I Think I've Poked a Sleeping Bear
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Project Lee Dan-a: Dating and Breaking Up — Mission #2. Dating
“A-Aren’t your legs getting tired?”
“No. I like this.”
Lee Heon gestured to their entwined hands.
“Ah, right, me too…”
Is it always like this? Do people hold hands and wander around from day one of dating?
Like they’re never going to let go?
Unable to find the right moment to let go, she had been walking hand in hand with him for a whole hour now.
At this rate, I’ll end up dragging the President all the way to Busan.
We’ll be holding hands all the way to Haeundae.
Holding hands hadn’t been part of the plan.
The plan was simply to go on a few dates and break up, yet Dan-a couldn’t even manage to pull her hand away.
It was all because of that helicopter! And that yacht!
Honestly, her plan for today was supposed to be simple:
Stroll casually along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, then hit up a local handmade noodle place. After that, head to an aesthetic cafe to snap some artsy coffee photos, and go home!
For someone who had just stepped off a helicopter and a yacht, it felt a bit… pathetic.
The President probably thinks so too, right?
If anything, that was even better.
A date course like this would come as quite a shock to a man who had planned on lunch in a luxury suite with a view.
If you date me, this is the kind of date you’ll have to put up with from now on. You understand, Mr. President?
Still… considering the yacht rental couldn’t have been cheap and he hadn’t even gotten to try boat fishing, she decided to add an indoor fishing cafe to the itinerary out of courtesy.
Before that, though.
“Mr. President, since we’re hungry, let’s go grab some handmade noodles firs—”
Dan-a turned to look at him and choked on her words.
A luxury suit, a luxury tie, luxury shoes.
He stood there looking utterly high-end—and overwhelmingly out of place.
A cramped, weathered old noodle joint overflowing with vintage charm. Just picturing him slurping noodles in that outfit made her break out in a cold sweat.
And how on earth was he supposed to go to an indoor fishing cafe?
Water would splash everywhere while fishing.
What if cake cream got on his clothes at a packed, trendy cafe…!
Ahhh. No way.
Please don’t let me sin against the President any further.
“Are you hungry? Shall we go eat?”
“No.”
Dan-a scanned his outfit and spoke like a chaebol heir straight out of a drama.
“First, let’s do something about those clothes.”
The boutique was bustling with shoppers.
People turned their heads, wondering if a model had just walked in—only to find something far more striking.
Ra Iheon.
He stood there, looking every bit like a high-fashion model.
“Next outfit.”
When Lee Heon stepped out wearing clean cotton chinos and a solid-colored shirt, Dan-a tilted her head from where she sat in the chair across from him.
“Next outfit.”
This time, he emerged in sneakers, jeans, a T-shirt, and a shearling jacket draped over top. Dan-a narrowed her brow.
“N-Next outfit.”
A hip-hop look with wide-leg, stylishly oversized pants.
“Next!”
A leather jacket, crisp white trousers, and sunglasses.
“N-Neeext!”
Dan-a made a thoroughly dissatisfied face.
Seriously, is there anything that doesn’t look good on him?
Why does everything look so damn amazing on him, why?!
Thanks to that, she ended up picking out outfit after outfit.
She couldn’t bear to discard a single one…
Forget the date—her eyes were having the time of their lives.
If she could, she would have spent the rest of the day playing dress-up with the President, but time constraints meant they had to wrap it up here.
“Excuse me. How much is all of this?”
“That will be six hundred eighty-one thousand won.”
“Excuse me?”
This is always how credit card bills happen.
You swear you only bought little things here and there, and then your statement comes back looking like two hundred million won!
Her hand trembled as she reached for her card, but a long, solid arm beat her to the register, card already outstretched.
When she looked up, he was smiling like a savior.
“You went through the trouble of picking them out. The least I can do is pay.”
Thump, thump.
Who wouldn’t feel their heart race for their savior?
Still, this wasn’t right.
The whole point was for her to treat him.
“Please take off the one thousand won!”
This is all I can do for you.
The clerk cheerfully took off the thousand won.
“Now then, where did you say we were going next?”
The moment they stepped out of the shop, he casually slipped his hand into hers and looked down at her.
He really never forgot anything once he learned it.
“Let’s go eat first.”
[My Brother]
[Did the date go well?]
While waiting in front of the cafe for her to return from the restroom, a text arrived on Lee Heon’s phone.
It was Yi-on.
Lee Heon smiled as he checked the message.
She had been right when she suggested starting with familiar, casual activities.
They had walked hand in hand for an hour and enjoyed an unexpected shopping trip. Thanks to that, he had even learned her taste.
While waiting in line at the noodle joint, she had repeatedly told him to go sit somewhere and that she would call him once their number was called, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Because he hadn’t wanted to let go of her hand.
He had worried her legs might hurt and even considered giving her a piggyback ride, so he had actually felt a pang of disappointment when their number was called.
