TAESEOK'S POV
The morning after the impossible phone call felt less like a new dawn and more like the opening act of a particularly cruel prank show. Taeseok, usually the human embodiment of a snooze button, was up before his alarm, fueled by a potent cocktail of terror and a tiny, almost imperceptible sliver of hope.
Today was the day. He was meeting Kim Junghyun. The thought alone made his stomach attempt a triple somersault.
He meticulously ironed his best (and only) suit, a dark grey number that, with the right lighting and a generous application of imagination, could almost pass for expensive. He even attempted to tame his perpetually rebellious hair, a losing battle he usually surrendered to by noon. He wanted to project competence, professionalism, and absolutely no lingering trace of the gangly, heartbroken teenager who used to blush furiously at Junghyun's mere presence. He reminded himself: Junghyun wouldn't remember him. This was a purely business transaction. A desperate, job-saving business transaction.
Just as he was about to knot his tie, perfecting his "serious business" expression in the mirror, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Director Park: "Taeseok-ssi, my office. Immediately."
A cold dread trickled down his spine. "Immediately" with Director Park usually meant something akin to an impending natural disaster. He sighed, adjusting his half-tied tie, and headed towards the lion's den.
Director Park was not alone. Sitting primly in the guest chair, radiating an aura of polished superiority, was Ms. Lee Hae-won, Zenith's newest golden girl. Fresh out of a top-tier business school, with a perfect bob and an even more perfect track record of making Taeseok feel like a particularly dull pebble. She was, in PR terms, everything he wasn't: flashy, confident, and seemingly incapable of sweating under pressure.
"Ah, Taeseok-ssi, perfect timing!" Director Park boomed, his smile wide and unsettling. "Hae-won here has just been brought up to speed on Project Phoenix. Given its… sensitive nature, I've decided to put her in charge."
Taeseok's jaw went slack. "Excuse me, sir? But… I thought…"
Hae-won cut in, her voice smooth as silk, but with an underlying edge of condescension. "With all due respect, Taeseok-ssi, this is a high-profile account. It requires a certain… finesse. And, frankly, someone with a more proven track record for securing difficult clients." She offered him a pitying smile that felt suspiciously like a smirk.
Taeseok felt a hot flush creep up his neck. Finesse? Proven track record? He had gotten the meeting! He was the one who had gotten Junghyun to even consider Zenith! But Director Park was already waving a dismissive hand.
"Hae-won has experience with luxury brands," he explained, as if Taeseok was a particularly dim-witted intern. "And besides, it's already arranged. She's on her way to meet him now. You can… go back to your usual tasks, Taeseok-ssi."
"But, sir, Mr. Jung Hyun agreed to meet me specifically," Taeseok blurted out, a desperate plea in his voice.
Director Park scoffed. "Please, Taeseok-ssi. He's Kim Junghyun. He probably just picked a name at random from the email. Now, off you go. Hae-won, let's go make Zenith proud."
Taeseok watched, utterly deflated, as Hae-won gathered her sleek briefcase and followed Director Park out, both of them radiating confidence. He stood there, tie half-tied, best suit suddenly feeling like a clown costume. His big shot, his last chance, had just been snatched away by the office princess and a tone-deaf boss. He was back to being average, discarded. The familiar knot of dread returned, tighter than ever. He untied his tie, feeling the prickle of sweat starting on his forehead, and resigned himself to a day of soul-crushing paperwork.
JUNGHYUN'S POV
The meeting room at the Kang National Training Academy was minimalist, functional. Just how Jung Hyun liked it. No unnecessary frills, no distractions. Just the quiet hum of the air conditioning and the faint smell of liniment from the gym next door. He sat across from his manager, Namhyun, who was reviewing his schedule.
"Next up, Zenith Corp.," Namhyun muttered, checking his watch. "They're pretty persistent. Some new sports line they want you to endorse. Honestly, I told them no ten times, but the rep just kept emailing. Even sent his business card."
