In an instant, Jae Yi’s body became stiff.

Geon Hak looked at the mumbling Ye Na with his eyes closed tightly.

Then he spoke softly into Jae Yi’s ear.

“Don’t worry. It seems Ye Na didn’t see.”

At Geon Hak’s words, Jae Yi nodded and slowly turned her head.

Feeling embarrassed about acting inappropriately in front of the child, Jae Yi covered her lips with the back of her hand and approached Ye Na.

“Ye Na, shall we go to the bathroom?”

“Yesss.”

Ye Na still had her eyes tightly closed.

As Jae Yi spread her arms, Ye Na naturally reached out to cling to Jae Yi’s neck.

Geon Hak stopped that gesture.

“I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“You can’t, it’s too difficult.”

No matter how light Ye Na was, it was much better for him to carry her than for Jae Yi to do so.

“I’ll take her, you stay here.”

Geon Hak looked at the half-asleep Ye Na and swiftly picked her up from the bed.

Ye Na’s eyes opened wide.

“…Huh? Huh?”

As her eye level suddenly changed, Ye Na looked at Geon Hak and then quickly back at Jae Yi.

“What. You said you were going to the bathroom.”

At Geon Hak’s dry voice, Ye Na furrowed her brow.

Geon Hak had an incredulous look on his face at Ye Na’s noticeably different behavior from before.

“Where did such a tiny thing learn that expression? Won’t you unfurrow your brow?”

His long finger pressed firmly between Ye Na’s eyebrows.

Ye Na, seemingly displeased with Geon Hak’s appearance here, suddenly started swinging her legs side to side.

“No, Ena wants to get down. No!”

“What do you mean no?”

Ye Na acted as if it was her first time being held by Geon Hak.

Until she started sleeping with Jae Yi, she used to fall asleep in Geon Hak’s arms, but lately she had been so close to Jae Yi that now she felt awkward with Geon Hak. While she often called Jae Yi “elder sister” and followed her well, recently she had been keeping her distance from Geon Hak and not treating him warmly.

“Is this tiny thing being shy now?”

“No, I don’t know. I want to get down!”

Despite Ye Na’s struggling and protests, Geon Hak did not put her down on the floor.

He gently pinched Ye Na’s chubby cheek.

“What do you mean no? Who told you to throw a tantrum about going to the bathroom while sleeping?”

Sharp words with thorns firmly embedded flowed out.

“Hng, Ena doesn’t like it. I want to go to elder sister Jae Yi. Hold me, hold Ena.”

“What do you mean hold? I couldn’t hold you, so you can’t be held either.”

Though they meant different things, Jae Yi’s lips automatically curved into a smile at the sight of Geon Hak who seemed quite angry for some unknown reason.

“Waaah, no!”

Ye Na, held in Geon Hak’s arms, finally burst into tears, but Geon Hak headed to the bathroom carrying the crying Ye Na.

* * *

When Geon Hak entered the dining room, he found two people already eating.

“Good morning, Director.”

“Yes. You too, Han Jae Yi.”

He sat across from Jae Yi and pressed his eyelids, seeming tired.

Geon Hak looked at Ye Na in front of him.

Ye Na’s chubby cheeks were puffed out, full of food.

Mrs. Kim placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of Geon Hak and looked at him curiously.

“Director. Why do you look so unwell this morning?”

“I couldn’t sleep well last night, so I guess I’m tired.”

“Why couldn’t you sleep? Ah. Come to think of it, Ye Na was crying loudly last night. Was it because of that?”

“Something like that.”

Last night, Ye Na sat on the bed looking at Geon Hak with a sullen expression.

Geon Hak looked down at Ye Na with an incredulous face at her attitude.

‘So. Are you saying you can’t sleep now because I’m here?’

‘Yes. Ena needs it to be quiet to sleep well.’

‘That’s not something you should say when you’ve been crying loudly every night.’

‘No. Ena doesn’t cry. Doesn’t cry.’

‘Ah. Really?’

Geon Hak nodded and put his arm around Jae Yi’s shoulders who was standing next to him.

When the surprised Jae Yi looked at him, he smiled with his eyes and said,

‘Then you can sleep alone now. As Ye Na said, she won’t cry. So I’ll take elder sister with me.’

As Geon Hak acted like he was going to take Jae Yi away, tears began to well up in Ye Na’s eyes.

