I Think I've Poked a Sleeping Bear
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
I Think I Poked the President’s Whiskers
Do-hyun hurried after Yi-heon.
“Sir, an unannounced department inspection all of a sudden? Other executives could easily handle that. Isn’t that how it’s always been done?”
Was he truly oblivious, or just playing dumb?
Halting in his tracks, Yi-heon stared squarely at Do-hyun.
“Out of nowhere… wait, surely this isn’t because of, er, Ms. Lee Dan-a?”
He really couldn’t even fathom it.
Well, fair enough.
Truth be told, Yi-heon hadn’t intended to take things this far either.
At first, he had merely wanted to see what kind of woman harbored such deep feelings for him.
Where did such ardent affection even stem from?
When she saw him in the cafeteria, her face had flushed so red he feared the entire world would notice.
He had even worried she might not be able to eat because of him.
Yet there had been an unexpected twist.
While stealing shy, nervous glances his way, she had eaten heartily.
Cleanly stripping every morsel of meat off the back ribs with her red lips.
He had liked seeing that. It felt remarkably refreshing and wholesome.
There was even a spirited vigor in the way she tore into the ribs.
Perhaps that was why. He had felt a strong urge to speak with her. And so, he had met her again in the break room.
Did everyone act like this in front of someone they liked?
Not only was she reluctant to let go of his hand once she took it, but she had also carefully wiped the rim of the can with her own clothes.
And here, too, lay another twist.
Even with a flushed face and behaving awkwardly as if something inside her had short-circuited, she still said everything she needed to say.
An amusing woman.
He found himself starting to feel grateful for her affection.
A faint smile had escaped him before he knew it.
If that had been all, his curiosity might have ended there.
However…
‘You work so hard for the company, so consider it my treat.’
Working hard for the company…
All his life, it was something taken for granted. He had never once cared to hear such words, yet her words resonated in his chest with strange depth.
On top of that, her pretty face, spirited way of speaking, polite yet bright demeanor, and the bashfulness she showed toward the person she liked.
He had only meant to exchange a few words.
Before he knew it, curiosity had spread like wildfire.
From a simple question of what does it feel like to like someone? to what kind of woman is this Lee Dan-a who likes me?
“President, dropping in unannounced like this will throw the staff into a panic.”
“It’s not an inspection, it’s encouragement.”
“Who would ever see it that way? While working, having the President barge in out of no—oomph!”
Do-hyun clamped his mouth shut as an object was shoved right in front of his face.
“What’s this?”
“What does it look like? A card. Go order coffee for the staff.”
“You’re treating them to coffee too?”
“Would I go encourage them empty-handed?”
“Ah, well. That’s true.”
Still, inspection or encouragement, why on earth go down to the staff office in the first place?
Don’t tell me he’s visiting the department and buying coffee just because someone confessed to him.
“Ah, Secretary Kang.”
“Yes, President.”
“Make one a white chocolate mocha. Extra hot milk, lots of whipped cream, add a shot. Hold one pump of syrup… No, don’t hold the syrup. Make it sweet.”
“Do you usually drink something that sweet, sir?”
“It’s not for me.”
“Then for whom…?”
‘Gotta have something sweet. Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.’
Yi-heon recalled Dan-a chanting like a mantra in front of the vending machine.
“There’s someone over there who was singing for sweets.”
“Who could that… Wait, surely not…”
“Aren’t you going?”
“I’m on it!”
Ms. Lee Dan-a is over there, sure.
Even so, really? Just because of that confession?
Nobody would do something so crazy as ‘encouraging the department’ and buying coffee just to go see someone who said they liked them.
Yet, as he placed the order asking for extra whipped cream, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that this was indeed exactly what was happening.
“The President is coming, but just act like normal—hoo, hah. Got it? Just like normal, phew, phew. Naturally, okay? Just, j-just work like you always do. Like usual.”
The thoroughly rattled Team Leader clutched his chest.