Jung Hyun grunted. Endorsements. The bane of his existence. He punched people for a living; he didn't sell sneakers. He'd turned down every major brand on the planet. Adidas. Nike. Even that ridiculously wealthy energy drink company that offered him a private jet. His focus was the ring, his training, his legacy.
The door opened, and a man with a booming voice and a woman with an unnervingly perfect smile entered. Director Park, Jung Hyun vaguely remembered from the email, and… Ms. Lee Hae-won. The woman looked like she'd stepped straight out of a high-fashion magazine, ready to sell him a yacht, not a gym sock.
"Mr. Jung Hyun, thank you for your time," Director Park began, a forced cordiality in his tone. "I'm Director Park, and this is Ms. Lee Hae-won, our Senior Marketing Manager. We're thrilled to discuss Zenith's new…"
Jung Hyun held up a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Which one of you is Park Taeseok?"
Director Park paused, his smile freezing. Hae-won's perfect smile faltered. An awkward silence descended, thick enough to cut with a boxing glove.
"Ah, well, Mr. Jung Hyun," Director Park finally stammered, a beads of sweat already forming on his forehead despite the arctic air conditioning. "Park Taeseok-ssi is… a junior staff member. We felt, for a project of this magnitude, that Ms. Lee's… expertise…"
Hae-won picked up, trying to recover. "Yes, my experience with high-profile clients makes me uniquely suited to lead this…"
Jung Hyun leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanging, but a distinct coolness entering his eyes. He crossed his arms, his gaze drifting from Director Park's flustered face to Hae-won's quickly reddening cheeks. "I see." His voice was flat, devoid of any warmth or interest. "I agreed to this meeting because the name on the business card piqued my interest. If Park Taeseok is not here, then I have no reason to continue this discussion."
He stood up, the subtle shift in his posture radiating an authority that silenced the room. Director Park and Hae-won looked like two children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Their faces, once smug, were now slick with panic.
"Mr. Jung Hyun, please! Just five minutes!" Director Park pleaded, scrambling to his feet. "We can call him! He's in the building! Just a moment!"
Jung Hyun ignored them, walking towards the door. "Namhyun, I'll be outside."
As the door clicked shut behind him, he heard Director Park's frantic, hushed whispers through the thin wall. "Get Taeseok on the phone! Now! Tell him to run! Sprint here! Explain nothing!"
A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched Jung Hyun's lips. Park Taeseok. The name had snagged in his mind the moment he saw it on that business card.
It was a common enough name, but the unusual formality of "Park Taeseok, Junior Marketing Manager, Zenith Corp." had been a sharp contrast to the mischievous, slightly disheveled boy he remembered. He'd taken the meeting on a whim, a faint flicker of curiosity he hadn't known he still possessed. And now, they'd sent a substitute. How rude. He wondered if it was the same person and if so what kind of man Park Taeseok had become.
TAESEOK'S POV
Taeseok was mid-errand run, navigating the labyrinthine hallways of Zenith Corp. towards the supply closet (his latest vital task: counting paperclips), when his phone vibrated violently. It was Director Park. Again. His voice, usually a booming bellow, was a frantic, high-pitched squeak.
"Taeseok! Where are you?! Get to Kang National Training Academy! Now! Sprint! Don't ask questions! Your job depends on it! Go! Go! Go!"
Before Taeseok could even process the barrage of panicked commands, the call ended. Kang National Training Academy? Now? He was wearing his crumpled work shirt, no blazer, and was already starting to sweat from his brisk paperclip-counting walk. But the urgency in Director Park's voice was undeniable. This wasn't a request; it was an order from the corporate gods, delivered with the desperate wail of a man whose career was hanging by a thread.
He turned on his heel, abandoning the noble quest for paperclips, and broke into a full-blown sprint through the office building. He burst out into the still-drizzling Seoul afternoon, flagging down the first available taxi. "Kang National Training Academy! And step on it!"
