Sunggyu has been doing a lot of thinking (more like overthinking) recently and he has come to the obvious conclusion that he wants to be with Sungjong— officially. And he is almost entirely sure the younger boy feels the same way. Although he is still kind of convinced the intern doesn't like him quite as much as he likes him, the director is still willing to take a chance; he wouldn't have gotten this far in his career if he was afraid of rejection. He hasn't really thought about what to say, but he is determined to make the intern his boyfriend sometime in the near future.

Sunggyu gets his chance when he goes to pick Sungjong up for work the next morning. He had seen it as a way to spend more time with the kid when he had asked him if it was okay the day before, but now he sees it as an opportunity— one that is much too good to pass up. Since he is naturally blunt, he decides to keep it simple and straight to the point; it's not like there is much to it anyway. In the back of his head Sunggyu hears Woohyun's voice complaining about his lack of romance and creativity, which he promptly tells to shut up as he pulls up in front of Sungjong's place.

It starts off well enough, Sungjong is smiling and he is smiling and the words he wants to say are slowly starting to appear in his mind. But before he can actually speak, the young intern leans over and kisses him. It is nothing more than a simple peck on the lips followed by a quiet good morning, yet it somehow manages to steal every word, every letter from the director's mind. Forgetting just about everything, Sunggyu just stares at the boy next to him, a ridiculous blush creeping its way onto his cheeks. He doesn't think he'll ever understand how one person can have such a strong effect on his entire being— with something as simple as a kiss, no less.

Eventually, he remembers what he was doing and he shakes himself out of his daze long enough to start driving. It isn't until he's pulled into a parking spot that he remembers there was something more important that he wanted to do. Attempting to pick up where he left off, Sunggyu turns to Sungjong, but stops short when he notices the frown on the kid's face. Thinking back, he realizes the younger boy had been quieter than usual on the ride to work; even his greeting was more subdued, despite the kiss. There must be something serious bothering him to bring him down so much.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sunggyu doesn't bother trying to hide his concern, his hand coming to rest on the intern's shoulder.

Looking up at the sudden contact, Sungjong pastes on a very unconvincing smile. "Yeah— no, I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Come on," the director presses, taking the younger boy's hand in his free one. He isn't very good at comforting people, but the kid looks so distraught it's making him feel worse and worse by the second. "Something is obviously wrong. It's okay— whatever it is, you can tell me."

The young intern regards him for a moment before his gaze drops to their clasped hands. His internal debate ends almost as soon as it starts as he turns back to his boss, sighing, "I have a presentation today. I know it sounds stupid, but I'm just worried I'll mess up.”

Sunggyu nearly laughs in relief; he thought it would be something much more serious. Still, he doesn't like the look on the younger boy's face and he'll do whatever he can to fix it. "You'll be fine. It's just like when you were in school."

"But what if I say something stupid and end up getting fired? There are going to be a lot of important people there." Sungjong doesn't look very convinced, his brow still furrowed with worry.

"I promise you that won't happen." Sunggyu actually does laugh this time, his hand reaching up to ruffle the kid's hair. He really wishes they weren't sitting in a car right now so he could hug him; the younger boy is just too cute. He settles for a light hand squeeze as he says, "Anyway, I'll be there too so if you ever get nervous, you can just look at me."

That manages to bring a tiny smile to the intern's face, which he tries to bite back, his eyes once again falling to their interlocked hands. He's smirking when he looks back up, a familiar precursor to his teasing. "What if I get distracted looking at you and forget what I want to say?"

"I guess I'll have to try not to be so devastatingly handsome," Sunggyu offers, grinning proudly despite Sungjong's laughter. He is just happy to see the younger boy's mood brighten so considerably; he can tell the kid is back to normal if he's being so playful.

"But, seriously," Sungjong starts once his laughter dies down, turning in his seat to fully face his boss. In spite of all the jokes, he still seems to be holding on to a few concerns. "Do you really think I can do it? I feel like I'm going to mess something up no matter what."

