Donghae’s POV 

“Donghae, it’s no use lying to me. After all these years, I can tell when you’re lying. Don’t deny it. You obviously like this Hyukjae guy,” Matthew said as he sat across from me in one of the leather recliners, giving me a look that gave me the impression of this being a Dr. Phil therapy session.

I shifted uncomfortably, bringing my legs up to hug them to my chest on the couch.“A-Are you sure?” 

Matthew laughed. “Why are you asking me, son? Shouldn’t you know the answer?”

I on my bottom lip. I liked everything about Hyukjae. The way his entire face smiled at me when we were together, the way he would always look out for me, the way he broke out of character whenever we were together, and the way he made me feel.

I like him, don’t I? That explains why I didn't pull away when he was about to kiss me. It’s why I was always wanting to be next to him and have him smile at me. It’s why I’m always feeling fluttery inside whenever I think about him. 

“I guess you’re right…” I mumbled after a while, drawing invisible patterns on my knee.  

“About what? I’m right about a lot of things,” Matthew said cheekily. 

I threw a chair cushion at him, embarrassed that he was trying to make me say it. 

“You know what I mean,” I said instead, not very comfortable saying it out loud. 

Matthew scowled miserably at that. “I was really hoping you would say no.”

“Weren’t you just the one trying to convince me that I like him?” I lifed an eyebrow at him.

Matthew shrugged. “It’s weird knowing you’re already liking someone. It’s like letting your kid go the first day of kindergarten.”

I stuck my tongue out at him indirectly calling me a kid and he chuckled. I went back to drawing circles on my knee. 

“But how do you know he likes me too? I mean, why would someone like Hyukjae like me?” I asked quietly after a moment. How could he tell? I certainly couldn’t. Or was Matthew just saying that to make me feel better? 

“Son, you’ve gotta stop underestimating yourself like that. The kid practically had his eyes glued to you the entire afternoon. Was lookin’ at you like a he was seeing a unicorn hiding between the bushes.” 

I blushed at his weird analogy. “S-So what now?”

“Don’t know. You’ll figure that out on your own, kiddo.”

I stopped breathing as I felt lips against mine. 

I stared wide eyed at Hyukjae’s face, but I couldn’t see anything because he was too close for me to focus my eyesight. 

Was this actually happening?

Just yesterday I was laying awake in bed, wondering what it would feel like if he were to kiss me, and now it was happening. 

My ears were ringing with the way my blood was thundering through my veins. My heart was beating painfully fast and I couldn’t move. Everything seemed too unreal that I was afraid if I moved, I would be woken up from whatever this was. 

I could feel Hyukjae’s eyelashes brushing against the space under my eyes, tickling me there. His lips covered mine fully, and pressing up against mine with a needy force, and I could smell his masculine cologne wavering up my nose. 

I was so stiff and my senses were overworking themselves that it should’ve been uncomfortable, but instead, it felt … nice. 

Hyukjae was kissing me. Me of all people! Whatever this was, I didn’t want to wake up. 

But just as my eyes were sliding shut to savor the moment, Hyukjae was pulling back abruptly, letting out a sharp gasp as he reeled back fast, almost tripping in the process. 

To say to situation got awkward was a big understatement. 

My eyes went wide as we stared at each other for a tense moment. Hyukjae looked like he was ready to find the nearest window and jump out of it. 

I was starting to think time had frozen over before Hyukjae began babbling, voice tight with panic. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! D-Donghae, I-I don’t, I’m sorry. I— this wasn't supposed to happen. Sungmin was right. I really screwed this up.” He ran both of his hands through his hair, looking distraught and miserable as he kept his eyes trained on the shelves behind me. 

“I didn't mean to.” He added desperately. He looked like he was talking more to himself than to me. 

But as he kept rambling, I couldn't focus on what he was saying. I still hadn’t recovered from what just happened. My mind kept playing those few seconds over and over like a song stuck in my head as Hyukjae stood in front of me looking like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

That really just happened. Hyukjae kissed me. 

