Work Text:
Act like you mean it.
Monday
The alarm blared around the room. An annoying sound that Taehyung came to hate but also grew accustomed to. It has been the same melody since he was twelve, and he refused to change it.
He smacked the clock on his bedside table and sat up at the edge of the bed. His feet touched the cold ground, and he rubbed his face, stretched, and yawned loudly before taking the small remote and pushing a button to open the curtains to his room.
He had fought tooth and nail to get a penthouse instead of staying at his parents’ mansion like his brother. And after years of begging, and proving he was a responsible adult. He was finally allowed to buy a nice home at the top of a building with a view of Gangnam.
The sun enlightened his previously dark room, and he sighed before getting up and opening a small window. He didn’t like the smell of sleep in his room; it reminded him of a barn he visited when he was in Libya. He didn’t dislike the barn, but he didn’t like his room smelling like it.
Taehyung walked towards the bathroom, dragging his slippers and running his hand through his thick black hair. Immediately, he removed his clothes, put them in the laundry basket, and got into the steamy shower. He was quick and efficient. The routine cleaned him and woke him up properly, and that was exactly what he was looking for.
Once he deemed himself ready to attack the day, he hung a towel around his waist and got out of the shower. Taehyung turned on the music and slapped his face a few times. He had a long week awaiting him, he had to wake up. He brushed his teeth, scraped his tongue, gargled his mouth, shaved his face and washed it, put on deodorant, and finally left his bathroom.
The man loved his dressing room. He had many clothes, organized by function and color. He stared for a moment, singing along to the song blasting in his room and moving his head to the rhythm. He tried to stay positive; he knew this work week would be long, it always was, but he had to be ready for it. Although usually, he loses all interest by the end of the week.
Which is why he tries to get away every weekend. He had spent the last one in the mountains, and it was refreshing. He was ready to tackle professional life again.
He finally decided on a brown suit with a white shirt and a tie. An expensive watch on his wrist and a few sprays of perfume later, he was ready for his day. The driver was probably already waiting in front of the building.
Taehyung got out of his room and went to the kitchen; he grabbed a protein bar and a box of apple juice before leaving in a hurry to the elevator. Protein bars, boxed juice and no time for breakfast, the holy trinity for having it together. He never had an appetite in the morning, which caused one too many scoldings when he was younger. But he tried to eat a minimum of nutrients to prove that he could take care of himself.
The day was longer than he expected, and by lunchtime, all he wanted was to leave the whole country if it meant leaving the office. He sighed and lifted a piece of Kimpab to his mouth. Not only was it a Monday, but they had a sudden visit from government auditors, and they would be staying the whole week.
He wished he were away; he wished he were back in Thailand or Africa, or Argentina, anywhere but Seoul. Not because he disliked the city or the people, but because he simply was tired of work. And Seoul reminded him of exactly that.
He threw the chopsticks away and closed the takeaway meal. The smell of it was making him dizzy. Or maybe it’s the stress?
Fucking Mondays.
Tuesday
“Wake me up before you go, go. Don’t leave me hanging on like a yo-yo...”
The ’80s song was loud in the dimly lit room, but it did its job. Minseo Rin woke up in a frenzy, frowning and looking for the source of the sound. Once she grasped what was going on, she glared at her phone.
“No, no, no... not yet.” She turned off the alarm and fell back on her pillow, lazily closing her eyes. “Five more minutes.”
“Wake me up befo...”
Wham didn’t have to finish the first verse before Minseo Rin jumped out of bed and into the bathroom. To say she was late would be an understatement. She was late by twenty minutes. Now, she is absent.
“Oh god.” She sighed.
In all of fifteen minutes, she brushed her hair, did her makeup, and wore her fancy black suit. She put her heels on and got down to her garage to get into her car and drive off.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god... I’m in so much trouble.”
She whined as she saw her two colleagues and her boss waiting for her in front of HBC, the big corporation they were tackling this week. Auditing such a grand, pristine organization was very grounding. Which made the whole team nervous and her boss irritable.
“You’re late.” The old man scolded with a rough tone.
She bowed as deeply as she could and apologized a million times. Until she heard a deep sigh from her boss as he walked away. She finally stood up straight. Minseo Rin looked at her friend, who sent her a sympathetic look and moved forward, following the rest of the team into the grand building.
Minseo Rin was amazed at the neat, classy offices. It was like a glass castle with multiple levels, each dedicated to a different department. She could only dream of starting her own business, and for it to look this imposing and impressive. However, she was also confident that if she followed her plan and worked hard, she would one day reach that goal. Rome wasn’t built overnight, after all. She closed her eyes and nodded firmly as if to make the thought stick.
Sooah, the HR coordinator, welcomed them kindly. She gave them a tour of the main levels they would be auditing and finally took them to their temporary office, where they would be installed for the week.
Minseo Rin and her team didn’t waste any time and took out their laptops, already asking for different documents and ready to tackle the work. They had gone over the files provided when they heard a knock on their door. They all stood up to greet the newcomer.
A tall man in a tailored suit entered the office. Thick hair, clean-shaven face, neat and in order. Perfect, just like the building. When he approached them, Minseo Rin noticed the peculiar difference in his eyes, one being monolidded, while the other had a double eyelid. She found it to be a beautiful, charming detail.
