Walking back to the office free of Hoseok’s presence has Taehyung feeling calmer, and he’s finally able to breathe and think about all that has happened. He knows he should be relieved that Hoseok doesn’t remember, that his job is not in jeopardy; he should be, but he’s not. He’s pissed. He’s ing livid. It’s illogical, the way he feels. He knows it is, but…they had less than sixty hours ago. It’s not like it’s been years; it’s barely been days, and Hoseok forgets him? Oh no, no, no, no. This is freaking unacceptable. 

The phone almost flies out of his grip with how hard he yanks it from his pocket.

To:Chimchim

He doesn’t remember me

From:Chimchim

????

To:Chimchim

Jung Hoseok

Looked at me today

Like he’s never seen me in his life

And he wasn’t pretending

From:Chimchim

Are you sure?

Because I find that hard to believe

Given that bruise on your left shoulder

To:Chimchim

You’d think

But no nothing

The er

Forgot

I’m so pissed

From:Chimchim

Pissed???

Not rejoicing???

To:Chimchim

Minnie remember that time in twelfth grade?

From:Chimchim

Tae

Every

Day

God let’s not reminisce

It’ll just make me .

To:Chimchim

That was like

Years ago

And you remember

He ed me less than three days ago

And forgets?

From:Chimchim

So what?

You gonna help him remember?

To:Chimchim

What?

No.

Wait…

.

.

.

Yes, yes

That’s exactly what I’m going to do

Minnie, you’re a genius!

From:Chimchim

Genius should be rewarded

To:Chimchim

Not

A

Chance

From:Chimchim

☹

To:Chimchim

And people wonder why you're my fav...

shame on them.

From:Chimchim

People ask you that

From:Chimchim

How dare thry

From:Chimchim

I’m gonna fight them

I’m gonna assert dominance

From:Chimchim

And once I’m done

You can come in from the back

From:Chimchim

And be like

I tried to warn you

.

.

.

So…who do I need to fight

Taehyung’s laughing, body shaking, cackling noises falling from his lips.

To:Chimchim

Sthap, I’m in public

Laughing like a crazy person

And strangers are judging me

From:Chimchim

Laughing in public is not illegal

I’ll fight them too

To:Chimchim

Minnie

.

.

.

Thank you.

See you at home.

He hits send, drops the phone in the pocket of his blazer and makes a note to bring home Jimin’s favorite ice cream; his friend most certainly does deserve a reward. Taehyung feels lighter, less encumbered; he has a plan, has a goal—something to work towards. By the time he reaches the entrance to the building his anger from earlier, along with his anxiety, has all but disappeared.

A sly smile plays across his lips as the doors open, and he steps past the threshold. Not only will he make Hoseok remember, by the time he’s through, the man’s going to wish he never forgot.

“Just you wait, Jung Hoseok, just you wait,” Taehyung says to himself as his swipes his badge and walks past the security console and back to the auditorium.

It’s Friday, and Taehyung decides to use the weekend to plan and strategize because come Monday…Taehyung’s declaring war.

WEEK ONE

By day two Taehyung learns why Hoseok and Sunggyu are such good friends. The CEO is a taskmaster, a perfectionist, a control freak, and one totalitarian regime away from becoming a dictator. By day four Taehyung has come up with several gruesome ways to get rid of the Hoseok that would leave no evidence behind. Today is day five and Taehyung silently thanks God for creating the weekend. The job isn’t hard, but Hoseok, well, he’s a different story. 

“Taehyung,” Hoseok’s voice crackles from the intercom. The sound is tinny, staticky and it grates against all of Taehyung’s nerves, making his skin crawl. 

“Yes, sir,” Taehyung replies, voice clipped and irritated. Hoseok has called his name no less than fifteen times since his arrival forty-five minutes ago. 

“What does my itinerary look like for tomorrow?” Tomorrow? What the hell?  

“Sir, you are aware tomorrow is Saturday, right?” 

