What's up my pookies 🎀 Thanks for listening to episode one of Fated seduction.
Lee Sunoo stood in front of the elevator with his phone in hand, staring at the barrage of desaturated faces going up and down. He momentarily blinked at the brightness of his phone screen, the glow reflecting off his jawline which had nothing to do with use of skincare products but everything to do with anxiety and discomfort. He hadn't done anything wrong; why was he on guard like this? The last message from Mr. Han still stamped across his phone like a wicked notification: One month. No mistakes. It shouldn't be too difficult to set the trap—he just had to fuck Kang Sunghoon—no... seduce him, have him eat out of the palm of his hands and then reduce him to nothing.
He exhaled, tucked his phone back into his pants pocket, and resumed walking toward the security guard who had beckoned him; he slid his brand-new identification card across the reception desk without raising his head—it was only freshly printed.
The elevator whisked him up to the executive level. Each digit illuminating one after another on the elevator panel, he had a chance to reverse course. Yet when the doors opened with a soft ding and he stepped into the white-hued hallway; the sun poured into the space in a golden hue. There was a woman clad in black; she was scrolling through something on her tablet. When her eyes lifted to him, she appeared apathetic. "You must be Lee Sunoo," she said not as a question nor a statement but a neutral acknowledgment warmed by some form of empathy.
"Come this way, Director Kang would like to see you before you're set." She murmured to him as she started to walk, and quite frankly, he was already in too deep and at this point, too worried about his heart palpitating. He followed her, realizing he was already going to lose track of all the offices she'd brought him past; it was now a matter of how quickly she would turn around that he'd never know where to settle.
They came to a stop in front of the large double doors. The woman turned to him at the last second as if assessing something about him, as if she were on the fence.
"Before you go in, just know you'll be signing nondisclosure agreements which are part of this folder," she handed him a manila folder which he hardly registered as his own, "And you'll do best not to speak unless spoken to. The CEO is not very chatty and likes succinct introductions."
The door opened from within just as he'd nodded and registered her last statement. A man stood beyond the door with a pristine desk behind him.
The electric silence buzzed with tension until Sunghoon finally instructed him to enter. Sunoo took that as confirmation to cut any ambiguity in the bud as Sunghoon sat down in a way that Sunoo would inevitably sidle into the same seat and Hope to believe his expectations were extrapolated and determined. "You're the new assistant Mr. Han recommended," he continued in a frustratingly bored, deadpan, calm voice.
"I assume you've read the employment contract in its entirety." Sunoo's face burned as his gaze flickered downward in acknowledgment. "Yes, sir, I've read it a few times," although, of course, Sunghoon's scrutinizing blinks didn't help. "Good. I hope you understand that all provisions exist for a purpose. Should you decide not to follow through on any part of our partnership, you'll learn very quickly and efficiently what it's like to regret such a decision."
Sunoo could almost feel the rage simmering just beneath the surface of this tranquil person.
Silence deepened and extended. Sunoo needed to validate his presence somehow, anything, and crossed his arms in favor of such a claim. "I know what responsibilities I need to fulfill," he asserted, almost forcing his voice to sound drenched with authority this time.
"I can make it work to fulfill your requirements." As Sunghoon stood up while sifting through the remaining paperwork in his folder, he closed it perfectly, and Sunoo realized that precise, formal regulations were embedded into his being. He had also caught the look but, surprisingly, closed his folder with a small smirk that never touched his eyes.
"For now, you're going to have access to my calendar, the folders with internal reports, and you're responsible for weeding out any interactions I wouldn't like to address myself. If you find something remains unresolved within your preview, you will send it back to Manager Choi." His voice sliced the air, reigning steady from eye contact. "Do you want to ask something?"
For a moment, Sunoo felt his throat choke up."I assume you have read the employment contract in its entirety." Sunoo blushed and nodded towards the floor. "Yes, sir, I've read it several times," he replied. Sunghoon's scrutinizing blinks did nothing to ease him. "Good. You will find that every clause is there for a reason. If you fail to uphold any part of this arrangement, you will discover that regret can be a very efficient teacher."
Sunoo could tell the anger sitting just beneath the surface hiding behind the calm tone.
The silence was heavy and stretching and Sunoo felt he needed to prove something, anything and crossed his arms. "I understand the expectations," he said, this time straining to keep his voice steady.
"For now, you're granted dismissal," Sunoo faced the door and bowed while walking seamlessly outside to the corridor where the waiting woman – Manager Choi, held her tablet to her chest. Her gaze was not decipherable. "Consider yourself privileged," were the words she uttered, but her tone was low enough to ensure no bystanders were able to hear her. "Director Kang is very selective and picky."
Sunoo remained silent, and so as to not appear rude, he followed her to the hallway that glistened. Striding past the office one more time, he could feel Sunghoon's stare burning into him, distant yet critical. Sunoo could not help but wonder if the man already knew the secret reason why he had come there.
Her manner was brisk and formal, almost military, as she showed him in. She was still in control as she motioned for Sunoo to sit at the modern glass and metal table placed parallel to the wall sized window.
"I'm afraid I have to instruct you to work here for the time being. I'm sure you're aware that this position comes with certain expectations.
The files you need will be uploaded to your profile, but I'm also sending you hard copies that will be printed by 5 pm today."
Her tablet synced to the desk, automatically pairing with it. "In case you're unfamiliar with the office culture, S.K Group has a zero deadline tolerance policy which means falling, recovering from a backlog is literally mission impossible."
