"Yes," Kim Seungwoo smiled at CEO Seo. "We. Have. A. Great. Bond. Are you envious?"
CEO Seo grinned back at Seungwoo and said, "I'm envious. I wish we were as close too."
I blinked my eyes twice as if doing that would actually make me hear what CEO Seo said earlier. I turned my head to look at Seungwoo's face, and his expression was somewhat in between the combination of disbelief and appalled at the same time. Turning my head in front of me to see CEO Seo's facial expression while wishing that he's not going to talk more about our history, he gave us a small laugh and tapped Seungwoo's left arm.
"Miss Li and I were in the same department when I was taking up my second course, creative writing." CEO Seo then turned to look at me and raised both of his eyebrows as if to confirm what he just said, "Right, Miss Li?"
"Y-yes," I stuttered. "We were both freshmen in the same course, but at that time, it was already CEO Seo's second course."
"Ah," Seungwoo replied, dropping formalities to the both of us. I gave him a small nudge on his stomach, and he let out a tiny voice to protest.
"I have to go to the marketing department now," CEO Seo excused himself to the both of us and walked ahead.
"Have a great day," I said as I slightly bowed my head down. I turned to glare at the person who was right next to me when I saw CEO Seo enter the marketing team's room. "Follow me."
"Mr. Kim," I spoke formally, as we arrived at the staircase of the fire exit on the fifth floor. "Why are you trying to pick a fight with the CEO earlier?"
"I am not," He tilted his head to the right and looked at me in the eye. "Why would you think I am trying to pick a fight with the CEO here?"
"Well, I don't know with you," I said, "You were the one who kept on being hostile with him, and I don't want you to become a tatter-tale in front of CEO Seo, okay?"
'Is it because you hate being enslaved by someone who's below you' was what I would like to ask, but I stopped myself from doing that. I mean. Seungwoo doesn't even know that I know his real identity as an undercover employee.
"It's because it seemed like he's always trying to do work unrelated actions with you," he replied.
"Why do you care if he's trying to do work unrelated actions to me?" I asked him, "And how do you know that it was him?"
"Well, he was the one who ate your homemade lunchbox for dinner last week, am I right? Isn't that unrelated to your work?"
I exhaled deeply. "That was because I hate being in debt, so I made that for CEO Seo. No malice. I mean," I paused for a while, trying to find the right words for this. "You also made me come to your house yesterday and make you some homemade food, right? That's also unrelated to my work." I pointed out, "So are you trying to do unrelated work actions with me too?"
He sighed, "You are missing out on my point here."
I felt slightly annoyed, crossed my arms, and shifted my weight to my left leg. "Enlighten me please, what am I missing out here, Mr. Kim?"
"I am a friend of yours, so it's okay," he muttered.
"Ah," I replied. "We're friends, so it's okay for you to be bossing me around?"
"No, I don't mean that."
"Then, what?"
"I'm just worried about what the other employees might think of you if you are too close with the CEO, but you are not dating,"
"All of the employees here know that the three of us, including Rina-sunbae, went to the same college, okay?" I rolled my eyes. "Don't fret,"
"I see," he replied shortly, and he was silent for a few moments.
"So, are you closer to CEO Seo than me?" He asked, "Don't you think we are closer? I mean, we are neighbors and have a great bond and relationship with each other."
"Does it matter who I'm closer with?" I sighed as I tried to express my disbelief by escaping this situation. "I'm going now. This conversation is not going anywhere."
He held my wrist to stop me from going anywhere, and I felt the warmth of his hand, "Aren't we as close as friends? I mean, you were worried about me when I was sick."
"Yes, I am, but let me ask you one thing." I smiled at him and wriggled my wrist out from his grasp. "Do you love me as a woman?"
He didn't respond.
"No, right? That's a no, Mr. Kim?" I clarified, "So, do you like CEO Seo as a man?"
"Why on Earth are you asking me that?"
"No, as well?" I gave him a small tap on his shoulder, "Okay, I understand. We are great friends and colleagues at the same time, but I did not come to your house yesterday and gave you some homemade food to be treated like a friend,"
He gazed at me like I was an alien talking to him. It didn't seem like we were speaking the same language. I have decided to give everything a go. He has always been giving me mixed signals, making me confused if he's interested in me the same way I am interested in him. Plus, I don't have a choice but to go for it. I mean, I have to make him fall in love with me to break my curse and achieve love in this life.
"So, you gave CEO Seo some homemade food because you also don't want to be treated like a friend by him?" He asked as he took a step towards me, bending himself slightly to meet my eyes. The fluorescent light illuminated a yellow light, giving my eyes a strenuous feeling. All I can focus on was how I would confirm the mermaid's tail and make him fall in love with me. "Are you trying to confuse men with your actions?"
"I told you that was only me settling my debt with him!" I retorted as I stomped my feet in frustration. "Are you seriously asking me that?"
"Aren't you settling your debt with me too?"
"Yes, but--"
"I like you as a friend, and you like me as a friend, the end." He said as he walked away from the staircase.