Chasing Perfection || Lee Know

The Pieces fall into Place

The next morning, Hyejin arrived earlier than usual. She wanted to focus on her cooking without any interruptions—or so she hoped. As she unpacked her groceries, the sound of soft footsteps behind her made her pause.

Turning around, she was startled to find none other than Lee Minho standing in the doorway, dressed casually but still exuding an intimidating air.

"Lee Minho?" Hyejin asked with surprise lacing her voice
Why are you here?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "It's my house. Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Hyejin froze. "So you're my mystery employer?" she asked, a flicker of realization crossing her face. "This whole time, I was cooking for you?"

Lee Know's lips curled into a small, amused smile. "Surprised?"

Her heart raced, but she quickly masked it with annoyance. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

He chuckled, stepping further into the kitchen. "Did you really think I'd announce myself every time I walked into my own house?"

Her eyes narrowed as she turned back to her counter, determined not to let her shock show. "I didn't expect you to, but a little warning would've been nice."

Lee Know leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, his gaze never leaving her. "I could say the same about you. But here you are, uninvited, taking over my kitchen at dawn."

"Why would I?" she retorted, her voice sharp. "For all I knew, I was cooking for some random person. Not the CEO who was hiding behind the name of his assistant."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not hiding."

"Yeah, well, you're still doing a damn good job of it." She quickly turned back to her task, trying to regain some semblance of control.

Lee Know watched her for a moment longer, his amusement still evident. "You always were good at pretending things didn't bother you."

Hyejin shot him a sideways glance, irritated by his calm demeanor. "I'm not pretending anything, Lee Minho. I just don't have time for your games."

He smirked. "Games? You really think I'm here to mess with you?"

Hyejin shot him a sideways glance, her tone sharp. "I don't know and for all I don't care, I'm here because I have a job to do. Unlike some people, I don't have the luxury of lounging around."

He smirked. "And yet, for someone with so much to prove, you left this behind."

She turned fully this time, confused, until she saw the recipe card in his hand. Her eyes widened.

"You—why do you have that?" she demanded.

"You left it here," he said nonchalantly, placing it on the counter between them. "Recognized the handwriting instantly. It took me back, you know. High school bake sales, arguments about who made the better dessert... you always insisted you were the best."

Her grip tightened on the spatula. "So, what? You came down here to remind me of that?"

"You think I care enough about that?" he asked, his voice softening with mockery. "No, I came down to ask how someone with so much ego back then ended up here, cooking for me of all people."

Hyejin froze, his words striking a nerve. She turned to face him, her expression icy. "What?"

"You heard me," he said, his voice calm but cutting. "I mean, isn't this a little ironic? The girl who couldn't even be my friend because her pride got in the way is now in my kitchen, working for me."