INTERCEPT

That morning, Taeyang woke up late. The alarm that was supposed to wake him up early didn't go off, leaving him in a hurry. He jumped out of bed, hastily putting on a slightly wrinkled white shirt and black pants that seemed to have gotten too long for him. Without having time to button his shirt neatly, he quickly ran to the door, ignoring the slightly exposed body part above, making his silhouette clearly visible.

Taeyang looked anxiously at his watch, realizing that he was already late for the morning meeting. He immediately grabbed his briefcase and ran out of the house. Moments later, he decided not to drive and instead took a taxi to avoid more tardiness.

However, upon arriving at the office, Taeyang was greeted by Minseok and Jiho, his two best friends who were already waiting in the meeting room.

"Taeyang, are you late again?" asked Minseok teasingly, seeing Taeyang's slightly disheveled appearance.

"Shit," Taeyang muttered, smoothing out his open shirt. "It's a bad day, I guess."

Jiho chuckled. "A lot of things happened. But at least we're taking your place today."

Taeyang just shook his head, feeling a little embarrassed at having to rely on his best friend. "What? You two organized everything?" he asked.

Minseok and Jiho exchanged glances and then nodded. "We both prepared everything," Jiho replied with a big smile.

Taeyang let out a long sigh. "Well, you guys really are true friends," he said, feeling a little relieved despite the chaotic start to the day.

However, although Minseok and Jiho were always teasing and clowning around, the two of them knew how to keep Taeyang focused, even under rushed and disorganized circumstances.

That day, although Taeyang was a bit awkward with his disheveled appearance, he managed to get through his task with the help of his two loyal friends.

That night, after a day filled with energy-draining events, Taeyang returned home. He decided to relax a bit, trying to calm down after all the chaos at the office and the tasks that came his way. As soon as he opened the door, he was immediately struck by an unusual sight.

Jiwon, who was supposed to be working as a housekeeper, was sitting casually on the living room sofa watching television. Her right hand held a bag of chips, while next to it were several cans of soda. In fact, Jiwon looked so comfortable, it was as if the house was hers.

"Jiwon!" exclaimed Taeyang, surprised to see her so relaxed without any awkwardness. "What are you doing here?"

Jiwon turned her head slowly, a mischievous smile touching her lips. "Oh, I'm just watching TV and snacking. Why, do you think this house is only yours?" she replied in a casual tone, without any guilt.

Taeyang looked at her confused, trying to understand the situation. "You're... the maid here, Jiwon. It shouldn't be like that!"

However, Jiwon instead looked at him with a confident gaze, without blinking. "Taeyang, you said you needed help yourself. So why can't I be comfortable in this house?" Jiwon said confidently, even a little teasingly.

Taeyang snorted, feeling a little awkward with Jiwon's presence who now looked very relaxed, even more than himself. "I thought you came for work, not for... this," he said, a little confused and annoyed by Jiwon's overly comfortable manner.

However, Jiwon just laughed softly and leaned back on the sofa. "I'm just doing what I can, really. After all, Taeyang's charm makes me unable to resist enjoying the house longer," she added with a sarcastic smile.

Taeyang, who was initially annoyed, couldn't help but laugh. "You really have no shame, huh."

Jiwon only replied with a confident look, "Because you yourself let me feel comfortable, Taeyang."

That night, although a little tense, there was laughter filling the living room. Taeyang couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed after seeing how easily Jiwon adapted to everything, even being part of a house that should have been so foreign to her.

That night, the atmosphere at Taeyang's house felt a little different. Although Jiwon looked so relaxed and didn't show any signs of wanting to work, there was a warmth between them. Taeyang, who initially felt a little annoyed by Jiwon's behavior, slowly began to feel comfortable with her presence.

Jiwon, who knew she was a little out of line with her behavior, finally put down her chips and changed her attitude. "Okay, okay, I know I shouldn't be like this," she said with a hint of guilt. "But, you should also know, I can't be too serious all the time. Otherwise, we'll both be stressed out."

