Anger. That was all Jihoon could feel at the moment.

 

When he’d asked Mr. Kim if they could talk before he left the meeting room, this wasn’t how he’d expected things to go. Granted, he hadn’t expected any of the morning’s events to happen, but this? This took the cake.

 

Maybe if Jihoon hadn’t been so angry that he’d stayed after the meeting, this would have been one of his co-worker’s problems, not his.

 

Unfortunately for Jihoon that wasn’t the case. He couldn’t help himself, what with the way Kwon Soonyoung had been sitting there playing around on his phone and then had the audacity to smirk at Jihoon when he caught him glaring. Anyone else in his position would have done the same.

 

So naturally, he asked “Mr. Kim sir, do you have a minute? I’d like to talk to you.”

 

He made sure his voice was stern enough that even though Mr. Kim was his superior, he’d feel like he couldn’t give him ‘no’ as an answer.

 

So Mr. Kim obviously agreed, and much to Jihoon’s satisfaction it was clear that Kwon Soonyoung could tell his presence there wasn’t wanted anymore. He nervously cleared his throat and the cocky aura the man had when he’d smirked at Jihoon was less prominent in that moment. Of course Soonyoung looked like he still didn’t want to be there, but his face had changed into a more confused expression, almost like he couldn’t figure out what he was supposed to be doing.

 

If Jihoon wasn’t so mad, he might have felt bad.

 

Mr. Kim took notice of Soonyoung’s predicament and said, “Mr. Kwon, you can head out to Mr. Lee’s desk and wait for him there, we’ll only be a moment.”

Soonyoung nodded and took one more nervous look around the room before he walked out the door. And Jihoon? Jihoon was beyond confused. Did Mr. Kim just send Kwon Soonyoung to his desk?

 

It was still early and this day was already turning out to be more than a match for Jihoon.

 

“Sir, what’s going on?” Jihoon asked, needing some kind of explanation.

 

Mr. Kim sighs, “Look Mr. Lee, I’m truly sorry. I know how badly you wanted this job, but there’s nothing I can do now. We have to respect our President’s wishes, and his wish was that we put his son in charge of your division. I ask that you please just accept it for what it is.”

 

So Kwon Soonyoung was President Kwon’s son?

 

This takes Jihoon a minute to process. From what he’d heard in the two years he’s been here, the President’s son didn’t want anything to do with the company. There were rumors that it was because he was rebellious, but since no one that worked here had ever seen or talked to the guy there wasn’t any way to confirm that, so why? Why bring in someone who doesn’t seem to have any interest in working here or any form of training to run a whole division?

 

“Mr. Kim I don’t understand what’s going on here. I won’t lie, I’m not happy with the President’s decision and I know you can’t help with that, but can you at least tell me why you sent him to my desk? If I have to accept this, I at least want an explanation.”

 

Jihoon usually wasn’t this persistent when the team leader told him to do something, but this time was different. Besides, he knew Mr. Kim was fond enough of him that he wouldn’t be mad at Jihoon for asking questions.

 

“Jihoon, please don’t be too shocked by what I’m about to ask of you,” Mr. Kim said, uncharacteristically dropping formalities. “Obviously your new team leader is a bit, well, unprepared to take on the role. President Kwon asked me to put the best of the Product Design and Management division in charge of Soonyoung’s training, and that just so happens to be you.”

 

Jihoon was once again dumbfounded. Not only had he lost the promotion, but now he was involuntarily selected to train someone who’d soon be his superior? He wanted nothing to do with that responsibility.

 

“Ah, look at the time,” Mr Kim. said, looking at his watch. “We’d better get back to work, Mr. Lee. Good luck with the training, I know you’ll do well.”

 

He didn’t even have the slightest clue how to respond Mr. Kim. Any other time he would have gladly taken it as a compliment, but the fact that it had come when he was already upset? That made it feel more like a blow to his self confidence than something positive.

 

Jihoon had way too much pride to admit that though, so the response he gave Mr. Kim was a nod followed by a polite bow to show he understood rather than questioning his team leader’s authority any farther. However, he did allow himself to feel a little bit of self pity when he finally left the conference room and took a quick bathroom break. Jihoon didn’t cry of course, that’s where he drew the line. Instead, once he was finished he took a deep breath and started to walk back to his desk, hiding his bruised ego behind a straight face.

 

That is, until he sees Kwon Soonyoung sitting at his desk, in his chair, tapping away on his phone again.

 

Jihoon tried, he really did, to keep his anger in check but it was futile at this point. It had been simmering inside him for the past hour and Jihoon could feel he’d reached the breaking point when he quickened his pace. Soonyoung didn’t look up or take notice of Jihoon when he reached the desk, but he definitely notices when Jihoon slams his folder down onto it with a loud bang.

 

The low hum of work-related chatter stopped immediately and Jihoon could feel how all the eyes in the room were now on the two of them. Soonyoung visibly gulps and nervously runs the hand that wasn’t holding his phone through his dyed hair. However, that nervousness is short lived because when Soonyoung looks up to meet Jihoon’s eyes, he leans back in the chair and raises an eyebrow.

 

Jihoon hadn’t spoken one word to the man and he already didn’t know how he’d manage three weeks of training him, but he had no choice.

 

“So Mr. Kwon, since you’re new here I assume there’s a lot you don’t know. Luckily for me, I’ve been given the honor of training you but there are a few rules we need to establish first,” Jihoon starts his lecture with a sarcastic tone and holds up his index finger. “Rule number one: no cell phones during work hours unless it’s for business purposes, and that doesn’t include your personal business.”

 

With that said, Jihoon reaches over to take the phone out of Soonyoung’s hands and sits it down on the other end of the desk. The look of shock on his face gave Jihoon just a little bit of joy given the current situation. Soonyoung crosses his arms over his chest, obviously annoyed, but he still continues to pay attention.

 

“Rule number two: you may be training to be our new team leader, but right now you listen to me. It’s my job to make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to, so that means if I tell you to do something, you do it. No questions asked unless there’s something you don’t understand.”

 

Jihoon didn’t know where he was getting all of this confidence from. Sure, he was more authoritative by nature but actually putting it into practice wasn’t something that he did very often. Apparently he didn’t sound firm enough though because Soonyoung rolls his eyes at that, and it’s all Jihoon can do to keep his cool.

 

“Rule number three: treat me with respect. If you do I’ll do the same for you, but if you keep doing what you just did don’t expect me to, President’s son or not this is a workplace and all of us are expected to be civil.”

 

They could hear snickers from the rest of their co-workers listening in and Soonyoung narrows his eyes just slightly, but he doesn’t comment. Jihoon felt pretty pleased with himself that he’d made his points clear enough that the man doesn’t even dare to talk back. Maybe he could at least gain direct leadership experience from this, but that remains to be seen.

 

“And lastly, this isn’t really a rule but moreso a request: no more talking than necessary. I’m here to work, not make friends. If you cooperate with all this I’ll make your training super easy and you’ll actually be able to run our team when the time comes.”

 

Jihoon holds out a hand for Soonyoung to shake, a polite gesture after the whole lecture he’d just given the man. Maybe he came off as a bit harsh, but Jihoon was angry and he did the best he could. However, when Soonyoung sits there with his arms still crossed and doesn’t make any move to accept the handshake, it seems his best wasn’t good enough and it confirms what Jihoon already feared:

 

This was going to be hell.