Chapter 6. Love Is Forgotten by Fake Love
Dohyun looked at the documents laid out before him.
Current affairs briefings, financial reports, business performance reports, agenda items for the board of directors and shareholder reports, and so on.
They were all tasks he used to plow through like a machine.
But what meaning does any of this have for me anymore?
Why do I have to do this?
They may call me the president, but aren’t I no different from a lion trapped in a cage?
Never having felt what the open grassland was like, trapped in a cage and spending his whole life eating whatever food they gave him.
……For the rest of my life.
Feeling stifled, he looked out the window.
But what else could I possibly do?
There was no way a lion trapped in a zoo would know how to hunt on its own.
‘The president! The person I like!’
Suddenly, a voice flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning.
It had been such an intense confession that it would suddenly pop into his mind at any time, without warning.
Whenever that happened, he would unconsciously let out a faint chuckle.
Even at moments as serious as this.
……Wait a minute.
“Should I start there?”
What a lion trapped in a cage had to do to make its way toward the grassland.
First, he had to realize what exactly it meant to have feelings for someone.
***
“Phew. Somehow, today was a brutal day.”
During work, Dan-a finally found a brief moment to spare and entered the break room.
She was in charge of crisis management for SaJa Group’s Public Relations Department.
Whenever rumors related to the company or negative news arose, her job was to devise response strategies and protect and manage the company’s overall reputation.
For two full days, she had been glued to her monitor all day, writing fact-checking reports on fake news, distributing clarification materials, and posting emergency notices on the company’s official social media accounts.
“I need something sweet. Something sweet. Something sweet.”
Chanting like a prayer in front of the vending machine, she pulled out a can and gulped down the drink in one go.
Ahh. It was sweet and refreshing.
This is what makes office life worthwhile.
“Is that good?”
“Yes. It’s freaking deliciou…….”
Suddenly, a huge shadow loomed over her.
Why is he so tall?
She raised her gaze higher and higher until she finally found his face, only to see…….
The president…… sir?
As soon as she confirmed his identity, she immediately bowed deeply at the waist.
“Good day! I’m Lee Dana from the Public Relations Department!”
“……Ms. Lee Dana.”
“Yes. I’m Lee Dana!”
He extended a hand toward Dana, who was standing at full attention.
“I’m Rai Heon.”
“Ah.”
She vigorously wiped her palm on her clothes before carefully taking his hand.
“…….”
“…….”
An awkward silence filled with tension flowed between them.
“Um, Ms. Lee Dan-a.”
“Yes.”
“Your hand…….”
Oh.
I thought he would let go first, so I’ve just kept holding it.
As she hurriedly withdrew her hand, he let out a faint chuckle.
“Do you happen to have a coin?”
“I don’t have any coins, but I have bills!”
Instinctively, she neatly clasped both hands together and inserted a bill into the vending machine.
As she did so, she sneakily glanced at him from the corner of her eye, only to find him staring intently at her.
She turned her head away with an awkward smile, but something felt unsettling.
What is it, that face that looks like he has so much to say…….
Did I do something wrong?
Could he possibly think I’m slacking off?
Mr. President, I’m not a salary thief!
I just came out to take a break for a moment, really, just a moment, after working hard!
While she unconsciously racked her brain for crimes she might have to confess to, a memory faintly surfaced, then grew increasingly vivid.
‘Rai Heon! I like President Ra! I liked you so much from the very first moment I saw you after joining the company!’
Gasp.
Oh, right!
I like the president!
The confession she had recklessly poured out to her friend came rushing back to her, and her face instantly grew hot.
Thump, thump.
Could he have come to talk about that?
Is he going to ask what the hell I was doing embarrassing myself instead of working at the company?
She needed to explain herself quickly, but before she could even form a sentence to make an excuse.
“Ms. Lee Dana.”
Ah, I’m a step too late.
“Yes? Y-Yes?”
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
“What is the name of that drink?”
“……What?”
“You said it was good.”
He pointed at the can in her hand.
