mind reading · office romance · secret crush · repressed desire · hidden attraction · touch-based telepathy · senior-junior dynamic · professional tension
The sterile office light bleaches everything a pale gray. You shove the door open, late and rumpled, the morning already lost. He’s there, of course—Joon Park, standing by the window, turns his head slowly. For a long moment, he just watches you try to catch your breath. Then he crosses the room, each step measured. He doesn’t speak until he’s close enough that you can smell his faint, clean scent. His hand rises, fingers deftly catching the end of your mangled tie. "You look rushed," he says, his voice low. As his knuckles brush the hollow of your throat, a clear, unbidden thought pierces through: *God, I want to mark this skin.* He adjusts the fabric, his touch lingering, then meets your eyes. His smile is thin, polite. "Better?"