Copying the young intern's earlier actions, the director also turns in his seat as he places both hands on the other's shoulders. He always thought Sungjong had a tremendous amount of confidence (perhaps even more than him) that never seemed run out. Even so, he’ll do what he can to help him get some of that confidence back. Putting on his most reassuring smile, Sunggyu insists, "Of course you can! You're so smart and I know you've been working really hard on this; you're going to do great. And I'm not just saying that because I like you— I really mean it. You're amazing."

"Thanks, hyung." Sungjong's smile is back for good along with a light blush on his cheeks.

Sunggyu doesn't think he'll ever get over how cute the younger boy is when he gets shy; it's all he can do not to take him in his arms and kiss the living daylights out of him. When he thinks about it, he realizes that actually sounds like a pretty good idea.

"You know," he begins, trying to be as subtle as possible. "If you're still nervous I think I know a way to help you relax."

He obviously wasn't as subtle as he hoped because Sungjong sees through his words almost immediately, his smile turning impish. "And what might that be?"

"I'll show you."

The words are barely out of the director's mouth before he is leaning in to capture the younger boy's lips, his hands sliding up to hold his cheeks. With how intensely Sungjong is kissing him back, it's safe to say the older man successfully cheered him up. But he still wants to make sure. Pulling away slightly, Sunggyu rests his forehead against Sungjong's and asks, "How about now?"

"I think I'm still a little nervous," is the intern's confident reply, his nose gently nudging the other's.

Of course, Sunggyu is more than happy to oblige. His lips are already pressing against Sungjong's as he says, "I can fix that."

~*~

"You and Sungjong are together now, right?"

Looking up from his bowl of steaming noodles, Sunggyu stares blankly at Dongwoo as his brain slowly processes the question. He had not expected this turn in the conversation when he had invited the mail boy along to lunch. Instead of answering he poses a question of his own. "Where did you hear that?"

"Woohyun," Dongwoo eagerly replies around a mouthful of rice, his ever-present smile still in place.

Sunggyu should have known— of course it was Woohyun. He really needs to do something about his best friend talking about him behind his back. "You really shouldn't pay attention to him— he talks too much."

"Who talks too much?"

Speak of the devil. Woohyun shows up just then, having rushed over from the office. He gives his boyfriend's shoulder a squeeze as he sits down next to him before turning to his boss, expectantly waiting for an answer.

Sunggyu doesn't think he's ever been less happy to see the younger man, but at least he gets a chance to give him a piece of his mind. Glaring, he jabs his chopsticks at his friend and hisses, "You."

"Me? What did I do?" Utterly confused, Woohyun glances between the other two men.

"You're spreading false information," Dongwoo kindly supplies. "He and Sungjong aren't together."

"I'm not lying, though. If anything, I'm predicting the future; I have a gift."

Sunggyu looks at Dongwoo, his expression blank. "Why is he like this?"

"I was hoping you knew," the mail boy laughingly responds. He laughs a bit more at the indignant sound his boyfriend makes and feeds him a piece of kimchi in an attempt to appease him.

Now that the younger man's attention has been stolen away, Sunggyu hopes they can be done talking about his mediocre love life. If Woohyun knew he was right, there would be no stopping him; he would literally tell everyone he knew— and anyone else who would listen. His dream comes true for all of two minutes before Woohyun is once again prying into his personal life.

"So you really aren't dating?"

There's no point in trying to avoid it now; Woohyun won't rest until he knows everything. Rolling his eyes, the director sighs, "I'm working on it."

"Well, work harder." The younger man actually sounds like he means it and Sunggyu almost feels inclined to listen to him. It isn't often that his friend is serious without being dramatic. "I swear, if you don't ask Sungjong out, I will."

Ok, never mind. Sunggyu definitely can't take him seriously when he keeps saying such ridiculous things. "I thought we agreed you weren't allowed to talk anymore."

