For a while Taekwoon let his new routine stick, staying occupied at work and actually learning to talk between his workload with Wonshik. He felt better about his work, his time, and his days, and he was even sleeping a little better. It was pleasing, and most people were noticing.

“You sleep better last night?” Wonshik greeted with a smile, Taekwoon dropping a coffee onto his desk and settling in in his own chair. Wonshik glanced at the cup and smiled, taking a sip and humming happily.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon replied, typing out an email and sending it before glancing back at the other man. “You?” Wonshik nodded.

“Mm, yeah,” he mumbled, ending the conversation as the two got to work.

Taekwoon had a lot to get through, and he assumed Wonshik did as well, because they didn’t talk as much as they normally did. It didn’t faze Taekwoon much, though he did think about starting up a conversation from time to time. He kept quiet, though, focusing on things that he needed to get done and getting them done a little faster than he thought he would.

When the end of the day came Taekwoon was completely done, leaning back in his chair and looking back at the wall between him and Wonshik. For a moment he thought, eyes narrowed before he picked up his phone and leaned over the cubicle. Wonshik looked up.

“Hey, what’s up?” he asked, Taekwoon setting his lips in a thin line as he thought. Then he sighed, glancing down.

“You said something about dinner a few weeks ago,” he started, Wonshik pausing in his typing and leaning back in his chair. He looked up at Taekwoon with a little smirk.

“Yeah? I did. Why, you want to get dinner after work?” he asked, Taekwoon staring at Wonshik before nodding and giving him a little shrug. Wonshik narrowed his eyes at him. “Better late than never, I guess,” he teased, chuckling as Taekwoon raised a brow. “Sure, I’ll do dinner tonight. I could go for something good and not my ty cooking. I just need to finish a couple things, shouldn’t take too long.”

Taekwoon nodded in understanding, saving the project he’d been working on and slipping off to the bathroom. He needed to call Hyosonn to let her know not to expect him for dinner. It was a simple call, but as the phone rang he felt hesitant.

He hadn’t missed dinner for anything other than work in ages, so Hyosonn would probably find this odd. Even if it was with Wonshik, and it was just two coworkers going to dinner, she would probably think something was going on. Even though it wasn’t, and Taekwoon was probably just overthinking things.

“Why would she think something was going on? It’s just Wonshik, it’s not like it’s anyo-”

His quiet musings were cut off as Hyosonn answered the call, and Taekwoon could almost tell that she was smiling over the phone. He pursed his lips.

“Taekwoon, what’s up? You okay, hon?” she asked, Taekwoon nodding to himself as he leaned against the wall by the sinks.

“Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, opening his mouth to continue.

He didn’t know why he decided to reply like he did. He didn’t know why he stopped himself, or what the real problem was.

But that didn’t change the fact that when he opened his mouth, what came out wasn’t what he was originally planning on saying.

“I didn’t quite finish what I was working on, so I have to stay late tonight. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, Taekwoon noticing the little sigh and frowning. Maybe he should have just gone home. But then Hyosonn answered, voice nearly as happy as it had been when she answered the phone.

“That’s fine. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Mm, yeah,” he mumbled. “I’ll see you later.”

“Love you,” she added, a hint of a sing-song tone in her voice. Taekwoon paused, nodding to himself and pushing his hair off his face.

“Love you, too,” he replied, hanging up a moment later and walking back out into the office. Wonshik was cleaning up and when he saw Taekwoon he flashed him a thumbs up, jacket tossed over his shoulder as he grabbed his bag.

“You all set? Did you have any idea where you want to go, or do you just want me to pick?” he asked, Taekwoon blinking before he simply shrugged. Wonshik just looked at him, sighing and holding out his hand. “Give me your phone, I’ll give you the address of this one place near here. Their food’s great, you’ll like it.”

Taekwoon couldn’t help but smile as he watched Wonshik typing in the name of the restaurant. It was sweet how excited he was, but Taekwoon said nothing, looking at the name of the restaurant as the two walked to their cars.

“I’ll meet you there,” Wonshik said, offering Taekwoon a little wave as he split off from him. Taekwoon simply settled in his car, turning on his GPS but following behind Wonshik as an added security. He wasn’t great with directions.

By the time he got to the restaurant and parked, Wonshik was already out of the car, jacket probably in his passenger seat and tie off. He’d ed the first two buttons of his shirt, and Taekwoon raised a brow, leaving his jacket in the car as well but letting his tie remain.

“Is this restaurant casual?” Taekwoon asked, Wonshik thinking for a moment before shrugging.

