Episode 4. They Say We're Dating
“I heard a rumor that you two are dating?”
Hyunwoo Kang’s expression froze.
Wait.
It took him a moment to understand what he meant.
“What?”
Jaehoon Kim glanced around.
Since it was right after clocking in, workers were filing into Block 84 one by one.
Jaehoon lowered his voice even further.
“You and that safety manager.”
“Who?”
“Who do you think? Jia Seo.”
Hyunwoo stared at Jaehoon as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“With Jia Seo?”
“Yes.”
“Dating?”
“Yes.”
A brief silence fell.
Hyunwoo let out a hollow laugh.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“I didn’t start the rumor.”
“Who’s saying that?”
“I don’t know either.”
“You said you heard it.”
“I heard it in the locker room this morning.”
Hyunwoo’s expression hardened.
Jaehoon explained.
“It started with someone saying the safety manager got coffee from you yesterday.”
“Who saw that?”
“You two practically handed it to each other in the middle of the job site.”
“Practically? What are you talking about?”
“Did you give it to her in secret, then?”
“Ah.”
Hyunwoo pressed a hand to his forehead.
Thinking back, it wasn’t exactly wrong.
While wrapping up work yesterday, he had handed Jia a coffee.
It wasn’t as if there hadn’t been any workers around, either.
Someone must have seen them.
But he couldn’t understand how that had turned into a rumor that they were dating.
“It was payment for the bandage.”
“What?”
“I said it was payment for the bandage.”
“Don’t explain it to me.”
Jaehoon grinned.
“What did I say?”
“Your face says you don’t believe me.”
“I believe you.”
“Then quit smiling and say it.”
“I said I believe you.”
The corners of Jaehoon’s mouth were still turned up.
Hyunwoo sighed.
“We’re really not involved.”
“I know.”
“If you know, then why are you laughing?”
“Because your reaction is hilarious.”
Just then, Taesik Park walked up from behind them.
“What’s so funny?”
Jaehoon answered immediately.
“Lead, did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“Hyunwoo’s dating someone.”
“Hey.”
Hyunwoo lightly smacked Jaehoon’s arm.
Taesik raised an eyebrow.
“Already?”
“What do you mean, already?”
“He gave her coffee yesterday, and now they’re officially a couple starting today?”
“No, we’re not.”
Taesik laughed.
“Rumors move fast around here.”
Hyunwoo was dumbfounded.
He remembered what Taesik had said yesterday.
Rumors move fast on the job site.
He hadn’t expected them to go this far in a single day.
“I just gave her one coffee.”
“I know.”
“Because she gave me a bandage.”
“I know.”
“It really was nothing.”
“I said I know.”
Taesik patted Hyunwoo on the shoulder.
“But you don’t have to explain yourself that hard to me.”
Hyunwoo shut his mouth.
Taesik had a point.
He didn’t even know why he was trying so hard to explain himself.
Taesik said, “But be careful.”
His voice was more serious this time.
“You’re a worker, and she’s with safety management.”
“I told you, there’s nothing between us.”
“Exactly.”
Taesik adjusted his hard hat.
“It’s the rumors that start when there’s nothing going on that are the biggest pain.”
With that, Taesik went into the work area first.
Hyunwoo stood there for a moment.
He felt strange.
He could write off his own reputation, but he was worried about Jia.
A safety manager had to move between several work crews.
It couldn’t be good for someone like her to have a rumor going around that she was dating a particular worker.
‘Oh, come on.’
Hyunwoo sighed.
“Jaehoon.”
“Yes?”
“How far has that rumor spread?”
“I don’t know.”
“Has it reached the safety team?”
Jaehoon thought for a moment.
“I’m not sure.”
“Why?”
“Never mind.”
Hyunwoo picked up his tool bag.
“Let’s work.”
That was what he said, but one person kept coming to mind.
Jia Seo.
At the same time.
The safety team office.
Jia Seo was checking the morning inspection sheet.
There were three work areas she needed to make the rounds through today.
One of them was Block 84.
Jia gathered the paperwork without giving it much thought.
“Jia.”
Sohee Han called to her from beside her.
“Yeah?”
“Come here for a second.”
“Why?”
“Just come here.”
Something about her voice sounded strange.
Jia pushed back her chair and walked over to Sohee.
“What is it?”
Sohee glanced around.
