Hyuk’s POV 

It’s been a couple of weeks since Donghae started working here and since he was working for Sungmin and Sungmin was my assistant, we saw each other all the time. Most of the time he’d be cooped up in one of our offices’ helping us with tedious organizing and paper work, but he never complained about it being too boring.

For the first couple of days, the two of us couldn’t finish a sentence without Donghae blushing red, but after Sungmin started to make small talk with him, he’s been more comfortable and now talks more freely. 

We chitchat when we’re stuck in the office together, but not about personal things — just random stuff. Since he mentioned something about inheriting his mother’s company someday, I try to give him business advice, but Sungmin just talks to him about k-pop bands, which Donghae doesn’t seem to mind much. 

I was sitting in my office at the moment, refusing to do work and instead pondering useless things like how it’s already the middle of August and Donghae’s soon going to start school. He’ll probably quit coming here since this was only supposed to be a summer job. 

I let out a sigh. 

Just then the phone rang.

“Lee Hyukjae,” I spoke curtly into the speaker. 

“Mr. Lee, there’s someone requesting to see your assistant,” Sulli from down in the lobby said in her usual cheerful tone. 

“Why didn’t you call Sungmin’s office then?” They probably wanted him anyway. 

“Well, Donghae is usually in your office most of the time so I decided it might save time if I just called you first.” They wanted Donghae? Who would be asking to see him? It certainly couldn’t be anything business related— he didn’t know anyone here yet.

“They’re in the lobby waiting so if you could send him down that would be great,” she went on as chipper as ever.  

“Uh, yeah. He went to deliver something a while ago. When he gets back I’ll send him down,” I said, pursing my lips a little. 

“Awesome!” And the line clicked off. 

I didn’t even have time to process the call because as soon as it ended, another one came in. 

I stabbed the speaker button. “What?”

“Uh-Sir, Changmin just came by and asked about you. I, uh, told him you were busy at the moment,” Yongguk spoke carefully into the phone. 

I heaved out a sigh. The deal with him was finalized already and everything was in place. He didn’t need to keep coming over here like some wandering pigeon. He only did because he knew it annoyed me and he wanted nothing more than to waste my time. “Just send him in now so that I can get over with this.”

“Oh. Well, um, after I told him you were busy, he left and said he would be back later,” he said with a nervous cough at the end. 

More sighing. “Fine. Whenever he comes back just send him in so that he doesn’t keep creeping around the building.” And with that I hung up. 

Just another fine Friday morning. 

I glanced at the bulky report in my hand and decided on smacking it up against my face a couple of times. 

Maybe if I hit hard enough all this will go away and I’ll end up on the beach lounging on the sand, lathered in sunscreen, wearing a big floppy hat. Wherever I go Sungmin is always somehow magically there so he’ll probably be in the background running around like a maniac screaming about how he doesn’t like the way the sand feels between his toes. And of course Donghae will be there too. He’ll be splashing around in the water calling me to join him and then we’ll get into a water fight and spend the day playing until our toes and fingers are all shriveled up. When the sun is setting we’ll walk along the shore and happy music will be playing in the background and everything would be perfect. Yongguk will be there to carry our shoes and add some rap lyrics to go with the mood. He’s got a deep raspy voice, he might as well put it to use. Wait, why was Yongguk here? And why was Changmin over there running away with my beach umbrella?

“Hyukjae? Hyukjae? Are you sleeping?” Someone whispered rather loudly. 

I looked up from where I was resting on the desk to see Donghae standing in front of me with a piece of paper covering half his face as he tried to hide a smile. 

“Sleep? N-No, I was just, um, you know…d-did you get the document?” No need to try and explain that I was just daydreaming about us holding hands on the beach together. 

“Yup!” He pulled the piece of paper down from his face and proceeded to shove it in mine. 

“Thanks.”

“No problem. What should I do now?” he asked as he looked around the office. 

“Well you can— Oh, before you do anything, someone’s asking for you down in the lobby.”

I was waiting for his face to scrunch up in confusion so that I could tell him it was ok if he didn’t want to go, but instead, he titled his head in a moment of thought and then busted out into the biggest smile I’ve seen on him this entire week. Was I missing something here?

“Should I go now?” He looked excited as he rocked on his feet making his hair flop this way and that in his face so that he looked like a happy puppy.  

