Taeyeon sat at her desk, her heart pounding as she stared at the unfinished script for the first chapter. The deadline loomed, and she was nervous about the guest artist, Jimin. His meticulous feedback had already forced her to rewrite several paragraphs and character sketches, and now she feared his reaction to the final draft. Sweat beaded on her brow as she hesitated to open the file, her mind racing with doubts about her abilities.

Taeyeon had written the script with her heart, making sure it fit the story's plot. She had also drawn the main female character on her tablet, but her lines were shaky and unsure. She kept these drawings hidden in her tablet's gallery—a secret she didn't want to share. Even though she had made many manhwa's before, she still wasn't sure if her drawings were good enough.

Taeyeon stood up, gathering her belongings and closing the door behind her. She walked towards Jimin's cabin, her heart pounding. As she reached out to knock, the door swung open, revealing Jimin standing on the other side. He stared at her, his expression unreadable.

Taeyeon's heart pounded as she took a step back, startled by Jimin not expecting him to open the door suddenly. 

Jimin stepped out, closing the door behind him, his eyes scanning her face; he either expected her to be outside or he was about to go to her cabin . "I was about to come to your cabin."

Taeyeon  stepped back a little, making a space between them. "Oh," is all that came out of her lips,  as her voice barely a whisper.

 "Are you ready to discuss the script?" he asked, his tone serious.

Taeyeon nodded, her voice trembling slightly. "Yes, I am."

"Let go to your cabin then?" Jimin said, and Taeyeon walked  beside  him without asking any further questions, as her mind is only filled with the morning's dream and yesterday's night call.

As they reached her cabin, Taeyeon felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her. Her drunken call to Jimin the night before continuously replayed in her mind, heightening her anxiety. She was perplexed as to how he could remain so calm, as if the embarrassing phone call had never happened. But there was no time to dwell on it—Jimin's expression was serious, and the script needed to be discussed.

As Taeyeon handed the script to Jimin, her hands trembled slightly as her mind replayed the dream. She shook off that dream and unnecessary thoughts.For now, she had to focus on the script she was handing to Jimin. She had poured her heart and soul into this work and  was about to face his judgment.

Jimin took the script and flipped through the pages. Taeyeon watched him intently, her breath held. Not only with the tension that what he might say but also with him leaning to  her desk with knitted eyebrows while reading the script silently and nodding his head, which is a habit of his. Taeyeon felt is so cute, but she couldn't say it out either while a part of her dying with embarrassment, tension, nervousness, all emotions eating her out.

After finishing his reading, Jimin looked up at Taeyeon with a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's... good," he said, his voice hesitant.

Taeyeon's heart leaped, but before she could celebrate, Jimin's lips curled upward in a knowing smile that sent a shiver down her spine. "I feel like I've felt this before," he murmured, his voice low.

Jimin's smile widened, his eyes forming into crescents as he chuckled softly. "I mean the feelings of the male lead," he clarified, his tone light but with an underlying hint of something more.

Taeyeon forced a smile in return, but the unease from earlier remained. The way Jimin spoke, the way he smiled—it all felt too familiar, too personal, as if he were somehow connected to her in a way she couldn't quite understand. Of course they are connected

Jimin's smirk widened, his eyes narrowing slightly as he understood her expressions. He raised an eyebrow and feigned concern; his voice is low . "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Taeyeon hesitated, unsure how to respond. Her eyes darted away, and she bit her lip, trying to hide her discomfort. "No, it's nothing," she finally replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Okay, then," Jimin said, his tone turning serious. "Today, I'd like to work in your cabin. It'll be easier for both of us."

Taeyeon's eyes widened in surprise, her jaw dropping slightly. She hadn't expected Jimin to ask that, but she nodded and said, "S-sure," as her words came shuttering.

Jimin nodded, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. "Let me bring my tablet," he said, turning to leave. His voice was calm, but there was something in his demeanor—a subtle shift in his gaze—that kept Taeyeon on edge

As Jimin left the room, Taeyeon couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest. She had agreed to let Jimin work in her cabin, but she couldn't quite understand why he had even asked her in first place.

A few minutes later, Jimin returned, carrying his tablet. He placed the tablet on Taeyeon's desk and sat down across from her. 

"Let's get started," he said, opening his tablet and pulling up the script.

Taeyeon couldn't understand why Jimin hadn't said much about the script, unlike how he'd been so picky about the character sketches. Was it because he was just an artist who focused on drawing, or did he actually like her sketches?

After hours of working, Jimin turned to Taeyeon, who was engrossed in the next script. Her eyes were wide with concentration, and her fingers were flying across the keyboard. Jimin watched her for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had read her manga the night before. Her art style was simple yet elegant, but it also hinted at her insecurity about her skills. 

Taeyeon had worked on five manhwa since joining the industry, three of which she had both scripted and drawn. And now that she had this big project, she had to prove herself to her favorite guest artist. If they hadn't met on that Tokyo night, things might have been different.

Jimin might still be on hiatus, leaving his work behind, crying, and frustrated over his breakup. Taeyeon might not have had a chance to work with him either. He was thankful for that. Despite the awkwardness Taeyeon felt, he was quite happy to be back to his usual life and accepting the project as a guest artist.

As he was thinking, Taeyeon looked up and asked, "Do you need anything?" 

Jimin could see the awkwardness behind her sweet voice, which made him want to chuckle, but he held it back. "Where can I get a good coffee around here?" he asked, his tone casual. 

