Chapter 24: An Uninvited Lunch Date

“……”

Despite his foul temper, his intimidating presence, and the fear he inspired, Jung Hanseol found his gaze inexorably drawn to Ryu Yishin.

Even if it hadn’t been for his striking ash-gray hair, which was impossible to overlook outside of foreign lands, Ryu Yishin would likely still have captured everyone’s attention.

His height, well above average, and his pleasing physique certainly played a part. However, it was his undeniably handsome face, one that could easily belong to a celebrity, that firmly supported Hanseol’s assessment.

Ryu Yishin’s renown stemmed not only from his unapproachable capabilities but also, in no small measure, from his almost otherworldly good looks.

Hanseol, lost in the thought that Ryu Yishin would have been equally handsome with black hair, shuddered the moment their eyes met.

He had tried his best to steal glances unnoticed, but it seemed he had been caught. Ryu Yishin, seeing Hanseol swallow nervously, gestured with a flick of his hand, signaling him to come closer.

Hanseol, unable to control the cold sweat trickling down his spine, approached Ryu Yishin. Each step felt as stiff and wooden as a plank.

“……”

“……”

Stopping just a fist’s length from Ryu Yishin’s desk, Hanseol clenched his toes tightly, feeling the carefully suppressed flutter in his chest spread uncontrollably.

Even from an awkward angle that made direct eye contact difficult, Hanseol found his gaze inadvertently drifting to Ryu Yishin’s lips.

Neither too thin nor too full, those moderately plump lips, though not particularly vibrant, possessed a strange allure that captivated his attention.

‘Those lips touched mine…’

That memory, rippling through his mind like a sudden wave, naturally brought with it a pounding heart. Unable to press a hand to his chest or calm himself with deep breaths in this situation, Hanseol could only wiggle his toes.

Ryu Yishin watched him with an indifferent gaze.

“Being this close, you seem even more… acceptable.”

Uttering these enigmatic words, Ryu Yishin’s lips curled into a smile, and the fatigue that had previously etched his face seemed to vanish, leaving his complexion bright.

At the sight of his smiling face, Hanseol shivered as goosebumps prickled his arms. He found himself thinking, rather foolishly, that Ryu Yishin’s usual poker face might be far better for his mental health.

“From tomorrow, when I arrive, just come straight to my office without me having to say anything.”

“Ah… Yes……”

‘It seems he can’t even be bothered to call me with words or gestures anymore.’ Hanseol sighed inwardly, even as he reluctantly replied.

‘To be alone with Ryu Yishin in this suffocating space… could there be anything more dreadful to experience at work?’ Swallowing the sorrowful question, Hanseol clenched and unclenched his fists, steeling his resolve.

Though he lacked confidence for now, he decided to envision a positive future: if he diligently followed Ryu Yishin’s orders without complaint, a day might come when he would finally adapt to him.

He now knew that his team members didn’t dislike him, and that they all felt the same way about Ryu Yishin, which made him feel reassured, as if he had allies.

At least they would pity his plight and empathize with his situation. This realization gave Hanseol the courage he needed.

“Team Leader… I have something I’m curious about……”

Hanseol glanced hesitantly at Ryu Yishin, who had yet to dismiss him, and then spoke with a touch of urgency. He knew he might not get another chance to ask, and Ryu Yishin’s expression had brightened since his arrival, so he hoped he might be spared a harsh rebuke.

“What is it?”

Ryu Yishin, now propping his chin on his hand and staring intently at Hanseol, replied indifferently. A chill, as usual, permeated his voice, but his expression was subtly softened, not entirely harsh.

Hanseol moistened his parched lips with his tongue before speaking again.

“…Can I go out for lunch when it’s lunchtime?”

Hanseol finally managed to voice the question that had occurred to him while choosing a triangular gimbap. He didn’t have the confidence to endure uncomfortable, anxiety-filled meals every day, especially since one lives to eat.

With no way to predict what would happen from today onward, he thought it best to ask Ryu Yishin directly, even if the answer was negative. Yet…

“You’re asking if you can go out for lunch?”

“Yes……”

Ryu Yishin’s expression turned peculiar at Hanseol’s somewhat solemn question. His look of bewilderment, as if asking what on earth Hanseol was blabbering about, made Hanseol flinch and freeze.

‘Ah, should I have just figured it out on my own?’ As belated regret washed over him, Hanseol swallowed hard, and then Ryu Yishin spoke.

“You haven’t eaten lunch all this time?”

“Ah… No, I ate with someone else…”

At the sharp, accusatory question, Hanseol almost blurted out the truth of his past meals, only to belatedly remember that his team members hadn’t dared to speak to him, fearing Ryu Yishin’s wrath.

Fearing that his original words might inadvertently cause trouble for his teammates, he quickly corrected himself.

