The office buzz was all around Minjae as he got out of the elevator, you know, that usual clack of keyboards and low talk filling the air like always. From the outside it seemed just another regular morning, nothing special, totally safe and predictable. But he picked up on the change right away. Something under the surface had shifted, kind of pulling tension into everything like some invisible pull.
He sensed it even before hitting his desk, eyes sticking on him a bit too long, quiet moments feeling heavier, steps matching his own.
Then Yuri showed up.
She came over calm as ever, moving on purpose but not pushy. She stopped right at his desk, and Minjae's fingers froze on the keys.
"Can we talk," she said, voice even. But her eyes gave away more, like they were searching, a little nervous, almost soft in a way.
He paused for a second. Not because he didn't want to, but hesitation was just his go-to now with surprises like this. He nodded a little. "Sure."
They headed off together to a quieter spot by the conference rooms. The office noise faded back there, just some paper rustling muffled and the AC humming low.
Yuri turned to him, hands clasped loose in front. She breathed in deep, like it took effort.
"I like you," she came out with it. Straight up, no beating around the bush, just those words hanging there, firm but breakable, like once out they stayed forever. "More than a coworker thing. I've been wanting to tell you that for some time now."
Those words just floated between them, light yet heavy all at once. Minjae's heart picked up speed, something he hadn't felt in forever, this weird beat making him super aware of himself, of her, of the space right there.
He didn't pull back, but his quiet stretched out too far. Finally he spoke, keeping it low and careful. "I... appreciate you being honest." He stopped, trying to put his thoughts together. "But I'm not sure how to answer that. I'm still sorting stuff out, about this, about me."
Yuri smiled faint, not let down or anything. It was softer, like she got it. "You don't need to say anything right now," she said quiet. "Just know I'm around. Whenever you're ready for it."
She held his look steady, hopeful but not rushing. That got to him more than if she'd pushed hard.
After she left, Minjae stayed put in that corner a bit, hands on the cool wall to steady himself. He'd dealt with all sorts of numbers, risks, secrets that could blow up whole setups. But this, just three simple words, rattled him way more than any data ever did.
---
Later on in the cafeteria, full of all that chatter, Yura waved him to her group's table. He usually liked eating quiet by himself, but her smile made it hard to say no.
Talk went around, jokes on deadlines, complaints about reports every quarter. But when things quieted down some, Yura leaned in, her voice soft cutting through.
"I like how calm you stay all the time," she said, eyeing him close. "But I wonder, do you ever let other feelings in. Do you let yourself get vulnerable like that."
It wasn't offhand. She meant it sharp, like aiming to see the side of him nobody else got.
Minjae put his chopsticks down, hand steady even with his chest squeezing a bit. He looked right at her, really saw her, and said, "It's tough. Part of me isn't used to this, to feeling stuff this way."
Yura's face went soft. She reached out confident but quiet, brushing hair off his forehead. It was quick, like instinct, but stuck around longer than it should.
"We all got hidden parts," she said gentle. "Maybe you don't need to keep hiding yours."
Her words got under his skin, like planting in cracks of rock. He didn't say back. Didn't have to, her smile showed she read his quiet already.
---
Ha Seori's way was sneakier, mixed right into her HR job. She didn't go for big statements or side spots. Hers was different, watching close, warm looks, questions with extra care.
She saw Yuri hanging by his desk, Yura's laugh getting softer around him. Didn't think of it as fighting yet. More like a pull, drawing them all close in the same circle.
When Minjae stopped by with a normal report question, she handled it smooth, then threw in, "Tell me if you need help beyond work stuff." Light words, half joking with a wink, but her eyes were real about it.
For once Minjae couldn't slot the moment into his usual spots, like task or risk or result. It was outside all that.
---
By Wednesday middle, whispers were all over the floor.
"Notice how Yuri, Yura, Seori keep showing up near Minjae," someone said low by the copier.
"Like they're all after his attention," another added. "But he's so quiet, acts like he doesn't even see."
A third laughed. "Or that's his trick. Quiet ones got depths."
Their laughs carried on, but real interest hid under it. Minjae, that low-key analyst who stayed out of spotlight, turned into the main quiet guy in the office's big tale.
He ignored the talk. Looked the same outside, calm, exact, out of reach. Inside though, the quiet was breaking up.
---
That night the three ended up at a little cafe across the way. Not on purpose, but nobody was shocked to spot the others.
Seori stirred her tea, looking thoughtful. "We can't keep this quiet forever. Folks are catching on. It's messing with how things run here."
Yuri let out a breath, sounding unsure. "But what if he doesn't feel it back. What if we're just making it worse for him."
Yura grinned, practical as always. "Then we let him know we're here, without piling on. It's about balance. We can handle that."
They laughed soft, tied closer than any competition. Allies too, really, all feeling that same draw to the guy who never asked for it.
---
Meanwhile in his sharp office under those harsh lights, Rennor's anger built up. He stared at data walls, company signups, fake shells, lines twisting through branches like some hidden web.
"Why no good leads at all," he grumbled.
Team swapped looks, uneasy, but kept mouths shut.
Rennor shut his eyes, frustration twisting tighter. "He's careful. Too careful. But nobody's flawless. Everybody leaves traces."
He pulled up a fresh file. Top line bold name: Project Shadow. This round he'd go deep. No skimming. No easy paths. He'd track that shadow down.
---
Back home in his place, Minjae sat dark, city lights spilling over the floor like melted glow. Laptop shut on the desk. Hands just resting, doing nothing for a change.
He thought about Yuri's steady gaze, Yura's soft touch, Seori's warm watch. How they reached out easy, like he was worth it.
Chest got tight, not scared exactly, but something tougher to pin down.
"How do you open up a heart you've never really had," he said low to the empty room.
Nothing answered. Just the city noise, going on forever.