Yu jin's POV
I didn't even realize I'd stopped breathing until I saw him move.
Park Min. Standing at the gate. Hands in pockets, head tilted just slightly.
I stepped back from the window and muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."
Woo Min looked up from washing dishes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I said too quickly. "Just… neighbor stuff."
He frowned. "You don't even know your neighbors."
"Exactly," I said and grabbed my jacket before he could ask again.
I slipped out of the apartment as quietly as I could, hoping Rin wouldn't notice. By the time I reached the gate, Park Min was already watching me. "What the hell are you doing here sir?" I asked. My voice came out lower than I intended.
He smiled like it was a reasonable question. "Can we go inside and talk?"
"No," I said. "Please, We can talk right here."
"It's a bit public, don't you think?" He glanced around at the street, empty except for a delivery scooter parked across the road. "I didn't come all this way to have a conversation on the sidewalk."
"Then maybe you shouldn't have come at all." I said lowering my voice because you know… my boss.
He sighed. "Yu Jin…"
He hesitated. That was new. Park Min never hesitated. "I just wanted to clear things up"
"Sir please, you've been clearing a lot of things up. But clear what up tho? The kiss?"
His jaw tightened. "Can we please go inside? I'm not here to argue with you."
I looked back toward the building. Woo Min's silhouette was moving behind the curtains. Rin would probably be jumping on the couch by now. The thought of Park Min standing out here, visible, recognizable, made my stomach twist.
And he was my boss.
That part always ruins everything.
"Fine," I muttered. "But keep your voice down please. My family's here."
His eyebrows shot up. "Family?"
"Don't make it sound like I said I'm married," I said, walking ahead.
When we stepped inside, Woo Min froze mid-step, holding a dish towel. His eyes landed on Park Min and the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Rin, of course, chose that exact moment to run in wearing a towel cape.
"Papa! I made juice!" he shouted, holding up an empty cup.
Woo Min's jaw clenched. Park Min's head turned slowly toward me.
And I wanted to evaporate.
"Be nice," I hissed at Woo Min under my breath, elbowing him in the ribs. "He's my boss."
Woo Min didn't move. His voice was calm but tight. "Didn't look like a boss at the gate."
Park Min smiled faintly, the polite kind people use in offices when they want to hide irritation. "You must be his…brother, but you don't look alike so friend?."
Woo Min didn't bother answering.
Rin ran straight to me, still holding his cup. "Papa, who's this man?"
I almost choked on my breath. "This..this is Mr. Park. My boss."
Park Min blinked, processing the word Papa. "Wait. You have a kid?"
"Yeah," I said quickly, patting Rin's head like that would make it less awkward. "He's four, he'll soon be five."
Rin turned toward Woo Min, grinning. "And that's Daddy."
If there was a hole nearby, I would've gladly thrown myself into it.
Park Min stared. "Daddy?"
Woo Min gave him a look that could cut glass. "Problem?"
Before I could stop it, Rin added helpfully, "Don't you think Daddy is cute, Mister?"
"Oh my God," I muttered, picking him up. "Okay, that's enough matchmaking for today."
Rin giggled. "But Papa, he's single, right? Maybe Mister is too."
"Rin." I gave him the Dad Voice. "That's not how introductions work."
Park Min blinked, clearly struggling to decide on his feelings. "So… you and.."
"No," I said fast. "Not what you think."
Rin frowned. "Then why do you sleep together?"
Woo Min snorted. I wanted to die. "He means…uh..nap. Afternoon nap. Together. Movie time."
Park Min's expression shifted from surprise to something else. He sat down at the table without asking. "It better not be what I'm thinking."
"No, no definitely not I said," I said, setting Rin down.
He smiled faintly, then turned toward Woo Min. "So, where are you from?"
"Not your concern," Woo Min said flatly.
Park Min ignored the tone. "But I both understand why you both are called papa and dad, your part of Country P made up of those what do you call them ABO members?"