“W-well, I just ate alone at the cafeteria… but I was wondering if it’s alright for me to leave my desk as I please… What if you look for me when I’m out for lunch and not here…”

Hanseol trailed off, cautiously observing Ryu Yishin. Fortunately, Ryu Yishin’s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn’t detected anything unusual in Hanseol’s words.

Hanseol swallowed nervously, still tense as he awaited a reply. Ryu Yishin, who had been stroking his chin as if in thought, eventually delivered an indifferent answer.

“If I’m not here, go eat on your own. I won’t look for you during lunch.”

“Yes… Thank you—”

“If I am here, you’ll eat with me.”

“Huh? Ah… Ah, yes……”

Hanseol had initially felt a sense of relief upon hearing the first part of the answer, thinking that Ryu Yishin wasn’t entirely devoid of humanity, but the immediate follow-up left him stammering.

‘If he’s here, I eat with him? Could he really mean… he wants to eat lunch together?’

Hanseol’s gaze darted around, disbelieving what he had just heard, yet Ryu Yishin showed no intention of retracting his words. Tapping his desk with the hand not propping his chin, as if contemplating something, Ryu Yishin then fixed his gaze on Hanseol with an unsettling, enigmatic smile.

He hadn’t even eaten with him yet, but Hanseol already felt a suffocating nausea, as if he had indigestion.

Ryu Yishin, however, seemed utterly unconcerned with Hanseol’s inner turmoil, brazenly stating his next thought.

“In that case, shall we eat together today?”

Ryu Yishin, who had just dropped a remark with utter disregard for the listener’s feelings, was now smiling brightly. Hanseol felt such despair, as if he had fallen into a pit of hell, that he couldn’t even manage an immediate reply.

‘Just facing him makes my whole body stiffen. Will I even be able to swallow a single grain of rice properly?’

‘Is the Team Leader really saying this without any ulterior motive? Or is it because he wants to torment me even more?’ Hanseol considered various possibilities, but no clear answer emerged.

“Why the expression? You don’t want to?”

“Ah, no! I’d love to……”

Ryu Yishin, apparently annoyed by Hanseol’s hesitant reaction, quickly rephrased his question in a sharp tone. It was only natural that Hanseol, unable to defy the question, immediately blurted out his agreement.

Seemingly pleased with Hanseol’s answer, Ryu Yishin leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile still playing on his lips.

“Stay here until lunch. I’m going to get some sleep.”

With that, Ryu Yishin immediately crossed his arms, reclined his chair almost fully, and closed his eyes. He seemed utterly oblivious to Hanseol standing there awkwardly, his expression as peaceful as if he were truly falling into a deep slumber.

“……”

Hanseol, unable to conceal his bewildered thoughts, frowned slightly as he looked down at Ryu Yishin. Even so, he let out a very careful sigh, making sure Ryu Yishin wouldn’t hear it.

He remembered the phrase Jinwoo used to blurt out whenever he found himself in a difficult and desperate situation. Hanseol had always found the blunt words embarrassing, but today, he finally understood why Jinwoo had to express his feelings with such crude language.

‘So this is what ‘I’m truly fucked’ means.’

Swallowing the words he couldn’t possibly utter aloud, Hanseol tiptoed to the sofa, muffling his footsteps. The belated realization that it would have been better not to ask about lunch flashed like lightning, but all he could do was swallow his tears and let the regret pass.

He barely remembered how the morning had passed. All he had done was sit idly on the sofa, staring blankly at the sleeping Ryu Yishin, and suddenly, lunchtime was approaching.

Hanseol, glancing repeatedly at the wall clock, debated whether to wake Ryu Yishin or wait for him to wake up on his own.

Eventually, he carefully rose from the sofa, feeling as though his body had stiffened from sitting in the same position for nearly three hours.

He hadn’t intended to wake him, but perhaps due to the sound of leather rubbing, Ryu Yishin frowned and opened his eyes. Hanseol froze in an awkward posture upon seeing his crumpled facial muscles.

Ryu Yishin roughly ran a hand through his hair and then asked Hanseol,

“What time is it now?”

“…A little past twelve.”

Upon hearing Hanseol’s timid but clear reply, Ryu Yishin nodded slightly, stretched, and rose from his seat. Until that moment, Hanseol had remained skeptical about Ryu Yishin’s suggestion to eat lunch together.

“Get ready to go.”

“Yes……”

‘So he really meant it about eating together…’ Hanseol quickly glanced at Ryu Yishin, who was putting on his coat without retracting his words, then swiftly exited his office.

Perhaps due to the sound of the door opening, the gazes of Gwon Jiwook and Choi Jiho in the office momentarily turned towards Hanseol.

However, their eyes scattered as quickly as fleeing insects, as if nothing had happened.