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seol watched carefully as he ate with eagerness. it was more than obvious the man had starved the past days, he ate as if he hadn't eaten in months.

"aren't you hungry?" he asked with a mouthful of lettuce. seol contained a laugh since he looked like a bunny with his cheeks full of lettuce. she wanted to remain tough and wanted to give off a i-haven't-forget-what-you-did-to-me vibe. 

she didn't want to give in so easily, in fact, at the moment she didn't know if she could ever. 

"not really but thanks." she simply said as she stood from the chair and started collected the now empty plates. he cleaned his lips with a napkin and stared at her carefully as she moved around the kitchen. 

when she started doing the dishes he appeared next to her and leaned backwards on the kitchen counter, next to her. 

seol felt his intense gaze on her. she glanced at him and found him not even flinching, focused on her. "sajangnim... what are you doing?"

"just looking at you." he immediately answered. it wasn't a witty comeback or a sarcastic remark. it was plain and honest, it was the true. 

seol returned her eyes to the dishes and mumbled. "it's kinda creepy."

"i heard that." he answered tilting his head, with his eyes still on her. "why do you do it then?" seol was focused on the dishes, and didn't turn to him. she didn't want to give in in whatever game he seemed to be playing. 

"it makes me feel calmed and comfortable." 

seol's eyes met with his. his eye shone in a light gray color she had never seen before, it looked like cat eyes. she swallowed hard at the intimidating view and quickly returned to the dishes.

"but it's not comfortable for me sajangnim." 

after a few seconds, he finally sighed. "arasseo... mianhae." he said standing straight and walking away from the scene. 

for a second seol felt disappointed. it was kind of creepy but somehow she was now missing the attention. 

she heard him walking out of the kitchen and then his steps faded away. 

quickly she put the dishes back in the places where she got them, and dried her hands with the kitchen rag, thinking about what to do next. 

the ceo's soft voice came from the living room. she entered the scene and noticed his broad back facing her in the distance, as he stared at the city through the tall windows. 

"there's no need for that ahjussi." she heard him saying. soon she noticed he was holding his phone and was in the middle of a call. 

she didn't want to disturb him but she was curious about it, so quietly she walked towards the living room and stood in a corner, waiting patiently for him to finish. 

"i understand but i am perfectly fine now... and seol is here." 

her eyes widened at the sudden mention of her name. "yeah i will. thank you ahjussi." he said ending the call. 

the ceo soon noticed seol's reflection on the glassy window and turned around, pulling his phone inside his pockets. 

"uh- that was... mr. noh... i called him." he said pointing at his phone. 

"oh- i completely forgot to call him-

"it's alright. i already talked to him. everything's fine." 

seol nodded. "it's so sad he has to end his vacation earlier than expected- seol started but kihyun shook his head.

"aniya. he's not coming, i told him i am fine and there's no need for him to come earlier." 

she seemed surprised over the ceo's statement. she never imagined he'd do such a thing. "that's... nice of you." 

he flashed a sad smile, that kind of pressed-lips smile and walked towards her with his hands inside his pockets. she felt the usual nerves growing as he approached her. 

she wanted to avoid him by all means because she knew she was weak when it came to him, so she quickly took a step back, glancing at him with big eyes.

he stopped on his tracks and sighed. the ceo looked tired and even disappointed that it was obvious seol didn't want to be close to him, he noticed.

"you should take a bath and go to sleep now sajangnim." seol's words came out in a kind of nervous yet soft tone. it wasn't a command, it was more like a suggestion. 

kihyun glanced at her with sad eyes and finally nodded. "arasseo... i'll do." he said swallowing and walking slowly towards the hallway but then he stopped and turned to look at her.

"are you bossing me around?" seol looked at him confused. "i am not... or maybe i am? it doesn't matter, just take a bath and change into fresh clothes."

"where will you be?"

"what do you care?"

"why are you treating me like this? i thought you forgave me miss ha."

"i did forgive you, otherwise i wouldn't be here."

"then what's wrong?"

"i haven't forget it so you stick with this or i can just leave-

"aniya!" he exclaimed with widened eyes, hands almost trembling. he was clearly shaken over the idea of seol leaving.

"i'll take that bath... just... stay around." he said moving his hands slowly as if he was trying to calm her down. he left to his bedroom, glancing several times at her, as he hit his head with the door for not being looking ahead. 

seol supressed a laugh at his clumsiness. she had never seen him acting like this before and now she couldn't help but wonder if he had been acting cool and fancy when they were in the contract relationship. 

her face changed as she remembered the words "contract relationship" and she soon started feeling sad. 

as she took a seat in one of the couches, she felt her phone ringing and as she pulled it out of her pocket, she realized it was jooheon calling.

taking a big deep breath, she answered the call.