“Hello, my name is Kim Taehyung, I’m the deputy CEO. I hope everything is to your liking. We have worked hard yesterday to provide you all the necessities.”
Minseo Rin smiled up at him as her boss assured him everything was well so far.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to know the super team auditing us. This won’t take more than 15 minutes. Just introduce yourselves, where you’re from, your studies, and your experience.”
Minseo Rin frowned a bit but sat down when she saw everyone making themselves comfortable. Was this a normal procedure in big corporations? They were the auditor; they had the upper hand. Why was he interviewing them like they were looking for a job?
“As you know, I’m Mr. Lee. I have 20 years of experience with the Korean government after graduating with an auditing and accounting major. I’m from Busan.”
“Oh, I have a friend from Busan, nice tough people,” Taehyung commented, which drew a laugh from Mr. Lee.
The future CEO turned towards the team, waiting for one of them to speak next.
“My name is John Willow, I’m from England, been here a total of five years. All working with Mr. Lee. Which is a very enriching experience. And it is an honor to meet you.”
“Did you graduate here? Or England?”
“I majored in business administration in England and then pursued an MBA in accounting here in Korea.”
Taehyung nodded with a smile and turned his head towards Seorim. She cleared her throat from the nerves and smiled.
“My name is Park Seorim, I’m from here, Seoul. I graduated from Seoul National University; I majored in work psychology, so I will be handling the social aspect of this audit. It’s very nice to meet you, sir.”
“Oh, I guess you will be done the quickest. We are known as a company that has the best social life. We're like a family here, and the business is family-oriented. I mean, I’m sure you know, my mother is the CEO, and my grandfather was before her.”
“That’s not how it exactly works, but I’m sure I’ll find no major problems,” Seorim said with a light chuckle.
Taehyung politely smiled and turned towards the last person on the team. Minseo Rin.
She remained silent for a while and finally decided to go with her prepared speech, which landed her the job. It was very clear that improvising, as much as she liked it, wasn’t her biggest quality.
“My name is Tachibana Minseo Rin. I'm from Kyoto, but we moved here when I was ten. I am half Japanese, half Korean. Therefore, I speak both languages, in addition to English, which I learned at school. I was a top student in my high school. And at university as well. I double majored in business administration and auditing, and later got my MBA with an HR focus. I am now a certified human resources auditor.”
“When did you graduate?”
“Three years ago, I got my MBA last year.”
Taehyung stood up with a smile, and they all followed suit.
“Mister Lee, ...looks like you’ve gathered the dream team. We are honored you seem to have picked the best you got for us. I hope you will find no trouble, and please, do not hesitate to ask for whatever it is you need.”
A few hours in, Minseo Rin’s stomach let out a loud growl.
“Are they not planning to feed us?” she mumbled, just loud enough for her friend to hear.
“I need to gather some files from HR,” she added, standing. “Be back soon.”
She made her way to the elevator, and when the doors slid open, she paused. Taehyung was inside, leaning casually against the mirrored wall.
“Going down?” she asked, stepping in.
He nodded silently.
“Need anything?” he asked after a beat.
“HR files. I figured it’d be faster to grab them myself.”
“You could’ve called Sooah. She’d be happy to help.”
“I prefer to see things for myself,” she said calmly. “Might even work from there the rest of the week.”
The air thickened slightly. She didn’t like how tightly monitored they were, what floors they visited, or which offices they saw. She was here to audit them, not play houseguest.
HBC was a media empire built on exposing the truth. So why did everything feel so curated?
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Taehyung gestured politely.
“Let me walk you.”
“That’s alright. I know the way.”
He met her gaze, then smiled, pleasant but unreadable.
“I insist.”
The walk to the HR Offices was awkward, silent, and heavy. She was suspicious, he knew it, and she knew he knew it.
“Thank you for your help.” Minseo Rin said, her voice calm but firm. “But Mr. Kim, there's no need to polish everything before I see it. That’s my job. No company is perfect; that’s why we exist, to help you improve. But we can’t improve if you keep painting over a damaged wall.”
Taehyung chuckled a bit and looked down at the clean marble under their feet.
“You know the problem with a glass castle?” he said softly. “Everyone can see inside. Every move. Every mistake. We live in full view of the public, and that makes us vulnerable; the smallest rock could break us, the smallest rumor could destroy us.”
He looked up at her with sharp eyes. She shivered but didn’t show it.
“We may be the biggest media network, we may hold lots of power, but we didn’t just grab power by the throat and force it to its knees. We worked hard, and we perfected our work, generation after generation, from radio stations and daily newspapers to news on TV and on social media. Our goal is to deliver the truth to people’s doorsteps. It is our mission to be truthful. If everything seems perfect, it’s because it is. Trust me, we don’t need auditors to validate us, Ms. Tachibana. And we don’t need your visits to motivate us to reach perfection. We are the standard.”
Taehyung paused and looked sternly at her shocked expression. “You have reached the office you were looking for. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help next time. We are happy to assist and will provide you with anything you need. After all… we have nothing to hide.”
Wednesday
“Don’t be shy, Sooah, you can tell me what’s wrong.”
The young woman shook her head while still hiding her face with her short, chubby fingers. She opened the faucet and threw some cold water on her face to clean up the runny mascara.
