09 | "Do you... like me?"

The next morning, Sunghoon sits in bed, holding his oily hair. All he could feel were the emotions of regret from last night's mistake. Technically, he didn't mean to wreck Yerin's supposed date with the newbie, but it wasn't entirely his fault (yes, maybe it was.) So, gripping his hair as if it was falling off, he screams into his pillow. "God, Sunghoon, why must you be so stupid!"

But once his head lifts, remembering his last words before dozing off...

I love... Yerin.

"NOOOO!" The horror in his eyes is easily the funniest thing to watch, a dreaded yet dramatic boy falling back on his bed from the embarrassment. Thoughts cloud Sunghoon's mind, most of them trying to figure out how to face his crush. In reality, Yerin didn't hear him. She was too busy picking up after his litter, city lights looming across her face as they stumble together.

But what really tied the knot was when he looked down at the color of the bed. Pastel blue. His was dark blue.

"Sunghoon-"

"AHHH!"

"AHHHHHHH!" Yerin squeals back at his reaction, widening her eyes. Sunghoon looked at himself, bringing the blanket up to cover his body. "God, it's seven in the morning! I made you coffee and you yell at me? Did you forget who brought you here?!"

"Why am I here? Why am I in your bed? What happened?" He whispers, trying to get his answers from his conscience. He looked at his body once more. He was still in his suit from yesterday, which means Yerin didn't see anything was worth looking at. Even with blush written across Yerin's face, she pretends to be shocked. Sunghoon plays dumb. "Did I do something?"

"Just go back home and get ready for work, Mr. Park," She winces, pointing to the door. "Drink your coffee first, though. I had to bring you back here because you knocked out and wouldn't tell me your passcode. So, I brought you to my apartment for the night."

"Oh... thank you," Sunghoon trails off, removing the blanket from his body. If Yerin took more guesses, she would've figured out that the code was the day he joined the office and met her. So sweetly sappy. "And sorry for how I acted last night. Mr. Park told me you were on a date. I apologize that I may have ruined that."

Her eyebrows perk up in curiosity. Why is he apologizing? Was he perhaps jealous? No, Yerin. Don't think like that. You're friends.

"It wasn't a date," Yerin denies, shaking her head. "Jaeyun and I just hung out since he had asked me. It was nothing special, so you're fine."

Happiness fills Sunghoon. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Mhm! Anyway, come meet me outside once you're done enjoying my bed."

She leaves, closing the door behind her. Out of happiness, Sunghoon punches the air, cheering himself on for doing what seemed to be the right thing. Later on, after the pair has shared some coffee and went to work together, they go their separate ways.

Even for a moment, however, does Yerin look back. She sees everyone greet Sunghoon the moment he walks into the department. When she turns back, she sees everyone frantic, trying to get paperwork signed and approved. She purses her lips, hands fiddling with each other before taking another glance. Sunghoon was out of her sight.

"Ms. Cha!"

"Yes, Mr. Park?" She shoots her head around, holding her bag towards her body.

He looks her up and down, smiling. "Good morning," He says, handing her a manila folder. The girl with suspicious eyes draws her sight at it, slowly pressing her fingers against the thin edges of it. Finally taking the folder from his grasp, she opens it, seeing two rectangular tickets. Yerin gives Jongseong a look, but he points at it. "What is this, Department Head?"

"Two tickets," Jongseong responds, crossing his arms. "To the aquarium."

Suddenly, her eyes sparkle at the word 'aquarium.' Another obsession Yerin had were fish. She didn't know the names of half of the marine creatures, but some she did. She loved seeing the colors, seeing them swim, even when she knew nothing about them. "I know how much you love those... slimy creatures, even though I feel the same way. We're planning on helping out with the aquarium listed, so just look around. List anything that you think we should assist with."

"Okay!" She says excitedly, Yerin bobbing her head quickly. "But why are there two?"

"You're going with someone from the public relations department," Jongseong did his magic. "With Sunghoon."

The two enter the large building together, Sunghoon tagging behind the girl as she frantically looks around. While Yerin was having the time of her life looking at aquatic animals, Sunghoon was doing her job for her. He didn't mind since he didn't fancy water and its depth, but he fancied Yerin. So, anything that has to do with her, he's willing to do.

Writing down the list of things that seemed to be listed important in Sunghoon's head, the boy looked up. Being in the center of the room, surrounded by blue and purple, not a person was in sight. That also meant Yerin was gone too. "Yerin?" Sunghoon echos, raising an eyebrow. Pressing his glasses closer to his nose bridge, he turns around. "Cha Yerin? Ms. Cha? Where are you?"

With the continuous call of her name, Sunghoon travels around the aquarium. In the process, kids run around his body, parents following after them. He watches them run for a moment, smiling as kids go to touch the starfish. As he continues walking, he sees the lit jellyfish, stingers spread out against the skinny columns.

Sunghoon was growing his fantasy for aquariums possibly because it stems from Yerin's. He liked it nevertheless but had to remember who he was searching for. "Ms. Cha? Yerin!"

"Yerin! Yer-" He pauses once he sees her staring at a tank surrounded by blue, purple light over her head. He jogs over, clenching his list and pen in his grip. Once he's by her side, he wants to ask her why she ran away, but he was silent spinning her way.

Her eyes sparkle against the flowing fish in the tank. Her hands were clasped together, almost as if this was the first time she'd seen fish. Her glasses slip down her face, but it didn't bother Yerin. Her hair tied up into a ponytail fell slightly by her shoulders, strands blowing by the air condition in the room to keep the fish at its perfect temperature. She stands in place, but her feet tap against the floor. She's fascinated no matter how many times she's seen them before. Sunghoon believes she is beautiful. No one can convince him otherwise.

Instead of interrupting her, Sunghoon turns to see the fish as well. The fish don't go against the current. In harmony, the fish follow each other around the surrounding room, in a circle, next to each other. Blue cascades even without light shining on it, deep-reef feelings overwhelming the people in the room.

"Sunghoon?"

He winces, turning his head Yerin's way. She doesn't look at him and instead keeps her eyes on the fish.

"Yes?"

She pauses for a moment, hands tightening around each other. 

"Do you... like me?"