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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Strike While the Iron is Hot
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Does that mean you're taking me to a movie since I said I like them?
As Yi Yeon gazed at him, trying to read his intentions, An Do Hyun looked embarrassed and stared at an innocent trash can in the corner.
It was better if he didn't look her way.
Her face probably looked like a ripe tomato right now.
"I love the idea. When should we go?"
Yi Yeon asked An Do Hyun, half expectant, half thrilled.
Where's a theater around here? What time should I book? Gotta check the schedule.
Yi Yeon hummed to herself inwardly as she picked up a notepad and pen.
After staring at the corner for a long while, An Do Hyun finally shifted his gaze to Yi Yeon.
"Strike while the iron is hot and yank it out."
He meant today.
Come to think of it, shouldn't he have asked if she had plans first? He assumed she didn't?
"Can we pull that iron out a little slower?"
Yi Yeon needed time to prepare. She couldn't do much about her face, but she wanted to put more thought into her outfit.
'What should I wear?'
If she'd known this was coming, she would've bought something. What clothes did she even have at home?
She was mulling it over when—strike while the iron is hot!
"Why? Don't wanna do it right away?"
Yi Yeon glanced down at the awkward suit draped over her.
Even her wig felt dry and frizzy today—not in great shape.
"No, you're right. The iron's best pulled when it's hot!"
Yi Yeon forced an awkward smile.
She'd realized her worries were a bit off.
She dressed like this on purpose. Since when did she care about her clothes? An Do Hyun wouldn't care anyway.
"Vice President, any movie you've been wanting to see?"
Yi Yeon's eyes sparkled brightly.
She hoped for a specific answer. It'd be great if he named that movie.
After a pause, An Do Hyun looked at Yi Yeon and chuckled lowly, as if amused.
"Any movie you've been wanting to see?"
"I like them all!"
Sparkle, sparkle.
An Do Hyun's lips curved up wide too, excited about the movie or something.
"Isn't there a new horror flick out?"
Yi Yeon's brow furrowed then relaxed.
Horror was her least favorite genre.
"Probably not?"
I don't want to watch it. Horror movie.
"Mystery's good too."
Yi Yeon thought she'd misheard. She couldn't even respond.
Mystery?
We're doomed.
"What was that new one? It was sci-fi."
Yi Yeon jumped in with a quick reply, as if she'd been waiting.
The predetermined answer had finally arrived.
"I know the title! I'll book that one! Can I pick dinner too?"
"Do whatever you want."
Back at her desk, Yi Yeon fiddled with her phone, thrilled at the thought of watching a movie after so long.
⋮
Monday felt like it was flying by relatively quickly.
Summer meant long days.
An Do Hyun and Yi Yeon headed straight to a restaurant for dinner after work.
"This is the menu Yu Secretary wanted?"
Tongs in his right hand, hot pot bowl in his left, An Do Hyun pressed close to Yi Yeon and asked.
"Yes, mala tang. This place is a total hidden gem."
Yi Yeon deftly maneuvered the tongs, piling bean sprouts, Chinese vermicelli, cabbage, and more generously into the hot pot bowl.
She was loading it so full it'd burst her stomach. An Do Hyun blankly watched Yi Yeon pile it in without hesitation.
"Vice President, add whatever you want. Want me to do it for you?"
Growing impatient as An Do Hyun hesitated, Yi Yeon snatched the bowl and started filling it herself.
She carefully selected the freshest ingredients, meticulously filling An Do Hyun's bowl.
An Do Hyun couldn't tear his eyes from Yi Yeon, who was being even more careful with his than her own.
'What's with all the caution over this?'
His lips kept twitching upward as he watched Yi Yeon pick up the enoki mushrooms, claiming they were last.
He couldn't suppress the smile creeping up.
Why does this look so cute?
"Done! Just weigh it here."
An Do Hyun's chest tickled.
"Add some kung pao chicken too."
Not content with just the extras, even kung pao. Bold order.
"No cream shrimp?"
He wanted to order everything she craved. Even if her stomach burst, he'd eat it with her.
"I'm not that much of a pig."
'I see.'
An Do Hyun, seated, checked the number on the display and fetched the food.
"Kung pao chicken is a must with mala tang. Looks delicious."
After a hearty "Let's eat," Yi Yeon picked up some greens, scooped a bit of broth, and swiftly brought it to her mouth.
Not just for show—she ate with real gusto.
Starving, perhaps, she chewed nonstop with small bites.
Watching her, An Do Hyun's eyes kept drifting to her lips reddening from the mala spice.
