Chapter 28: Chapter 28.
Chapter 28.
Jihoon Kang asked Woojin, “Did you buy the plane ticket?”
“Not yet.”
Jihoon looked at him and said quietly, “Apparently Chief Seulgi won’t be able to go after all.”
“…”
“Shin Kim is going instead.”
Woojin paused from flipping through the reports. Jihoon continued, “Chief Seulgi suddenly has to attend a business conference.”
“…”
“This will be Shin Kim’s first international business trip, so take good care of him, Woojin.”
Woojin took off his gla.s.ses and set them gently on the table. He saw his own reflection on the lens. When he sighed, Jihoon stopped typing and asked, “Do you not want to go? Do you want to go to the workshop instead? Do you want me to take your spot and go to Germany instead?”
“No.”
“Hmm, that was a fast answer.”
Jihoon gave him a small smile.
Woojin leaned his head back. He had low blood pressure and suffered from frequent headaches. He was about to cover his eyes with his hands when suddenly, he heard the heavy footsteps. Woojin smelled a deep wood scent that was familiar to him.
“a.s.sistant Manager Woojin.”
A low baritone voice. Woojin opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was his neck.
Every time Shin Kim spoke, his Adam’s apple moved gently. The woody scent was Shin’s cologne that he wore on his neck. Woojin stood up slowly and replied, “Yes.”
“I was trying to find the relevant reports on this upcoming business trip, but I can’t find them. When I looked up the details, I found that you were the one who took care of this case in 2014.”
Shin was wearing a deep navy dress shirt, which suited him very well. Shin Kim always wore cla.s.sic traditional suits. Although he had a rather modern look, these suits looked great on him. Shin leaned forward towards Woojin and looked at the computer monitor as he said, “It’s the policy department doc.u.ment number 935, written in 2014.”
“…”
Woojin could smell the deep wood smell from Shin’s shirt. Shin’s breath tickled his ear. Whenever Woojin was around this man, he felt like the room was running out of air. A slow wave of heat from Shin’s body traveled towards Woojin. The air felt heavy.
“Oh, here it is. 2014 Settlement Prediction Report…”
Shin stood up straight to make notes on his cellphone. Woojin looked up at him and stood up. He said to Shin, “The 2014 reports are located in the second-floor reference room.”
“They aren’t electronic records?”
“The sales reports are considered private, so we keep them printed out. They aren’t any electronic versions, so you won’t find them online.”
“Oh, then I will go and find it.”
“I will find it for you.”
Shin seemed surprised at Woojin’s offer. Woojin had been rejecting him whenever Shin asked him out for lunch lately. Woojin secretly thought that Shin will never know how Woojin felt whenever he said no to him.
Shin walked ahead and as Woojin followed behind him, he could feel some of his co-workers glancing at Shin. Woojin felt a sudden irritation. It felt annoying. He was afraid to get close to anyone yet seeing how others notice Shin made Woojin feel possessive.
It was a scary feeling.
Woojin suddenly remembered Yoonil’s question at the clinic, “Do you still not feel any s.e.xual need?”
Something was wrong with this question.
Woojin explained to Shin, “We first need to contact the security office to get the key card for the reference room.”
“I will get it. You go ahead to the second floor first.”
Shin replied and pressed for the elevator. With the “ting” sound, it arrived at the 9th floor. Shin got in first, followed by Woojin. Quickly, Shin pressed both 5 and 2. Shin’s fingers looked slim and neat, but his face looked confused.
“…”
It wasn’t that Woojin didn’t feel the need. It was just that there weren’t many who brought out that need from him.
Woojin stared at Shin’s back. It was broad and strong. It felt like his heart was falling along with the elevator, which was moving down. Impulsively, Woojin reached out to touch Shin’s back. But before his hand touched Shin, they arrived at the 5th floor. With the loud “ting” sound, the door opened, making Woojin flinch and take a step back. Shin walked out and turned around.
“I will get the key card right now. I will see you in a bit on the second floor.”
“Ok.”
Pressing the close b.u.t.ton, Woojin watched Shin disappear. He turned to look at himself in the elevator mirror.
He looked strange. Pink cheeks and slightly arched eyebrows. When Woojin touched his face, he felt the heat.
Suddenly, the elevator door opened again as it reached the second floor. Woojin walked out calmly and tapped his ID card on the security pad. The reference room had a double-security feature.
The heavy gla.s.s door made a mechanical noise as it opened. Woojin walked the long hallway and when he turned around the corner, a large storage was waiting for him.
“…”
Woojin gently stomped on the floor. A dull sound echoed throughout the entire area. The second floor was used only for storing reports, so it was rare for anyone to come down to this room. It was always quiet here.
“It feels like I’m in a swimming pool.”
The high school he attended had an indoor swimming pool. During gym cla.s.ses, they sometimes received swimming lessons. Woojin always thought the bottom of the pool looked strangely blue.
Woojin’s high school was famous for its swim team. The team consisted of talented students that were specially scouted, and these swimmers practiced every afternoon. One day, Woojin was leaving the pool after his gym cla.s.s. It was the last cla.s.s of the day, so the sun was about to set outside. It was also getting a bit chilly, especially because he was still wet from swimming. He wrapped the towel around his head and was drying himself when someone tapped his shoulder.
“You dropped this.”
Woojin turned around to see a boy. Their eyes met and the eyes Woojin saw were so dark that they looked blue.
The long slim fingers tapped Woojin’s shoulder a few more times before suddenly grabbing his wrist. In shock at the unexpected sensation, Woojin pulled away coldly.
“a.s.sistant Manager Woojin.”
When Woojin flinched and looked up, Shin Kim was there, standing while holding the card key. The memory of that boy in the swimming pool briefly overlapped with Shin Kim standing in front of him.
This happened every time he went to the clinic. For a few days after the doctor’s visit, Woojin always suffered from slight confusion. He bit his lips in frustration.
Shin walked towards him and touched his forehead with his hand.
“Hmm… You don’t have a fever or anything…”
“…”
Shin walked ahead and tapped the key card on the second security pad. The heavy door opened loudly.
Shin said to Woojin, “I called your name a few times, but you didn’t answer. I got worried there for a second.”
“…”
“Please don’t stand like that, looking so blank.”
Shin smiled a little as he pushed the metal door open. He walked inside and Woojin followed. The reference room was filled with the smell of old papers. Behind them, the metal door closed by itself with a heavy click.
“2014a…”
Woojin walked between the tall metal bookcases as he checked the dates. The binders were large and heavy. Shin followed him from behind.
Woojin finally announced, “It’s here.”
He reached up to grab the heavy binder but Shin quickly offered.
“I can do that for you.”
Shin easily picked up the binder as Woojin stared. Suddenly, Woojin asked, “Did you stop swimming altogether?”
Shin dropped the binder on the floor.