"I understand," was the only thing Sunoo managed. His gaze was locked outside, fixed on the skyline as the city awakened. Hours ago, the glass had been devoid of condensation, but now, the southern sun had heated it.
Choi's distractions didn't go unnoticed as she focused her eyes elsewhere. For a moment, her brow furrowed as if deep in thought, then relaxed as her expression warmed slightly. They turned dramatic as she told him, "Submit all the paperwork to my office. You'll stay at the main branch with us. Besides head of admin work, I expect you to prepare reports and briefs. That is your direct reporting."
Sunoo slightly bowed his head. "I appreciate the clarification. I'm hoping to avoid making an impression for the wrong reasons."
With a hint of a smile, she remarked, "I understand, but that is the case for most people." She resumed some of her usual demeanor and tapped her tablet, offering it to him so that he could see the schedule for the day's activities.
"Here are your first tasks. You will be preparing for the strategic committee meeting by the drafting note summaries, arranging the summaries of notes, and briefing materials for tomorrow's session. Moreover, you will prepare for a briefing for a few sessions for... and you will also observe any external partner interactions the CEO has. If luck is on your side, you'll have several moments to breathe between a series of meetings."
Despite Choi's distractions, she averted her eyes elsewhere. For an instant, her brow knitted in concentration before relaxing as her features softened just a tad. She directed him to submit all paperwork to her office as it is with us. You will stay at the main branch. Apart from head of admin work, I expect you to prepare reports and briefs. That's your direct reporting. Sunoo slightly bowed his head.
Scanning over the document, his anxieties only compounded as he noted every single entry was more intricate and everything included was full of jargon he had only started to understand in training. The awareness that he was much more in depth that he'd imagined triggered a slow chill down his spine. He quickly realized, though, that he could not afford to show her anything in his expression.
"Right away it is," he responded while placing the tablet back gently on the desk, starting to head out of the room.
"Make sure you do." She looked at him once more, then went to leave. Right before she crossed the threshold into the hall, she stopped. "Mr. Lee," she said, adding, "Whatever brought you here, I suggest you keep it to yourself and concentrate on your work."
As soon as the door behind her clicked shut, Sunoo released the breath he was holding. He rubbed the smooth edge of the desk, grounding himself in the sensation, and then turned to the glowing screen.
For hours, he was working without so much as glancing up. By the time noon drew nearer, his shoulder muscles were rigid and his eyes felt itchy. He had just saved the final draft of the briefing memo when the intercom on the desk came alive with static.
"To Mr. Lee, this is Kang Sunghoon." The CEO's voice was low and calm as always, which was disconcerting. "Bring the agenda and the finalized reports to my office now."
Sunoo felt a lump form in his throat and said, "Yes, sir. Right away."
He stood, and in robotic-like fashion, began to smooth his shirt. Slapping his hands together and feeling clumsy, as if the hours of training sunk into him didn't matter. Before the double doors, he paused and gathered files. Heart drumming hard, he knocked once and hearing Sunghoon's voice approved, stepped in the office.
As he walked in, he made sure to keep his eyes off the gentleman behind the desk. Sunghoon deftly signed a document, and I could tell by the neat strokes it was not his first signature of the day. Once he lifted his head, which I presumed was after finishing the last line, his gaze was colder than blank.
Without turning to face them, Sunghoon spoke: "Set them here."
Sunoo busying himself with the folder, put it down exactly in the place it was supposed to go. Once he stood up straight, he made the filing smooth out his movements. The still silence which enveloped the air was much warmer than thick.
"Tell me, Mr. Lee," Sunghoon said after a while, almost idly. "Did to you find your first morning here illuminating?"
Sunoo paused, weighing how much honesty was safe to offer. "I would say it was… instructive, sir. There's a great deal to learn, but I believe I'm up to the task."
Sunghoon's mouth showed the faintest curve, yet it was not quite a smile. "That remains to be seen," he said. He sat back in his chair, fingers steepled. "And tell me—do you think loyalty can be formed or is it merely purchased like any other commodity?"
For a response, Sunghoon regarded him as if he were a riddle awaiting resolution. "An interesting answer," he murmured finally. "Perhaps you will prove more useful than you appear."
Sunoo lowered his eyes and said, "I hope to exceed your expectations, sir."
Without another word, he left the room and returned to his work as Sunghoon resumed going through the papers before him. Stepping out brought a sense of relief within the confines of his chest even as his heart raced. At this point, he knew with a near prophetic certainty that nothing in the role would be simplistic.
The door closing behind him prompted Sunoo to place a palm around his neck. In an attempt to soothe himself, he shut his eyes. Previously, his mind had trained himself to only lie. But in that hallway, his heartbeat frantic, he felt a mixture of panic coupled with dread that intensified by and each passing moment. In his eyes, an illusion stub of an error could bring unmitigated chaos to his life all courtesy to the man Sunoo had just left.
Careful smoothing of the unruly edges of the coat's collar brought no relief. Internal coils tightened in protest with every breath taken anchoring the weight of dread 'no.'
He felt like the clock was already winding down to zero even if he had just started a day prior, and despite his best efforts shrugging it off, he could not help but feeling that way.
As he got closer to the elevator, he turned away and willed his expression to go blank. He reached for the button but paused as he thought back to his musings, arriving at the unsettling conclusion that there was a chance this was how it would all begin—and the man who was completely in the dark of things would be the target of it all.
Without a doubt, he would be out of luck for good if he did not succeed in the attempt.