“I don’t want to talk about it. I need to get back to work.”
“Is it your manager?”
Sooah shook her head and dried her face.
“Is it someone on top of your manager? Like... Taehyung, for example?” Minseo Rin tried to find out more, but the woman in front of her still shook her head stubbornly.
“Mister Kim is the nicest man; he is funny and kind. If you do your job properly. He hired me himself.”
“So, no skeletons in his basement?”
Sooah laughed. “He lives in a penthouse.”
Minseo Rin smiled warmly and waved goodbye as Sooah made her way out of the bathroom. She was sure there was something shady going on. There was no perfection in the world. No one was just pure and loving. There had to be something about this family. They were way too powerful.
She had done her research the previous night, and there was absolutely nothing. And that was everything. The lack of a message was all the messages she needed. How come one of the most powerful families in the country had nothing written on them? They controlled the media; they controlled what was shown.
The castle of glass was, in reality, a castle of mirrors. People on the outside saw themselves; they saw only the truth that the powerful family chose to show them. But no one could see what was inside, like Taehyung had claimed. The only transparency they offered was for people to look at their truths, not the actual reality.
Minseo Rin returned to her temporary desk in HR, but her thoughts stayed in the bathroom with Sooah.
She opened her laptop and pretended to be focused on the spreadsheet in front of her, but her eyes darted between tabs. With a few quick clicks, she accessed HBC’s internal employee directory. She’d already memorized most names, but she wanted something else this time, something that didn’t match.
She filtered by resignation dates. Over the past three years, there were surprisingly few. None stood out until she noticed a sudden cluster from six months ago. Four people from the accounting department, two from PR, and one from HR. All within the same week.
She leaned back in her chair.
Too quiet.
She got up and made her way to the filing cabinets along the far wall, pretending to look for an old payroll file she’d already seen that morning. Instead, she was watching Sooah from the corner of her eye, now seated, typing furiously, her posture stiff.
A voice startled her.
“You’ve gotten quite comfortable down here.”
Minseo Rin turned. Taehyung was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, that effortless grin plastered on his face.
“I like being close to the people,” she replied evenly. “It helps paint a clearer picture of the company.”
He stepped inside slowly. “What kind of picture are you seeing so far?”
She tilted her head. “It depends. I’ve noticed the brushstrokes are very clean. Too clean. Makes me wonder what was erased.”
Taehyung's smile didn’t falter, but his eyes hardened, just for a split second. “Or maybe you’re looking too hard for flaws that don’t exist.”
“Maybe,” she said. “But flaws always exist. Even in glass.”
He held her gaze a moment longer, then stepped back. “You’re persistent. I like that. Just don’t forget, glass can reflect too. Sometimes, what you’re seeing… is just yourself.”
And with that, he left. Minseo Rin stared after him, uneasy. He was right about one thing: glass did reflect. But she wasn't seeing herself. She was starting to see cracks . She sighed loudly. She was missing something, and it bothered her. Why would so many people leave one after the other? From such important positions, too. Wherever she turned, it was always a dead end. No answers found. But then again, maybe she wasn’t asking the right questions. Or maybe she was thinking too much. After all, she was only here for a business audit. Legally, they were spotless. The HR department hit every benchmark. Their records were immaculate. Technically, she had nothing on them.
Yet she was sure something was going on. Even if they worked to perfection, and they reached their goals. Something, somewhere, was happening, and it was bothering her. Minseo Rin opened her eyes suddenly. Of course, she forgot to investigate those fandom sites. The Kim family was a public figure; maybe they could control the media, but surely, they wouldn’t control fans.
She typed on her keyboard with quick fingers.
“Hello Seokjinsrealwife788. Tell Mama what you got, honey.”
Minseo Rin scrolled through different items on the first blog she found. It was random pictures of the younger generation, with their girlfriends, with their friends, at elitist events that she would’ve never dreamed of attending. No actual helpful information.
“Fuck...”
“Minseo Rin, we’re invited for lunch with the CEO and her son. Hurry.” Her friend called her up.
The young auditor sighed again and closed her laptop. Maybe she’ll find something interesting once her stomach is full.
Lunch was boring, rich people were boring. So many rules and tight schedules. They only had half an hour to run off to another meeting. But one thing happened. And it was the highlight of Minseo Rin’s week.
She had a seat next to Taehyung, and she doubted it was an accident. The CEO, the matriarch of the Kim family, was a kind but rigid woman. She was beautiful and didn’t look her age at all. Had spent the whole meal discussing politics with Minseo Rin’s boss. The rest was silent so as not to bother the ongoing conversation between the elders.
Until Taehyung turned towards her and smiled when he saw her yawn.
“Looking up the Kim family is more fun than politics?” He asked sarcastically.
“I’m not looking up the Kim family.” She defended herself a little too quickly.
“You do realize that our IT team can see what you’re doing, right?”
Minseo Rin felt her blood run cold. She didn’t look up anything weird, except... the Kim fans. She sighed and closed her eyes in defeat. She heard him chuckle and knew he wasn’t offended.
“Alright, fine. Guilty as charged. But I gotta say, you’re not very convincing when it comes to defending your family.” She admitted.
“Miss Minseo Rin, can I call you by your name?”
She nodded and waited for him to continue.