Woo Min's eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You know," Park Min said, waving a hand. "Those people who think they're… whatever. It's weird. Makes gay stuff look too real."
I froze. The room went dead silent.
Woo Min said quietly, "What the fuck did you just say?"
"Woo Min," I said fast, grabbing his wrist. "Don't."
He pulled his hand back but didn't take his eyes off Park Min. "You invite your boss into our home and he starts throwing slurs over breakfast?"
"It's not breakfast anymore," Park Min said lightly, clearly uncomfortable but too proud to apologize properly. "And I didn't mean it that way."
"Yeah? How did you mean it?" Woo Min asked, stepping closer.
I stepped in front of him, pushing him lightly toward the hallway. "Stop. Please. He's my boss, I need this job."
He looked at me like he couldn't believe I'd said that. "So you're just gonna let him disrespect people like that?"
"Just let me handle it, alright?" I whispered. "Please."
He stared at me for a long second, then shook his head. "Are you?"
"No I'm not part of it ." And I swear I've never seen Woo min's eye brow twist like that, his forehead wrinkles appeared and veins popping out of his head. He turned, walked over to Rin, crouched down, and smiled gently. "Hey, little man. Be good for Papa, okay?"
Rin frowned. "You're going somewhere?"
"Yeah." Woo Min kissed the top of his head, then straightened. "Won't be back soon."
"Wait. " I started, but he was already at the door.
He didn't look back when he left.
The sound of the door closing was so final it hurt.
I turned back toward Park Min. He looked almost sorry. Almost. "I didn't mean to cause that."
"Yeah," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "You're full of things you don't mean, huh?"
He sighed. "I wanted to apologize for the other day. For you seeing that kiss with Hana. I didn't plan for you to see it."
I leaned against the wall. "You keep saying you didn't mean things. Maybe you should start meaning something for once."
"I didn't even know why I'm apologizing," he admitted quietly. "It's just… professional, you know? You're a new worker and you've seen me messed up alot. I shouldn't have complicated things."
"Right," I said. "Strictly business."
He nodded. "Exactly."
I studied his face. The same calm expression, but his hands were restless. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I just didn't want things to be weird at work."
"Too late."
He said softly, looking at the floor. "Fair."
I crossed my arms. "For the record, I have a girlfriend. So you don't need to worry about the 'weird' part."
He looked up, eyes narrowing just slightly. "You do?"
"Yeah. Real woman. Straight as they come."
"Good," he said after a pause. "That's… good."
He stood, brushed imaginary dust off his sleeve, and nodded toward the door. "Then I should get going."
I followed him out, my mind running circles. "You sure you didn't just come to check if I was still mad?"
He gave a small smile. "Maybe a little."
"Guess you got your answer."
He nodded. "I'll see you on Monday."
And just like that, he was gone.
I stood at the door for a long time, staring at the hallway. The apartment felt too quiet without Woo Min's voice in it. Rin was sitting on the couch, hugging his stuffed bear, looking smaller than usual.
"Where's Daddy?" he asked.
I knelt beside him. "He went out for a bit."
"Because of Mister?"
I swallowed hard. "No. Because… grown-ups are stupid sometimes."
Rin nodded like he understood. "Are you sad?"
"Little bit," I said. "But it's fine."
He leaned against me and He eventually fell asleep against my arm, but I couldn't stop staring at the door.
Woo Min didn't say where he was going. He didn't even take his bag. Just his phone.
I picked up my own phone from the table. No new messages. No missed calls.
I opened our chat, typed where are you?, then erased it.
Typed again: come back, then erased that too.
I didn't know what I wanted him to do. Come back and yell at me? Forgive me? Pretend it didn't happen?
I sat there until the sky outside turned orange.
Every few minutes I thought about Par
k Min's face when he saw Rin. The look that flickered across it confusion, curiosity, maybe jealousy.
But I needed to find Woo min and Park min caused this too.
So .. "Park sir" I called out.