“Do you have something going on with Hyunwoo Kang?”
Jia blinked.
“What?”
“Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Why are you bringing him up all of a sudden?”
Sohee studied Jia’s expression.
“Seriously, there’s nothing going on?”
“What would be going on?”
“I heard you two are dating.”
Jia froze.
“With who?”
Sohee gave her an incredulous look.
“You and Hyunwoo Kang.”
“……What?”
“I heard you two are dating.”
Jia couldn’t say anything for several seconds.
Then she let out a hollow laugh.
“Who said that?”
“I don’t know either.”
“They should at least say something that makes sense.”
“That’s why I’m asking you.”
“No.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Jia set her clipboard down on the desk.
She was flustered.
“Why would we be dating?”
Sohee crossed her arms.
“Then what about the coffee?”
“What coffee?”
“I heard Hyunwoo Kang gave you coffee yesterday.”
Jia hesitated for a moment.
“That was……”
“That was?”
“Payment for a bandage.”
Sohee’s expression turned curious.
“A bandage?”
“He hurt his hand yesterday. I put a bandage on it.”
“Personally?”
“He was bleeding, so I put one on him.”
“And then Hyunwoo Kang gave you coffee?”
“Yeah.”
“As payment for the bandage?”
“Yeah.”
Sohee slowly nodded.
“I see.”
Jia narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re making that face again.”
“What face?”
“That face where you look at people strangely.”
Sohee finally laughed.
“No, it’s just that you put a single bandage on him, got coffee in return, and you even know each other’s names.”
“You can learn someone’s name while working.”
“Do you memorize the names of all those workers?”
Jia fell silent.
It was similar to what she had heard yesterday.
There were countless workers.
There were far more people whose names she didn’t know.
And yet she knew Hyunwoo Kang’s.
Hyunwoo Kang.
She wasn’t even uncomfortable calling him by his name anymore.
“Anyway, it’s not like that.”
Jia said it firmly.
“There’s really nothing between us.”
“Okay, I get it.”
“And people can’t let rumors like that spread.”
Jia’s expression grew a little serious.
“What if he starts hearing weird things because of me?”
Sohee looked at Jia.
“Why?”
“What?”
“What you just said.”
“What about it?”
“You’re okay with hearing weird things about yourself, but you’re worried about Hyunwoo Kang hearing them?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Jia pressed her lips together.
“Sohee Han.”
“Yeah?”
“Want to go to Block 84 with me today?”
Sohee smiled.
“Why? Is it awkward going alone?”
“It’s not.”
“Sure sounds like it.”
“Just come with me.”
“Okay.”
Jia returned to her desk.
She tried to organize the paperwork, but she couldn’t concentrate.
Dating.
She and Hyunwoo Kang.
It was ridiculous.
They had only met a few days ago.
She didn’t even have his phone number.
They had never met separately after work.
They had only run into each other a few times on the job site.
She had put a bandage on him.
She had received coffee.
They had learned each other’s names.
That was all.
And yet, strangely enough……
‘I wonder if Hyunwoo Kang heard about this.’
That was what she was most curious about.
10:23 a.m.
Block 84.
Even while working, Hyunwoo kept glancing toward the passage.
“Hyung.”
Jaehoon spoke up.
“What?”
“Are you waiting for someone?”
“No.”
“You’ve been watching the entrance for a while.”
“People keep walking by, so I’m looking.”
“People are going to keep walking by.”
Hyunwoo glared at Jaehoon.
“You planning not to work?”
“I’m working.”
Jaehoon immediately turned his head away.
Hyunwoo focused on his work again too.
But a moment later……
Two white hard hats appeared at the end of the passage.
Hyunwoo’s hand stopped for the briefest moment.
Jia Seo.
And Sohee Han beside her.
Jia noticed Hyunwoo too.
Their eyes met.
Normally, one of them would have at least given a light bow.
But today, neither of them could react.
Jia looked away first.
Hyunwoo turned his gaze toward the piping for no reason.
Jaehoon saw it and muttered under his breath.
“Wow.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Say it.”
“It really is nothing.”
Hyunwoo picked up his tool again.
A little later, Jia approached while conducting her safety inspection.
“Hello.”
Her tone was stiffer than usual.
“Yes.”
Hyunwoo answered in exactly the same way.
Jia checked the area around him.
“You’ve clipped in your safety lanyard properly.”
