I just tried my best to act normal, like I hadn't just dreamt of a pale, broken Minjae sobbing my name before throwing himself off a balcony this morning.
Within a few minutes, I started practically dancing in frustration from one end to the other as, since more than 30 minutes had passed and I could not see a bus passing by.
"It's already 9:36! Where is this stupid bus?!"
"God, why does this always happen to me when I'm always late to the office?" I muttered to myself.
Of course, it had to be today that the universe decided to mess with me.
"Ugh, that stupid dream. If I weren't freaking out 'cause of the shit he played in my dream, I wouldn't have been late," I started blaming the dream.
Because of it, I woke up late, missed my bus, and now I'm late for work too.
I was acting as if I had never in my life come late to work. But, at that moment, I wanted just somebody to blame.
But I was more scared, knowing I would be chewed out by Mr. Kim-my perpetually grumpy boss who probably has a PhD in scolding me.
Just as I was cursing the universe for everything, suddenly I heard a melody.
Ring.Ring.Riiiiiing.
Guess who?
Mr. Kim.
I muttered, "Great," he knows I'm late now, and probably is calling to give me a lecture now.
Pick up and get yelled at.or don't pick up and still get yelled at.
Fantastic choices.
I took a deep breath, channeling the same fake sweet and shy voice I use every day as Nerd Jiwoo.
"Good morning, hello, Mr. Kim."
"Ah, my dear Mr. Han!" he said cheerily. Wait a minute… was that a smile in his voice?
Wait a minute, what just happened?
Mr. Kim called me dear? I stared at my phone screen, willing the numbers to morph into someone else's number. But nope. Still. Mr. Kim, it said on the display.
I had fully braced for yelling the moment I picked up, but was surprised that he greeted me with such a sweet voice.
I cleared my throat and responded in the softest voice I could.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Kim?
"Where are you? What time will you be in the office?" Mr. Kim asked.
"I'm stuck in traffic. It might take me about an hour." I lied, already planning to ditch the bus and take a cab.
"No problem! I have one good news and one bad news. Come quickly, I'll update in person."
He said this and then hung up on me.
Okay. What?First of all: no shouting.
Second: Smiling voice
Third: good and bad news?
I muttered a silent prayer and jumped into the first taxi I could find, waving good-bye to my poor wallet.
"12,000 won. Rest in peace," I whispered melodramatically as the meter ticked up.
Finally, I arrived at the office at 10:20, still perspiring and still traumatized because of the webtoon boyfriend that I had, Minjae… But add to that the mysterious "good and bad news" from Mr. Kim. Already, my morning was an emotional rollercoaster.
The moment I stepped into the elevator, something felt. off. The lighting, which was usually dull, but now its unusually overly bright, as if the walls had some guarded secret.
"Suspicious," I muttered.
Then "Miss Seo" entered, the chief secretary of Modeamour, the fashion brand where I work here in Seoul.
"Good morning, Miss Seo." I smiled and nodded at her.
She smiled at me.
"Congratulation, Jiwoo."
Huh? Congrats?
".For what?
"You will see soon," she said with an award-winning smirk.
What's this? Prank day? Is it some hidden camera show?
And with the thought of this mysterious "good and bad news", I could feel it - the silence before a tsunami hits.
The kind where it all seems all weirdly fine. right before the wave crashes down and decimates your life.
I entered the design department as fast as I could. And guess what?
Instantly, claps, cheers, confetti, and the playing of a victory song from someone's phone in the background.
Like. what the actual fuck is happening today?
I scanned the room and found Mr. Kim walking toward me, holding a letter and with the most creepy smile in the world.
Is it a firing letter? And this is my farewell party?
"I-I could have sworn I sent the designs in last night!" I exclaimed.
"Mr. Han," he said, slapping my back like a proud grandfather.
"Yes, Mr. Kim?"
"So. want the good news or the bad news first?" he asked me with a creepy smile.
"Let's get the bad one out of the way," I said, steeling myself for unemployment.
"Alright," he said cheerfully. "You're leaving the company Mr. Han."
"Huh" My brain short-circuited.
