Chapter 31. An Unfamiliar Sensation (1)

Translator: Lili

Sera had once been mocked for eating alone in the company cafeteria. In response, she made a point to dine there even more frequently. The food was of good quality, and its proximity to her office made it a convenient choice.

Taking a spoonful of the steaming hot stew, she let out a quiet sound of appreciation.

“Our company’s cafeteria seems to be particularly good at Korean food.”

“Yes, Vice President. It certainly seems that way.”

The executive sitting across from her nodded obediently.

“Especially this soft tofu stew. It suits my taste perfectly.”

‘Didn’t she once say it tasted like cheap, low-quality junk?’

The executive found it odd but wasn’t foolish enough to voice his thoughts.

At some point, Sera Shin had completely changed. From her work ethic to her taste in food, everything about her seemed different. The sudden shift didn’t quite make sense, but as long as she performed well, it didn’t matter. Even if another soul had taken over her body, so be it.

After finishing her meal, Sera returned to her office in high spirits. Sitting at the secretary’s desk outside was Lee Jiyoung, who informed her of an unexpected visitor.

“Vice President Lee Rowoon is here?”

“Yes, he’s waiting inside.”

‘What the hell does that bastard want?’

Frowning in curiosity, Sera pushed open the office door. Lee Rowoon, seated on the sofa, lazily lifted his gaze. His eyes carried the usual arrogance, a look that regarded others as beneath him.

‘So he even looks down on people when he comes to their space.’

Annoyed, Sera walked past him as if he were invisible.

“What’s your game lately?”

Her steps halted abruptly. Lee Rowoon had risen from his seat and approached her. Turning around, she raised a questioning brow.

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you suddenly acting out of character and irritating people?”

Feigning confusion, Sera pretended not to understand. But she had to clench her hands tightly behind her back to keep from laughing. If not for the sharp pain of her nails digging into her palm, she might have burst into laughter right then.

Finally.

The moment she had been waiting for had arrived.

Lee Rowoon had noticed her. He had grown so conscious of her that he had come to her, on his own. This was the first shift in their dynamic.

Sera had deliberately ignored Lee Rowoon while subtly provoking him. Fear leads to caution, but caution leads to curiosity—and curiosity was what could alter the course of their relationship.

She wanted him to wonder about her. She wanted his attention. And now, it had come sooner than expected.

“What did I even do? Oh, wait…”

Feigning realization, Sera stepped closer. Lee Rowoon instinctively moved back, but she was faster.

“…!”

Without warning, she grabbed his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise. Caught off guard, he lost his balance slightly, his upper body tilting forward. Sera took full advantage, leaning in to whisper against his ear.

“Does it bother you that I’m cozying up to the chairman? Is it so unbearable to watch me struggle to achieve something?”

Her voice carried the same mocking tone he had once used on her. She felt his shoulder tense under her palm.

“I’m just doing as you warned me—trying to live properly. Why does that bother you? Back when I was being beaten down, all I got were insults about disgracing the family. Now that I’m trying to change, what’s your problem?”

With that, she shoved him away. Lee Rowoon staggered slightly, his face rigid as if she had slapped him.

“So stop meddling and get out.”

Declaring her dismissal, Sera turned her back on him. For a moment, Lee Rowoon stood frozen, but then he stepped forward, blocking her path. His expression, now recovered from the flicker of guilt, had reverted to its usual cold smirk.

“Bringing up the past, huh? Did you actually think I’d feel bad about that day? Is that why you keep poking at me—”

“As if I’d ever expect that. Don’t be ridiculous.”

Her immediate retort made him press his lips together. Amused, she curved her lips into a smirk.

“Or wait—could it be that you actually felt guilty?”

Lee Rowoon’s expression stiffened.

Sera finally let out the laugh she had been holding back. At the sound of her blatant ridicule, his gaze turned icy.

Guilt for Sera Shin? That was absolute nonsense.

The only reason she had been on his mind was because he was wary of whatever scheme she was cooking up. Maybe he had felt a fleeting, general sense of sympathy when he had seen her humiliated at the Raum Group party. But that was all. Even if she had suffered worse, he wouldn’t have felt anything beyond that.

It was just that—occasionally, she came to mind. The accidental glimpse of her tears. The loneliness she had revealed for just a second, a loneliness that wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to him.

That was it.

“You’re seriously delusional. At this point, you should see a doctor.”

Regaining control of his emotions, Lee Rowoon sneered. Without hesitation, he turned to leave. He would have walked out—if Sera hadn’t grabbed his shirt and yanked him back.

“Fuck, what now—”

His words cut off as Sera, gripping his collar, declared in an unwavering voice:

“Liar. You do care about me.”

“…”

“You’re kinder than you want to admit, Lee Rowoon.”

He needed to deny it. But his brain stalled, and his lips refused to move. That silence—whether he realized it or not—was an answer in itself. Sera’s smile deepened.

“Even if you hate me, you must have felt a little sorry for me. Maybe I even grew on you?”

Lee Rowoon was usually adept at concealing his emotions, but at this moment, he had no idea what expression he was making. The sensation of her body pressing against his, the mingling of their scents—it was too real.

Discomfort. Lee Rowoon defined his state that way. He told himself his body had frozen because the situation of Shin Sera clinging to him was simply unbearable.

But… was it only discomfort?

It was strange. She was a woman who used to make his skin crawl just by entering his sight, yet now, an unfamiliar sensation overwhelmed him. Not long ago, even the slightest brush of her fingertips had been so repulsive he couldn’t stand it. But now… why…?

The scent lingering around her was sweet, and the warmth radiating from her body was… pleasant. His stomach twisted in rejection, yet he couldn’t bring himself to push her away. It was as if his entire body had been bound by invisible ropes.

“Lee Rowoon, what do you think? Do you think this relationship…”

Reading his inner turmoil, Sera curved her lips into a soft smile—one he had never seen on her before.

“… has room for improvement?”

Sugary sweetness laced her voice, and the hand gripping his shirt subtly pressed against the skin hidden beneath the thin fabric.

For the first time in his life, Lee Rowoon had no idea how to react. He should have been disgusted. He should have rejected her outright. But something else lurked beneath that discomfort—something so foreign it left him parched.