“We’re not hiding anything, but since you’re convinced otherwise, I suggest a cup of coffee after work, and you can ask me anything.”
“Really?” She sounded unconvinced still, which made him laugh.
“Yes. I don’t want you losing your job over an obsession with something that doesn’t exist.”
Taehyung chose the coffee shop carefully; he wanted her to be comfortable, he wanted privacy, and delicious bitter drinks to match the moody attitude Minseo Rin chose to wear. He got into the backseat of his car and waited for the curious lady to arrive. She was late for someone eager to uncover the truth. He hated waiting, but still smiled warmly at her when she finally arrived, five minutes late. She didn’t apologize, which was rude considering he had invited her out of generosity.
“You’re late!” He pointed out.
“I am?” She asked.
He looked at her shocked expression and couldn’t believe she didn’t know she was late. What kind of person doesn’t check the time when they have a meeting of any sort? It is disrespectful. He didn’t show his annoyance and told his driver to take them to the coffee shop.
“We could’ve just gone to the shop nearby. It’s lovely.” She commented.
“It’s also packed with loud people, blinding lights, and terrible music taste.”
“Oh, don’t be such a snob. It’s a coffee shop...”
He remained silent to mask his irritation. Taehyung had just started to notice how rude she was. She didn’t know how to mind her business, was breaking rules at her job, and arriving late every morning. She was good at her job, excellent even. But she was arrogant and a bit of a brat. And for Taehyung, who was raised with threats of paddles and belts. This was unacceptable behavior.
Although deep down, Taehyung was exactly like Minseo Rin. If it wasn’t for his father drubbing the messy lifestyle out of him, he would’ve turned out like her. Brilliant but disrespectful. And with his money, he could’ve been travelling the world for a living.
Minseo Rin made him feel the urge to bend her over and spank the attitude off her. But he held himself, he remained silent and ignored her, fingers tapping lightly against his knee.
“Are you ignoring me?”
“What?”
“Did I do something to upset you? Why are you ignoring me?”
Taehyung frowned and studied her for a bit. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
“I’m not ignoring you... Well, I am, but only because...” He paused, finding his words. “You’re very curious and want to find out what goes on in the Kim family. But this little obsession is making you act rude. I don’t like that. But I’m also not in a position to tell you how to behave, so I ignore you.”
She blushed deeply and looked out the window.
“I’m not trying to be rude. Maybe... I can be unaware of my surroundings at times. I apologize if I offended you. I appreciate the fact that you gave me time to answer my questions. I know this interest is unrelated to work, and I know that you are busy. Thank you.”
He nodded and smiled. They fell silent again. But the silence was light, the air was cleared, for now.
They arrived at the coffee shop, la maison du caféine , a French name to suit the luxurious lifestyle.
She looked around, and it was a modern and clean setting. With a sober palette of color and minimalistic ornaments. Minseo Rin followed Taehyung around as the hostess guided them to their table.
Taehyung looked like he belonged there. He was comfortable in this perfectly neat coffee shop, probably why he chose this place instead of the buzzing, lively shop near their workplace.
“Go ahead, ask your questions.” Taehyung gestured with his hand after they got served their hot drinks.
Minseo Rin looked at him for a while, and she seemed to have forgotten every piece of information she had in mind.
“I... Well, I have so many questions I don’t know where to start.” Minseo Rin looked down at her matcha latte.
Taehyung remained silent and gave her time to gather her thoughts. She was grateful for his patience, but all of this kindness and willingness to help was throwing her off. She wasn’t one to reject help or to be untrusting of nice people. But his behavior felt forced, like he was playing innocent to distract her from his faults. Was this reverse psychology? Is he trying to manipulate her?
“Maybe we should’ve made dinner plans instead.” He cut off her trail of thoughts, and she realized she had been gone too long.
“Sorry... I was in my mind. Uh... So... I think what’s bothering me and the main reason we are here, is because I can’t seem to find a single information about you or your family anywhere in any media platform. Which is weird because... you’re public figures and you have fans.”
“You want to know why there aren’t any articles about us? That’s your question?” He asked her to make sure he understood her.
She nodded, and he sighed.
“I thought it was pretty obvious, we have control over most platforms, and we prefer to have privacy, so we make sure our privacy is respected. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.”
“Of course not, but then, you expose other celebrities' lives. Isn’t this a bit hypocritical?” She looked at him intently, as if trying to intimidate him.
“Miss Tachibana.” He said with a chuckle. “You aren’t familiar with how it works in the entertainment industry. Most celebrities like the attention; they wouldn’t be celebrities if they didn’t. All these so-called artists, they would be nothing without media, they would be nothing without paparazzi and news about their private lives, and all that goes down with that. They know that as much as we do. Matter of fact, they call us, their teams work hard to get paparazzi outside their homes, at the airports, at their hotels. Maybe they regret it later in life, but the thing is, they opened the door to their homes. We didn’t. My family and I prefer a much quieter life, away from the spotlight.”
She frowned and took a sip. Minseo Rin sighed. He wasn’t giving her what she wanted. He didn’t say what she wanted to hear.
“Why? Why do you prefer a quieter life when you could have all the fame in the world?” She was still trying to coax the information out of him amicably. She didn’t want to offend him like earlier.