"I never agreed to that," Woohyun argues, pursing his lips in displeasure.

Next to him, Dongwoo, who had been diligently eating his lunch, puts his spoon down and raises his hand. The smile on his face is downright devilish as he says, "I did."

The look of devastation on the other man's face is a welcome sight for Sunggyu; he always knew there was a reason he liked Dongwoo. He might even make him his new best friend.

~*~

Somehow Sunggyu ends up promising Woohyun that he will ask Sungjong out by the end of the day. He's still not sure how it happened; his friend has always had a way with words that has gotten him out of (as well as into) many a dicey situation. He was already planning on doing it, but he allows the younger man to talk him into it anyway. Even though he pretends he doesn't, he really does appreciate Woohyun's support.

Keeping that promise in mind, Sunggyu walks into the meeting with his head held high, determination and a pinch of fear coursing through his veins. He spots Sungjong huddled together with a few other interns at the front of the room, most likely going over some last minute details for their presentation. He manages to catch the younger boy's eye and mouths "good luck", earning him a small smile and he can already feel his nerves settling. It isn't long before the meeting officially starts and the director grabs a seat close enough to the front that he can focus all of his attention on the young intern.

As the kid is waiting his turn to speak, the older man notices instantly how nervous he looks; his eyes are glued to the floor as he worries his bottom lip between his teeth, his hands restlessly clenching and unclenching at his sides. Sunggyu wishes more than anything that he could pull the boy into his arms and tell him it will all be okay. Apparently, he isn't the only one. Myungsoo, who is of course standing right beside Sungjong, is also aware of the younger boy's agitation and he wraps an arm around the other's waist as he leans in to whisper in his ear. Sunggyu can't decide if he should be irritated or grateful; he wants to be the one to comfort Sungjong, but that is nearly impossible for a long list of reasons. He decides to go with the latter once he sees the kid smiling again.

Sunggyu isn't sure what Myungsoo said to the other boy, but it seems to do the trick of bringing back his confidence as he steps forward to speak. He really had nothing to worry about, the director soon realizes; the kid is poised and unbelievably well-spoken, his voice filling the room and capturing everyone in it. He is probably the best out of all the interns, although Sunggyu can admit his opinion is extremely biased. The only problem is that Sungjong never looks at him, not even once. The older man can't help but wonder if the younger boy had been serious about not wanting to be distracted; it is kind of flattering, but he still feels like he is being ignored. He'll have to ask him later.

Sunggyu gets a bit closer to finding out once the meeting ends and everyone starts filing out of the room. He takes his time gathering his things and standing up, waiting for the place to empty out; he spots Woohyun watching him from across the table, a knowing smile on his lips. Rolling his eyes, the director turns to his secretary. For obvious reasons, he would prefer it if the younger man wasn't around while he talks to Sungjong (and he is sure Hoya would like it that way as well).

"You can head back up," Sunggyu suggests, though it sounds more like an order. "I have some things I have to take care of."

Hoya glances over toward Sungjong briefly before looking back at his boss with a smirk. Having put the pieces together at record speed, he doesn't argue, but he doesn't leave quietly either. Patting the older man on the shoulder, he says, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Being the benevolent boss that he is, Sunggyu decides to give his assistant a temporary pass; he can always threaten to fire him later. Once the other man is gone he turns his attention to Sungjong, who is still up at the front of the room along with a couple of other interns. He isn't quite sure what to do with himself except stand around awkwardly as they clean up the room. Sunggyu figures he should be happy they don't seem to notice his presence— he has no idea how he would even begin to explain himself.

Finished tidying up, the interns start to leave and the director chooses that moment to step forward, grabbing Sungjong's hand before he gets too far away. The kid is only shocked for a moment before his face is alight with an impossibly bright smile. If he wasn't so aware of where they are right now, Sunggyu would kiss the younger boy for being so cute; he doesn't think he can even take the chance on a hug. Exerting a tremendous amount of self-control, he settles for a smile of his own and a simple, "Hey."

