Chapter Text
Jaeyun Sim,
Warm greetings!
This is Jungwon Yang, an associate and representative lawyer of Park Associates, and I am writing this letter to you as we have deliberated a decision re: your job application.
We are pleased to inform you that you’ve been accepted as Legal Secretary I starting on the 1st of April 2023. Attached here is the job offer that extensively discusses benefits, compensation, and other requirements you need to comply with on or before your said employment date.
Should you have any questions or concerns, you can follow this email thread for your guidance.
Welcome to Park Associates, and we sincerely hope to see you in the office by then!
Jungwon Yang
Junior Associate and Head of Legal Department,
Park Associates
Jaeyun flinches in his seat upon going over the email. He is currently out in a cafè with his friend, Sunoo, who has become busy right after they graduated with their undergraduate degree, and this was the only time they could go out. The latter is preparing for the upcoming law school admission test, whereas Jaeyun has been busy looking for a job (because he can’t afford law school despite his tremendous desire to pursue it) that could shoulder his daily expenses.
He’s been living alone since his freshman year. The orphanage that took care of him since diapers began giving him freedom because, as the nonprofit organization said, he’s too old to be in a shelter anymore.
Nevertheless, he has been working his ass off since that time. Thanks to the fast food chains he’s been serving at, because if it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t even dare try college. At least.
“Hey,” Sunoo gently claps his hands to get Jaeyun’s attention. The latter has been daydreaming in broad daylight, which made Sunoo frown his eyebrows. “Are you okay?”
As Jaeyun finally acknowledges his friend’s presence, he looks at him and shoots him a shocked glance.
“I..”
“Sunoo—”
“I’m gonna work in an office now!”
“I told you,” Jaeyun came back with a heaved sigh, “You don’t have to buy me clothes—which are all expensive, by the way. I still have a few decent pairs at home, dumbass.”
Sunoo twitches his eyes and purposely disregards his friend’s protest.
“I’m not listening,” he reaches out a gray-colored long-sleeved polo from the boutique’s shelf rack and puts the fabric on top of Jaeyun’s torso. “Now, this is what you call ‘decent,’ not the ones you’ve been using since the first time you had a job.”
Needless to say, the entire Sunoo-shopping-for-his-best-friend-event did not age well. Throughout their stroll in the mall, Sunoo can hear Jaeyun’s complains and demonstrates then and again why Sunoo can’t shop for him and pay for everything.
Well, it was just a small token of appreciation. Sunoo admits he won’t even outlive college if Jaeyun wasn’t in it anyway, and this gesture of shopping for him isn’t even enough to compensate him for how thankful he is because they got through their shits for the last four years.
“Just think of these as my gifts to you, Jaeyun. Because I did not give you any when we were still in college.”
“Just don’t whine! I might punch you in the face if you become a bit more persistent about it.”
Jaeyun isn’t sure how to react—or thank his friend for doing this, but it makes him realize how lucky he got because he has a friend like Sunoo whom he shares his worries, victories, and defeats with. That alone makes his stomach churn from joy.
“Sunoo,” as they patiently wait for their turn to pay for his clothes, Jaeyun calls his friend.
“Thank you for this.”
“Allow me to treat you to a fancy dinner when I get my first paycheck, please?”
Sunoo hums in agreement and laughs together with Jaeyun.
“I’ll make sure to order the most expensive dish on the menu, then.”
On the night of March 31st, Jaeyun found himself running in circles with his thoughts. He indeed feels anxious about getting a new job— which is far different from the jobs he's been doing since his teenage years—and actually working in an actual office with administrative tasks, papers rustling on the table, and all the boring office stuff.
He did not even predict he would be accepted in that well-renowned firm. He wasn’t even confident with his answers during his initial interview, let alone qualifying the firm’s standard of becoming their full-time employee.
The thought of having a full-time, fixed, and salaried job brings him at ease. Since he used to work in fast food chains, his previous jobs were usually just a half or year contract, and the apprehension of losing a job is not a new thing he deals with.
And then, finally, Jaeyun ponders.
I won’t be worrying a lot more about my work. Now that I got a full-time job, I think I’ll be fine. I won’t worry about not being rehired or retained because I got a full-time shit now.
Jaeyun drowns in optimistic thoughts with a slight smile painted on his face—and then he falls asleep.
Jaeyun woke up earlier than usual. He has to adjust his sleeping routine because his work starts at eight o’clock in the morning, and he doesn’t want to leave the wrong impression of being late on his first day at work.
His casual attire had already been ironed last night, and he made sure to hang the outfit near his mirror. As he finishes taking a bath and accomplishing his morning routine, he sits on the edge of his bed, still with his bathrobe on, and begins preparing his face. He isn’t the type of person to apply make-up because he couldn’t even afford to buy it, and now that his friend bought him a few ones, maybe Jaeyun thinks there’d be no harm if he tries it out.
As soon as he finished applying light make-up (that being serum foundation, lip gloss, and gelling his eyebrows), he managed to get his clothes and started wearing them on.
