The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 42

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

42.
At someone’s playful remark, Do A startled and lifted her head.
That was when her gaze collided with Cha Gyeong’s, who was walking slowly behind Director Park.
Cha Gyeong regarded Do A with eyes as cold and dry as winter glass—those distant, unreadable eyes that gave nothing away.
“It seems Employee Seong took quite a bit of care with this presentation, knowing the executive was coming.”
An executive standing beside Cha Gyeong let the remark slip out casually.
“Oh, well, it wasn’t actually me who—”
Before she could wave her hands in protest, the executive continued in a knowing tone.
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Your boyfriend is right here in front of everyone, so of course you’d want to look your best.”
Cha Gyeong let out a cold laugh.
“You’re mistaken, Director Kim.”
His calm, low voice dropped the temperature of the space around them in an instant.
“She’s not someone I’d expect to invest time and care into impressing me. Not my girlfriend.”
Cha Gyeong looked directly at Do A as he spoke.
“Isn’t that right, Employee Seong?”
Unable to find a rebuttal, Do A froze in place as Cha Gyeong passed by her side and entered the conference room with the executives.
* * *
Do A took her place at the presenter’s position, confirmed the first slide, and swept her eyes across the attendees.
The Abe team members, the marketing staff from Hyunsin, Director Park, executives she’d never seen before, and—
‘Don’t look. Don’t look over there.’
The man who had unsettled her even before the presentation began was sitting in the seat of honor, his long legs crossed, watching her.
‘Just think about the presentation. Don’t think about anything else. Just the presentation.’
Do A opened her mouth, her gaze fixed on the slide.
“Hello everyone. I’m Do A from the Abe Creative Team. I’ll be conducting the Hyunsin Department Store second-half advertising preview.”
Though Do A had been tense moments before, once she began, she proceeded with remarkable stability and composure.
Data and proposals flowed across the screen with natural rhythm.
Her voice remained steady and unwavering, and measured gestures kept the attendees focused on the briefing.
“That concludes the preview presentation. If anyone needs further explanation, please feel free to ask questions.”
At that moment, a Hyunsin employee raised their hand.
“Last year, a competing department store ran a campaign with a similar concept to this one, and the response was very poor. Did you review that precedent?”
Do A’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“We did review it. The competitor positioned themselves as high-end luxury while prominently featuring mid-range product lines aimed at mass appeal. We accounted for that distinction by matching only the premium tier product lines, perfectly aligning the concept with the product category.”
Several more questions followed, but Do A fielded them all flawlessly.
When the preview ended, the conference room filled with applause.
Do A exhaled in relief, a warm sense of accomplishment blooming in her chest.
“Do A, they’re going to do a test broadcast of the campaign video from the preview on the display boards, so stop by the Computer Room and hand off the USB.”
“Got it.”
She left the conference room, which was still being tidied up, and headed for the Computer Room on the 6th Floor.
She’d been told the Computer Room was on the left after turning two corners in the corridor.
The moment Do A rounded the first corner, a large hand suddenly reached out and pulled her by the waist.
“—!”
She choked back a cry that had risen to her throat. The one who had pushed her deeper into the corridor was none other than Cha Gyeong.
In the darkness, intense heat rippled in his black pupils as he looked down at her. The cold, dry gaze from the conference room had vanished without a trace.
“Executive Yun! What are you doing?!”
Do A shoved him away, her words sharp.
Cha Gyeong loosened his necktie as if frustrated, then spoke to her in a low voice.
“You gave a good presentation.”
“I appreciate the compliment, but not like this—”
“You probably still don’t believe it.”
“No—why are you bringing that up all of a sudden—?”
“I watched you present and fell for you all over again. What do I do?”
The air emptied like a vacuum-sealed package, and her breath caught.
Do A’s pupils darted aimlessly between the corridor ceiling and floor.
The interior of the corridor was dim and narrow. There were no windows, no one passing through.
Only a single fluorescent light flickered weakly at the far end.
“I fell for you all over again. What do I do?”
In that silent space, only his words from moments before kept replaying in her ears.
When Do A lifted her head, Cha Gyeong was already looking down at her.
One button of the shirt that had been meticulously fastened in the conference room was now undone, and his neck was defined through the loosened gap of his tie.
The sheer sensuality he radiated seemed to make him a completely different person from the cold, composed executive she’d just seen.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
She loved Cha Gyeong. This was already an undeniable fact.
This newly realized love crashed down upon her like a violent tsunami without warning.
Do A was exhausted just trying to contain her own emotions.
“Whether you believe it or not, that’s how I feel. You can hate me if you want, just don’t deny it.”
Cha Gyeong closed his mouth for a moment, then opened it again.
“Since a moment ago, all I can see is that damn red mouth of yours.”
Suddenly her lips tingled. Without thinking, Do A pressed her red lips inward.
She needed to deny it. She needed to say something. Desperately, her mind raced to find words that were decisive, logical, and irrefutable.
“Just—just honor the contract!”
Do A wanted to bury her head in her hands. Of all the things to say, this was what came to mind? Was this really your best, Do A?
No, actually, it wasn’t necessarily the wrong thing to say.
The contract did need to come first.
“What?”
“You made a contract with me, Executive. To seduce Na Hee and make her break up with Gyeong Jun. They haven’t broken up yet.”
Cha Gyeong let out a hollow laugh, as if flabbergasted.
“Is that what you wanted to say?”
“What else should I say? Honestly, I don’t know how to trust that you like me. You’re… you’re harder for me to trust than even Gyeong Jun.”
The words tumbled out, and only after did she regret the last bit.
She knew how much of a human wreck Gyeong Jun was—surely he did too. How could she compare the two?
Sure enough, Cha Gyeong’s expression darkened visibly.
“Do you know what principle I abandoned to confess to you?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t need to.”
“Fine, I can accept that you’re rejecting me. That would hurt, but it’s understandable. But denying my sincerity on your own terms—that’s the worst.”
Do A hesitated before adding carefully.
“…Even if, against all odds, your feelings were genuine, my answer would be the same. I can’t accept them.”
Her voice trembled slightly. But still, she continued to the end.
“So I’d appreciate it if you’d focus only on the contract. If you don’t, I won’t be able to maintain this arrangement. And I’ll have to say the responsibility for that falls on you.”
A taut silence stretched between them, like a bowstring drawn taut. Cha Gyeong’s gaze traced her firmly sealed lips very slowly.
What would she do if he rejected even this? Do A was beginning to seriously consider that question when—
“Fine.”
“…”
“I’ll do as Do A wants.”
Contrary to her fears, Cha Gyeong agreed readily. His acceptance was so swift and willing that Do A felt even more taken aback.
“The contract falling apart isn’t something I want either, so from now on, I’ll fulfill the contract faithfully.”
The corners of Cha Gyeong’s mouth curved into an elegant arc.
The fierce intensity that had been consuming her moments before vanished, and he spoke with a disarmingly bright smile.
“From now on, I’ll focus entirely on Na Hee. That’s the most important clause of our contract, after all.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————