“Are you new around here? Like, did you just move to this area?” Jinyoung was actually more accepting to me that I thought he would be.

I wonder if he will act the same when at work with me, or with others.

“I just moved to the area.” He sighed, scratching his head.

“You don’t want me to show you around, do you…?” I smirked to myself.

“I think I’ll manage without you.” He scoffed, stopping in his place.

“Yah, I’m just nice enough to help you. You should be happy that I’m even showing you the way back. I don’t have to.” I let out a scoff of my own, turning my face to him, making sure our eyes connected for the first time today.

“I was walking on my own when you went out of your way to grab my arm. It was your own choice.” He looked baffled, me pulling my baseball cap back down to cover my eyes from him.

“Y-Yah.” He grabbed my arm. “Don’t act like that to your senior. I am technically older at the company than you.” I clicked my tongue.

“How old are you?”

“21. You?” He asking with crossed arms.

“Ha, I’m already 22. Guess I’m the older one.” He rolled his eyes.

“Whatever. I’ll show you the way home once today and that’s it. You’re on your own after that, got it?” How funny. Jung Jinyoung seems to be the type who acts rude, but essentially does care for others.

Perhaps Miss Hyorin, the hirer, actually didn’t see through his obvious personality.

But I shouldn’t judge too fast.

“Yeah, so this is your house, right?” Jung Jinyoung asked impolitely when we reached my residence.

“Yup. Thanks.” I said simply, starting to walk with my hands in my pockets.

“Yah,” He grabbed my arm once again, scratching his head a bit, “That one over there is my place. Come by if you really need something.” He said quietly and quickly, turning to go into his own home.

How amusing. He’s actually nice under his nonchalant words.

Jinyoung POV

Yawning on my way out, I took the subway to work, noticing that girl in the same subway car too. Name…Name… Ah, Hee Yeon. Haha, my brain just wanted to say the ugly one.

She was standing up, but there were a lot of empty seats in this car… Maybe she prefers to stand?

I got off at the stop near the office, a bit confused when that girl stayed on, the doors closing without a move from her.

Maybe she doesn’t know that this was the stop for the office yet…? I guess I could have told her… Oh, well. She’ll get to work eventually. The boss won’t be too hard on her, since it’s only her second day.

.

“Sorry for being late.” I glanced out of my cubicle when I heard the door open, seeing that new girl again. It’s expected that she’d be late when I barely got here on time haha. “I took the wrong subway exit…”

“Oh, it’s fine. Didn’t Jinyoung tell you the way?” Eh. “Jinyoung!” Are you serious?! Am I going to have to take the heat for this?!

“Yes, Sir…” I came over to his desk.

“I thought I told you to take care of Hee Yeon-shi, since you two live near each other and because she just moved here. I expected you to do a better job.”

“I’m sorry, Sir…” I lowered my head, glaring at Hee Yeon after we both went back to our cubicles. “Idiot.” I said under my breath.

“Sorry, dummy.” Ha. I rolled my eyes, getting back to my own work.

“Ah, Jinyoung-shi, can you help me with this?” Wah~ It’s Minhee~ She’s looking cute again!

“Sure, what is it?” I answered eagerly, wanting to get to know her a lot better~

“This line here… Is it good?” I looked at the lyrics she had, not very many yet and all a bit badly written… Okay, like, horrible in my eyes.

How did Minhee even get hired with this type of work…? Maybe she’s just nervous right now and can’t think and write straight! Yeah, I’ll go with that!

“Are you checking work or something…?” Hee Yeon snipped at me while she passed by.

“What’s it matter to you?” I shrugged my shoulders at her rudely, getting a stare from her. “What? Do you have something too?”

“Almost done with it. You?” Almost done? Yeah, right. She can’t write that fast.

“Really? Let’s see?” I held my hand out to her and Minhee suddenly gasped loudly.

“You’re really going to read it?! Hee Yeon-ah will beat you though!”

“This isn’t a competition!” I blurted out, clearing my voice to calm myself. “Let’s all have a read then.”

“The boss wanted to see it. I’ll show him first.” She simply walked away, making me grumble a bit.

“Hee Yeon-ah’s amazing, isn’t she~?” Minhee cooed. “I want to write like her someday.” She smiled, leaving back to her work space. I sighed, scratching my head.

This Hee Yeon person… She’s definitely a foe.

First, she writes better than me on the first day. She’s fast too. Second, she totally ruined my moment to talk with Minhee! She won’t get away with that.

Hee Yeon POV

He’ll be pretty easy for you. I’m not sure of how you wanted to break him yet though- Yaot

I already know. I picked up my bag, nonchalantly walking by Jung Jinyoung’s cubicle to make his eyes look towards me.

