Hidden Motives || Chae Hyungwon

[ thirty-one ]

Baek Ha Rim

i looked around the paintings hung inside the restaurant as ceo yoo had excused himself for a while to take a call. we had just finished our dinner so the employees were in the kitchen, cleaning up or taking a break before they closed the restaurant for tonight.

i was all alone, enjoying serenity and taking my time to appreciate art.

"i'm back." i heard ceo yoo's voice as he entered the restaurant and walked towards my direction.

i turned to look at him standing right beside me, giving him a welcoming smile.

"did you enjoy our dinner?" he asked.

"i had fun, kihyun-ssi. it was nice getting to know you and just sharing a hearty meal together." i affirmed him.

"how about breakfast and lunch in the dining area?"

"the food was amazing. i ate very well." i answered again.

"of course. i saw you finishing your breakfast very well. it made me happy to see." he flashed a smile of satisfaction.

"are you blatantly admitting that you've been watching me eat, kihyun-ssi?"

"well, this morning, i also saw you being escorted by a man to the dining area. who was he? do you perhaps have a boyfriend, ha rim-ssi?" he started to ask me again.

now he was interested in changkyun.

"ah, no.. that was just my childhood friend. he apparently wanted to experience a stay in this hotel too, so he accompanied me here. i'm not taken at all, kihyun-ssi." i explained calmly.

i observed the way kihyun's face changed and i noticed a sense of relief. he seemed uplifted the moment i was able to clear out the relationship i had with changkyun.

"have you been watching me a lot, kihyun-ssi?" i tried to get him to admit again.

"and you? it all started from your eyes looking at me, ha rim-ssi. i was interested the moment i saw how you gazed at me during the party from a distance. what were you thinking of during that time?"

i started to recall the night of the anniversary celebration which made my lips curve up into a smirk.

"i didn't mean to gaze at you. but i guess.. i was just amazed at the sight of two cousins who were successful ceos standing beside each other. you particularly looked dashing in your white tuxedo and you just happened to catch me looking at you in the perfect moment."

"you looked elegant in your black dress that night, too. if i wasn't attracted the moment i laid my eyes on you, i wouldn't have approached. although it was a pity that you weren't in your best condition that night, carrying you in my arms and watching you sleep made my heart flutter."

ceo yoo and i looked into each other's eyes and exchanged a smile. i was secretly amused of how easy he was. i didn't know if he was a hopeless romantic inside, but what i knew for sure was that love that burned too fast doesn't usually last.

that's exactly why he's seen as a casanova. he catches and loses interest too quickly, so i needed to make the most of my time while i'm still valuable to him.

"anyway, were you looking at this painting?" he asked, referring to the painting right in front of us.

"yes, i find it beautiful. i guess i'm intrigued and fascinated by the paintings here. i do not know much about art, but i do enjoy appreciating them and trying to decipher what the artist was trying to convey, and what thoughts or emotions the artworks evoke in me."