Debbie mustered all her courage and asked him.

“I thought you were the freelance writer AB, Mr. Fret.”

“I’m not.”

Debbie’s pupils trembled with shock.

Seeing her reaction, Fret smiled and said, “There’s no need to look so devastated.”

He’s not Mr. Fret. An ominous feeling crept over her. Those languid, seductive eyes weren’t his at all.

Someone who knew the publishing house inside and out and could come and go freely, someone who always dressed impeccably without a single wrinkle and carried that mysterious scent. Someone intelligent enough to write sharp articles.

So then, who could it be?

It wasn’t Benjamin or Team Leader Louis – they had their own writing styles. Among the people at their magazine who could write incisive pieces…

Thump.

Her heart sank. At that moment, Gray flashed through Debbie’s mind.

Surely the editor-in-chief couldn’t be that person.

No matter how hard she thought, Gray was the only person at the publishing house who dressed so meticulously without a single wrinkle. Debbie’s face turned pale.

Gray had even sent her off early today to go on a date with the president.

It can’t be. It absolutely cannot be.

“Um… did I make a mistake?”

Fret studied Debbie’s expression and looked troubled. Even his troubled expression seemed to possess an enchanting, mysterious allure.

“Oh, no. I just have something to think about.”

What if Editor-in-Chief Gray really is the white-gloved phantom thief? How would I even go to work?

Debbie’s face changed colors like a chameleon – flushing red, turning blue, then going pale.

‘He was even the one who reviewed my column!!’

“Are you… carsick?”

Fret kept glancing at Debbie’s complexion while driving.

“When you feel nauseous, keeping a candy in your mouth helps a little.”

Fret drove with one hand while pulling out a box of lemon candies from his pocket with the other and shook it. Soon a candy flew right into Debbie’s mouth.

“If you said you wanted to go back from here, I’d actually welcome it.”

“Why?”

“I’m single too, but only the president gets to escape being single? Isn’t that unfair? Unless you introduce me to someone nice too. The president promised to keep pace with me in everything, but if he runs ahead alone, it’s blinding.”

“What kind of work is it?”

“It’s a secret.”

Fret said with a chuckle.

“Hah. Betraying me so blatantly to go on a date… I’d like to crash into a streetlight to stop you, but I’ve been bribed so I can’t do that either. I’ll enjoy these. Actually, I really love lemon-flavored candies.”

Using only one hand, Fret spun the lemon candy box on his fingertips with acrobatic skill, tossed it lightly, caught it, shook the box open, threw one candy into his mouth, and grabbed the steering wheel again.

This entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye using just one hand.

Debbie forgot what she’d been worrying about and stared blankly at his hands, mesmerized by his dexterity.

“How on earth did you do that?”

“It’s nothing special.”

Debbie finally understood what the publishing house employees meant when they said ‘Fret knows how to liven up the mood.’

“That’s really amazing. I sometimes struggle to open boxes even with both hands, so how do you do that?”

While Debbie stared intently at his hands, he smiled brightly and reached toward her ear. Debbie shrank back, not understanding what he was doing.

He seemed to tuck her hair behind her ear, then with a snap sound, made a red flower bloom from his bare hand and tossed it to Debbie.

“You mean tricks like this?”

Debbie’s eyes widened in amazement.

“Once you know the trick, it’s nothing special.”

The approaching hand had definitely been empty. While Debbie picked up the flower and examined it curiously from all angles, he said, “Well, we’re here now. Time to get out.”

They were already in front of the musical theater. Only then did Debbie snap back to reality.

‘Oh right. I was in the middle of worrying about something.’

Before Debbie could say she wasn’t in the mood for a date, a familiar voice reached her ears.

“Fret, what brings you here? I asked Bezel to handle this.”

Blake, who had been waiting, approached the car.

“Something came up, so I brought her instead. Have a pleasant date.”

Fret waved once with a bright voice tinged with an odd nasal tone.

And then they were left alone. Debbie swallowed hard, feeling that the inevitable moment had arrived.

He had dressed up deliberately, his outfit was splendid. Though he always dressed well, today his suit looked particularly refined.

His shoes, watch, the handkerchief peeking from his pocket, tie pin, and boutonniere all matched perfectly like a coordinated set.

Debbie looked at his crisp sleeve cuffs and collar.

The president also dresses impeccably without a single wrinkle, just like the editor-in-chief?

The moment that thought occurred to her, her heart sank once more.

“Why are you avoiding my eyes?”

Debbie fiddled with the flower Fret had given her, wearing a serious expression.

If the freelance writer AB is either Editor-in-Chief Gray or the president, both would be terrible…

Blake, who had been looking disapprovingly at the flower, suddenly snatched it away and tossed it over his shoulder.

“Obviously something Fret gave you.”

“Ah! My gift!!”

Only then did Debbie look up at him.

“Don’t worry about it. He scatters identical flowers everywhere he goes.”

He extended his hand to escort her. It was a hand wearing black gloves. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over her.

If these gloves were white instead of black…

The height, eye level, hand movements.

Debbie felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

It can’t be. It absolutely cannot be.

