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As much as his parents push him to get a college degree, it’s still damn near impossible to land a job.
Sure, he technically has one. But being a cashier at a corner shop can only get you so far in life, and his dad makes it a point to remind him of that every other day.
“Where am I even supposed to look?” Changbin mutters.
Jisung shrugs so dramatically that Changbin hopes his shoulders pop. “Dunno. A bank?”
Changbin scoffs. “Yeah, right. And deal with cranky old people all day?”
Jisung furrows his eyebrows, “Why do I have to come up with ideas for your job?” Jisung’s voice cracks mid-sentence. “I take care of my omega and actually use my degree. If anything, I’m doing you a service, asshole.”
“I don’t need your service when you’re the manager of a food court.”
Jisung practically squeaks, throwing his arms out. “You asked me?!”
“Well,” Changbin says, leaning back in his chair, “your advice still sucks.”
Jisung rolls his eyes and slouches further down. They fall into an easy silence, the quiet countryside buzzing around them. It’s peaceful here and much quieter than Changbin’s apartment. He makes a mental note to visit more often.
He’s just about to ask Jisung for more water when his friend suddenly jerks upright. The sound he makes in the back of his throat startles Changbin, his chair squeaking when he jumps.
“Dude, secretary!” Jisung’s eyes light up.
Changbin catches his breath. “What?”
“A secretary!” Jisung snaps his fingers. “An office job that doesn’t need a degree, but you already have one. That’s like an automatic advantage.” He throws his hands up, grinning.
Changbin blinks. Jisung’s still smiling.
But unfortunately for Changbin, and very fortunately for Jisung, he’s right.
Immediate advantage.
By the end of the week after a pretty consistent job hunt, an email pops up on Changbin’s phone.
FULL TIME OFFICE SECRETARY INTERVIEW REQUEST
He stares at the notification halfway through his shift. His feet feel frozen in place.
Sure, it’s not exactly related to his degree, but it’s still a hell of a lot better than standing behind a counter all day.
He cautiously taps the link, which takes him to a calendar page. A few clicks, a short debate with himself, and he settles on tomorrow afternoon. Earlier’s probably better, but hell if he knows.
He locks his phone and stares at the wall behind the counter for a long minute. The shop hums quietly around him. The neon lights around him flicker off the glass display.
An actual interview.
He can already hear Jisung bragging like he got him the job himself. Still, a secretary job at some corporate place sounds… strange, for him.
By the time he closes up for the night, he's already Googled fifteen different variations of “what to wear to an office interview,” and convinced himself that pretending to be the kind of omega who belongs in corporate won’t be that hard.
It is, of course.
The receptionist smiles at him like this doesn't have Jisung and his parents' approval riding on it, or anything. He hands over his identification while nervously looking around the room. The lights are still bouncing off of every shiny surface, they're just… not neon.
It feels like a type of sterile that absolutely doesn't have room for someone like him.
He tugs at his sleeve, suddenly hyperaware of the faint scent of smoke clinging to his suit jacket. It's one he hasn't touched since college graduation. The receptionist doesn’t seem to notice, thankfully.
He clears his throat when she looks up from her computer screen again. “Seo Changbin for the interview?”
She smiles, polite and practiced, before she gestures toward a row of chairs that look way too expensive to actually sit in.
He smiles back, probably a lot more crooked, before finding a seat right in the middle. He sits down carefully, like one wrong move and all his clothes will suddenly turn into one big mess of wrinkles.
The air smells like a name-brand cologne that he only recognizes because Jisung stole it off some guy once.
He's halfway through wondering if he should leave, or if this job is even real, when the creak of a door makes his ears perk up. A wave of stale shortbread hits his nose as a voice calls his name.
He feels his Adam's apple move as he swallows. The receptionist looks over her computer screen, pointing in the direction of the voice.
“He’s ready for you whenever you are, Mr. Seo!” Her smile is nearly as bright as the expensive lights above their head.
He nods, standing up just as carefully as he sat down.
He forces his legs to move. Every step feels like it's reverberating off the bare walls. The light spilling from the open doorway is warmer than the lobby, but somehow feels heavier.
Maybe he’s in over his head, but he’s not turning around.
He knocks once on the doorway. The smell of shortbread is somehow even more stale than it was in the lobby. He scrunches his nose on instinct the same time the door swings open.
His brain short-circuits when he looks up at the CEO of the company. He wasn't supposed to be hot. In fact, this was the last thing that needed to happen if Changbin had a say in the matter.
“Seo Changbin?”
Changbin nods. “Yes. Yes sir. For the interview.”