“Ah,” that was a fast response, “I guess I’m supposed to walk you home or something.” He said, collecting his own work in his bag. “Let’s go…” I kept my hands in my pockets, leaving with him.

I just hope that Minhee told him what I wanted her to after I left.

…Using codenames is confusing at points, but it’s the safest. I don’t even use her real name in my thoughts, just calling her by Yaot or, at the moment, Minhee.

“Yah, stop walking so fast!” I smirked, losing my expressions when Jung Jinyoung appeared by my side. “Making me come after you like this… Don’t get used to it.” He snapped, standing next to me.

“I didn’t say anything.” I responded, gaining a scoff from him.

“Ha, you’re obviously acting like a lost little girl so the boss and everyone else will sympathize with you! Then you even write well, and, i-it’s so bothersome!” He groaned loudly with his complaints.

“I am acting like a normal person. It is not my fault if others be nice to me especially.” Hm. My language seems to always go back to my usual with him. It sounds too sophisticated. “And it’s not my problem that I write good songs. It’s your fault for writing y ones.” He scoffed at me with wide eyes. I think I got good, more casual words this time.

“Yah! I write very well!” He exclaimed with flared nostrils. “You’re not that amazing yourself, so don’t get a big head!” He yelled, crossing his arms as we waited at a street light.

“Sure, sure.” I egged him on a bit with a straight face while we walked to the subways.

“Tch. Whatever.” Oh, is someone upset? Good.

We were waiting for the subway when he suddenly walked farther away from me, maybe trying to make sure he sat in a different part of the subway cars because he was mad?

I just waited in my place anyway.

The subway I wanted started approaching, my hand being grabbed by his out of the crowd.

“It’s the other one.” He looked away from me, pulling me with him through the mob of people rushing towards the subway that just came behind us.

Jung Jinyoung seems to care for people, but he tries not to show it completely.

It’s still easy to notice.

We waited for a different station again when I noticed that he kept tapping his foot loudly. “What?” I asked, annoyed by the noise.

“You didn’t even say thank you. I went out of my way to help you. Hmph.” He crossed his arms again, making me laugh a little.

“Thank you~” I cooed a bit cutely, trying to soften him with my character, Hee Yeon. You have to soften someone to break them slowly.

Miss Hyorin wanted me to do it brutally, so I shall.

Jung Jinyoung won’t shatter; he’ll crumble steadily and excruciatingly.

The pain has to get him, like how it did to Miss Hyorin.

Jinyoung POV

Ugh, she’s so pitiful… A-And where did that cuteness just come from?!

Ugly people seriously shouldn’t do that; it disgusted me… I did find myself staring at her now though.

The subway came and I sat down, noting that she was standing again like last time.

There were quite a few stops before ours, so I let my thoughts drift while I sat. My eyes darted back up when there was a man standing next to her.

That guy’s a known ert around here. He doesn’t get in trouble because women usually don’t report him though.

The subway started moving again, my eyes closely watching the hand that was sneaking towards her. I almost reached my own hand to her, retracting it when she turned her head to his face. I didn’t know what to think when the man moved away, towards the door quickly after.

D-Did she do something…? That guy isn’t the type to just back down from a stare… Oh well.

Our stop came and we got off together.

“S-So…" I started, feeling a bad air from her. Was she upset…?

“So what?” She asked in an annoyed voice.

“Uh, did that guy try to touch you back there? He’s a ert.”

“Not really.” She replied simply, making me a bit awkward.

“Okay.” I left it there, the two of us going into our respective houses once we reached them.

Hee Yeon POV

Ha. That man dared touch my arm even. I bent his fingers back so fast that he ran away from me.

Note; Jung Jinyoung cared enough to ask about it, but not continue the conversation.

I walked to the subway the next morning, actually seeing the man from yesterday waiting for a subway car. “Hey.” He shirked back immediately, recognizing me only because of my clothes.

I always wear a baseball cap and oversized sweatshirt for Hee Yeon’s character.

“Can you help me?” I asked normally, taking his hand when he looked away, him instantly backing up a step.

“W-What do you want?” He asked quietly.

“From now on, I want you to come onto this subway station every weekday morning and stand close to me. And then every weekday evening, I want you to try and touch my .”

“Who the hell asks for that?!” He was confused, but I needed the extra favor.

“Do it or I’ll report you for ual assault. Even if they don’t arrest you, I’ll make your life hell. Your finger feeling better?” He looked upset, nodding.

“That’s all, right? Anything else?” He asked spitefully.

“Ah, only do it if this person is in the subway.” I held up Jung Jinyoung’s photo for him.

