Chapter Text
Minho and Jisung sat in the cozy, dimly lit bar, their drinks in hand and the soft hum of music playing in the background. It wasn’t a fancy place, but it had the kind of comfort that felt like home, the perfect place for two best friends to celebrate their newfound success. The amber glow of the overhead lights reflected off their glasses as they clinked them together with a soft, excited clink.
“To the future!” Jisung grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he took a sip of his drink. “To our new lives!”
Minho smiled back, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through him, but more than that, feeling the excitement bubbling inside him. It was surreal. After years of hard work, sleepless nights, and countless exams, they were finally stepping into the real world. They had always talked about this moment - the day they would leave university behind and take their first steps into adulthood.
Minho clinked his glass of beer against Jisung’s with a wide grin, his excitement barely contained. “We did it, Jisung! We’re finally here” he said, his voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and pride.
Jisung laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he took a sip from his drink. “I know, right? Who would’ve thought we’d actually make it this far? An architect and a software developer. Look at us, Minho, we’re officially adults now.”
They both chuckled at the word adults, as if the idea of it was still a little foreign to them. Despite finishing their studies and landing their first jobs, they still felt like the same introverted kids who had spent their days dreaming about what their future might look like. But tonight, they were celebrating. They had worked hard to get to this point, and now, the world was wide open for them.
“I can’t believe it” Minho said, leaning back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling as if it held all the answers. “First day at my new job tomorrow. It feels… surreal, you know?”
Jisung nodded, his hand swirling his drink lazily in the glass. “Tell me about it. I start my internship in a few days. It’s so weird. We’ve been talking about our careers for so long and now we’re actually here, about to live it.”
The two fell into a comfortable silence for a moment. They had been through everything together: late-night study sessions, complaining about difficult professors and helping each other through moments of doubt.
Minho’s lips curled into a soft smile. “Remember that promise we made back in high school?”
Jisung smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Which one? We made a lot of dumb promises.”
“The one about how we’d take on the world” Minho reminded him, his eyes sparkling with determination. “That no matter what happens, we will keep fighting. We will make something of ourselves and nothing would stop us.”
Jisung’s expression softened, the memory of that conversation coming back to him. They had been sitting on the swings at the park, talking about their dreams, the night sky filled with stars above them. It had seemed so far away then...
“And we will!” Jisung said confidently.
...
"I won't..." Minho took a deep breath as he stood outside the building, clutching the straps of his backpack tightly. It was his first day at work as a software developer and he could feel his nerves getting the better of him. His heart was pounding, and his palms were slightly sweaty despite the cool morning air.
This is it, Minho. Your first real job. You can do this! He tried to reassure himself as he pushed open the door and stepped into the office lobby. He was relieved that the company had a casual dress code, which allowed him to wear his comfortable white t-shirt and jeans. At least he didn’t have to worry about a suit and tie on top of everything else.
As he rode the elevator up to the office floor and he glanced at his reflection in the elevator doors. His hair was neatly styled, but he couldn’t help but feel like he looked younger than everyone else would. I hope they won’t think I’m too inexperienced. He tried to shake off the thought and focus on the positives. I’m here to learn. That’s what’s important.
When he reached the office, he was greeted by the friendly face of Jisoo, the team leader he already meet at the interview. She was waiting for him near the entrance, her smile bright and welcoming. “Minho! Good morning and welcome to your first day. How are you feeling?”
Minho gave a small, nervous smile. “Good morning Jisoo. I’m a bit nervous, but mostly excited. Thank you for having me.”
Jisoo laughed softly. “That’s completely normal. Everyone’s nervous on their first day. Don’t worry, we’re all here to help you get settled in.” She led him further into the office, where the rest of the team was already gathered around, chatting and getting ready for the day.
“Everyone, come here!" She said loud so everyone could hear her "This is Minho, our new junior” Jisoo announced, bringing the attention of the team to him. Minho quickly bowed his head slightly in greeting, trying to hide his anxiety behind a polite smile.
