ITLW 06

Chapter 6

Love Is Forgotten Through (Fake) Love

Leeheon stared at the documents spread out before him.

Current affairs briefings, financial reports, business performance reports, agenda items for board and shareholder meetings—

They were all tasks he had mechanically plowed through countless times before.

But what did any of this mean to me anymore?

Why am I even doing this?

They called me the CEO, but wasn’t I really nothing more than a lion trapped inside a cage?

A lion that had never once experienced what the grasslands were like, spending its entire life locked behind bars and eating whatever food was handed to it.

For its entire life.

Feeling increasingly suffocated, he turned his gaze toward the window.

But what else could he do?

A lion trapped in a zoo had no way of knowing how to hunt for itself.

‘It’s the CEO! 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 kept popping into his head at the most unexpected moments.

And every time it did, he found himself letting out a quiet chuckle without even realizing it.

Even in moments as serious as this.

……………Wait.

“Why don’t I start there?”

What did a lion trapped inside a cage need to do if it wanted to make its way toward the grasslands?

First, he needed to understand what the feeling of liking someone actually was.

“Phew. That was one brutal day.”

Dan-ah finally found a brief opening in the middle of her work and stepped into the break room.

She worked in the Public Relations Department, where she was responsible for crisis management for Lion Group. Whenever rumors related to the company or negative news surfaced, her job was to devise a response strategy and protect and manage the company’s overall reputation.

For two straight days, she had been glued to her monitor, fact-checking reports on fake news, distributing clarification materials, and posting emergency notices through the company’s official social media accounts.

“I need something sweet. Something sweet. Sweet, sweet, sweet.”

Muttering like she was chanting a mantra in front of the vending machine, she pulled out a can and immediately gulped down the drink.

“Ahh. Sweet and refreshing. This is why I work at a company.”

“Is that good?”

“Yes. It’s freaking deli—…………”

Suddenly, a huge shadow fell over her.

Why is this person so tall?

She raised her gaze.

And raised it some more.

She finally found his face.

The CEO………………?

The moment she realized who it was, Dan-ah immediately bent at the waist in a deep bow.

“Hello! I’m Lee Dan-ah from the Public Relations Department!”

“……Ms. Lee Dan-ah.”

“Yes! Lee Dan-ah!”

Facing the extremely tense Dan-ah, he held out his hand.

“I’m Leeheon.”

“Ah.”

She hurriedly wiped her palm against her clothes several times before carefully taking his hand.

An awkward silence filled the room, thick with tension.

“Um, Ms. Lee Dan-ah.”

“Yes.”

“Your hand……………”

Ah.

I thought he was going to let go first, so I just kept holding on.

Dan-ah quickly released his hand, and he gave a faint chuckle.

“Do you happen to have any coins?”

“I don’t have coins, but I have bills!”

Without thinking, she neatly clasped both hands together and inserted a bill into the vending machine.

As she did, she sneaked a sideways glance at him.

He was staring directly at her.

She gave an awkward smile and turned her head away, but something about the situation bothered her.

What’s with that face that looks like he has so much to say…………?

Did I do something wrong?

Could he think I’m slacking off?

CEO, I’m not a salary thief! I was working hard and only came out for a short break. A really, really short break!

While she unconsciously racked her brain for every possible crime she might have committed, a memory began to surface faintly.

Then, more vividly.

‘Leeheon! I like CEO La! I’ve liked him ever since the very first moment I saw him after joining the company!’

Gasp.

Oh, right! I like the CEO!

The confession she had blurted out so recklessly to her friend came rushing back to her, and her face instantly grew hot.

Thump, thump.

Could he have come here to talk about that?

Was he going to ask what she was doing making a fool of herself instead of working?

She needed to explain herself quickly, but before she could even turn her excuses into coherent sentences—

“Ms. Lee Dan-ah.”

Ah.

He beat her to it.

“Yes? Yes, yes?”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

“What is the name of that drink?”

“……What?”

“You said it was good.”

He pointed toward the can in her hand.

