Episode 5

The next morning, Ana arrived at the office feeling uneasy. The previous day’s small interactions with Min-jun and Seo-jun kept replaying in her mind. She couldn’t tell if her feelings were hers alone—or if Seo-jun noticed them.

She was pouring coffee when she overheard two colleagues whispering nearby.

“Did you see how Ana and Seo-jun were looking at each other yesterday?” one asked.

Ana froze, spilling a drop of coffee on her hand. She bit her lip. She knew people noticed the subtle tension, but hearing it aloud made her stomach twist.

Across the room, Seo-jun’s gaze briefly met hers. He looked calm, unreadable as always, but there was a flicker—just for a second—before he returned to his work.

Later, Min-jun passed by, smiling again. “Lunch today?” he asked casually.

“I… can’t,” Ana replied quickly. She didn’t want to admit the truth: she was thinking about Seo-jun.

During a meeting with the manager, Seo-jun pulled Ana aside to clarify a report.

“You didn’t finish the summary correctly,” he said quietly.

“I… I thought it was okay,” Ana said, confused and slightly flustered.

He didn’t respond immediately, only gave a small nod. Ana left the room feeling guilty, thinking he might be annoyed with her.

But Seo-jun, in his own mind, had misunderstood her hesitation with Min-jun. He assumed Ana might be distracted by someone else, and it stirred a rare emotion inside him—jealousy he hadn’t felt in years.

By the afternoon, the tension grew heavier. Neither Ana nor Seo-jun spoke about it, yet every glance carried the weight of misinterpreted feelings.

Ana’s friends noticed her quiet distraction.

“You okay?” one whispered.

“Yeah… just tired,” Ana lied.

Deep down, she felt hurt. She wondered if Seo-jun had changed—if he didn’t feel the same connection they had in high school. And the thought made her chest ache.

Meanwhile, Seo-jun struggled with his own thoughts. Ana’s reactions, her brief moments of flustered behavior, confused him. He wanted to reach out, to clarify, but his calm exterior and sense of responsibility held him back.

By the end of the day, both felt a silent distance growing—a barrier neither wanted, yet neither knew how to break.

The office felt colder than usual that week. Ana kept her distance from Seo-jun, avoiding prolonged eye contact and minimizing any small interactions. Every glance felt loaded, every word heavy with unspoken tension.

Seo-jun noticed immediately. He kept his usual calm exterior, but inside, frustration grew. He didn’t understand why Ana suddenly seemed distant. Was she upset with him? Or was it because of Min-jun? He didn’t like the feeling of being left out or misunderstood.

During a team meeting, Ana hesitated to answer a question he asked. Her voice was quiet, careful, almost overly polite.

Seo-jun’s brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. He simply made a note in his file, observing her behavior.

After the meeting, Ana sat at her desk, trying to focus on reports, but her mind kept drifting to him. She wanted to ask why he seemed distant too, but pride and fear held her back.

Min-jun stopped by again, cheerful and casual. “Hey, lunch today?” he asked.

Ana shook her head, smiling faintly, but her heart wasn’t in it. She realized how little attention she could give anyone else.

Across the office, Seo-jun moved quietly, making sure Ana’s work was on track, yet he didn’t approach her directly. Each of them avoided the other, trying to protect themselves from another misunderstanding—but the distance only made their feelings heavier.

By the end of the day, Ana felt exhausted, her heart aching with a mixture of longing and fear. Seo-jun, too, felt a strange emptiness, a quiet frustration he couldn’t explain. The silence between them had grown louder than any words.

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