He fights the urge to cringe at the words that come out too quickly to stop them. Jisung would absolutely lose it. He can't remember the last time he called anyone sir, much less an alpha.
The alpha in front of him turns away to head back to his desk without saying another word. The staleness follows right behind him.
The man gestures vaguely toward the chair opposite his desk. Changbin lowers himself slowly, careful not to touch anything. The desk looks too organized to be real. The rest of his office, though, is surprisingly normal. If Changbin squints, he can almost see a smidge of personality peek through.
“Mr. Seo,” the alpha says finally, voice unreadable. “You’ve worked retail?”
“Yeah. Right now, a corner shop,” Changbin says, immediately regretting it.
“Hm.” A pause long enough to stretch Changbin's nerves thin. He thumbs through Changbin's resume. “Not quite an office environment.”
Changbin’s throat goes dry. “No, sir.”
The man in front of him goes to speak again, but like the graceful omega he is, Changbin interrupts.
“That was just my most recent experience, though. I helped with advertising for an internship while I was still in undergrad.” He cringes at the noise the chair makes when his leg starts bouncing.
The man's eyebrow raises, eyes unmoving from the printed resume in front of him. “College?”
Changbin nods, wiping his palms on his pants. “Bachelor's degree in Marketing.”
He hums. Changbin feels his heart beating around 200 beats a minute. He's fine. Normal even. Whatever.
Mr. Boss Man finally looks up, just briefly. “I feel like you may be overqualified.”
Changbin stifles a laugh. That's the last thing he thought he'd ever hear out of anyone, really. “I’m sorry, sir, I disagree.”
He can tell the alphas' scent spikes as much as his blockers allow. His face says nothing but professionalism, but Changbin can assume otherwise.
The alpha purses his lips once he leans back in his seat. He doesn’t say anything else, at least not to Changbin directly. His chair creaks beneath him as he reaches for a pen.
For Changbin, somewhere between the first interrogation question to “That’ll be all, Mr. Seo,” time blurs together.
And forty minutes later, his fingers tremble around a manila folder with a bold “Welcome Aboard” sticker. The receptionist’s smile looks the same as before, which, somehow, makes him feel worse.
Apparently, a mix of graduating abroad with honors and being in a party frat house his entire degree without getting arrested is impressive in and of itself.
The receptionist claps as she speaks. “Perfect! Come back here on your start date so I can get you all set up with Mr. Kim!”
Changbin feels his face pale. He hadn't even asked the dude his name.
He awkwardly smiles, lazily waving as he walks away. Mr. Kim might run out of his office and realize he made a grave mistake the longer Changbin stands here.
The out-of-place feeling doesn't go away in the days before his first day. If anything, it gets worse.
He debates not showing up at all, but he knows that decision would follow him later.
Changbin’s throat dries up as he adjusts his tie for the fifth time that day before stepping into the office.
The alpha stands behind his desk, half-turned toward the window. His voice is low while speaking on the phone, probably about some big, important business deal… or whatever CEOs talk about.
Changbin awkwardly shifts on his heels, unsure what he should do next. But, after one solid demand to receive an email later that afternoon, the alpha hangs up the phone.
He barely faces Changbins before his eyebrow raises. “You’re late.”
“Technically, it’s eight fifty-nine,” Changbin blurts, instantly regretting it.
The alpha’s jaw clenches, and somehow, that seemed worse than anger.
Mr. Kim doesn't say another word about it, motioning towards a door with his chin.
“In there is your desk, along with a couple of other direct employees; the rest are in other parts of the building.” He waves Changbin forward, his movements sharp.
Changbin, on the other hand, gets too caught up in trying to find this dude's nameplate. He leans back on his heels in an attempt to clear the glare on a wall plaque until he hears the alpha suck in a breath.
“Coming, Seo?”
He can smell the shortbread not only stale, but also sour. This guy really needs better scent blockers if he’s supposed to be entirely stoic.
“Yeah, my bad,” he stumbles as he stands up straight, dusting himself off before looking up to see the pointed expression on the alpha's face.
Changbin quickly stumbles over his words.
“Yes, I'm sorry.” His shoulders tense. “I'm ready.”
Mr. Kim glares a moment longer before opening the door to reveal an even more office-like space. Changbin hears phantom noises of a keyboard and what he thinks to be a coffee machine. He glances around at the lack of posters before his attention is directed to a desk closest to Mr Kim's door.
“Here’s your desk. There are six other employees in this wing,” he motions to the pathway from Changbin's desk to the door they just entered through. “They'll come to you before getting to me, in addition to three other employees every so often.”
