Why Are All Tales Scary To Adults

Tale of Affiliation

"Ah, oh, wait a minute," Bum struggled to free his hands up.

"Why are you carrying so many things? What's the jacket for?" Dong Wook asked, still holding the cup of coffee for Bum.

"Ah, this?" Bum chuckled, completely flustered, finally placing the jacket and his bag on the chair and rushing to take the offered cup, "Thanks for the coffee, Sunbaenim."

"It's nothing. So?" Dong Wook raised his eyebrows.

"What?" Bum's eyes went wide, looking around, all worked up.

"The jacket, and things?"

"Agh, well, I was in a meeting from this morning, I didn't even have the t..."

"You're here?" Writer-nim announced someone's arrival cheerfully enough to stop every conversation going on in the small meeting room. "It's hot isn't it." she teased.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"Agh, don't worry about it. We're thankful you were able to meet with us today. "

Dong Wook watched, a straw between his lips. A stream of sweetness entered his senses and he quickly grasped the straw between his teeth, stopping the intrusion while he still could. Strangely, he looked away. Later, he went on pondering why he did so, but in that moment, when the girl in a loose white sweater and black jeans walked into the room and a light red flashed her face and neck, he felt as if he simply should not look. Or rather, he felt she shouldn't see how she looked in his eyes right in that moment, which was something he himself wasn't completely sure of. What did she look like to him that he felt he had to protect his reaction from her and the rest of the room?

Like Kim Bum, who came in a rushed mess, she was visibly overwhelmed by the room. The atmosphere wasn't awkward to begin with, at least not to Dong Wook, but it was always burdensome to be the last person to enter a gathering, especially if you're also the youngest of the group. Come to think of it, it has been a while since Dong Wook has felt that way. Truly the age gap was suddenly very tangible.

As the girl bowed in all directions of the room, looking at people, but to no one in particular, and as Dong Wook avoided her eyes, he felt all his worries from many sleepless nights attacking him all at once. "This has been a mistake" "It won't work" "You're not the hero type" "You're not the lead type" "You got cocky" "It won't work with her".

"This is a first meeting for everyone, right?" Writer-nim asked the room, and nervous smiles appeared on human faces. "Well, this is nothing official, so let's save the introductions for later, let's all be comfortable."

His eyes unwillingly wandered to her face. He worried she'd see his curiosity. Still he couldn't help but glance.

She was flustered, maybe she was embarrassed, maybe even uncomfortable. But he liked that expression. It was tense and that was it. It didn't put up a weak smile in hopes of saving itself. He could read her face and suddenly that pushed his pessimism aside for at least this meeting.

"Hello" she said in a small voice and bowed her head, hair falling over her shoulder, encouraging her fingers to go though the dark strands. "I'm Jo Bo Ah." She said that seriously and calmly, but far from timidly. There was something unexpected in that for Dong Wook and he cracked open a genuine smile, surprising himself. He almost placed a hand over his mouth but it was too late, she had already seen it all. Jo Bo Ah saw her own startling nature on his face and he wasn't sure if she necessarily approved of it, but her eyes narrowed and her cheeks twitched upwards.

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry, I almost laughed..." Dong Wook scolded himself, still carrying a recurring smile, "I'm Lee Dong Wook." he bowed back, feeling quite ridiculous. "I'm sorry, I laugh when I'm nervous."