It's early in the morning and there are two guys sitting above a bed. They are looking at each other, face to face.

"You traitor. How could you kiss her after I confessed?" Dokyeom asked to his cousin.

"I told you it was to help her," Mingyu explained.

"Liar. You like her too!" Dokyeom shouted, glaring at him like an angry cute puppy.

So Mingyu sighed and just tell the truth. "Okay. I do. So what? How long do you have a crush on her?"

"7 months. 7 long months!" Dokyeom proudly answered while even showing his 7 fingers.

Mingyu smirked and said, "I've been liking her for two years."

The proud Dokyeom stopped for a bit. The he stuttered, "How long it is doesn't m-matter!"

"Exactly," Mingyu nodded. "Then who confessed first between us doesn't matter too."

"No!" He shouted again.

"Hey. Can you stop shouting? This is my room and my bed. Go out," Mingyu complained, crossing his arms.

"Pervert," Dokyeom whispered.

"Who? Me?" Mingyu pointed himself.

"Yes you! Kissing her like that. What a pervert. Tss."

"Look who's talking. What about you? You watched her footage, when she was changing clothes inside your office."

"Oh? How did you know about that? Don't tell me... you knew that she wasn't wearing her bra that day? A real pervert! You were looking at her body that much that's why you noticed it."

"Then how about you who paused the meeting just to give her brand new undergarments? Did you just look her the way I did?"

"It's not being pervert. I was a gentleman. But you... you are a pervert."

"Woah. What a biased way of thinking. You idiot."

"Who is idiot?!"

"You! Telling her to date you just because you are the CEO!"

"If I am an idiot what about you?! Kissing her as an excuse of helping. PATHETIC!"

"P-Pathetic? Me? At least I had a chance to kiss her. Unlike you who couldn't do nothing but to pulled her after getting jealous."

"KIM MINGYU!" Dokyeom went in range as he grabbed Mingyu's hair.

"Hey hey what are you doing to my hair? Let go!" Mingyu winced.

"I really wanted to punch you but you are my cousin so..." Dokyeom said while gritting his teeth as he keeps on pulling his hair.

So Mingyu did the same; grabbing his cousin's hair.

"Ah ah ah," Dokyeom winced.

"Let my hair go!" Mingyu threatened.

"Okay okay! I will! Let go first!" Dokyeom promised.

As soon as Mingyu let him go, Dokyeom did the same. But before he move away, Dokyeom kicked his cousin's knee.

"Ahh!" Mingyu winced and didn't had the chance to revenge since Dokyeom already ran out from his room. "YOU ARE REALLY IMMATURE!"

Dokyeom went back just to say, "FYI, (y/n) and I are going in a date today. Bleeeh~" he stick out his tongue.

Mingyu threw a pillow on him but he dodge it. "Get out of my sight!"

When he is now completely alone, he took a deep breath.

"Date huh," he murmured. "Knowing (y/n), she might agreed on this so she can reject him in a nice way. That's one of the reasons why I couldn't confess. Because she is not someone who will date in work."

Mingyu... is 100% correct.

The reason why you agreed on meeting CEO Lee today is not to accept his offer to date him. You wanted to explain things and to avoid more complicated situations. Why? Because you are a matured woman. A responsible one who will accept the result of your actions even if it is mean to resign. And Mingyu knows it after watching you for years.  

Will it really turn out the way he thinks?

"Hi. I came here for a reservation with Mr. Lee Dokyeom," you said to the receptionist of an expensive looking restaurant.

"This way ma'am," she guided you on the way to a VIP room. When she opened the door, you saw him: the CEO you respected a lot.

"Oh? You're here miss (y/n)," he smiled as he stood up.

You went inside and the door closed. It was really awkward.

"Have a seat," he offered. Because he is playing his usual cool CEO act, Dokyeom tried to hide his excitement with a poker face reaction.

"Y-Yes CEO," you sat in front of him.

How will you tell him that you came here to decline his offer to date him?

"You..." Dokyeom started. "You must be surprised, right? After you confessed, I suddenly asked you to date me. It was too fast."

This is it! This is the chance to tell him everything!

"CEO, actually I-"

"I know that your confession wasn't true."

