ITLW 09

Chapter 9

I Could Smell Your Scent in Those Trembling Eyes

In front of a large framed oil painting hanging on the wall, a nameplate reading “Director Yoon Yeonsook” sat atop an elaborate, gleaming desk.

Across from it stood Leeheon’s secretary, Dohyun, wearing a polite and solemn expression.

“There haven’t been any unusual developments?”

Her fingers slowly wrapped around a porcelain teacup.

Whenever the bottom of the cup touched the desk, the faintest sound drifted through the room.

Because the entire office was so quiet, even that tiny noise felt almost deliberately staged.

“Yes. He’s working diligently, as always.”

“That damned work, work, work.”

Yeonsook muttered disapprovingly before letting out a derisive snort.

“It’s almost pitiful how he does nothing but work. He doesn’t even know how to live like a normal person. Well, I suppose he’s been that way since he was young.”

Yeonsook ran her fingers over the magnificent, heavy rings adorning her hands.

Even that small gesture was elegant and refined, yet there was something cold and distant about her, as though she existed somewhere beyond anyone’s reach.

Did she even know what pity was?

“Anything unusual?”

If she meant unusual developments, there was actually plenty to report.

Leeheon’s clothes and hairstyle had changed recently.

Every now and then, he muttered strange things, like some incomprehensible cry from the stars, and he had also started coming and going from the office far more often.

But if that were all, Dohyun wouldn’t have considered it noteworthy.

Leeheon was behaving like a man who was in love.

Ever since hearing a confession from a woman named Lee Dan-ah, he had ordered a background investigation on her, suddenly treated her entire department to coffee, and even started going to the company cafeteria despite never having gone there before.

And that wasn’t all.

During working hours, he was constantly wandering off somewhere—the break room, the archives, wherever.

Of all the ways Leeheon had behaved during the three years Dohyun had watched him, this was by far the most interesting.

Until now, Leeheon had done nothing but work like a slave, despite carrying the title of CEO of Lion Group.

But no matter how Dohyun thought about it, he couldn’t explain why Leeheon was acting this way.

Leeheon hadn’t been the one to fall for her or confess his feelings.

She hadn’t even confessed directly to him.

He had merely happened to overhear a confession she had made to her friends.

There was no way he could have become so captivated that he would start chasing after her as though he were the one who had received the confession.

Not unless he’d suffered some serious blow to the head.

Dohyun quietly looked at Yeonsook.

What would she say if he told her all this?

She’d probably ask what the confession had to do with anything and wonder what nonsense he was talking about.

Right.

Why say something unnecessary when nothing serious had happened?

Besides, Leeheon would be getting married soon anyway.

“There isn’t anything in particular.”

“I see.”

Yeonsook gave a low smile before looking up at Dohyun.

“Secretary Kang.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Has it already been three years since we’ve been seeing each other like this?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And your mother? Her health has improved considerably now, hasn’t it?”

Dohyun’s brow tightened slightly before he smiled.

“Yes. She’s doing well and is healthy now.”

“That’s good. It makes helping you worthwhile.”

Yeonsook rose from her seat and approached Dohyun with graceful movements.

“I care about you quite a lot, Secretary Kang. You know that, right?”

“Yes. I know.”

She patted Dohyun’s shoulder encouragingly.

“It won’t be much longer, Secretary Kang. Once Leeheon gets married, I’ll move you to another position after a little while.”

“Until then, keep watching over Leeheon just as you’ve been doing.

And if you notice even the slightest unusual thing, tell me.”

Watch over him, my ass.

She meant watch him.

When Dohyun stepped into the art museum lobby, he saw Eon approaching from the opposite direction.

Sloppily dressed, with a rebellious look in his eyes.

The delinquent air about him made him look strikingly similar to Leeheon these days.

As expected of brothers.

The moment they crossed paths, Dohyun bowed politely and walked past him.

“Is it fun living like that?”

At Eon’s question, Dohyun stopped walking.

“Going around telling Mom everything my brother does. Is that fun?”

I wonder if your mother enjoys using someone else’s family member’s medical treatment as leverage to turn them into a spy.

“What can I say? I have to make a living.”

“True. Otherwise, betraying my brother wouldn’t be so easy. I wonder if Mom has planted anyone around me, too.”

Dohyun gave another polite bow without answering and walked out of the art museum.

Eon had discovered Dohyun’s true role two years ago.

At the time, Dohyun had been terrified that Leeheon might find out and that it would cause problems with his mother’s treatment.

But nothing had happened since then.

Lion.