He then directs his attention to a specific corner of the room. “Mr. Lee?”
A blond man peeks his head above his computer screen, revealing nothing but his forehead. “Yes, sir?”
The alpha's smile doesn't reach his eyes. “Please get him set up on his computer and started on the onboarding tasks,” He taps the small gold watch on his wrist. “I have a meeting coming up in a few minutes.”
Lee nods, quick to stand up and make his way over. The alpha turns his attention back to Changbin.
“If you have any questions, send me a message on Teams or knock before coming in.”
He leaves before Changbin can get another word in.
The blond extends his hand once he reaches Changbin. “I’m Lee Felix, but please just call me Felix.”
Changbin grins, reaching out. “Changbin, nice to meet you.” He can smell a faint smell of pine. He notices Felix's subtle expression— the way he quickly looks Changbin up and down. An office crawling with alphas is the last thing Changbin needed.
“So,” Felix leans over Changbin's new desk, “let's get you started.”
By the time Changbin figured out the basics of his computer, any confidence was ruined almost immediately after accidentally clicking “Reply All” on an internal email about toner supplies.
Thankfully, though, Felix had been kind enough to pretend he didn’t notice.
That, or he was too distracted by looking down Changbins shirt.
By noon, the whole floor had settled into a productive routine. Everyone seemed to have their own task, and they were doing it well. Felix seemed to complete at least three different things almost immediately after sitting down.
Changbin, however, was still convinced his own typing sounded louder than everyone else’s combined. He kept glancing toward the semi-frosted glass door that separated Mr. Kim’s office from the rest of them, half-expecting the alpha to burst out and revoke his employment for disturbing his peace.
He didn’t, and the door stayed shut.
Felix eventually stretched in his seat, speaking just loud enough that everyone else knew it was only directed towards the new guy. “Need me to show you where we break for lunch?”
“Uh…” Changbin looked at the untouched ham sandwich in his bag and back at the email he was only halfway through typing. He was supposed to send this before noon. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”
Felix shrugged, sliding on his cardigan. “Shoot me a message if you get lost.”
As soon as the blond disappears down the hall, Changbin releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
He glances around the empty room. The office was quieter now.
Almost too quiet.
Through the door’s glass, he could vaguely see Mr. Kim still at his desk, one hand pressed to his temple while the other scribbles on a stack of papers.
When does he find the time to eat?
Changbin watches the alpha glance at his watch while making zero effort to leave his desk.
He suddenly grabs his mediocre sandwich, and before he could second-guess himself, he found himself in front of the door.
He hesitates, his fingers digging just a little too far into the bread. He doesn't know if it was a rush of confidence or stupidity, but he knocks before he can stop himself.
Nothing.
His next knock is softer.
A curt voice cuts through. “Yes?”
Changbins jumps. "Uh, it’s me. Seo Changbin. The new secretary. Not sure if you remember—”
The door opens mid-ramble. Mr. Kim looks down at him, brows furrowed into something unreadable.
Changbin nearly forgot the whole reason he’d come over.
“I, um,” he started, awkwardly waving around the sandwich. “You seem busy… I thought maybe you could use something to eat. It’s nothing fancy... sorry I didn’t really think this through.” He gently taps his forehead with the plastic baggie. “I mean, I didn’t make it for you; it’s mine. But I’m not hungry anymore, so—”
He stops when the alpha’s eyes narrow. He’s probably trying to figure out if the new hire is insane.
“I appreciate the concern,” Mr. Kim said finally, his voice flat. “I’ll grab something later.”
Changbin nods too fast. “Of course, totally,” he nearly whips himself into the doorway. “I’ll, uh—”
“Leave it.”
“What?”
The alpha pinches at the bridge of his nose. “Just leave it. I’ll eat it.”
“Oh,” A beat. “You sure?”
Mr. Kim sighs loud enough that Changbin is convinced the whole office can hear from the breakroom. “For now, yes, but I might change my mind in the next 45 seconds.”
Changbin stumbles his way back into Mr. Kim's office to drop off the food. Mid delivery, he somehow manages to knock a few pens and some papers off the alpha's desk.
He looks up at the alpha with the elegance of a startled pigeon. “I'm sorry, sir.”
Just as Changbin has half a mind to clean up the mess, Mr. Kim reaches his arm out to block him, stopping Changbin from touching anything else. The sandwich bag sits awkwardly on the alpha's desk, one corner propped on a stapler.
“I got it. Thanks. Just-- try not to injure yourself, or anyone else, before your first week is over, Seo.”