Jaeyun admits that he looks great in his gray polo and black trousers. Indeed, Sunoo made sure to pick the best outfit for him, and he suddenly remembered he had to send him a message.
Jaeyun: *sent a photo*
Jaeyun: I have to commend you for picking the best pair for me. Thanks, and good morning. Love u. I’m off to work now hehe
“Hi!”
In the most surprising way, Jaeyun was welcomed by a smiling kid at the front desk.
He is still catching his breath because the ride from his home to their office did not go smoothly—he encountered a group of high schoolers on the bus who caused a riot scene, which led to the bus stopping its daily operations. And, yep, Jaeyun was left with no choice, so he has to run from the place to their building because otherwise, he will be late.
He can’t be late.
Maybe starting in his sixth month, he can.
Anyway, as Jaeyun finally breathes normally, he thinks that the kid is around five years old. He couldn’t help but coo at how cute the child was—his jet-black hair was all-out down, leaving strands of bangs in his forehead, and his cute jeans and little shirt with I have the best dad in the world printed on it, and his white tiny little shoes.
“That’s Noah.”
Jaeyun almost leaped from his stand when he heard someone spoke behind him. As he turned himself back, he was greeted by a tall, cute-looking, somewhat intimidating guy.
Jaeyun mentally curses in his head after he acknowledges the person.
Goodness. Are the people here all gorgeous? Even the kid in front of me looks really adorable. I also met Atty. Yang thru Zoom, who sent me the email himself, and I am not joking when I say that he looks attractive (even doubted him at first because he seems too young for a lawyer).
“He’s our boss’ son.”
Oh.
Jaeyun mindlessly nods his head in realization. He scans the lounging place, and Jaeyun can say the space looks elegant. The front-desk area has a black countertop section, a white computer desktop, probably for clients coming in to register their affairs, and a high chair for the associate to sit in. The place’s corner has a small table with a water and coffee dispenser atop with some chips and biscuits on the side, and stacks of reusable glass adjacent to it.
If Jaeyun isn’t aware of his purpose for coming here, he might think he just entered a five-star hotel; not also minding the fact that the entire place smells like lavender.
God, how Jaeyun loves the scent of lavenders.
He went back to his senses when the concierge approached him again.
“Can I help you with something?”
Jaeyun then answers, “Oh,” he fixes his look and offers his right hand. “I’m Jaeyun Sim. I received Mr. Yang’s email about my employment, so,” as Jaeyun lets his hand hang in the air, the person from the front desk starts dialing on the phone.
He takes back his hand and instead grips it on the strap of his shoulder bag. Nervousness starts creeping him in. The man in front of him looks kind of intimidating, and it doesn’t help him from overthinking things.
“By the way,” as the latter hangs up the phone and talks to him, Jaeyun pretends he isn’t nervous or feeling awkward. “My name is Riki, and I was told that you should sit there first.”
Riki, as he introduced himself, pointed out the couch where the kid earlier was busy playing with his lego. Jaeyun then carefully walks towards the furniture and dips himself on it.
As he gazes at the child, the latter is busy figuring out the play set. Jaeyun occasionally helped him build it by pointing out pieces, and the kid just mouthed cute ‘thanks’ and ‘how will I put this on?’ phrases, which made Jaeyun scrunch his nose from amusement.
“I’m glad you’re going along with Noah well. You were the first one he talked with here.”
Why do people love shocking him by suddenly speaking out of nowhere?
As he swapped his gaze to the man who spoke, he was greeted by a young-looking man in his well-tailored black suit; his hair was brushed up, and oddly, Jaeyun recognized an Apple watch on his wrist. Undeniably, though, his presence made the hall smell like wood and sage.
The place was indeed dominated by this man over here.
The lawyer looked much more intimidating—far from how it is with the Riki guy. Looking at him made Jaeyun slightly shiver because the man’s aura was really the opposite of welcoming and friendly.
Jaeyun can’t get a hold of his face yet because he’s wearing a face mask, and when he finally lets go of the cloth that blocks his facial features,
Oh, good Lord, is the only thing Jaeyun could say.
How can someone so young own one of the successful law firms in Seoul and still look this fucking good?
Is he a product of nepotism, perhaps?
Hell.
Goodness.
Jaeyun was cut short when Riki interrupted their small interaction. “He’s your new Legal Secretary, hyung.”
As Jaeyun caught the CEO looking at him, the lawyer just nodded and went back inside their office with his child. Jaeyun saw him throw Riki a known glance, still completely ignoring Jaeyun, who was now letting down his hand because he failed to shake his boss’ hand, and Riki just chuckled.
Completely shocked, Jaeyun instead shrugged off the unlawful snobbing made by his boss. Riki then went out from the concierge table and fixed his suit.
“Welcome to Park Associates, Mr. Sim.”
“Let me walk you through the entire office.”
“But first, let’s go to your desk first.”
Jaeyun is a really awkward person. He badly wants to open his phone right now and text Sunoo about how embarrassed and uncomfortable he is.
Jaeyun had already met Atty. Yang and Jaeyun thought that the lawyer’s laptop camera did not do his looks any justice. Atty. Yang is way more gorgeous in the flesh. Especially those really really prominent dimples.
