Favorite Things

“I know you have a crush on Yuna.”

You looked up at Wonyoung, still intently clacking at her computer on the other side of the table.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you dared

“Sure,” she retorted. “Keep denying it.”

“Wonyoung,” you scoffed, at a loss for words. Because damn, she was correct, and you were terrified that she was.

“What?” Wonyoung cut in, now looking at you intently with a smirk. “Think I wouldn’t notice when I’m three feet away from you at most for 9 hours a day?”

“Okay,” you reply slowly, treading into the conversation carefully. “What exactly is your proof?”

She cleared her throat. “YUNA!”

“Whatthefuckareyoudoing?!,” you mumbled, as Yuna’s chair rolled up right beside you.

“What’s up, Wony?,” she said, headphones dangling on her neck.

“Oh… nothing. I forgot,” Wonyoung replied with a falsely innocent smile.

Yuna gave her a puzzled look. “O–kay? Nice talking then,” she responded, before rolling away in her chair and putting her pair of headphones back on. When she appeared more fully engrossed in her work, you shot a dirty glare at Wonyoung.

“What the fuck was that for?!,” you exclaimed.

“You are so obvious!,” Wonyoung replied with a slap on your hand. “You physically recoiled and froze. You didn’t even try to look busy. I saw your ears flush! I bet they’re still hot right now, aren’t they?”

“That’s…,” you trailed off, rubbing your apparently cold fingers on your evidently warm ears. “Ugh. Fine. Yes, I am crushing on Yuna. So what?”

“Then you should ask her out,” she said, the jest in her voice dissipating into encouragement. “Take her on a date with you.”

“A coworker? That’s just weird,” you shot back. “We just met her.”

“So?,” Wonyoung tilted her head. “Also, ‘just’?!’ Six months is not

‘just met’ territory. I hang out with her all the time.”

You sighed, staring at the ceiling. “I’ve never done this before, y’know.”

“Then now’s as good a chance as any,” she replied, before her phone started buzzing. “I gotta go. I have to sit in another department’s meeting.”

“Good luck!,” you greeted her, even as she was in a rush.

Before you got back to work, Yuna rolled up back to your side, with a big grin on her face.

“What’s with the grin?,” you asked, puzzled.

“You like Wonyoung, don’t you?,” Yuna teased.

“What?!,” you exclaimed. “Where’d you get that idea?”

“Answer me first,” Yuna retorted, pointing a playful hand-gun to your temple. “Or.. I’ll tell her, because it’s true.”

“Yuna…,” you hesitated. Because damn, she was correct too, and you were terrified. Again.

“A-ha! Knew it,” she exclaimed.

You scratched your head. That’s two for two today. “Okay, and how exactly did you ‘know’ it?”

“Hmm,” Yuna gave it some thought. “Well first, the way you two exchange banter. It’s like you’re best friends.”

“I mean, duh, we’re workmates,” you replied. “But that’s not proof I like her.”

“On the contrary,” she added, “the way you smile at her, and stare at her, and get locked in your conversations with her – that’s second, third, and fourth. You can’t just stay best friends.”

“W– Maybe I’m just a good listener!,” you defended. “Why think right away that we should date?”

“Because,” she continued, leaning her elbow on your armrest, “I’d like to think I know the face of a boy who loves someone’s company. And you love her company. And her attention. Bet you didn’t even see me staring at you guys earlier, did you?”

You gulped. “Wait… did you listen to our conversation?”

“Of course not,” she reassured, pointing to her headphones. “But the fact you didn’t notice means you were stuck in your own little world. You should ask her out!”

“I can’t,” you groaned. “I’ve never done this before.” Déjà vu.

“Figure it out then!,” she said encouragingly. “Maybe think about it for a bit first. But you better ask her!” She put her headphones back on and rolled back to her spot, same as before.

You buried your face in your hands. It’s one thing to have a workplace crush; it’s another thing to have two of them with you in your three-person team. Hiding it all was definitely not an easy task.

It all started with Wonyoung, actually. You both entered the company and your current assignment at the same time. Working around Wonyoung the first few times was difficult solely due to your nerves – she was no-nonsense, wanting to have an answer to every request in as little time as possible. And she kept that composure with a twinkle in her eye and the cutest smirk of accomplishment when you did. But that also meant pressure on you to keep up with her – which you didn’t hate, actually.

You were still in your downward spiral of infatuation when weeks later Yuna was added in. She was no polar opposite to Wonyoung, but she was definitely a much warmer presence than her; she would fondly hold your hand when asking you for guidance, or “swing by” to catch a quick break from work on her side of the room. But what really caught you was when she was most relaxed in her own world, a very candid, renaissance-like view of her always available when you turned your head in her direction.

It’d been six months since you all met, and the feelings are most definitely not out of your system. If anything, it’s gotten worse, today being evidence of that.

About an hour later, Wonyoung came back, face scrunched into a scowl.

“Wony? What’s–,” you tried to say.

“Yuna. Huddle up,” said Wonyoung. Yuna stood up from her chair and sat on the armrest of yours.

Wonyoung leaned on her arms over the table with her head fully bowed, taking a few seconds to regain her composure.

“We need to make a marketing deck. By day after tomorrow. The whole thing: collaterals, assets, the works.”

“But that’s a Saturday,” you reacted, “what the hell?!”

Yuna looked a little more disappointed than frustrated. “Man, I was thinking of seeing my parents this weekend,” she tried to say, before again being cut off by Wonyoung.