After spending the next day and a half on YouTube tutorials, by Wednesday, Changbin thought he had this office thing down.
He made a whole spreadsheet for a real, actually important report. Soft blue for finances, green for client data, yellow for project updates. It was color-coded and everything. Clean, and dare he say, even a little cheerful.
But apparently, “cheerful” was not part of Mr. Kim’s aesthetic.
“This,” Mr. Kim said flatly, tapping one corner of the report with his pencil, “looks like a daycare schedule.”
Changbin felt his heart skip a beat. Or three. Probably closer to three.
“I.. right, yes. I see that.” He leans forward quickly, snatching the document from the alpha's hand before he can continue. “I’ll fix it. More ashy grey. Everyone loves a good ash grey.”
“It’s not about color,” Mr. Kim replied in a calm tone that screamed ‘it was absolutely about color.’ “It’s about presentation. We deal with high-profile clients; professionalism is most important.”
“Professionalism. Got it.”
Mr. Kim watches him for a moment, expression unreadable, before turning back to his monitor. “Make sure it’s ready before the two o’clock meeting.”
“Yes, sir, two o’clock,” Changbin repeated, already backing toward the door, trying his best not to trip on the corner of the rug.
And by one fifty-seven, Changbin had produced what he thought was the most soulless professional report in human history.
He watched as Mr. Kim’s eyes scanned each corner. “Better.”
Changbin didn't realize he was holding his breath. He forces a smile, gathering the courage to excuse himself back to his desk.
The words almost leave his mouth, until Mr. Kim beats him to it. “Next time, ask before changing the overall layout.”
Changbin blinks. “The layout?”
“You changed the table margins.”
“…There were table margins?”
The alpha slowly exhales through his nose. Changbin would be lying if he said the frustration wasn't a little hot. “Just… send it to my assistant next time.”
“I am your assistant.”
That earned him his first glare. “Then act like it.”
The words stung a little more than they should've. Changbin swallowed, nodding quickly. “Right. Yes, sir.”
Hours later, when most of the floor had emptied, Changbin was still at his computer trying to fix the margins he hadn’t known existed. He didn’t hear Mr. Kim approach until the scent of his expensive cologne and stale shortbread drifted closer.
“Still here?” the alpha leans against the doorway.
Changbin jumped so hard he almost deleted the spreadsheet. “Yes, sir.” He exhales. “Just finishing up.”
A pause.
“Margins tend to misbehave when you overthink them,” To Changbin's surprise, Mr. Kim nearly sounded amused. “You don’t have to stay late every night, Seo. It’s not a requirement.”
Changbin risked a glance up. The alpha’s tie was loosened. His eyes look softer in the dim office light.
“Yeah, well,” Changbin says, pretending to focus on the screen, clicking around in a further attempt to make it believable. “I’m still learning where the margins are.”
“Well,” the alpha clicks his pen in response. “Just lock up the first door when you leave.”
When Changbin glances up again, Mr. Kim was already gone.
By the end of Friday, he knew he absolutely didn't have the office thing down.
Changbin had delivered two misprinted memos, nearly sent an email to the wrong “Mr. Kim,” and spent ten minutes pretending he knew how the copier worked.
Mr. Kim hadn’t raised his voice a single time, but Changbin knew he was thinking it.
That's why he freezes the moment he hears a stack of papers hit the floor.
Unfortunately for Changbin, the rest of the office had already cleared out for the weekend.
He looks over his shoulder in the direction of the noise to see Mr. Kim’s office light still on. He waits, listening for any grumbling.
Changbin had just assumed he had forgotten to paperclip some of the alpha's important documents again, so really, he expected a scolding.
Nothing.
A beat.
Against Changbin's better judgment, he decides to get up and investigate. Just to ensure it was actually Mr. Kim and not a robbery, impending scolding or not.
He peeks through the half-open door to see Mr. Kim still at his desk. His head tilted back against the chair, jaw highlighted from a faint blue from the computer screen. As if he were on cue, a loud snore suddenly breaks through the otherwise quiet office.
Mr. Kim was asleep.
For a moment, Changbin observes the alpha. All defenses down in the most uncomfortable environment he could be in. How ironic.
Changbin glances at the clock above his desk. It was barely 6 p.m., and he looked exhausted.
Without thinking, he let his instincts take over. Changbin stepped in quietly, eyes locked on the half-filled coffee cup sitting precariously close to the edge, and an empty one right next to it.
He reaches over the alpha's arm to grab them both to ever so gently place them in the trash can next to his desk. He then straightens a few of his folders, places a couple of pens back in the cup, and wipes a coffee ring off his desk with a tissue.
