Meanwhile, back at the publishing company, Yoon was standing in Tae-won's cabin, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on his lips.
"What's wrong with you today?" Yoon asked lightly. "Why are you so restless? And what's with all the messages?"
He lifted Tae-won's phone from the desk, waving it teasingly. "I've never seen a managing editor this distracted."
Yoon was clearly mocking him, enjoying every second of it—but Tae-won didn't even react to the teasing. His jaw was tense, his eyes sharp with anticipation.
"Min-woo," Tae-won said instead. "How was he?"
Yoon raised an eyebrow, deliberately dragging out a sigh. "Oh, him? Terrible," he said casually. "His work was poor. Didn't meet the criteria at all."
Tae-won stared at him for half a second before exhaling through his nose.
"Stop," he said flatly.
Yoon laughed. "You're no fun."
They both knew each other too well. Tae-won could hear the joke beneath the sarcasm, the truth hidden behind Yoon's mockery.
Yoon leaned against the desk and continued more seriously, "We'll finalize the contract tomorrow."
The tension in Tae-won's shoulders eased immediately.
Then Yoon added, almost as if anticipating what Tae-won was thinking, "And just so you know—I'm not hiring him because of you."
Tae-won looked up.
"He's genuinely talented," Yoon said. "With or without your recommendation, he would've been selected."
Tae-won smiled—wide, unguarded, reaching all the way to his eyes.
"I know," he said simply.
Yoon watched his expression closely, the softness there impossible to miss. "You like him that much?" he asked.
Tae-won didn't hesitate.
"Yes," he replied. "I don't want to miss him again."
Yoon scoffed lightly. "You know," he said, "you once mentioned you rejected him when he proposed to you. Even though you liked him." He clicked his tongue. "Heartless jerk."
The words were teasing—but they hit deep.
Tae-won's smile faded, replaced by something heavy and raw. His gaze dropped to the floor.
"Back then," he said quietly, "I was scared."
He swallowed.
"I thought rejecting him was the only way to save both of us. I thought I was protecting him… protecting myself."
His voice grew lower, strained with regret. "But now, when I look back… I realize I just ran away. I saved myself—and let him face everything alone. All the struggles. All the pain."
He clenched his fist unconsciously.
"What we had back then," Tae-won continued, "it wasn't just senior and junior. It wasn't just friendship. It was something more. I knew it—but I was too afraid to name it."
He let out a shaky breath. "Only after he went far away from me… only then did I realize it."
He paused, the weight of years pressing down on him.
"And by then," he said softly, "it was already too late."
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Yoon stepped closer and placed a firm hand on Tae-won's shoulder, squeezing it with quiet assurance—no jokes this time, no teasing, just sincerity.
"It's not too late now," he said gently.
The words sank deep.
Tae-won closed his eyes, his breath hitching for a brief moment as he held onto them like a lifeline. For the first time in years, the weight on his chest eased just a little. Not gone—but lighter. Bearable.
When he opened his eyes again, Yoon was already pulling his hand back, the seriousness dissolving into his usual easy grin.
"On days like this," Yoon said with a laugh, slinging his coat over his arm, "we should grab a drink."
Tae-won let out a small huff of laughter despite himself. "You're unbelievable."
"Hey," Yoon replied, heading toward the door, "emotional breakthroughs deserve alcohol."
They left the office together, the building lights dimming behind them, Tae-won's mind still restless—but now, threaded with something dangerously close to hope.