“Yes, and?” Taehyung reaches out to hit the reply button, to remind his boss the job is from Monday to Friday when the man’s voice comes crashing through the speakers. “Please come to my office; I’m not enjoying this game of telephone we’re playing.” 

Taehyung rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath before grabbing the documents he’s been working on along with Hoseok’s personal calendar.  Over the past week, every time Hoseok has summoned him to his room he’s kept him there, stating it was easier for them to communicate this way. Taehyung walks to the entrance of the office, hands filled with unfinished work; he leans down using his elbow to push down the handle. The door gives way easier than he anticipates and Taehyung falls into the room (literally), and papers fly in every direction. 

“Falling for me already are you?” Hoseok chuckles. 

“Falling, yes. For you, not so much,” Taehyung huffs from his position on the ground.

He gathers the papers as best as he can in a pile then tucks his knees, positioning himself to stand up. A hand grips him by the arm, and before Taehyung can properly grasp what’s happening, he’s up on his feet and tumbling into Hoseok chest. A startled gasp escapes his lips. 

“Are you sure it’s not for me?” His boss’s breath fans across his skin and it tickles.

Somewhat shaky from the sudden change in position, Taehyung on instinct places his palms against Hoseok’s chest to steady himself. He’s about to tell Hoseok he only falls for people he knows will remember him when the office door suddenly flies open. 

“Hey, Seok, have you looked at the-” a tall, impeccably dressed man with sun-kissed skin, and dark hair comes barreling into the room.  The stranger stops suddenly words caught in his mouth, “Sorry I, didn’t mean to interrupt.” The man’s staring, a mixture of curiosity and mirth reflecting in his brown eyes. 

Taehyung’s eyes follow the trajectory of the man’s gaze, he has a moment of unsolicited panic when he realizes how the situation must look to the stranger, his hands on Hoseok’s chest and Hoseok’s fingers hitched on his hips, holding him in place. 

“No, no, no, it’s not what you think.” Taehyung waves his hands frantically and takes two steps back out of Hoseok’s grip. 

“Choi, you always did have the worst timing,” Hoseok says with a smirk and waggles his brows at Taehyung. Heat pools on his skin, and he feels it burning from his neck to his ears. “Minho, you’re back early.” 

“The meetings went smoother than expected,” the man replies. 

“Oh, that’s excellent news. Results in our favor?” Hoseok looks at the man, expectation b in his eyes. 

“Yes, very much so,” the man called Choi replies, then turns to focus his attention on Taehyung. The man’s gaze is quizzical, searching, and intense. “New friend, Jung?” 

“Friend?” Hoseok’s still too close, and Taehyung takes another two steps back widening the distance between them. “Oh, you mean-” The CEO points in his direction and chuckles, “No, this is my new personal assistant, Kim Taehyung. Taehyung-sshi this is the CMO of our company Choi Minho. 

Taehyung extends his hand and bows to Minho. 

“Nice to meet you, sir. Please look on me favorably. May I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee?” The CMO smiles, and it’s not as breathtaking as Hoseok’s, but it has Taehyung’s breath hitching anyway. 

Hoseok’s handsome in an artistic way, in that all his features come together to create a piece of original, one of a kind art. Hoseok’s stunning and otherworldly, like the sun peeking through the clouds, setting the horizon ablaze. Minho on the other hand, is the quintessential boy next door, the high school crush, and the captain of the football team all rolled into one. Minho’s hot. 

“No, thank you, Taehyung-sshi.” Minho’s gaze turns back to Hoseok, head slightly tilted, curiosity still shining in his eyes. “New assistant? I thought you said that personal assist-”

Hoseok claps his hands together, cutting Minho off and causing Taehyung to jump, startled by the sound. 

“So, let’s talk about the Roland Project,” Hoseok interjects. “Taehyung-sshi, do you mind grabbing me a cup of coffee—no sugar, one cream? 

“An assistant,” Taehyung hears Minho ask as the door shuts behind him. 

“Uhm, what are you doing?” A female voice comes from behind Taehyung; his ear is pushed up against the wooden structure trying (but failing) to hear Hoseok’s response. 