“We’re not artists. We don’t have anything to show off.”
“Are you sure about that? You have nothing to show off?”
He furrowed his brows and bit his inner cheek.
“Ask me your real questions. Stop beating around the bush.”
“What’s your secret? What are you hiding?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s impossible, everyone is hiding something.” She leaned forward and whispered in frustration. “You claim to be honest, you claim to be one of us, you’re not an artist, you don’t like the spotlight, you’re just a worker backstage.” She counted his claims. “But you’re not like the rest of us, are you? You are the director of the play. You mold every story that falls into your hands into the tragedy or the comedy of your choosing. There is no spotlight on you because you choose to remain hidden. After all, you are hiding something.”
“What do you think we’re hiding?” He asked her, leaning towards her as well.
“I don’t know yet, but I will find out. For someone who says their mission is the truth. You’re not transparent, you’re not honest.”
“Don’t you get it?” He leaned back.
As much as there was fire and determination in Minseo Rin’s eyes. Taehyungs were tired, dull, and bored. Minseo Rin was taken aback by this new shown subtle emotion. She didn’t think he realized he was uncovering a part of himself. He looked at her as if he had once been in her shoes, as if he had fought for the truth once and failed.
“Get what?” She remained firm.
“There is no truth. There is no reality. There is perspective. There is bias. There is a stereotype. There is no truth. It's all about perspective and what you do with it. There is no system to break, no one leader to destroy for world peace. Every single person down there,” He pointed to the bustling street outside. “If given the chance to climb to the top, they’ll use you as a ladder. They might say they’re for the people; they might be altruistic prophets; they get rid of the bad bully at the top. And then what? They take his place? They become the bully? Can’t you see? It’s not just a system; it’s not even just a vicious circle. It’s a historical symbol of infinity. We are cursed to repeat our mistakes. We don’t just move forward in time...” He sighed, the look in his eyes becoming more frantic as he blurted out all the messages he had in one go.
Minseo Rin felt as if she had pushed the wrong button, and there was no stopping him.
“Hold on... I’m not talking politics.”
“But you are, the moment you start questioning the validity of the facts presented by national media, you start talking politics. Media may not be the heart of the government, but it is its face. And you happen to ask all your questions to the heir of the propaganda leader. Tell me, Miss Tachibana Minseo Rin, daughter of a famous chef in Japan.” He leaned forward again and started raining questions without losing a beat. “Why do you care so much? What are you trying to find? What do you want? Why are you looking into the Kim family so much? Why not look into your own? Why not ask your father how he rose to fame, as little as it is. He might not be a celebrity, but he did make a name for himself. If you’re so interested in success stories, how about you start with your origin, instead of trying to barge into people’s homes. Or are you scared the answers you might find don’t align with your perspective? What is your truth? What are you hiding?” He glared at her shocked expression for a moment. “This is how you ask questions. Take this as a lesson for next time when you’re trying to interrogate someone. And remember who you are, that’s how you win in life. You're not a journalist, you’re not a detective, you’re an HR auditor, stay in your lane. And when you look in the mirror, stop pretending it’s glass, stop pretending you’re looking at others instead of yourself. Have a good night, Miss Tachibana.”
Thursday
“Bye, Mom, I need to go. I’m going straight home to bed, I’m tired and I cannot wait for this week to end.” Minseo Rin waited for the elevator and talked with her mother on the phone. “I’m fine, it’s just exhausting, and this is a big company is all. There is no problem, I promise.”
The elevator door opened at last, and Minseo Rin turned off her call.
“We need to stop meeting like this,” Taehyung said from inside the elevator with a small smirk.
The young woman blushed and entered the small cubicle with a sigh. Today has been hell, a roller coaster. She could feel both of their energies being completely done with work. And they both were ready to finally leave.
Earlier in the morning.
Taehyung woke up in a bad mood. That’s how the day started. And it was this little detail that changed the whole trajectory of the day.
Minseo Rin was a positive person; she liked to believe that every day would be better than yesterday. So, despite her argument with the man that could ruin her career, she chose to move forward and be happy. Because yesterday was so many hours ago, surely today was going to be better.
Taehyung got into the elevator. He wanted to go straight to his office, have a cup of coffee, and work until the day was over, so he could be closer to the weekend. But the elevator stopped, and with a ding, the doors opened and revealed the last person he wanted to see.
Minseo Rin waited patiently for the elevator. She was early for once, and that made her happy. The man inside the elevator was scowling, but she ignored his mood as best as she could and greeted him politely.
“Good morning, Mr. Kim.”
“Better than last evening, that’s for sure.”
Minseo Rin didn’t answer his comment. She stayed quiet and kept her thoughts to herself. If he wanted to be rude, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of reacting.
But something about her silence made him more upset. Even though he didn’t show it, she could feel it.
Later that morning, just before noon, Minseo Rin was rushing to her second meeting of the day. She carried a stack of folders and her tablet, walking quickly down the hall. She was tired but still trying to stay on top of everything.
The elevator opened. Taehyung was already inside. He had a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. He didn’t look so tense now. His face was still serious, but the angry look from earlier was gone.
She paused for a second, then stepped in.
