Click.
Lack of heels echoed softly as Dan opened the door to her office. She walked in, set her bag aside, and sank into her chair. She had barely settled when a knock sounded.
"Yes?" Dan called.
The door opened, revealing her secretary, Wolly, standing with her tablet in hand.
"Ms. Dan, Mr. Seon is requesting a meeting with you today," Wolly announced.
Dan raised one eyebrow. "Again?"
Wolly nodded. "Yes, again. He said he wasn't satisfied with the previous meeting's presentation."
Dan let out a slow sigh. "He's been saying the same thing for the last four meetings. Honestly, I'm starting to lose interest now."
"I know, Ms. Dan," Wolly replied gently, "but don't you think our company will benefit a lot if they partner with us?"
"Of course we'll benefit, but—" Dan caught herself. "Alright, fine. Let's get ready for the meeting. Did you tell everyone to be prepared?"
"I already informed them in advance," Wolly answered.
"Good," Dan said, pushing herself up from the chair. "Then let's not keep Mr. Seon waiting."
The team was already gathered in the meeting room, files arranged neatly in front of them as they waited for Ms. Dan and Mr. Seon.
The door opened, and Dan stepped in with Wolly by her side. Everyone immediately stood and greeted her with a respectful bow. She returned the gesture with a small bow of her own before taking her seat at the head of the table. She had barely settled when the door opened again.
Mr. Seon walked in.
His presence alone seemed to straighten everyone's posture. He had black hair styled into a wavy mullet that framed his oval-shaped face. A pair of geometric glasses sat perfectly on his nose, giving him a sharp, unreadable expression. His beige formal suit, paired with a crisp white shirt, made him look effortlessly composed, almost intimidatingly so.
The team bowed again, and he acknowledged them with a short bow in return.
He checked his watch, then lifted his gaze to the room.
"Without wasting any time," he said, voice steady and businesslike, "let's start the meeting."
After a long and exhausting discussion, the deal was finally sealed. Relief washed through the room as the team members gathered their things and headed back to their respective departments. Dan and Wolly were about to leave as well when a voice called from behind.
"Ms. Dan, I want to talk to you."
She turned. It was none other than Mr. Seon.
Before Dan could respond, he added, "Could you please tell your secretary to give us some privacy?"
Dan's eyes flicked between him and Wolly. She gave a small nod, then looked at her secretary again. Wolly understood immediately.
"Okay, ma'am. I'll be waiting outside," she said softly before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.
Now, only Dan and Seon remained.
"So," Dan said, folding her arms, "what do you want to talk about?"
Seon let out a slow breath, as if gathering courage. "It's about… I want to ask you again—" he paused, meeting her eyes, "if you would consider being in a relationship with me."
Dan exhaled sharply, not out of annoyance, but out of the fatigue of repeating the same conversation. "I've told you a hundred times, Seon… I can't be in a relationship with you. I don't see you in a romantic way."
"You've been telling me the same thing since middle school," he said quietly.
"Yes, Seon," she replied, her voice gentle but firm. "Because I truly don't see you—nor can I imagine you—as anything more than a friend. Try to understand. And… I'm not looking for a relationship right now."
Seon stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the floor as if searching for the right emotion to settle on.
Dan softened her voice. "I don't want to hurt you with my words… but it is what it is, Seon. I can't."
Seon didn't move. His shoulders rose and fell with a quiet breath, but he still avoided looking at her. The silence stretched—not uncomfortable, but heavy. Heavy with all the things he wished were different.
When he finally lifted his eyes, there was a small, fragile smile on his lips. "I know," he said. "You've been honest since the beginning. I'm the one who kept hoping something would change."
Dan's expression softened. She had known him for years—known the sincerity behind his feelings, known the quiet devotion he never managed to hide. That made every refusal harder.
"Seon…" she began, but he raised a hand gently, stopping her.
"It's okay," he said. "Really. I just… needed to hear it again. Needed to accept it." He swallowed, trying to gather his composure. "I don't want this to affect our work. Or our friendship. I don't want you to feel guilty."
"I don't," she replied softly. "But I do care about you. Just not in the way you want."
He nodded slowly, as if forcing himself to understand. "One day," he murmured, "I hope you meet someone who deserves you."
Dan blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity of his tone. "Thank you," she whispered.
Seon gave her a small bow—professional, polite, but undeniably sad.
"I'll see you in the next meeting, Ms. Dan."
With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Dan standing there with a weight she couldn't quite name.
Flashback — Middle School, Age 14
The lunch courtyard buzzed with chatter as the group of friends sat together, unpacking their lunchboxes. Dan and Seon sat side by side, as they always did, sharing snacks and quiet smiles.