“I, uhm, I’m…” Taehyung turns, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“You can’t hear a thing through these damn doors. Trust me, I’ve tried.” The woman chuckles, nose crinkling and eyes sparkling, and Taehyung thinks she’s adorable. “I’m Amber, Amber Liu. I’m Mr. Choi’s personal assistant.” 

Taehyung steps away from the door and straightens his jacket. 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Taehyung, Mr. Jung’s new personal assistant.” 

“Really? That’s so great. You must have some pretty impressive credentials.” 

“Huh?” Taehyung’s looks up, surprised by the comment. 

“Mr. Jung was pretty adamant about not having a pers-” the office door opening has Amber stopping mid-sentence, and Taehyung silently contemplates pushing the door shut so the woman can continue. “Duty calls. See you later, Taehyung,” Amber calls as Minho steps into the hall and beckons her to follow him to his office. 

“Bye, noona,” Taehyung replies and awkwardly bows to the Choi Minho, who stares for a beat longer than needed before nodding and walking away. 

“Hey, you get lost?” Hoseok’s head peeks from the side of the door. 

“Sorry, Mr. Jung. I was introducing myself to Mr. Choi’s PA. I’ll get you that coffee now.” Taehyung turns in the direction of the kitchen. 

“S’okay, Tae, I don’t want coffee anymore.” Taehyung almost trips over his feet shocked by Hoseok’s use of his nickname. It’s what Jimin calls him, but for reasons which Taehyung can’t explain the name sounds infinitely better coming from Hoseok’s lips. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah,” Hoseok smiles. “as you’ve pointed out, it’s Friday, so let’s maybe try to get out of here early today.” Taehyung nods his agreement. 

Hoseok holds the door open and motions for Taehyung to enter, and he makes his way back to his pile of forgotten papers still lying in a stack on the ground. He picks them up and heads to the brown leather sofa in corner closest to the door. He deposits his work on the coffee table before sitting down. The large chair is soft and comfortable, and if he weren't at work Taehyung would be snuggled up in the cushions with a blanket, reading his favorite Harry Potter book. 

“So, tomorrow your schedule seems pretty clear,” he answers Hoseok’s question from earlier once he’s situated. 

“Great, can you pencil in golf with the CEO of Jeon Industries. Do you play golf Taehyung?” A shudder runs through Taehyung at the mention of Jeon Industries, and he silently prays that Hoseok doesn't notice the change in his demeanor. 

“No, sir. Golf is against my religion.” 

“Against your religion?” Hoseok looks up from the documents on his desk. 

“Yes. I religiously dislike boring things, and golf’s boring,” Taehyung deadpans. 

Hoseok laughs, and his eyes crinkle, and it’s cute, and Taehyung’s angry that he likes it. 

“What, do you like then?” Hoseok asks offhandedly, and Taehyung’s heart flutters in his chest. 

“Uhm, I like a lot of things, probably too many to list.” 

“Humor me; it'll be a great help. These documents are boring as hell. I’m not a lawyer, why do I have to read all this jargon?” Hoseok tosses the papers back on the desk and scoots his chair forward, placing his elbows on the cherry wood structure and resting his head in his hand. “Feel free to regale me with a plethora of your likes.” 

“I don’t know, what if you forget?” Taehyung takes a jab at the man, but it’s anticlimactic since Hoseok doesn’t remember that he’s forgotten him.

“Please, I have the memory of an elephant,” Hoseok boasts, and Taehyung can’t help the fit of laughter that starts, not because the statement is funny; it’s not—it’s just a sad reminder that Hoseok found him forgettable.

“What’s so funny?” Hoseok’s head is tilted slightly, his eyes focused on Taehyung, and the gaze is so intense he stops laughing almost immediately. 

“Nothing, I just remembered something funny my roommate said this morning.” He lies, but he feels no guilt. 

“Mmm, so let’s hear it then.” 

“Puppies, I like puppies, and the color blue, and happy thoughts,” Taehyung starts. 

“What are you, five? Puppies and the color blue?” Hoseok chuckles, and Taehyung grimaces. 

