Chanyeol is nervous on his first day of work. He’s a fresh graduate and this office where he’s currently being asked to wait is where he’s going to work for the first time. Moreover, this is his dream company that offered him his dream job – figuring out the best business requirements for clients, best strategies – a business analyst. He liked to do research so much and analyze them with all the data. These thoughts just really thrill him. Seemingly, the adult life is exciting him but like every first times, he’s always nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Too immersed in his thoughts of what-ifs, his shoulders jumped from the sudden open of the private office’s door.

“Hi, you must be Park Chanyeol. I’m the HR assigned to your team. Welcome to the company!” The woman welcomed him with a bright smile and offered her hand to shake with Chanyeol’s. The new hire immediately reached for her hand and beamed back a smile to her.

“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you, Ms…?” Chanyeol raised his brows asking the HR her name.

“I’m Sunny. Pleased to meet you. So, are you ready to meet your team?” She released his hand and showed the way out towards where his teammates are waiting.

“Of course, Ms. Sunny!” He answered enthusiastically and grabbed his backpack. He followed her while they walked across the hall. Not far from where they left off, Chanyeol can already feel pairs of eyes looking at him. Well, he did stand out so much from the sectioned cubicles because of his height and he was notably dashing that day aiming to receive a great first impression from his team. Before they reached his team’s area, Sunny looked back at him and said, “Oh, by the way, don’t call me Ms. Sunny. Just Sunny. People here don’t use honorifics. You might feel off at first but you’ll get used to it. I hope you can embrace this culture in no time.” Sunny smiled at him and patted his left shoulder. Chanyeol felt great when Sunny showed how friendly she actually is. He really did tense down after that pat. Now, he wished his teammates were as welcoming as Sunny.

Chanyeol didn’t want to look startled again so he focused on where he was walking with Sunny instead of being immersed in his thoughts again. His focus did him good as he noticed Sunny slowing down to greet some people and eventually stopped.

“Hello Team Daylight!” She greeted them cheerfully and all eyes were on her.

“Hey, Sunny! Finally bringing with you the good news?” A man greeted her back and briefly looked at Chanyeol before looking at Sunny.

“That’s right, Key! You’ve been excited about this, haven’t you?” Sunny released a chuckle then cleared to introduce the new hire beside her.

“Everyone, meet Park Chanyeol! The genius from THE Seoul University.” Chanyeol tensed up as Sunny stressed from what university he came from. Why did she have to say that? He thought to himself.

“Good morning! I’m Park Chanyeol! Nice to meet you all.” Chanyeol greeted them with confidence, bowed in all four directions of the wide office they were in.

“Hey Channie!!!” An unfamiliar voice called from behind him. Chanyeol faced him and he did not know this guy. Regardless, Chanyeol beamed at him with all his teeth showing and greeted back, “Hey.. uh…”

“Haha! I’m Heechul! Sorry, did I startle you? Haha.” This Heechul guy laughed and Chanyeol laughed awkwardly.

“No… no.. Hi… Mr.. Hee… oh..” He remembered. No honorifics. “Heechul, pleased to meet you!” Chanyeol waved at him and he noticed how Heechul’s mouth formed an O, nodding slowly, looking impressed at how Chanyeol adapts pretty quickly with the new environment.

“He’s the newest member of Team Daylight. Chanyeol, Heechul’s the team leader here. He’ll be in charge of your knowledge transition in the next two weeks.” Sunny stopped talking like she has realized something. Shaking her head, she said, “I bet you’ll be good in just one week. You’re the genius Park Chanyeol anyway.” Sunny laughs. “Anyway, I’m leaving you to them now. You can always tell me if your teammates are being brutal to you.” She faced the team. “Everyone, please take care of Chanyeol. We do not want another genius leaving the team.” Oh . Sunny thought. She just can’t control sometimes. Now she’s hearing some employees murmuring, glancing at Chanyeol and her. “Forget that I said that.” She laughed loudly, awkwardly, and left them after waving goodbye. What was that? Who left? Chanyeol thought but before he’s immersed to his thoughts again, Heechul was already beside him and grabbed his arm.

“Chanyeol, I’ll show you your work station.” Heechul said tugging Chanyeol into one of the cubicles around them. It’s just a few steps from where he was introduced.

There were six chairs in the rectangular cubicle and one was vacant. Chanyeol assumed it’s his seat. All team members in the cubicle looked at him earnestly.

“Hi Chanyeol! We’re Team Daylight’s SEVEN. Cool isn’t it? We’re like a pop group.” The smaller guy let out a chuckle. “We’re TD7 because we’re expected to start working at 7AM.” He laughed again but no one was laughing with him, just awkward smiles. He cleared his throat before adding, “By the way, I’m Kim Junmyeon. I’m the leader of TD7. I get to facilitate our projects and team deadlines. I’m Heechul’s go-to person in TD7. I’m also in charge of ensuring the quality outputs of the team. Please to meet you!” Junmyeon offered his hand and Chanyeol didn’t hesitate to shake hands with him. Before he can even speak, the next member already started introducing himself.