"Huh?"

"You only said that because you didn't want me to watch the footage of you, changing clothes in my office. I know."

With that, you are loss of words to say. Guilt takes you over as you couldn't utter a word.

"In the beginning, it is my fault. So I am really sorry." He even bowed his head.

THE CEO, YOUR BOSS, IS BOWING HIS HEAD ON YOU!

"No no CEO! You don't have to apologize. It was my mistake. In fact, I should be thankful to receive such a kind help from you," you said.

He lifted his head to glance back.

"But I can't date you," you added. "To be honest, Manager Kim told me that if we act like a couple, we can deny the rumor about me confessing to you. However, I know it wasn't right. Using someone to cover my mistake will complicates thing. So for Ceo to sacrifice himself just to help me, I won't accept it."

Dokyeom's mouth went round, gasping, "woah. You are really cool."

"Pardon?"

He chuckled and asked, "so you are here to reject me?"

"R-Reject is not the right term s-sir."

"It is."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I, the CEO, will ask you to date me just to cover your rumor?"

You aren't an idiot to misunderstand his words. Thinking how he helped you during the meeting and why he gave you expensive undergarments prove you one thing- he likes you. For real.

But why? How?! You couldn't think of any possible answer on how you took his interest.

For you, Dokyeom is a handsome perfect boss everyone adores. So why you?!

You won't probably think that way if only you know his true colors.

"You said you'll be responsible right?" Dokyeom murmured. "Then resigning isn't the answer. You confessed to me, even if isn't true, the rumors spread. You ruined your image because of me. While in my side, I was disappointed because of that false hope when you said you like me. Now there's one answer left. Date me. For real."

He has a point.

If the CEO dates you, the rumor that you have a one sided love for him will change. Also, CEO likes you, so dating him is being responsible since you confessed.

"But if I date you without any feelings, isn't that taking an advantage?" You cleared.

"How can you be so sure?" Dokyeom replied. "We have a lot of hours to spend today. What about it? Let's date. If you think you can't fall for me, then I will accept your decision."

Is it really okay to say yes?

Can you really date the CEO you respected a lot?

"CEO Lee, you are too perfect  for-"

"No. You didn't  know the real me." Dokyeom stood up and removed his black suit. "Perfect CEO? I'm not." He opened the three buttons of his collar. "I hate wearing formal suit. It suffocates me. Also, this expensive restaurant?" He pointed the ceiling. "I only brought you here to make myself cool. I prefer eating street foods. And this?" Now he pointed his serious face. "It's my mask." Before he smiles very cutely.

Your eyes widened. He suddenly shifted into another person! The way he smiles is different from the strict boss you know!

"There are lot of things you didn't know. First, I'm not cool. I'm cute." He walked closer to you. "Second, I'm talkative as hell. I joke a lot." He grabbed your hand. "Third, I am a possessive idiot." He pulled you out of the restaurant.

When the two of you went out, Dokyeom stretched as he yawned. "The weather is really good for a walk. I don't know why couple loves to date in that restaurant. It's boring."

But here you are on the side, looking at him in awe.

"Ahh, I didn't bring my car, hehe,"  he glanced back with a peace sign.

You couldn't reply at all. The truth is too surprising for you to process it.

"What the hell, are you that surprise to see the real me?" He pouted.

"I-" you muttered. "Yeah."

He chuckled. "It feels refreshing though. It was tiring to act 24/7 as a cool CEO. Mingyu and my secretary are the only one who knew my real personality."

"Manager Kim? Why him?"

Dokyeom stopped. "He is my cousin."

"Really?!" you gasped.

"But let's not talk about him. I hate it. Anyway, aren't you hungry? Let's eat some spicy rice cake." He smiled and walked forward.

The two of you eat street foods together.

"I only ate 10 sticks, you shouldn't do this in a business," Dokyeom fighting to the rice cake seller.

If it is the old Dokyeom you know, he will just pay it without having a fight.

After eating, you went to play in an arcade.

"I got 2 tickets!" He celebrates after shooting  two balls out of 50 seconds chance.

"Omg don't kill me! Waaah!" He panicked while playing the zombie shooting game.