"yah... where are you?"

"jooheon-ah... i told you yesterday-

"you're still with him? what the fuck seol?"

"calm down, you're upset-

"of course i am upset? i don't get it. get your ass back home right now, i won't tell you this twice-

"jooheon-ah... i can't do it right now-

"what!? what do you mean with you can't do it right now? are you serious?"

"something happened-

"and?"

"and he... needs me." 

she felt stupid for admitting this to jooheon before explaining everything. she knew how it would sound but she didn't want to explain everything that happened over the phone while she was at the ceo's house.

"he... needs you? this has to be a joke right? very funny seol, now come home right now or i'll come to get you."

"i can't go right now, please trust me, i'll explain in the morning."

"i can't believe you... how of a fool you are seol?"

"jooheon-ah..."

"i'll give you an hour, if you don't come home in an hour i am coming to get you or i'll call your father and i'll tell him everything, your choice-

she felt the ceo's presence as it caught the corner of her eye, she noticed him walking out of his bedroom, a small towel on his hand as he dried his hair.

"what the fuck is wrong with you, how can you be with him right now after what he did to you-

"please don't... there's no need, okay? i'll see you later." she whispered as she quickly ended the phone call. the ceo arrived her side as he looked at her with confused eyes. 

he stopped for a second, standing in front of her. "is everything okay?" he asked. 

seol didn't want to talk about jooheon with him right now. instead she just glanced at him and realized he looked better now, color back on his cheeks and he looked surprisingly less tired.

she felt relief at the sight and couldn't help but feel endeared at the view of the ceo with informal clothes. it'd always hit her, it'd always have an effect on her since she was always used to see him in fancy suits.

he was barefoot, wearing a pair of dark gray pajama shorts and a long sleeved cotton sweater. his silver hair was wet and a bit tousled around. 

"yeah everything's fine."

"who was that?" he was curious.

she wanted to stop lying since she's been doing it for so long, especially since she met him. even though she was avoiding to talk about him, she admitted with some effort. "jooheon." 

he frowned but still seemed a bit lost. "he doesn't want me to be here."

"you told him everything?"

"i had no other choice... and i kind of  wanted to." the ceo stared at her with a serious face, but seemed more worried than angered.

"so... i guess i am not his cup of tea." he put the small towel on his shoulder and crossed his arms on his chest. 

seol noticed how his eyes would bore into her lips now and then, he'd softly bite his own but he'd quickly return his eyes to hers.

"i guess you're not, sajangnim." 

he nodded as if he was acknowledging this. "you should get some sleep now." seol motioned towards his room. he looked at her confused.

for a second he seemed almost sad because she was sending him to sleep. he couldn't help but wonder if his presence upsetted her still. 

"alright." he agrees and started walking towards his room but then he stopped and turned to look at her.

"is everything okay?" she asked crossing her arms on her chest.

"yeah... where are you sleeping?"

seol opened her mouth but quickly shut it. she didn't know if she should tell kihyun the truth. she couldn't spend the night there but earlier he almost freaked out when she said she wouldn't stay.

his eyes looked clearer, a beautiful glassy light gray tone, and he was looking at her unconsciously, like a puppy. he looked like a little kid lost. 

but as she saw him, looking so helpless she couldn't lie to him. "sajangnim... i'll stay until you fall asleep then i am returning home-

"why? you said you would stay." his face was a poem. he looked shocked.

seol swallowed hard. "i know-

suddenly he walked towards her and stood right in front of her. he looked for her eyes with eagerness. "please, stay." 

she felt her lower lip trembling and the familiar nervous feeling, temples throbbing. "i- i... alright." she finally nodded. 

"thank you." he simply said with a reassuring nod and turned to walk back to his room, glancing now and then at her. 

"there are many rooms in here, you can sleep in whichever you like... because i know you won't sleep in mine." he whispered the last sentence but still seol managed to hear it. 

"living room will be just fine, thanks." 

"okay." he nodded, a genuine soft smile appearing on his lips. "good night... and thanks, for everything." 

before seol could say anything, he disappeared inside his room. 

she sighed in relief as she sat in one of the couches. 

the pent had a different vibe for she has seen a different side of the ceo, one she never thought he would have and she was extremely confused, she didn't know what were these feelings, but she was starting to feel warm again at the sight of him. 

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