“I’m Byun Baekhyun. Junmyeon’s self-declared right hand.” He laughed at his own statement. “I contribute pretty much significant stuff in this team so I guess that’s why our leader often talks to me about work stuff.” He continued and reached out his hand to Chanyeol. “Nice to meet you, Chanyeol!” Chanyeol shook his hands as well. He didn’t bother to speak anymore as he expected the rest to introduce themselves right after the other. And he was right, a taller guy than Baekhyun and Junmyeon followed.

“I’m Kim Jongin.” The stern look on Jongin’s face made Chanyeol think that’s the end of his introduction and he was right. It ended with them just shaking hands and Jongin already stepped back, placing his hands behind him and cracking his neck left and right. I think he’s the least friendly so far. Chanyeol thought.

“Hi Chanyeol. I’m Irene. Obviously, the princess of TD7.” Chanyeol noted how Irene smiled so prettily but gave off this devilish feeling at the same time. “I’m as smart as Baekhyun here but I guess our leader’s just too ashamed to talk to me.” Irene smirked at Junmyeon.

“Excuse me, Irene. That’s not the case at all. Baekhyun happened to be sitting beside me so of course I talk to him first.” Junmyeon explained with a brow raised.

“Whatever. Since Chanyeol here will be sitted beside me, I expect you to reach out to me first.” Irene extended her hand and showed the taller guy a cheeky smile. Chanyeol shook hands with her and said, “Sure!” Then Chanyeol’s eyes shifted to the last person to introduce himself.

“Uhmm.. and you are?” Chanyeol started since he doesn’t seem to have the intention to introduce himself.

“I’m Do Kyungsoo. And I’m giving you a challenge.” All eyes looked at the guy with thick eyeglasses on, hair combed back neatly showing his creased forehead.

“Ch-challenge?” That’s the first time Chanyeol stuttered that day because he did not expect this. He thought and wished everyone’s like Sunny or at least Kim Jongin’s the only person who seem disinterested about his presence.

“If you can tell me who caused Luhan to quit from this company a month ago, I can let you keep your job.” He answered head lifted up for the obvious reason that Chanyeol is taller than him. His glare intimidated Chanyeol.

“Keep my job? Do you fire people?” Chanyeol, though intimidated, was skeptic about what he just heard. Co-employees don’t just fire people is what he thought.

“Apparently, if you didn’t forget, you have six months to prove yourself before you get to be regularized. Our Kyungsoo right here makes the biggest decision of keeping a new hire or not. He’s the leader in all technical aspects when it comes to our project works so he knows when your skills are enough or not. I’m not saying you should impress him but you should at least show him your worth.” Junmyeon explained. The environment was pretty tensed and Chanyeol’s expectations of a bubbly work environment is starting to crash.

“Why the challenge though?” He pouted murmuring to himself. I can just do my job and give them what’s expected of me as a business analyst, but this?

“Don’t think that this is something petty. If you get to catch this person, you’ll be able to save this team.” Kyungsoo answered.

“Huh?” Chanyeol just got more confused.

“Someone’s trying to bring our team down. Luhan was the smartest, most productive, most valued member of TD7 and of all Team Daylight yet he quit and we all didn’t expect that. Apparently, that person who made Luhan quit is still here and might do more things to make another one from us quit. Our clients have entrusted us with their most valued projects - that means more money for them and us if we do things the best way we can. But with this person lurking around, we’re afraid everything might go straight down to the drain and all of us will be doomed.” Kim Jongin explained. Chanyeol noted how serious the matter is with how Jongin explained to him. He can see from his peripheral view one or two employees outside TD7 shaking their head.

“Of course, that’s on top of your daily tasks. Don’t be so obvious though. He might be listening now, warned, but he won’t know when you’ll catch him.” Kyungsoo smirked at Chanyeol. “Be the genius that you are. You have six months.” And just like that, Kyungsoo sat back to his seat and unlocked his laptop to start working. Irene pointed the seat between Kyungsoo and hers and Chanyeol can’t believe he’ll be sitting beside his challenger. Chanyeol looked at where the others were seated. Junmyeon’s workstation was behind Irene’s. He’s just behind Irene so why isn’t he talking to her? Chanyeol smiled at how Irene probably found Junmyeon’s logic stupid. Baekhyun is seated behind Chanyeol. Jongin was seated behind Kyungsoo. Heechul went one cubicle away from theirs. Chanyeol thought that’s probably where Team Daylight’s overall team leader should be seated, a bit more private with larger space but still among the rest of the team. He noted ten rectangular cubicles in the area (two columns, each with five cubicles), every cubicle with six people except for one where Heechul was. That one had only four people. He saw Sunny seated beside Heechul. Chanyeol calculated that there are 58 people in Team Daylight including him and one of them is his key to keeping his dream job.