Goodbye, dreams. Goodbye, paycheck. Hello, living under a bridge.
Then he said, "Because you are promoted to our head branch."
"HUH?!"
"Surprise!" he giggled. "You've been forwarded to Nova Muse Entertainment, the biggest entertainment company, and our head branch. Also, you have been promoted to Senior Creative Designer. And your latest design? It was selected for Fashion Week in Paris."
" Congratulations, Mr. Han, on your promotion"
I blinked. Once. Twice.
Transfer?
Promotion??
Nova Muse Entertainment??
Fashion Week in Paris???
Am I still not awake from my dream?
I turned to Mr. Kim with a shaky and doubtful voice, asking:
"Sir. are you sure you're talking to the right Han Jiwoo?"
Mr. Kim burst into laughter. "Unless we got another talented, introverted, fashion-obsessed Jiwoo hiding somewhere"
Then, with confidence in his eyes, he added,
"Yes, you, Mr. Han. You."
I stood frozen for a solid five seconds before screaming.
My design. Paris. Head office. Senior title.
I was crying-happy on the inside and thanking the heavens.
I could finally afford my brand-new limited edition "Nyva" Shoes.
He handed me my promotion letter and requested that I fill out some transfer paperwork; therefore, I went back in the direction to my desk to get it done.
I was halfway through filling the forms when I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Congrats, Mr. Cloutmouth."
I almost choked. "Jeon Mi-Young! Do you want to scream my secret across the whole office next?"
"Yeah, off course why not?" she said smiling. "They all deserve to know the sly fox hiding behind that innocent face."
She winked. "Don't worry little fox. I won't slip this secret out of my mouth, unless you forget to buy me lunch again."
Mi-Young was my best friend since high school; she knew everything, my dreams, about Minjae, and that I am Cloutmouth.
She casually plopped down onto my desk. You do know this is huge, right? You are going to the main office. This is where the cool, shiny people work.
I sagged. "Do I have to wear proper pants every day now?
"Yup. And speak in full sentences. No more hoodie cloaking."
I let out a long sigh, shooting a side-eye at her.
Mi-Young burst into laughter. "I'm teasing. Don't wimp out like an angry puppy now."
She flicked my forehead. "Always acting like a nerd and now see where you have ended up."
"Ouch! Mi-Young, that hurts."
Glimmering, she softened her eyes. "You deserve this little fox."
Then, with a pout, she added, "How could you forget about me?"
"And guess what? I'm coming with you."
"Huh?!"
"I am being transferred with you as a senior fashion designer, and we will be working on the project for Paris Fashion Week."
I smiled wryly at her. "You are never gonna leave me alone, huh?"
She grinned. "Nope. I'm a leech, remember? Permanently attached."
I laughed. "Well, I'm so proud of you, my girl," patting her back.
She flipped her hair playfully. "Now let us live. Much cash and the handsome gentlemen of Nova Muse." We both exploded into giggles.
No sooner had the celebration begun than Mr. Kim cried out, "Everybody, gather around. Our new president is coming."
"Do you know who our new president is ?" I whispered to Mi-Young.
"I heard he's from half Korean-French, A big shot. A charming playboy, and the eldest son of "Nova Muse Entertainment". Also, definitely your type," she said, teasing her.
"My type? Oh.Please. If I wanted heartbreak, I would rather just text my ex than mingle with a playboy."
Yet, I couldn't help but be eager to see who this big shot was.
"Mr. Han," Mr. Kim called, "take the bouquet and greet Mr. Kang."
"Me?! Why me?"
"You're the Senior Creative now. Do it."
I smiled, picked up the bouquet, and headed toward the entrance.
Thinking about it now, nothing could have ruined today.
That's what I thought.
As the elevator dinged.
A tall figure in a sleek black suit stepped out of the elevator. Handsome with effortlessness.
My smile dropped dead.
I froze.
Mr. Kim beamed with a big smile and stepped forward. "Welcome, Mr. Kang; congratulations on your appointment as the new president of Nova Muse."
No. Freaking. Way.
Mi-Young whispered beside me, "Hey, Jiwoo, smile. Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
Because I had.