Yi Yeon never seemed to wear lipstick. Her smiling lips, now plump and red, caught him off guard.
Enough. Gotta stop staring. An Do Hyun focused on his mala tang.
"Movie time's almost up. We gotta head up!"
With full bellies, the two headed to the theater in the same building.
"It's the number one pre-sold ticket right now. It's gotta be fun—popular stuff always has a reason."
Yi Yeon looked happy, maybe from the full stomach or the movie ahead.
An Do Hyun fought the urge to smile along with her crinkling eyes.
No idea why her happiness lifted his mood too.
"Popcorn faction?"
"What's that mean?"
An Do Hyun had figured iced americanos would quench their thirst.
"You're eating popcorn?"
"No, for the movie—are you popcorn faction, nacho faction? Or squid?"
"No option for 'pass'?"
"Of course not. You go to theaters to eat while watching. For the record, I'm nacho faction over popcorn."
She meant nachos.
⋮
The two entered the screening room with two iced americanos and a nacho platter.
Yi Yeon felt oddly nervous sitting right next to An Do Hyun.
Maybe it was her imagination, but the seats were closer than expected.
'Can I even focus on the movie?'
Sigh.
Yi Yeon let out a soft breath.
'Does the Vice President even notice me?'
His posture looked way too relaxed, back fully against the seat.
He could even snore like that.
To clear her head, Yi Yeon decided to focus on the nachos first.
She had to endure the ads until the movie started.
Yi Yeon eyed the nachos on An Do Hyun's hand.
"Vice President, let me hold the nachos. Hand them over."
"Nah. I'll hold it—focus on eating."
She'd asked because she thought she'd eat more comfortably holding it herself, but An Do Hyun refused.
Holding it so she wouldn't feel awkward?
"Alright then…."
Too awkward to insist, Yi Yeon quietly dipped and ate nachos from his hold.
Soon, the movie began.
Absorbed before she knew it, Yi Yeon kept her eyes glued to the screen.
But unable to give up the nachos, she reached out habitually.
Her hand swiped air, then found the spot—only for a slick sensation on her finger.
Disaster.
She'd dipped her finger in the nacho sauce like a chip.
Yi Yeon yanked her cheese-coated finger out.
'Oh no. Wiping it off wastes sauce. And crinkling a wet wipe would annoy people.'
Yi Yeon reached for the nachos again.
She'd grab one casually and eat it with the sauce off her finger.
But again, no nacho. Instead, another texture.
What's this squishy thing? Did we get squid?
Yi Yeon followed her finger with her eyes.
Her hand was pressing firmly into An Do Hyun's palm, which held the nachos, smearing sauce everywhere.
She'd lingered too long identifying the squish, so his hand was now sauce-covered too.
Then, An Do Hyun's face from beside her drew close to her ear and whispered.
"Move your hand."
Yi Yeon flinched at his breath tickling her ear.
The woody scent of his cologne wafted subtly into her nose, sinking straight to her heart.
It was always faint, a familiar scent—but tonight it teased her senses specially.
Ugh, not the time to notice scents. Snap out of it.
"Vice President, sorry. I'll clean it up quick."
One hand on the nachos must be uncomfortable—he needed wiping ASAP.
Yi Yeon finally grabbed a wet wipe, unfolded it carefully for wiping.
Unaware of surroundings from his closeness earlier, now mindful of others, she relied on the screen's glow to move cautiously.
Yi Yeon held An Do Hyun's wrist with one hand, rubbing the orange cheese sauce—splattered like paint—off his hand with the other.
His hands were rough like their owner.
From workouts, maybe.
Firm, large—unmistakably masculine.
'His hands are warm—no Raynaud's….'
Before she knew it, Yi Yeon was scrutinizing every inch of his palm.
All her senses focused on his fingertips. The movie's sound buzzed distantly in her ears.
To wipe the palm, Yi Yeon flipped his hand.
As she pressed, his fingers naturally curled inward.
Ticklish?
Their hands stayed stuck together.
Vice President, you're awfully quiet.
Yi Yeon glanced briefly at the obediently still An Do Hyun.
Expecting him movie-focused, he was staring at the hand she was wiping.
'Am I taking too long?'
Suddenly, An Do Hyun wrapped his hand around hers.
Before she could react, he placed her hand aside.
"Palm's clean."
True. She'd idiotically wiped areas without sauce too.
Why not say so sooner? Why just watch me wipe blankly?
Was he staring—or glaring?
She felt like a total fool.