“Look, you asked, now do you want to hear or not?” Taehyung forgets momentarily that the man behind the big desk is his boss. 

“My apologies, oh lover of puppies and blue things, please continue.” 

“Forget it; I don’t think I want to share my favorite things with someone who can’t appreciate them.” Taehyung folds his arms in front of his chest in a huff. 

“Are you angry?” Hoseok asks, and a mixture of mirth and surprise lace his tone. 

“No, I’m not.” Taehyung pouts, lower lip jutting out and brows crunched. 

“Oh my god, are you pouting? You ARE five.” Hoseok slaps the desk, laughing so hard his body his shaking. 

Taehyung leans over the coffee table to gather his things before standing to his feet. 

“Wait, what are you doing?” Hoseok questions in between laughter. 

“I’m going to my desk so that I can do my work. You know, the thing you pay this five-year-old to do.” 

“No, don’t go. I work better with you her—I mean…” Hoseok stops and Taehyung stills. “Just stay. I promise not to make fun of you. You’re right I did ask.” 

Turning around to face Hoseok, the first thing Taehyung notices is that the man’s not joking. The look in Hoseok’s eyes is one of sincerity like the CEO genuinely wants him to stay. Standing between the door and the couch Taehyung contemplates his choices: stay in the office with Hoseok or work at his desk. The latter is the better and most logical choice, yet he finds himself walking back toward the leather couch. 

“I’ll stay, but I’m not to sharing my favorite things.” He knows he sounds like a defiant child, but this is the second time in less than two weeks that Hoseok has made him feel insignificant and it hurts. 

“I’m sorry, Taehyung-sshi. I really am. Please forgive me. It was my very ill placed attempt at being jovial. I sincerely apologize.” 

It melts his anger, Hoseok’s apology--like ice under the glare of the sun, and a part of him marvels at how much he wants to forgive the man. 

“S’okay. Let’s just pretend that awkward moment didn’t happen, okay?” 

Hoseok smiles, and it’s bright and relieved and beautiful, and Taehyung wants to be mad again. 

“Okay.”

The tension ends just like, and they work in near silence for the rest of the day. To Taehyung’s great surprise, Hoseok also doesn’t call his name or interrupt him as he works. He’s caught the man looking on several occasions, each time Hoseok looks away quickly. Taehyung swears he sees a slight pink painted across the man’s cheeks, but he can’t prove it for certain. 

Hoseok is a taskmaster, a perfectionist and one totalitarian regime away from being a dictator, but he also has a warm smile and dancing eyes and he knows when to say he’s sorry. By the end of his first week, Taehyung learns that he may like Hoseok just a little more than he should.

The scent of waffles and bacon fills his room, and Taehyung pulls the cover over his head in a vain attempt to ignore the delightful aroma and sleep. Angry growls coming from his stomach have him sitting up in defeat, feet swishing around on the cold tile trying to find his house shoes. His eyes are still half closed as he shuffles to the kitchen zombie-style, directed by the scent. 

“Morning sleeping beauty.” Jimin’s greeting is much too cheery for whatever time in the morning it is. Taehyung alerts his friend to his displeasure by cocking an eye so he can see to flick Jimin in the forehead. “Ouch, what was that for?” 

“That’s for being a being a morning person,” Taehyung replies, voice thick and hoarse with remnants of sleep. 

“I forgive you, just talk to me some with your y morning voice. It does things to me.” Jimin dodges the swing of Taehyung’s arm to his chest. “Why so aggressive this morning, Tae?” 

“Because I wanted to sleep more but you made waffles and bacon, and the scent woke me up. You have yourself to blame for my early morning brutality.” 

“Mmm, I have no regrets,” Jimin announces waving the spatula in the air dramatically.

Taehyung grabs the orange juice from the fridge then reaches over Jimin’s head to grab a glass from the cupboard. 

“Thanks for breakfast Minnie.” 

“No problem. Hey, can you grab a couple of plates?” 

“K.” Taehyung sets the table for their meal and sits down to pour himself a glass of juice. 