They didn’t talk. This silence was different from the one in the morning. It wasn’t sharp or full of tension. It just felt heavy. He didn’t look at her, but he didn’t seem annoyed anymore either. She tried to act the same, calm and distant. But it didn’t work.
This silence made her feel worse. At least earlier, he was honest about being angry. Now she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. She stared at her tablet and tried to look busy. She didn’t want to think about what he felt. But her mind was already full of questions.
Does he feel bad about what he said? Is he ignoring it on purpose?
The elevator stopped. He stepped out first. But before he left, he looked back at her. Just for a second.
His face didn’t say sorry. It didn’t say anything clearly. But he looked like a person again, not a boss, not someone upset. Just a man who had a long day.
Then he was gone.
And Minseo Rin stood in the elevator alone, realizing something strange, his silence had hurt more than his words. She wondered if her silence had any effect on him. Except for the polite greeting in the morning, she didn’t say much either. And she didn’t say anything this time. Not even a polite “hello.”
Taehyung couldn’t blame her. He had been rude in the morning. Too harsh. He hadn’t even had breakfast or coffee yet. But still, she didn’t fight back. She didn’t roll her eyes or try to joke. Just silence.
And now that silence was stuck in his head.
She looked tired today. Not just busy, tired in a deep way. He saw it in her eyes when she stepped into the elevator. The usual energy she had wasn’t there. It made him feel worse.
And yet, she still greeted him this morning. She had tried to stay kind.
He wasn’t proud of how he acted. He could admit that. But the way she spoke to him yesterday, when she thought he was someone else, bothered him. It stayed with him overnight, more than he expected.
Now, she looked upset. Maybe it was just work. Maybe it was because of him. He hoped it wasn’t him, but a part of him knew it might be. He leaned back in the elevator, watching the floor numbers. This was why he didn’t like getting close to people. Too many things to feel. Too many chances to hurt someone, even without meaning to.
She wasn’t even his coworker.
But something about the way she avoided his eyes today made him feel like he was the bad guy in a story he didn’t want to be part of. And for some reason, that bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
But people had a way of slipping under your skin when you least expected it. He didn’t mean to notice her, not her tired eyes, her rude curiosity, definitely not the silence she left behind.
And yet, hours later, at exactly 5 p.m., she stepped into the elevator again. He was already there, leaning against the back wall, hands in his coat pockets. His tie was a little looser now, his expression no longer sharp but still unreadable.
She had changed, too, not her clothes, but her energy. The earlier quiet had turned into something heavier. Her jaw was set, her grip on her tablet tighter than this morning.
He didn’t say anything. She didn’t either.
The doors slid shut.
And in that small, familiar space, it felt like they were both pretending not to notice just how much the day had gotten to them.
“Bad day?” He asked her at last.
She nodded her head tiredly.
“It had started so well, it was such a good morning.”
Minseo Rin wasn’t petty; she wasn’t vindictive. She was good, a good person with good intentions. She didn’t mean to harm anyone, yet... she had always found herself offending at least someone. She blamed herself for this very bad day, and she didn’t expect any pity from anyone. She had laid the foundation for the events occurring today. She was the reason he was in a bad mood, the reason why he snapped at her and managed to ruin her whole day. So really, she was the reason she was in a bad mood right now.
“It’s almost the weekend.” He tried to console her.
~~••~~••~~••~~••~~~~••~~••~~••~~••~~
Today has been hell, a roller coaster. And when the time to leave at last came by. All she wanted was her mom.
The elevator made the same annoying ding for the last time that day.
“We need to stop meeting like this.”
She wasn’t in the mood to be polite, to make conversation. She wasn’t in the mood for his jokes, not after he ruined her whole day. She knew he was the one delegating to her all those meetings with the HR team. He kept her busy, tired, and distracted.
“Was it that bad?” He asked her.
She gave him a tight smile and turned her head away from him, waiting to be released from this metal boxy cage. She was shocked it wasn’t made of glass.
Taehyung stared at her. He was sure he was the reason for her stress now. And the guilt gnawed at him. He hated how that felt in his chest, the tightness and dullness and all the emotions that only led to one twisted conclusion.
She attracted him.
“Miss Tachibana...” The elevator doors opened, and she got out before he could continue with his sentence.
“Minseo Rin.” He followed her outside, his bodyguard following behind him as soon as he got out of the building.
She turned around and looked at him, shocked by the chaos he was causing.
“Yes?”
“Minseo Rin, miss Tachibana... how about another coffee? No more difficult questions. Just... something to make up for last night.”
She stared at him for a moment.
“Okay... But please, not today. Tomorrow, dinner instead of a coffee. I can’t sleep if I drink coffee after 4 pm.”
Friday
The week had finally ended. Minseo Rin had come in unexpectant, but in one week, she had found a mission, to expose the Kim family. She had interrogated their heir only to argue with him. And when the week finally came to an end, she accepted a date with him. Did she know why? Not really. Did she care about his intentions? Not really. Why didn’t she? Because she didn’t have the best intentions either.
She wore a dress, the first time in weeks. It was black, sober, and professional. Fit for her day at work, no one would question her look. No one in her team knew about her little adventures; she would be in so much trouble if they did. She liked this; it was like leading a double life.
Ironically, she hadn’t seen Taehyung the whole day; it was like he had disappeared. Until the day finally ended. And they had one last meeting with the CEO and the deputy CEO. To hand over the reports and have a closure of the week of auditing.