Debbie immediately denied the thought that had flashed through her mind.

There’s absolutely no way that could be true.

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

At his question, Debbie shook her head vigorously.

“No, I’m just a little tired from work.”

Debbie looked around to change her train of thought.

This street, lined with dozens of performance venues, was the epitome of glamour.

When planning their first date, Debbie had chosen to see the most expensive and difficult-to-reserve performance among them all, and Blake had boldly told her to name whatever show she wanted to see.

So Debbie compiled a list of performances featuring actresses who had been Blake’s rumored romantic interests from magazines, organizing them into a ‘musicals I want to see’ list and sent it to Blake.

When he unknowingly chose one, Debbie felt anticipation building about how the explosive situations she’d orchestrated would make Blake uncomfortable.

There’s no way a wholesome date could happen in front of an ex-girlfriend.

Debbie was looking forward more to seeing how flustered he would become meeting his ex-girlfriend than to the date itself.

But the moment they sat down in the VIP seats, someone approached them.

“Blake!”

A dazzling beauty with red hair came over, greeting him familiarly. Debbie glanced at the pamphlet and realized she was the lead actress.

“I wondered if you’d really come, and you actually did! My goodness! You always hated dark places!”

Without any regard for others watching, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck, rubbing her face against his.

“Vivian, stop! I have company.”

Blake, flustered, pushed her away. Debbie glared at Blake with the feeling that what she’d expected had finally arrived.

Vivian glanced at Debbie once after Blake’s words, then ignored her completely and flashed a coquettish smile at Blake, whispering sweetly, “I thought I’d never see you again. So I have to pounce when I can, right? Don’t you think so? Mmm-!”

Not caring that her heavy stage makeup was smearing, Vivian immediately planted her lips firmly on his cheek.

Haha.

Debbie let out an awkward laugh at the stronger reaction than she’d expected. However, she was puzzled to see Vivian stumble backward.

Though Vivian had pounced on him, her lips had met Blake’s glove instead.

“Enough games. You’re startling an innocent young lady.”

“That’s mean. How can you not give in even once?”

After glaring at Debbie, Vivian lightly pounded Blake’s chest with her fists.

“It was such sweet part-time work. Now I could do it even without pay. I’ve been a lead actress for a long time now, so I could actually pay you the part-time wages.”

Vivian pouted and grabbed Blake’s necktie, yanking it sharply.

But Blake simply rubbed the lipstick mark off his glove with his handkerchief without any change in expression.

“Is this one your new part-timer?”

“Employee.”

Vivian’s eyes widened at those words.

“Now you even have employees doing work for you?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Tsk.”

Vivian snorted as though annoyed, then whispered to Debbie, “If you’re going to quit, let me know and then quit. I’ll snatch up that position.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

Debbie was bewildered by Vivian’s reaction.

“Stop talking nonsense. If you’re a lead actress, act like one and get to your place. The performance starts in five minutes.”

At Blake’s cold words, Vivian pretended to cry, then smiled and waved lightly at Debbie.

“New employee, don’t just work, grab hold of that man tight. You could even knock him down and drag him away.”

Debbie was perplexed. She had expected trouble with an ex-girlfriend, but this scene looked more like an employer with a former part-time worker.

Moreover, instead of going straight to the stage, Vivian slowly made her way there, sitting on audience members’ laps, kissing their cheeks, and hugging them.

“Thank you for coming to see the show, dear audience.”

The entire audience buzzed with excitement at the lead actress’s affectionate skinship.

“I love you all!”

Even until her final exit, she dramatically kissed her palm and pretended to blow kisses to people before being dragged away by the director.

As soon as she disappeared backstage, the musical curtain rose.

Debbie stared at the stage like someone in a daze, then looked to the side. Her eyes met Blake’s, who had been resting his arm on the armrest with his chin propped up, gazing at her steadily. Blake smiled meaningfully.

“You said this was a musical you wanted to see? Focus on the stage instead of my face.”

At his words, Debbie blushed and quickly turned her head away.

The musical was about two young people who, though poor, found true love through repeated successes and failures.

Though she couldn’t concentrate properly at first, she gradually became absorbed in the performance as it progressed.

Suddenly, Blake moved. Coincidentally, Debbie’s hand, which had been gripping the seat, brushed against his body.

Thinking he was attempting physical contact, Debbie startled and jerked her hand to the other side. But he had simply crossed his legs the other way.

Their eyes met briefly.

Ahem.

Debbie cleared her throat and tried to stay in that position without moving.

However, as her tilted posture became increasingly uncomfortable, she wanted to quietly place her hand back where it had been before.

Debbie felt a completely different sensation than expected. What her hand touched wasn’t the seat but the back of his hand.

When Debbie jerked her hand up like she’d been burned, Blake raised one corner of his mouth and whispered, “Did you want to hold my hand? It’s okay if you do.”

Debbie placed her hand on her knee with an awkward expression. She felt uncomfortable, not knowing where to put her hands.

“Doesn’t hand-holding count as a wholesome date activity?”

At those words, Debbie just fidgeted with her hands on her knees and sat stiffly upright.