Our new president.
Is Kang Minjae.
The Minjae. From my comic, The Men From Nowhere.
The Minjae of my dreams, haunting my sleep for years.
The Minjae I had made up, drawn, fallen in love with once, and dreamed of.
He was now right in front of me.
Not as some ghost in my dream, anyhow.
But as a real, actual, and dangerously attractive human man.
And now?
He was coming straight in my direction.
He stopped right in front of me, raised an eyebrow, and smirked at me.
"Well, well," he said, voice deeper and smoother than I remembered. "What are you glaring at? I know I'm handsome"
I almost dropped the flowers.
My fingers had tightened around the bouquet. My brain was screaming. My soul had already left the building.
Why is he here? No. wait, how is he here?? Did I call him this morning ??
Still, he was staring at me, with a smirk on his face.
"I—uh—welcome. President Kang." I stuttered, holding out the bouquet.
His fingers touched mine as he took the bouquet from my hand.
Warm. Solid. Real.
I forgot to breathe; my lungs were on strike.
I AM DOOMED
"I. need. air," I panted. "Excuse me."
And with that, I pivoted on my heel and walked off-no, escaped-before I fainted or did something really embarrassing.
I took off running, like a mouse who had just escaped from a cat's claws, and sprinted out barely avoiding being eaten alive.
Behind me, I heard footsteps.
"Jiwoo!" Mi-Young called. "What happened? Why did you run off like that?"
I exclaimed, breathless with my heart pounding: "He. he is .he's Minjae!"
She frowned. "Take a breath first, drama queen. Then speak."
I took a deep breath and blurted out loud.
"He's Kang Minjae. The Kang Minjae. The one from my dream. From my comic."
Mi-Young blinked. "Wait what ?? Minjae? Your Minjae?"
"Yes! Yes!"
She stared at me and whispered, "Jiwoo. are you hearing yourself right now? He's a character. You drew him. How could he just. show up here?!"
"I don't know!" I half-sobbed. "But he's here.
Mi-Young took a step closer, narrowing her eyes at me. "Okay, seriously are you drunk? Because you sound drunk, bro."
"I'm not drunk!" I shouted, fumbling my phone out of my pocket.
"But you won't believe me, right? "Just look at this!"
I pulled up the clean sketch that I had never shown anyone. The one I'd poured hours into, the exact character sheet of Kang Minjae from my dream.
She plucked the phone from my hand, squinted at the image, then turned to look at me. then back at the phone.
Her eyes went wide.
"What the fuck, are you kidding me?"
"Am I already dreaming like this nerd now?"
She slapped herself hard. "Ouch. It hurts. it's.. .it's not a dream."
Then, she exclaimed in a whisper, "What the fuck is happening?!"
I shook my head. "I don't know. I don't know, Mi-Young. But he's standing right there, and I swear I knew something was off. I felt it all morning."
"It's finally here"
"What's here?" Mi-Young asked.
"The tsunami after the silence."
We slowly turned our heads to the hallway. just in time to see President Kang Minjae standing at the end of it, talking to Mr. Kim and his eyes drifting toward me.
And then, he smiled.
"Does he know something?
Maybe, he does not. My mind was having a full-blown debate with itself.
I don't know if I am dreaming or if it is reality.
From now on, I need to protect my ass from the real-life Kang Minjae.
And most importantly?
Avoid him. At. All. Costs.
He must never learn of the existence of my webtoon titled The Men from Nowhere.
Or that I, Han Jiwoo, am The Cloudmouth.
Because if he does?
I'm not just doomed. I'm done. Fried. Fanfiction-level cancelled. Emotionally deleted. Socially cremated. And when I thought things couldn't get any worse. heard a voice that sounded so familiar again.
"Excuse me. Mr. Han? Oh no. God, can't You leave me alone for once?
He strolled up toward me, like a cat who knew the mouse had nowhere left to run, with a smirk on his face.
"Y-Yes. Mr. Kang," I stuttered.
"We gotta talk. There is a lot of unfinished business between you and me."
He walked away without looking back, just asked me to follow.
And somehow, I knew this was just the beginning of my end.