It feels intrusive, but also… necessary.
When he finally risks another look, Mr. Kim moved just enough for his cheek to squish against the back of the chair.
The sight of the alpha so vulnerable did something strange to Changbin’s chest, which is how he justifies leaving his jacket with him.
Changbin carefully drapes the fabric across the alpha's chest. The last thing he needs is to startle him awake. He pokes the sleeve between Mr. Kim's cheek and the hard office chair.
He only has a few seconds to stare at his work before his pocket vibrates, startling him out of whatever trance he was under.
The weekend passes by in a blur, aside from the relentless teasing he faced from Jisung and Minho.
Something about how it's unethical to get a crush on your boss or whatever.
Changbin huffs, tossing a pillow in their respective directions. "It's not a crush."
"Yeah, right."
Jisung snorts. Changbin tosses his shoe next.
But by Monday morning, he could only disregard it so much.
Felix pops over to his desk before he has the chance to log in.
“Have you heard about the retreat?”
Changbin blinks. “What?”
“A two-night paid quarterly leadership thing. The whole exec wing and their support staff. Something for team building, mostly.” Felix takes a long sip of his coffee. “I’m sorry I didn't mention it to you sooner; it slipped my mind last week.”
Changbin attempts to channel enough of his new-hire energy to get pitied into not being required to go. He tilts his head just slightly when he speaks to Felix. “Are secretaries support staff? I’d hate to leave the office for three days after just getting settled.”
Felix gives him a pitying look. “You work directly for the CEO; unfortunately, you’re basically the mascot.”
Changbin feels his shoulders drop. “Oh, well,” he forces a smile, “The experience is good too.”
Felix tilts his head back just enough to down the rest of his coffee in two and a half gulps. He wipes his lip as he speaks. “I’m sure Mr. Kim will discuss it with you when he's out of his meetings.”
And unfortunately for Changbin, Felix was right.
By late afternoon, Mr. Kim's office door opened with its usual quiet click. “Mr. Seo,” he called, already halfway back to his desk, “a moment.”
Changbin grabs his notepad before barely making it out of his chair. He knew what this was about, probably, but it didn't help his nerves settle any more.
He's shaking by the time he makes it to the office. The alpha doesn't look up at Changbin as he speaks, his attention focused on the screen in front of him. “You’ve been managing all internal communications efficiently so far. I need you to expand your scope for next week.”
“Expand,” Changbin repeated. “As in…?”
“You’ll be handling the executive retreat logistics, like invitations and travel packets. The usual.”
“Oh,” Changbin said weakly. “The usual.”
He has less than a single idea of what “the usual” is.
Mr. Kim types away on his keyboard, each key echoing off the next. “I’ve already approved the budget, and I’ll have Mr. Lee oversee some of the logistics so you aren't overloaded while still being so new.” When he finally looks up at Changbin, his demeanor is borderline stoic. “Any questions?”
Changbin had approximately fifty-seven. “Will you… uh…be attending?”
Mr. Kim lifts a single brow. “Naturally.”
“Right.” Changbin nods, trying to sound (and look) competent enough to be doing any of this. “Great.”
Just as quickly as he turns to leave, Mr. Kim clears his throat to speak. “Pack casual attire. There will be team exercises.”
Changbin freezes in place, hand resting on the doorknob. “…Team exercises?”
“Yes. I didn’t design them.”
“Good to know,” Changbin mutters, stepping out of the office with at least seven more questions.
The resort turned out to be exactly the kind of event that made Changbin nervous to breathe too loud. Crystal clear glass walls with conference rooms that smelled faintly of pine disinfectant… everything that Changbin and Jisung would have made fun of three months ago.
He spent most of the first day juggling schedules and making sure Mr. Kim had the right presentation files. He only messed up once when he left the hotel key in his room, but that wasn't a secretary's duty, per se, so he saw it as a win.
And lucky for him, Mr. Kim was nothing like some of the other CEOs he'd observed. He's actually respectful, whether or not he wants to be. Exceptionally calm, too.
Even to a fault.
It happened after dinner right before the desserts were set up.
Changbin couldn't help but hear Mr. Kim's phone buzzing more than normal. There was a group of about five of them stuck in some weird half circle. They had just started discussing sales strategies that Changbin was only a quarter of the way familiar with when Mr. Kim excused himself.
Changbin really tried not to listen to the way the alpha's voice shook when he answered.
The tension in Mr. Kim's tone carried down the hall.
His voice was quiet as he spoke. “No, I told you to call if it got worse… Where? … I’ll be there tonight.”