The drive was a blur of frantic anxiety. He patted his pockets, confirming his crumpled business card was still there. What was going on? Why the sudden urgency? Had Director Park decided to give him a second chance? Or was he being sent to clean up a catastrophic mess created by Hae-won? The latter seemed more likely.
He practically leaped out of the taxi the moment it screeched to a halt outside the gleaming, modern building. He took a deep, gulping breath, trying to slow his hammering heart. His shirt was clinging to his back, and he was pretty sure his hair looked like a startled bird's nest. He was a disheveled mess, utterly unpresentable for a meeting with anyone, let alone an international sports icon.
As he stumbled towards the entrance, pushing open the heavy glass doors, his gaze landed on two figures standing just inside, near what looked like the main gym area. One was Namhyun, Jung Hyun's manager, a man whose face was etched with perpetual exhaustion. The other…
The other was Kim Junghyun.
He was standing tall, casual in athletic wear, speaking quietly to Namhyun. His profile was even sharper in person, his dark hair damp from what Taeseok assumed was a recent workout. He looked… magnificent. And utterly unattainable.
As Taeseok, breathless and drenched, took another step forward, Jung Hyun turned his head. Their eyes met across the polished floor of the lobby. Jung Hyun's gaze, steady and intense, seemed to linger on Taeseok for a beat longer than necessary. Taeseok's breath hitched. There was no flicker of recognition, no dawning realization in those dark eyes. Just a calm, almost curious, assessment. It was a look that made Taeseok feel simultaneously relieved and strangely… deflated. He didn't remember. Of course, he didn't. Taeseok was just another face in the crowd now. A sweaty, disheveled face.
"Taeseok-ssi! Thank heavens!" Director Park's voice, a desperate squeal, cut through the moment. He burst out of the meeting room, followed closely by a pale-faced Hae-won. Both of them looked like they'd just run a marathon in a sauna. Beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads, their perfectly coiffed hair slightly mussed. They looked like they'd been dragged through hell and back, despite being in the air-conditioned room.
Jung Hyun turned, following Director Park back into the room. Taeseok, still gasping for air, hurried after them, feeling every single bead of sweat making its way down his back.
Inside, Director Park and Hae-won had resumed their seats, looking utterly miserable. Jung Hyun remained standing. Taeseok, acutely aware of his disheveled state, perched awkwardly on the edge of the chair closest to the door.
"Ah, Taeseok-ssi, thank you for coming so quickly," Director Park chirped, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "Please, present Zenith's proposal to Mr. Jung Hyun."
Taeseok, still panting, stumbled through the well-rehearsed pitch. He talked about Zenith's commitment to quality, the innovative new designs, the target demographic. He tried to sound confident, but his voice kept catching on his ragged breaths. He felt acutely aware of Jung Hyun's quiet presence, observing him from across the room.
Mid-sentence, as he gestured with his hand, Taeseok noticed Jung Hyun's gaze. It wasn't on his face, or even on the presentation materials. It was fixed, with an unnerving intensity, on the simple silver wedding band on Taeseok's left hand.
Taeseok faltered, his explanation of "cutting-edge fabric technology" dissolving into a mumble. He quickly tucked his hand under the table, feeling a fresh wave of heat rise to his cheeks.
As soon as Taeseok finished his hurried, slightly breathless presentation, Jung Hyun simply nodded. He didn't ask questions. He didn't offer feedback. He just looked at Taeseok for another long moment, his expression unreadable, before turning to Namhyun.
"Namhyun," he said, his voice as calm and clear as ever. "We're done here."
Namhyun, looking slightly relieved but still wary of Director Park's thunderous expression, stepped forward. "Zenith Corp., thank you for your presentation. We will be in touch after internal discussions."
And with that, Jung Hyun turned and walked out, leaving a trail of stunned silence and a room filled with the palpable tension of two utterly defeated executives and one very sweaty, very bewildered junior staff member.
Taeseok watched him go, a strange mix of disappointment and a nagging, unsettling curiosity swirling in his chest. Why had Jung Hyun looked at his hand like that? And more importantly, had he really not remembered him at all?
******