Jimin dishes waffles and bacon onto his plate, and Taehyung smiles at the food, his glands salivating as the aroma wafts past his nostrils. He leans over and inhales, and the smile on his face grows wider because it smells so good. Jimin sits across from him, and they eat in silence for a while, the soft smacking of lips together as they eat is the only sound coming from the room. The lack of noise isn’t awkward or strange; it never is because years of friendship have taught them to be comfortable in each others presence. 

“You’ve been so busy this week I never got to ask, how’s it working with Hoseok? Has he shown any signs of remembering?” Jimin breaks the silence. 

“Nope. Nothing.” Taehyung sighs. 

“I still find that so strange. Have you brought it up? I don’t mean directly, but like, you know--subtle hints.” 

“Subtle hints? How? You mean like, hey, Hoseok have you ever had a one night stand with me?” 

“You do know what subtle means, right?” Jimin deadpans. 

“Don’t be a smart-.”

“Can’t be helped. My is smart as well as round and firm,” Jimin volleys back, and Taehyung giggles, the stress of working with Hoseok dissolving, melted away by the warmth of their many years of friendship. 

“Any other suggestions? Preferably ones that don’t require I ask probing questions.” 

“Yup, here’s a suggestion: Use what the good Lord gave you.” Jimin’s smirks mischievously. 

“Huh?” 

“Your body, Tae; use it.”= 

“Just so we’re clear, you're not telling me to bend my boss over his desk, right?” He's genuinely confused; clarification is necessary. 

“Ewww. Gross. No.” Jimin looks mortified, and the expression has Taehyung laughing harder than he should. 

“Good. Good, cause you, know, been there. What do you mean, though?” 

“I mean not so accidental, accidental touches and questionable word choices. I mean dressing like you own the world and you’re just allowing him the privilege of sharing it with you. I mean break him, make him confess. Because I don’t care how he acts, there’s no ing way he doesn’t remember you.” 

He’s not a sure there’s anything to break. It doesn’t feel like Hoseok’s pretending, but it’s the push he needs, a path to walk. He leans over the small square table to give Jimin a kiss on the cheek. 

“You’re best Jimin,” Taehyung tells his friend as he sits back in his seat.

“I deserve a reward for being the best, don’t you think?” Jimin responds with a waggle of his brows. 

“Mmm, you’re right, you do.“ Taehyung picks up his cell phone.

“W-who’re you calling?” Jimin stutters out nervously, and Taehyung chuckles.

“I’m calling Jin to tell him I authorize him to give you a .” 

Jimin chokes on his waffle, and Taehyung laughs harder. He hits the speed dial to his brother and watches with a sense of pride as Jimin squirms in his chair. 

“Hey, hyung, it’s me,” he starts. 

“Oh my god, Taehyung, please no…don't,” Jimin pleads rubbing his hands together, silently begging for mercy. 

“You’ll never guess what Jimin just did,” Taehyung’s body rocks with mirth when Jimin’s head hits the table in defeat. “He made waffles and bacon for breakfast, and it’s Saturday, and there’s a lot left. Come have some.” 

Jimin’s head pops up instantly, eyes wide with surprise and mouth hanging opening. Taehyung leans over and places his free hand under Jimin’s chin pushing his lips back together. 

“Okay, see you in a bit. No, I don’t think so, but I’ll ask Jimin.” Jimin is staring at him expectantly. 

“Hyung wants to know if he needs to bring anything?” 

Jimin shakes his head then mouths the words “just himself.” 

“He says, no. Mmm…Yes, he’s still adorable, yup he does still wanna get in your pants. Frankly, hyung, I think you should let him.”

The sound of a chair crashing to the ground startles Taehyung. He looks up and Jimin’s nowhere to be found, but he can hear the slightly older man screaming, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god over and over again in the hallway. Taehyung chuckles and thinks to himself that the right thing to do would be to let Jimin know that Jin hyung up the second he said no, but the look on his friend’s face is worth any revenge Jimin may dish out. 