“Hello! Nice to meet you all. I’m looking forward to working with everyone” Minho said, his voice a little shaky but sincere.
A chorus of greetings followed, and Minho felt a bit more at ease seeing the friendly faces around him. He quickly met Changbin, Felix, Hyunjin, Seungmin and Jeongin, all of them eager to meet Minho. But then his eyes landed on Chan, the senior developer, the man Jisoo was talking about on interview, standing at the back. Chan was wearing a black loose blouse and had his arms crossed. His expression was unreadable. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem to be smiling or particularly welcoming. Instead, he looked at Minho with a neutral, almost bored expression.
Minho felt a twinge of unease. Why does he look so unapproachable? Did I do something wrong? He quickly diverted his eyes, not wanting to make things awkward. He reminded himself of what Jisoo had said earlier about Chan being reserved. Maybe he’s just not a people person. That’s okay. I’ll just try to focus on the others for now.
Jisoo continued with the introductions, and Minho tried to relax as he shook hands with his new colleagues. Felix, the front-end developer, gave him a warm smile. “Don’t worry Minho. You’ll get the hang of things in no time. We’re all here to help.”
“Thanks” Minho replied gratefully. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
As the team dispersed to their desks, Jisoo guided Minho to his new workstation. “Here you go, Minho. We’ve set up everything you need. Feel free to take your time getting familiar with the system. If you have any questions, just let me or anyone else know.”
Minho nodded, taking a seat at his desk. “Thank you, Jisoo. I appreciate all the help.”
The open space for the team was cozy, with warm lighting and a mix of modern and quirky decor. The walls were covered with colorful posters and inspirational quotes, and there was a large chalkboard where the team would jot down ideas and reminders. It was clear that the space was designed to foster creativity and collaboration, and there was an air of casual comfort that made it a welcoming place to work.
Despite the inviting atmosphere, the layout meant that everyone could see each other, making it nearly impossible to escape notice. The desks were arranged in clusters, with monitors facing each other, creating small islands of workstations. This setup encouraged teamwork, but it also meant that each person was constantly within view of the others.
Minho sat at his desk, which was in the middle of the room, glancing around at his colleagues as they worked. Hyunjin, the graphic designer, was at his desk across from him, sketching out some design ideas on his tablet with a concentrated expression. Seungmin, next to Hyunjin, was typing away furiously, his headphones on, nodding his head slightly to whatever music he was listening to. Jeongin, on the other side, was deeply engrossed in his code, occasionally muttering to himself as he worked through a problem. Changbin and Felix were at the far end, in a heated discussion about a bug they were trying to fix, their voices low but animated.
Chan was at his own desk near the back wall, away from the main group. Even though his position wasn’t directly in the middle of things, he was still within clear view of everyone else. He sat hunched over his keyboard, his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him, his fingers moving rapidly across the keys. His face was set in that familiar scowl, and his body language screamed Do not disturb.
Minho tried to focus on his own work, but he couldn’t help but steal glances at Chan from time to time. He really is always working, Minho thought, noticing that Chan rarely took breaks, not even to chat with anyone or grab a coffee. While the rest of the team occasionally exchanged jokes or asked each other for advice, Chan remained isolated in his own bubble.
From the moment Minho first laid eyes on Chan, he could tell that he was not the most approachable person in the office. Chan had an intense aura about him, his face set in a permanent frown. The few times Minho had tried to make eye contact or offer a friendly smile, Chan either didn’t notice or chose not to acknowledge him. Instead, Chan remained focused on his work, his expression one of deep concentration mixed with what seemed like frustration. It was as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Minho couldn’t help but wonder what made him so withdrawn. The other team members didn’t seem to mind Chan’s behavior - they went about their work, occasionally chatting or laughing among themselves.
Jisoo, the team leader, walked by and noticed Minho’s gaze. She paused and leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so only Minho could hear. “Don’t worry too much about Chan” she said kindly. “He’s like that with everyone. Just focus on your work. He respects hard work more than anything.”
