I Think I've Poked a Sleeping Bear
Chapter 24
Pick the Real Beast from the Following
“Will this be all right?”
Standing in front of her house, Lee Heon gestured toward his car.
Hmph, yeah. I was wondering when the B*W would make an appearance.
I would’ve been disappointed if it didn’t.
Still, he had clearly listened to her request.
It was still a high-end foreign car, but it was easily the most understated of all the ones he had brought so far.
“Yes. Thank you for being so considerate, President.”
“Shall we head to work, then?”
She climbed cheerfully into the car.
Getting such a comfortable ride to work was an unexpected stroke of luck.
The story traced back to the previous evening.
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be dropping you off and picking you up every morning and evening.”
Lee Heon had said that after treating her to dinner and dessert, right outside her front door.
“Ah, yup. ……Pardon? E-Every day?”
“Activities that foster closeness. We should do them. To grow closer.”
She had no comeback for that.
It was completely standard for a couple.
However, one thing weighed heavily on her mind.
Every passerby stared openly, wondering what such a luxury car was doing in a neighborhood like this.
“Um, President. I’m sorry, but may I say something……?”
“Make yourself comfortable.”
“How many cars do you happen to own?”
“…….”
“I’m sorry. That was too personal…….”
“No. It touches me that you’re showing an interest in me.”
“Pardon? Over something like that?”
“Why, should I change cars every day? Do you not like this one?”
“No! Not at all. It’s just, um, well…….”
She danced around the subject, endlessly beating around the bush to say, ‘Please drive a normal car. Do you want people noticing us and writing articles about it? The news about your broken engagement hasn’t even broken yet.’
He looked bewildered, as if he hadn’t thought of that at all.
Yeah, surprised, aren’t you?
Tiring, isn’t it, having me nitpick every little thing?
This is what your life will become if you date me!
“You’re very thoughtful, Dan-a-ssi.”
Wait, what? No way.
Ladies, this is the kind of man you should date.
Always thinking the best of things, always positive.
And elevating his partner on top of that.
Sob. But I’m the one who shouldn’t be seeing him.
“Is there anything else you’d like to say? A request, or anything at all.”
Lee Heon asked warmly.
Should I ask him to pluck a star from the sky?
If he can’t, we break up.
…But what if he actually brings one?
It was impossible, yet with him, it felt entirely plausible, so she decided not to make any reckless requests.
“I’ll let you know if anything comes to mind.”
“All right. See you tomorrow morning.”
“Wait, wouldn’t you be too tired?”
“Hardly. I’m coming to see you, Dan-a-ssi.”
Sob. We’re supposed to break up, so please stop being so wonderful.
That had happened yesterday.
Every morning and evening.
Until just recently, she could never have imagined a life where she saw her boss before work and again after clocking out.
Had she known back then, she would have suffocated from sheer panic.
Yet now…… it was far too comfortable.
He picked her up for work and drove her back home, bought her meals when she was hungry, and waited for her whenever her shift ended.
Did a life like this even make sense?
All because of a mistaken confession.
“Close your eyes if you’re tired.”
Lee Heon took her hand as he spoke.
How does this make any sense?!
A prick of guilt stabbed at her.
Since no one else knew, her lie would never be exposed, but anyone with a conscience was bound to feel guilty. At least, if she was still a human being.
Starting today, I’m not human. I’m a beast.
Just eat, sleep, and poop. Don’t think.
Overthinking will only cause a major disaster.
“Um, President.”
Don’t…… Don’t say it.
No one knows, after all.
“This is actually a story about a friend of mine.”
I really shouldn’t say a word.
“A story about your friend? I’m curious.”
“So, one of my friends confessed to her other friends about someone she liked, and someone passing by happened to overhear. But that person thought it was about him, so he went up to her and asked if she liked him, and……”
“Sounds a lot like our story, doesn’t it?”
“What? N-No! Ours, um, wasn’t a mistaken confession at all. It’s just a friend’s story……”
Ugh, it really is our story. I’m so sorry, President.
She felt smothered by guilt. She wanted to confess everything right now and clear the air. Her conscience ached.
All she had to do was keep her mouth shut, yet she was about to blow her own cover.
“So what happened with that confession?”
“Pardon? She said it worked out fine…… They cleared up the misunderstanding and, well, went back to where they belonged. As if nothing had happened. Haha.”
She stole a glance at him.
“If you were in that position, President, what would you do? You know, if m-my con-confession…… had been a mistake.”
“Who knows.”
Lee Heon’s gaze sharpened fiercely.
“I don’t even want to think about it.”
It was the ferocious stare of a lion ready to tear someone apart on the spot and send them to the afterlife.
And that ‘someone’ would undoubtedly be her.
Unable to afford holding her own funeral right then and there, she quickly replied.
“Right? Thankfully, you don’t have to think about it at all.”