“Yes.”
“Your safety glasses too.”
“Yes.”
“And the work passage is clear.”
“Yes.”
It was strange.
Up until yesterday, they had even joked around with each other. Today, they were awkward as if they had just met.
All because of one rumor.
Jia wrote something on the inspection sheet.
Then she said, “Go ahead and keep working.”
“Yes.”
Jia turned around.
Hyunwoo hesitated for a moment.
It felt like it would be even stranger to let her leave like this.
“Jia Seo.”
Jia stopped.
Sohee and Jaehoon both turned their eyes toward Hyunwoo.
Hyunwoo glanced around.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
Jia nodded as if she understood the situation.
“Sure.”
They moved to a passage a little farther from the workers.
Still, they were close enough to see each other.
Hyunwoo spoke first.
“Did you hear?”
Jia answered, “Hear what?”
Hyunwoo hesitated.
It felt strange to say it directly.
“Um……”
“That we’re dating?”
Jia said it first.
Hyunwoo blinked.
“Yes.”
A brief silence passed between them.
Jia was the first to laugh.
“Pretty ridiculous, right?”
Hyunwoo let out a hollow laugh too.
“Tell me about it.”
“All because of one can of coffee.”
“I guess I shouldn’t have given it to you.”
Jia immediately looked at him.
“Shouldn’t have?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Hyunwoo flustered.
“I mean, if I’d known it would start a rumor like this, I would’ve given it to you when no one was around.”
As soon as he said it, Hyunwoo stopped.
Jia stopped too.
He would’ve given it to her when no one was around.
That sounded even stranger.
Hyunwoo quickly corrected himself.
“No. That sounds weird too.”
Jia finally laughed.
“Yeah, it does.”
Hyunwoo laughed too.
The awkwardness from earlier eased a little.
“It’s uncomfortable, right?”
Hyunwoo asked.
“What is?”
“The rumor.”
“A little.”
Jia answered honestly.
“What about you, Hyunwoo Kang?”
“Me?”
Hyunwoo shrugged.
“I just have to work.”
“Still, you’re hearing weird things too.”
“I’m fine.”
Hyunwoo hesitated, then added, “I figured it would be more uncomfortable for you.”
Jia looked at him.
“For me?”
“You’re a safety manager.”
Hyunwoo explained, “If a rumor started that you had something going on with a particular worker, it would probably make your job uncomfortable.”
Jia didn’t answer for a moment.
It was similar to what she had thought that morning.
He had worried first that the other person would be more uncomfortable than himself.
“Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Yes?”
“I thought the exact same thing.”
“Thought what?”
“I was worried that you’d hear weird things because of me.”
They looked at each other at the same time.
And a few seconds later……
They both laughed.
Hyunwoo said, “We were both worrying over nothing.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s not worry about it.”
“Okay.”
“It’ll go away with time.”
“Probably.”
Jia nodded.
It seemed like that was where the conversation would end.
But then Jia suddenly asked, “But……”
“Yes?”
“What if it were true?”
Hyunwoo stopped.
“What would be true?”
Jia’s eyes widened slightly, as if she realized what she had just said.
“No.”
“I mean, people are saying it.”
Jia hurriedly added, “I was just wondering if it would be really uncomfortable at the job site if we actually were dating.”
Hyunwoo looked at Jia.
It was an ordinary question.
It could have been nothing more than that.
And yet, strangely, something in his chest gave a sudden twitch.
“I don’t know.”
Hyunwoo answered, “I’ve never tried it before.”
“Right.”
Jia looked away.
Hyunwoo added playfully, “I guess I’d know if I tried it with you, Jia Seo.”
Jia looked back at him.
“Tried what?”
Hyunwoo’s brain belatedly caught up with his words.
“Ah.”
He realized what he had just said.
“No, I mean……”
Jia’s face slowly turned red.
Hyunwoo was flustered too.
“Not dating.”
“Then what?”
“No, I mean dating.”
“Oh, come on.”
Hyunwoo ran a hand down his face.
Jia finally burst out laughing.
“Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Yes?”
“You say things in a really weird way.”
“I agree.”
“Are you always like this?”
“No.”
“Then are you only like this with me?”
Hyunwoo stopped.
Jia stopped too.
This time, neither of them could say anything.
A strange silence passed between them for several seconds.
Jia looked away first.