Minho nodded, appreciating her advice. “I just don’t want to make him uncomfortable or anything.”
Jisoo smiled. “You’re doing fine. It’s good that you’re concerned about your teammates, but everyone here knows how to handle themselves. Just keep doing your best and things will fall into place.”
Feeling reassured, Minho returned to his coding, determined to focus on his tasks and not worry too much about Chan’s demeanor. He knew it would take time to find his place in the team, and he was willing to be patient. After all, everyone had their own way of working, and he respected that.
One afternoon, during a short break, Minho decided to approach Hyunjin, who was sitting nearby, sipping on a cup of coffee. “Hyunjin” Minho began hesitantly “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what's up?” He replied with a friendly smile.
Minho glanced over at Chan, who was, as usual, engrossed in his work, his fingers flying over the keyboard. “I was just wondering… Is Chan always like this? He seems... really intense.”
Hyunjin followed Minho’s gaze and nodded knowingly. “Ah, Chan. Yeah, he’s pretty much always like that. He’s a brilliant developer, one of the best I’ve ever worked with, but he’s not the most sociable person. He keeps to himself and focuses entirely on his work.”
“Does he ever talk to anyone?” Minho asked, still puzzled by Chan’s demeanor.
Hyunjin shrugged. “Not really, unless it’s about work or something urgent. He’s just not the kind of guy who engages in small talk or socializes. Don’t take it personally, he’s like that with everyone.”
Minho nodded, though he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that Chan’s presence gave him. He understood that everyone had their own personality and way of working, but he still hoped to find a way to connect with Chan, if only for the sake of teamwork.
As the days went by, Minho continued to settle into his new role. Meanwhile, Chan remained an enigma. He would arrive at the office early, before anyone else, and leave late in the evening, barely acknowledging anyone’s presence.
Minho often found himself observing Chan from a distance, trying to decipher the reason behind his apparent frustration and isolation. Was it something about the work? Or maybe something personal? Minho wasn’t sure, but he was curious and wanted to know more about the man. And probably that was a big mistake.
The other day Minho arrived at work as usual, with his black backpack slung over one shoulder. He greeted his colleagues with a small smile and made his way to his desk in the middle of the open office space. Placing his backpack on the floor beside his chair, Minho settled in and began his day, focused on his coding tasks.
The morning passed quietly, with the usual sounds of typing, the occasional laughter from Felix and Changbin discussing their online game battle last evening and the soft hum of Hyunjin's music from his headphones. Minho was deep in concentration, trying to solve a tricky problem in his code when he heard the sharp click of footsteps coming from the kitchen area.
Chan, holding a cup of coffee, was walking briskly back to his desk. His eyes were on his phone, scrolling through some emails, not paying much attention to where he was going. As he neared Minho’s desk, his foot caught on the strap of Minho’s black backpack, which was sticking out slightly into the aisle.
In an instant, Chan stumbled, and his coffee cup tipped, spilling hot coffee all over his black blouse and onto the floor. “What the...!” Chan yelled, jumping back in shock as the hot liquid soaked through his shirt.
All heads in the office turned toward the commotion. Minho's eyes widened in horror as he realized what had happened. He jumped up from his chair, his face pale. "Chan, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean..."
But Chan cut him off, his face all in anger. "What the hell, Minho? This isn’t your house! You can’t just leave your stuff lying around like this!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the open space. "Do you know how to keep your things tidy, or do you expect everyone else to clean up after you?"
Minho stood there, frozen, unable to respond. The color drained from his face as Chan’s words hit him like a slap. He felt a lump forming in his throat, and his hands began to shake slightly. He wanted to apologize again, to explain that it was an accident, but the words wouldn’t come out. Chan, still fuming, gave Minho one last glare before storming off to the bathroom to clean up. The office was silent for a moment, the atmosphere thick with tension.
Hyunjin was the first to break the silence. He pulled off his headphones and walked over to Minho, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don’t worry about it. It was just an accident. These things happen."