“Do you like him or something…?” I shook my head, leaving an explanation out of the conversation. I kept the man’s appearance in mind though. He was actually a younger man, but not too young; maybe in his early 30’s. “Ah, wait, are you always going to wear these clothes. I can barely see your face… What if I don’t recognize you?” I sighed, taking off my hat.

“What?” I asked when he stared.

“Your hair…”

“It’s just tied up. What’s the big deal?” He shook his head, pointing a finger to it.

“There’s a piece of duct tape in it…” That’s to make sure the hat stays in place; I don’t want Jung Jinyoung to see my whole face yet. He can only see my eyes when I turn my head a certain way with this hat. This way, my hair is also covered and hidden away.

Jinyoung POV

She’s always standing on the subway… Ah.

That ert’s standing close to her again… Maybe she didn’t tell him to leave her alone yesterday? I watched for a while, seeing that he wasn’t doing anything special, just standing next to her.

Whatever then. We got to work, going to our cubicles for the day. Minhee kept talking to me, which I liked, since she’s cute haha. But to be honest, her conversations are boring and a little annoying.

“Ah, Hee Yeon-ah!” Minhee’s voice shot up, my eyes being directed to Hee Yeon walking by. “Did you finish another song?!” What, seriously?!

“No. I’m just walking.” Haha, does Minhee think Hee Yeon only moves after writing a full song?

Work finished quickly today, Hee Yeon and I walked to the subway station together. I sat down and she stood as usual.

That ert was near her again… Don’t tell me, he’s targeted her? Even erts can do better than Hee Yeon… I wonder if he can see her face when he’s standing that close… I haven’t really seen Hee Yeon’s face close up.

Her cap’s always blocking her eyes and her hair is stuffed in there too. It’s not easy to see her if she has her head down as well…

Fingers…My eyes followed them, seeing that guy’s snaking towards her…her . What the hell… Hopefully she notices before he touches her…

The subway stopped, Hee Yeon automatically walking off before the ert could touch her. I laughed a little under my breath, exiting the place too.

.

Another morning on the subway… It’s so tiring to go to work. At least it’s already Thursday. I yawned, sitting in the subway, my sleepy eyes looking around only to pause on Hee Yeon and that ert again.

He’s always standing next to her… I wonder if she doesn’t notice. She didn’t seem to be the oblivious type though. But he’s not even trying to touch her right now… I guess it doesn’t matter then.

Work went by quickly, Hee Yeon and me going to the subway together again. It’s really crowded today…

I sighed in my seat, seeing that ert near Hee Yeon again. They are pretty close, since the place was so crowded.

Why’s she always gotta stand? A guy can touch girls so much easier that way.

Our stop came before he tried anything, the two of us exiting with the mob of people going for the door.

.

Works finally over for the week~ Time for the beautiful weekend! I was grinning at the thought of going out to a club or something. I haven’t met anyone in a long time… Always working on songs for my job haha.

I was going to ask Minhee if she wanted to go with me, but the boss kept me busy, so I didn’t get the chance to ask her out… I guess there’s always next week…

My thoughts started to drift as usual as I sat on the subway. It was really crowded again this evening.

That stupid ert was next to Hee Yeon again and his hand was seriously getting dangerously close to her .

I don’t like that. Who the hell would want to touch that ugly thing?

Still, my eyes focused on his hand, flickering to the station number we were at; there were still many stops until we got off.

They’re so close… His hand was already so near her too… I looked away, trying to ignore the situation, attempting to make eye contact with Hee Yeon, but she wasn’t paying attention. She was even facing to me, since she was standing just about in front of me.

His hand was seriously inching closer… The subway doors opened for a stop and his hand moved forward towards her. Ah! My body sprang up and squished into the space between them. A shiver ran down my back when his hand gripped my instead of hers.

“Can I help you? Nope? Then let the hell go.” I said bitterly with resentment, facing a little away from Hee Yeon’s direction.

She didn’t even seem to notice my gesture! Ugh! Hee Yeon ! I didn’t just get my fondled by a guy for nothing!

Our stop came eventually, my fingers grabbing her arm and pulling her out.

“Yah, did you not see that guy trying to assault you?! What are you doing, idiot?! You need to pay more attention!”

“I didn’t say you had to do anything.” She replied plainly.

“W-What?! You were just going to let him grab your ?! What’s wrong with you?!”

“I would have stopped him. You just stepped in first.” This girl is crazy…

“Tch. Whatever.” I crossed my arms. “You’re welcome.” She let out a small laugh.

“Yup.” Such an uninterested and casual answer…

Ugh, she’s going to make my brain go mad, isn’t she?