“I’ll just take the sentiment, so let’s head to the restaurant now. I actually made the reservation while you were asleep, and we should probably get moving.”
Alexander declined gently so Yeon Yiseo wouldn’t feel awkward, then stepped closer to him and reached out. The scent that brushed the tip of Yiseo’s nose wasn’t pheromones—it was Alexander’s own natural scent. His large hand softly stroked the side of Yiseo’s head like he was gently smoothing it down.
That simple touch made Yeon Yiseo’s heart jolt violently.
“…Sir?”
“Just stay still.”
He didn’t know why Alexander was doing this all of a sudden, but the touch felt so pleasant that he didn’t pull back. Nor did he say anything to stop him. It was like he finally understood why cats purr when you pet them.
Wherever Alexander’s gaze lingered, it felt warmer, and Yiseo’s heart pounded so loud he feared Alexander might hear it. It thudded inside him like a bass speaker turned all the way up. And it wasn’t just from surprise. No one—no matter how dense—could miss what this meant.
“Your hair got messy while you were sleeping. …There, that’s better.”
“…Ah.”
So that’s all it was. Alexander’s gentle touch had no special meaning—he was simply helping tidy him up.
Looking straight at Yeon Yiseo, Alexander gave a small nod and extended a hand as if to say, Let’s go. Yiseo tried to keep a calm expression, pushing down the racing of his heart.
But it was no use. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, that touch had made something absolutely clear—something he could no longer deny. The emotion that had existed in vague form now took on a definite shape.
He liked Alexander.
Not just in the general sense that he was a good person. He liked Alexander, specifically.
From the very first time they met to now, everything Alexander had shown him—it made it impossible not to fall for such an attractive man. He wasn’t just a blessed extreme-dominant Alpha; he was also kind, warm, and considerate. Anyone who met him would feel a sense of affection. Yeon Yiseo had, too.
Like a hammer cracking open a shell, the feelings burst through. The moment he recognized what they were, they swelled uncontrollably—like popcorn exploding in a pan, his emotions grew and grew. Just from realizing how he felt, his face turned hot.
He knew—he knew—that Alexander was completely out of his league. But even so, what was the harm in liking him? It wasn’t like he expected anything in return. It wasn’t because Alexander was the CEO of Scott Industries.
And yet… Yeon Yiseo stopped there.
Can I really say with confidence that I like him without any conditions?
He didn’t know. He couldn’t say that his feelings were somehow purer or more noble than anyone else’s.
“Do you like it?”
“…Pardon?”
Lost in his thoughts, Yiseo snapped back to reality at the sound of Alexander’s voice.
He stopped in his tracks the moment they stepped out of the CEO’s office.
So that’s what the table replacement had meant.
The reception area now had entirely new tables and chairs. On top of that, a massive floral arrangement now sat in the middle—something that definitely hadn’t been there before. The flowers were so large and lush that even wrapping both arms around the bouquet wouldn’t be enough. A towering vase held the elaborate display, and the fragrance of all the different blooms transformed the very atmosphere of the space.
“Pretty good for something I had installed on a whim, right?”
“Y-yes… It goes really well with the rest of the reception area.”
Yeon Yiseo could only mumble out a dazed response.
Spotlights had been installed around the vase, making the flowers appear even more vibrant and eye-catching.
But his reaction didn’t stop at awe or appreciation. His emotions were far more tangled than that. Nothing had been wrong with the previous setup—nothing broken, nothing outdated—and yet, all of this had been changed for him. It was hard to believe.
He couldn’t help but start calculating how much something like this might cost. And just as he was doing that, Alexander spoke again.
“I changed everything in the secretary’s office as well. I hope you like that too.”
“…What?”
Yeon Yiseo slowly turned his head toward him.
“Everything in the secretary’s office, too?”
“Yes. Consider it part of staff benefits. And if I’m going to give the whole team a day off, I need something of that scale to make it convincing, don’t you think?”
Alexander gave a wink as if he was tossing the last part in lightly—but Yeon Yiseo could tell that was probably the main reason.