“Not really? It’s not that formal, though,” he said, pointing at Taekwoon’s tie. Taekwoon didn’t make a move to take it off, though, and Wonshik sighed before turning and walking inside, Taekwoon following close behind him.

Luckily there wasn’t a wait and the hostess took the two to a table, one in a nice spot that was out of the way. Wonshik sat down, Taekwoon giving the hostess a little smile before he sat down as well. The hostess just grinned, biting her lip and walking away. After raising a brow at her and watching for a moment, Wonshik turned to Taekwoon, leaning back in his seat.

“So, what made you change your mind?” he asked, Taekwoon leaning with both elbows on the table. He shrugged.

“I wanted a change in routine,” he replied, Wonshik’s head cocked at the response. “What, were you expecting something else?” he asked, Wonshik simply shaking his head.

“No, no. I was just wondering.”

After that their waitress came over, taking their drink orders and letting them continue with their conversation. They mostly talked about work, a bit about life, Wonshik sipping his beer and Taekwoon drinking the wine he ordered. It was relaxing, the two going through the meal smiling the whole time.

Taekwoon had never connected with someone from work quite like he did with Wonshik and, like he had said many times before, it was refreshing.

They ate their meals in peace, Wonshik making dumb jokes and Taekwoon trying to pretend that they weren’t funny as he ate his food.

When it came time for the bill their waitress walked over, looking between the two of them and settling her weight on one hip before humming thoughtfully.

“So, it’s just one check, right?” she asked, Wonshik looking at her with his brows raised. He opened his mouth to speak before Taekwoon cut in, both Wonshik and the waitress turning to look at him.

“Two. Two checks,” he said, Wonshik staring at him for a moment before nodding in agreement. She looked between the two of them again, taking a moment before giving them one final nod and slipping off to print the check. Wonshik couldn’t stifle the laughter, and Taekwoon looked over at him in slight confusion. “What?” he asked, Wonshik shaking his head.

“Nothing,” he teased, glancing down. “I’m just pretty sure she assumed something. And I’m not gonna correct her,” he added, Taekwoon looking at him with narrowed eyes. “What? I think it’s funny.”

“You think it’s funny that we just got mistaken for a couple?” he asked, Wonshik shrugging.

“Yeah, kinda,” Wonshik said in a laugh, Taekwoon staring at him while Wonshik just shrugged. Shaking his head, Taekwoon reached for his check, paying it and slipping out when Wonshik was finished paying for his.

They both got to their cars, Wonshik leaning against his as he looked over Taekwoon.

“It’s a shame you’re taken,” he mumbled, Taekwoon pausing as he opened the door. He quirked a brow, looking at Wonshik in disbelief. “Sorry, I’m not gonna lie,” he added, shrugging. “You’re wife’s lucky. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that Wonshik winked, slipping into his car and driving off, leaving Taekwoon by himself to wrap his mind around what had just been said.

Why should he even care? Wonshik had just offered him a compliment, nothing more. But even with that fact going through his head Taekwoon thought about it all night, even while he was lying in bed next to the woman he was married to. He just thought about what Wonshik had said, the little mistakes the waitress had made, how he acted at work… How he looked at work.

Taekwoon shoved the thoughts from his mind as best he could, though his sleep was restless once again.

When he got to work the next morning he was exhausted and it showed, but still he was greeted with a cup of coffee waiting for him on his desk and he couldn’t help but smile. Sipping it, he got to work without a problem, but as the day dragged on he realized just how much he had to do. It didn’t help that midday he was told if he didn’t finish by the end of the day he was going to be in trouble, and the stress of everything got to him all at once.

Taekwoon needed to take things slow.

He was lucky that his boss liked him, because he often let him stay late without any real supervision. It was less stress for Taekwoon, and he got his work done quicker.

That meant that today, however, he actually was going to stay late, and that he was going to miss dinner again.

Groaning inwardly, Taekwoon pulled out his phone, dialing home and sighing to himself.

“Hello?”

“Hyosonn?” Taekwoon said with a frown.

“Yeah? You sound tired,” she said, Taekwoon humming into the phone and leaning back in his seat.

“I am. And I have to stay at work again today. There’s so much for me to finish,” he replied, Hyosonn staying silent for longer than he expected. Eventually she made a sound into the phone, Taekwoon waiting for her to say anything.

“Alright. If I’m already in bed when you get home, don’t wake me up. Do your best, okay?” she said.

“I will,” Taekwoon mumbled. “See you later.”

With that he hung up, Wonshik leaning on the cubicle wall and frowning.

“Man, do you want me to stay? Keep you company for a little while?” he asked. “I don’t really have anything to do tonight - I could help if you want.” Taekwoon turned, looking up at Wonshik in silence for a second before he nodded.