‘Nooo. But elder sister Jae Yi needs to stay…’

Ye Na’s lips quivered up and down, and finally, she burst into loud tears.

At Ye Na’s crying, Geon Hak had no choice but to be kicked out.

Returning to his own room alone, Geon Hak had a hard time controlling himself.

“Hoo.”

He let out a deep sigh.

Ye Na, who had been moving her chopsticks in an X shape, lifted her bottom off the chair and placed some meat on Geon Hak’s rice bowl.

“What’s this?”

Geon Hak’s thick eyebrows twitched.

Seemingly feeling a bit sorry for kicking him out of the room last night, Ye Na smiled brightly and said,

“Eating meat makes you sleep well.”

Geon Hak chuckled and ate the meat placed on his rice, while Ye Na swung her feet left and right, looking pleased.

“Our Ye Na is so kind.”

“Heh, elder sister too!”

She placed meat on Jae Yi’s rice as well and grinned broadly.

“Thank you, Ye Na.”

“Mm!”

Finding it so adorable, Jae Yi stroked Ye Na’s hair.

Feeling a gaze fixed on her, Jae Yi turned her head forward.

Her eyes met Geon Hak’s.

What’s with that look?

“Ah. Enjoy your meal too, Director.”

As Jae Yi smiled prettily with her eyes crinkled, Geon Hak shook his head.

Ha. Touch me a little too.

From the morning, the two females were stirring Geon Hak’s heart.

Geon Hak burst into laughter at the sight of the two people he could never hate.

* * *

“Manager. I sent you the email.”

Su Bin, who had been looking at the monitor, turned to look at Jae Yi.

“Already? As expected, Jae Yi is fast. You could’ve taken your time.”

“I thought I should send it quickly since it’s data material.”

“Thank you, Jae Yi.”

As Jae Yi turned her gaze back to the monitor, Su Bin pulled her chair closer.

“Jae Yi.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“Why has your face been so bright lately? Your face has become noticeably brighter, someone might think you’re dating.”

“D-dating? No, it’s not.”

“Really not?”

Jae Yi looked at Su Bin who had come closer to her side.

Her face seemed full of curiosity.

The last time Geon Hak grabbed Jae Yi’s wrist and dragged her to the executive office, rumors about the two of them spread quickly throughout the company.

There were even some people who came to Jae Yi to ask questions out of curiosity. Of course, as it wasn’t unexpected, Jae Yi spoke firmly to prevent rumors from spreading.

When Jae Yi said absolutely not, everyone seemed to end it with “I thought so,” but Su Bin was different.

Her opinion was that the Director’s gaze and attitude towards Jae Yi were different.

‘Jae Yi, you’re lying, right?’

‘It’s not a lie.’

‘Come on. I saw it all. The Director’s expression.’

When Jae Yi looked at her with a puzzled face, she told the story of what happened when Jae Yi couldn’t come to work because she was sick, without missing a detail.

At that time, she said Geon Hak had asked about Jae Yi’s condition.

Jae Yi just laughed at her words that her heart fluttered because Director Cha Geon Hak’s cold expression as he asked was so sexy.

“Jae Yi. Don’t be like that, you can be honest with me.”

“About what, Manager?”

As Jae Yi’s face had noticeably brightened lately, Su Bin started to probe again.

“Are you really not in any kind of relationship with the Director?”

“No. We’re really not in any kind of relationship.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then, why don’t you date, Jae Yi?”

“…Date?”

As the topic suddenly changed to dating, Jae Yi looked at her with a surprised face.

“Don’t you want to date? Go on trips with a boyfriend, go on dates and such?”

Come to think of it, I’ve never enjoyed a date with the Director.

Although we know there are feelings of liking each other, I’ve never directly heard him ask me to date.

We’ve spent nights together, but I can’t exactly define what kind of relationship we have.

So what kind of relationship are the Director and I in?

As Jae Yi’s expression turned serious for a moment, Su Bin hurriedly spoke.

“So I was thinking.”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you try a blind date with my friend?”

“A blind date?”

“Yeah. I have a really good friend named Seo Min Woo. He hasn’t dated for 2 years since breaking up with his girlfriend. His personality is serious like you, and above all, he’s kind. He’s a doctor too. I’m specially introducing him because it’s you, Jae Yi.”