Minseo Rin could barely contain her excitement for the date. She didn’t pay much attention to the meeting and could barely sit still in her seat. The man who caused all these emotions was very calm on the other side of the table. He listened with intent to what her boss was saying. And even took notes on his tablet.
“Meeting adjourned. It was a pleasure working with you. No offense, but I really hope we don’t see you soon.” The CEO joked as she declared the week of auditing officially over.
They all stood up, greeting each other politely. Minseo Rin shook hands with the CEO. The woman held on to her hand a little longer than the others. She finally nodded and smiled warmly at her after studying her features for a while.
Did Taehyung tell her about their date? Was it even a date? Was she getting ahead of herself? Were they just trying to neutralize her as a threat because she was looking into them?
She pretended like it was nothing and smiled up at Taehyung before leaving the building. She greeted her team goodbye, lying to them about meeting her mother nearby to excuse the fact that she would be waiting there.
Half an hour later, Taehyung finally appeared.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting. I had to close shop.” He joked.
“Perks of knowing the shop owner.” She retorted to show him she wasn’t annoyed.
Taehyung chuckled lightly. “You’re a lot more fun when you’re not trying to dig up dirt on my family.”
“So, where are we going?” She ignored his comment to avoid stirring an unwanted conversation.
“A local restaurant. My brother showed me it’s a bit far from here, but it has the best Korean food.”
“Taehyung.” Minseo Rin quickly stopped the casual conversation.
“Yes?”
“Why did you really ask me on a date? Why are you suddenly this awkward and nice with me?”
“Woah... already asking questions, you just can’t help yourself.” He smirked and started leading the way. “First, we take a walk towards the restaurant, it’s a bit far as I said, but it’s worth it, and it is still daylight.” He grabbed her arm and linked it with his own, walking slowly.
“Then, we reach the restaurant, we continue our light conversation about hobbies and favorite colors, and eventually, you’ll notice the admiration in my eyes, the tenderness in my words, the audacity in my hands. Hopefully, you’ll understand my intentions. And if you’re the smart little girl you say you are, you’ll understand my truest intentions. And you’ll accept, because unlike me, they’re pure.”
“So many steps, just to get me in your bed, and make my testament against you null.”
His smile didn’t fade. “What testament?”
“Your cousin deals in drugs, your brother is his legal advisor, and you hide everything under the rug. That’s the family business.”
Taehyung remained silent, shocked but still smiling widely, as if he were impressed.
“I told you I’ll find out.”
“How?”
“I’m an auditor, I’m a deep cleaner.”
Taehyung stopped walking and grabbed her shoulders, turning her towards him, his touch not rough, but far from gentle. He pulled her very close to his body, his intense eyes making her shiver with fear. Her cards were out, she told him what she knew, and it was an impulsive decision. She shouldn’t have. She gulped as she realized her mistake. He could kill her, get rid of her body, and no one would know what truly happened.
“Very smart little girl. And how long have you known?”
“Last night, you looked tired, as if you hated the system, or as you called it, the historical symbol of infinity. But you’re not truly fighting a fire if you keep feeding it. You like gossip, you like drama, you like smoke, and where there is smoke, there is fire, right? You like spreading rumors and whatnot. Y ou act like you hate the game, but you love the performance. That way, you could still control the narrative.”
His expression shifted, just slightly.
“Your true vocation was acting, but your parents wouldn’t let you, so you chose the second-best thing. A media conglomerate. You were acting so well, you had me convinced. I just had to know where you learned how to act so well. All the theatrics, calling my name in front of the whole staff line, your bodyguard suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Ugh... I do love me some drama, but you...”
“I am where I am because I acted the way I had to act. I know who I am, I know my role.” He cut her off. “Now, unless you want to find out what we really do, what we really hide, I suggest you keep that pretty mouth shut. I’m not a monster; I won’t hurt you. Not unless you try to hurt my family.”
He released her slowly.
“Now, get to the point.”
She exhaled.
“I didn’t find anything. It was a ruse, I know your jobs, I know you’re acting and lying to me. I made assumptions, and I was right.”
He stared at her for a beat.
“Oh well, thank god then. Anyone can make assumptions, but we won’t go to court based on assumptions. But since we’re both folding. How about we skip all those steps and just head to my bed instead. We could both use some relaxation.”
Saturday.
The bed was undone, the curtains were still closed, and the air was thick with arousal. There was no one in the room, but the effects of a long night lingered. Anyone standing in the room could hear the faint sound of the water running in the shower, and clearer was the sound of Minseo Rin’s moans and Taehyung’s grunts.
They were supposed to clean up, to wash away what she considered a mistake, and he considered a game. But they both seemed to lose track of their principles. Minseo Rin held his shoulders as he held her leg up. His strong, bigger body was basically crushing her against the wall. But she liked it; she felt protected. The cold wall against her skin was brutal, and her wet hair stuck to her face, distracting her. He noticed how overstimulated she was with all her senses working overtime, but he didn’t care. All he felt was the throbbing pain begging for release, yet he held himself to make this unexpectedly addictive sensation last as long as he could.
“Fuck... Tae.” She moaned his name and dug her nails into his back.