Taeyeon thought about it for a moment. "There's a great café just a few blocks away. It's called 'Hyeon's cafe.' They have amazing coffee and pastries."

"Would you please take me?" he asked, his tone sounding calmer than before.

Taeyeon hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, I can take you there."

They left the office together, heading to "Hyeon's Cafe."

She turned her head to Jimin and asked, "What would you like to have, Jimin-shii?"

Jimin smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm up for anything you recommend. I trust your taste."

"Sorry, but I don't drink coffee," Taeyeon said, her voice a bit apologetic.

Jimin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You don't drink coffee? That's unusual for someone who works in this field."

"Fine, then I'll choose myself," he said, his tone playful.

Taeyeon watched Jimin give his order. She looked tired and a bit nervous. He could tell she was still thinking about her drunken call the night before. It was his fault too, for acting like he was the boss. For Taeyeon, it was a bit too much to call him at night drunk.

Once Jimin finished ordering, he turned to her with a warm smile. "Thanks for bringing me here," he said, his eyes softening.

Taeyeon nodded, forcing a smile in return. As she looked out the window, Jimin said, "I'm sorry if I was a bit bossy."

Taeyeon turned to Jimin, surprised by his apology. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away. The awkwardness between them was palpable.

"I always wanted a perfect description of anything to match my imagination to the picture," he explained, his voice clam and conveying. 

"That's why I push you so hard. I don't promise I won't be like that again, but if I am, please forgive me."

As an artist, Jimin might be primarily concerned with the visual aspects of the manhwa. He may feel that the script is strong enough and that he will truly bring the story to life through his art. That's the reason why he pushed her beyond her limits, because he wants to be perfect, even in character sketches or anything.

 If there is a good description of a character they describe, he will really put in his efforts, but if it's not, he would not hesitate to make the writers rewrite the script. That's what made him stand out as the best Manhwa artist that many companies wanted to work with either as their artist or as a guest artist.

Taeyeon understood now how he had become such a talented artist. Even after discovering that Jimin was JM's favorite Manhwa artist, her admiration for him didn't fade. However, the awkwardness and discomfort she felt working with him because of that night still lingered.

"It's okay," she finally responded, her voice barely a whisper. Her heart ached with a mix of relief and sadness. The memory of their one-night still haunted her, a bittersweet echo of a night they both wished they could forget. A shiver ran down her spine as she tried to recall the details, but the scenes of that night seemed hazy and indistinct.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts. 

"Sir, your coffee." 

Taeyeon and Jimin turned to see the waiter, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

As Jimin took a sip of his coffee, Taeyeon couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lingered on her. There was something almost hypnotic about his gaze, and she found herself feeling strangely drawn to him.

"That night," Taeyeon began, her voice hesitant as she decided whether to bring up the topic.

"I know it was a mistake," Jimin said, cutting her off. A hint of smile on his lips. "But that mistake changed my life. It brought me back to my usual self."

Taeyeon's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected Jimin to talk about that night so casually. She looked away, her cheeks flushing.

"Are you still thinking about that night?" Jimin asked simply, as if it were nothing.

"What? N-no." Taeyeon stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

"I was just joking," he said, a playful glint in his eyes.

Is that even a joke? Taeyeon thought, looking away and hiding her red face.

"Why don't you order anything if you don't like coffee?" Jimin asked, his tone teasing.

Taeyeon turned her gaze to him, shaking her head. "No, I'm okay," she replied, her voice a bit defensive.

________________________________________________

They got back to the office and started getting back to work. Taeyeon couldn't help but steal glances at Jimin, her heart fluttering with every look. Jimin acted as if he didn't notice, but she could see the corners of his lips twitching slightly, as if he were trying to hide a smile.

Finally, unable to resist any longer, Jimin turned to Taeyeon and said, "Am I that handsome?"

Taeyeon's cheeks flushed a deep red as she looked away, her heart pounding in her chest. She stammered, "H-huh?" her voice barely audible.

As Jimin leaned in closer, Taeyeon's heart raced. She could feel his breath on her face, and her senses were heightened.

"You're staring," Jimin whispered with a playful tone in his voice.

Taeyeon blushed even deeper, her eyes darting away. She couldn't deny it. She had been staring at him, lost in his gaze.

Jimin smiled, his eyes twinkling. "I like that," he said.

Taeyeon's heart skipped a beat. She had never felt this way about anyone before.

"You really thought I would just slide over that night so easily, right?" Jimin said, his tone low and dangerous.

Taeyeon's heart leaped into her throat. The person she just talked to at the café, the one who had apologized to her, was a completely different person now. The dream she had in the morning suddenly made sense.

A low chuckle escaped Jimin's lips, his eyes boring into hers. "It wasn't the expression that I have seen on that night,"  he said, a low whisper.

Taeyeon's widening eyes: 'How can I easily bring that topic up?' she thought, her heart pounded in her chest as Jimin leaned in so close that she could feel his breath on her face. She closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for what was to come.

Then Jimin burst into laughter, making her eyes shoot open in surprise. "I'm sorry," he said, still laughing. "I was just trying to tease you a little bit."

Taeyeon's face flushed a deep red, like a ripe tomato. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. She really wanted to kick him so hard that he would cry as much as he was laughing.

Before Taeyeon could speak, she heard a voice behind her. "That's over the line, Park Jimin-shi," Do-Yoon said, his tone stern.