Does this mean he likes me? It has to, right? I can’t believe it! 

The warmest feeling spread through me and I felt like I was floating on cloud nine. 

“Donghae?” I blinked out of my daze and glanced up at Hyukjae who had stopped his frantic pacing. He was staring at me, looking the most confused I’d ever seen him. “A-Are you… smiling?”

My eyes widened and I brought my hands up to cover my mouth. I tried to stop, but I couldn’t.

I can’t help it. I felt too happy. 

Hyukjae just stared at me like he couldn’t quite register what was going on. He brought a hand up to cover his eyes, and then peaked down at me through his fingers, like he was checking to see if I was still there. 

He looked so child like and out of character that I couldn't help the giggle that slipped out. It was like I was on a high or something. Everything seemed so much brighter and happier, even among the dim lights and cardboard smells. 

Hyukjae was now gaping at me and I really didn’t know what to do. Did I do something wrong? 

“H-Hyukj—”

“I like you,” he blurted out suddenly, watching me like he was waiting for a bomb to explode. 

My entire body erupted in fireworks and my heart felt like it had just exploded into a million tiny butterflies, but I couldn't get any words to form in my mouth. I was too stunned to know what to say. 

He coughed awkwardly when I didn't react.

“Me too,” I finally replied in a low voice as my eyes wondered around his face, waiting to see if he would laugh at me and tell me that it had all been a joke.   

Again it was quiet before Hyukjae broke into the dazzling smile. “Are you serious?”

I didn't answer him because I was too embarrassed, but that seemed ok with Hyukjae. 

“I’m so happy to hear you say that. I was worried you wouldn't feel the same.” He sighed in relief, still smiling ecstatically. 

I scrunched up my nose at that. How could anyone not like him? That’s silly. If anything, it would be almost impossible for me to not like him back. 

Just when he was about to say something else, we heard the door to the storage room creak open. 

“Donghae, are you still in here?” Ryeowook called out. 

Hyukjae and I shared a glance before Hyukjae answered for me. “Yeah, he’s here.”

“Boss, is that you?” We both looked up to see Ryeowook walking over to us, side stepping the boxes on the floor. He looked at Hyukjae puzzled, before glancing over at me. “I got worried when you were taking so long, Donghae.”

“Oh, ah, sorry. I was just…” Just what? Getting my first kiss stolen by my boss who I had just found out liked me as much as I liked him?

I bit my lip as I tried to think of something, but thankfully Hyukjae intervened. 

“We got caught up in discussing his next task.” he said, once again in that voice he used with his employees. 

“Ah, sorry I interrupted,” Ryeowook apologized quickly and spun around to leave, but Hyukjae stopped him.

“No problem. I need to be heading back upstairs anyway,” Hyukjae said to Ryeowook then turned to me. “So, are we still good for tomorrow?” he asked hesitantly. 

What was tomorrow? Oh, right. He asked me and Kyu to go along with him and Changmin for an ‘evening out’. With all that just happened I’d totally forgotten about that. 

I nodded shyly at him and he threw me another smile. He left with it still etched on his face. 

“Well, he can be a bit weird sometimes,” Ryeowook concluded when Hyukjae was gone. “I hope he’s not causing too much trouble for you. He’s not the nicest boss around.” Ryeowook looked at me apologetically. 

“No, no. He’s… really great.”

~

“So let me get this straight. You guys kissed and had a little sappy confession exchange while at work?” Kyu’s irritated voice asked over the loud club music pulsing in the background. 

I squealed as I thought about it again for the millionth time in the past hour or so. I kicked my feet at the side of the bed, hugging a pillow to my chest. 

“Uh huh. I still can’t believe it. He actually likes me. He said it and everything! And he kissed me! My first kiss!” I squealed again and I heard Kyu sigh heavily from the other end of the line. 

“So are you guys, like, dating now?”

“D-Dating?” I seriously needed to calm down. If not, I was going to pass out from the excitement sizzling through me. But dating? 

