Chapter 26

“Let’s talk on the way home.”

“To your place, Director?”

“No, to your place, Han Leeyeon.”

“Why my house…….”

“You’re going to report to me and then go straight home anyway, right? Enter the address.”

Dokyeom pointed to the navigation with his chin, indicating he didn’t want to waste much time.

Reluctantly, Leeyeon set the convenience store near her house as the destination.

Soon, Dokyeom’s car smoothly started moving.

“What happened to your neck?”

“Oh, this.”

Leeyeon belatedly raised her hand to point at the large bandage covering the wound.

“I got scratched by a cat.”

A cat, huh.

He didn’t expect her to detail the events of that day, but it was an unexpected answer.

Well, Bae Yerin does act like a wild animal, pouncing without distinguishing front from back.

“It must have been a naughty cat.”

Even knowing everything, Dokyeom chose to play along.

“Yes. It was a stray cat…… I thought I shouldn’t get close anymore.”

A soft chuckle escaped through his teeth.

“What happened at the gallery while I was away?”

Leeyeon reported everything about the people Cha Heeyoung met and the work done in the meantime.

“And yesterday, Artist Bae Yerin visited.”

“Bae Yerin?”

Dokyeom was actually a bit surprised at this part.

He thought she might try to hide what happened between her and Yerin, so he didn’t expect her to mention it at all.

“She came without an appointment, met with Director Cha Heeyoung, and then left.”

“You don’t know what they talked about?”

“No. I don’t know that.”

“I see.”

With a firm grip on the steering wheel, Dokyeom asked.

“How did you feel seeing her?”

“Pardon?”

Leeyeon turned her head to grasp the meaning of the question.

Due to the changing traffic signal, Dokyeom was also looking at Leeyeon.

“She’s the woman who took away your ex-boyfriend, isn’t she?”

“Oh…….”

A question entirely unrelated to Cha Heeyoung’s actions.

She didn’t have to answer, but she couldn’t avoid it either.

It was because of Dokyeom’s gaze, which fell straight like a rope tying her whole body.

“To be honest, seeing Artist Bae Yerin wasn’t pleasant.”

Dokyeom nodded as if he understood.

“That may be so, but we can’t mix personal feelings with work. Right now, she’s the most likely candidate for the upcoming competition.”

Dokyeom tapped the steering wheel with his index finger as he spoke.

“Han Leeyeon, at least while working with me, you have a solid support. Don’t just endure things.”

“…….”

“Han Leeyeon, you need to hold strong and persevere for this work to finish smoothly. If you ever need my help, just ask.”

“Yes, Director. I understand.”

Even today, her heart pounded twice already.

He probably didn’t say it knowing what happened with Yerin, but he was such a reassuring presence just by being there.

‘Get a grip. It’s just a work-related connection.’

He’s someone with whom emotions shouldn’t and wouldn’t mix.

We shouldn’t mix.

Eventually, Dokyeom’s car stopped in front of the address Leeyeon had entered into the navigation.

“Oh, and.”

Dokyeom looked at Leeyeon, as if he had more to say.

“I think we should sort out the titles.”

“Titles?”

“I’m not your Director, am I, Han Leeyeo?”

“That’s true, but everyone calls you ‘Director’.”

“Do couples call each other by their job titles? What kind of couple does that?”

Of course, it was a fake relationship, but people might find it strange if she continued to call him Director in front of others.

It was a valid point, and Leeyeon bit her lip slightly.

“Then what should I call you, Director?”

“Han Leeyeon, why are you acting like you’ve never dated?”

“…….”

Of course, it wasn’t that she had never dated.

Unfortunately, her short-lived and futile relationship with Junho was both her first and last.

But she didn’t want to show that.

For some reason, she felt like she was losing to Dokyeom, who probably enjoyed freely with many women.

“It’s my first time in a fake relationship, so it’s a bit awkward for me too.”

“What’s awkward about it? Just call me by my name.”

“Pardon? By your name?”

“If that’s not okay, there are plenty of titles like oppa, darling, etc.”

Leeyeon shook her head firmly as if to say that was absolutely impossible.

“I’ll try to call you by your name in front of others. But is there really a need to do that when it’s just the two of us?”

Her stance was firm, indicating she wouldn’t cross the set boundaries.

That made her a woman who made him want to push her buttons even more.

Dokyeom leaned a bit closer to Leeyeon and asked.

“Why? Are you afraid calling my name will make us too close?”

“……No?”

After a beat, Leeyeon swallowed hard.

Yes, actually, she was.

She must not forget her role, as she wasn’t here to become informal with him.

She couldn’t let her guard down even for a moment.

“We do have a working relationship. You hired me as your personal secretary.”

“And a fake girlfriend too.”

Leeyeon just smiled awkwardly.

“I’m worried that if I get too comfortable with the titles when it’s just us, I might let my guard down.”

“Han Leeyeon, you’re the most thorough person I’ve ever met.”

Dokyeom also liked to be meticulous and thorough, but he couldn’t match Leeyeon.

“Do you always leave no room for others?”

“Am I that kind of person?”

Leeyeon looked innocent, as if hearing that for the first time.

With his eyes fixed on her face, Dokyeom casually threw out a question.

“But that’s not just limited to me, right?”

He was asking if she drew lines and kept her distance only with him.

Leeyeon smiled brightly and answered.

“Of course not. I’m quite shy and have trouble getting close to people easily. So please understand.”

Of course, it was also true that she particularly didn’t want to get close to Dokyeom.

They weren’t meant to be close, and they shouldn’t be.

But she couldn’t say that because it might upset Dokyeom.

“Next Monday, I have meetings until late in the evening. It’ll be hard to meet that day, so can you come to my house early Tuesday morning?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Alright. Go on then.”

“Director, take care, you must be tired from your business trip.”

Leeyeon greeted Dokyeom politely and stood in front of the convenience store, seeing him off until his car left.

Although she hadn’t been in the car for long, the presence of her subtle floral scent was overwhelming.

It was bothersome.

Everything about Han Leeyeon, that is.

***

Dokyeom turned on the cold water and stood under the shower.

The water was cold enough to jolt him awake, yet his mind felt strangely muddled.

Even with his eyes closed under the water, the image of Leeyeon he saw today at the gallery studio was vividly clear.

Han Leeyeon, painting with the seriousness and grace of a dancer.

When he mentioned it was a shame she was wasting her talent beside Cha Heeyoung, she blushed and widened her round eyes, denying it.

He hadn’t meant it sarcastically, but perhaps it upset her.

Her moist, dark brown eyes seemed like they might spill tears with a gentle touch.

“Why am I even concerned about this?”

He had never spoken with consideration for someone else’s feelings before.

And even if it upset her, what could he do about it?

There was no need to go out of his way to be considerate and comforting.

As he turned off the shower and wiped the water off his body, he thought he caught the subtle scent of flowers again.

They hadn’t been close, yet it seemed like Leeyeon’s perfume had lingered on him, so Dokyeom turned the water back on.

Only after showering again with body wash did it seem like Leeyeon’s scent had disappeared.

He thought he should bring it up the next time they met.

Even though they hadn’t spent much time together, the perfume Han Leeyeon wore was very bothersome.

Even when she wasn’t there.