Taeyang nodded slowly. "I know, Jiwon. But it's not just about me, right? It's also about your work. So, please focus more, okay?"

Jiwon grinned, looking at Taeyang with eyes full of confidence. "Don't worry, I'll still do a good job. But, sometimes we need a little time to enjoy life, right?"

Taeyang smiled slightly. "Yes, but don't forget your main duty."

Jiwon nodded. "I promise, Taeyang. But I also don't want you to always be tense. I don't want to be a maid who's only there for work. I also want you to be able to relax."

Taeyang looked at Jiwon for a moment, feeling a little touched by Jiwon's concern. Although her attitude was often arbitrary, Jiwon was able to understand Taeyang's condition well.

"But if this keeps up, this house will become a tourist attraction instead of a place to live," Taeyang said with a chuckle.

Jiwon laughed too. "Well, who knows. It could be a tourist spot while working. But I'll help you clean up later. Take it easy."

That night, they spent their time watching a horror movie. At first, Taeyang just wanted to relax, but Jiwon, who was impressed by the movie's story, kept screaming and getting anxious every time there was a tense moment. The calmer Taeyang just smiled at Jiwon's frightened behavior.

When a thrilling scene appeared on the screen, Jiwon was startled and accidentally jumped out of her seat, almost knocking Taeyang off the couch. "Aaaah!" cried Jiwon, shocked to death, then she covered her face with both hands.

The surprised Taeyang also immediately turned his head, and for a moment their gazes met. Their eyes gazed at each other in silence, as if time had stopped for a moment. However, soon they felt awkward and looked away from each other.

"Well... It's nothing, just a movie, Jiwon," Taeyang said with a faint smile, trying to continue the conversation while still watching the movie.

Jiwon, who was still a little shocked, could only laugh awkwardly. "I-yeah... I'm not used to watching horror movies like this. But I can stand it!"

Slightly amused, Taeyang nodded, and they continued watching, although Jiwon still occasionally glanced at the screen with a frightened expression.

In the morning, they woke up in an unusual position. Taeyang woke up stiff, asleep with his head resting on the back of the sofa, while Jiwon slept with her knees bent, folded slightly, and her head resting on Taeyang's shoulder. They both woke up with a start, realizing they had fallen asleep sitting on the sofa all night.

"Uh, we... slept?" asked Jiwon, a little confused.

"I think so," replied Taeyang as he rubbed his face, feeling a little shocked by the situation. "But... you slept on my shoulder?"

Jiwon immediately blushed, realizing the oddity. "A-aah, sorry... I didn't mean to. I was scared, so..."

Taeyang just chuckled. "No problem. At least we're both safe from ghosts tonight."

Awkwardly, they both got up from the sofa, trying to straighten their bodies that felt stiff after sleeping all night in an uncomfortable position. Taeyang rubbed his eyes and reached for the remote to turn off the television that was still on.

"Wow, this must be the first time we've slept so... messy," Taeyang said with a quiet laugh, trying to reduce the tension between them.

Jiwon nodded with a red face, still feeling a little embarrassed. "I-yeah... I didn't know the horror movie would be... that bad. Hahaha." She laughed awkwardly, trying to distract herself from the strange situation.

"No problem. But, from now on, maybe we'll choose lighter movies, okay?" Taeyang said while giving a light smile, showing that he wasn't thinking too much about last night.

Jiwon smiled with relief. "Sure, it's better that way. At least we can enjoy it without being scared."

They both walked to the kitchen for breakfast. Although the morning was a little awkward, their closeness was growing. Jiwon, who was starting to feel comfortable with Taeyang, occasionally made jokes that made Taeyang laugh. They began to talk more casually, like friends who have known each other for a long time.

After breakfast, Jiwon began to return to household chores, and Taeyang prepared himself for work. However, something felt different about them. It's like a bond has started to form without them realizing it, making the atmosphere of Taeyang's house feel more lively and colorful.