"Hi," the young intern returns. He seems more bubbly than before, his voice bursting with excitement. "So, how did I do?"

"You were amazing, just like I knew you would be. If you keep it up, you'll be running the company in no time." It may be a bit excessive, but Sunggyu only sees it as the truth. More importantly, he loves how shy the kid gets when he compliments him.

Just as he expected, Sungjong's cheeks are flushed, his gaze averted. "Thanks."

It's now or never. If Sunggyu wants to ask the young intern to be his boyfriend, this is the perfect opportunity. They are all alone and he is more sure than ever that the younger boy will say yes. Letting out a deep breath, the director takes Sungjong's hands in his and begins, "You know I really like you, right?" The kid's brow furrows a little in confusion, but he nods. "And you really like me too." Another nod. "So, I was wondering— I mean, I wanted to ask you—"

Someone enters the room just then, startling the pair, and they separate faster than repelling magnets. Sunggyu expects the intruder to be Myungsoo, but he is surprised to find a tall boy with round, owlish eyes standing by the door instead. The boy— another intern, the older man recalls— looks just as shocked, obviously not expecting anyone else to be in the room.

"Uh, I thought I left my pen in here." The giant of an intern seems to feel the need to explain himself although no one really asked. When he only gets silence and blank stares from the other two, the boy scurries out of the room, stammering out as he goes, "N-never mind, I'll look somewhere else."

That was... odd, Sunggyu thinks, staring at the empty space by the door. Raising a curious eyebrow, he turns to Sungjong. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Sometimes," the young intern replies, wrinkling his nose.

"Does he know about us?" The last thing Sunggyu needs is another rumor about him going around the office.

The younger boy hums in thought for a moment before shaking his head, a smile breaking out on his face as he chuckles. "He's actually pretty scared of you, so I don't think he would say anything even if he did."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're not that popular with the interns."

That isn't something anyone would want to hear, but it manages to bring a smile to the director's face; it's good to know his reputation is still somewhat intact despite all the rumors running rampant recently. Even though he already knows the answer, he still feels the need to ask: "Do you think I'm scary?"

"I used to," Sungjong admits, his eyes gleaming playfully. Sunggyu expects his next words to be teasing, but the kid surprises him with his honesty. "But now I think you're really cute."

If it weren't for the light pink tinting the other's cheeks, the director would argue that the kid really is making fun of him. The sight is just too cute and he decides to take the chance of moving closer and reaching out to pet the younger boy's hair; he knows he should be more cautious, but he doesn't really care at the moment.

Taking the intern's hand in his free one, Sunggyu says, "I think you're really cute, too."

The grin Sungjong gives him just about melts his heart; he makes a mental note to compliment the kid more often. He is debating whether or not he can get away with one little kiss when the younger boy leans in and leaves a light peck on his cheek. To say the older man is surprised would be an understatement. Eyes wide and mouth open just a bit too much, Sunggyu stares at the boy in front of him, his mind grasping for words. His sudden inability to function elicits a laugh from the intern, though he tries to hide it behind his hand.

"I was wondering," Sungjong begins a moment later, his expression turning serious. "Before Sungyeol came in it sounded like you were going to ask me something. What was it?"

Sunggyu nearly groans; he had hoped the younger boy would forget about that. He really wants to do it, but he is starting to think now may not be the best time after all. The kid is still looking at him, waiting for an answer, and he wracks his brain for a reasonable response.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight." That wasn't what he originally wanted to say, but that doesn't stop his heart from racing as he waits for some kind of reaction.

It comes in the form of a smile, shy but hopeful. "Like a date?"

His nerves getting the best of him, Sunggyu can only nod, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'd like that," Sungjong says after an excruciating two seconds of silence, his smile a hundred times bigger than before.

Sunggyu is sure his grin is just as wide; although he didn't ask the young intern to be his boyfriend, he is definitely one step closer.

"It's a date, then."