His phone vibrates, and he watches it shimmy along the table for a brief moment before picking up. The number on the screen is not familiar, and there is no name attached. As a general rule, he doesn't acknowledge unknowns, but it’s a text. He swipes his finger across the screen and immediately wishes he hadn’t. 

It’s Saturday, it’s early, and Taehyung’s not mentally or emotionally prepared for the picture on his phone. Hoseok’s sitting in a golf cart with the sun behind his head, illuminating his already thousand-watt smile. Taehyung knows he should be wondering how the man got his number, but after reading the caption: hole in one , all he can do is smile from ear to ear. 

It’s Saturday, and it’s early, and  Taehyung’s not prepared for a morning attack from his illogically handsome boss. But of all the people that Hoseok could have sent a text to, he chose him—and even though he knows he shouldn’t feel special (the man forgot they had , after all) Taehyung’s heart flutters in his chest. Tiny bubbles of excitement and anticipation are popping in his core; he tries to squelch them, to push them down. He tells himself it’s wrong; he’ll get hurt. He reminds himself he’s done this before, and it didn’t end well. But out of all the people he could have sent a text to, Hoseok chose him, and Taehyung feels special. 

The rest of the weekend is spent toggling between making fun of Jimin’s crazy crush on his brother and daydreaming about Hoseok. Taehyung’s excited for Monday, excited to see Hoseok, excited to spend five full days in the man’s presence and he knows, he knows he shouldn’t be, but he is.

WEEKS TWO AND THREE

Taehyung’s not a morning person. On more than one occasion Jimin’s rescued him from brushing his teeth with icy hot and other non-toothpaste paraphernalia. It’s Monday, six AM, and he’s wide awake and ready to face the week. He has a new purpose, a new goal to work towards, having taken Jimin’s advice to heart, and while Taehyung genuinely believes Hoseok doesn’t remember him, a small part of him wants to test and see if there’s any truth to Jimin’s theory. Does Hoseok remember? Is he pretending? It makes no sense if he is; no one in their right mind would hire a one-night stand. 

The black suit lying on his bed is his favorite; it was a gift from his mother when he first got the news that he’d been hired as a full-time employee. She’d taken him to the tailor, and they’d chosen the style together. Taehyung had spent hours as a live mannequin so the man could get his proportions just right, and needless to say, the suit fits him like a second skin, hugging all the right places. Standing in front of his closet he looks over possible options for a shirt and decides on a black silk button-up; black and black goes well with his honey colored skin. He goes without a tie and leaves the top button undone. He surveys himself in the mirror, turning from one side to another, and he smiles, satisfied with his appearance. 

“Hot damn,” Jimin cat calls as he walks into the kitchen. “You look freaking hot. I almost feel sorry for Hoseok; he doesn't stand a chance.” 

Taehyung laughs and pats Jimin on the back. 

“Morning,” he says as he reaches past the man to grab the coffee pot from the stand. “Does this look say, y young professional, look but don’t touch?” 

“You definitely look hot, but it’s gonna be hard not to touch.” Jimin’s praise is the boost Taehyung’s belittled pride needs. 

“You don’t think I’m too overdressed?” 

“Have you watched a Korean drama?” 

“You do know that not real, right?” Taehyung chuckles as Jimin feigns shock, eyes wide and hands over his mouth. 

“You mean my tsundere personality isn’t going to make Jin fall madly in love with me? I feel so lied to.” 

“Minnie, I hate to break it to you, but you’re about as tsundere as a Carebear. Luckily for you, my brother loves the Carebears.” 

“Great! I’ll be Funshine, and you can be Grumpy.” Taehyung shakes his head at Jimin’s response.

Chugging his coffee, he walks to the door and slips on his dress shoes and his coat as he steps through the front door preparing to leave he calls out to Jimin. 

“Just so you know, Grumpy’s Jin’s favorite.” 

The door shuts, cutting off Jimin’s reply. Taehyung chuckles to himself as he walks to the bus stop. He knows the comments going to bug Jimin all day, and he anticipates several text messages on the topic.  All in all the Monday is off to a smashing start.