Changbin's nose twitches when the alpha's scent spikes.
Mr. Kim turns the corner, his eyes focusing on nothing. His hand finds the small of Changbin's back, pulling him just far enough away from the group to not raise alarm. “My father, he’s collapsed. They’re moving him to Seoul General.”
“You shouldn’t drive like this,” Changbin immediately starts gathering their belongings. “I'll take you.”
For once, the alpha didn’t argue.
When they get to his car, Changbin opens the passenger door before the alpha can protest.
“I can drive,”.
“I know,” Changbin’s voice is gentle. “But I told you, you shouldn’t.”
The alpha scans Changbin's expression in a way that makes Changbin think he's about to argue.
But, to Changbin's surprise, he gets in without another word.
The silence is heavy in the vehicle, but not unfriendly. Just… cautious, if Changbin had to put a word to it.
The buzz of the alpha's phone cuts through the silence. This time, he answers almost immediately, voice so low it nearly blends in with the sound of the tires against the road underneath them.
“Yes… I’m on my way now… thank you.”
When he hangs up, Changbin notices his expression is different from normal, but still rather unreadable.
Changbin doesn't recognize his own voice as it cuts through the air. “Was that the doctor?”
The alpha nods once. “For now he’s stable.” Changbin watches the alpha's fingers flex against his knee in his peripheral vision.
Mr. Kim seems to search for something more to say. His lips twitch in the same way they do in meetings or when he’s on an important call.
“If it helps, Mr. Kim, you don’t have to fill the silence.” Changbin's smile is gentle. “I’m terrible at comforting people, anyway.” Changbin risks a sideways glance, eyes meeting the alphas.
“That doesn’t seem entirely true,” Mr. Kim murmured.
“What?”
“Thank you for driving.” He adjusts himself in the seat, gaze now directed away from Changbin to the trees outside. “And please, call me Seungmin.”
Changbin blinks twice before speaking, “Well… Seungmin,” he nods once, lips awkwardly pursing together. “Just doing my job.”
“This isn’t in the job description.”
CHangbin shrugs. “Neither was the daycare schedule.”
Changbin hears a quiet laugh escape Seungmin, the first one since being hired. “Right. Got me there.”
As they pull into Seoul General, Seungmin’s already reaching for the door handle before the car’s fully stopped.
Changbin offers him a small smile he doesn't see. His hands sit awkwardly on top of the steering wheel, watching Seungmin stumble out of the car.
He watches as the sliding class doors close behind Seungmin. The hospital lights swallow him whole.
He stays in the parking lot a moment longer, just in case Seungmin ends up needing someone.
When Changbin arrives at the office on Monday morning, the floor feels quieter than usual. Most people still move at half-speed from the retreat weekend, and some whisper as he walks by.
He almost convinced himself Seungmin wouldn’t show, that the alpha would take a personal day. Maybe even stay with his family.
The elevator doors open, proving him wrong.
Seungmin steps out in his usual dark suit and calm expression. He checks his watch, and then his phone, and eventually takes a call before disappearing into his office without breaking stride once.
Changbin sinks into his chair. Of course, he’s fine. He’s the CEO. He’s always fine.
He turns on his monitor and tries to focus on his backlogged inbox. He sighs a little too loudly when he sees unread emails in the double digits.
Eventually, he gets so caught up in his work, he doesn't notice when Seungmin walks up.
“Mr. Seo.”
Changbin quickly looks up, eyes a little wider than he means them to be.
Seungmins stands beside his desk, a folder in one hand and a coffee in the other.
“My father’s stable.” He nods towards Changbin once. “Thank you for getting me there in time.”
Changbin awkwardly nods back. He hadn’t expected the alpha to mention it at all, really. “I’m glad he’s okay.”
“So am I.” Seungmin hesitates before setting the papers on his desk. “I’m behind on this quarter’s audit reports. Could you help organize the scheduling spreadsheet? The data’s way too messy.”
Changbin glances at the folder. “Of course. I’ll make it neat, professional, grey, and not cheerful.”
A corner of Seungmin’s mouth twitches upwards. “Maybe…light blue this time. Still not a daycare, though.”
Changbin grins before he can stop himself. “Got it, then a nice, CEO-approved blue.”
Around five, most of the staff pack up for the day. And around six, he finally finishes the reports. He prints it off with zero printer problems before knocking lightly on the office door.
Seungmin looks up. Changbin waves the stack of papers above his head. “All done.”
The alpha waves him in. The office looks different at night under a gentle lamplight instead of the usual office lights. He pushes up his glasses as he takes the report form from Changbin's hand, their fingers brushing together.