One of their friends suddenly asked, "Guys, if you had to choose someone to stay with for life—other than your parents—who would it be?"
His tone was serious, but curious, and everyone began answering one by one.
When it was finally Seon's turn, he froze for a second, eyes darting toward Dan before he spoke.
"Um… me… I'd choose… Dan."
A ripple of surprise went around the group.
"Why Dan?" one of their friends asked, leaning in.
Seon fiddled with his fingers, cheeks turning a shy shade of pink. "Because she understands me. She knows when I'm sad, and… well, a lot of things."
A teasing "Ooooh~" went around the table.
"What about you, Dan?" someone asked.
Dan smiled—bright, confident, unaware of the boy nervously watching her. In her mind, she already had an answer.
"It would be… my cat."
The entire group burst into laughter.
"What kind of answer is that, Dan?!" one girl joked, wiping tears from laughing too much.
Dan laughed along, shrugging proudly. "You guys know how much I love my cat. I want to be with him for a lifetime!"
The group continued laughing, but Seon just stared at her with a small, quiet smile—the kind that said he already knew she would never choose him back, even then.
After school, Dan and Seon walked side by side along the familiar route toward their homes. Their backpacks bumped lightly against their backs, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows behind them.
Suddenly, Dan stopped.
Seon halted too, blinking in confusion. "What happened? Why did you stop?"
He followed her gaze—and realized she was staring at the basketball court across the street.
"Seon, let's go there," Dan said, eyes sparkling with excitement.
He frowned a little. "But… your brother won't be there. You told me he's on a college trip, remember?"
Dan gave him a look as if he'd asked the world's silliest question. "Yeah, of course I remember. But who said I'm looking for my brother?"
Before Seon could ask anything else, Dan grabbed him by the wrist—warm, light fingers that always startled him more than they should—and pulled him toward the court.
"Come on!" she said, practically dragging him.
Seon stumbled after her, heart beating a little faster, not because of the running… but because Dan was holding his wrist
They reached the seating area of the basketball court, Dan plopping down first while Seon sat beside her, still catching his breath and still trying to calm the flutter in his chest.
"Dan… then why are we here?" Seon asked, still trying to understand.
"For him," Dan said quietly.
Seon followed her gaze and
On the basketball court, the 20-year-old guy name Yiran was practicing alone. Tall, athletic, completely focused on the ball. His movements were steady and sharp, the same way Seon had seen before when he played with Dan's older brother.
Dan's eyes softened with familiarity.
She had seen him plenty of times—at her house, laughing with her brother, tossing a basketball in the backyard, or playing practice matches on weekends. She always watched from a distance, pretending she wasn't paying attention.
But Seon noticed every time.
Today, her gaze held that same quiet admiration.
"You've seen him play before," Seon said gently, though his throat felt a little tight.
Dan nodded, her eyes never leaving the court. "Yeah… when he used to come over. He and my brother always played together."
She smiled softly. "He's always been good."
Seon studied her expression.
She wasn't blushing, wasn't acting shy…
But there was something—an interest she herself didn't seem aware of.
"So you wanted to watch him again?" Seon asked carefully.
Dan hugged her knees, leaning forward. "I just felt like it. He plays differently when he's serious like this. It's… cool to see."
The word cool stung more than it should.
Seon looked at her from the side—at the small smile she didn't realize she was wearing, the focused way she watched the guy's every move.
She hadn't said she liked him.
She hadn't admitted anything.
But for the first time, Seon felt a quiet, sinking realization…
He was no longer the only boy Dan was curious about.
Yiran dribbled the ball twice, preparing for another shot—until something in his peripheral vision made him pause.
His eyes lifted.
Across the court, on the seating steps, sat Dan and Seon.
Dan's posture was relaxed but attentive, leaning slightly forward as she watched him play. Seon sat beside her, quiet and awkward, trying not to show how tense he felt.
Yiran's expression didn't change much—his face was naturally unreadable—but he held the ball still for a moment, his gaze lingering on them longer than he usually looked at anyone.
Dan stiffened slightly when their eyes met.
"Ah—he saw us," she whispered under her breath, straightening up quickly.
Seon looked too, but Yiran's emotionless eyes shifted back to the hoop almost instantly.
No wave.
No nod.
No smile.
Just a brief acknowledgment before he resumed dribbling, as though the moment never happened.
"That's so like him…" Dan murmured, almost amused. "He doesn't talk much."
Seon glanced at her. "Do you… like that about him?"
Dan blinked, thinking. "It's not about liking or not liking. He's just… interesting. Different from the boys in our class."
Seon lowered his gaze.
Yiran continued playing—focused, silent, distant as ever
Dan continue to look at Yiran
Never long enough to be obvious.
But Seon noticed.....