“That’d be nice, thanks,” Taekwoon said, Wonshik nodding.

“Sure, no problem.”

The two of them watched as everyone else filed out of the office, leaving the two of them by themselves. Taekwoon tried to get his work finished, Wonshik in his own cubicle switching between getting a jump on the next day’s work and playing on his phone. When he stood and looked over at Taekwoon, all he saw was the other man with his head resting on the desk. Frowning, Wonshik turned off his computer and walked around to sit on Taekwoon’s desk, reaching out to massage the back of the other man’s neck.

Taekwoon immediately sat up, jolting to attention and looking up at Wonshik.

“... I wasn’t asleep,” Taekwoon defended weakly, Wonshik nodding and continuing to let his fingers rub against the nape of Taekwoon’s neck.

Taekwoon wouldn’t admit how good it felt.

“I didn’t say you were,” he said with a little smile, Taekwoon laying his head down on the desk and giving up working for the moment. He was focusing on how nice Wonshik’s fingers felt, so he simply closed his eyes, letting out a little exhalation.

Wonshik simply watched, not sure how he was supposed to react.

Eventually he glanced at Taekwoon’s computer, seeing how close he was to being finished and frowning a bit. If he really wanted to, he could finish it for the other man. As it was, Taekwoon needed sleep, and like he had said before, Wonshik had nothing to do that night. So he pulled his hand from it’s spot, opening his mouth to speak before Taekwoon cut him off.

“No, don’t stop,” he murmured, Wonshik looking down at him. He hesitated for a moment, hand only inches from where it had just been resting, before he changed his mind and let it rest on Taekwoon’s cheek. Guiding the other man to look up, Wonshik offered him a little smile.

“You should go home and sleep,” he said, Taekwoon’s brows furrowed as he shook his head.

“I’m not done yet,” he replied tiredly, Wonshik patting Taekwoon’s cheek and shaking his head.

“You’re impossible,” he mumbled, Taekwoon frowning and keeping his gaze focused on Wonshik’s. Eventually he opened his mouth to speak, though his eyes instead centered on Wonshik’s mouth and he paused, mouth closing as he narrowed his eyes.

It was probably because he was tired, but he was thinking back to the night before again and Taekwoon was distracted. Either it was by Wonshik’s words from the night before, or by his hand on his cheek, or even just from how he was looking at him, Taekwoon was lost for words.

“I’ll stay here and finish up if you want me to,” he added, Taekwoon shaking his head and, in the process, nuzzling his cheek against Wonshik’s hand.

It was still as soft as he remembered.

“No… No, I’ll finish it tomorrow,” Taekwoon said, finally standing and pulling himself away from Wonshik’s hand. Wonshik watched Taekwoon stretching, sneaking a peek before Taekwoon looked back. “Thank you, though. That means a lot.”

“It’s no big deal,” Wonshik responded, words something of a mumble as he pulled his gaze from Taekwoon’s lips. Taekwoon just stared at him, the two stuck in an almost awkward silence before Wonshik smiled and let out a little chuckle. He stood, opening his mouth to say something before simply closing it and smiling once more. Taekwoon watched him walk back over to his cubicle, undoing the top button of his shirt and grabbing his bag. Taekwoon followed suit, saving what he had been working on and grabbing his coat.

Like usual, the two walked together, though it was much quieter tonight. They were clearly tired, but when Taekwoon got to his car he turned, looking at Wonshik with a weary smile. Without much thought he reached up, hand on Wonshik’s cheek on impulse. Then he just stared, Wonshik staring back.

Taekwoon didn’t even know what he had been planning to do, but he turned the motion into an awkward pat on the cheek, Wonshik still staring at him.

“Thank you… For staying here. With me,” Taekwoon said, biting the inside of his lip before he let his hand fall stiffly back to his side. Wonshik nodded after a moment, forcing himself to look down.

“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he responded, Taekwoon humming without much of a verbal response. He watched as Wonshik walked to his car, waiting until the other man was completely gone before sliding into his car and turning it on. Both of his hands covering his face, Taekwoon slid down in his chair, groaning to himself.

What had he even been thinking?

He drove home in silence, not even bothering to call Hyosonn to let her know. It was late, and if she was tired or asleep he wasn’t going to wake her. So he walked into the dark house silently, changed silently, and curled up in bed silently. It was like he was sneaking in, but he was only coming home from work.

Eyes closed, Taekwoon forced himself to go to sleep.

He didn’t want to tell Hyosonn what he was thinking about.

He was trying to convince himself he wasn’t running through the little moments with Wonshik in his head as he drifted off.