You sighed as you stepped into the elevator, your hand gripping the railing for support. "Man, I should’ve never had that much soju... My head’s killing me," you muttered to yourself, wincing at the throb in your temples.

BUZZ! A notification? You pulled out your phone and glanced at the work group chat.

So-ah: "Guys, I did some digging, and there’s going to be a new guy joining us! I don’t know what he looks like, but I heard he’s tall and has black hair!"

A new guy, huh? "Whatever," you thought, slipping your phone back into your pocket. "I just want to get through the day and go home."

With a sigh, you pressed the button for the 4th floor. The elevator dinged, and you shuffled to your desk, ready to dive into the day’s work.

"Heyy~" A cheerful voice broke your focus. You turned to see So-ah, her ever-smiley face brightening the dull office atmosphere. "Did you see my message?"

"Mm." You nodded, not bothering to look overly interested.

"So, are you excited?" Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, clearly expecting enthusiasm. Unfortunately, you didn’t have any to spare.

"Nope," you replied flatly. "The only good thing about a new coworker is that it means less work for me and more time at home."

Her imaginary puppy ears drooped, her disappointment written all over her face. "I thought you’d say something positive for once..."

But just as quickly, her expression shifted back to her usual cheeriness, a transformation that always managed to unnerve you.

"Anyway," she chirped, "I came to tell you you’re going to be his mentor—"

"WHAT?!" You practically yelled, making So-ah jump in surprise. "...Sorry," you mumbled, trying to calm yourself.

"Um, anyway, good luck! Oh, and I brought you coffee and snacks!" She placed the items gently on your desk before skipping off with a cheerful wave. "Bye-bye!"

You sighed deeply, letting your head drop onto your desk with a soft thud. "Why me?" you muttered to yourself.

"Miss Kang."

You looked up, startled by the sound of your name. Your manager, Kim, stood before you with a calm but firm expression. "Yes?"

"I wanted to inform you that you’ve officially been assigned as a mentor to our new hire, Park Ji-hoo."

Your heart plummeted at the mention of the name. Surely it wasn’t that Park Ji-hoo. It had to be a coincidence, right?

"P-pardon?" Your voice wavered as your mind scrambled to rationalize. It had been so long since you’d even thought about him, and yet...

Before you could stop yourself, your eyes darted past Manager Kim, locking onto the figure standing behind him. Your breath hitched as his gaze met yours, equally wide-eyed with recognition.

Park Ji-hoo.