The more you watch him, the more you realized that he isn't the strict cool CEO you knew. Somehow, you like the real Lee Dokyeom. Because he is the person you wanted to be: confident and jolly.

When the two of you got tired playing around, you both went inside a karaoke cubicle.

"You want to sing?" He asked, offering the mic.

"No. I don't sing  that well." You declined.

"Well I do," he smiled. He is really that confident huh?

That made you laughed.

"Why are you laughing? It's not a bluff. I can sing very well," he sulked.

"I'm sorry," you chuckled. "It is my first time hearing from someone that he is a good singer."

"Well, it is the only thing I'm good at." He dialed a number to reserve a song.

The music plays. He took a deep breath and started to sing a ballad song.

It is true. He is a good singer. His melody remained in your ears, swaying. You are soothed by his warm solid voice, drawing you not to leave a sight of him.

You are... captivated.

The song ended and he got 98 score. "Hahaha! Told you I'm a great si-" he was about to boast but halted when he saw your stare. "W-Why are you looking at me like that?" He blushed.

"N-Nothing,"  you said and quickly went out. "I'm crazy I'm crazy," you keep on murmuring while holding your chest.

It was hard to accept it.

Accept that he made your heart flutter within a short time.

It is already 7pm. The date is almost over.

Because Dokyeom didn't bring a car, the two of you are walking together filled with star-looking lights of the busy streets.

No one is reminding that this date will be over. Not you and not him.

"Woah! Look at that!" Dokyeom peeked inside an ice cream shop through the glass window. "The ice cream looks really delicious."

Everyone from the shop is looking at him.

"H-Hey, you are drawing us attention. Stop it," you said, getting embarrassed.

"Ah really?" He innocently asked as he moved away from the glass window. "Okay okay. Sorry, hehe."

You two walked again in silence.

"Are you embarrassed of me a moment ago?" He shyly asked while scratching his nape.

"Sort of."

"Wow. That's too honest," he chuckled. "Well, this is me."

"CEO Lee."

"Dokyeom."

"Huh?"

"Call me Dokyeom. We aren't at the company."

"D-Dokyeom," you said even though you hesitated a lot.

He suddenly stopped walking. "I changed my mind." Then holds his chest. "Don't call me by my name. My heart can't take it."

How can he say that in front of you?!

Your cheeks flushed as you replied, "o-okay. Hmm so..."

He started to walk again beside you. "So?"

"What was the reason? For you to hide your personality?"

"Ahhh, you mean why am I playing the cool CEO?"

"Hmm."

Dokyeom looked up, sighing. "Father said I am an immature guy, unlike my cousin. I played a lot, I didn't study well and I don't have an aura of a boss. So he doesn't want me to handle his company."

"The Chairman?"

"Ahuh," he sadly laughed. "So before I became the CEO, he told me to study someone. He choose the most responsible employee in the company. I watched that person, and was mesmerized by her. Working as CEO is not like playing house. That someone taught me to be serious in work, because as the leader, I need to be responsible for my people."

"I see," you nodded. "So after learning from that person, you choose to be a cool serious Ceo?"

"Ahuh. Though it's hard. But when I am alone or when I'm home, I am my usual self."

"Ahhh. I get it."

"It's you."

"Huh?"

Without looking back, Dokyeom said in husky tone, "You are my inspiration. My role model." 

It is happening again.

The fluttering feeling inside you that tightened your chest.

"Even when I was not the CEO, I already like you."

Heart is beating so fast, you stares  at him and to his smile as he looked at the night sky.

"I didn't really mean to push myself to you. I was planning to stay low. But when I saw Mingyu kissing you, I was jealous. That's why. Well the date is almost over. As expected you wouldn't-"

"The kiss between Mingyu and I, please don't misunderstand it," you said, looking down at the ground while walking.

Dokyeom halted his words. He couldn't look back. But one thing is for sure: it is a green light for our innocent CEO.

And so...

He slowly approaches your hand, gently holding it.

Both of you couldn't look at each other eyes.

Walking in silent, you hold his hand back, and let him intertwined his fingers on yours.

It looks like Mingyu is not 100% right.

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