“Woah, you look amazing,” Amber exclaims when he steps into the office. 

“Thanks, my mom had it made for me as a gift, congratulations for getting the job.” 

“Your mom has excellent taste.” 

Taehyung beams, wallowing in the glow of Amber’s praise. 

“Amber, can I get a copy of th-” Minho’s words hit the brakes when his gaze lands on Taehyung. 

It’s slow and purposeful, the way the CMO’s eyes roam over every inch of Taehyung’s body. The tension rolling off the man’s almost palpable, and Taehyung takes a deep breath to steady his erratically beating heart. He won’t lie, he likes the attention. Their gazes lock. Minho’s undeniably attractive, and judging by the look in his eyes--very interested. 

“Uhm, I-I…you know it’s...let me check my office again.” Minho bows and retreats from the room like he’s on fire. 

“Well, that was awkward,” Amber says suddenly. 

He shrugs it off; he’s not interested in Minho. He’s already figured out the man’s drink: a Harvey Wallbanger, sweet, tart, and bitter. Minho would work him over good, and it’d be fun, but that was all. He wouldn't want more from the man. Taehyung s his jacket and takes a seat at his desk and switches on his computer. He goes about organizing his day as he waits for the system to boot up. Hoseok will be in within the hour, and if last week was any indicator of how this week will go, then Taehyung needs to get as much of his work done as possible before the man finds a reason to lock him up in his office. 

Taehyung’s so absorbed in what he’s doing he doesn’t hear the expensive dress shoes as they clack against the tile. He also doesn’t see the long, slender shadow being cast on his desk and computer screen. He looks up to ask Amber a question and is startled to find Hoseok looking back at him. 

“Sir,” he says, his chair screeching along the ground as he jumps to his feet. 

There’s a brief moment where Hoseok’s just looking, and Taehyung regrets his clothing choice. The man’s gaze is intense, glaringly so, and it reminds Taehyung of Superman’s laser beam as it pierces through to his soul. It doesn't make sense really, Hoseok’s effect on him. It was one night, just one--that apparently only Taehyung remembers, and yet there’s something there, something…something he’s determined to uncover. 

The sweet, familiar heat--the one that always appears in Hoseok’s presence, begins to spread like wildfire in his core, and Taehyung needs a distraction, something that will take his gaze off Hoseok. 

“Can I get you some coffee, sir?” Taehyung asks, breaking the hold Hoseok had on him. 

“No, thank you, Taehyung-sshi.” The voice sounds strained. “We have a lot to do today. When you finish here, bring the documents from Friday and come to my office.” The words are a command, and Taehyung is confused as to what has put the man in such a foul mood. 

“Yes sir, Mr. Jung.” Taehyung finally exhales the breath he’s been holding. 

Taehyung quickly finishes typing the proposal for the children’s charity event. He hits save and powers down his computer, then grabs the paperwork Hoseok had told him to bring and walks to the man’s door, ignoring Amber’s giggles coming from behind him. 

He enters the office and sets his work down on the coffee table before taking a seat on the couch. They work in silence, for the most part. Taehyung keeps his gaze downcast focused on his work because Hoseok’s eyes are a car crash and he can’t look away. 

“Did you get my text?” Hoseok breaks the silence. His voice sounds uncertain, almost as though he’d been trying to find a way to ask the question and wasn’t sure this was it. 

“Yes, sir, I did.” Taehyung looks up but doesn’t meet the man’s gaze. 

“Thank you for setting it up.” 

“You’re welcome. Did you win?” 

“No, but I didn’t lose either, and most importantly it got me some face time with Jeon Corp’s President.” Hoseok has no idea how the mention of that name affects Taehyung. 

“I’m happy to hear that, sir.” Taehyung avoids the topic of Jeon Corp. 

“You look very nice today, Taehyung-ssi.” The statement comes out of left field and wallops Taehyung like a stray baseball traveling at a hundred miles per hour. 

His mind falters, and all his words disappear. The thing is... he expected Hoseok to look, maybe even gawk