“Oh. The drink! I-I’ll press it for you!”
Phew, so that was what he wanted to say.
Of course.
There was no way the president would care about some trivial confession he happened to overhear while passing by.
Clunk-!
At the sound of the can dropping, Dan-a instinctively moved to retrieve it for the president, then stopped breathing.
“……!”
Dohyun had also bent down to retrieve the can, causing their faces to come far too close to each other.
A rich musk and a subtle vanilla scent brushed the tip of her nose.
Drawn by the unexpectedly pleasant fragrance, she looked at him.
He’s really handsome.
Even though he was right in front of her, it felt as though she were looking at a photo shoot spread on the internet.
I wonder who gave birth to him.
I’m so grateful that I want to make them seaweed soup right this instant.
Wow.
I wonder how hard he works out, too.
Just look at that physique.
And what is going on with those veins on his arms?
When she continued staring at him without moving aside, his gaze changed to one of puzzlement.
“Uh…… I was going to get it for you…….”
Flustered, she quickly picked up the can and stepped back.
Then she hurriedly scrubbed the mouth of the can with her clothes.
His eyes widened.
“Uh, well, that.
They say there are a lot of germs around the opening, so they say it’s better to wipe it, wipe it before drinking.”
Rai Heon’s gaze shifted to the clothes she had used to wipe the can.
“Ah, I-I should have used a tissue……. Still, even though it was my clothes, they say it reduces the germs a lot more than not wiping it at all…….”
I’m going crazy.
Do I look like the director of a public health center?
Why am I talking about germs in front of the president?
“Thank you.”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
“I’ll pay you back for the drink soon.”
“Uh, no. You’re working hard for the company, so I’ll treat you to something that small.”
Ha, showing off in front of a rich president……!
It’s not like what I said was wrong.
He is working hard, after all.
But Dohyun stared intently at her with an unreadable expression.
Damn, did I overdo it?
Did it sound too much like flattery?
“Uh……, I’m sorry.
It seems a little too modest compared to how hard you work, Mr. President…….”
“No.Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yes.”
“…….”
“Then…… I’ll be going now…….”
“Ms. Lee Dana. Wait a moment.”
“Yes?Y-Yes?”
Dohyun slowly approached her with an unreadable expression.
Thump, thump, thump.
Has the moment finally come?
Is he finally going to say it?
Do you know how embarrassed you made me in front of your secretary?
Not yet, not yet.
I haven’t even thought of what to say, let alone formed a sentence.
Just as she was turning her thoughts over and preparing an excuse.
Dohyun suddenly held the can out in front of her.
“You should take the drink you were already drinking. You seemed to be enjoying it.”
“Ah.”
While she had been politely using both hands to get the president’s drink from the vending machine, she had practically left her own drink abandoned on the table.
“Th-Thank you.”
Scurry.
After bowing once again, folding herself nearly in half, Dan-a dashed out of the break room.
Damn it.
I came to the break room to rest, only to run into the president, not just some ordinary superior.
Why was the president, who was supposed to be on the 20th floor, on the 11th floor, and in the Public Relations Department’s break room of all places?
She was so nervous that her body and words had become stiff and clumsy, even more so than when she was working.
Seeing the president from this close up, she could feel an incredible sense of intimidation from him.
There was no way she could ever say something like, ‘I don’t like you,’ in front of a person like that.
She could barely even greet him properly, and if the president had happened to utter even the first syllable of a confession…….
Tremble, tremble.
She shook her head.
No.
They had had plenty of time to talk, but the president had said nothing.
That clearly meant that her confession had held no meaning for him whatsoever.
Besides, there was no reason for them to meet like this again.
It wasn’t as though meeting the president was an everyday occurrence.
She had happened to run into him several times recently, but perhaps those had merely been separate coincidences.
That’s right.
That must be it.
But then why……?
“The president is coming!”
Dana, who had been working, suddenly raised her head.
What did you just say……?
In the middle of working hours, Dohyun was walking into the department.
Tremble, tremble.
