They have a meeting about the project a few days after the announcement of the chosen designs. The previous days were spent with more tedious intern work, but Jaera can’t complain. Sure, she feels tired, but it is working life after all.

Her texts with Junmyeon have been more frequent. She tries to avoid talking about her problems, and she doesn’t think she’ll have the courage to do so anyway. She hasn’t seen him lately other than a few hellos at lunch. Her earlier resolve to distance herself from him doesn’t seem to be playing out well though. She’s too afraid of looking rude if she ignores him.

“Good morning,” Yerim greets Jaera as she walks through the door, a fresh cup of coffee in her hands.

“Morning. You’re early today.” Jaera replies warmly. Other than a few complaints here and there, Yerim has been the same. Disappearing sometimes during lunch and arriving to work a few minutes before she’s late.

“Of course. We’re having our first meeting on the project, right? My parents were so happy when they found out that my design got chosen.”

Jaera smiles uncomfortably. “Oh? I’m sure they were really proud.”

“At least we won’t be doing any 3D modelling for the time being. This meeting is a blessing in disguise.”

Then, the doors open and Sehun strolls in. He utters a good morning to the both of them and settles into his seat. He has been sort of distant towards Jaera for the past few days, but she thinks that it’s because of tiredness or the fact that Yerim’s design got chosen.

“Where’s Sooyoung?” Jaera asks. She’s noticed that her two friends have gotten closer throughout the few weeks they’ve been here.

Sehun looks up from his phone, eyebrows furrowing. “She’s running a little late. She’ll be here in time for the meeting, though.”

Looking down at her watch, she realises that it is about fifteen minutes to the meeting. Her first ever meeting about a very important project, that her design got chosen for. It makes her fidget out of nervousness.

Just then, Mr Lee sends a message to their group chat for everyone to gather in the meeting room if they’ve arrived. He’ll meet them there.

Jaera sends a text to Sooyoung, asking her if she’s okay. It isn’t like her friend to come late to work. Her reply is almost instantaneous, telling her to go ahead. Traffic is bad, it seems.

Biting her lip, she still has second thoughts about going upstairs for the meeting. She still has time to wait, so she’ll wait. Yerim stands up, slinging her bag over her shoulder and motions at them to get going.

“Why are you just sitting there?” Sehun asks, all of a sudden.

“Waiting for Sooyoung. It isn’t like her to be late, so I think it’d be better if we both go up together.”

His eyes soften. “Just go. She wouldn’t want you to get in trouble on her account. Besides, this isn’t high school anymore. You could get in trouble for being late to this work meeting, you know?”

After a moment of hesitation, she sighs. Sehun is right. “Okay, let’s go then.”

The three of them walk up the stairs to the meeting room, where Mr Lee, Mr Byun and the other interns are waiting. They bow to their superiors and a spark of recognition flashes in Mr Byun’s eyes when he sees Jaera.

“Hey, Junmyeon’s high school junior, right?”

Her eyes dart around the room as the attention is pinned on her. “Um, yes. That’s me.”

“Congratulations on your design getting chosen. Like we said that day, we had a really hard time picking because your team sent in great sketches.” His voice goes softer as not to let the others hear. “Yours in particular fit very well with the school.”

“Thank you. It’s mostly because I had the advantage of being a student there.”

“Like Junmyeon, right?”

Before she can answer, the said man enters the room. “Talking about me?”

Jaera immediately moves to stand upright. “Good morning, sun- Mr Kim!”

He merely chuckles, waving a hand at her. Yerim and Sehun stand up as well to greet him as she shuffles awkwardly to get her seat beside Sehun.

“Where’s Sooyoung?” Mr Lee asks as the other two men converse softly beside him. “The superiors are going to be here soon.”

As if they were living in a movie, the door slams open to reveal a dishevelled Sooyoung. She drops into a 90-degree bow. “I am so sorry for being late!”

“Technically, the work hour hasn’t started yet, so this won’t go on your record. Remember to come earlier if there are meetings next time. Even though most of the superiors are nice, you shouldn’t take advantage of that.”

The tone of his voice is a little harsh, which is kind of expected from a team leader. But then again, he has never been this harsh towards Yerim. Sooyoung apologises once more before getting into her seat beside Jaera. She looks like she’s going to have a breakdown.

“I was in the hospital to accompany my mum last night,” she explains to Jaera, head still in her hands. “I overslept.”

Jaera’s heart cracks a little. “Is your mum okay?”

“She slipped and fell. Got a few fractures. Thankfully, it’s nothing too serious.”

Jaera pats her friend soothingly. It must be tough. “The superiors didn’t come yet, so that’s okay. Mr Lee is probably just stressed.”

Sooyoung gives her a tight-lipped smile and they both know he would never raise his voice at his beloved Yerim. Jaera barely has it in her to defend the girl anymore. Sehun reaches over to pat Sooyoung on the knee when she is still tense in her seat.

The superiors arrive shortly after and handouts are passed around. Jaera makes herself focus on the meeting because what she’s supposed to do is actually… work. Not exhaust herself with office politics and her teammates and Junmyeon.

No unnecessary thinking. Just work.

-

“Jaera, can you stay back for a bit?” Junmyeon calls out. “I have something to discuss with you.”

She blinks. “Okay.”

The room starts to clear out with everyone leaving. Sooyoung looks distracted as she bids Jaera goodbye while Sehun doesn’t even look at her. Soon enough, it’s just the two of them in the meeting room.

“What did you want to see me about, Mr Kim?”

“I think I’ve managed to figure it out.”

Jaera raises a brow. “Figure what out?”

“The thing happening within your team.” Junmyeon waves his arms in the air as he paces around the room. “It’s Yerim, isn’t it? It was already sort of strange that you all excluded her during the trip to Chungdam High School. Your teammates are quite open about disliking her too. I even saw the boy roll his eyes at her just now.”

She is speechless. Has he managed to figure it all out?

“I’m not sure if you know this about Yerim, but-”

Jaera interrupts him before he can say it out loud. She’d rather not hear from a senior that Yerim and Mr Lee are actually dating. “Yes, it’s true. She told me about it on the first day of work and our