“Indeed. I’m glad ours wasn’t a mistaken confession.”
Lee Heon smiled softly and clasped her hand with even warmer pressure.
Shudder. I shouldn’t have said anything.
Why is he such a good man?
If only he were a complete jerk……
She wiped away an imaginary tear and thought to herself.
I am a beast. A pure beast. Rawr.
***
Lee Heon had never felt happier than he did these days.
Perhaps it was ever since he tucked her into his pocket.
“President!”
Every time she ran toward him calling his title like that, a thrill surged through his chest so intensely it almost hurt, filling him with boundless energy.
Lee Dan-a. The woman who made him happy.
Which was why he had no choice but to keep her tightly wrapped in his pocket, not just on weekdays, but on weekends too.
“Um, President, just in case—we aren’t taking a helicopter today, right?”
“No. It’s just a ground date.”
She smiled in visible relief.
Does she dislike helicopters? Well, they are quite loud.
Lee Dan-a dislikes loud things. Noted.
“Shall we go, then?”
She nodded eagerly.
How could even the way she nodded be so adorable?
It really was such a shame. That he had spent two whole years completely oblivious to her feelings for him.
Had he known, they would already be married by now, perhaps even with a child……
“President?”
While he was busy imagining married life with Dan-a all the way into their middle age, they had arrived at their date destination.
“Oh, we’re here to watch a movie. You should’ve told me! I have coupons. If you haven’t booked tickets yet, should I book them now? What would you like to watch?”
“What do you want to see?”
“Please One-Member Again Avengers.”
“Understood.”
Lee Heon whispered something to an employee waiting behind them. Nodding, the staff member guided them into the theater.
Geez, really, President. I said I’d book it……
Dan-a froze in her tracks.
Ultra-luxurious leather seating and adjustable recliner chairs.
Fresh air and generous spacing between seats!
This wasn’t just a standard recliner theater. It looked as comfortable as a bed.
“Wow, it’s so spacious and nice. Where are our seats?”
“Where would you like to sit?”
“Huh? In the middle, of course……”
“Let’s sit there, then.”
Lee Heon sat down in the prime center row. Taking the seat next to him, Dan-a darted her eyes around, her expression quickly turning uneasy.
“W-Why is there barely anyone here? Don’t tell me you rented it out. Getting to pick any seat feels so unsettling……”
“That’s right. I rented it for the day.”
Dan-a’s eyes went wide.
“R-Rented? The whole theater?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to be disturbed.”
Because you’re the only one who needs to be in my pocket.
“President? Look at me for a second!”
“There’s no need to leave. It’s just the two of us anyway.”
Poised to walk out, she planted her hands on her hips and let out a long breath.
“So you rented an entire theater just to watch one movie?”
There it was. That rebellious glare she gave whenever she shifted into tough mode.
She probably had no idea how lovely that contrast was.
“President? I know you have plenty of money. But whose money is that, really? Does all of it belong entirely to you? That’s the hard-earned sweat and blood of employees like us—my sweat and blood! And you’re going to waste it on something like th……”
He wanted to kiss her.
Her sparkling eyes, her crisp diction.
Even her pretty lips, pursing whenever she made an ‘o’ sound.
There wasn’t a single flaw on this lovely woman.
“Let’s leave right now, then.”
Having finished her rant, she spun around in a huff, slightly out of breath.
“You want to leave? But the rental fee will go to waste.”
“C-Can’t we get a refund?”
“No. The movie is about to start.”
“…….”
“I’ll be careful next time. Since we’re already here, let’s stay and watch.”
He looked at her with an endearing gaze. Softening at the sight, she chewed lightly on her lip and turned back reluctantly.
“……I’m letting it slide just this once, okay? If you do this next time, I’m seriously going home, got it?”
“Thank you for letting it slide.”
Always so full of talk.
She grumbled under her breath as she took her seat.
“These chairs really are huge and comfortable.”
Just as she seemed impressed, her eyes widened fiercely again.
“Like I said before, we don’t need such gigantic chairs for activities that foster closeness. What’s the whole point of a movie theater? That thrill of your arms almost brushing against each other. Grazing hands while reaching for popcorn. *Sigh.* How could a workaholic President like you ever understand?”
“Which is why.”
“Pardon?”
“Which is why I rented this place.”
“What do you mean……?”
“To do an activity that fosters closeness.”
“How are we supposed to do that from so far aw—whoa, whoa?!”
In an instant, Lee Heon swept her up into his arms and set her down in the empty space beside him on his seat.
“So we can sit together.”
He offered her a gentle smile.
“S-Since it’s so wide, this actually works?”
Thump, thump. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs.
“Do you think this is the only thing that works?”
“Then what el……”
Smooch. Leaning in slowly, Lee Heon pressed his lips to Dan-a’s.