“No. I’m fine.”

When Jae Yi refused outright, Su Bin’s expression turned regretful.

Manager Im, who was passing by Jae Yi’s desk, asked curiously.

“What were you talking about that made Manager Han’s face suddenly gloomy?”

“I tried to set up a blind date for Jae Yi, but I got rejected as soon as I mentioned it.”

“How could Chief Han go on a blind date when she has Director Cha Geon Hak?”

As he spoke in a playful tone, Jae Yi hurriedly said,

“I-I’ll do it. That blind date.”

“Really? Really?”

“Yes.”

Su Bin, seeming pleased, picked up her phone on the table and started sending a message to someone.

It felt like she had answered without thinking, but the spilled water couldn’t be gathered back up.

Jae Yi was going on the blind date, but the two of them were excited and chattering about it instead.

“Then, I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.”

“Oh. Okay. When is a good time for you, Jae Yi?”

“I’m… fine with anytime.”

Jae Yi gave a vague answer and left the office.

This was the only way to suppress the rumors about her and the Director.

She didn’t want the Director to suffer any more harm because of her.

Before she knew it, Jae Yi’s gaze was fixed on one spot.

She saw Geon Hak coming out of the conference room, as if the executive meeting had ended.

Jae Yi watched him intently.

She couldn’t take her eyes off his splendid appearance, different from how she saw him at home.

“He’s doing all the pretending to be cool by himself. He could just talk in the executive office, but he has to do it out here like this.”

Jae Yi turned her head at the familiar voice.

“Oh?”

Ri Na looked at Jae Yi and smiled brightly.

“It’s been a while, Jae Yi.”

“Yes. It’s been a while.”

Unlike before, as her behavior towards Ri Na was quite friendly, she burst into laughter.

“I feel this every time, but how can a person be so consistent? Today you’re smiling at me. It makes my heart flutter.”

She smiled with her eyes crinkled.

“I was really grateful then. Thanks to you, Ri Na, I was able to have courage with the Director.”

Ri Na had a satisfied expression.

“You’re quite straightforward when it comes to love. As expected, I really like you.”

Ri Na’s gaze also rested on Cha Geon Hak.

Seeing that Geon Hak, who had been on edge for the past few days, had become docile, it was clear that the relationship between the two had deepened quite a bit.

Lately, it had become difficult to see Cha Geon Hak’s face.

If she didn’t secretly visit the company like this, it was hard to meet him.

Even if she made an appointment, he would just show his face briefly saying he had to go home early, and quickly disappear.

Even if she wanted to ask about their relationship out of curiosity, he wouldn’t meet her, so her curiosity only grew.

Fortunately, she met Jae Yi today, so it seemed Ri Na’s curiosity would finally be resolved.

“So are you two dating?”

“No, we’re not.”

Seeing Jae Yi deny it twice, Ri Na narrowed her eyes.

“You’re lying.”

“I-I’m not lying.”

“No, why? You two like each other, so why aren’t you dating? Didn’t Cha Geon Hak ask you to date?”

At her question, Jae Yi slowly shook her head.

“No. He didn’t say anything like that.”

“Ha, that coward. Don’t tell me that bastard is hiding his feelings too?”

As Jae Yi’s face suddenly turned red, Ri Na seemed to understand.

Ah. He confessed his feelings, but they’re not dating yet.

Don’t tell me. Because of Yoon Su Ah?

As Ri Na was about to open her lips looking at Jae Yi, her lips closed at the sound of someone calling Jae Yi from behind.

“Jae Yi!”

At Manager Han’s loud voice, Geon Hak’s head also turned.

He frowned when he saw Jae Yi standing with Ri Na.

What useless things is she trying to say again.

Geon Hak quickly wrapped up his conversation with Director Kim in front of him.

“Since it seems important, please organize the report and come to my office later.”

“Yes. Understood, Director.”

Geon Hak moved his steps.

“Jae Yi. My friend is really excited too. About the blind date, I mean. How about this Friday?”

Geon Hak’s steps, which had been moving briskly, stopped for a moment.

Han Jae Yi is going on a blind date?

Ri Na had a smile all over her face, finding the current situation amusing.

Wow. Cha Geon Hak is making that kind of expression? He must be really surprised.

She soon spotted him standing there with a cold expression.