Seungmin's eyes skim along the columns, his fingers following closely behind. Changbin nearly misses a small smile when he glances over the margins.
“Efficient,” he looks up at Changbin, eyes meeting for longer than usual. “Good job on the margins.” For the first time, he sounds genuinely genuine.
Changbin beams. “Now, it’s my specialty.”
Seungmin sets the papers down, fingers drumming once against the desk. “Dinner?”
It takes a second for the word to register. Changbin can't help the way his voice cracks when he speaks. “Dinner?”
“I owe you one,” Seungmin says simply, his glasses threatening to slide down his nose. “And if we stay here any longer, I’ll start another report.”
Changbin blinks at him, carefully trying to decide if this is a joke. The alpha’s expression is perfectly serious, other than a faint hint of amusement that lingers around his eyes.
“Okay,” Changbin says, only a little hesitantly. He feels his palms get sweaty immediately. “But you’re not allowed to talk about work.”
“I make no promises.”
The restaurant Seungmin chooses isn’t what Changbin expects.
“I didn’t picture you eating somewhere that isn't…” Changbin glances around the small family-owned restaurant. “Fancy.”
Seungmin gives him a faint look. “My father used to bring me here when I was in college,” he gestures lazily towards the menu in front of them. “And, the owner still makes the same soup.”
It doesn't take long for the two of them to pick out what they want to eat. Seungmin orders his usual, and Changbin orders the same as Seungmin. They start their meal off in a comfortable silence, the other conversations buzzing around them.
Seungmin seems different here. Still composed, but less CEO-ee. His tie hangs slightly askew, and his sleeves are rolled up just slightly too high. It almost feels like he's normal.
Changbin watches as Seungmin sticks his tongue out a little further than he needs to, slurping at the noodles. Changbin feels a blush creep up his cheeks once he realizes he was staring.
“So,” he sips, “do you ever actually stop working? Like, do something for yourself?”
Seungmin doesn’t answer right away, carefully finishing his previous bite of food. “That depends on what you mean by ‘for myself.’”
Changbin pokes at his meal, hesitant to look over. “I mean something that isn’t work-related or productive. Something fun.”
“Then, no.”
Changbin doesn't know why he's surprised. “Figures.”
The same look of amusement finds its way back to Seungmin's eyes, but this time it's far less contained. “You say that like it’s a flaw.”
Changbin shrugs, taking a sip of his water next. “Maybe it is.”
Something flickers in Seungmin’s expression. He licks his lips before speaking. “You’re bold for a secretary.”
“You hired me.” Changbin finally looks him in the eyes. “You knew what you were getting into.”
When the meal ends, Seungmin insists on paying no matter how much Changbin protests.
Outside, it's cool and much calmer than Changbin would have expected for this time in the evening.
“Thank you,” Seungmin almost hesitates. “For tonight.”
Changbin scoffs, voice light. “You didn't let me pay.”
Seungmin shakes his head. “No, for...not treating me like a CEO for two hours.”
Changbin shoves his hands in his pockets. “Anytime, Seungmin.”
The alpha’s smile is small, but it stays this time.
As they stand by the curb waiting for a cab, the silence between them isn’t awkward anymore. It just is.
The next day feels like it's moving at a different pace than normal. There's still the same volume of the usual type of work, but Changbin can't help but feel like something shifted.
Today, he notices him and Seungmin actually discussing little things mostly unrelated to work. It started with whether Seungmin actually eats breakfast, to what kind of music helps him focus, and eventually, how Changbin still doesn’t understand half the acronyms in corporate emails.
Seungmin keeps the door propped open a little wider today, too. Mutters something about the airflow, how the seasonal changes always make it feel extra stuffy or something.
When lunch rolls around, Changbin feels a presence in front of his desk. He's so wrapped up in his tasks, he almost doesn't care enough to look up — not until he recognizes the familiar smell of shortbread and expensive cologne.
Changbin finally looks up from his screen, eyes locked with Seungmin's. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
Changbin smiles, thinks a little less than he usually does before he speaks. “You’re asking me out again already?”
Seungmin’s eyebrow lifts. “It’s lunch.”
Changbin tries his best to stay confident. “Still counts.”
This time, though, the alpha actually laughs. “Fine. Then I’m asking. Lunch?”
Changbin feels his heart skip a beat. Now, his smile feels impossible to hide, joke or not. “Yeah. Sure.”
For the rest of the week, they eat lunch together.
Seungmin also starts including Changbin in conversations that don’t necessarily need him. He asks Changbin for opinions more often than he asks him to complete a typical secretary duty.
