It was raining the kind of summer rain that came without warning-hard, relentless, soaking everything in minutes. Ji Yoon Seo stood beneath the narrow awning of a quiet café tucked between a bookstore and a flower shop, watching the street blur beneath the downpour. He had no umbrella.He hadn't needed when he left the house that morning and his driver was caught in traffic halfway across the city.

He sighed, loosening the top button of his shirt and steeping inside. The café was warm, dimly lit and nearly empty except for one other person near the window.

The man was hunched over a coffee cup, dark hair still wet from the rain, a few strands clinging to his forehead. His black hoodie was soaked at the shoulders and a messenger bag sat slouched at his feet. He looked up when he see Yoon Seo walked in, and for a second, their eyes met.

Yoon Seo looked away first - unusual for him.

The barista was not at the counter, Yoon Seo moved to the side, waiting. The rain hammered against the glass.

"Want a recommendation?" a voice said behind him.

He turned. The guy at the window- now closer- was watching him, arms crossed, a crooked smile playing on his lips.

Yoon Seo raised an eyebrow. "Do I look that lost?"

"You look like you are deciding between suffering through a burnt americano or walking back out into the flood."

Yoon Seo smiled, just barely. "What do you suggest?"

"Café mocha. Extra shot. Not bitter but it will wake you up." He extended a hand. "Kang Min Jae."

Yoon Seo hesitated a second before shaking it. "Yoon Seo. Ji Yoon Seo."

Min Jae's handshake was firm and warm. "You live around here?"

"I work nearby." Yoon Seo replied vaguely, amused by how relaxed Min Jae seemed. Most people flinched around him- whether from his tailored suits, the cars he arrived in or the weight of his last name.

But Min Jae looked at him like he was just some guy caught in the rain.

"What do you do?" Min Jae asked.

Yoon Seo paused. "Business."

Min Jae chuckled. "That's vague enough to mean anything from selling real estate or laundering money."

"Guess you will have to find out." Yoon Seo said, his lips quirking.

A bell rang as the barista returned. Yoon Seo ordered the mocha Min Jae has suggested and took the seat across from him without asking.

"Rain's going to keep going for a while," Min Jae said sipping his drink. "You hiding from it or just bored?"

"Maybe both." Yoon Seo replied.

And just like, that the tension between them settled into something taut and unspoken- something neither fully understood, but both felt.

Neither of them knew yet that tomorrow morning, Kang Min Jae would walk into the headquarters of YoonSeo Holdings.... and come face to face with the same man who'd shared his table on a rainy night.

His Boss.

The next morning Kang Min Jae arrived at the towering glass headquarters of YoonSeo Holdings fifteen minutes early and thoroughly overwhelmed.

The building was impressive, sure- sleek, silver, polished to perfection- but kang Min Jae wasn't the type to get starstruck by skyscrapers or brand names. He was here to work, not gawk.

The receptionist handed him a visitor's badge with a tight smile. "Take the elevator to the 29th floor. HR will meet you in the orientation room."

He nodded adjusting the strap of his bag, and stepped into the elevator. The mirror- like walls gave him a moment of check his reflection. He looked decent- sharp slacks, button up shirt, no hoodie today.

But his mind drifted.

Yoon Seo.

That guy from last night. Their was something unusual about him- casual but refined. Vague but controlled. And the way he smiled... Like he was constantly three moves ahead in a game only he understood.

Min Jae shook the thought. Probably just a bored rich kid hiding in a café for asthetic.

The elevator chimed.

He stepped out.

The HR rep, a neatly dressed woman with a clipboard, let him and the two others into a minimalist conference room. She handed them packets, explained schedules, office layouts, policy summaries- Min Jae half listened. His role was in project strategy. Mid- tier. No drama expected.

"And now" she said, "Mr. Ji will be joining us to personally welcome the new employees."

Min Jae raised an eyebrow. Mr. Ji?

The door opened.

And walked in Ji Yoon Seo.

In a tailored navy- suit, crisp white shirt, no tie. Calm, confident. Coldly magnetic.

Kang Min Jae's stomach dropped a little- just a flicker- but he didn't show it.

Yoon Seo didn't flinch either. His gaze moved slowly across the small room before pausing- just a beat- when it landed on Min Jae.

His lips twitched in the faintest echo of the last night's almost- smile.

He spoke smooth and clear. "Welcome to YoonSeo Holdings. I'm JI YOON SEO, the founder and CEO."

Min Jae's eyes narrowed. Business, Yoon Seo had said. Vague enough to mean anything. The bastard had definitely enjoyed watching him talk without revealing a thing.

Their eyes met- no shock, no surprise, just quiet amusement laced with challenge.

Kang Min Jae didn't look away.

And neither did Ji Yoon Seo.

Heavy silence settled between them- just a breath too long to be casual. Min jae felt heat creep up his neck but held his gaze, refusing to blink first. Yoon Seo's smile remained faint, unreadable like he knew something that Min Jae didn't. Then he turned to adress the room, professional once more. " Let's build something worth remembering." he said.

Polite applause followed, but Min Jae barely heard it. His thoughts buzzed with questions. What game was Yoon Seo playing? And why did Min Jae feel like he was already a part of it - willing or not.

Most of the office had emptied out after six.

The hum of the air conditioning and a occasional clock of a keyboard were all that remained. Ji Yoon Seo didn't usually stay late unless something was urgent, but today he hadn't even noticed the time. His screen glowed quietly in the dim space. He leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Then came a soft voice.

"You are still here?"

Yoon seo turned. Kang min jae stood by the divider, sleeves rolled up, holding a folder loosely in one hand. His tone was casual but his eyes were sharp- observant.

"Yeah," Yoon Seo said. "You too."

Min Jae steeped closer. "I was organizing client briefs. Didn't realise it was this late."

He walked past Yoon Seo's desk and placed the folder on the nearby shelf, then paused. "Do you always stay this long?"

Yoon Seo shrugged. "Sometimes it's quieter when no one's not around."

Min Jae nodded, then pulled out a chair across from him - not asking for his permission, but not exactly assuming it either. "Mind if I sit here?"

Yoon Seo didn't answer, but he didn't object either.

For a while, neither spoke Min Jae started flipping through something on his tablet. Yoon Seo returned to his screen, or pretented to.

It was strange. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. It was still. Settled.

After a few minutes, Min Jae spoke again, his voice lower. " Do you like working here?"

Yoon Seo blinked. That wasn't the kind of question people usually asked- not this early. Not in this tone.

"It's fine," he said after a pause. "Steady."

"That's not a yes."

Yoon Seo looked up. Min Jae's expression was unreadable, but there was no mockery there. Just quiet interest.

"I guess I stopped asking myself if I liked it." Yoon Seo admitted. " It's just what I do now."

Min Jae tilted his head slightly. "You don't strike me as someone who does things just to do them."

Yoon Seo stared at him, unsure how to respond. No one ever talked to him like this- not at work, anyway.

Min Jae stood suddenly, slipping the tablet back into his bag. "Sorry, that was probably too personal."

He turned to leave, then hesitated.

"You helped me a lot this week," he said, I know you didn't have to."

Yoon Seo's voice was quiet. "I noticed you were trying. That's enough."

Min Jae's eyes flicked to him- that same unreadable softness from their first meeting.

"Good Night, Yoon Seo-ssi"

When the elevator doors closed behind him, Yoon Seo sat for a long time, staring at the spot where Min Jae had been.

For the first time in a while, the silence didn't feel empty. It was full of unspoken hope, fragile but finally taking root. It lingered between them, soft and steady, like morning light through trees.