“Oh! The drink! I-I’ll get one for you!”

Ahh.

So that’s what he wanted to say.

Of course.

There was no way the CEO would care about some insignificant confession he’d happened to overhear while passing by.

Thunk!

The sound of a can dropping rang out.

Dan-ah instinctively bent down to retrieve it for the CEO—

Then froze.

Leeheon had bent down at the same time to pick up the can, bringing their faces far too close together.

A deep musk scent mixed with a subtle hint of vanilla brushed against the tip of her nose.

Caught off guard by the unexpectedly pleasant fragrance, she looked at him.

He’s really handsome.

Even though he was right in front of her, it still felt as though she were looking at a photoshoot spread online.

Whoever gave birth to this man deserves my gratitude.

I should make them seaweed soup right now.

Wow.

And just look at that physique.

He must work out like crazy.

And what is going on with those veins on his arm?

When Dan-ah continued staring at him without moving, his gaze shifted into confusion.

“Uh…………… I-I was going to get it for you……………”

Flustered, she quickly picked up the can and stepped backward.

Then she hurriedly rubbed the mouth of the can against her clothes.

Leeheon widened his eyes.

“Uh, well, that. There are apparently a lot of germs around the opening, so they say it’s better to wipe it before drinking.”

Leeheon’s gaze shifted from the can to the part of her clothes she had used to wipe it.

“Ah, um, I should’ve used a tissue……. But even though it’s my clothes, apparently it still reduces a lot more germs than not wiping it at all………………”

This is killing me.

Do I look like the director of a public health center?

Why am I talking about germs in front of the CEO?

“Thank you.”

“Ah, you’re welcome.”

“I’ll repay you for the drink soon.”

“Oh, no. You’re working hard for the company, so I’ll buy you something that small.”

Why did I have to act so generous in front of a rich CEO………………!

It’s not like I said anything wrong.

He really was working hard.

But Leeheon stared at her with an unreadable expression.

Oh crap.

Did I overdo it?

Did I sound too much like I was flattering him?

“Uh………………. I’m sorry. Compared to all the hard work you do, it seems like such a small thing…….”

“No. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Yes.”

“Well…… I’ll be going now.”

“Ms. Lee Dan-ah. Wait a moment.”

“Yes? Yes, yes?”

“I’ll get going fi—……………”

Leeheon, his expression still impossible to read, slowly approached her.

Thump, thump, thump.

Is this it?

Is he finally going to say it?

Do you know how embarrassed you made me in front of my secretary?

Not yet.

Not yet!

I haven’t even thought of a sentence to say, let alone the right words.

As she frantically racked her brain and prepared excuses—

Leeheon suddenly held the can out toward her.

“You should take the drink you were drinking. You looked like you were enjoying it.”

“Ah.”

She had been so busy politely getting the CEO’s drink with both hands that she had practically abandoned her own drink on the table.

“Th-thank you.”

Hurriedly.

Dan-ah bent at the waist once again in a deep bow before fleeing out of the break room.

Damn it.

I came here to take a break, and instead I ran into the CEO.

Not just any superior, either.

The CEO.

Why was the CEO, who was supposed to be on the twentieth floor, doing in the Public Relations Department’s break room on the eleventh floor?

She had been even more nervous than when she was working, to the point that both her body and her words had become stiff and awkward.

The CEO had been overwhelmingly intimidating when she saw him from such a close distance.

There was no way she could ever say something like, ‘I don’t actually like you.’

She could barely even manage a proper greeting.

If the CEO had so much as brought up the first syllable of that confession…….

Dan-ah shook her head.

No.

They had had plenty of time to talk, but the CEO hadn’t said a single thing.

That clearly meant her confession hadn’t meant anything to him.

Besides, it wasn’t as though she would have many more chances to run into him like this.

It wasn’t exactly common to meet the CEO.

She had crossed paths with him several times recently, but perhaps each of those encounters had simply been a series of coincidences.

Right.

That had to be it.

Then why……………?

“The CEO is coming!”