“Yeah, sure.” I tired to sound as nonchalant as possible but I couldn’t help feeling a little curious as Donghae propelled himself out of my office. 

I stared at the door blankly for a bit before the piercing sound of the phone cut through the space yet again. Damn phone keeps ringing all day. Maybe I should just cut the line. “What?”

“Me again. There’s a package for you here in the lobby,” Sulli informed as I heard a couple of mouse clicks in the background. 

“Alright.” I dropped the phone back into place and was giving the order to go to the lobby when I looked around and realized that there was no one in my office but me. Sungmin was still at his meeting and Donghae just merrily left to go see some stranger. 

I let out a groan because that meant I had to go pick it up myself. I heaved myself out of the comfy office chair and started on my journey downstairs. 

I nodded Yongguk’s way and stepped into the waiting elevator. The ride down was filled with thoughts of how Yongguk really could make it as a rapper if he just toughened up a bit, but as soon as the elevator doors opened, my eyes caught the most infuriating scene taking place in the lobby. 

Some boy was leaning over Donghae, his hands roaming my assistant’s pockets and standing so close that the two looked to be in an embrace. Donghae’s hands were pressed up to the other’s chest as if trying to push the stranger away but he wouldn’t budge. 

“Give it to me! I know you have it you brat!” The tall stranger barked as his hands never left Donghae. 

“Stop! I swear I don't have it with me right now,” Donghae cried desperately. 

Why wasn’t anyone doing anything to stop this assault? I could feel my nails digging into my palms as I balled my hands into fists and my nose flared as I glared at Donghae’s attacker. 

I don’t know what overcame me but I stormed up to the squabbling pair and swung Donghae out of the stranger’s grasp and pulled him behind me. 

“Hey! What—” Before the boy could finish, my right hand flung out and landed a punch square on his face causing him to stumble backwards. 

“Oh my god!” 

Huh? I looked back to see Donghae pushing around me as he hurried over to the boy who was now sprawled on the ground holding the middle of his face with both hands. Donghae crouched next to him and tried pulling his hands away.

“Kyu! Are you alright?!” 

Kyu? Now where have I heard that name before?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Turns out ‘Kyu’ is Donghae’s best friend.

Nice move Hyuk. 

Apparently, I didn’t catch the broad smile on Donghae’s face and the stranger’s “playful" manner during that whole lobby incident. 

Now the three of us where sitting in my office with an uncomfortably tense air hanging around. 

The best friend kept sending death glares my way and I was caught between doing the same and sending apologetic looks every now and again whenever my eyes started to hurt with the sharp looks I was attempting. 

Everything was silent as the best friend was sitting on my desk with Donghae standing between his legs holding a pack of frozen peas he found in the staff lounge refrigerator to Kyuhyun’s now red nose.  

I scoffed to myself as I analyzed the scene. Seems as if I’ve lost my touch— Kyuhyun got away without anything being broken. 

And what’s with that position? Does he need to have his ugly hands resting on Donghae’s waist like that? 

Just then, without any warning, my office door flung open and standing there looking quite prideful and proud, without an ounce of shame, was Shim Changmin. 

I felt my frown sink even deeper and I glared a bit harder trying to fend off the newcomer with my eyes. 

But the bastard couldn’t take a hint and so he proceeded to stroll into my office with his hands arrogantly glued into his pockets, looking around as if he was inspecting a dump site. 

When the door had been opened, Donghae had scrambled away from in front of Kyuhyun and moved to stand beside him.

No one had said a word yet and as Changmin noticed that I wasn’t the only one in here, he gaze fixed on the two by my desk. 

The annoying prick took his time observing the two although I could have sworn he was looking more at Kyuhyun, thankfully. 

Whoever the hell he was looking at got a wink sent their way as Changmin tried to his lip seductively. “Who’s the cutie?” 

The response he got was Kyuhyun and I growling like a bunch of werewolves ready for a fight. 

Donghae just stood there innocently bouncing the makeshift ice pack back and forth between his hands.

Oh yes. What a fine Friday morning indeed. 

i don't know what im doing with this story anymore. a lot of u commentors are right -- it's moving really slow -_- 

but still so many of u are reading it 

just wanted to say thanks :D