stress just got kicked away like that.

"hi..." donghyuck said, not expecting his voice to sound this small.

"hi." the older greets back, before letting out a breathy chuckle. he saw donghyuck started to walk closer to him and as an instinct, he pushed his chair backward to make space between him and the table.

the younger finally stood in front of him and the superior did nothing but smile at him.

donghyuck didn't dare to make eye contact instead he just fiddled with his fingers, "can i sit on my seat?" he slowly asks, "i mean it's not working hours anymore—or if you're not doing something..." he finished and instantly received a smirk from mark.

the younger didn't get a reply for a few seconds and just heard a small chuckle. well, mark already had his lap ready to welcome donghyuck on him, so he just couldn't help but chuckle at donghyuck's question.

this act made the latter lift his gaze up, wondering why mark was laughing at him. he pouts before looking away, "why?" he whines.

mark just pats his lap as a signal for donghyuck to sit. and the younger gladly did. he rests his legs sideways while his hands immediately landed around the older's neck.

the older secured donghyuck's waist by his arms as he leaned his upper body back on the backrest. "it's almost midnight," he starts, "i thought you already left with sungchan." although the name tastes bitter on his tongue, he still knows donghyuck always leave the building with the taller.

"i was waiting for this." donghyuck simply told as he fiddled with his fingers. it's true. for the whole day, he couldn't cling as much to the older as sungchan is always around him.

but the ceo's ears perked up, as he was not exactly getting what donghyuck meant. clinging onto him? another make-out session? without even knowing it, the grip he had on donghyuck's waist loosened.

"can i drive you home?" mark asks, before this can even turn into another make-out session, he changed the topic and just started softly rubbing donghyuck's sides.

"really?" donghyuck looked at the older with his big doe eyes. he then received a small nod from the older as a yes, "sure, of course."

the younger springs himself up and stood beside the older as he waits for him to get his belongings.

after mark picked up his car key together with his coat, both of them soon exited his office. before they can walk completely away from his secretary's office, donghyuck grabbed the things that he left on his desk and chairs.

they soon entered the parking lot with donghyuck occupying the passenger seat. oh, how mark wished he can do this every night—donghyuck leaving the building with him, instead of that tall guy.

with mark's left hand on the steering wheel, his right hand landed on donghyuck's thighs as he drive on the road of seoul.

the ride was quiet but it doesn't feel awkward at all. they just sat there in a comforting silence with donghyuck looking out of the window while mark is busy driving.

donghyuck noticed that they pass by the coffee shop he used to work in. and for some reason, the more donghyuck stared at the streets of seoul, the more he remembered his first encounter with the ceo.

he unconsciously lets out a small sigh that surely did not go unnoticed by mark.

"you're thinking too hard." mark said eyes fixed on the road while rubbing his palms on the latter's thighs, "want to tell me about it?"

"you know, i'm still saving up half a million to pay you back." donghyuck suddenly blurts.

mark's movements on donghyuck's thighs halt as his brows perked up. at this point, mark already forgot about the whole payback thing. he forgot the whole reason why donghyuck is working for him.

"do you not want to be my secretary anymore...?" the older slowly askks as he started to rub the latter's thighs.

"it's not that..." donghyuck began as he breathes out a small chuckle while he fiddled with his fingers, "i mean, we already had a fixed discussion about this." he finished as he hung his head low.

donghyuck's right. their very first encounter, they sort of already established a fixed plan on how donghyuck is going to pay mark back—and it's not about money, but rather, donghyuck being his secretary.

but little did donghyuck know, the only reason why mark asked him to work under him is because he already feel interested in the younger. he just used donghyuck's behavior on him as an excuse for him to be his secretary.

the younger clears his throat which made mark snap out from his thoughts. "uh mark... you can just drop me off in front of the building." donghyuck said, after seeing that they were almost in front of his apartment.

mark nods his head and did as told. when he finally parked the car close to the entrance, he immediately hop off his car to open donghyuck's door for him.

"thank you for the ride." he giggled, hopping off the vehicle. he was expecting a small smile or even just a nod from the older as a reply, but instead, he received a tight hug from the older.

mark buries his face on donghyuck's neck, while he holds the latter close by wrapping his arms around donghyuck's waist.

although donghyuck was taken aback, he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around the older's neck to welcome him back. he might not know what the hug is for but he'll take this as a good night hug.

mark was the first one to pull away, his hands stayed at donghyuck's sides as he didn't dare to make eye contact with donghyuck. at this point, the younger can notice the small pout on his lips yet he didn't really think much about this.

"is that your way of saying 'you're welcome'?" the younger teased while trying to meet his eyes. he managed to get a small smile from mark after that.

"sure..." mark chuckled before nodding his head, "have a good night, donghyuck." he said under his breath before placing a small peck on his forehead.

the sudden affection of mark is taking donghyuck by surprise. but instead of questioning this any further, he just let mark be.

soon, he disappeared from the older's sight as he enters the building.

almost instantly, mark lets out a heavy sigh as he brushes his hand through his hair.

the moment donghyuck had told him that he was saving up half a million just to meet their discussion, thousands of thoughts flew inside his head.

thoughts like, what if donghyuck finally saved up half a million will he just leave like that? is he not going to be his secretary anymore? because at the end of the day that's the only thing donghyuck "owes" him?

but fuck that. fuck that five hundred thousand. the only thing he cares about is trying to keep the younger from being his secretary.