Now that I think about it, he left before I could figure anything out. And then, when I finished helping Ryeowook, Sungmin met me in the elevator and told me I could go home. So I didn't get to see Hyukjae again for the rest of the day. 

“I-I don’t know. We didn’t really get to talk about it,” I finally admitted, the realization cooling down the hyper feeling. 

Kyu snorted. “Quite a man you snagged for yourself, buddy. Sounds like the perfect start to a successful relationship.”

“Kyu,” I whined. I wished he’d stop picking on Hyukjae. I still wasn't sure about any of this and Kyu certainly wasn't helping.

“Fine, fine. But seriously, what now?”

Ok, now to ask him to come with me tomorrow. How to ask him in the best way possible so that his chances of refusing are low? I sighed. This was going to take some persuading. 

“Well… he mentioned something about hanging out tomorrow.”

“Huh,” was the only response I got so I continued slowly. 

“And he asked if you would come along with us.” No answer. “And Changmin will be there,” I added on quickly, hoping he hadn’t really heard that last part. He certainly wouldn’t want to come if he knew Changmin was going to be there. Kyu made it very clear that the next time he saw Changmin, he was going to punch him square in the mouth. 

“This is so stupid. I can’t believe I’m gonna have to see that jerk face again,” he grumbled under his breath after a while, but I heard it and frowned. 

That was strange. Kyu didn't sound too irritated about the whole thing. Usually, he would go off into an angry rant when Changmin’s name came up, but now he just sounded annoyed. 

“Kyu, did something happen between you and Changmin?” He had just told me that Changmin found out where he worked and they ended up talking a bit. But that was all he told me. Whatever happened, Kyu was determined to keep his mouth shut and avoid the conversation, which is exactly what he was doing again now. 

“Alright, for your sake, I’ll go,” he huffed out.  

“It’s a date!” I exclaimed happily. 

“It is most definitely not a date,” he corrected in annoyance. 

I pouted. “I know, but it kinda sounds like that, right? I mean, since, uh, you know… I don’t know. It just feels like a date…” I was thankful that Kyu couldn't see me right now because he probably would’ve smacked me across the face to get me to stop looking so ecstatic about this whole thing. 

But it was almost impossible for me to calm down. So much had happened that I’ve stopped thinking properly. My mind was only filled with one thought: Hyukjae actually liked me.

It couldn't get any better than that. I bit the inside of my cheek to hide another delighted squeal from Kyu, but he heard and groaned exasperatedly. 

“When is this stupid thing again?” He asked, sounding tired and I almost felt a little guilty for dragging him along. But then the thought of being on a date with Hyukjae clouded my mind and I was back to a squealing mess. Then I remembered that we hadn't really talked about that either. Well, this poses a few problems. 

~

“Donghae, uh, hi. Sorry I’m calling so late. I, um, got your number from Sungmin.”

“Hyukjae?” I sat up fast in my bed, wondering if this was another weird dream. I glanced at the clock and saw it was just past eleven. “H-Hi,” I breathed out, still a little stunned that Hyukjae was calling me. 

“Ah, I completely forgot to tell you what time we should meet up tomorrow,” he said, sounding nervous. 

I didn't get to reply because he started speaking again. 

“I talked to Changmin and he said we can meet up in front of the my office building since it’s easiest. Is around 4 o’clock alright for you?” 

His voice was a soft purr in my ear and I felt a tingle shoot up my spine. 

“Y-Yeah. That’s fine,” I answered, trying to hold back the excitement in my voice. 

“Awesome! Uh, I mean, ok. Uh, that’s what I called for… Oh! And you don’t have to bother coming in to work tomorrow. I'm going to be in the city for a contract negotiation so it's not necessary you come in.”

“O-Ok.” 

“Alright then… Goodnight Donghae.”

“Goodnight, Hyukjae,” I said before the line clicked. 

Tomorrow couldn't get here fast enough.

i'm not too satisfied with this chapter but oh well. 

Anyway, i’ve set a goal: to get this story down within a month’s time. I don't know where that puts us… 30 chapters maybe? Let’s see how that goes. 

now onwards to this so called double date!