Jaeyun thinks he already has an office crush.
As the concierge finishes touring him all over the entire floor, Mr. Nishimura, as Jaeyun would like to address him, guides him through the company’s cafe. As soon as Jaeyun stepped foot in the said room, he was surprised to see a food catering stalls adequately placed on the side of the room. A little whiteboard was displayed at the beginning of the trail with a written menu for today.
Menu:
Beef broccoli
Chinese-style rice
Orange chicken
Mixed vegetables
Clubhouse sandwich
“What do you want to eat, Jaeyun?”
Jaeyun?
As they both settled at the table, half away from the food section, Mr. Nishimura asked him. The latter suddenly rises from his seat, ready to take note of what food Jaeyun would be getting.
People started to whisper among themselves as Mr. Nishimura waited for Jaeyun to talk. Unfortunately for him, Jaeyun felt his mouth paralyzed just for a bit.
He is utterly confused.
What is happening?
Jaeyun mouthed ‘What are you doing?’ to Mr. Nishimura, disregarding the formal setting they were in, and then leveled the young man standing before him.
“Mr. Nishimura,” Jaeyun calls him. “With all due respect—what are you doing?”
For the first time, Jaeyun heard their company’s front desk associate chuckle. He then scans the entire place, and it’s no surprise that the younger meets everyone’s eyes lurking at them. Instead, it made Mr. Nishimura laugh even more.
“Drop the honorifics, you’re literally older than me!”
Jaeyun then releases an exhasperated breath and nods instantly, letting the younger one continue talking.
Jaeyun was worried because the younger looked so different earlier—how intimidating, serious, and unhappy he was. And now that Riki finally lets go of his earlier aura, Jaeyun felt relieved.
“I was just testing you. Or our co-workers,” with a faint smile on his lips, Riki releases his palm for a quick handshake.
“Call me Riki.”
“And I also want them to gossip about me—us.”
Jaeyun, who is weirded out, confused, and lost with what’s going on, hesitantly accepts the gesture.
“I will still get us some food.”
“What? No—”
Jaeyun doesn’t even know how he got here—not that he is displeased with the attention (well, forty percent, yes), but it makes him wonder if law firms usually have this kind of inexplicable environment in them.
And most importantly, the rookie thinks he just made a new office friend.
“Hyung is just like that.”
“He doesn't talk with the employees, but since you’re his new secretary, things might change.”
How so?
Jaeyun would like to ask because his boss’ kid looks like a whole different persona compared to him (far way different), and that makes Jaeyun’s curiosity towards the young lawyer grow more,
But, of course, he knows that’s clearly out of his way being his secretary.
It’s still early, and they have fifteen minutes left before the office hours start. Jaeyun is feeling a little bit tense from what he has been hearing since Riki and Jaeyuj came into the cafeteria—about the new position, Legal Secretary, being finally filled after a few months of being unanimously vacant.
That’s not quite a good sign, isn’t it?
Either way, Jaeyun, as he quietly paves his way towards the firm’s office hall, is sure that if someone asks how many steps it will take before he can get inside their office, he can confidently say sixty-five with a normal pace of walking.
Since Riki already showed him his office desk, which is literally outside Atty. Park's office, Jaeyun’s nervousness has tripled.
Compared to their usual hall, as he walks towards Atty. Park’s office—or his, the chattering sound from the front part of their place slowly languished. Only the brimming sound of an artificial wind coming from the office’s air conditioner and the recurring splash of scent coming from the humidifier can be heard in the pathway.
As soon as he arrived at Atty. Park’s door, he shut down his eyes and took a deep breath. He mentally and physically composes himself, anticipating anything (worst comes to worst scenario) that might take place once he opens the door.
He hasn’t been to his boss’ post, and once he leaves three knocks to let his presence known, he carefully slides the door open.
Jaeyun drops his mouth agape; he does not realize that a simple office space could transform into something so stylish and cozy.
And Jaeyun thinks that the interior of his boss’ office suits him perfectly.
“G-Good morning, Atty. Park.”
Jaeyun greets the back of the man sitting in his swivel chair, who is (maybe) busy feeding his eyes with the morning rush of the metro from their unit floor. Jaeyun can see the distant skyscrapers from his view, and he thinks that he himself will feel energized to get the day started because of the marvelous scenery right before him.
The CEO did not budge looking at him, and instead, Jaeyun heard Atty. Park emitting a sentence.
“Where’s my morning coffee, Mr. Sim?”
The fuck?
Jaeyun was left dumbfounded, and as if his eyebrows had their own lives, they held onto each other in just a span of seconds.
It’s not that he did not see this coming through, but he was expecting of him doing clerical tasks—filing a case in court, rearranging legal paperwork in the vault, or drafting a contract—just like how he learnt to do all of those during his undergraduate years.
Well.
Worst comes to worst—maybe Atty. Park will make him his kid’s babysitter.
(Jaeyun indeed has this thing with foreshadowing future events. And he loathed himself for it.)