Changbin has more opportunities to learn about him rather than Mr. Kim. By mid-week, he can nearly anticipate his moods.
And maybe that’s why, when Seungmin leans against the doorframe later that week, Changbin remains just slightly more composed.
“You’re not busy Friday night, are you?”
Changbin doesn't hesitate. He only looks away from his screen for a moment before finishing his email. “Not if you’ve got plans.”
Seungmin’s mouth curves. It’s still restrained, but it's genuine. “Good. Then keep it that way.”
Changbin crosses his ankles, eyes straight at his screen, "Need me to put it on the company calendar, or...?"
He sees Seungmin grin from the corner of his eye. Watches as Seungmin playfully shakes his head.
"Don't you dare."
Seungmin ends up sending Changbin the address of a small bar in town. He checks the address three times before entering. The last thing he wants to do is be late, whether on the clock or not.
Seungmin’s already settled at the bar when Changbin walks through the doors. Jacket bunched in his lap, fingers wrapped around a glass of something amber.
Changbin gets distracted by him long enough to watch him finally take a sip.
Seungmin feels his glare. He waves Changbin over when their eyes meet.
“You came,” Seungmin says. He sounds almost surprised.
“You told me to keep the night free,” Changbin slips onto the barstool next to him. “I didn’t think that was a suggestion.”
Seungmin’s already motioning for the bartender. “It wasn’t.”
Changbin smiles, fingers playing with the corner of Seungmin's bar napkin. “Good. I hate guessing.”
He orders a cocktail that's a little too strong for a not-first-date date, fidgeting with the napkin the entire time he stumbles through his order. He knows Jisung would be pointing at him and laughing, literally.
But even then, he has to get halfway through his drink before he gathers any courage to look Seungmin in the eye.
When he does, Changbn can't help but stare. He's convinced he hasn't seen anyone this pretty in... ever. He feels sweat bead on the nape of his neck.
Seungmin stops mid-sentence. He sets down his glass, waving a hand in front of Changbin's nose.
"Are you-"
"You're hot."
They both freeze. Seungmin's lips curve upwards, curiosity etched onto his features. "Excuse me?"
Changbin's brain feels like it short-circuits. He can only get himself nod, his tongue darting out to wet his lips.
“You can tell me no.” Seungmin's tone gets impossibly quieter, “But would you want to come back to mine?”
Changbin watches five different emotions play out on Seungmin's face before he starts to pull away. “Actually, I‘m sorry, I shouldn't–”
“Please?”
And before Changbin knows it, they're making their way through Seungmin's front door.
Seungmin points Changbin in the direction of his room. Once they both crawl into bed, Seungmin wastes no time getting situated between his thighs.
He tugs Changbin’s pants off, tossing them somewhere in the room behind him. Changbin immediately feels a gush of slick pour onto the mattress beneath them.
He watches Seungmin lick his lips, eyes finally fixated on him. All of him.
He doesn’t have it in him to be embarrassed when Seungmin opens Changbin's legs, starts mumbling praises to the omega with each taste of his honey-flavored slick on the alpha's tongue.
”You taste so good— so sweet.”
Changbin forgets he’s his secretary when he finally feels Seungmin's fingers. Seungmin makes sure to work him open carefully, his eyes glued on the way his fingers disappear into Changbin. Quiet whimpers get stuck in the back of Changbin's throat; every movement Seungmin makes deliberately hits his sweet spot.
By the time Seungmin pulls his fingers away, the mattress underneath Changbin is soaked. He’s a whimpering mess of pleas.
Seungmin slowly reaches out, slick-covered fingers caressing the side of Changbin's jaw. Changbin darts his tongue out in an attempt to get a taste of himself, too.
Somehow, Seungmin still looks composed. “Such a good omega.”
Changbin's hand wraps around Seungmin’s wrist, eyes glazed over. His voice is already worn when he speaks. “Want you so bad, your knot, please.”
♡
Seungmin is holding Changbin close when he wakes up the next morning, their legs still tangled together. He feels Seungmin's breath on the top of his head, barely hears quiet snores escaping his throat.
Changbin takes the opportunity to finally look up at the alpha.
When he does, Seungmin’s face is lolled to the side, cheek squished against the pillow. Some dried drool sits at the corner of his lip. The sun spots peeking through the curtains almost look like a halo.
Changbin lifts himself just enough to leave a gentle kiss on the tip of the alpha's nose.
With the warmth of the alpha and the scent of honey-lemon shortbread wrapped around the room, Changbin is quick to drift back to sleep.