Her brows furrowed, and her lips opened, letting out more of the delicious sounds he loved to hear. He pushed more into the wall, trying to hold himself and her body up.
“That’s it, let go for me, darling.”
She felt her release coming closer with each powerful thrust until he became sloppy. She knew he was close as well, and that made her even more aroused. Her nipples, already hardened by the contact, became more sensitive, and she clenched her walls against him. He cursed under his breath and released inside her.
They stayed in that position for a while, regaining their breath and energy. She laid her head on his shoulder and loosened her hold on him. He massaged her leg and slowly put it down while holding her middle against him with his other arm. He kissed her wet head and smiled.
“I hope, for your sake more than mine, that you’re on birth control.” He said after a moment.
She was still resting against him, with closed eyes and slightly parted lips. She chuckled a little before answering him.
“Oh, come on, don’t tell me you don’t want your seed to grow inside my womb.”
“Don’t say, don’t... fucking say that.” He said with a serious tone, but she knew he wasn’t mad, just entertaining her teasing. She giggled.
“Why not?”
He grabbed the back of her head and gently pulled her hair a little.
“Because, sweetheart, if you keep suggesting carrying my heirs, I might do just that. And then... You’ll be stuck with a corrupted man.”
She remained silent for a while. He chuckled at her silence and lifted her off the ground. He walked out of the bathroom and headed into his bedroom.
“We’re dripping.” She laughed.
“The maid will clean it up.” He said and laid her on his bed.
He took her lips in a hungry kiss, and she moaned in his. His mouth travelled down her jaw to her collarbones, tasting every inch of her clean, wet skin.
“Aren’t you tired?” She asked with a whiny voice.
“Of you? Never.”
“Well, I am...” She complained.
He looked at her intense eyes, making her shiver and hold a bratty smile. “So?” He asked her arrogantly.
His fingers tapped lightly on her lower belly as he waited for an answer. She looked at him with wide eyes and frowned.
“So, stop it, whatever you’re doing.”
He sighed and went back up to her level. He kissed her cheeks and gathered her body against him.
“You know...” She started but paused.
He waited for her to continue patiently until he noticed she was lost again, staring at the ceiling. He smacked her butt gently bringing her back to him.
“Sorry... I was saying. Um... It would be nice, I mean, the idea of... giving you an heir to this empire you’ve got going on. It sounds nice.”
He chuckled darkly and kissed her forehead.
“I thought you were against what we did.”
“I never said that. I said that you were hiding something, and I was right. I just don’t like being lied to, is all.” She said with a pout.
“So, you don’t mind the business, you just want in on it.” He teased her. “You keep surprising me, no wonder my mother liked you.” He added when she answered with a shrug.
“Your mother likes me?”
“She does, she says you’ve got grit, which she admires. But darling... let’s go back a bit, you do realize that now, that you’ve uncovered a part of our truth, you are stuck with me whether you give me an heir or not, right?”
“I know...” She admitted. “I guess that’s why I confessed so quickly, deep down. I wanted to be stuck with you. You have a penthouse, for god’s sake. And you’re handsome as hell.”
He laughed out loud, and she followed suit. He moved her on top of him, and she hissed a bit.
“Aw, sweetie, are you sore?” He asked condescendingly.
She nodded with a pout, playing along. He smiled wickedly and turned them around.
“There, there... I’ll be gentle this time.”
His hands opened her legs and massaged her entrance with his fingers. She arched her back instantly. He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. Their faces were so close, she could feel his breath, she could see every detail, every small wrinkle, every line on his perfect face. His moles, his atypical eyes, his nose, his lips. He was so handsome.
She felt his fingers move against her sensitive clit quickly and she moaned. He held her hands up with one hand and positioned himself against her with the other. His chain around his neck hit her face as he thrusted in her again and again. She didn’t even try to hold her sounds in. He moved faster, deeper, harder, as if he was fucking her with a purpose, and maybe he had a purpose. Now that she confessed to wanting to give him an heir. He made love to her like a future father, and that made her lose her mind.
Sunday.
“You know what worries me?” Minseo Rin said randomly as she sat on a stool, having breakfast.
She only wore Taehyung’s shirt and bit into her toast filled with jam.
“What?” He asked curiously while drinking his coffee. He was dressed and ready for the day.
“Sooah.” Minseo Rin responded.
Taehyung frowned a little and studied her for a bit. Her hair was disheveled, she was barely awake, and she had just spent the whole night in his bed. She was now in his clothes, eating food he prepared, but she was thinking about his HR coordinator.
“Stop looking at me like that. She looks like a sweet girl, she is cute and short and chubby, so helpful and never says no, even when she is stressed. But... she is always sad, always crying. I tried asking her what was wrong, but she refused to tell me.”
“You’re not her friend. Why do you care?”
“Because she is always smiling, and in my experience, people who hide their sadness end up being... they end up, you know...”
Taehyung looked at her again with a small, exasperated frown.
“Don’t worry about Sooah. She loves her husband a little too much; that’s why she is emotional all the time.”
Minseo Rin looked around for a while, trying to make sense of what he just said.
“Stop worrying over nothing, sweetheart. Her husband is an acquaintance. He is... difficult, but Sooah is no fool, so stop worrying. Matter of fact, go get ready, my parents are waiting.”