Hyukjae was checking his phone while waiting for the elevator when he noticed someone step beside him. He looked up and saw that it was one of the new staff. He remembers this man because though he didn't speak out during the meeting two weeks ago, he was listening very attentively and taking down notes with eyes full of wonder like he was truly enjoying the discussion. The said man was holding several coffees presumably for their meeting today and dipped his head a little at him while smiling shyly. Hyukjae dipped his head as well and pulled the corner of his lips a little then went back to looking at his phone. 

The elevator dinged and they both got on. Before the door closed, Kyuhyun joined them.

“Donghae!” Kyuhyun said and hugged the other man, to Hyukjae’s utmost surprise. Kyuhyun was clingy at times but definitely is like Hyukjae himself who’s not that fond of skinship, but tolerates it with people he really likes and is close with.

“Wow, you didn’t even greet me at all,” Hyukjae said to Kyuhyun, still with his eyebrows raised.

“I saw you this morning, Hyukjae.”

This brat.

And then Kyuhyun just proceeded talking to the other man - Donghae, as Kyuhyun called him - until they reached their floor and even walked with him to the meeting room, leaving Hyukjae behind. With mild annoyance, Hyukjae went to the washroom first before stomping inside the meeting room, just in time to see Yesung ruffling Donghae’s hair and Siwon greeting him with a hug.

Huh. Everyone seems to coddle this man. 

A few minutes later, everyone settled down and the meeting started. To Hyukjae’s surprise, contrary to being very quiet during the last meeting, it was Donghae who introduced all the demo tracks for their new album. He described each track in great detail, also relating them to the concept SKYE wanted to portray, their past hits, current trends, and so on. As the group gave their opinion on each song, he also participated so much in the discussion - both the technical and general stuff. Apparently, this man is very well versed in music and is very passionate about it. Hyukjae must admit that he is very much impressed. 

Not just a pretty face then.

After several hours, the meeting finally wrapped up, complete with a promise of another meeting next week with the Korean version of the foreign demo tracks and an enhancement to the arrangement of another demo track.

***

“Well that was productive,” Hyukjae said while stretching out his arms while waiting for s to fix their stuff.

“I have a very good feeling about this comeback. The shortlisted songs were so good I feel like the ones we rejected were a waste,” Yesung piped up.

“I agree. Donghae did a great job again this time,” Kyuhyun said.

“Wh--” Before Hyukjae can ask, Siwon beat him to it.

“Donghae?” Siwon asked Kyuhyun with his signature eyebrows up.

“Yes, he’s the one who led the shortlisting for my album tracks last time as well. He’s really good with music.”

“He--”

“I thought he was just an intern? He told me he just started this year and is still a beginner,” Siwon asked again, still looking surprised.

“How--”

“Yes he was just a beginner, but the supervisors clearly saw the potential in him in the first comebacks he worked in, so he was tasked to lead some comebacks as well. Thankfully, mine and ours got assigned to him.”

Before anyone could interrupt his questions again, Hyukjae immediately asked Kyuhyun, “Wait, wait. I understand you know Donghae from your last album, but how come you seem to know a lot about him?”

Kyuhyun shrugged and said, “We bonded.”

That’s still so unlike Kyuhyun but Hyukjae let