Seungmin, who was sitting nearby, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Chan can be intense, but he’ll cool down. He’s probably just having a rough day. Don’t take it personally."
Jeongin offered a sympathetic smile. "We all know it wasn’t your fault. It could’ve happened to anyone. Just try to shake it off, okay?"
Minho slowly sat back down, still feeling shaken but grateful for his colleagues’ support. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Thanks" he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just… I didn’t mean for any of this to happen."
Felix chimed in from across the room, giving Minho a thumbs-up. "It’s okay, Minho! Really, don’t let it get to you. Chan’s just a bit high-strung sometimes. He’ll get over it."
As the rest of the team returned to their work, Minho tried to refocus on his screen, but his mind kept replaying the incident over and over. He knew he needed to be more careful about his things, but he also hoped that Chan would eventually forgive him. He didn’t want any bad blood between them, especially not over something like this.
For now, all he could do was wait and see how things unfolded, holding on to the hope that tomorrow would be a better day. But it wasn't...
From that day forward, things changed significantly between Chan and Minho. It was as if the spilled coffee had ignited a fire in Chan, one that burned with irritation and frustration every time he interacted with Minho. While the other team members seemed to quickly forget the incident, Chan had clearly not moved on.
Minho noticed the shift immediately. Chan’s attitude toward him was different from the way he treated the others. When Minho would approach him with a question or for advice on a coding issue, Chan would respond curtly, his tone sharp and unforgiving.
“Minho, you need to figure this out on your own” Chan would say, barely glancing up from his screen. “I don’t have time to babysit you through every little thing.” Minho would nod, swallowing the lump in his throat, and retreat to his desk, feeling small and inadequate. He could sense the disdain in Chan’s voice, and it cut deeper each time they interacted.
But the real challenge came when Chan started assigning Minho particularly difficult tasks. Whenever there was a complex piece of coding that required extra hours of work or something tedious that no one else wanted to tackle, it somehow ended up on Minho’s to-do list.
“Minho, I need you to refactor this entire module by the end of the day” Chan would say, dropping a hefty stack of documentation onto Minho’s desk without so much as a warning. “And make sure there are no bugs this time. We can’t afford more mistakes.”
Minho would nod again, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and determination. “Yes, Chan. I’ll get right on it” he would reply, trying to sound confident despite the growing anxiety in his chest. Hours would pass as Minho buried himself in his work, his fingers moving frantically over the keyboard as he tried to meet Chan’s expectations. Every time he thought he was making progress, another challenge would arise, and Chan would be there, ready to point out his flaws.
“Minho, this isn’t good enough.” Chan would say during their code reviews, his voice cold and devoid of any encouragement. “You need to pay more attention to detail. Do it again.”
Minho would take a deep breath, nodding even though his heart felt heavy. “I understand. I’ll fix it” he would say, fighting back the frustration and the sting of Chan’s words.
The rest of the team noticed the tension between Minho and Chan, but no one knew quite how to address it. They could see Minho struggling, the exhaustion on his face growing more apparent with each passing day. They tried to support him in their own ways - Seungmin would offer help when he could, Hyunjin would check in on him during breaks, and Felix and Changbin would try to lighten the mood with jokes and encouragement.
But despite their best efforts, Minho felt the weight of Chan’s expectations pressing down on him. He knew he was being tested, pushed to his limits, and he didn’t want to let anyone down.
I have to prove myself, Minho thought late one evening as he stayed behind after everyone else had left. He was determined to finish the task Chan had given him, his eyes straining from hours of staring at the screen. I have to show him that I belong here.
Even though Chan’s harshness was hard to endure, Minho couldn’t let it break him. He was learning, slowly but surely, and with each challenge, he was becoming more resilient. He hoped that, eventually, Chan would see his efforts and realize that he was not just some rookie to be pushed around, but a dedicated member of the team who wanted to earn his place. Until then, all Minho could do was keep his head down, work hard, and try to find a way to navigate the storm that Chan seemed intent on creating.