He hadn’t wanted anyone to see Yiseo leaving his office. So this whole absurd situation had been orchestrated for that one purpose—even though it had been Yiseo’s fault for falling asleep so deeply in the first place.
It made Yeon Yiseo wonder why Alexander would go this far.
Anyone else would’ve thought the same.
Just because someone’s rich doesn’t mean they throw money around thoughtlessly. It’s precisely because they know the value of money that they’re able to amass so much of it. Alexander was far beyond just “rich,” but he wouldn’t be an exception to that rule. He wouldn’t spend this much on just anyone.
There’s no such thing as pure, selfless generosity—not as far as Yeon Yiseo knew. But with Alexander, he couldn’t find any ulterior motive.
Alexander already had everything. What could he possibly want from someone like Yiseo?
Why go to such lengths? What could Yiseo possibly give him in return?
“…Do you not like it?”
“Wha—? No, it’s not that… I just… I’m sorry. I don’t even know what to say.”
He was being honest. When something truly shocking happens, your brain can go blank—and that’s exactly what had happened to Yeon Yiseo.
After looking around the space again, he finally managed to speak.
“I just don’t understand why you would do all this for me.”
His voice echoed softly in the quiet room.
Alexander raised an eyebrow, but looked anything but troubled.
“That’s the part I don’t understand. I simply decided that this was something I could do for you, Yeon Yiseo.”
He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. And those words settled deep into Yiseo’s chest.
He wiggled his fingers awkwardly, unable to hide how touched he felt.
“…Thank you, sir.”
“Hm? For what? This kind of thing just improves how people see me as a boss.”
He brushed it off like it was nothing—but both of them knew it wasn’t.
“Still… thank you.”
Yeon Yiseo didn’t contradict him. He simply repeated the thanks.
Alexander chose not to argue it further.
“Well then, I’m starving. Shall we go?”
He urged Yeon Yiseo forward.
They got into the elevator and started heading down to the underground parking lot. Somewhere along the way, Alexander finally broke the brief silence.
“If it’s okay with you… could I overlay my pheromones now?”
He still had that same gentle smile on his face.
“It’s not exactly pleasant having another Alpha’s scent clinging to you. Especially when it’s pheromone marking.”
“…I see. Yes, it’s fine.”
Yeon Yiseo didn’t really know what pheromone marking felt like, so he couldn’t say—but for Alexander, it must’ve been different.
“It’s like constantly smelling the wrong kind of perfume. I hope you understand.”
“I do.”
Hearing the added explanation, Yiseo nodded without hesitation.
If it was like Alexander described, it really did sound uncomfortable.
They reached the first basement level and stepped out of the elevator. Alexander gently tugged Yeon Yiseo closer.
Their bodies were just barely touching. Being so near made Yiseo tense instinctively. It felt like he could smell more of Alexander’s natural scent than the pheromones themselves.
Pheromone markings were only perceptible to other trait-bearers, so Yiseo couldn’t sense it. In contrast, extreme-dominant Alphas—like Seo Eunwoo—could detect markings left by others. But for someone like Yiseo, that didn’t apply.
“All done?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Alexander smiled, and Yiseo quickly looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
Once they were both in the car, the driver smoothly pulled out of the garage.
“Where are we going, by the way?”
“To a rooftop bar called Nouvelle Rouge. Ever heard of it?”
“Mm… No, I haven’t.”
“It’s at the Ritz-Carlton NoMad. Let’s check it out. I think you’ll really like it.”
Yeon Yiseo nodded. “Alright.”
But now that he’d acknowledged how he felt about Alexander, even his tone of voice sounded unbearably sweet.
‘You’ll like it too’—that meant Alexander liked it himself.
The idea that he’d take Yeon Yiseo to a place he liked and expect him to enjoy it too… it all sounded so intimate and charming.
Before, he might’ve written it off as just another example of Alexander’s polite way of speaking. But now?
Now, even his words made Yiseo’s heart flutter.
Trying not to give anything away, he simply replied, “I see,” and looked down at the back of his hand.