He couldn’t remember what the noodles tasted like. They were probably delicious.
Dan-a had eaten with such relish that watching her had made him feel full on her behalf.
Her date itinerary was exceptionally thoughtful, too.
Choosing an indoor fishing spot just because he hadn’t been able to go boat fishing. Thanks to her, he was able to show off his fishing skills.
“How do you catch a fish every single time you cast your line, Mr. President? Do you have something hidden in your pockets?”
“If you have bait, share some on my side too!”
It had been delightful watching her adorable pout as she grumbled.
When he offered, “I’ll catch them for you,” the playful, exasperated glare she shot him had been just as endearing.
At the cafe, she was so busy snapping photos of the cakes and pastries that she seemed to have forgotten about him entirely.
Yet that gave him the chance to look at her face from closer up, more thoroughly—in fact, without taking his eyes off her for a single second.
‘Ugh, isn’t this cake ridiculously pretty? It feels like such a waste to eat it.’
I think you’re prettier. It feels like a waste to do anything else.
It wasn’t just because she was his girlfriend; she truly looked stunning.
Though of course, the fact that she was his girlfriend made her look even more so.
So, was the date a success?
[My Brother]
[Huge success.]
After sending the reply, a brief smile touched his lips.
It was such an enjoyable date that parting ways felt bittersweet.
“Mr. President, I’m sorry for keeping you waiting so long.”
She could have taken even longer.
From the looks of it, this seemed to be the final stop of their date.
“It’s fine. Shall we go?”
He naturally took her hand. As if she had grown used to it by now, she reached her hand toward him as well.
Though she didn’t seem to realize she was doing it.
“What’s next?”
Dan-a’s eyes went round.
Every single expression of hers was so vivid that they etched themselves into his vision without any effort at all.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“No. In fact, it’s not enough for me.”
“Not enough, huh… Well, if you want to date me, you’ll have to handle it.”
He didn’t know what she meant by that, but whatever hardships came his way, he was more than capable of handling them.
No, if it was for Lee Dan-a, he wanted to handle anything and everything.
“Anytime. But since you look tired today, Dan-a-ssi, shall we call it here?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Holding hands side by side, the two began walking again. The distance to the parking area felt far too short.
He hadn’t realized parting could feel this bittersweet.
If so, she might feel it even more deeply. Because she loved him.
All at once, he began to feel a deep sense of regret for having spent the two years she harbored an unrequited crush on him completely oblivious.
Instead of slaving away for a family that treated him like a puppet, if he had lived for her, he would have been so much happier by now.
Something so obvious after just a single day was something he had lived without knowing for far too long.
Lee Heon made a firm resolve.
From now on, he would live solely for Lee Dan-a.
“Huh?”
She suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared intently inside a storefront.
Beyond the full glass window was a small space where couples and friends were gathered in twos, threes, and fours.
“What is it? Do you know someone in there?”
“Mr. President! Let’s go take one of those!”
“Take a what…?”
He couldn’t see any goods for sale, leaving him wondering what kind of shop it was.
So it was a photo booth.
On one side of the space hung a neon sign that read: ‘Chalna Four Cuts.’
“Hurry, Mr. President.”
Stepping inside the booth, he found the space surprisingly tight.
Lee Heon’s broad frame filled the interior, bringing the two of them remarkably close.
“So? How does this work?”
“Uh, this is…”
When she turned her head, he was much closer than she had anticipated.
Their eyes met, and the air inside the booth filled with an awkward yet fluttering tension.
Thump, thump.
Her heart beat so loudly she worried he might hear it.
— Please strike a pose!
Flinch.
The mechanical voice inside the booth rang out, and the two—who had been leaning close—hastily looked away from each other.
Right. We came to take photos!
His scent and warmth had practically paralyzed her senses, almost making her forget everything.
Taking a four-cut photo strip with my boyfriend! I’ve always wanted to do this!
Snapping back to her senses, she began demanding various poses from him. Following her instructions, the machine promptly spat out their couple photos.
Even after stepping outside, she stared at the strip of photos for a long time.
“Do you like them?”
“Yes. I’ve always wanted to take these. Maybe it’s because the model is so good, but they turned out really pretty.”
“Indeed. The lady in the photos is particularly pretty.”
“Pardon?”
“I said you’re pretty.”
He met her gaze. Slowly, color flooded her cheeks.
“…Goodness, Mr. President. Y-You really didn’t become the President for nothing, did you? I have so much to learn from you! Haha.”
With that, she quickly began walking ahead.
She likes it. Lee Heon let out a soft chuckle.
“Wait for me.”
“You should walk faster, Mr. President!”
“Then why are you running?”
Playful laughter echoed down the street.
Click, click, click.
Completely unaware that from a hidden corner, someone was snapping photos of them.