“Assistant Manager Kim over there! Your desk is a mess! Where did Supervisor Shin go? Leaving his seat empty like that! Call him right now! Whew. The President is coming, but don’t pay any mind, okay? Just like you always do. Business as usual. Understood?”
The Team Leader barely managed to shout in a breathless, wheezing voice.
“Is the Team Leader going to keel over at this rate?”
Someone’s joke drew muffled snickers across the room.
An unexpected departmental inspection by the President.
Everyone was carrying on with their work as if it were any other day, but the Team Leader was in full panic mode.
Of course, strictly speaking, it wasn’t just the Team Leader. Dan-a was on edge too.
Why is the President doing a department inspection?
And out of the blue like this?
She thought she would never have to see him face-to-face again. Why on earth were they crossing paths so soon—barely a day later?
Whatever, let’s just work.
If she buried herself among the other employees in the office, she wouldn’t even be noticeable anyway.
Just as she was about to take a sip of the coffee distributed by the secretarial office, someone caught hold of the cup.
Looking up, she saw Yi-heon, who had appeared out of nowhere, looking down at her.
Gasp!
“Good day, President!”
She sprang to her feet and bowed.
Leaning in slightly, he gave her a warm, familiar look.
“We meet again, Ms. Lee Dan-a. How is work? Any difficulties?”
“No, sir! Aside from every day being difficult, none at all!”
Crazy. Are you an idiot?
What are you even saying?
The look in his eyes seemed to shift into something peculiar.
“Haha… Meaning I’m working that hard…”
“You don’t need to push yourself too hard, so pace yourself and take care of your health. If anything is tough, tell me anytime.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you!”
…Every day is difficult?
What was that? Asking the President to lighten your workload?
Do you want him to fire you on the spot, Lee Dan-a?
While she was mentally flogging her own soul, he subtly swapped her coffee with the one in his hand, without anyone noticing. Then, passing by her, he went on to greet the other employees.
What? Why did he swap the coffees?
Could there be a coded message written on it like, ‘Idiots aren’t allowed to like me. I’ll fire you’?
That’s not even true—I don’t like the President. I’m already feeling wronged here.
She hurriedly popped open the lid of the swapped coffee.
Fortunately, there was no secret code on the front or the back of the lid.
Instead, unlike the Americanos everyone else received, this cup was brimming with whipped cream and lavish drizzles laced across the top like a spiderweb.
Before her eyes sat a cup of coffee so overwhelmingly sweet that just looking at it made one’s stomach churn.
Blood sugar spike → insulin surge → hypoglycemic shock!
Is this his way of saying… ‘Eat this and die for daring to like me’?
Could there be a code waiting at the bottom once I finish drinking…?
Ah, this must be that.
“I’ll repay you for the drinks soon.”
“Oh, no. You work so hard for the company, so consider it my treat.”
Thinking back, this was definitely repayment for the drinks she had bought in the break room.
Geez, I told him it was my treat. The President really is something.
He certainly believes in strict give-and-take.
“By the way, does he like sweet things?”
Taking a mindless sip of the coffee and setting it down, she felt an intense gaze. Yunseo was staring at her.
A smile she had seen plenty of times.
A smile whose meaning she knew all too well.
“Must be nice, our Dan-a. Getting to see your crush’s face right in the middle of work.”
Ugh. That’s not it. The person I like is…
She glanced toward Ji-hoon, who was sitting in the adjacent department.
What’s this? I was definitely in love with Han Jihoon just the other day, wasn’t I?
All of a sudden, those feelings felt like an ancient fossil.
Something definitely felt off.
What could it be? She didn’t know, but back to work.
Taking another sip of coffee, she stuck out her tongue at the intense sweetness before quickly refocusing on her work.
Yi-heon, who was greeting another employee, turned back to look at Dan-a.
Watching her work so diligently, the corner of his lips curved upward.
