Morning at the Office:
Minji arrived early that day, as usual. The office was quieter in the mornings, giving her a few precious hours to focus before the bustle of the day started. She was pouring over her design drafts when Jiwoo entered with a message.
"Miss Minji, Mr. Minho requested to meet with you in the conference room in twenty minutes," Jiwoo informed her.
Minji raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "Okay, thanks, Jiwoo."
As she gathered her things, her mind wandered. A meeting with Minho? They'd barely spoken outside of work-related matters. The thought made her heart beat a little faster than usual, but she pushed the feeling away. It was just business, she told herself.
In the Conference Room:
Minji entered the conference room to find Minho already there, sitting at the table with a few documents in front of him. He looked up as she entered, his expression calm but with a glint of something unspoken in his eyes.
"Good morning, Minji," he greeted her, standing as she walked in. "Thanks for coming on short notice."
"No problem," Minji replied, sitting across from him. "What's the meeting about?"
Minho sat down and placed the documents between them. "I wanted to go over the final details for the showcase. I thought we could discuss a few of the design elements and final touches."
Minji nodded, her focus now entirely on the work in front of her. "I've finalized most of it, but I'd like to review a few of the pieces."
As they went over the designs, the conversation shifted into more personal details, like Minji's vision for the collection and how she saw the brand evolving. There was an ease between them now, a comfort that hadn't existed before. But as they continued talking, Minji couldn't ignore the undercurrent of something else — something neither of them spoke about but lingered in the space between them.
The Subtle Tension:
The more they spoke, the more Minji realized that Minho was paying attention to her, not just as a colleague but in a way that felt... different. His gaze lingered on her a little too long, and when she looked up, his eyes would shift quickly away, like he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.
For Minji, it was confusing. She still didn't fully understand why her heart fluttered when he was near or why she caught herself staring at him when he wasn't looking.
Mid-Meeting Pause:
After discussing the designs, Minho leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. Minji raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.
"I think the collection is going to be great," Minho said, his voice a little softer than usual. "I can see how much effort you've put into this. I think the team is lucky to have someone like you leading them."
Minji wasn't used to compliments, especially ones that felt so personal. "Thanks," she replied, though she couldn't meet his gaze for too long. It felt like there was too much weight in the silence between them.
"Is everything else okay with the team?" Minho asked, breaking the tension.
"Yes," Minji answered quickly, trying to keep the conversation on work. "Everything is running smoothly."
End of Meeting:
As the meeting wrapped up, Minji stood and gathered her things. "I'll get to work on these changes," she said. "Thanks for the feedback."
"Of course," Minho replied, standing as well. "You're doing great, Minji. I'll leave you to it."
As Minji walked out of the conference room, her mind was spinning. There was a subtle shift in the air between them. Minho was no longer just her boss; he was something more, though she still didn't quite understand what.
Later That Day:
Minji returned to her office and sat at her desk, trying to focus on her work. But she found herself distracted. The way Minho had looked at her. The way his voice softened when he spoke to her. The tension that had built between them.
She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away. She had a job to do. She couldn't afford to get distracted.