Chapter 8: Shadows of Desire
The next morning, Ha-eun arrived at the office with a heavy heart. Every glance from her coworkers felt sharper than before. Whispers seemed louder, carrying the weight of what had happened last night.
Min-jae was already at his desk, calm and composed as ever. But when their eyes met across the room, a spark of tension passed between them—an unspoken reminder of boundaries they had crossed.
By lunch, Ha-eun’s phone vibrated again.
Min-jae: We need to talk. After hours.
Her fingers trembled as she typed her reply.
Ha-eun: I’ll be there.
Hours later, the office was empty and quiet. The dim light of the evening painted long shadows across the floor. Ha-eun hesitated at the door, then stepped inside.
Min-jae was already there, leaning against the table, his expression unreadable.
“You came,” he said softly.
“I did,” she whispered. “We can’t keep doing this… can we?”
He shook his head slightly. “I don’t know anymore.”
Their eyes locked, the tension between them almost unbearable. Every touch, every look carried a weight they could no longer deny.
He stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “This is dangerous,” he said, voice low, almost a growl.
“I don’t care,” she admitted, her own voice trembling. “I can’t stay away.”
The space between them vanished. Heartbeats quickened, breaths caught. For a moment, the office ceased to exist—only the pull between them mattered.
A sudden noise from the hallway made them step apart, reality intruding once more. Yet, as they stood there, the world had shifted. They both knew that nothing would ever be the same.
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Chapter 9: Tension Unraveled
The following days at the office were unbearable. Ha-eun felt the weight of every glance, every whisper. Even the smallest sound seemed magnified, reminding her of what had happened—and what was still lingering between her and Min-jae.
During a team meeting, Min-jae’s gaze found her again. Longer than necessary. Hotter than acceptable. She looked down, trying to focus, but her mind kept drifting back to their encounter in the empty office.
Later, her phone vibrated.
Min-jae: We need to stop pretending.
Ha-eun’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. Pretending what? she wanted to ask—but she didn’t. She only replied:
Ha-eun: I don’t know how.
No answer came. Only the growing tension in the office, wrapping around her like a vice.
That evening, she stayed late once more. The hum of the lights, the quiet of empty corridors, it all felt like it was holding its breath.
Then she heard it—soft footsteps, deliberate and slow. Min-jae appeared, his silhouette sharp in the dim light.
“We can’t keep ignoring this,” he said, voice low, urgent.
Her chest tightened. “And yet we do.”
He stepped closer, eyes searching hers, looking for permission, for a spark of the same desire he felt. She gave it without a word.
For a few seconds, the office became their world. The tension, the desire, the unspoken feelings—they all collided in a charged silence.
Then reality struck. A faint sound from the hallway reminded them that they weren’t alone. They stepped apart, hearts racing, breaths uneven.
Ha-eun whispered, almost to herself, “This isn’t safe.”
“No,” he admitted, his hand lingering just inches from hers. “But nothing about us ever was.”
And in that quiet, dangerous space, both knew one thing: everything had changed, and there was no turning back.