He pretended to be a troublemaker, but contrary to his appearance, he was actually quite diligent and knew how to keep his mouth shut.

He acted like a devoted fool for his older brother, calling him hyung at the end of every other sentence.

But surely, deep down, he wanted the throne of Lion Group for himself, too.

Once Leeheon gets married, I’ll move you to another position after a little while.

He had lived his life walking a razor’s edge, but the time was finally approaching when he could put an end to this.

When that happened, he would confess everything and quit.

“Well, there’s no way anything will happen before then, right?”

Something really was happening.

Seriously.

Why?

Why?

Why am I—

Why am I sitting across from the CEO right now, eating a meal?

And not at the company cafeteria, either.

Outside the company.

Not lunch, but dinner.

Not just some ordinary restaurant, but a rooftop restaurant.

And not just an ordinary meal, but a fine-dining course.

Dan-ah looked around in a daze.

The restaurant was located high above the city center, inside a towering building.

Beyond the enormous glass windows stretched a dazzling nighttime cityscape.

Soft classical music played throughout the restaurant, while the guests quietly chatted and sipped wine.

Even the precise movements of the staff dressed in black suits made it obvious that this was not an ordinary place.

Fine.

All of that was fine.

But why—

Why on earth was she here with the CEO?

She felt dizzy just thinking about it.

She was still too stunned to properly process what was happening when Leeheon spoke.

“This is to repay you for buying me that drink last time.”

What?

All that for one can of soda?

Was the CEO a complete pushover?

“Really? I thought the coffee you gave me last time was the repayment.”

“That was for everyone.”

But that wasn’t the blood-sugar-bomb coffee.

That one was just for me.

………………She couldn’t say that, though, since she hadn’t actually checked everyone’s coffee.

So she quietly nodded.

“Why? Is it not to your taste?”

Leeheon asked as he watched Dan-ah sit frozen with her fork in hand.

“No? No, not at all. I eat pretty much anything.”

“Good. Eat plenty.”

Eat plenty………………

There’s barely anything on the plate to begin with.

Why is the plate so huge when the portion is practically the size of a bean?

But there was no way she could shovel food into her mouth in front of the CEO, so she decided to eat whatever was served to her.

Humans really were strange.

Even when a place was this uncomfortable, food still went down just fine.

Maybe because it was delicious.

She creaked and groaned like a rusty machine, yet diligently worked her way through the food.

After even polishing off the lemon tart for dessert, she was about to get up lightly when Leeheon suddenly asked,

“Ms. Lee Dan-ah, what was it about me that you liked so much?”

“Yes, CEO. Huh? CEO?”

“What did you like about me?”

“……Pardon?”

Is this it?

Is this the moment when I need to shower him with flattery, praise, and shameless compliments?

The dazzling talent I’d only recently discovered within myself!

Maybe if I did well, he’d even promote me.

There was a reason ordinary characters in dramas suddenly became corrupted.

Even someone who had never cared about power or position could become greedy when presented with an opportunity like this.

A sudden ambition began to stir within her.

But—

What should I flatter him about?

I haven’t even thought about the CEO’s good points before.

Ah!

“Um, your scent.”

“My scent?”

“Yes. I-I like the way you smell.”

Wait.

Isn’t this sexual harassment?

No, she meant it purely.

Completely purely.

She just genuinely liked his scent.

For some reason, the CEO’s expression seemed to stiffen into something unreadable.

Damn it.

There goes my promotion.

“If, um, I made you uncomfortable, CEO………………”

“No. It’s not uncomfortable. I just never thought about it that way before.”

Was it her imagination?

The CEO seemed to smile rather shyly.

Something about it felt slightly strange, but at least he didn’t seem offended.

Maybe she’d actually taken one step closer to getting promoted.

Now that the tension had eased, Dan-ah felt like she should say something, so she opened her mouth.

“Oh, right. I heard you’re getting married soon. Congratulations.”

“………………Where did you hear that?”

“Huh? Oh, well, since I’m in Public Relations, we tend to hear news like that first……………”

The CEO’s expression visibly hardened.

I made a mistake……………!

She had gone and ruined everything when she was already sitting right in front of the finished meal.

“I’m sorry. I made a mistake by believing a rumor and bringing it up with you……………… I’ll be more careful from now—”

“Ms. Lee Dan-ah.”

“Yes, CEO.”

“Are you all right?”

“What do you mean……………?”

“You like me, don’t you?”

What?

“You want to marry me.”

What was he talking about………………

Her pupils began trembling as though an earthquake of magnitude seven had struck.