Regular work was finished, but Bova was sweating profusely, unable to prepare to move to the TF team office.

“Team Leader, please go ahead. I still have work to finish.”

There was a problem with communication with the client, and all the data on the client’s phone was accidentally deleted. So Bova reluctantly moved with Eunpyo.

Since the sudden confession from Team Leader Jang Eunpyo yesterday, Bova hadn’t had a chance to speak with him. It seemed like Eunpyo was avoiding her for some reason. Wondering how awkward it would be to take the elevator alone with Team Leader Jang, Bova went to Eunpyo’s place.

“Team Leader Jang, are you coming?”

“Please go up first. I’ll follow.”

But even Team Leader Jang declined to accompany her. It wasn’t awkward right now, which was fortunate, but it bothered Bova that Eunpyo didn’t look at her and answered without looking at her, focused on the monitor. Not that she could ask if something was wrong.

Alone, Bova got on the elevator.

Reaching the 7th floor, Bova, as always, glanced toward Taejun’s office. Manager Song Munkyung was not there. It seemed like he left work earlier than usual today. Bova thought about going into Taejun’s office but decided to head to the TF team office instead. Taejun was there.

Feeling uneasy after the strained encounter with Team Leader Jang, seeing Taejun’s face instantly lifted her spirits.

“Are you alone today?”

“Bova said she has some work left. Team Leader Jang… for some reason, seems to be avoiding me.”

“Can’t you tell them not to come at all?”

Taejun, trying to take a seat a little far away, pulled Bova’s arm and made her sit next to him.

“Manager Song Munkyung knows. So if anything uncomfortable happens, you can talk to Manager Song.”

“Ah…”

She had been worried about what to do if she got caught, but now that he had casually mentioned it, she felt relieved. It felt like they were having a somewhat public relationship.

“Was there no one bothering you today?”

“Yes. I was too busy to talk to anyone.”

“I think I’m going to get busier now.”

“Ah…”

“So, you should look at me a lot when you can.”

Resting his chin on his hand and looking at Bova, he gave her a gentle smile. It was a soft expression, but his gaze somehow felt firm, making Bova’s skin tingle wherever his eyes landed. As if sweeping the skin with his fingertips.

Bova glanced nervously at the corner of the office. She couldn’t make eye contact, fearing someone might suddenly open the door.

Ignoring her anxious look, Taejun took out his phone and thrust the screen at Bova. He showed her a video where fireworks were exploding on a long, brightly lit bridge.

“You can see this if you go to Busan in the fall.”

“…”

“Shall we go there?”
Eun’s gaze, wandering through the air, turned toward the mobile phone video. She was quickly captivated by the fireworks display embroidering the night sky with various colors. She had never seen fireworks up close. Even during her university days in Seoul, she couldn’t muster the courage to attend festivals or events due to part-time work.

The heart that had been pounding anxiously, wondering who might come into this room, settled a bit at Taejun’s suggestion. However, there was no time to enjoy this moment more. The door creaked open, and Eunpyo walked in.

“Uh, Team Leader!”

Startled, Eun stepped back and distanced herself from Taejun.

Eunpyo, rolling his eyes inside the office, greeted Taejun with an expressionless face.

“Director, hello.”

“Yes, hello.”

Taejun nodded toward Eunpyo. Perhaps he wore a smile of arrogance, like someone reigning from above. Telling everything to Eunpyo had lightened Taejun’s mood.

Taejun’s greetings were met with a mixed response from Eunpyo. However, Eunpyo’s gaze, which had been indifferent until now, fell on the mobile phone Eun was holding. Realizing that she was holding Taejun’s phone, Eun hurriedly explained the situation.

“Director showed me a fireworks video.”

Eun, blushing heavily, was so amusing and cute that Taejun had to force back a laugh.

“Ah… It’s pretty, but it looks fake.”

However, when Eunpyo, who had scrutinized the video for a moment, burst out laughing, Taejun, who had been smiling, looked sharp.

Under Eunpyo’s cynical reaction, Eun blinked and looked at the video again, then nodded with a serious expression.

“Ah, I see. The editor must have edited it.”

“Yes, 100 percent.”

Eunpyo explained why the video was fake.

“Light travels at 300,000 km per second, and sound travels at 340 m per second. When fireworks explode, light and sound start from there simultaneously. Light is so fast that we can almost instantly perceive it, while if the sound is heard from a place 1 km away from the explosion, it takes almost 3 seconds to reach our ears.”

Although his voice couldn’t be described as targeting anyone, Eunpyo’s gaze toward Eun, who had already understood the fallacy of the video from the beginning, sharpened as he explained.

“…I know. Their damn speed difference between light and sound.”

Still, I hate it.

“Really. Director, this seems manipulated.”