“I should go.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful while you work.”
“You too, Jia Seo.”
Jia turned around.
After taking a few steps, Hyunwoo called out again.
“Jia Seo.”
“Yes?”
Hyunwoo hesitated for a moment.
Then he said, “The coffee.”
“The coffee?”
“Was it good yesterday?”
The corners of Jia’s mouth lifted.
“Yes.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
“Why?”
“I was just curious.”
Jia smiled.
“I enjoyed it.”
And this time, she really walked away.
Hyunwoo watched her for a moment until she was farther away.
When he turned back, Jaehoon and Taesik were standing side by side.
“What?”
Hyunwoo asked.
Jaehoon answered, “Did you explain everything?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“I said there was nothing between us.”
Jaehoon nodded.
“Then why were you two smiling?”
“Lead, you saw it too, right?”
Taesik answered, “I saw it.”
Hyunwoo sighed.
“You two are really exhausting.”
Jaehoon laughed.
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“From what I saw, I don’t think the rumor’s going away.”
“Why?”
Jaehoon looked in the direction Jia had disappeared.
“You two don’t look like people who have nothing going on.”
Hyunwoo couldn’t answer.
“Quit saying useless things.”
He picked up his tool as he said it.
But it was strange.
Jia’s question from a moment ago kept lingering in his mind.
‘What if it were true?’
And the words he had blurted out.
‘I guess I’d know if I tried it with you, Jia Seo.’
Hyunwoo squeezed his eyes shut.
“Am I seriously losing it?”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Hyunwoo tried to focus on his work again.
5:18 p.m.
After finishing work, Hyunwoo walked toward the gate.
The sounds of the grinder and hammer that had rung out all day gradually grew more distant.
He took off his hard hat and carried it in his hand.
He checked his phone.
A few messages.
Nothing important.
Then he saw a familiar person up ahead.
Jia Seo.
Today, she had already taken off her hard hat.
Her hair, which had been tied back, was loose as well.
She felt different from the way she did inside the job site.
Jia was walking alone.
Hyunwoo hesitated.
Should he say hello?
They had already gone through enough trouble that morning because of the rumor.
If someone saw them walking together again, it could start another one.
Let’s just walk past her.
Hyunwoo slowed his pace a little.
At that moment, Jia turned around.
Their eyes met.
“Hyunwoo Kang.”
There was no way to avoid her now.
Hyunwoo walked over.
“Going alone?”
“Yes. Sohee left first.”
“Oh.”
The two of them naturally began walking side by side.
They were silent for a moment.
It was their first time walking alone together outside the job site.
No hard hats.
No clipboards.
No tools.
They were just a man and a woman heading home after work.
Jia spoke first.
“Is it okay for us to walk together like this?”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I’m worried another rumor will start.”
“They already say we’re dating.”
Jia laughed.
“I guess so.”
“Tomorrow, they’ll say we’re getting married.”
“That’s too fast.”
“Getting married after dating for one day.”
“When did we start dating?”
“This morning.”
Jia burst out laughing.
Hyunwoo laughed along with her.
They walked toward the gate together.
Then they stopped at a fork in the road.
“I’m this way,” Jia said.
“I’m that way.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
Jia walked a few steps.
Hyunwoo turned in the opposite direction.
Then he heard Jia’s voice.
“Hyunwoo Kang!”
Hyunwoo turned around.
Jia called out from a short distance away.
“I’ll buy you coffee tomorrow.”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“Why?”
“Because you bought me one yesterday.”
“I told you, that was payment for the bandage.”
“Still.”
“Then buy two.”
“Why two?”
“One for the bandage.”
Hyunwoo smiled as he said, “And one for clearing up today’s rumor.”
Jia laughed as if he were ridiculous.
“Okay.”
Then she gave him a small wave.
“See you tomorrow.”
Hyunwoo raised his hand too.
“See you.”
They walked away in opposite directions.
After a few steps, Hyunwoo turned around without realizing it.
Jia was turning around at the same moment.
Their eyes met again.
They both smiled at the same time.
And this time, they really went their separate ways.
There was nothing between them.
That was what they had both said.
The rumor wasn’t true.
And yet, strangely……
Hyunwoo found himself looking forward to the next morning.
Whether it was because of the coffee Jia said she would buy him……
or because Jia would be the one bringing that coffee to him……
he still didn’t know.